Executive Director
The founder and Executive Director, has committed her life to bringing the Montessori Method to all children, both under-privileged and affluent, which has been demonstrated by her career direction over the past four decades.
She began in 1973 as a public school teacher in the Roosevelt School District where she worked with children who lived in a low socio-economic area. After starting her family, in 1985 she opened her first Montessori school in her home. That project turned into opening Esparanza, a Montessori School in south Phoenix in 1990. Esparanza has since turned into the NFL YET Academy Charter School that now serves over 700 students in south Phoenix.
In 1995, she opened Mission Montessori on the Desert, a private school serving the traditional Primary needs of three to six year olds. Over the years, that program has expanded to include the Infant Program that begins at six weeks of age and the Toddler program that serves children who are 12-36 months old.
After countless requests by parents to make this education possible for older students, Mrs. Tryon applied for a charter which included kindergarten through middle school, five to 13 year olds. In 2003, she purchased the property at 11050 North 96th Street and opened Mission Montessori Academy for first through third grades.
As the school has grown through the demands of the parents, in 2009, Mission Montessori had to expand again to include a fourth site housing fourth through sixth grades at 9575 East Larkspur. At the same time, the private school was growing in popularity and in 2011; the second site for the private school was incorporated at 9390 East Cactus, the old site of Sunshine Montessori. Thus giving Mission Montessori, Inc. its fourth site.
Her vision of providing high quality Montessori education in a way that’s affordable to all families has become a reality. Her jewel in the crown was the opening of the middle school, Mission Montessori at St. George, which was opened in 2013 at 4530 E. Gold Dust, Phoenix.
Her compassion and love for children is carried through on every campus and the evidence of her vision turned reality can be seen throughout the vastly diverse community of families who help make it all possible.
