Jillian Steinkoenig
Head of School

Mrs. Jillian Steinkoenig comes to LePort Schools with eight years of experience as the supervisor of the infant and toddler program at a successful Montessori school. There, Mrs. Steinkoenig pulled together a team of seven co-teachers to create a safe, nurturing learning environment. Mrs. Steinkoenig has her B.S. in psychology and human resources. She is also a volunteer for the Beach Cities Soccer Referee Association, where she serves as the treasurer for the organization. Her serene enthusiasm for children and for Montessori makes her a wonderful role model for students and teachers alike. In her personal life, Mrs. Steinkoenig loves soccer, quilting, and quality time with friends and family.

Jami Jacobi
Administrative Director

Ms. Jami Jacobi earned her B.A. in Communications from the University of California, Santa Barbara. After graduating, she remained in Santa Barbara as a part of the UCSB Library staff. During this time she developed a desire to pursue a career in the education field, where she would be able to positively contribute to students' academic progress. She is passionate about learning and is grateful to be a part of LePort Schools. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and photography.

Cornelia Lockitch
Montessori Curriculum Coordinator

Mrs. Lockitch has been fortunate to have the opportunity to teach children from ages two through fourteen in a variety of settings. In 1995, she earned her Honors B.A. in Philosophy from the University of British Columbia, and, soon after, her AMI Primary diploma. After several years of leading a Primary class, Mrs. Lockitch earned her AMI Elementary diploma as well as her Masters of Education. Thereafter, she taught in both Montessori and private schools, guiding children and developing curriculum in a range of subject areas.

In 2005, Mrs. Lockitch stepped away from classroom teaching so that she could devote time to her own young children. During this period, she remained active as an educator through tutoring, consulting, and publishing a parenting newsletter that applied Montessori ideas to the home setting.

As LePort’s Montessori Curriculum Coordinator since 2010, Mrs. Lockitch guides curriculum projects, develops parent education materials, and works with the Montessori staff at all campuses to help make LePort an outstanding school.

Lindsay Journo
Vice President, Academics

Mrs. Journo received her Honors B.A. and B.Ed. from York University, and her Honors Specialist Certification in the Teaching of English from the University of Toronto. Before joining LePort Schools in 2003, Mrs. Journo worked as an administrator and teacher of English and history at private schools in Toronto, Canada, where she specialized in writing curriculum, leading teacher training workshops and creating classroom resources. As Vice President of Academics, Mrs. Journo focuses on curriculum development and implementation for all of our schools, and oversees the schools' academic staff.

Carmen Calvo
Montessori Preprimary Head Teacher

Carmen Calvo was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, the third of nine sisters. She was the first in her family to go to college, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Later, she went on to earn her AMS Montessori training for children aged 3 to 6, as well as her AMI Lower Elementary training for children aged 6 to 12. Ms. Calvo’s own children, Octavio and Esmeralda, were born in 1989 and 1997. It was through researching educational options for them that she first discovered the Montessori Method, and fell in love with it. She has been a Montessori teacher ever since. For twenty years she has been teaching in Montessori classrooms for all ages in Mexico, Chicago, and California. She loves to bring her rich experience to bear in mentoring and training new Montessori teachers. She has also taught Spanish as a second language to students ranging from toddlers to adults.

Ms. Calvo loves to travel. She has been all over the world, from New York to Panama, Hawaii to Russia. She uses her knowledge of world cultures to inspire and enrich her teaching.

Rebecca Parra
Montessori Preprimary Head Teacher

Rebecca Parra comes to LePort Schools after over 15 years of working with children in various capacities. In particular, Ms. Parra joined LePort with 4 years of experience in a Montessori infant toddler community. Having worked with many different age groups over the years, Ms. Parra always finds herself drawn back to early childhood. She has seen over the years that as a teacher, this is the age when one can have the strongest positive influence on a child's development. Ms. Parra earned her B.A. in Liberal Studies from the University of Redlands, as well as her Masters in teaching from National University. She has also taken a variety of early childhood education courses from Irvine Valley College. In her free time, Ms. Parra enjoys reading, going to the gym, and eating sushi.

Kristin Kintanar (Ms. K)
Montessori Primary Head Teacher

Ms. Kristin Kintanar received her B.A. in Political Science from the University of the Philippines, and went on to work for her family business for more than ten years, before earning her AMI Primary diploma from Montessori Training Center of Minnesota. She has always been interested in working with children, but it was not until she discovered Dr. Montessori’s work through a good friend who was a Montessori teacher that her interest grew into a new career path. Dr. Montessori’s convictions deeply resonated with Ms. Kintanar, and she resolved to devote herself professionally to the Montessori method.

Luckmini Goonaratne
Montessori Primary Head Teacher

When Ms. Luckmini Goonaratne joined LePort Schools, she had already been a Montessori teacher for over 17 years. She earned her AMI Primary Diploma in Sri Lanka in 1989, and began her career there. Later, she travelled around the world, teaching in Taiwan, Dubai and Hong Kong. Her work with diverse student populations and cultural backgrounds has deepened her understanding of fundamental Montessori teaching principles, and heightened her awareness of each child's individuality. Ms. Goonaratne first came to the United States in 1996. She taught for eight years at a top-quality, AMI-affiliated school in San Diego. She returned to Sri Lanka for a few years to gain the support of family in raising her daughter, but ultimately she missed California. Upon her return in 2011, she searched the area for the most authentic Montessori schools. LePort Schools was lucky enough to meet her and bring her on board.

Ms. Goonaratne loves educating young children, and has made it her life's work. She seeks to create a supportive, warm, welcoming classroom where the children can explore and develop their independence. She is also an accomplished piano player who has passed graded examinations from the Royal School of Music in London, England. She enjoys spending time with her daughter, travelling, listening to music, watching movies, photography and cooking.

Michelle Culbertson
Assistant Teacher

Ms. Michelle Culbertson joined LePort with five years of teaching experience and her AA degree in Child Development. She is a caring, compassionate educator who forms a unique connection with each child under her care. She fell in love with Montessori from the first time she encountered it, and loves the role she plays in keeping the classroom smoothly functioning and productive. In her free time, Michelle loves spending time with her family (including her younger siblings) reading a good novel, and continuing her professional development as a Montessori Assistant Teacher.

Mary Nguyen
Assistant Teacher

Ms. Mary Nguyen has wanted to be a teacher ever since she joined the Future Teachers of America club in high school. She earned a B.A. in Sociology at University of California - Riverside, and went on to work with children and teens at several non-profit organizations, including the Orangewood Children's Foundation, a temporary shelter home for children age 0 all the way though 18 years old who had been abused, abandoned or neglected by their families. There she worked as a Counselor providing care, counseling and teaching. She quickly gravitated towards younger children, and followed her interest to the "Preschool Cottage" at Orangewood, where she worked with infants and toddlers.

Ms. Nguyen was fascinated to encounter the Montessori teaching method, and jumped for joy at the opportunity to join LePort Schools. In her spare time, Ms. Nguyen loves photography, travelling, exploring new places, and spending time with friends and family.

Gina Rader
Assistant Teacher

Gina Rader received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Fullerton, and her Infant/Toddler Certificate from Laguna Technical College. She came to LePort with over 17 years experience working with children in various capacities, and several years working with toddlers in particular. She loves this age group because she enjoys observing the continual changes in the children as they grow from day to day. In her spare time, Ms. Rader enjoys photography, dirt bike riding, and running with her dog.

Farheen Khan
Assistant Teacher

Ms. Farheen Khan received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of the Pakistan and also earned a certificate in Montessori education from the University of California, Irvine. She also studied early childhood education at Santa Ana College. She joined LePort Schools with five years of experience teaching in Montessori environments. In her free time, Ms. Kahn enjoys reading, travelling, and spending time with her family.