About Our Staff

Asheville Montessori School was acquired in July, 2001, by Nan & Steve Gregory.

Coming from successful careers in Dunedin, FL, they returned to Asheville and began a new adventure in their lives.

Through consistently presenting the Montessori method and demonstrating to parents the importance of early childhood education, their waiting list grew to over 60 families by 2004.

The original campus at Julia Street had 16 children and 1 employee that first year. Now Asheville Montessori School educates 120 children each year.

Nan Gregory

I have spent 25 years in various teaching roles, both professionally & as a mother of 3. A graduate of the Univ. of GA with a double major in Child Development and Early Childhood Education, I also did graduate work at the UNC – Greensboro towards a Masters in Education.

In 1993, I began teaching at the DePaul School for Dyslexia in Dunedin, FL. Through my work with children, I realized the value of the Montessori approach in reaching children with different learning styles. In 1995, I obtained my Early Childhood Credential with the American Montessori Society for ages 3-6 through the Northeast Montessori Institute. In 1997, I began working at the Safety Harbor Montessori Academy. I remained with the SHMA until 2001, serving as the reading specialist, and doing private consulting work.

In 2001, we purchased the Children’s House at Asheville Montessori School. In 2006, we expanded by building a second campus. We now serve 110 families of three to six year olds in Asheville. I have received specialized training with Orton-Gillingham and Lindamood-Bell. I was invited to make a reading presentation at the American Montessori Society conference in Tampa, and at an Early Childhood Conference sponsored by the Univ. of South Florida. In 2011, I presented a workshop at an AMS conference in Chicago on the connection between reading and spelling. It has also been my privilege to serve as part of the teaching staff at The Center for Montessori Teacher Education of North Carolina. I began teaching Child Development in 2007 and Philosophy in 2009. I have enjoyed doing some field consultant work on their behalf , as well. At home, I love connecting with my family, loving on our two dogs, Buddy and Skip, gardening, reading, and sewing by machine and by hand. It has been such an honor and a joy to serve and guide hundreds of children and emerging teachers as they grow, develop and become!

Steve Gregory

My wife, Nan, and I returned to Asheville in 2001 to take the reins of Asheville Montessori School. I currently serve as co-owner and business manager. My own personal background has had a variety of turns. My educational background includes a B.S.Agr. from the Univ. of GA with a major in Biochemistry, and a M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Through my vocational career, I have pastored churches, taught high school chemistry, and worked with special needs teenagers.

My first exposure to Montessori came as we searched for an educational alternative for our son when we found ourselves dissatisfied with the traditional educational models being offered. Through our own personal experiences, and our love for children, Nan and I became committed to the Montessori method as an effective model for education. Since taking over Asheville Montessori School, we have endeavored to provide a true Montessori educational environment with an emphasis on excellence in our program. We have been humbled and encouraged at the response of the community to our school.