Tasha C. Ring, M.Ed., Directress and Lead Mentor
Ms. Ring is a licensed early childhood and elementary educator specializing in multisensory-based methodologies. She has tutored and taught students of all ages with varied gifts and abilities. Her broad experience in the education field has included sales, marketing and administrative positions with prominent companies such as Kaplan, Inc. and Pearson Education, but her passion remains working directly with students and teachers as a guide and mentor. Her desire to create more personalized, developmentally-aligned experiences for youth led her to the founding of Meridian Learning in 2008. An early and consistent advocate of a “less is more” approach to education, she is honored to be among the first innovators of the microschool movement and is widely regarded as a thought leader in the evolving landscape of learner-centered practice.
Ms. Ring completed her Masterʼs in Education, teacher training and certification at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, and her Bachelor’s in Arts and Entertainment Management at Eastern Michigan University. She received an early childhood credential from the American Montessori Society, one of the premier Montessori advocacy organizations. She has extensive training in several methods of reading and language instruction, including Orton-Gillingham and Lindamood-Bell®. Since 2013, she has thoroughly engaged in the study of mindfulness, and she incorporates these exercises into both curriculum and parent-teacher education. Committed to best practice, continued professional development and whole child well-being, her most recent studies include research related to hunter-gatherer societies and intentional communities. Ms. Ring is also a specialist in arts integration; having spent many years studying dance and designing dance programming for several organizations including Indy Parks and Recreation, she is a fervent advocate for all art forms and their persistent value in learning and in life.
In addition to her work with Meridian Learning, Ms. Ring has written for various publications and websites including The Huffington Post and BabyCenter. In 2017, she started a minimalist Montessori lifestyle microblog to help inspire less consumerism, accompanied by an online community focused on the practice of Montessori in the 21st century. Currently, she shares reflections on education and entrepreneurship in the Substack publication, Mindful Microschools. Her most meaningful role is that of mother to three children, her greatest gifts and wisest teachers.
Hokyoung Kim, M.Ed., Meridian Montessori Primary Guide
Ms. Kim received her Master’s in Early Childhood Education from Xavier University and early childhood credential from American Montessori Society. She has taught in a Montessori classroom for over 20 years, with much of her teaching experience at Garden Montessori School in Anderson Township. Ms. Kim grew up in South Korea and came to the United States after she graduated from college. While at Xavier to learn English, she became interested in Montessori Education. She lives in Mount Washington where she enjoys observing nature and working with gardens. She also takes classes in Zumba and Yoga and shares these passions with the children in our classroom. She loves to see how each child grows and loves to help them as they do so.
Abby McCord, Meridian Montessori Toddler Guide
Ms. McCord has been working with children since she graduated from Covenant College in 2013 with a degree in Elementary Education. She’s taught everything from preschool to 4th grade. She completed her Montessori Infant/Toddler training through NAMC. Before coming to Meridian, she taught in both Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. She was drawn to the Montessori method because it celebrates each child’s individuality and encourages hands-on learning, independence, and curiosity. She loves helping children grow in confidence and discover the joy of learning at their own pace. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing board games, exploring outside, and spending time with her husband and two children. She’s excited to keep learning and growing with her students at Meridian, and getting outside to explore nature.
Maria Spinola, Meridian Montessori Assistant
Ms. Spinola is a senior Psychology student at the University of Cincinnati, specializing in children and development. Her passion for working with kids began early, inspired by her mother’s in-home daycare. As she grew older, she continued to nurture this passion through nannying and caregiving, captivated by their creativity and boundless energy. Ms. Spinola is committed to making meaningful connections with every student while creating a supportive, nurturing environment where each child can thrive and reach their full potential. She lives in Anderson Township where she enjoys spending time with her family. They cherish cooking together, dining out, and spending time outside with their loving dogs.
Claire McKay Waller, M.Ed., Meridian Micro School Guide
Ms. Waller received her Master’s in Transformative Education at Miami University, with a concentration on teaching diverse student populations, and a Bachelor’s in Classical Humanities minoring in Education, Teaching and Learning, as well as Child Studies. She also has a TEFL license and completed Montessori training through AIM. Currently, she serves as adjunct faculty at Miami University’s College of Education, Health, and Society. Her broad experience in guiding students includes four years teaching English in Seoul, South Korea, teaching Head Start preschool in Hamilton, Ohio and serving as an after-school tutor for students from kindergarten to high school. She believes in nurturing students and teaching in a holistic environment that focuses on the complete child. She loves exploring the outdoors, baking, and solving puzzles and loves incorporating that into every day classes.
Marie Owen, Meridian Micro School Assistant
Ms. Owen is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in zoology through Oregon State University after studying elementary education at Utah State University for three years. Throughout her 21-year journey as a mother, Ms. Owen has held various positions working with children — from being an after-school program leader, to running a licensed in-home childcare program, to specializing in newborn and toddler portrait photography, as well as many volunteer positions leading youth camps and activities. In her free time, she enjoys exploring nature, running, strength training, coaching jr. high school athletics, and spending time with her husband and five children.
Jim Tucker and Michael Thompson, Art Co-Guides
Jim Tucker and Michael Thompson are professional artists working out of Studio Beechmont in Mt. Washington. Their professional journey has been intertwined with Cincinnati’s vibrant arts community. They have lent their expertise to numerous local organizations, including ArtWorks, ArtsWave, the Cincinnati Art Museum, and the Contemporary Art Center. Mr. Tucker and Mr. Thompson come to Meridian with a collective fifteen-plus years of educational experience.
Clinton Pratt, Music Guide
Mr. Pratt has been teaching piano and music to students of all ages for almost 25 years. He has a Master’s degree in Music and is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music through MTNA. He holds the title of Master Teaching Artist from the American Eurhythmics Society which allows him to not only teach Eurhythmics classes to students, but also to train other teachers at workshops all over the country. Mr. Pratt is the owner and director of Piano Sensei Studio which has over 70 weekly private piano students.
Philip Green, Forest Guide
Mr. Green guides Forest Fridays at Meridian Micro School. He received his degree in Plant Biology from Ohio University. He was unschooled as a child and is an outdoor enthusiast. He works with children at his “Forest Unschool” based in Batavia and also as a volunteer for 4H and the Clermont County Park district. His approach is play-based and child-led, following the interests of children as well as the rhythm of nature.
Rob Schramm, Maintenance and Tech Support
Mr. Schramm, better known as Mr. Rob, designs and builds furniture for our urban microschools and helps maintain the indoor and outdoor learning spaces, including the children’s gardens and micro farm. An accomplished IT consultant and senior systems engineer, he also assists with our technology explorations. He believes the Montessori approach within a microschool model to be the key to success in modern society.