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 with nature . 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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Our Team.
Our WF team is a talented group of guides dedicated to supporting children from primary through upper elementary. We foster a school culture that nurtures the whole child and inspires a lifelong love of learning.
