Hatem Elagha
Executive Director
Hello all. I am the Founder and Executive Director of Kindi Academy. I believe in the vast potential and intelligences embedded in each and every child. My goal is to unleash that power and bring those skills and abilities to the world. The school is built on that premise.
The school started as a home schooling project for my own children and grew into the school we have today. Many people say they get a family feel being around in the school. That feeling haven't evanesced through the years! Add that to a top quality academic program, and you have a magical recipe. This is what Kindi is all about!
I am married with seven children, three graduated from Kindi and two are current students. My oldest two missed out on the fun!
I love reading, food, being with friends, and travelling. I am proud of all my staff and they do a great job day in and day out. I hope to see you as part of the Kindi family soon!
The school started as a home schooling project for my own children and grew into the school we have today. Many people say they get a family feel being around in the school. That feeling haven't evanesced through the years! Add that to a top quality academic program, and you have a magical recipe. This is what Kindi is all about!
I am married with seven children, three graduated from Kindi and two are current students. My oldest two missed out on the fun!
I love reading, food, being with friends, and travelling. I am proud of all my staff and they do a great job day in and day out. I hope to see you as part of the Kindi family soon!
Haley Johnson
Office Manager
Hello everyone! I am honored to be part of Kindi Academy. I worked in office environments before but being in a school setting in invaluable to me. I love children and I enjoy being around them in any capacity. In the future, I am planning to continue with my career in the education field. I fully appreciate the opportunity to interact with your children and help them in any way I can. I am also here to make your experience, the parent, a pleasant one. Outside of Kindi Academy I enjoy spending time outdoors, cooking, and being with my family.
Brooke Louviere
Early Childhood Lead
Hi! I am a teacher in the 3-6 program with an Early Childhood Education degree from Dominican University. I hold a Montessori certification from the American Montessori Society. I have over 25 years experience and continue to love being a teacher. I am married and a proud mother of a 12 year old son. When I am not wearing my "teacher hat," I love long-distance running and caring for my pets. I continue to strive and foster a classroom with a love of language and expression, an appreciation of nature, and to be diligent of the task at hand. I have been associated with Kindi for the past 9 years.
Krystyn Dewar
Early Childhood Lead
Hi everyone! I was introduced to Montessori while observing a classroom for a college course and knew it was my calling. I graduated from Joliet Junior College and I have been working in Montessori schools for seven years now. When I’m not in the classroom I am spending time at home with my rescue dog Gizmo, and my turtle Karlita. I also enjoy traveling to visit my family in Upper Michigan and spending summer days on Lake Superior. Overall, I look forward to growing even more as an educator at Kindi and enjoying my passion of working with children.
Radhika Shah
Early Childhood Lead
Hello! I have been in a Montessori environment for 11 years now, and I have a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a specialization in English. I come from a very large family, so I've been around children my whole life. Some of the things I enjoy doing include baking, hiking, kayaking, painting, going to concerts and seasonal festivals, watching movies/shows, and traveling. I backpacked in Western Europe for over a month, but I hope to visit Greece and Ireland one day - bucket list!
Heather Brennan
Early Childhood Lead
Hello! I am very excited to join Kindi Academy. I am Montessori certified for Early Childhood (3-6). I have five years experience working in a Montessori classroom. I have over fifteen years of paraprofessional and educational experience as an assistant teacher in child care and middle school environments. I became interested in Montessori after enrolling my son in a Montessori program and falling in love with the philosophy. When I am not in the classroom I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, and reading.
Debbie DeLaLeurs
Early Childhood Coordinator
Hello, I am Ms. Debbie and I am excited to join Kindi Academy. For the past 18 years, I have been in a Montessori environment both as Director and Office Manager/Assistant Director. I have over 18 years of paraprofessional and educational experience. I attended Seton Institute and received a credential in their Montessori Leadership and Administration course. I love everything about the Montessori philosophy and enjoy seeing the children everyday.
When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and friends, my rescue dog, Sadie and vacationing in Fort Myers Florida.
When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and friends, my rescue dog, Sadie and vacationing in Fort Myers Florida.
Nosheen Akhtar
Early Childhood Assistant
Hello! I have been in a Montessori environment for over 4 years as an Assistant. I am very fond of the job and love helping my Lead Teacher run the classroom. I enjoy helping children during normal and challenging times. The classroom means the world to me. I cherish the opportunity of being trusted with your children.
Mehreen Alvi
Director of Montessori Education
Lower Elementary Head
"The quality of our lives is a direct reflection of the quality of our thinking and learning."
Hi. I have more than 20 years of experience in the field of Montessori education. I am certified for Early Childhood (3-6 years), Lower and Upper Elementary (6-12 years) and Secondary I and II Montessori education (12-18 years). I have taught all levels, supervised and managed staff teams as an academic program coordinator, and developed and implemented curriculum across the board as a Director of Curriculum.
I moved to the USA ten years ago with my family. Her undergraduate degree is in textile designing from the College of Home Economics and a post graduate degree from Allama Iqbal Open University in History and Political Science. I believe in the saying: "To measure the treasure, flourish the human potential."
Hi. I have more than 20 years of experience in the field of Montessori education. I am certified for Early Childhood (3-6 years), Lower and Upper Elementary (6-12 years) and Secondary I and II Montessori education (12-18 years). I have taught all levels, supervised and managed staff teams as an academic program coordinator, and developed and implemented curriculum across the board as a Director of Curriculum.
I moved to the USA ten years ago with my family. Her undergraduate degree is in textile designing from the College of Home Economics and a post graduate degree from Allama Iqbal Open University in History and Political Science. I believe in the saying: "To measure the treasure, flourish the human potential."
Jacqueline Olson
Lower Elementary Lead
Hello everyone! I am very excited to be returning to Kindi Academy to join the 6-9 classroom and lead elementary Physical Education. I have a Masters Degree in Elementary Education from the American College of Education where I hold an Illinois Professional Educator License k-9 with special endorsements in Health Education and Physical Education. I have a second Masters Degree in Sports Management from the University of Tennessee and a Bachelors in Kinesiology from Northern Illinois University. Outside of my professional career, I have a passion for competitive distance running from the 10k through the marathon, reading, painting, and of course, being a mom to my 8 year old son who is my world. I love educating students of all ages and the spreading joy of movement in the classroom.
Sashikala Venkatesan
Lower Elementary Lead
Hello All! I came to Kindi Academy with a great wealth of knowledge and long experience with teaching the "littles". Everyone call me Ms. Sashi. I was the founder and Director of Montessori Pebbles for 22 years. I have an M.A. Degree in Child Psychology and a B.A Degree in Sociology and Logic from Jythi Nivas College in India. I hold a Montessori Early Childhood certification from American Montessori Society. I am a loving mother to two grown children and has four grandchildren. I love swimming and am an excellent cook!
Sadiqa Razvi
Lower Elementary Reading Specialist
Hello everybody, I’m Ms. Sadiqa & I’m so happy to join the Kindi family ! I bring with me not just 25 years of experience from 3 different countries, but also an exciting program to enable children to face the future with confidence & courage.
I believe in helping children improve & build self esteem, expressing confidence in their potential & encouraging them to develop their interests & independence while teaching them the skills needed to succeed.
As a Reading Specialist, I support, supplement & extend classroom teaching & work collaboratively to implement a program that is suited to the academic level of the children.
I love children & enjoy growing & learning with them. Each child is uniquely gifted & I am astounded by their inherent potential. Some of my other interests are reading, traveling, volunteering, calligraphy, painting, making ( and eating! ) different kinds of desserts & treats !
I believe in helping children improve & build self esteem, expressing confidence in their potential & encouraging them to develop their interests & independence while teaching them the skills needed to succeed.
As a Reading Specialist, I support, supplement & extend classroom teaching & work collaboratively to implement a program that is suited to the academic level of the children.
I love children & enjoy growing & learning with them. Each child is uniquely gifted & I am astounded by their inherent potential. Some of my other interests are reading, traveling, volunteering, calligraphy, painting, making ( and eating! ) different kinds of desserts & treats !
Kala Raveendran
Lower Elementary Teacher
It’s a pleasure to be part of Kindi Academy. I have been teaching here for over sixth year. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Science, postgraduate degree in Education, and a paraprofessional license to teach from Illinois State Board of Education. I’m a proud mother of two high school kids. I enjoy gardening, cooking and spending time with my family. Teaching young children is a great experience for me. It’s an absolute joy to see the light bulb glowing in my students' heads only to declare “Now I got it!”. I love your children and will put in every bit to make a positive difference in their lives.
Harpreet Sawhney
Lower Elementary Teaching Assistant
I am so excited to be part of Kindi Academy. I love working and helping children. I have been working with kids in a Montessori setting since 2005. I hold a Paraprofessional Certificate in assisting in the Montessori environment. I have also completed Child Care courses in Curriculum and Communication. I work with child's development and growth in mind.
I am a resident of Darien. I reside with my parents and my son, Chazvir. I am fluent in English, Hindi, Punjabi, and Gurmukhi.
I will use my skills and abilities to support the lead teachers in the class and to advance and nurture your children.
I am a resident of Darien. I reside with my parents and my son, Chazvir. I am fluent in English, Hindi, Punjabi, and Gurmukhi.
I will use my skills and abilities to support the lead teachers in the class and to advance and nurture your children.
Lisa Wright
Drama, English Literature & Language Arts
Hey all! I am the ELA teacher for grades 1-4 and teach Illinois history and geography. I have a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Psychology from North Central College. I then went on to receive my Elementary Education degree from Trinity Christian College. I have taught kindergarten for 3 years and did my student teaching with 5th grade. I believe that learning should be creative and fun, my goal is for my students to get excited about school.
Andrea Grundon
English Literature & Language Arts
Hello. I have been teaching middle school ELA for over ten years. I have my Bachelor degree in Elementary Education from Lewis University and my Master of Science in Reading from the University of St. Francis. I love teaching because of the relationships that I build with my students and the excitement that I see on their faces when they learn something new. I am passionate about reading and sharing literature with my students and their families.
Sevim Memisovski
Geography & Social Studies
Hello, I am the teacher for Middle School Social Studies and Religions of the World at Kindi Academy. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Social Sciences for Secondary Education, and completed my student teaching at the high school level in U.S. History and Civics courses. Before coming to Kindi, I worked as a Substitute Teacher and Extended Day Supervisor in Evergreen Park at the elementary and middle school level for three years. I am excited to be joining the Kindi Academy team and am looking forward to a great year!
Maria Lorena Jameel
Natural Sciences
Hello! I am very happy to be back teaching at Kindi. In my previous three years at Kindi, I taught Earth and space science, biology, advanced biology, chemistry and physics to middle school students.
Before deciding to become a teacher, I worked as a scientist in cancer and endocrine research at the University of Michigan after earning a degree in microbiology and chemistry from Eastern Michigan University. After becoming a mom to my two lovely children, I realized how much I enjoyed teaching, so I went back to university and got my education degree from Texas Woman’s University. For the last few years, I have been teaching science to children as young as two years old, up to middle schoolers. I love teaching science because it explains how everything works in this vast universe. I hope to instill in children of all ages a love for learning, respect for nature, and eagerness to always stay curious.
Before deciding to become a teacher, I worked as a scientist in cancer and endocrine research at the University of Michigan after earning a degree in microbiology and chemistry from Eastern Michigan University. After becoming a mom to my two lovely children, I realized how much I enjoyed teaching, so I went back to university and got my education degree from Texas Woman’s University. For the last few years, I have been teaching science to children as young as two years old, up to middle schoolers. I love teaching science because it explains how everything works in this vast universe. I hope to instill in children of all ages a love for learning, respect for nature, and eagerness to always stay curious.
Fariba Zandi
Mathematics
Hi. I have had the pleasure of being a part of Kindi Academy for eight years now. Kindi Academy is an amazing school that has a nurturing, loving environment where children can learn and experience new challenges that will help build their confidence. Each child is unique, therefore they learn and thrive at their own pace.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. I have 15 years of experience in teaching Chemistry and Physics, and over 25 years teaching math. I grew up in Iran, Tehran. I am married with three kids Armin, Farzeen, and Tina. Outside of the school, I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, decorating, hiking, arranging a party, and traveling.
My passion for teaching began when I was 14 when I used to help my friends and family. I find joy in witnessing a child learn something new, knowing that I was a main influence in them doing so. The impact I make in their lives makes for an even bigger and more gratifying impact in my own life.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. I have 15 years of experience in teaching Chemistry and Physics, and over 25 years teaching math. I grew up in Iran, Tehran. I am married with three kids Armin, Farzeen, and Tina. Outside of the school, I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, decorating, hiking, arranging a party, and traveling.
My passion for teaching began when I was 14 when I used to help my friends and family. I find joy in witnessing a child learn something new, knowing that I was a main influence in them doing so. The impact I make in their lives makes for an even bigger and more gratifying impact in my own life.
Sanjukta Paul
Mathematics
Hello everyone! I have been teaching mathematics at Kindi Academy for six years. I grew up in India and I have a Master’s degree in Physics and a Bachelor of Education. In my free time I love spending time with my family, gardening, watching movies and traveling. I believe all students can learn anything and as a teacher it is my job to motivate all learners and challenge them to reach their full potential.
Hayat Alquttub
Chair of Arabic and Religion
Hello. I am the Chair of Arabic and Religious Teacher here at Kindi academy. I had my bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Kuwait University. One of my interests is Quranic and Islamic Studies. I have received my Diploma in Quran & Islamic studies from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. My other certificates include EIT certificate, Certificate in Quranic Recitation , Certificate in Geometry and Pattern: Adornment in Islamic Art” from Effat College. I also earned a Teaching Certificate in Arabic and Quran for non-Arabic speakers.
Lina Eltibi
Arabic and Religion
Hi. I have been a teacher at kindi academy for 8 years. I teach preschoolers to fourth graders, and I love teaching each class and all the exploring that comes with it. I am a Quran, Arabic, and Islamic studies teacher, and always very excited to share my knowledge with my students.
I grew up in Beirut, Lebanon. Then moved to live in Jordan when I got married. Twelve years ago I moved to Chicago with my husband and my kids, and now I live in Darien in a beautiful home. I have three kids, two girls, and one boy, and blessed with three beautiful grandkids that are very dear to my heart.
I love teaching and getting to know new students and growing with them. Each student is unique in their own way and it’s an honor to be part of their journey to nurture them and getting them ready for the real world.
I grew up in Beirut, Lebanon. Then moved to live in Jordan when I got married. Twelve years ago I moved to Chicago with my husband and my kids, and now I live in Darien in a beautiful home. I have three kids, two girls, and one boy, and blessed with three beautiful grandkids that are very dear to my heart.
I love teaching and getting to know new students and growing with them. Each student is unique in their own way and it’s an honor to be part of their journey to nurture them and getting them ready for the real world.
Heiam Elkhatib
Arabic and Religion
Hello. I am a Quran and Islamic studies teacher for 1st to 8th grade. I’ve been at Kindi Academy for eight years. I live in Naperville with my husband and four kids. In my free time I love reading, gardening, and spending time with my family. My favorite part of teaching is seeing the smiles on my students faces and to influence children in a positive way.
Teaching students with diverse ethnic backgrounds has opened
my eyes to a better understanding of the world around me and myself.
Fun Facts : I have 11 siblings: 7 brothers and 4 sisters.
Teaching students with diverse ethnic backgrounds has opened
my eyes to a better understanding of the world around me and myself.
Fun Facts : I have 11 siblings: 7 brothers and 4 sisters.
Alicia Abu-Elreish
Spanish (Grades 4 & Up)
Hola everyone! I was born and raised in Mexico City. I came to the United States in my early 20s to continue my University Studies. I majored in Teaching of Foreign Languages and spent the majority of my career teaching native Spanish speakers English as a second language and Spanish literacy. I have had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer with the Latino community and take on board roles with the Latino Muslims of Chicago. I am blessed with four supportive daughters who always keep me smiling. I believe that a classroom learning environment should promote fun, growth, and a sense of family. My classroom nurtures an environment conducive to learning and enjoyment. My goal is to help my students learn and start using Spanish in their daily life.
Kim Jara
Spanish (Ages 3 to 3rd Grade)
My name is Kimberly Jara, more commonly known to my students as “Maestra Kim.” I have had the privilege of teaching Spanish in several local Montessori schools for the past 15 years and have been with Kindi since 2012. An Illinois native, I am a graduate of Wheaton College with a degree in Sociology and minor in Cross Cultural Studies, later completing a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language. My passion for children has led me to work in educational settings in both Ecuador and Mexico. Stateside I have worked as a bilingual 1st grade teacher and currently serve as a school district interpreter. I strive to create an engaging, dynamic, and caring classroom environment where students can have a positive, interactive experience learning the Spanish language. The enthusiasm for learning that I’ve seen in Kindi students has been a joy to my heart, and I look forward to a new year of teaching!