About Our School
Our mission: Education, Anchored in Faith
Our mission is to prepare your child for life by providing an education anchored in faith. Our Catholic Montessori program is designed to enable each child to develop to their full potential as God created them. All children are naturally curious and love to learn. We support this innate drive by providing environments that meet your child's developmental needs with a well-prepared supportive staff, and a community of dedicated families. We inspire children to develop independence, problem-solving skills, confidence, self-discipline, and a love of learning within a foundation of faith. We celebrate your child's individuality and help them discover how they can best develop and use their God given gifts to contribute to our world and our society.
St. Philomena's Montessori: The Catholic Component
Children live in a different religious world. Young children not only have religious capacities but a particular religious hunger as well. “Joy wells up within them when helped to draw near to God. The happiness they feel when they come close to God is a quality of joy that makes them peaceful, relaxed, as if something very deep has been struck in their hearts…. Children are totally involved…There is nothing left out when they pray or hear the words of God.”
—Sophia Cavaletti, co-founder of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey
Founded upon this philosophy, the children attending St. Philomena’s Montessori spend time each week in the Good Shepherd atrium and older children have the opportunity to attend mass with their class. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd materials are available to the children in the classroom at all times during the day and they gather together for daily prayer. Archbishop Schnurr has approved the school. This video highlights the Good Shepherd Component.
Vision for the Child
We want to help children become well-rounded individuals who are problem solvers, internally motivated, reflective, self-disciplined, and confident. They should enjoy the process of discovery and genuinely love learning. We want to develop peacemakers who respect themselves and others, who appreciate differences, who embrace collaboration and cooperation, and who cherish their world both locally and globally. We want children to learn how to take responsibility for their actions and care for those around them with Christ as their example.
Vision for the Parent
Parents in our community trust in their children’s unique developmental path. In a spirit of collaboration with teachers, parents help their children grow in faith and independence, learn to celebrate their own and others’ accomplishments, work cooperatively, and consider ways to embrace new challenges. As members of the St. Philomena Montessori community, parents maintain a strong connection to the school and one another forming a vibrant community of faith and support.
The three central figures in our school.
We entrust our entire school community and program to these three patrons.
Faculty and Staff
Carrie Winhoven
Head of School
3-6 Guide
Carrie Winhoven, proud mother of two children, brings over 20 years of Montessori teaching experience and joy to Saint Philomena Montessori. She has taught students in grades k-9th and was an integral part of starting an adolescent Montessori Farm School. She has a Master’s degree in Education from Xavier University and has served as an adjunct professor at Wright State. She has also taught Montessori teacher education courses for CMSTEP. She holds Ohio state teacher certification as well as four AMS Montessori credentials; primary, Elementary I, and Secondary I & II. As a Level I & II certified Good Shepherd Catechist, she enjoys sharing her Catholic faith with young children. Other activities she enjoys are cycling, kayaking, and spending time in prayer.
Sonja Richard
Administrative Assistant
Sonja has been involved in the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Sunday school program for nearly 17 years. Serving as a teacher and later the director. She has completed Level 1 Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training and holds Montessori Assistant Certification from Adrian Dominican Montessori Teacher Institute. She also brings 28 years of billing/finance experience in the healthcare field. Sonja and her husband Dave have two daughters and three granddaughters. Sonja enjoys relaxing at the beach and painting. She is excited to bring Montessori education to the children in our community.
Susan Kramer
Childcare Coordinator
Susan and her husband Tony have four children and live in Osgood. She received her Montessori Assistant Certification from Adrian Dominican Montessori Teacher Institute and plans to complete Good Shepherd Catechesis training next Spring. Her dedication to her Catholic faith is evident as a third order Carmelite. Susan has taught religion for approximately 20 years at St Nicholas parish. She has made Membership in the Schoenstatt movement and continues to serve as a group leader. It gave her great joy to lead a former St. Philomena student to make her Covenant of Love as a kindergartener! She is co-host of the Marian Spirituality program on Radio Maria and in the process of making a CD for Lighthouse Media on the Schoenstatt movement. She feels growing up in a large Catholic family, her devotion to the Blessed Mother, and her call to a deep prayer life have been instrumental in her journey.
In her spare time, she reads about the lives of the saints and other good spiritual books.
She feels very blessed to have been called to this great work as a Childcare Coordinator at St Philomena Montessori and knows it is making an eternal difference.
Sarah Ambos
3-6 Guide
Sarah earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s Degree
in Reading Instruction from Wright State University. She is certified to teach Pre-K-3rd grade and has taught kindergarten for 10 years. Sarah is a certified Level 1 Good
Shepherd Catechist and is currently working toward a Montessori certification for
Primary. As a teacher, her ultimate goal is to help children discover a love of learning.
She favors the Montessori philosophy of hands-on, purposeful activities and research-based practices, while providing children the independence they desire. Sarah and her husband John have three sons and together they enjoy walks in nature, reading, cooking, and playing games. She is always learning new things like gardening, making sourdough bread, and fermenting kombucha. She is very excited to be part of the staff at St. Philomena Montessori.
Laura Niekamp
3-6 Guide
Laura Niekamp is a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Parish. She is also a member of the Sacred Heart Choir, as she enjoys singing and being involved with mass. She
received a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Ball State University and has worked in surrounding skilled nursing facilities for the past 7 years treating patients with language, communication, swallowing, and cognitive impairments. She received her Montessori Assistant Certification from Adrian Dominican Montessori Teacher Institute and plans to complete Good Shepherd Catechesis training next Spring. Laura and her husband Eric have two terrific children, Matthew and Elizabeth. In her spare time, Laura enjoys flower gardening, reading, Sudoku Puzzles, visiting National Parks and spending time with her family. She is excited for this opportunity to use her gifts and work with young children in a Catholic Montessori environment.
Lauren Dwenger
3-6 Guide
Lauren has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Bowling Green State University and is certified to teach PreK-3rd grade. Although she is a first year teacher, she has had experience working with preschool and kindergarten students for six years, four of which were in a Montessori school. Lauren became very fond of the Montessori philosophy after just a short time working in a Montessori environment. She is excited to use what she has learned already and continue to learn more in order to provide students with rich learning experiences and truly follow each child’s lead. Lauren enjoys being active outdoors and growing in faith alongside her fiancé, Cody. She feels blessed to have this opportunity to teach at St. Philomena Montessori School and is looking forward to working with her students and their families.
Rebecca Gehret
Good Shepherd Catechist
3-6 Guide
Rebecca Gehret has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Ohio State University and holds state teaching certification for pre-k-3rd grade. She is also a trained Good Shepherd catechist. Rebecca has experience working in pre-school programs and at a local library where she enjoyed engaging students in their love of reading. For the past few years, she has owned and operated a pre-school program from her home, implementing the Montessori style environment and techniques. She appreciates the foundation of respect given to children in a Montessori classroom and the research- based philosophy. Rebecca and her husband Grant have three wonderful children. Her favorite things to do are reading a good book or spending time outdoors, taking a walk or gardening. She feels very blessed to be part of Saint Philomena’s Catholic Montessori program and looks forward to working with many students and families to come.
Brooke Luthman
Good Shepherd Catechist
3-6 Guide
Brooke Luthman a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Dayton. She has three years experience working as a guided reading teacher for grades kindergarten to third grade and six years experience teaching pre kindergarten. Brooke is a trained Good Shepherd Catechist and has taught Level I. Brooke and her husband Caleb have six children. She enjoys all things outdoors, bee keeping, gardening, and spending time with family and friends. Brooke is excited to be a part of the Good Shepherd program at Saint Philomena Montessori and being able to grow in her faith alongside the children.
Lyndsay Richey
Music Teacher
Lyndsay Richey is a Board-Certified Music Therapist who graduated from The University of Dayton with her bachelor’s degree in Music. As a Music Therapist, she works with a variety of students in Darke county in addition to having a few private clients. She has been a member of Sacred Heart parish her whole life. Lyndsay has been the Youth Choir director at Sacred Heart for 9 years and the Adult Choir director for 7 years. Lyndsay and her husband Tyler have two rambunctious boys. She enjoys spending time with her family and crafting in her free time. She feels very blessed to have been called to teach music at her life-long parish’s school.
Jenny Pleiman
Toddler Guide
Jenny Pleiman was a Bible School and CCD teacher for 10+ years before officially
joining the staff at Sacred Heart the summer of 2021. Jenny has since attended
Montessori Toddler Training to be a Toddler Guide for St. Philomena Montessori. She
also is the Coordinator of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Program at Sacred
Heart and has completed the Formation for the Seminole Toddler and Level 1 CGS
levels. She will be attending the Level 2 Formation this Fall. Jenny is married to Jeff and has 5 children. They enjoy supporting their teenagers sport and extra-curricular
activities in a faith filled family atmosphere.
Jenny has a great passion to follow in the footsteps of Maria Montessori, Sofia Cavalletti and Gionna Gobbi who have created beautiful Catholic educational programs by following the natural tendencies of the child so they may become all that God created them to be. Jenny feels blessed to be a part of the Sacred Heart Community and the staff of St. Philomena Montessori and looks forward to serving children for many years to come.
Grace Ontrop
Toddler Guide
Grace Ontrop is a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish. She has taught religion classes of a variety of ages at the parish and is in the process of getting her Good Shepherd Level I certification. Grace is a graduate of Anna High School and has served as a substitute teacher there. She holds Montessori Assistant certification from Adrian Dominican Montessori Teaching Institute and is pursuing her Elementary teaching credential.
Grace has a son who attends St. Philomena Montessori. She enjoys spending time with him and their dog Zoey. She also likes to hike, spend time outdoors, and read. She is excited to be part of the staff of St. Philomena Montessori as a toddler guide and deepen and share her faith with others.
