The Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Development Center is an innovative, multigenerational Montessori program for children and Seniors. Our vision is to provide quality primary, and respite care for members of the Rio Rancho community.

Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Development Center is affiliated with Wildflower School System which is an ecosystem of decentralized Montessori micro-schools to support children, teachers, parents and the community at large.

We desire to create an environment where children and seniors share the same campus and interact with each other regularly. The children and seniors will participate in educational, nature and cultural experiences as they build genuine positive relationships working together.

In our residential home, each group will have a different schedule as they engage in Montessori activities. In the future we hope to design and create a center where there will be opportunities for both populations to interact daily by sharing a variety of Montessori activities in practical life (including gardening), language, science, math, culture, art, and music. Many of these experiences will take place in common areas on their shared campus (dining, lounge, library, and outdoor garden) with supports from Teacher Guides and staff.

Using the Montessori Curriculum method, our goal is to deliver learning and care to support today's "Sandwich generation." We aspire to provide quality pre-school, and senior care to families in the Rio Rancho Community.

We desire to foster respect, appreciation and citizenship for the youth in our community towards their seniors by increasing shared life experiences. Our goal is to provide an environment that embraces respect, dignity, courtesy and compassion for all who attend.

Our Board

Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Founding TL, and Chair

Michelle Lance Goodwin

Michelle has been an educator for over 20 years. She has worked as an elementary school, middle school teacher in public schools, and with private schools, She also has over 8 years of experience as a Montessori educator. at the primary and upper elementary level She was also an Associate Professor of Developmental Reading, for technical colleges.

She received her Montessori Diploma for Primary Ages 3-6 in 2010. She received an AMI Administrators Certificate in 2022, and an AMI Certificate for Montessori Elder Care Practitioner in 2020. In 2000, Mrs. Goodwin completed her Master of Science in Elementary Education and Reading. She received her B.A. in Print-Journalism from Northeastern University in 1995.

Founding TL, & Treasurer

Leticia Gonzales

Leticia hold's a certificate in Wedding Planning, and Floral Design from Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado.

Afterwards, she began healthcare employment with an agency that served developmentally disabled adults for two years.

Over the course of 17 years, she has worked with numerous companies and gained experience with the DD Waiver Program, developmentally disabled adults, child care, and the senior population, in Trinidad, CO, Las Vegas, NM, and Albuquerque, NM.

Leticia also works as an Activity Coordinator for a senior residential community where she is in charge of the Memory Care Unit, the division of the center that deals with residents, who have various levels of dementia.

Founding TL, and Chair

Tonya L. Bryant

Tonya Lashun Bryant is a transformational coach with over 32 years of experience in higher education, specializing in advising, coaching, teaching, program development, training, and administration.

As the CEO of Abundant Life Living, she empowers women through mindset-shifting strategies and strengths-based coaching. Tonya's approach combines life-coaching with spiritual empowerment and self-discovery.

She is a trained coach from LifeBound Coaching and Central New Mexico Community College, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater and a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree from Arizona State University.

Currently, Tonya is advancing her expertise by pursuing a Master's in Social Work with a clinical counseling focus at New Mexico Highlands University.

Alongside her coaching career, she co-founded Restored Ministries International with her husband, Pastor Michael Bryant, to promote holistic restoration through the Creative Word of God, arts, and education.

Secretary &

Human Resources

Barbara Harvey

Barbara Harvey has been a HR member for Target for over ten years. My role is to assist all team members of Target training and policies. To ensure that all training issued by the company has been completed and that all team members are aware and following the brand of Target. I engage with the team to hear concerns and direct them to the different resources that Target has for its employees.

Board Member, Fundraising

Jennifer Cox-Horak

Jennifer Cox Horak is an Ayurvedic lifestyle consultant having graduate from the Ayurvedic institute level 1 program in 2005 with specialties in Ayurdoula postpartum care as well as Ayuryoga.

She is a domestic engineer since 2006 as well as a contributing author of the “Wonder Widows; Three Grieving Widows Coming Together to Empower Women to Break the Silence of Widowhood.” She is a perpetual student of life forever evolving to create balance and harmony in life and community.

Board Member, Project Management

Ayana Ezell

Ayana Ezell is a Senior Service Call Coordinator at PlayOn! Sports, where she has been working since March 2024. Previously, she held roles as an Install Coordinator and Account Manager at the same company, focusing on CRM and project management. She also has experience as a Materials Requisitioner at OGB Company and a Technical Support Specialist at Convergys.

Ayana is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in General Studies with a concentration in Criminal Justice from Southern New Hampshire University and holds an AAS in Cyber/Computer Forensics from Georgia Piedmont Technical College.

In her free time Ayana enjoys reading, playing golf, and spending time with her two kids and husband.

Board Member, Fundraising

Latonya R. Hite

LaTonya R. Hite is the Founder and CEO of Chadad Global Ministries, Inc. located in central Virginia. Through this faith-based initiative, LaTonya provides mentorship, counseling, and consulting services to individuals and to organizations in the religious and secular arenas.

Her experience as a pastor and her multifaceted career in Human Services have positioned her to contribute as an advisor and board member to various community action committees and non-profit organizations serving disenfranchised populations and persons with disabilities.

LaTonya currently holds a Master’s degree in Human Behavior from Capella University and loves to learn daily.

Board Member

Katie Rodrigues

Katie Hausenbauer Rodrigues has been working in Montessori primary and elementary classrooms since 2007. She received her AMI Montessori Diploma for ages 6-12 in 2010 her M. Ed. in Montessori Education in 2013. She has also worked in public and charter school settings with elementary and middle school students.

Katie has a B. A. in political science from Carleton College and a M.A. in international development studies from Erasmus University- Rotterdam. Before becoming an educator, Katie worked in community organizing, community outreach, and nonprofit management. She was recently able to combine all of these interests and skills in her role as a founding Teacher Leader at the Orchid Montessori Center for Inclusive Education in Rhode Island!

Board Member, Marketing

Shawanda Ruffin-Witherspoon

Shawanda Ruffin-Witherspoon is a Music Educator and Vocal Instructor in Eastern North Carolina. She has a passion for teaching students and clients of all ages.

Shawanda obtained her undergraduate degree from Elizabeth City State University; her education and experience are in Human Services, Social Work, and Vocal Performance

She is a board member of the Care Trust Committee as well as the Young Adult Member Engagement Group (YAME) for Roanoke Electric Cooperative.

She is delighted to be a board member of Jawanza Zinnia Montessori School.

Our Principles

Nature

A future center will be located in part of the Rio Rancho community that has access to rich views of the Sandia Mountains, and high desert landscapes. In this center, children and seniors will participate in walks through local community parks, and natural desert trails. On these nature walks, they learn to appreciate natural beauty, and understand how they are part of the world ecosystem around them.

Community

Our program focuses on providing opportunities to build rich social, and emotional connections through community. We build community within the learning environment, by making connections with local organizations, and by creating shared activities with children, seniors and families within the Rio Rancho community.

This includes community events.

Montessori

Teacher guides will set up a prepared learning environment where the children and seniors have access to authentic Montessori materials. These materials will help to engage their five senses. They will have multiple opportunities each day to choose their work, and build cognitive skills in the areas of practical life, science, language, math, and culture. Teacher guides will help facilitate work activities for both children and seniors based on their individual interests.

Ages 3-6, Primary Child

“We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to serve the spirit.”

Dr. Maria Montessori

Education for a New World, p. 69

Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Primary Program

Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Primary Afterschool Program is a teacher led Montessori Pre-school that is in the North West area of the Rio Rancho, NM. We are a new program that will be opening.

At Jawanza Zinnia Montessori, children are individuals encouraged to celebrate their individuality! They have increased time to explore their learning environment. Our goal is to provide individualized care to the children in a nurturing and safe space. Our guide-to-child ratio is 1:5 so that children can receive individualized instruction and attention.

We will also partner with the families we serve by providing opportunities to share in classes, school events, cultural events, etc.

Information regarding application and enrollment will be coming soon!

Children and Seniors Learn Together

“The child is capable of developing and giving us tangible proof of the possibility of a better humanity. He has shown us the true process of construction of the human being. We have seen children totally change as they acquire a love for things and as their sense of order, discipline, and self-control develops within them.... The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”

Dr. Maria Montessori

Education and Peace

Jawanza Zinnia Montessori Adult Day Program

Building Bridges across Generations

In our future site we will strive to develop a program for seniors that is individualized based on their interest, hobbies and life's work. We desire to provide respite and support to care givers in order to maintain family units.

There will be opportunities for children and seniors to learn from each other.

Gardening
Cooking
Crafts
Montessori Activities
Shared Reading Experiences

Seniors with multiple functioning levels will interact with each other in their own work setting.

Through workshops with community partnerships we will:

Support Families with trainings on caregiving, and strategies to maintain keeping their loved one in the home for as long as physically possible.
Connect families with social workers to support transitions to home care, hospice or long term care if necessary.

Quality and Individualized Senior Care

In our current residential home the guide-to-senior ratio is 1:5. Volunteer care givers also support the program as needed.

Our goal is to help maintain their integrity, identity and personality by designing activities connected to their life's story.

Individual Memory Books with pictures of family and friends.
Opportunities for music, art, and gardening experiences.
Maintaining mobility and language through muscle memory and cognition skills.
Interactive games, discussions, and group activities.

Our future location will have spaces available for senior clients to:

Receive occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech.
Take a quiet nap/relax in a quiet space when necessary

Hours

Senior Daycare

8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Children pre-school/primary program

2:00 PM-6:00 PM