08/27/2026
With deep sadness, we share the news of the passing of our founder, Celma Pinho Perry.
Celma was a visionary leader, a strong woman, and a brilliant Montessori educator. Through her work with Seton Montessori School, Montessori Children's House of North Barrington, the Seton Montessori Institute Teacher Education Program, and vast consultations with schools, Celma touched the lives of countless children, families, teachers, and school communities around the world. In fact, one of the most commonly heard phrases from Seton graduates has long been, "Celma changed my life!"
Celma believed deeply in the unlimited potential of the child and in the power of education to change lives and communities. She brought her fierce intelligence, courage, and conviction together in her unwavering commitment to her work and her people. She worked wholeheartedly, using her Brazilian passion to inspire generations of educators. Celma shaped the understanding of so many adults on their role in supporting the development of children and the mysterious potential every newborn brings to the world.
This work was her passion, and surely her cosmic task. Her influence will live on in the many educators she taught, the schools she helped shape, the teacher education programs she helped launch, and the generations of children whose lives are better because of her.
To learn more about Celma's life visit https://www.setonmontessori.org/celma-pinho-perry
