About Us
Realized in 2004, Cayuga House Montessori House already existed in the form of a dream for its Director Ailish. Growing up in Dublin Ireland, Ailish attended Sion Hill Convent (high school). Tiny students from a nearby Montessori school regularly paraded past her school windows, holding hands as they embarked on their spring walks. Struck by the simple beauty of this picture, Ailish hoped that she would someday have a Montessori classroom of her own, custom built for children, with huge almost “floor to ceiling” windows.
Cayuga Heights Montessori House opened its doors in September 2004, using the living room and sunroom of Ailish’s home. The dream really took wings in November of 2005, with the construction of the classroom that was to house her traditional Montessori program, and its many tiny future students.
Custom designed to invoke the essence of Maria Montessori’s original Casa Dei Bambini, the classroom was fitted with large child height windows, golden oak hardwood floors, and child sized bathroom, kitchen and furniture. With the first step of tiny feet past the front door into the vestibule, the dream was realized.
For more information contact Ailish by email or call 607.257.5399.
Watch the CHMS video (WMV, 50.3 Mb, 3:53 minutes) and slide show (MWV, 25 Mb, 4:37 minutes).
Our Mission
To provide the children of our community, ages 3 to 6 years, with a Montessori program that instills a strong sense of self, a deep respect for others and the world around them, the virtues of peace and dignity, and to awaken in them a lifelong excitement for learning and discovery
Meet our Faculty
Director and Head Teacher, Ailish McKeever, was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. She attended Sion Hill Montessori
College in Dublin, where she completed a three year intensive training
course and received her A.M.I. certification for the Montessori
education of children from the ages of three to six years, six to
nine years, and nine to twelve years of age. She also holds the
Benin Casa Diploma for Special Education. Ailish has 16 years
of teaching experience in both Primary and Elementary environments,
as well as a year in the Special Children's Center in Ithaca.
Ailish lives in Ithaca with her husband, Neil, and their three children: Conor, Declan, and Emma.
Teacher, Ashleigh Ormsby is a native New Yorker who has lived in Ithaca for three years. She received her undergraduate degree from the State University College at Oneonta obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Adolescence Education-Social Studies. She also lived in Mesa, Arizona for three years. While she was there she attended Arizona State University and obtained a Masters of Education in Special Education. In Arizona, Ashleigh taught for two years at a public school working in an elementary setting with students with disabilities. Ashleigh has spent a year subbing at the EAC Montessori School, and has enjoyed learning about the Montessori philosophy of education. She is very excited to be working at CHMH, and is looking forward to a year of learning, laughter and growth with the children.
Teacher's Aide, Judith Barbash, is originally from Toronto, Ontario, but now lives in Ludlowville, New York. She has earned a Bachelors degree in Art, with a minor in Education from SUNY Oswego. She has enjoyed a 25-year career as an Art Director/Graphic Designer working primarily with engineers and scientists. Judith enjoys creating illustrations that help explain scientific and mathematical concepts and is looking forward to applying these skills to enriching the learning experience of CHMH’s children!
Judith lives in Ludlowville with her husband, Steven, a University Distinguished Professor of Art and Art History, Emeritus. Together they share a love of the arts and enjoy gardening, cooking and spending time with their grandson, Riley.
Art Teacher, Tara Reimer, a native Ithacan and the mother of two CHMH graduates. She has earned a Bachelors degree in Art, with minors in Education and Psychology. With a passion for art and a love of children, she enjoys bringing to life our environment with the many techniques of art education. And who better to teach than a wonderful group of Montessori children! When not teaching art, she owns and operates a local boutique shop and event and wedding planning business, Terra Rosa.
She lives in Ithaca with her husband Nathan and their two children, Alexander and Ainslie.
Music Teacher, Jeffra Ruesink has over ten years experience singing and dancing with young children. She has studied music since she was a child, plays the guitar and the piano, and dabbles in lots of other instruments from the accordion to the didgeridoo. 
She is also a trained and certified Montessorian, and recently left a position as a lead classroom teacher at the Elizabeth Ann Clune Montessori School to focus on expanding Music Together of Ithaca. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees at EACMSI. Some of her other interests include organic gardening, home cooking, and visual art. She relishes any chance to be in the natural environment and loves to ski, hike, paddle, sail, bike, swim, and forage for mushrooms. Jeffra lives in Ithaca with her husband, two musical sons, and their magnificent companion Freyja, a German Shepherd Dog.
