Meet Our Team
Montessori education is a child-led learning experience with the preparation work done by trained teachers and nurtured by the school community. Our team of educators are experienced and have the cognizance to allow children to integrate into the classroom with their fullest potentiality.
Ling Ling Xu
Founder/ Head of School
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Ms. Lingling received her Master's in Child Psychology before arriving in the Greater Boston Area. It was here in Boston where she started her career as an Early Childhood Educator.
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"My husband and I live in Sudbury along with our son, Alan (age 5) and our golden retriever buddy, Xing Xing. I enjoy skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer!"
Joanne Lee
Co-Founder/ Director
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Ms. Joanne is the oldest of four siblings. She cites her mom and siblings as her inspiration to pursue a career in Early Childhood Education. Over the past 10 years, she has worked in Early Childhood, obtaining her Master's degree and Montessori Certification during this time.
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"I love traveling and being in nature. I spend most of my winter weekends skiing."
Kevin Miao
Administration
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​Mr. Kevin worked as a manager at a tea shop before joining Sunrise. He enjoys working with children and is deeply passionate about supporting their growth and development through the Montessori method.
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"I spend most of my time outside, and you can catch me engaging in a variety of hobbies including paddling, dancing, cross fitting, hiking—really, anything that keeps me active and on the move!"
Gloria Lee
Primary Team Consultant
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Ms. Gloria was born in Taiwan, but moved the United States when she was 5 years of age. She worked as a Projects Developer before receiving her Montessori Certification in 2023.
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"I like to make espresso drinks and play tennis on the weekends."
Infant/Toddler Team
Ting Yueh Chiang
Acting Infant/
Toddler Lead Teacher
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Ms. Ting was born in Taiwan and has worked with children for almost 20 years. She worked as a nanny for 10 plus years before transitioning to work at a Mandarin school in Boston.
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"I enjoy making traditional Taiwanese dishes for my children and family outside of my career."
Emily Wu
Toddler Lead Teacher
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Ms. Emily is originally from Taiwan. She has been working in Early Childhood for 5 years now and recently completed her Montessori Certification.
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"I am a dog lover. I love to dog sit on weekends. I also like to watch movies and do TABATA and YOGA in my free time.“
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Jenny Chang
Toddler Teacher
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Ms. Jenny is from Taiwan and started working with children in 2008 after receiving her associates degree in Early Childhood Education.
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"My husband and I, along with our lovely sixth-grade daughter, live in Natick, and we have about 100 fishes and one turtle."
Grace Jiang
Toddler Teacher
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Ms. Grace is from Hunan, China and got her Masters' Degree from Penn State, where she also worked as a part-time adjunct faculty. Ms. Grace is excited to start her career in Early Education at Sunrise.
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"I love watching movies and baking on weekends. When it comes to winter, I love skiing in my free time."
Leena Sharif
Toddler Teacher
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Ms. Leena is from Taiwan and is a Mandarin teacher. After coming to study at Boston University, she started to work with children in 2016.
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“ I enjoying doing yoga, practicing piano and guitar, and learning new languages!”
Toddler Teacher
Anita Chau
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Ms. Anita was born and raised in Taiwan. She taught young children in Giraffe Children’s English Institute in Taipei before coming to USA for her graduate school. After receiving her master degree in education from Boston University, she has worked in nonprofit organizations in Asian community for several years. She received her Montessori Certification in 2022 and was excited to join Sunrise Montessori School in 2024.
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"My husband and I, along with our three teenage girls, live in Newton. We like to have nature walks in the parks. We also like to have car trips at our free time."
Toddler Teacher
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Primary Team
Yiting Lee
Primary Lead Teacher
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Ms. Yiting was born in Taiwan, and her family moved to the United States when she was a toddler. She received her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from UMass Amherst in 2012 and obtained her Montessori certification in 2021.
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I have a young son and love spending time with my family. My hobbies include drawing, painting, and watching TV shows.
Wei Zhang
Primary Teacher & After School Program Lead
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Ms. Zhang is originally from China, having worked as an accountant for many years before immigrating. She has been working with children for the past six years since her move to the U.S.
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"I enjoy baking, watching shows, and reading during my free time."
Rebecca Bellonci
Primary Lead Teacher
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Ms. Rebecca was born and raised in California where she received her BA in Psychology and AMI Montessori Certification. She moved to Natick this summer with 18 years of teaching Montessori for Toddler, Primary, and Parent/Child Classes.
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" My husband, Peter, and I are excited to move our daughter, Victoria, to college this fall and watch her launch into adulthood and hope to start playing pickleball, too!"
Kathleen Sviokla
Primary Teacher
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Hello! My name is Kathleen Sviokla, but you may call me Ms. Kat. I began my teaching journey in 2012 when I helped develop a preschool program in the North End of Boston and spent eight wonderful years as the lead teacher, where I implemented three curriculums and even created my own. In 2020, I joined The New England Center for Children, working with students with Autism ages 10–16 and serving as a senior case manager, which was an incredibly rewarding experience. Seeking to further grow as an educator, I joined Sunrise Montessori in 2022, where I have truly enjoyed being part of this wonderful community. I hold both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and will be completing my Montessori Certification this coming June. Teaching has always been my passion, and I cherish every opportunity to support and guide my students as they learn and grow.
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"I LOVE my cat Luna, movies, and keeping my house clean."
Minji Kim
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Ms. Minji was born and raised in Korea, receiving a Bachelors in design and painting while still living there. Ms. Minji became interested in Montessori after seeing in real time how a Montessori education helped her children.
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"I like to travel and go on hikes, usually on a bicycle!"
Primary Teacher
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Ms. CJ is originally from Taiwan and holds a Master's degree in Social Work the University of Michigan. She has experience working with children in Chinese language learning, as well as in art education and artful thinking routines.
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“I love children’s literature, playground hunting, and biking with my family. A perfect day for me includes something sweet and a good podcast. “
CJ Hsu
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Primary Teacher
Pet Team
Da Bai the Bunny
Room 1
Dai Bai has a gentle and curious nature. He enjoys exploring his surroundings, hopping around the classroom, and occasionally investigating our books and supplies. His presence provides a soothing and calming effect, especially during busy and stressful times. Students often find solace in watching Dai Bai play and interact with his environment.
Xiao Hey the Fish
Room 2
Xiao Hey is a cherished classroom pet who fills our learning environment with his bubbly and constantly moving presence. Xiao Hey's graceful swimming and curious nature captivates our entire class, reminding us of the beauty of movement.
Love the Clawed Frog
Room 3
Meet Love, our albino African clawed frog — affectionately called Cute Cute by the children. Love brings smiles, curiosity, and calm to our classroom. Caring for him teaches the children kindness, patience, and a joyful appreciation for the living world around them.
Snow Ball the Bird
Room 4
Ball Ball joined our Montessori family after being lovingly adopted from one of our alumni students. He quickly became part of our daily life, bringing joy, laughter, and a sense of calm to the classroom. The children love observing and caring for him, learning about gentleness, responsibility, and the beauty of living things — lessons that truly bring Montessori life to our community.
