Jennifer Williams
Head of School

Ms. Williams was first introduced to Maria Montessori's method in college while assisting an AMI teacher in a lower elementary classroom. Throughout her college career, Ms. Williams continued to work as an assistant at both the primary and elementary levels. Inspired and curious she then became motivated to pursue her certification. Ms. Williams received her AMI Primary Diploma from the Montessori Education Center of Arizona in 1999. She also holds a B.S. in Speech and Language Pathology from Arizona State University.

Ms. Williams possesses a deep admiration and appreciation for the Montessori Method, believing that it is very fulfilling to help children develop, acquire knowledge, and build character.

Susan Locke
Head of School In-Training

Ms. Susan Locke first discovered Montessori when her daughter was two, and she was touring preschools. She was amazed when her daughter entered a Montessori classroom for the first time and went straight to work. After watching her daughter’s progress in the Montessori primary classroom for two years, Ms. Locke changed careers and took the AMI Montessori Primary training. She then went on to Loyola College in Maryland where she earned her Masters of Education. She has over 17 years experience as a Lead Primary Montessori Teacher. For 12 of those years, she ran her own Montessori school in Mercer Island, Washington.

“I was drawn to Montessori education because of the respect that is given to each child and the Prepared Environment which holds endless possibilities for discovery,” says Ms. Locke. “With the latest scientific research validating the Montessori Method, it is more exciting than ever to be a part of the best that education has to offer.” Ms. Locke enjoys spending time with her family and friends, walking, reading, golfing, and salsa dancing.

Rochelle Domingo
Administrative Director

Ms. Domingo first discovered her love of working with children as a supervisor for a children’s party facility. She discovered then how rewarding it can be to create and maintain a safe, positive environment for children to explore, and it was this interest that led her to LePort Schools. In addition to her work for LePort, Ms. Domingo is also currently pursuing her degree in social work, which has only reinforced her love for the lifelong education that Montessori provides. She appreciates the opportunity each day to contribute to the growth of young minds. In her personal life, Ms. Domingo enjoys live music, writing poetry and prose, reading, and collecting vinyls. Her calm efficiency and warm smile are the glue that holds together LePort’s Irvine-San Marino campus.

Lindsay Journo
Vice President of 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.

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.

Cassaundra Moreno
Preprimary Head Teacher

Ms. Moreno was born and raised in Southern California. She obtained her Early Childhood Development Credentials from Long Beach State City College. She began working for LePort Schools in 2007 as a Preprimary Assistant at our Huntington Beach campus. Ms. Moreno worked with our head Preprimary teacher there as a Lead Assistant and conducted the class for the summer programs as the Head Teacher.

Ms. Moreno is an enthusiastic teacher, who is dedicated to the education and development of children. She delights in seeing them grow and develop new skills with confidence. To continue to provide excellent care to the children, she is always striving to improve herself as a teacher—often attending child development courses. Ms. Moreno is thrilled to be joining LePort Schools San Marino!

Suet Chow
Assistant Teacher

Ms. Suet Chow received her Early Childhood Education Certificate of Achievement with Infant/Toddler Emphasis from Irvine Valley College. Her past work experiences include running a licensed family childcare in her community for ten years. She also worked at another Montessori school in Irvine as an assistant teacher in the toddler class for four years. Ms. Suet joined LePort in September of 2008. She loves and enjoys working with children. She believes childhood is a time of natural creativity and curiosity. It is a time to motivate children in a positive way and encourage them to discover, learn, and grow! Other than working with children, Ms. Suet also enjoys watching dramas and doing arts and crafts. Her idea of a perfect weekend consists of relaxing, having a cup of coffee, reading in the morning, shopping, and spending time with family.

Amy Kwong
Preprimary Head Teacher

Ms. Kwong discovered her love of working with children while helping out in a summer school program when she was in high school. She graduated from State University of New York at Stony Brook with a B.S. in Business Management and a Minor in Child and Family Studies. Afterwards, Ms. Kwong interned at a Montessori Child Care Center in Islandia, New York for three and a half years, moving quickly from an internship to an assistant teacher position and then to a head teacher position all while training at Denver, Colorado to become certified in AMI Assistance to Infancy. Soon after, she received her M.A. in Education with emphasis on the Montessori Method from Loyola College in Maryland.

After moving to Southern California in 2003, Ms. Kwong continued to further her education and received her credentials for Elementary Education at California State University, Los Angeles. Ms. Kwong is a Head Preprimary Teacher at our Irvine San Marino Campus.

Alexandra Soto
Assistant Teacher

Ms. Alexandra Soto earned her B.S. in Human Services from California State University, Fullerton. After completing her degree, she earned her units in Early Childhood Education from the University of California, Irvine. Prior to joining the LePort community, Alex also acquired seven years of experience working as an administrative assistant in the legal field. Her administrative skills as well as her Early Childhood Education permit her to contribute to both aspects of the school, and she enjoys working with both children and their families. Born and raised in Southern California, Alex enjoys spending time at the beach and quality time with friends and family.

Veronica Flores
Preprimary Head Teacher

Ms. Flores was born and raised in Southern California. She has worked in the preschool setting since 1999. Ms. Flores has completed numerous early childhood education courses and continues to improve herself by participating in various courses and seminars.

Ms. Flores has worked as a head toddler teacher, program specialist, and school site director. She is a dedicated teacher, who loves and respects the children. She is supportive of each child's unique individuality, and delights in watching their independence and love of learning grow. Ms. Flores is a Head Preprimary Teacher at our Irvine San Marino Campus.

Cynthia Hume
Assistant Teacher Floater

Ms. Cynthia ("Cindy") Hume was born here in Southern California and lived here until she was 9. Then her family moved overseas to the Philippines, where she lived until she graduated from high school.

Ms. Hume has worked with children of all ages for many years. She first began teaching in a Sunday school setting, and since then she has worked for Orange County's "Inside the Outdoors" program as an instructor, teaching about nature and science. She has also worked with elementary aged students in private school settings. It was the birth of her daughter that really triggered Ms. Hume's interest in younger children. As she watched the development of her own daughter with fascination, she realized what a privilege it is to foster the growth and development of a child from the very beginning. Ms. Hume has been with LePort Schools since September, 2010, and her daughter, Kelsie, attends the Irvine-Lake campus. Ms. Hume plans to continue her own education by earning a Master Teacher Credential.

Shailina Dhanani
Montessori Co-Teacher

Ms. Dhanani's love of teaching first began in 2001, while doing some volunteer work in her local community in India. After graduating from Mata Gujri Girls College RDV University with a B.A., Ms. Dhanani went on to work professionally for AKDN, an international organization dedicated to furthering human progress in the world.

Ms. Dhanani's passion for teaching eventually led her to an exploration of Montessori ideas. She completed her AMI Primary Montessori Training in 2006, from the Montessori Research and Training Centre in Hyderabad, India. She then went on to pursue Elementary Training certification and graduated in 2007 from the AMI Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, WI. During this time, Ms. Dhanani spent considerable time in both primary and elementary classrooms. After graduating she worked at an acclaimed Montessori school in Texas as an elementary teacher.

Ms. Dhanani was then honored to be a part of the Montessori Model Program (2009) at the United Nations, where she motivated elementary students and facilitated their active participation in the program. Upon completing this program, she moved to California in 2009 and taught in a lower elementary classroom at LePort's Irvine San Marino campus.

When the opportunity arose to return to the primary classroom, Ms. Dhanani was thrilled to accept. In turning her attention to three to six year olds, which were her first educational interest, she's eager to apply what she's learned in several years of teaching elementary students.

Naruemon Kanta
Montessori Co-Teacher

Ms. Naruemon Kanta received her B.A. from Chiang Mai University in Thailand. Before she came to the United States, she tutored both primary and elementary students in various English and Information Technology subjects.

Ms. Kanta discovered the Montessori Method through a three-year old girl, Isabel, who showed her how she joyously used some Montessori materials. Watching Isabel independently work with the materials—clearly enjoying the process of learning—inspired her to find out more about Montessori, and eventually to pursue a career in that field. In 2009, Ms. Kanta took the primary training at the Montessori Training Center of Minnesota. After graduating, she joined LePort Schools at our Irvine Lake campus and worked there for a year, before coming to the Irvine San Marino campus. Ms. Kanta has been a Head Primary teacher at our Irvine San Marino campus since 2010.

Samantha Lapcevic
Assistant Teacher

Ms. Lapcevic, known to her students as Ms. “L”, was first introduced to the Montessori method at LePort Schools by working as an assistant teacher. She has been at our Irvine San Marino Campus since September 2009. Prior to joining the LePort Schools community, Samantha had several years of experience working in preschool environments in Idaho and Southern California.

Samantha was born in Southern California, but grew up in Boise, Idaho. After graduating from high school, she moved back to Southern California where she earned her units in Early Childhood Education at Fullerton College.

Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her husband and family, swimming, and relaxing at the beach. You can’t keep a California girl away from the beach!

Christy Cook
Montessori Primary Head Teacher

Originally from New Jersey, Christy Cook has travelled, studied and worked in many different areas of the United States and abroad. Mrs. Cook received her B.A. from Rutgers' University, and completed her AMI Montessori training at the Montessori Institute of San Diego. She earned her M.A. in Education at Loyola College, Maryland.

In addition to her teaching experience, Mrs. Cook has four years of experience working with autistic children. In her spare time, Mrs. Cook enjoys camping, hiking and cooking for her family.

Juliette Castelar
Montessori Primary Teacher

Originally from the Philippines, Ms. Juliette Castelar moved to the United States in 2003. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine in 2009. In college, she volunteered as an aide to special needs children. She recently obtained her AMI Primary Diploma from the Montessori Institute of San Diego. Ms. Castelar completed her teaching practice here at LePort’s San Marino campus, and it was then that she first fell in love with the school. She was delighted to find an environment that satisfied children’s thirst for knowledge and encouraged the development of their independence.

Lynn Li
Montessori Co-Teacher

Originally from Taiwan, Ms. Lynn Li holds a certificate in Child Development and Care, and has a B.A. in Human Development from Washington State University. Ms. Li was first introduced to the Montessori Method at LePort Schools by working as an assistant teacher for two years at our Irvine San Marino Campus. She became so enamored with the Montessori approach to education that she decided to become a Head Primary teacher. She completed her AMI Montessori training at the Montessori Institute of San Diego and is in the process of obtaining her M.A. in Education at Loyola University in Maryland.

In her spare time, Ms. Li enjoys floral design, playing piano, and listening to music. She is delighted to share her love of music and esthetics to the children. Ms. Li believes that a prepared and beautiful environment is critical to nurturing a child's curiosity and for setting the foundation for all future development.

Louisa Blanco
Montessori Primary Head Teacher

Ms. Blanco earned her Bachelor’s Degree and her teaching certificate from De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines. She started her career in the business world, before discovering that teaching was her true vocation. After teaching in two of the most respected Montessori schools in the Philippines, she moved to the United States, where she earned her Early Childhood Education credentials from Laguna Technical College and her AMI Primary Training Certificate from the Montessori Institute of San Diego.

Ms. Blanco is grateful to be a part of the LePort Schools teaching team, where is able to actualize her love for Montessori on a daily basis in her classroom.

Back in the Philippines, Ms. Blanco was a very active member in arts and civic activities such as theater, child education sponsorship, and cancer awareness. In her personal life, she is fond of cooking, reading, music, and the performing arts. She describes herself as simple, but strong-willed and passionate: an artist at heart, and a lover of life!

Elizabeth Darst
Montessori Primary Head Teacher

Mrs. Beth Darst graduated in 1993 from Oregon State University with a B.S. in History, and she received her AMI Diploma from the Montessori Institute Northwest in 1995. She then taught at a Montessori school in Portland, OR for the next twelve years. Mrs. Darst grew up in Irvine and graduated from Irvine High School. She was very happy to return in Irvine with her family and friends, and to give her seven-year-old daughter the opportunity to attend the Montessori elementary program at LePort.

Vidya Balasbrumanian
Assistant Teacher

Ms. Vidya Balasbrumanian attended school in India. After completing her Bachelor’s Degree, she moved to the United States with her husband in 1999. Here, she first encountered Montessori through some friends, whose children attended a Montessori school in Orange County. She developed a great interest in learning more about the Montessori method of education and decided to pursue it as a career. Her first Montessori teaching position was in 2002, and she joined LePort Schools in 2008.

Yvette Fernandes
Montessori Primary Head Teacher

Originally from India, Ms. Fernandes received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Mumbai, India. She was introduced to the Montessori method by a friend and immediately knew she wanted to follow that approach. In 2003 Ms. Fernandes successfully completed her AMI Primary Teacher's Training Program in Mumbai, India. Ms. Fernandes has been a teacher since 2003—having taught at Montessori schools in both India and New York before coming to LePort Schools.

Mrs. Fernandes enjoys listening to various types of music, as well as playing and watching cricket, hockey, and tennis. In regards to her career in education, she said: "I love being with children and teaching them. I truly believe that each and every child deserves love, respect, and an education." Ms. Fernandes is a Head Primary Teacher at our Irvine San Marino Campus.

Nancy Cho
Assistant Teacher Floater

Ms. Nancy Cho is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Before moving to Southern California, she worked for a non-profit to fight family homelessness. She specialized in the children’s program, where her duties included child care, tutoring, and general administration work. It was here that she first became interested in early child development. Since moving to California in 2008, Ms. Cho has continued working with children as a tutor, instructor for an after school program, and preschool teacher. Ms. Cho enjoys being active, arts and crafts, the lovely California weather, and learning new things.

Jose DeJesus
Lower Elementary Teacher

After graduating from Michigan State University in 2003, Mr. Jose DeJesus began working as a counselor with at-risk youth in Chicago. In the process of encouraging the youth to recognize the importance of completing a high school education, he saw firsthand how critically valuable—and often life-changing—it can be to reach children early on with a quality education.

Through a dear friend, Mr. DeJesus was introduced to the writings of Dr. Maria Montessori, and immediately felt a connection to her work. He realized that in Maria Montessori's method lay a profoundly effective way to make a positive impact on the development of young children—and the adults that they would someday become. Shortly thereafter, Mr. DeJesus began the AMI training for elementary education at the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee.

Mr. DeJesus moved to California and joined LePort Schools in June 2010, and immediately experienced great success teaching LePort's lower elementary summer program at the Huntington Beach campus. He is excited to bring his expertise and his passion for teaching children to LePort's San Marino campus. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring the great outdoors, including especially the ocean beaches of Orange County.

Hayley Potter
Lower Elementary Junior Teacher / LE Daycare

Ms. Hayley Potter earned her B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2009. Eager to expand her knowledge, she then enrolled in the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she earned her M.A. in Children’s Literature. Ms. Potter has had experience working at a five-star daycare, a growing dance studio, various traditional school settings, and as a nanny of two. As a nanny, Ms. Potter was introduced to Maria Montessori’s method. She was amazed not only by the educational progress of each child, but also by the confidence they gained from the knowledge they acquired in school. Ms. Potter is extremely excited to join LePort’s San Marino campus and support the Lower Elementary students in their journey for knowledge.

Treisa Casteel
Multi-Campus Assitant Teacher Floater

Ms. Treisa Casteel has worked for LePort for many years, at a variety of different campuses, and loves the LePort Schools approach to early education. Ms. Casteel's own son has been enrolled at LePort since he was 18 months old! Currently, Ms. Casteel has the important responsibility of acting as a multi-campus floater for all of the campuses, providing coverage at campuses as needed. This means that even when teachers are forced to be absent, your child will never be cared for by a stranger!

Susan Carlson
Multi-Campus Assitant Teacher Floater

Mrs. Susan Carlson was born and raised in California. She is the mother of two and the grandmother of nine. Susan has been working in child care for five years. She attended Mira Costa and Saddleback College, where she received her units in Child Development. Mrs. Carlson loves going to the beach, taking long walks, reading, and shopping.

Brendali Abille
Preprimary Teacher

Ms. Brendali Abille ("Brenda") earned her B.S. in Elementary Education back in the Philippines, and taught there for 16 years before migrating to the United States. It was in America that she first encountered the Montessori Method of education, and took to it like a duck to water. Long ago, before Ms. Jennifer Williams left the classroom, Ms. Abille worked as an Assistant Teacher for Ms. Williams. Ms. Williams will tell anyone who listens that Ms. Abille was the best Assistant Teacher she ever had! All told, Ms. Abille joined LePort in 2012 with over a decade of experience working with young children in a Montessori setting, including three years as a Head Teacher in a Montessori toddler classroom. LePort Schools is privileged to have her as a member of our team.

Kim Nguyen
Preprimary Teacher

Ms. Kim Nguyen attended Long Beach City College, where she studied Early Childhood Education. She has always had a passion for working with children, so choosing a career path as a teacher was the easiest decision she has ever had to make. Ms. Nguyen joined LePort Schools in 2012 with ten years of experience teaching in a Montessori environment, working with Toddler and Primary aged children. Ms. Nguyen's very first teaching job was with a Montessori school, and it was here that she first fell in love with the Montessori Method. She observed the children in her classroom using the Montessori materials, and was amazed by how intently they worked. Seeing this kind of focused enjoyment in her young students first hand, she immediately knew that this was the type of educator she wanted to be.

Rupashree Goswami
Assistant Teacher

Ms. Rupashree (Rupa) Goswami was born and raised in Calcutta, India. She earned her Master’s degree in Psychology from Calcutta University, India in 1993, and worked as a nursery school teacher in India. She migrated to the United States in 1999 where her husband works as a software professional. She now lives in Irvine with her husband and two sons.

Ms. Rupa earned her Early Childhood Education units from Moorpark College and Irvine Valley College. She worked in a few different preschool environments, then took time off to stay home with her newborn son, before restarting her career by joining LePort Schools in 2012. Ms. Rupa loves watching the children under her care grow more independent day by day.

Dina Taruc
Infant Room Lead Head Teacher

Ms. Dina Taruc earned her B.S. in Education back in her home country, the Philippines. Later, in 2001, she moved to the United States with her husband and daughter. Since coming to the United States, she has worked continuously with infants and toddlers in several Montessori schools. She has also continued her education, studying early childhood education, infant development, as well as the Montessori method. Prior to joining LePort's infant program in 2012, Ms. Taruc was the lead teacher in a Montessori infant community, and took great pride in designing the optimal environment for her young charges. Ms. Taruc considers herself a simple, friendly, hardworking person who loves spending time with family and friends. Her caring personality and the joy she takes in working with infants shine through to all who interact with her.