Ms. Stoneman became entranced with Montessori education when her children were young.  She was a teacher working with high school students and young adults in community college, and after seeing Montessori classrooms in action, recognized how different things might be for the older students if they would have had the tremendous foundation that Montessori schools give.  So, in 1993 she began her Montessori journey, first as a Primary Teacher, then Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and ultimately became part of the administrative team at Maria Montessori School.

Her decision to abandon traditional education is supported daily by all her interactions with students, past and present, including her own two grown children, who give credit for their success to their years in a Montessori classroom.

She holds Montessori Credentials for 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 age spans.  Her formal education background includes a B.A. in Management from San Diego State University, and graduate work in Education from UCSD .