Our team
Winchester School’s teachers and staff are dedicated, student-centered professionals who collaborate to create a supportive, creative environment where every student can thrive.
Mr. Peter Rhim
Owner
Peter Rhim is the son of founder Mary Rhim, who began The Winchester School in 1970. Peter was a member of the very first class at The Winchester School. Peter grew up in Bethesda, Maryland and after high school, he did his undergraduate education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and earned his Bachelor of Science in Management. He continued his education at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where he earned his Master of Business Administration in Finance. Peter has worked at Enact, a financial services company in Raleigh, North Carolina since 2003. He has been intimately involved in the Winchester School since 2008.
Ms. Jill Rhim
Owner
Jill Rhim grew up in Potomac, Maryland. After high school, Jill went to the University of Maryland and graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She continued her studies to get her certification in Early Childhood Education. She began her teaching career at The Winchester School where she taught a combined class of kindergarten and first grade. After moving to Atlanta, Georgia with Peter, Jill took a job as School Director at Country Brook Montessori School where she worked for 13 years. After their move to Raleigh, NC in 2003, Jill stayed home to raise their 3 daughters: Annie, Sarah and Rachel. Jill has been heavily involved in the Winchester School since 2015.
Ms. Khadija Ferhouse
School's Administrative Director
Ms. Khadija has been with the school since 2007. She is the friendly voice you hear on the phone and the smiling face you see when you walk into the school. She takes care of all our student forms and files. She is often your first point of contact with the school. You will often see Khadija in the classroom and on the playground with our students. Her commitment to the school and our student’s wellbeing are evident every day.
Ms. Naila Quereshi
School's Director, Language Arts and Math Teacher
Ms. Naila has been with The Winchester School since 2008. She started at Winchester as our Pre-K 3’s teacher and has since taught every subject and worked with every age group at school. This makes her uniquely qualified and naturally led to her Directorship of the school. Her desire to remain in the classroom helps her keep a daily pulse on the school and the students. This allows her to oversee and adjust the curriculum to meet each student’s growing and changing needs, as well as cultivating the staff’s continued development. Ms. Naila is a gifted and innovative teacher at heart, and her calm and happy demeanor ensures that each child’s experience is impactful in the most positive way.
Ms. Melissa Luanglue
STEM Teacher
Ms. Melissa has been a part of The Winchester School family since 2011. She fosters exploration and observation in all areas of her curriculum and brings the outside world into her classroom. Nature walks, animals inside and out, planting and gardening, weather and our world in space, machines and how they work are all part of what she invites into our students’ experiences. Her exciting curriculum sparks curiosity, keeping our students engaged and eager to learn more.
Ms. Capri Nicolson
Specials Teacher (Art, Music, & Spanish)
Ms. Capri Nicholson has been a member of the Winchester School family since 2002. Her creativity, enthusiasm and expertise in teaching Art and Music have always been a gift to our students. This year she has embraced teaching our Spanish classes as well. She is integrating our “specials” curriculum to reflect what is being taught in other areas of the school. This style of teaching is the most effective way to reinforce concepts being taught in all subjects. Ms. Capri brings color, movement and song to all she does, and you will get a glimpse of that as your children show you their latest masterpiece, sing you their favorite song or share with you the new words they are learning in Spanish.