About us

welcome!

Located in Shrewsbury, NJ, Mastro Montessori Academy is the only AMI-accredited Montessori school in Monmouth County, serving children from toddler through elementary. Our programs are grounded in authentic Montessori education, supporting each child’s natural development through carefully prepared environments and highly trained guides. Montessori education fosters focus, concentration, independence, confidence, and social-emotional growth, while nurturing intrinsic motivation and a deep love of learning. This strong foundation supports academic readiness and empowers children to meet their highest potential, both in school and beyond.

OUR vision

We are dedicated to creating a vibrant learning community where children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, guided by the principles of AMI Montessori education and fueled by a deep commitment to respect, empathy, and compassion.

OUR mission

The Mission of the Academy is to create a respectful community that cultivates each child’s whole development in accordance with the standards of the Association Montessori Internationale. We create a community for children that cultivates courtesy, acceptance, caring and compassion.

Non-Discrimination Statement:

The Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, nonsectarian school admitting students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national or ethnic origin in administration of its admission policies, educational policies, or school-administered programs. Reasonable accommodation that does not alter the fundamental nature of our programs or create undue burden is made for students with disabilities.

why Mastro?

Current research and experts around the world continually demonstrate that a Montessori education provides the very best way for children to learn. Children naturally seek to explore and understand their world. Montessori education, based on Dr. Maria Montessori’s teachings, emphasizes learning through experiences rather than just acquiring facts. In our carefully prepared environment, children become independent, self-directed learners with the guidance of AMI-trained guides.

Our Commitment

As the first Montessori school in Monmouth County and the only Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) certified school in the area, we are dedicated to providing a genuine Montessori experience.

Faculty and Staff

The Mastro Montessori Academy is a vibrant, close-knit community of faculty and staff who seek to observe each child’s total development with patience, curiosity, and love. Many of our faculty and staff members have children who currently attend Mastro or who have previously attended Mastro–a testimony to their strong belief in the philosophy and school, not only as educators, but as parents as well.

All primary through elementary guides are AMI-Montessori trained. Each Toddler, Primary, and Elementary class has one teacher and one assistant. Our teachers carefully prepare and maintain an environment that is designed to support the intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual needs of each child in the classroom, from ages 18 months through 9 years. Our entire faculty is certified in CPR/First Aid.

head of school

Gina Dorozynski

Head of School

Administration

James Yack

Director of Operations

Alissa Driscoll

Admissions & Parent Engagement Coordinator

Madeline Stout

Administrative Assistant

Montessori guides

Sayda Cano

lead Toddler Community guide

Marlene Garrido Cano

Toddler Community guide

Jennifer Austin

lead primary guide & ami curriculum lead

Vanna Costa

Primary guide

Kristin Torres

Primary guide

Stephanie Anderson

Elementary guide

Enrichment staff

Gisela Nucciarone

garden & Spanish support staff

Amanda Greatorex

Music instructor

Lucy Ragoza

reading specialist

Board of trustees

Since 1968, the founders of Mastro Montessori Academy, Mary and Vincent Guarriello, envisioned an academic environment dedicated to Montessori philosophy that would help children grow into independent, self-directed learners. Their mission was to create a community for children that cultivates courtesy, acceptance, caring, and compassion. As the first Montessori school in Monmouth County and the only school in the area to be certified by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), the Board of Trustees are committed to maintaining a genuine Montessori experience for children to become lifelong learners.

Michelle DelVecchio

President

Michelle is a Mastro alumni parent, licensed Architect, and Chief Executive Officer of Plan Design Execute, an Architectural firm located in Fair Haven. As a Managing Partner in the firm, Michelle oversees and directs the commercial and healthcare portfolio. She is also President of the Board of Trustees at Cottage Gate of Navesink and an active participant on the CCO of the Red Bank Charter School. Michelle takes pride in contributing to her community in a meaningful way and regularly supports the MCSPCA, Hackensack Meridian Health, Lunch Break, Bridge of Books, and the Bayshore Family Success Center.

Darry Guli

Vice-President

As a Mastro alumni parent and current grandparent, Darry has served on the Board of Trustees since 2005. She is a Nurse Practitioner with an extensive background in clinical nursing and nursing education. Darry is also a certified Yoga instructor and past owner of the Yoga Studio in Fair Haven.

James J. Hankowski, CPA

Treasurer

James is a retired partner of COMD LLP with extensive expertise in serving non-profit organizations. Throughout his career, he specialized in non-profit accounting, auditing, and advisory services, becoming a recognized authority in the field. James has presented seminars on non-profit financial management and governance across the United States and has authored numerous articles published in industry magazines. His practical insights and deep knowledge have made him a respected speaker and educator for non-profit executives, board members, and financial professionals. In addition to his professional accomplishments, James has dedicated significant time to serving on the boards of non-profit organizations, where he continues to provide strategic leadership and financial oversight in support of their missions.

Sara diPierro

Secretary

Sara is a Mastro alumni parent and has a background in private school advancement and education. Most recently, she taught high school English courses as part of Gravitas, the online extension of the Stony Brook School in Stony Brook, New York. Sara previously worked in advancement at the Stony Brook School and was the Managing Editor of the school’s magazine. She also served on the Board of Trustees at North Shore Montessori School in Stony Brook, New York. Sara holds a B.A. in communications from Gordon College and an M.A. in English from Monmouth University.

James Kennedy

Jim’s involvement with Mastro Montessori began in 2003 as a civil engineering consultant at the former building in Little Silver. He later chose to educate his four children at Mastro and joined the Board of Trustees in 2009, serving as treasurer and then president. Jim is a professional engineer and principal of Kennedy Consulting Engineers, LLC, a civil engineering consulting firm in Red Bank. In addition to his board participation, Jim serves as vice president of Life Guard Ecumenical Foundation. He also volunteers as an engineering mentor to seventh and eighth grade students. Jim holds a B.S. in civil engineering from Lehigh University and an M.B.A. in management from Rutgers University.

Mark Guarriello

Mark G. Guarriello joined Mastro Montessori as a Trustee on the Board in January 2015. Mark is the proud nephew of founders, Mary and Vincent Guarriello. Mark has served over 30 successful and dedicated years in Human Resources, assisting, counseling, and training to help develop a strong employment base for his clients. The knowledge he has gained from his years of commitment to his profession has assisted him in helping to not only maintain, but to develop and foster strong employee relations for his clients. Mark knows from first-hand experience the passion and commitment the founders had in developing the school. He believes very strongly in the ideals, goals, and mission the Mastro Montessori Academy has to offer. Mark hold’s a Bachelor’s degree in Education with a concentration in Psychology and Social Science from St. Leo University.He is also very active in various fundraising and charitable endeavors. Mark lives with his wife, Rosa, on Long Island, New York.

Tracy Tomasso

Tracy is a Mastro alumni parent, with a career spanning roles in operations, technology, finance, and strategy. A graduate of Ohio State University, Tracy began her career in information technology at Proctor & Gamble. She later led technology and operations for the start-up PlanetFeedback.com and then served as Vice President of Strategy and Operations for T-Mobile Europe in London. Tracy moved back to the United States as CFO/COO of RichFX and later helped to launch YPulse, a youth market research firm. She then worked as Executive Director at Let Grow, a non-profit promoting childhood independence, before joining Stand Together as Vice President of Strategy.

Christine Hayden

Christine is a Mastro alumni parent with over 25 years of experience in fundraising and admissions in independent schools. She currently works in admissions at The Peddie School, where she is also a current and alumni parent, and has served on Peddie’s Board of Trustees. Christine is a co-chair of the Peddie Fund and a current member of Colgate University’s Parent Steering Committee. Christine previously served as director of development and alumni relations at The Parkside School in Manhattan. She was president of the Fair Haven PTA and has been a member of the Junior League for almost 30 years. Christine holds a B.S. in economics and finance from Pennsylvania State University.

Our history

We continue to serve the Monmouth & Ocean County areas offering the finest and most comprehensive Montessori education for children between the ages of eighteen months through age nine.

James Yack

Director of Operations & Advancement

James Yack joined Mastro in 2023 as the Director of Operations and Advancement for Mastro Montessori Academy. In this capacity, he is responsible for finance, admissions, marketing, communications, facilities and more. Mr. Yack holds his Bachelor’s in Communication Studies from The College of New Jersey. He comes to us with over 20 years of experience in Education and Business Administration including a decade working with The Princeton Review as a Teacher and Administrator and several years as the Director of School Operations for KIPP New Jersey, a public charter school that serves thousands of K-12 students in Newark and Camden.

Alissa Driscoll

Admissions & Parent Engagement Coordinator

Alissa Driscoll joined Mastro in 2013 and is our Admissions and Parent Engagement Coordinator. She holds her Bachelor’s in Philosophy from Goucher College and an AMI Montessori Elementary teaching certification. Mrs. Driscoll brings a wealth of experience to her role, combining a marketing background with over a decade of expertise in education. Prior to her current position, she served as a classroom assistant for four years and an Elementary guide for six years at Mastro.

Sayda Cano

Lead Toddler Community guide

Sayda Cano has been a Toddler Guide at Mastro Montessori Academy since 2014. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rutgers University and an AMI Diploma in Assistants to Infancy (Birth–3) from The Montessori Institute in Denver, Colorado.

A bilingual educator, Sayda creates a Spanish-immersive environment for her students. She is also an international Montessori lecturer and consultant, supporting teacher preparation programs abroad, and serves as a mentor and coach for developing educators.

In addition to her classroom work, Sayda partners closely with families as a parent educator and brings a depth of knowledge in early development, including certification in Respiratory Autogenics.

Marlene Garrido Cano

Toddler Community guide

Marlene Garrido joined Mastro as Mrs. Cano’s toddler classroom assistant in 2016. Ms. Garrido brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in Montessori education to our Toddler Community. She has led our 4-6 week summer program for many years and has also worked closely with Ms. Cano to train new assistants in the Montessori method. Ms. Garrido speaks both English and Spanish to her toddler students, so her class is an immersive Spanish speaking environment.

Jennifer Austin

lead primary guide & Ami curriculum lead

Jennifer Austin serves as Lead Primary Guide and AMI Curriculum Lead at Mastro Montessori Academy. With over 28 years of experience as a Montessori educator, she brings exceptional depth of knowledge and leadership to our program.

Mrs. Austin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Kenyon College and earned both her AMI Primary (3–6) and Elementary (6–12) teaching diplomas from the Washington Montessori Institute. Over the course of her career, she has supported the growth of both students and educators, previously serving as a Curriculum Coordinator and mentoring newly trained guides and assistants in their understanding of Montessori philosophy.

At Mastro, Mrs. Austin leads one of our Primary classrooms while also guiding the integrity of our Montessori program. As AMI Curriculum Lead, she works closely with school leadership to support guides and assistants, ensuring a consistent, high-fidelity Montessori experience across classrooms.

Vanna Costa

Primary guide

Vanna Costa joined Mastro in 2021. Ms. Costa holds her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from LaSalle University. She has her AMI Montessori Primary teaching certification and is a guide in one of our Primary classrooms. Prior to her work at Mastro, she was a classroom assistant in another Montessori school for 2 years. Ms. Costa is a natural as a Montessori guide. She began a Montessori starter class at Mastro in 2021, which has since grown into a full primary classroom serving 3-6 year olds.

Kristin Torres

Primary guide

Kristin Torres joined Mastro in 2023 and is a guide in one of our Primary classrooms. She has nearly 20 years of experience in education, holding a Bachelor’s in English, a Master’s in Elementary Education, and an AMI Montessori Primary teaching certification. Throughout her career in education, Mrs. Torres has served as a lead teacher, a classroom assistant, and has worked with students with special needs.

Stephanie Anderson

Elementary guide

Stephanie Anderson joined Mastro in 2023 as an elementary assistant. She is currently the teacher in our Elementary classroom. Ms. Anderson has her AMI Montessori Elementary teaching certification. She holds a Bachelor’s in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Education and Psychology from Touro College and an Associate’s degree from Kingsborough Community College. Ms. Anderson has worked in education since 2014. Prior to her role at Mastro she worked as a paraprofessional for over seven years, serving students with special needs.