A Warm Aloha!
Welcome to Growing Minds Montessori Academy! We are excited to offer a quality educational experience to you and your child. It has been such a blessing to have the opportunity to create a beautiful indoor and outdoor environment which encourages learning and creativity. Your child will have a wonderful opportunity for exploration, discovery, and growth as an individual, all of which will serve in the development of his or her academic skills and abilities. This learning will be engaged with a wide range of educational activities as prescribed by Dr. Maria Montessori and outlined in the curriculum developed by the North American Montessori Center (NAMC). We invite you to meet the dedicated individuals who bring this vision to life each day.
Meet Our Team
Growing Minds Montessori Academy is led by Lyudmila (Mila) Dahlman, a credentialed classroom teacher with a Master of Arts in Teaching as well as five years of teaching experience primarily at the elementary level. She is a certified Reading Specialist and trained in Montessori education for the 0–3 and 3–6 age levels.
Mila brings a strong academic and linguistic background to the program as a native Russian speaker fluent in reading, writing, and speaking. Her approach to education is also shaped by her experience as a mother of three young children, all of whom are part of the learning community.
Her focus is on creating a calm, structured, and developmentally rich environment where children build independence, confidence, and foundational academic skills through hands-on learning.
Yvonne Oliver serves as the Secretary for our school, providing essential support in legal and administrative operations, as well as assisting with grant research and funding initiatives.
Born and raised in Hawaiʻi, Yvonne currently resides in Hawaiian Paradise Park with her husband, Kerry, and their teenage son, Santi. Having deep roots in the local community, she brings both dedication and a strong sense of commitment to her work.
Yvonne is passionate about the success and growth of the school and is proud to contribute to its mission in meaningful and practical ways.
Christian Nash serves as our Marketing Director, leading strategic marketing efforts, brand development, and community outreach to support the academy’s mission and continued growth.
Born in Illinois and now residing in Nanawale, Christian brings a unique perspective shaped by both mainland and island experiences. With a heart for community and a passion for meaningful connection, he approaches his work with creativity, purpose, and intentionality.
Christian is passionate about sharing the vision of Growing Minds Montessori Academy and helping families connect with its values. He is committed to strengthening the academy’s presence and contributing to its impact in thoughtful and practical ways.
A Faith-Centered Learning Environment
An important aspect of Growing Minds Montessori Academy is the Christian foundation that shapes the heart and culture of our learning environment. While our program is not a formal Christian school, does not follow a specific denomination, and does not use a separate Christian curriculum, our shared faith naturally influences the way we approach learning, relationships, and daily life together.
We believe children are naturally curious about the world, and we encourage them to explore questions about creation, purpose, kindness, and the meaning behind the world around them. Through simple, age-appropriate conversations and experiences, children are invited to discover the beauty of God’s creation, the importance of loving others, and the value of each person.
Throughout the day, faith is woven naturally into our classroom rhythm. Each morning, we read a story from The Beginner’s Bible: Timeless Children’s Stories and spend time reflecting on lessons of love, compassion, courage, forgiveness, and faith. We also pray together at the beginning of the day, before meals, and at the close of the day.
As children grow and ask thoughtful questions, conversations about Christianity may naturally arise during classroom discussions and everyday moments. Topics such as Jesus as Savior, sin, salvation, the origin of good and evil, and God’s plan for humanity may be explored in a gentle and age-appropriate way as children learn about choices, character, and their relationship with God and others.
Children may come home with questions, ideas, or stories they would like to continue discussing with their families. We value open communication and want families to feel fully informed about this meaningful part of our program.
We invite families to consider whether this faith-centered environment aligns with their own values and expectations when choosing Growing Minds Montessori Academy as their child’s learning environment.
Growing Together with Families
We believe that parents are their child’s first and most important teachers. Growing Minds Montessori Academy is honored to partner with families in supporting each child’s development, helping to create a consistent and nurturing bridge between home and school.