The Pride of Suzuki in Atlanta: 50 Years Later

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April 2026

by Shannon Doyle Bell

Photos courtesy of The Suzuki School and Kristen Walker

Suzuki Event Photographer Rachel White Studio

Kristen Walker, her husband Matt, and their son, Lenox, have built their lives in the Riverside neighborhood, where front-porch conversations, bike rides down the block, and friendships among families are part of daily life. That same sense of connection and belonging is something Kristen works to cultivate inside the walls each day in her leadership role at Suzuki as Area Manager Montessori East. Active in her son’s school community at Bolton Academy, Kristen experiences the same hopes and concerns as many of the parents she serves: a desire for strong educational foundations, nurturing environments, and opportunities for children to develop curiosity and confidence. Her path to Suzuki, however, began thousands of miles away.

From 2008 to 2010, Kristen lived and taught in China at Xiwai International School, working with kindergarten and first-grade students in an international learning environment. The experience broadened her understanding of early childhood education and immersed her in a global perspective that emphasized cultural awareness and collaboration. When she returned to the United States, Atlanta - and specifically The Suzuki School, became the next chapter.

At the time, Paula and Robert Charles had recently acquired the school, then known as The Suzuki International Learning Center. Paula remembers being immediately intrigued by Kristen’s experience abroad. “She was teaching in China and contacted us. Was there even email back then?” Paula says with a smile. “Anyone who would go to China to teach, I knew I wanted her.” Kristen still becomes emotional when she reflects on her first experience stepping into the school. During her interview, she was placed in a classroom to observe the learning environment. “I remember walking into the classroom and seeing how the children worked together to keep the room functioning,” she says. “It was incredible to watch. I realized right then how special this place was.” More than a decade later, Kristen leads the school while she and her husband Matt raise their own son in the same community that welcomed her years ago. For her, Suzuki is more than a workplace. It is part of the fabric of the neighborhood. 

THE SUZUKI VISION THAT REACHED ATLANTA

For 50 years, The Suzuki School has  quietly — and powerfully — shaped Atlanta’s youngest learners. The school’s origins trace back to the 1970s, when educators in Atlanta began bringing the educational philosophy of Japanese violinist and teacher Shinichi Suzuki to the United States. Long before email or instant communication, his letters traveled across the ocean between educators working to establish the approach in America. The result was the founding of The Suzuki School in 1976, an institution rooted in the belief that environment, encouragement, and community play a crucial role in shaping a child’s development. In 2005, Paula and Robert Charles purchased the school and began guiding it into its next chapter of growth.

THE PILLARS THAT STILL STAND

In 2007, the school officially transitioned to Montessori, grounding its curriculum in principles that emphasize independence, environment, and respect for the child. One guiding belief remains central: 

Respect the child and partner with the parents. Those pillars established nearly fifty years ago remain just as relevant today. The school’s commitment to excellence deepened in 2014 with the creation of the Montessori Teacher Education Institute (MTEI), an accredited training institute affiliated with the 

American Montessori Society. Located adjacent to the Buckhead campus, the institute plays an important role in faculty development, recruitment, and maintaining the integrity of Suzuki’s Montessori approach.

Beyond academics, Suzuki continues to integrate cultural exploration and the arts into the student experience. Rabbis, cultural educators, and guest speakers visit classrooms regularly to share traditions and stories, helping children connect with cultures and perspectives from around the world.

Music also remains a central part of Suzuki’s philosophy. Each campus receives instruction twice weekly from a full-time music educator. Trisha Jackson of Musically Me leads music programs across all three campuses, continuing the tradition of the Suzuki method. Raised in a musical family and trained in both the Suzuki -violin approach and Montessori education, Jackson guides students through rhythm, singing, and early instrument exploration designed to build confidence and creativity. 

In January, the Northside Campus expanded resulting in Suzuki serving more than 750 students across its campuses, including Buckhead, Northside, and Ponce City Market. “We grew not for growth’s sake,” Kristen says, reflecting on the school’s philosophy, “but with a commitment to quality, to building relationships, and to educational excellence.”

CELEBRATING THE COMMUNITY BEHIND THE SCHOOL

In February, the school celebrated their 50th anniversary with a special program reflecting not just longevity, but legacy. Staff and educators gathered for the celebration. Many of them have spent decades shaping young learners - some of whom are now teaching the children of former students. The event carried a spirit of reflection and gratitude for the community that has grown around Suzuki over the past five decades. Paula Charles reflected on the impact the school has had not only on children, but on the women who built their careers there. In 2023, Paula and Robert Charles retired, and Suzuki was acquired by Cadence Education. While ownership changed, the school’s mission and philosophy remained firmly intact. For 

Paula, Suzuki’s legacy is measured not only in students served, but in leaders developed. “This celebration is heartwarming,” she said. “Helping women see how awesome they are and their potential. I helped a lot of women push themselves and see their full potential.”

At the anniversary celebration, Kristen presented a rose to educators who with the longevity of their careers have shown a commitment to their students. She also dedicated each teacher with a classroom from one of the three campuses that will display a plaque in their honor. Cadence leadership also presented the school with sundials for each campus, symbolizing time, growth, and the generations of children who have passed through Suzuki’s classrooms.“The celebration brought together Suzuki’s past, present and future. I was honored to celebrate alongside our tenured teachers, retired staff, current leaders and the next generation of Suzuki Leadership,” Kristen shares. “Bringing together the people who have shaped our school over five decades made the event especially powerful and reaffirmed our shared commitment to continuing the Suzuki tradition of excellence for years to come! It is the honor of a lifetime to serve the children and families in our Atlanta community!” Kristen ended the evening with all invited to toast the next fifty years. It was a moment that balanced reflection with optimism.

THE PROMISE

Paula often quoted a simple belief that captures the spirit of the school: “A child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.” For five decades, Suzuki has built its classrooms around that idea - designing environments where children absorb not just academic lessons, but confidence, curiosity, and compassion. 

For Kristen, the school’s mission feels deeply connected to the community she calls home. Her family has lived in the Upper Westside for more than ten years. When she first arrived, the neighborhood looked very different. “I remember when this area felt almost like a barren stretch,” she says. “Now we have a thriving community, even a Publix where we used to have to drive much farther just to get groceries.” Today, her son is preparing for middle school, surrounded by neighborhood friends and the kind of childhood filled with outdoor play and close connections that many families hope for. That same sense of possibility lives inside Suzuki’s classrooms.

Fifty years later, the mission remains unchanged. The child comes first. The environment matters. Leadership is cultivated. Community is essential.

That promise continues to unfold across the city, one young learner at a time. //