Zahra Lightway

"Stay In Your Heart"

In the spring of 2004, Zahra was teaching French at Lanier Middle School in Houston, TX.  She had a deep sense of knowing that she would not teach the next fall, but did not know what she would be doing or why she would be leaving. 

She loved teaching.

For the next two years, she lived on her savings and retirement money wondering what her mission was. Why was she here on Planet Earth? Then in late 2005,  it came to her - open a school. 

The vision was clear. 

Two years later, Zahra has an MEd. in Education Administration from the University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas and is a fully certified Texas principal.  From October 2006 to June 2008 she served as the International Baccalaureate Coordinator at Wilson Academy in the Aldine School District and guided the school to full authorization by the International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva.

While coordinator, she also nurtured her dream of creating a new paradigm in education and started a Saturday Program called, "Dream of a Better World"

In June 2008, she   resigned her position with the Aldine District.

Bolstered by the reality of the militant test-based schools, she is now pouring all of her energy into the creation of Light Way Schools. 

She plans to continue her studies to the PhD level and aims to show the educational community what can be achieved when children are supported in who they are. 

Her philosophy of education aligns curriculum and school governance in a vision of future education.

Zahra also has a BA in French with a minor in English from the University of Houston.  She taught English and French to 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grades  in the Houston Independent School District for 8 years. 

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"Be at peace in the dark and be drawn to the light."

Director of Operations
Office Location: 5867 Sampley Way, Houston, TX, 77092
Telephone: 713 557 5547
max@lightwayschools.org
 

Max ran a 6th grade boys mentor program for 11 years in the public schools on a purely voluntary basis.  His devotion to new paradigms in education is unquestioned and unparalleled.  He has vast experience in shaping and forming businesses and programs. We are lucky to have him as a part of our team

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David Allen

"Trust in God and tie your camel."

Consultant/Director
Office Location: London, England
davida@netapp.com

David has worked in corporate environments since finishing his Master's degree at the University of Edinburgh.  He has been highly successful in building teams and programs and is a valuable asset to Light Way Schools in terms of business concepts and strategies as we plan our school and bring it into being. 

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 Lead Learner
paola@lightwayschools.org

Paola has a B.A in English and French and graduated with honors from the Faculty of Education at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. She taught for seven years in both the private and public  educational sectors in Mexico, from elementary school to university.

After having worked within different educational institutions, she came to the realization that children need much more than what is currently being focused-on in most traditional schools and because of this, she no longer felt inspired to continue to teach within this system.

She believes that the traditional ways of schooling need to change because our World has changed enormously over the years and naturally, so have the needs of her children.

 Paola came across Light Way Schools at the right moment of her life : she had just moved to Houston and wanted to find an alternative school that understood and supported the needs of today’s children.

 She believes that when children are nourished both spiritually and mentally, they are able to develop and enhance their unique gifts and intuitive abilities.  By understanding how to use and strengthen their intrinsic abilities, they would be given life-long tools of success.  By allowing children to choose and to discover themselves early-on, they learn not only how to use their unique gifts, but also how to express themselves and solve problems. With freedom, comes great responsibility: children learn that they are the conductors and the orchestras of their life.

 Many changes are in our wake and many of today's children have a certain awareness that needs to be protected and nurtured so that our World can manifest the transformation of consciousness she intends for us to achieve.  We have to work together and spread the Light so that we can all live a more harmonious  and loving life.

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