About Our Schools
Wildflower New York Charter School is currently made up of 2 primary classrooms (Pre-k — Kindergarten), and 2 elementary classrooms (1st — 5th grade). Each classroom that is open for enrollment can only be entered through a random lottery.
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Each of our classrooms envisions a culturally and linguistically diverse neighborhood-nested, public Montessori school that provides children full attention to life and its requirements so they can author their own journeys in a space where joy, empowerment, humanity, interconnectedness, healing, balance, and harmony are at the core of their daily experiences.
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Founded by school leaders from the Morrisania, Bronx community, and greater New York City area, our schools will offer an authentic option for the world renowned Montessori education methodology.
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Our Teacher Leaders
Mario Benabe
Founding WNYCS
Teacher Leader
Mr. Benabe is an Ethno-mathematician, public intellectual, author, school leader and civil rights leader. He is the creator of Do-The-Right-Thing-Pedagogy, a framework for teaching and learning that decolonizes STEM education.
Mr. Benabe holds an M.S.T in Special Education from Fordham University, a B.A. in Anthropology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and an Association Montessori Internationale Primary Education degree from the Indigenous Montessori Institute. His certification are in Grades (Birth - Grades 2) and (Grades 7 — 12) — Special Education.
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Aura Cely
Founding WNYCS
Teacher Leader
Aura Cely's journey in education has been defined by a commitment to excellence and a dedication to fostering inclusive learning environments. Her qualifications include completing her Association Montessori International (AMI) training at the International Montessori Training Institute (IMTI) in Atlanta, Georgia, alongside obtaining a Master's of Education degree from Johns Hopkins University.
With a wealth of experience spanning over 9 years, Ms. Cely has excelled as a lead guide within both public and private Montessori and traditional educational settings. Prior to embracing the Montessori approach, she spent formative years as an elementary lead Spanish Teacher at KIPP, served as an AmeriCorps volunteer with HeadStart, and worked as a teacher in Bogota, Colombia, with young people affected by civil war displacement.
She is an advocate for public Montessori programs that not only educate but also center joy and interconnectedness within anti-bias and anti-racist frameworks. She focuses on humanizing the educational journey for culturally and linguistically diverse children, families, and educators. Her certification is in General Education, Special Education and Bilingual Education in Grades Early Childhood — Grade 6)
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Ayeisha
Seawright-Moses
WNYCS Teacher Leader
Ayeisha Seawright-Moses currently holds the role of Teacher Leader at Wildflower New York Charter School, where she combines her extensive background in both early childhood education and business management. Following a successful career in the corporate and finance sectors, Ayeisha made a transformative switch to the realm of education, driven by a long-standing aspiration to focus her efforts on children and families.
With a decade of experience in early childhood education, Ayeisha is a proud leader of the primary classrooms at Wildflower New York Charter School. Her commitment to the field is exemplified by her possession of an AMI diploma from the Montessori Training Center Northeast, further enriching her educational versatility. Ayeisha's academic journey also includes a master's degree in early childhood education, complemented by her NY state certification for grades ranging from birth to grade 6.
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Our Staff
Jonnathan Sabater
AMI Trained Montessori
Lower Elementary Assistant
Shane Stephen
AMS Trained Montessori Guide Primary Lead Teacher
Consuelo Naranjo
Upper Elementary Montessori Assistant
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Wilfredo Perez
Lower Elementary Montessori Assistant
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Tasha Williams
Primary Montessori Assistant
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Our Board of Trustees
Chivona R. Newsome
Board Chair
Chivona R. Newsome is an accomplished humanitarian and business leader with extensive experience in driving business growth and operational excellence. She has a proven track record of developing innovative strategies to increase market share, optimize customer engagement, and enhance customer satisfaction. Chivona is highly skilled in leading change management initiatives and establishing new processes to streamline operations and foster business growth.
Chivona R. Newsome is a former congressional candidate for NY-15. She is one of America’s leading voices in community empowerment. She is at the forefront of the modern Civil Rights Movement and former Financial Advisor at New York Life.
Christopher Wilson
Board Vice Chair
Christopher Wilson is a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in administrative management, youth leadership and development, and community engagement. His expertise spans the private education sector, the New York City Department of Education, and the nonprofit sector, where he has consistently demonstrated a commitment to fostering positive change and growth.
Christopher currently serves as the Deputy Executive Director at Claremont Neighborhood Centers, Inc. in Bronx, NY. In this role, he manages day-to-day operations for various youth programs, including after-school and summer camp initiatives. Christopher was instrumental in securing a $22 million dollar capital project to revitalize Claremont Neighborhood Centers’ gymnasium.
Dr. Deja Jones
Board Treasurer
Dr. Deja Jones is sociologist, cultural writer and researcher. She is the founder and Head of School at Honeypot Montessori in Newark, NJ. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology, specializing in Early Childhood Education. Dr. Deja Jones is a leading scholar on curating nature based schools. ​
Justin Moore, Esq.
Board Member
Justin A. Moore, Esq., is currently the Co-Founder and Partner of Stafford Moore. His private practice focuses on criminal law, civil rights litigation, prisoner clemency, police brutality cases, sports contract negotiation and campaign management. Some of Justin’s cases have been featured in several local media outlets in the Fort Worth, Dallas community as well as national media attention in the New York Times, Washington Post, Times Magazine, NBC’s Today Show, CBS Evening News, ABC’s Nightly News, BBC, CNN, Fox News, BET, and The ROOT.
Vivian Louie
Board Member
Vivian Louie is Chief Housing Officer of Community Housing Innovations, Inc., a non-profit housing services and affordable housing development company serving upstate New York and New York City. She was previously Assistant Commissioner of NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development and NYC Department of Homeless Services. Prior to public administration, she held the position of Grants Compliance Manager at EdisonLearning where she worked on federal grants management and oversight for charter schools throughout the country. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Social Work.
Marissa Brady
Board Secretary
Marissa L. Brady specializes in business, accounting and school administration. She is a dedicated educational professional with a strong background in business administration and Montessori education. She holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Clark Atlanta University and a Master of Montessori Education from Loyola University Maryland. Additionally, she earned her AMI Primary Diploma from the International Montessori Training Institute.​
Zellie Thomas
Board Member
Zellie Thomas is a dedicated academic professional and community leader with a passion for education and social justice. Currently, Zellie Thomas serves as the Executive Director for the Harm Reduction Center in Paterson, NY. As a teacher in the Paterson School District since 2009, Zellie has implemented innovative strategies to support students with individualized education plans. His analytical approach to assessment data enables him to identify and nurture students' strengths while addressing their needs.
Terrance Nance
Board Member
Terence Nance is an American filmmaker, writer, director, actor and musician from Dallas, Texas. He is best known for his directing debut An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, and as the creator of the avant-garde TV program Random Acts of Flyness, which is produced by his production company MVMT and airs on HBO.
Terence is an education advocate and former teacher who supported the design of the first Wildflower Schools in Massachusetts as an MIT Media Lab Fellow.