Tasha C. Ring, M.Ed., Directress and Principal Consultant
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 experiences for youth led her to the founding of Meridian Learning in 2008. An early and continuous advocate of a “less is more” approach to learning, she is honored to be among the first innovators of the microschool movement.
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 blog to help inspire less consumerism, accompanied by an online community focused on the practice of Montessori in the 21st century. She now hosts the 21st Century Educator podcast. 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 with her husband 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 completed her Montessori Infant/Toddler training through NAMC. Before joining Meridian, she worked as a 1st and 2nd grade teacher in Northern Kentucky and prior to this, she taught 4th grade ELA in Cincinnati. She has also taught kindergarten and preschool, and served as a substitute for all ages. She has been working in education and child development since she graduated from Covenant College in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Loving and guiding children has always been important to her. She and her daughter enjoy doing anything together, but they really like reading, dancing, playing games, and getting outside to explore nature. Ms. McCord is excited to learn and grow with her students and enjoys being a member of the Meridian community.
Maria Spinola, Meridian Montessori Assistant
Ms. Spinola is a third-year 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. She is thrilled to be a part of the team and Meridian community!
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. Prior to joining Meridian, she worked as a graduate and teaching assistant at Miami. 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.
AJ Krzywicki, Meridian Micro School Assistant
Ms. Krzywicki is a senior psychology student at Xavier University, with a minor in special education. Her interest in education began with her experience in working with children diagnosed with autism as a registered behavioral technician. With a passion to create a collaborative and supportive environment, she is driven to fostering a positive learning experience unique to every learner. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her cat, trying out new recipes, and painting. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Master’s in School Psychology.
Alyssa Richardson, Meridian Micro School Assistant
Ms. Richardson graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture, with an emphasis in Horticulture and Floral Design. She has a strong passion for community, learning and growing with compassion, holistic and environmental health, as well as evolving systems to make the world a better place. She’s ecstatic to be part of the Meridian community that’s working to create sustainable spaces for students of various ages to express themselves creatively while learning necessary skillsets and achieving community goals. In her spare time, she enjoys loving on her Texas heeler, spending time with family and nature, singing/playing music and expanding her knowledge of holistic health practices including herbalism and natural medicine.
Jim Tucker & Michael Thompson, Art Co-Guides
Mr. Tucker and Mr. Thompson are professional artists working out of Studio Beechmont in Mount 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 have a collective fifteen-plus years of educational experience. They’re excited to guide an inclusive course rooted in art history and designed to enrich the Mount Washington community which serves as Meridian Micro School’s campus.
Miranda Meek, Music Guide
Ms. Meek has a BA in Music and an MA in Education. In addition, she has Certificates in Orff-Schulwerk Levels I and II. She has been teaching private piano lessons for over 16 years and also taught music in a school setting before having children of her own. Ms. Meek is an instructor with our community partner, Piano Sensei. She loves teaching and really enjoys watching students have fun and grow in their musical journey.
Natalie Butcher, Cooking and Gardening Guide
Ms. Butcher has a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communication. Currently, she’s owner at The Hungry Noodle based in Mount Washington. Growing up in a rural community with a close connection to our food, she’s felt compelled to share what she’s learned. Growing whole foods and baking from scratch is something that anyone can do with the right information and she loves to show people how easily it can be done.
Linda Brooksbank, Handicrafts Guide
Ms. Brooksbank worked as a Paraprofessional at Sands Montessori elementary school from 2008 to 2021. During her last few years of working at Sands, she began to paint, sew, and do crafts as hobbies at home. Since 2021, she has been a part-time nanny, as well as an art instructor at Evendale Cultural Arts Center and Pleasant Ridge CRC. She’s happy to be adding to her offerings by guiding extended enrichment classes at Meridian Micro School. You can visit her shop, Bobbins n’ Brushstrokes, on Etsy and follow on Facebook and Instagram.
Eric Hickman, Hands-On Science Guide
With 34 years of experience, Mr. Hickman has taught critical thinking skills in the fields of life science, physical science, and earth science. He was Teacher of the Year for four different schools, and has completed many professional development courses in critical thinking strategies. Mr. Hickman has taught diverse groups of students, including students of various economic backgrounds, racial identities, learning styles and cognitive abilities.
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.
Reagan Fulton, Naturalist and Playful Learning Guide
Ms. Fulton is a Cincinnati native and owner of Playful Acre, a venture to emphasize enrichment through nature and play education, alongside expanding into adult education, marketing, and media production. Her over a decade-long experience in childcare, crowned by her innovative creation of Playful Acre, reflects her deep-rooted belief in the transformative power of nature and play in learning. Holding the title of Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist, Ms. Fulton’s foundational mission is to deliver enriching, play-based learning experiences, setting a pioneering path in both child and adult education.
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.