Our Team
Meet our Team
Julia Hittinger
Vice Principal, Office Administrator, Lead Elementary Teacher
Julia Hittinger received her bachelor’s degree in Special Education and has been certified through the Indiana Dept. of Education in Special Education grades K-12 and General Elementary Education grades 1-6. Her experience with Montessori education began when she, her husband, Tim, and Anita Hittinger founded a Montessori day camp in 2005. She spent the first 6 years of her professional teaching career in Perry Township and Center Grove where she worked in many capacities. She worked with students diagnosed with various Mild Cognitive disabilities and led small group reading instruction using a researched-based intervention. She fully embraced the Montessori philosophy and helped to found the Elementary program at another local Montessori school in 2012. She has a passion for reading and writing, visual arts, music, and nature. She is a strong believer in students working to their potential and differentiating instruction based on student interests and skill levels. She would like to see more schools founded on its fundamentals and practices. Outside of teaching, Julia enjoys spending time with family, reading, watching movies, and vacationing in Michigan. She received her Elementary Montessori training from Seton Montessori Institute in Chicago in 2012.
Tim Hittinger
Principal, School Board Vice President,Lead Early Childhood Teacher
Tim received his bachelor’s degree with a social science emphasis and has a special interest in cultural anthropology. His experience with Montessori education began as a preschooler at the Children’s House in Beech Grove. He received training in the nationally recognized Music Together program and received both paraprofessional training and Early Childhood training from Seton Montessori Institute, formerly MECA. Montessori education is his passion because it helps people learn how to be their best. He has been teaching since 2004. He lives with his family on the south side of Indianapolis. He has shared his special areas of interests and passions by enriching classes with Spanish, music, storytelling, and physical activity. Tim enjoys sports, music, martial- arts, sailing, reading, and writing.
Kurt Tintle
Teaching Assistant
Kurt is Lead Teacher for the Toddler Program. His son began his journey at Green Leaf Montessori in 2022. He became interested in Montessori philosophy after watching that process, and joined the following semester, as a Teacher’s Aide. He attended HSI/CPR/AED Certification class in May 2023, and Montessori Fundamentals Training through the United Montessori Schools of Indiana in Summer 2023. In his free time, he enjoys drawing pictures, outings with his family, his 2 dogs, and pursuing his family genealogy.
Sharon Holck
Teaching Assistant
Caleb Byrd
Lead Toddler Teacher
Caleb Byrd is a proud teacher at Green Leaf Montessori. While his path to education might seem unique, it is a journey that has always been guided by a single purpose: to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Before joining GLM, he spent 6 years as a biomedical engineer in the medical device industry, having earned his Bachelor’s from Purdue University. His work focused on creating technology that helped those in need, and it was deeply rewarding. Making the leap from engineering to education may appear to be a dramatic shift, but for him, it feels like a natural and fulfilling continuation of his life’s mission. He now has the direct privilege of directly fostering a safe, loving, and stimulating environment where children can learn and grow. This new role allows him to make a positive and tangible difference in the community every single day, which is something he finds incredibly valuable. Outside the classroom, you can find him enjoying the outdoors- he loves taking hikes with his family and spending time trail running. He is so excited to be a part of the Green Leaf family and share the journey!
Jenny Harry
Teaching Assistant
Jenny is a Teaching Assistant at Green Leaf Montessori. She has several years of experience in early childhood settings, primarily working with infants and toddlers, as well as some experience with older children. She brings a calm, thoughtful, and gentle presence to the classroom and values a respectful, child-centered environment.
She appreciates the Montessori philosophy for the way it recognizes each child as an individual and supports children in growing and learning at their own pace. Since joining Green Leaf Montessori, she has enjoyed continuing to deepen her understanding of the Montessori approach and finds that it closely aligns with her own values and the way she naturally relates to children.
Originally from Germany, Jenny has been living in the United States for the past year and a half and calls it home with her husband and their Bernedoodle, Kody.
Anita Hittinger
School Consultant
Anita received her BA degree from Purdue University and her American Montessori Society credential in Early Childhood Education after receiving training through Seton Montessori Institute. She has been teaching in a variety of capacities since 1987, mostly in early childhood. Her introduction to Montessori education began at the Montessori Children’s House in Beech Grove where both of her sons attended preschool. After seeing the love of learning instilled within her own children, she was very excited for the opportunity to serve there as a Montessori assistant for three years. She served as director of 2 other preschools for nine years and 11 years respectively. She has a passion for helping children reach their full potential. Anita lives in Indianapolis with her husband and enjoys spending time with her family, reading music, gardening, camping, hiking, cycling, boating and water-skiing.