Our Mission
Evviva Montessori’s mission is to provide authentic, globally-minded Montessori education that is accessible and deeply rooted in community. As Jersey City’s first Montessori school serving the West Side, we are committed to expanding access to high-quality early childhood education for all families. We nurture compassionate, curious, and independent learners through an inclusive environment that celebrates cultural diversity, fosters a sense of belonging, and inspires children to become engaged citizens of both their local community and the wider world.
Evviva Montessori’s mission is to provide authentic, globally-minded Montessori education that is accessible and deeply rooted in community. As Jersey City’s first Montessori school serving the West Side, we are committed to expanding access to high-quality early childhood education for all families. We nurture compassionate, curious, and independent learners through an inclusive environment that celebrates cultural diversity, fosters a sense of belonging, and inspires children to become engaged citizens of both their local community and the wider world.
Meet our Staff
Emma Rosenthal
Founding Director of Evviva Montessori
Emma Rosenthal (“Miss Emma”) is an educator deeply committed to understanding how children learn. A Florida native, she combines warmth with precision, shaped by lifelong interests in human development, culture, language, and travel. Miss Emma holds bachelor’s degrees in history and sociology from The University of Tampa and a Master of Science in TESOL from the City College of New York. Her two-year fellowship with the New York City Teaching Fellows included work with newly arrived immigrant students in the Bronx, reflecting her commitment to inclusive and multilingual education.
Her approach is grounded in early neurodevelopment, language acquisition, and the thoughtful design of Montessori environments, where every detail serves a purpose. She is especially passionate about adapting Montessori principles to support neurodivergent learners in ways that honor their unique strengths and needs. She values the slow pace of being with children and believes that meaningful learning unfolds through careful observation, independence, and unhurried discovery.
Outside the classroom, Miss Emma speaks Italian, studies Japanese, loves to travel, and enjoys abstract painting, baking, gardening, and learning piano. At Evviva Montessori, she is dedicated to creating environments that honor the intelligence of young children and the adults who care for them. She believes that good education is thoughtful, precise, and quietly transformative.