Angela Galarza (Executive Director), brings to our school over 20 years of teaching and professional experience in Montessori education. She taught as a Preprimary teacher in South Florida before becoming our school’s Executive Director, Music Teacher, Summer Camp Coordinator and a member of the Board of Trustees. In addition to her certification in Montessori Education, Angela also holds an AS in Early Childhood Education/Child Care Center Management, a BS degree in Early Childhood Development and is a certified Musicgarten music teacher for ages birth to five. She is also the Early Childhood Language instructor for The Maryland Center for Montessori Studies. Other positions Angela has held during her educational and professional career have been: Music Teacher, Summer Program Coordinator, and Adult Education Instructor and Music Workshop Presenter for Summit Montessori Teacher Training Institute and South Florida Montessori Education Center. She also developed and implemented an Assistants Training Program, Character First Cheerleading Program and French Music curriculum during her time teaching in the classroom. Being a wife and mother, being around children, performing in local plays, singing in choirs and reading are Angela’s longtime passions. Angela, her husband Santos, and her two boys (7- a graduate of BWMCH, and 13 years old) happily reside in Columbia, MD.

Javacia Finney (Full-Day Co-Teacher) completed her Bachelor’s Degree from York College in Sociology. She received her Association Montessori Internationale Diploma from the Washington Montessori Institute at Loyola College and completed her Master’s Degree in Education at Loyola College. Javacia has interned at the Supreme Court in Brooklyn, New York and worked at the Columbia Gym with children ages 6 weeks- 13 years old as Kid Space Attendant. For two years, she also worked for the Columbia Association in their School Age Services Department as Before and After Care provider. She has worked here at Bryant Woods Montessori Children’s House for five years. Javacia enjoys reading and spending time with friends and family.

Zahra Baig (Half-Day Co-Teacher) has lived in Columbia, MD for the past 38 years and is a graduate of Bryant Woods Montessori Children's House herself. She has a BS degree from the University of MD, College Park in Textiles. She received her Montessori teaching certificate from the Institute of Advanced Montessori Studies and completed her internship at the Barrie Day School. Zahra has also grown up in a family of Montessorians as her mother, four of her aunts, and several cousins are all Montessori teachers. This will be Zahra's sixth year teaching at BWMCH. Before coming back to Bryant Woods, she taught 6, 7, and 8th grade at the Pyle Middle School in Bethesda, MD and has helped to set up and teach KG at two private schools. Zahra believe strongly that the Montessori method helps to lay a great foundation for all future learning. In her free time she loves reading, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her niece and nephew.

Señora Rachelle Woods (Spanish Teacher) was a Montessori student herself through second grade. She graduated from UMBC with a degree in Modern Languages and Linguistics (Spanish and Russian). Over the past 20+ years, she has acquired a wide range of experience in teaching and working with young children. Among her previous posts, she was a teacher and pedagogical director at the Berlitz Language School in Rockville, an assistant and later a teacher at a local Montessori school, and a Spanish I and II teacher at Hammond High School. For four years she also worked at Zany Brainy where she helped run weekly art and reading clubs for young children. Señora Woods’ own experience as a Montessori student fostered her strong belief in the value of a Montessori education and the amazing foundation that it lays for future learning. For that reason, both of her children (now ages 15 & 13) attended Bryant Woods Montessori. She has enjoyed teaching Spanish at our school since 1999. Senora Woods is active in her community as a Girl Scout troop leader and a Sunday School teacher. In her spare time, she loves to read, learn, garden, and work on her historical house.

Carie Martin (Morning Assistant) was the treasurer for our Parents Guild Committee for the two years her daughter attended BWMCH. Her husband is also a former student! This is her second year assisting our directresses here at BWMCH. She has completed the Early Childhood Assistant’s Course at The Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies. Before motherhood, she worked in the Secondary Marketing Department of Columbia National Mortgage Corporation. Her hobbies include hiking, traveling and enjoying time with her family.

Jane Derro (Afternoon Assistant) grew up in Scotland and went to college in the Scottish Borders, to study Early Childhood Education. She has over twenty years of experience working with young children in pre-school and as a nanny. Jane is currently attending Howard Community College in the Early Childhood program focusing on Special Education. Jane, her husband and three children (elementary, high school and college ages!) live in Ellicott City. When she finds time, she enjoys quilting, gardening and reading. Jane is looking forward to joining the Bryant Woods Montessori Children’s House team.