Montessori Live Director

Kym Elder

    Executive Director of Island Village Montessori Charter and Early Childhood Programs, was founder and first President of the IVMS Founding Board. Kym has Montessori teacher certification from the American Montessori Society in both early childhood and elementary levels and has taught students from three years old to sixth grade in Montessori environments for over 10 years.

    She is a graduate of both Pine View School and New College in Sarasota, Florida, and has been a Sarasota County resident for most of her life, living also in New Orleans, upstate New York, and Michigan. Kym holds a Master's Degree in Charter School Educational Leadership from Nova University and Florida certification in educational leadership, K-6 elementary education, and middle school integrated curriculum grades 5-9.

     Kym has returned to NOVA in the Doctorate in Education Program with a concentration in Internet Technology and Distance Education. In addition to school administration duties, she is project director of Montessori Live, an Internet-based Montessori lesson library and teacher training program developed at IVMS as well as Montalign, an Internet-based student tracking software also being developed at IVMS. Both projects are to forward the quality of Montessori programs in the United States and abroad.

    Kym has two children, and is married to Don Elder, a fine arts and antiques dealer. Her son was a member of IVMS's first graduating class in June of 2003 as well as the first graduating class of Island Village Middle School in June 2006. Her daughter is currently an upper elementary student at IVMS.