Founding Family

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and Sharmella Kerbawy founded the Maria Montessori Center in 1981.

Mr. Thomas Kerbawy trained in Montessori education both in Washington, D.C. and Bergamo, Italy.  Mrs. Sharmella Kerbawy completed her Montessori training in Sri Lanka.

  Together, they started The Maria Montessori Center as a school where they could raise their own children and provide an authentically international and un-paralleled Montessori education for any child.    

 With the passing of Thomas in 2014, his son Mr. Shatomi Kerbawy took over full duties as Head of School.

  All who knew Mr. Thomas Kerbawy agreed; he was a gentle man and a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. He respected life in all its forms, as well as people of all ages and backgrounds. He was a superb listener, easy to speak to, and always willing to help. Mr. Thomas Kerbway's  caring compassion, attention-to-detail, and respect for life continue to be core values that guide The MMC.

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In 2017 the ownership was taken over by Mrs. Mona Ahuja 

  As an experienced Association of Montessori International (AMI) trained Director, I am extremely happy to be a part of this wonderful MMC family. I gracefully accepted Mr. Shatomi Kerbway (prior owner's) offer in November 2017.   I am excited to continue the tradition and values which were incepted in 1981 by Senior Kerbway and is being continued till date. I am so honored to have the most experienced staff and valuable parents, whose future young citizens are being nurtured.

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 I was a primary AMI Certified teacher when I started my career in Bangalore, India and continued the same in Salinas, California . I then worked on, continuing education of being a director and learned quite a bit during the AMI conference's and broadened

my horizons of Montessori Education. State moving and career changing did not stop me in the field of education. I opened and operated a Hindi Language School in Ellicott City, Maryland. In addition, I continued my association with Education and Montessori learning by keeping in frequent touch with respected Montessorians.

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This association with MMC has brought me closer to my passion as a Director which I am right now living it and thoroughly enjoying it to the core. I will be happy to serve you the best of my abilities in upcoming years. I promise to uphold the foundation of Montessori education by flourishing to each and every individual.