About Us
Meet the Director
Gabriella Adiwinata is the Director of Shining Light Montessori School, a position she’s held since transitioning from a career at IBM in 2000 to follow her lifelong passion for education. Her dedication to providing young children with a strong foundation has positively impacted countless lives over the years.
Gabriella earned her Montessori Early Childhood Diploma from the Canadian Montessori Teacher Education Institute, where she studied under Dr. Daniel Jutras, the Institute's Director. With over 30 years of experience teaching and leading Montessori courses and workshops across four continents, Dr. Jutras holds an AMI diploma (3-6+) from Perugia, Italy, and was mentored by the late Antonietta Paolini, a direct disciple of Dr. Maria Montessori for 22 years. Dr. Jutras also holds a St. Nicholas Montessori Advanced Diploma (6-12) from England and a Ph.D. in Education from Ottawa University. Under his guidance, Gabriella gained not only a deep understanding of Montessori methods and materials, but also the essence of the Montessori spirit.
In 2011, Gabriella had the opportunity to fulfill another dream when she took over a small childcare centre and transformed it into Shining Light Montessori School. She firmly believes that with the right environment and dedicated teachers who genuinely care about each child’s growth, every child can reach their full potential and truly “let their light shine.”
Location
Shining Light Montessori School offers a bright, welcoming environment that is perfectly sized for children ages 18 months to 6 years, ensuring they feel at home from the moment they arrive. With a spacious, safe playground, nutritious snacks and hot lunches provided daily, and, most importantly, experienced teachers who are deeply passionate about nurturing and educating young minds, Shining Light Montessori quickly becomes your child’s favorite place to be. Above all, our mission is to create a space where your child can truly “let their light shine.”
Our Montessori Casa classrooms are designed to captivate and engage children with a variety of child-centered activities that foster concentration, independence, self-motivation, and higher-order thinking skills. To the child, it’s simply a fun and exciting environment filled with games and toys they can enjoy at their own pace. This approach allows learning to happen naturally, without the pressure of rote memorization. Over the course of their three years in Casa (preschool through senior kindergarten), children’s natural interests typically lead them toward developing strong reading, writing, and math skills—without being forced. The process remains fun and engaging, fueling their excitement for learning while also boosting their self-confidence and self-esteem. In our respectful, nurturing classroom environment, each child feels valued as a member of our community. Music, movement, and arts and crafts round out our comprehensive Casa curriculum.
Our toddler classroom provides a delightful array of toys and activities designed to stimulate the curiosity of our youngest learners. Here, children begin to refine their motor and cognitive skills, develop language abilities, and start socializing—all within a small, supportive environment that ensures plenty of individualized attention and learning opportunities. Singing, stories and movement are a part of the toddlers' daily fun.