About Our School
Elderflower is an authentic Montessori program. Students choose what they work on, follow their interests, move at their own pace, and stick with topics until they’ve mastered them, with teachers as guides through a structured curriculum that ensures children cover core concepts. Montessori integrates academic and socio-emotional objectives, and research demonstrates long-term positive impacts on both from even a few years of early exposure to a high-fidelity Montessori environment.
Elderflower Montessori is a community based school centered on sustainable practices. We care for the environment by minimizing waste, learning about growing and preparing food, and spending time in nature. We foster social sustainability by emphasizing equity, social justice and quality of life for students, families and teachers. And finally, we prioritize economic sustainability, offering tiered tuition to allow families from different socio-economic backgrounds to be part of our school community. We make space for fostering individual interests, creativity, and artistic appreciation and expression.
Our Teachers
Melina Hebert
Founding Teacher Leader and Elementary Guide
Born in Seattle Washington, Melina moved to Texas almost thirty years ago and considers Houston her second home. She has been working as a public Montessori Lower Elementary Guide for the past 14 years. Prior to working as a teacher, Melina worked in the non-profit sector in resource development for local organizations like the Community Doula Program and the Houston Symphony. Melina holds a bachelor's degree in English and a master’s in public administration. She is also American Montessori Society credentialed for the Elementary I level, and has been a teacher trainer and field consultant for the Houston Montessori Center.
Melina is passionate about Montessori education, sustainability, and helping students discover the joys of artistic expression.
When she is not teaching, Melina enjoys being outdoors, cooking, reading, creating and spending time with her husband and four adult sons.
Ikuko Qano
Founding Teacher Leader and Elementary Guide
Originally from Japan, Ikuko moved to the United States at age 15 to study harp, flute and piano at Interlochen Arts Academy, and later earned bachelor’s degrees in harp and flute performance from Oberlin Conservatory of Music. After graduation, Ikuko moved to Houston to perform music and give private lessons.
Ikuko’s three children attended Montessori school and she fell in love with the peaceful and mindful environment. In 2014, Ikuko began a journey of teaching in a Montessori school.
Ikuko has been teaching with Melina, co-founder of Elderflower Montessori, for the last 6 years. She looks forward to providing students with an authentic Montessori education, and sharing her knowledge of sustainability, music, and the arts.
When Ikuko is not teaching or playing music, she enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling and hiking with her husband and their children.
Flaire Clark
Elementary Co-Teacher
Flaire was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in counseling. She also holds an Elementary Teaching Degree.
Flaire taught in New Orleans for 13 years as a first grade teacher. In 2000, she decided to move to Houston, where she worked as an elementary teacher until her retirement in 2022.
Flaire loves to travel and through her travels, she got a teaching job in Dubai, where she lived for five years. About two years ago, she met Melina while working as a substitute teacher at the same public Montessori School.
When she is not teaching, Flaire enjoys painting, spending time with her family and exploring new restaurants.
Tiffany Harris
Elementary Co-Teacher
A lifelong Houstonian, Tiffany holds a B.S. in Anthropology from UH and has worked for several local nonprofits including Dress for Success Houston, the Albert Schweitzer Fellows Program and Interfaith Ministries.
Both of Tiffany’s sons attended public Montessori school from preK-3 thru middle school and were both students in Melina’s class. Tiffany has worked one-on-one with new readers for more than 10 years and loves watching them grow into strong, independent, engaged readers.
Tiffany lives in the East End and enjoys hunting for Houston’s hidden treasures with her husband and two kids.
Our Board
Faith Davis
President
Faith is a dedicated Montessori educator, recently retired from the
classroom. Now in a tapered phase of a forty-year career leading early childhood communities, working in teacher education
programs, guiding lower elementary students while mentoring public school colleagues, and tutoring, she brings that experience
and a still-beating Montessori Loving heart to the Wildflower community as president of Elderflower Montessori’s board. Faith
speaks Spanish fluently as a second language and has excellent communication skills in English. A fine art major in college, her time at home is spent making art and connecting with Houston’s art scene.
Jake Cohen
Board Member
Jake Cohen (he/him) is a co-founder of Clover Montessori School, an early childhood program in Philadelphia, PA. Jake first fell in love with Montessori education in Chicago in 2012. He then moved to Oakland, CA for a graduate program in Montessori Early Childhood Education, earning his American Montessori Society credential and writing his Master’s thesis on obstacles to Montessori in Head Start programs. After five years in the Bay Area, Jake and his partner, Jessie, moved to Philadelphia to be closer to family on the East Coast. Since co-founding Clover with his colleague Eileen Fell in 2021, Jake has been thrilled to see the school grow to serve 30 children per year through a tiered tuition model in which families pay according to household income. He's very happy to continue learning and growing in this work alongside Melina and Ikuko as they embark on their journey with Elderflower.