Our Team

Co-Founders

Tom Crowe has lived in the Labelle neighborhood of Steubenville since May 2008. He has been involved in non-profit, mission-oriented organizations dedicated to helping people improve their lives his entire professional life. After he and Noëlle were married in 2017 he learned more about the Montessori method and its underlying philosophy and recognized that it had significant potential to aid what ails the society around him. He and Noëlle founded Hilltop Children’s House in 2017, with the Primary Program opening in fall 2018. Since the founding, Tom has served as president of the organization, chief maintenance man, chief fundraiser, web guru, assistant to the guide in the Primary Program, and, since fall 2022, the Elementary Guide.

Tom holds an AMI Elementary Diploma from the Southwest Institute of Montessori Studies. He also has completed the AMI Primary Certificate, also from SIMS.

Noëlle Crowe earned her bachelor’s degree from Franciscan University in 1995 and then lived in the Labelle neighborhood of Steubenville for two years while she was earning her MBA, also at FUS. She then left Steubenville, but moved back in 2016. Noëlle’s professional career has been mostly in education, particularly as a leader of religious education programs. She received training in all three levels of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, which is the Montessori method applied to religious education. From that foundation she sought other opportunities to bring the Montessori method to others who could benefit from it. After she and Tom were married in 2017 she introduced the idea of establishing a Montessori program in the Labelle neighborhood, where many families are struggling. Since Hilltop Montessori School opened in, 2018 Noëlle has served as the guide in the Children’s House, the Primary Program.

In 2021 Noëlle completed the AMI Primary Guide diploma program through the Southwest Institute of Montessori Studies, one of the AMI training centers in the United States.

Since opening the doors in fall 2018, Noëlle has served as the guide in the children’s house, as well as vice president of the organization, plus as a major fundraiser, bookkeeper, secretary, and whatever else has been needed.