​1976-1977 Morning Class

Crescent Ridge Academy was founded as Northern Kentucky Montessori Center in 1967 by Kitty and Dan Salter in their Fort Mitchell home on Beechwood Road. NKMC operated out of the Salters’ home until 2004, offering two half-day preschool classes to approximately 60 children a year. 

In 2003, the Salters contacted Julia Preziosi, a resident of Fort Mitchell and veteran Montessori educator, to see if she could help them. They wanted to retire and move the school to a new location and were looking for someone to take over and move the school. Julia accepted the position and moved the school to its current Anderson Road location with one unit (2625) in December of 2004. Here, NKMC became Northern Kentucky Montessori Academy. 

In 2009, the academy doubled in size, adding a second early childhood classroom and nap room to accommodate full-day students. Growth continued in 2011 when NKMA added the elementary program and a third early childhood room, and in 2015 with the addition of the toddler program. 

NKMA received accreditation from the American Montessori Society in 2017. Then, with the acquisition of the Greater Cincinnati Center for Montessori Education in 2019, the academy expanded its educational offerings to adult learners who are earning their Infant/Toddler and Early Childhood AMS teaching credentials.  

Lisa Dieso accepted the position of Head of School in 2021 upon Julia’s retirement. That November, NKMA and the Teacher Education Program unified the child and adult education organizations under one name: Crescent Ridge Academy. 

Colleen Sweeney became CRA’s Head of School in 2024 and oversaw an expansion to create a second toddler classroom and multi-purpose room, enabling CRA to serve children as young as 18 months in age, and providing the school community a space to gather. 

Today, CRA is the only AMS accredited school in Northern Kentucky and only one of two in the state. We continue to foster a unique and inclusive learning community for students, educators, and prospective educators.