Our son has attended LePort Montessori for the last four years and we could not be more pleased with the education he has received. He has thrived in the small, orderly classes and has benefited from so much individual attention from his teachers. Very soon our young daughter will be able to attend and we look forward to seeing her flourish in the LePort environment.

It was not by chance that we decided to send our children to a Montessori school: as a child I attended a Montessori school until 6th grade. Finding a superior Montessori school, however, is not an easy task and we had to visit a great number of schools before we found one that met our high standards.

Unfortunately, Maria Montessori did not legally protect her name or her groundbreaking primary education teaching approach, so any school can call itself a "Montessori" school. This has led to many schools calling themselves "Montessori", but not really following the Montessori Method. In stark contrast to these schools, LePort Montessori is true to the spirit and letter of Maria Montessori's approach.

Because the school I attended as a child was also true to the Montessori Method, I am thrilled that my children will get a very similar educational experience at LePort. The educational concepts that children need to learn in the early grades are changeless and it is gratifying that LePort Montessori uses the same, classic, educational tools that I used as a child and that Maria Montessori designed.

In addition to the close adherence to the Montessori Method, there are many other reasons that LePort is such a fine school. Some of these reasons are a high teacher-to-student ratio, child-specific teaching, a caring approach, accommodating drop-off and pick-up hours, good parent-teacher communication, an emphasis on the importance of daily nutrition, and personal attention when needs arise. And, even if you send a very young child to LePort Montessori, your child will be exposed to Maria Montessori's teaching approach. This is more than just child care - this is developing your child's intellect and maturity from the very start.

We are also pleased that the school gives parents opportunities to be exposed to the Montessori approach and learning the specific lessons that their children are being taught. We have found that these parent meetings can help us reinforce and review at home what our child is learning in the LePort classroom. The parents meetings really are invaluable.

We are confident that you will be as impressed with LePort Montessori as we have been. Visit the school, observe the classes, speak with the teachers, and ask questions. Once you have, you will quickly learn how different LePort is from the many other schools that are "Montessori" in name alone.

Mr. L.

Our daughter, Kelly, has been with the LePort Montessori School in Irvine over three years. She started at this school shortly before the age of three and now is in its kindergarten class. At the beginning of each academic year, as the cost of living continues to escalate and it becomes increasingly challenging for most parents like us with a modest income to support our children at private schools, we repeatedly asked ourselves this question: “Is this worthwhile?”

Finding the answer for this question is not an easy task, particularly for us who happens to live in the City of Irvine which has been known to have one of the best public school systems in the nation. We decided to do some fact findings. Based on the apparent academic ability and other intellectual aspects acquired by Kelly at LePort, we attempted to compare them with those by children attending other public or private preschool programs. We quickly realized that Kelly has been much more advanced than most of other children of her age in both academic skills (reading, writing, linguistic, and math). In addition, Kelly is quite adaptive and interacts very well in large group gatherings. As we both are working parents and having limited time with our children, it is obvious that Kelly's achievements are mostly attributed to her teachers and school administrators for their dedication and hard work, as well as to the LePort's philosophy.

Kelly is now enrolled in the kindergarten program at LePort Montessori in Irvine. We believe the relatively small student-to-teacher ratios at LePort will provide Kelly a better academic attention and thus allowing her to continue excelling in many aspects.

Beginning in January '07, Kelly's sister, Krystal, is also at LePort Montessori in Irvine. With the elite quality of education provided by LePort Montessori, we are confident that our daughters with benefit tremendously by attending this school. In addition to the discounted tuition that LePort offers to parents with second child in attendance, having both children at the same school definitely helps us to reduce our daily driving activities, as well as related time and stress.

Betty Tran

To the staff and teachers of (LePort Schools) Montessori Children's Center,

I wanted to take this opportunity at the close of the academic year to express our appreciation for the wonderful work you each do with the children attending this school. My children, Alex and Katherine, will be continuing on throughout the summer and next year, but I know some of you will not be here during the summer or next year, so I wanted to let you know how important you each are in the lives of these young people.

There is nothing more valuable in life than our children. I have been most impressed with the value that each of you places in this concept. Everyone that I have interacted with has proven to be gentle and caring with each and every child and I have noticed that the children here are quite happy and content.

Even the children who are a bit more “challenging” are treated with gentle love and kindness. My own children are quite attached to the staff here and they often talk about how much they enjoy their friends and their teachers at school. Our children are being nurtured both academically and emotionally while they are in your care and I am most grateful to the teachers and staff for your obvious commitment to the well-being of each child. My son Alex is quite sensitive and does not normally transition to new environments well, however he moved into this school in September without a problem - as did his sister Katherine who had never been cared for outside of the home before. I believe that they were able to transition so well because they felt instantly comfortable and accepted here. Each of you truly reflects what it means to be in a Montessori environment. I have referred many of my friends and colleagues to this school over the past few years and they also have told me how happy they are with the staff and teachers.

Thank you again for your professionalism and kindness. I look forward to continuing to work with each of you as my children continue their academic career here.

Most sincerely,

Dr. J. Lewis

Like most parents, when I was looking for a pre-school for my daughter, I tried to find the very best. Sabrina had been in a very good school that emphasized social development. I thought that was good for her since she was a little shy. By the time she was four, I realized that she needed a more integrated program that offered more intellectual stimulation. I was lucky that I chose to put her in your very capable and loving hands.

I was ignorant of the Montessori Method but have since learned a great deal. As I became more involved in the classroom, I developed a respect for the Montessori Method and the way my daughter responded to it. I was interested to read that “the purpose of the Montessori Method is to provide an environment where the innate abilities of the child can unfold spontaneously, encouraging the development of the person within, allowing the child to achieve his greatest potential.” I realized that Sabrina had indeed unfolded and additionally had learned a phenomenal amount of information while doing so.

I came to appreciate the way in which the “methodically sequenced lessons are broken into steps to allow gradual movement from the concrete to the abstract.” Tell the mother of a friend with a child in kindergarten in public school that your child is doing multiplication. She will think your child is a genius . Any child can do multiplication when it is broken up into the steps in which it is learned in a Montessori school.

I also like the concept that “all early learning takes pace initially through the senses. Given a prepared environment, the child will choose, from the varied and rich stimuli present, the tools necessary for his or her own natural growth. By working with the concrete Montessori materials and solving specific problems the child will reach comprehension.” In Montessori, reading begins on the sensory and motor level with sandpaper letters and moveable alphabet. How intuitive that seems, knowing how young children like to touch and manipulate things.

Although I have a 10 year-old son in the public school system that is considered “gifted and talented”, I have been amazed at the amount that a 4 - 5 year old can learn if given the chance. The regimentation and interruptions that mar the public school curriculum are absent in Montessori. Children in a Montessori classroom learn because they have a wealth of sequentially planned materials and the freedom to explore their world.

Thank you,

K. Allen, PhD

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