Photo courtesy of Neal Warren Paula Sikora, left, poses with new Montessori preschool owner, Ashley Wolfe. Sikora will remain on staff as a lead teacher at Wheeling’s only Montessori preschool beginning in June 2024.

Wheeling’s only Montessori preschool has announced a transition in ownership, but the outgoing owner – the school’s namesake – said she isn’t going anywhere.

Sikora Montessori Preschool Owner and Head Teacher Paula Sikora announced Tuesday she will pass the torch of ownership to Ashley Wolfe, a close family friend and current kindergarten teacher at Middle Creek Elementary School. That change officially comes this month, but Sikora will remain at the school as a teacher.

“It will be business as usual when Ashley joins the day-to-day operations in June of 2024,” Sikora said. “I have no plans to retire. I will continue as an experienced teacher of the Montessori method that generations of local children and their parents know and trust.”

Sikora opened the school in 2008 after the Mount de Chantal Montessori school closed. She had been a teacher there for 12 years.

“I asked my daughters, who live outside the area, if they would be interested in the ownership opportunity and both declined,” Sikora said. “It was then a quick and easy decision as to who should take over the ownership role. I knew that Ashley was the best qualified person to take charge of Wheeling’s only Montessori preschool.”

Wolfe has a bachelor’s in elementary education from Wheeling Jesuit University, a master’s degree in advanced special education from West Liberty and an autism endorsement from Bethany College. Wolfe also is a reading specialist in the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction for children with dyslexia.

“I am so excited for this transition,” Wolfe stated. “It is perfect timing for me to make this change. I am honored that Paula has given me this opportunity. We have such a close bond. She has been a family friend over the years. Paula officiated my wedding in August of 2020 and performed my grandmother’s funeral service last year. I am thrilled that Paula will be here by my side continuing as a teacher.”

Wolfe has spent 14 years in public education, including 13 with Ohio County Schools. She will finish the year at Middle Creek before moving over to Sikora Montessori, and is currently working on obtaining her Montessori certification.

Sikora Montessori is open 12 months of the year from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for children ages 2 to 6 years old. In addition to regularly scheduled classes, it offers theme weeks, camp weeks, yoga, ballet, and other programming. For more information including enrollment details, visit https://sikoramontessori.org.