Sheila D Stolov, founder and principal of Hermosa Montessori School

 

Sheila D. Stolov  is an accomplished educator, founder and principal of Hermosa Montessori School based in Tucson, Arizona. She has an extensive background and expertise in early childhood education, K-8 education, professional development, building effective teams, school administration, school building design and construction and oversight of kindergarten through middle school instruction programs using authentic Montessori methods aligned with Arizona Academic Standards. 

Education and Training:

Sheila has a BA in Education from Avila University (1973)  and postgraduate  Montessori certification from Avila College, Kansas City MO with Association Montessori International (AMI) certification (1973) and Elementary Teaching Certification.  It is noteworthy that Ms. Stolov was trained by Lena Wikramaratne, who was an associate of Maria Montessori during the period of time in which the elementary Montessori curriculum was being developed.

Ms. Stolov received the Cross Categorical Special Education Certificate 2001-2002  from the Arizona State Board of Education.

During Ms. Stolov’s career, she participated in numerous attendance hours of professional development from the American Montessori Society (AMS), and the Association Montessori International (AMI), in the United States. She was a presenter for the annual AMS conference in Florida.

Ms.Stolov attended professional development with Dr. Steven Hughes entitled School 2.0, and Prove It.  She also attended specialized  leadership training from the American Montessori Society during the Heads of School retreats in various locations worldwide, and the international Association Montessori International (AMI) leadership conference in Oregon.

Other training includes:

●        Color Me Healthy Curriculum Training Pima County

●        Level 1 and 2 Criminal Justice Security Awareness Training Certification

●        The Special Education Policies and Procedures Certification of Completion Arizona Department of Education

●        Compassionate Communication

●        Technology Literacy Challenge Fund Certificate of Achievement from the Tucson Regional Training Center

●        Certificate of Achievement  Grant Writing  Tucson Regional Training Center

●       Positive Discipline from the Tucson Psychiatric Institute

●       The Child’s Quest for Discipline  Tucson Regional Training Center

●       Directors Communicable Diseases, Conference on Early Childhood Education for Administrators Pima County Health Department

●       Get Children Moving Pima County Health Department

●       The Arts Connection University of Arizona,

●       Relationships with Siblings University of Arizona,

●       Identifying Special Needs Tucson Child Care Association

●       Infectious Diseases Pima County Health Department, Kathy Ford

●       Understanding the Characteristics and Meeting the Educational Needs of the the Gifted Student Arizona Department of Education-ESS Support Cadre 

●       About the A’s: Assets, Assessment and Analysis Behavior and Management after BI Pima Community College and Neuro-Insult

Most recently Ms. Stolov completed the Leadership 100 training on March 27, 2024.

 

 Professional accomplishments

Ms. Stolov has been the principal of Hermosa Montessori School since its founding in 1979. At present the school system includes both a private preschool program and public charter kindergarten through middle school program. Ms. Stolov wrote the Charter for Hermosa School and was awarded the Charter Contract from the State Board for Charter Schools in 1995. At present Sheila leads a staff of approximately 50 individuals including teachers, teaching assistants, administrative personnel and various support  staff. Approximately 300 students are currently enrolled. 

Hermosa Montessori School is located on a 16 acre campus in the Northeast area of Tucson Arizona with over 40,000 square feet of classroom and administrative space. With the assistance of a noted Tucson architect, Ron Fridlind, Ms. Stolov designed and constructed exceptional classroom buildings specially adapted for the Montessori learning environment. The campus design guided by Ms. Stolov includes remarkable outdoor classroom environments, gardens, expansive playgrounds, nature trails, sport courts, and swimming pool. Under Ms. Stolov’s  continuous 46 years of leadership, Hermosa has consistently achieved the highest academic ratings from the Arizona Department of Education first rated as an “excelling” school, and currently as a continuously “A” rated school.   

Awards and Recognition

Among Ms. Stolov’s long tenure leading Hermosa, she has been recognized as one of the top Arizona principals including being awarded the coveted Circle of honor award presented by Tom Horne, Superintendent of Public Instruction. As a Circle of Honor winner, Ms. Stolov was recognized as an “Exemplary Educational Leader” in 2007, and served as a mentor to educational leaders for the following two years. See Local principals named among state's top 1%

For more information about Ms. Stolov and Hermosa Montessori School, see www.HermosaSchool.org