Our Vision
The vision of Srim Academy is to elevate the thought and actions of the citizens of the world one child at a time, with a focus on cultivating altruistic values that will help children from a young age envision positive change for their communities and planet.
We have created a Dharmic-values inspired curriculum that emphasizes a holistic education, with yoga, meditation, gardening, hands-on science and service mixed with play, social-emotional learning activities and academic lessons. The main tenet of the school is to encourage diversity of thought and compassion, recognizing that each child has unique skills that should be nurtured.
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Srim Academy will launch in Fall 2025 for children ages 18 months to 5 years old.
Fee Schedule:
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EARLY BIRD SPECIAL for those who enroll by May 31, 2025: get your first month FREE!
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School Hours: 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM (full day)
8:30 AM to 12 PM (half day)
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Toddlers (ages 18 months to 3 years):
Full day: $1200/month
Half day: $700/month
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Preschool (ages 3-6):
Full day: $1000/month
Half day: $600/month
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After care until 5 p.m.: an extra $150 per month
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Our ultimate vision is to expand the school in the future to include higher grades, to eventually offer a full Pre-K through 12th grade education. Srim Academy's goal is to sow the seeds of spiritual thinking at a very young age so that children growing up in this age of social media will have the mental and spiritual strength to overcome unnecessary pressures and be strong community leaders.
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Location: Chinmaya Niketan, 5511 Williams Rd., Norcross, GA 30093.
Our Team
Kishore Ramachandran, the founder of Srim Academy, has been on the faculty of Georgia Tech since 1986 after receiving his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He is the recipient of several research and education awards and helped pioneer Georgia Tech's online MS program in Computer Science (OMSCS), which is currently providing an opportunity for students world-wide to pursue a low-cost graduate education in computer science. A lifelong educator and community leader, Kishore has also taught Chinmaya Mission Balavihar and has helped raise his three grandchildren in recent years.
Manasa (Ildiko) Kumaran is the director of Srim Academy. Manasa is a dedicated Montessori educator originally from Hungary who moved to Atlanta in 1997 to pursue her Montessori teacher training. She has spent the past 25 years teaching in the 3 to 6 age group, bringing the Montessori philosophy to life through child-centered learning, fostering independence, and nurturing a lifelong love of discovery.
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Now based in Johns Creek, Georgia, Manasa has expanded her role in education over the last few years as a teacher coach, advisor, and pedagogical coordinator. In this capacity, she supported fellow educators in refining their instructional practices, enhancing classroom management, and aligning educational programs with the core principles of Montessori education. She is very excited to use all her experience at Srim Academy.
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A strong advocate for values-based education, Manasa believes in the importance of nurturing a child’s inner development alongside their academic growth. She emphasizes the need to lay a strong moral and spiritual foundation during the early years, which she sees as essential to shaping compassionate, grounded, and resilient individuals.
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Outside of her professional work, Ildiko volunteers with Embracing the World, a global humanitarian organization, dedicating much of her free time to service. She is also the proud mother of twin boys who attended Montessori school through middle school—an experience that further deepened her belief in the transformative power of Montessori education.
Lila Cleveland is the head of curriculum development at Srim Academy. Lila has been a Waldorf teacher for over a decade and is a yoga teacher who has been steeped in both Sanatana Dharma values and Western educational philosophies her whole life. She helped create Srim Academy's unique curriculum, which merges all these wisdoms together in a way that encourages hands-on, creative learning, taking the best of Montessori, Waldorf and Dharmic educational philosophies. Lila is also a teacher training expert, gardening enthusiast and mother.
Mitika Dhar is excited to join Srim Academy as an Assistant Teacher, bringing her passion for education and commitment to fostering a love of learning in young children.
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She strives to create a dynamic and supportive environment where every child can thrive and reach their full potential. With over 15 years of experience in the banking industry, Mitika has developed strong expertise in operations and administration. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and has earned multiple certifications in IT.
Beyond her professional career, Mitika is deeply engaged in mentoring and guiding her two kids at home. As a parent, she values education, discipline, and well-rounded growth, encouraging excellence in academics, sports, and social development.
Bhoomika Chachad will be an assistant teacher at Srim Academy. Bhoomika has been learning classical dancing for more than 15 years and enjoys choreographing dances for kids and adults for school and public events and competitions. Bhoomika holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computers from Mumbai University, India. Her passion for dance is contagious and she loves helping kids find their rhythm and confidence on the dance floor and in life.
Akshatha Ramesh is excited to join Srim Academy as an Assistant Teacher. Fluent in Kannada, Hindi, English, and spoken Telugu, she is fully equipped to teach the Hindi language with enthusiasm. A lover of arts and crafts, Akshatha’s passion stems from her childhood, where she assisted her mother in creating beautiful handmade pieces. She finds great joy in nurturing artistic talent and inspiring creativity in young minds.
In addition to her teaching aspirations, Akshatha has professional experience as a software developer at HCL, bringing a strong analytical mindset and problem-solving skills. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronics from Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, Bangalore, she is deeply committed to fostering a positive, inclusive, and engaging learning environment for all her students.
Interested in joining our team?
Please reach out to srimacademy@gmail.com or contact Kishore Ramachandran if you're interested in joining our team.
"We need all students to be like role models to do seva (selfless service) to the human race. A lot of children in our world have so many challenges in their lives, suffering from depression, anxiety, and mental pressures. They need a center for them to have spiritual practices, a center for good thinking power and with lots of sweet conversations, positive conversations, to build powerful zeal in students. We have to think about our future generations."
Amma Sri Karunamayi
"Education is nothing if it does not train our faculties to capture all our opportunities to be useful to others but stay happy always in ourselves."