 The Board of Trustees is a self-perpetrating entity charged with the strategic, long-term protection and strengthening of the financial, physical, and programmatic assets of The Hockessin Montessori School.
The Mission of the Board is to take viability related action to ensure programmatic excellence (by the school's own definition) to the next generation of students.
The major action of the Board is to create a Strategic Plan for a 5 year time span and to renew the plan every four years. An Annual Agenda from the Strategic Plan and set up the Committee structure needed in order to deliver the strategic items placed in that Agenda.
The job of the Board President is to point at the Committee Chairs and support the Committees during the year as they carry out their work. The job of the Committee on Trustees is to profile the Board based on the needs of the Strategic Plan, culminate and recruit suitable members who can forward the Annual Agenda items. Annually, it is also their job to evaluate Board performance against the successful completion of the objectives laid out. Meet The Hockessin Montessori School Board of Trustees:Theresa Litherland, Board Chair Theresa has been involved with HMS since 2016. Theresa has a Chemical Engineering Degree and M.B.A. and is a Pharmaceutical Marketing Director. Theresa and her husband, Tim have a daughter, Audrey who is a 2022 HMS Graduate. Theresa finds importance in a Montessori education because every student is respected and valued for their opinions and unique gifts. Students learn how to manage their time and take accountability for their own work. Shannon Athey Shannon has been a part of HMS since 2009 and has served on the Board since 2015. Shannon earned a M.A. in Spanish and M.S. Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania and currently teaches Spanish online as well as supervising pre-service K-12 teachers in the field. Shannon and her husband, Clay have a daughter, Megan who began at HMS in the Children's House program and recently graduated. Shannon has taught for many years and when she first observed a Montessori classroom she knew that it was the way education should be! She is amazed every year at our 8th Grade Graduation to see these confident, self-assured students who are moving on to High School. Surya Chitra Surya and his family have been involved with HMS for more than 25 years. Surya and his wife, Rohini have two children, Tarun and Uthsav who graduated from our school. Surya has a Ph.D. in Engineering and is self employed as a Research & Development Consultant. He has always been a strong proponent for the Montessori education because it builds independent thinking and self-motivation skills. Brian Dempsey Brian joined HMS in 2012 and has served on the Board since 2015. Brian has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and is a sales engineer at Nucor Skyline. He and his wife, Cindy have a daughter, Brianna who is a 2023 HMS Graduate. Brian finds it so impressive to see the students helping their peers with such confidence and understanding thus reinforcing what they have already learned in the classroom. He finds reassurance sending his daughter to a school environment where safety and security is a priority. Mary Lucente Mary has been involved with HMS and on the Board of Trustees for over 25 years and has witnessed the evolution of the school that is here today. Mary has a background in Nursing with degrees from Pennsylvania Hospital and Temple University but she is currently a Real Estate agent with Long & Foster Real Estate and Christie’s International Real Estate. Mary and her husband, Ed have four children, three of whom who are HMS alumni. Johnathan Parsell, Finance Chair Johnathan and his wife, Dani, joined the HMS community in 2017 when their oldest daughter began in the Toddler program. The impact of the Montessori Method and the commitment of the educators and staff at HMS have made Johnathan and Dani excited to enroll their youngest daughter in the Toddler Program at HMS starting in fall 2021. Johnathan has a B.S. in Marketing and Operations Management from the University of Delaware and a MBA from Drexel University. Johnathan currently works as an Assistant Vice President of Location Experience for Service Corporation International. Sahir Saiyad Sahir Saiyad has been with HMS since 2017. Sahir is self-employed and runs a successful beauty and wellness business. His three children are currently enrolled at HMS in the Children's House, Elementary and Middle School programs. Sahir and his family believe that at an early age, Montessori education nurtures order, concentration, and independence. When Sahir is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, biking and taking scenic photos with his drone. Brooke Sedita, Development and Advancement Chair Brooke and her husband, Van, enrolled their daughter in the HMS Toddler program in 2018 where they continue to be impressed by the schools emphasis on nurturing order, concentration, and independence for self-regulation at an early age. Brooke has a BFA in Painting from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. She currently works at Morris Nichols Arsht and Tunnell LLP as an Operations Specialist facilitating collaboration and communications Firm wide. Brooke enjoys visiting art galleries, skiing and watching her daughter grow each day. Peter Succoso Peter has also been involved with HMS and on the Board of Trustees for over 25 years and has witnessed the evolution of the school that is here today. Peter is a self-employed Financial Managing Representative and Investment Advisor Representative. He and his wife, Gerry have three HMS alumni who are also successful in financial industry; Ross is a Financial Analyst, Kara is an Investment Banking Associate, and PJ is an Economics major at Franklin and Marshall College. If you are interested in volunteering your time to support the Board of Trustees and the mission of The Hockessin Montessori School, please contact Janette at jhenry@TheHMS.org.
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