Amanda Swiger - Director / Montessori Educator

Amanda is the director and lead educator for the Montessori Internationale School [MIS].  She

has a Master’s Degree in Education from Loyola University in Maryland and her AMI certified

Primary Montessori Diploma from the Montessori Institute of Atlanta, now known as the

International Montessori Training Institute.  AMI, Association Montessori International, is the

international authority on Montessori Education.  AMI trained teachers undergo rigorous

training and examinations to meet the standards of this organization, and teachers attend

regular training and workshops to maintain a connection with AMI and its expectations for

Montessori education. 

Amanda has worked with children in the primary age group for over 15 years. She is a

dedicated and talented educator with a desire to improve our world through the best possible

education for young children.

Shirin Boghani - Montessori Educator

Shirin is an AMI certified Montessori teacher and has been with MIS since 2012.  Shirin has a

Bachelor’s of Commerce degree from Shadan College, Osmania University, India.  She received

her AMI certified Primary Montessori Diploma from the Montessori Training Research Centre in

Hyderabad, India.  Since her training, she has worked as a Montessori teacher in both India and

the U.S. and offers her rich experience to the children and the classroom as a whole. 

Shirin is a dedicated teacher and an active part of our local community, and she gets great

satisfaction from watching the children grow and succeed throughout their classroom

experience and beyond.  The success of the children is the greatest mark of success for a

teacher.

Cortney Hliva - Assistant Teacher

Hi there. My name is Cortney Hliva and I am so thrilled to have the honor of joining the wonderful family of Montessori Internationale. I am married and have two children who both attended Montessori schools through Kindergarten. My daughter graduated from Montessori Internationale in 2016. She loved it here and was so excited when I told her I get to work here now. 

I grew up in Charlotte, NC then went on to attend Wake Forest, earning a 4 yr, BA in studio arts, and a minor in Russian. I moved back to Charlotte to be near my family and in 2001, I was called for an interview at Charlotte Preparatory school. Now, I had literally just started a different job which I had applied for at the same time but they insisted I still come for an interview and I am so glad I did. I enjoyed being a Montessori assistant there for 2 years, then a substitute for a year. In between that time, I moved to Portland, OR to get my CELTA (Cambridge University certification to teach English as a second language) then to New York, NY to work for a few months to save money for a flight to Solnechnogorsk, Russia to teach English. I had an amazing experience there but chose to move back to the states. 

Eventually I married Todd Hliva, whom I had been dating since 2000 (we met at Wake Forest). We moved a few times for his work and I did various child care jobs, Montessori substitute, and even worked as a flower designer at a shop. I am a very eclectic person and my likes reflect this. I love to try everything and go everywhere, but I always come back to Montessori😊 I love it. It’s amazing. I am a lucky gal to be able to do this every day.

Cheryl Puryear - Assistant Teacher

Cheryl has been with MIS since 2008.  She has her Master’s degree in Special Education from

the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the

University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.  Cheryl is in constant acquisition of new training,

knowledge, and skills, and has over 35 years of teaching experience at various schools in

Knoxville and the surrounding areas.  She has taught a variety of age groups in both the public

and private sector, and continues to work with the surrounding area schools as a substitute in

Special Education classrooms.  

Through her years of teaching, Cheryl came to really love working with preschool aged

children.  She appreciates the child’s limitless ability to learn at this young age and seeks to

provide children with accurate and interesting information about whatever topic is of interest

to them.  Cheryl offers her wealth of experience and love of learning to each student and the

school community as a whole.

Janice Mitchell - Music Educator

Janice first joined MIS in 1997.  Janice has a Bachelor’s of Music from Auburn University, AL and

further studies at the Universities of Illinois, Iowa, and Tennessee.  She has many years of

teaching experience in public and private schools as well as church choirs, musical theater, and

private lessons in vocal production, piano literature, and brass instruments. 

Janice loves watching the “Aha!” moment when a three-year old moves like a tree in the breeze

to music, or a four-year old feels the “eternal” rhythm of his heartbeat, or the five-year old

learns all the lyrics plus motions to a new song.  Along with teaching, Janice plays French horn

in two orchestras and two concert bands, and plays organ and piano as well as directing an

adult choir and hand bell choir in Rockwood.  She is active in the Knoxville community in

representation of the arts and the revitalization of downtown Knoxville.