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LePort School Solana Beach Staff

School Administration

Sarah Lee

Head of School

Sarah Lee has served the Montessori community for over 10 years. After receiving her K-12 public school art teaching certificate and practicing art in a Middle School in Illinois, she discovered Montessori education as an Assistant Teacher in a Lower Elementary classroom. Mrs. Sarah absolutely fell in love with the way a teacher guided the children in order to foster their love for learning. She has embraced the Montessori philosophy to its fullest ever since, especially after she obtained her Master Degree in Montessori Elementary Education with her Association Montessori Internationale Elementary Montessori certificate from Montessori Institute of San Diego and University of Maryland, Baltimore. Mrs. Sarah believes that Montessori is a way of life and is a huge advocate for Montessori education. She firmly believes that Montessori helps the whole human being, emotionally, socially, and academically and aids the children to become a successful member of our society from an early age. As the Head of School, Mrs. Sarah oversees all operations, and ensures that each student at the school receives the highest quality Montessori education. When not fully immersed in Montessori methods, Sarah enjoys her time outdoors with her daughter, Sadie, husband, Steve, and dog, Puffy.

Sandy Marlor

Business Manager

Originally from the United Kingdom, Mrs. Sandy Marlor obtained a Higher National Diploma in Business Studies before traveling extensively and embracing different cultures of the world. Mrs. Marlor settled in San Diego to be near her family after the birth of her twins. Extensive research brought her to the conclusion that she wanted a Montessori education for her children, and she then found the wonderful Fallbrook Montessori School, where for 10 years she was the administrative assistant.

This role brought great happiness as she deepened her knowledge of Montessori and watched her own children blossom into curious, confident beings. Mrs. Marlor worked at Santa Fe Montessori School as an administrative assistant and is excited to continue her love of the Montessori school environment with LePort. Outside of work, she enjoys art galleries, all outdoor activities, and spending time with her family.
Cari Blain

Cari Blain

Administrative Assistant

Ms. Cari Blain is originally from Colorado, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, where she attained two Bachelor’s Degrees from Colorado State University, one in Anthropology and the other in Art.
Her first official job as a young woman was at a photo studio that specialized in child portraiture, where she first learned some of the basics in child development as she had an absolute blast creating a fun atmosphere for children and infants of all ages. She is now enjoying continuing her education in child development and education at Theoria Technical College.
In her free time Ms. Cari Jo studies meditation, and the benefits of being present in the moment. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends enjoying nature, creating handcrafted gifts, along with a multitude of creative hobbies.

Infant

Jennifer Hull

Head Montessori Teacher (Infant)

Ms. Jennifer has been a teacher for 24 years, working with all ages. Most of her experience has been with infants and toddlers. She is currently studying at Grossmont College, where her major is Child Development with an emphasis on Infants and toddlers. She aspires to finish her Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development as well as complete her Associates Degree in American Sign Language. Ms. Jennifer likes to incorporate sign language with infants as she believes it helps them to communicate their needs with her before they have the verbal skills to do so. She would love to bring her two passions together and work within the deaf community.

Donna Cabral

Head Montessori Teacher (Infant)

Ms. Donna has lived in San Diego her whole life. She is a mother of 5 and grandmother of 11. She is currently working on her degree to become a master teacher. She has worked in the field of early childhood education since 2000. Prior to beginning at LePort, Donna worked mainly with toddlers. Donna believes that working with infants is such a wonderful experience as you get to introduce them to new things and help to guide them in the exploration of their surroundings. It is such a joy to see when they experience something for the first time.

In her free time, Donna loves to spend time with her family. A couple of her hobbies include bowling and crafting.

Laurie Baldwin

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Laurie Baldwin has lived her whole life in San Diego County and has taught and worked with children for the past 25 years. She received her B.A. in Psychology and studied Early Childhood Education as well. Ms. Baldwin taught in traditional preschools for years until discovering the beauty of the Montessori method. Since then, she has been an assistant in Montessori classrooms for ten years.

Ms. Baldwin has always had a desire to work with children and be a positive influence in their lives. She also has a passion for animals, cooking, reading, and the outdoors.

Toddler

Gala Carrillo

Head Montessori Teacher (Toddler), Spanish Immersion

Ms. Gala was born in San Diego, California. Her first experience with Montessori was at a very young age as she attended a Montessori Preschool in Mexico. During her teenage years she started as an assistant teacher volunteer at Harborside Elementary assisting in a preschool classroom. Eventually, after graduating high school, she decided to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in Preschool Education and at the same time complete her American Montessori Society Primary Montessori Diploma for ages 3-6. Ms. Gala truly believes Montessori pedagogy is the best opportunity for children to develop to their fullest potential since it gives them the freedom to explore and develop independently.

During her free time she loves spending time with her family and friends. Her favorite hobby is traveling and getting to know new places.

Athena Roth

Head Montessori Teacher (Toddler)

Ms. Athena was born in Chula Vista and was raised in Valley Center right here in San Diego county. Ms. Athena’s passion for childcare started long before she even began babysitting. She came from a large family of ten and helped raise many of her younger siblings. She began babysitting at the age of 14 and began working with children in her 20’s. She obtained an Associate of Arts degree in General Studies with an emphasis in Art and Humanities from Palomar College. She also studied Spanish for 2 years and speaks at an intermediate level. Ms. Athena is excited to begin her journey with LePort Montessori after transferring from a Montessori preschool where she gained her love of Montessori pedagogy. Ms. Athena enjoys playing many instruments, singing, painting, making jewelry, hiking, traveling, playing video games, and taking care of her plants and praying mantis.

Valerie Isham

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Valerie Isham was born and raised in San Diego, California. She started working with children as a babysitter, then became a gymnastics coach at the age of 16. She has coached gymnastics since 2017 with children of all ages. In addition to gymnastics coaching, she has also worked with children in summer camps and childcare facilities. Ms. Valerie obtained her Associate of Arts. in psychology at San Diego Miramar College, and her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from San Diego State University. Ms. Valerie loves working with children and has an appreciation for Montessori education. She is passionate about providing children with a fun, comfortable, and enjoyable learning environment. Outside of teaching, Ms. Valerie loves to go to the beach and to spend time with friends and family.
LLi
Linchang Li

Linchang Li

Assistant Teacher

Linchang Li is from China. She was born and raised in a family that has been working in the education field for decades. Linchang earned her Bachelor’s Degree in International Economics and Trade in China. After graduating from college, Linchang followed her passion to study education and obtained her Master’s Degree in International and Comparative Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Concerned with the Earth’s future and the welfare of human beings, Linchang then studied climate science at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, focusing on combating anthropogenic climate change with behavior change. Linchang earned her master’s degree in Climate Science and Policy from UCSD before she had her baby girl. Linchang developed her passion for Montessori Philosophy when raising her daughter over the last two years. She received a diploma in Montessori Infant/Toddler (0-3 Years) from North American Montessori Center in 2021. Linchang is proud to be a Montessori mom. Linchang Li is eager to find ways to help each child to achieve their fullest potential. She believes to find out what one is fitted to do and to secure an opportunity to do it is the key to happiness.

Faride Gutierrez

Head Montessori Teacher (Toddler), Spanish Immersion

Mrs. Faride Gutierrez is a bilingual teacher (Spanish-English). Born in San Diego, CA, Faride is a happily married mother of three Montessori children and now college students. Faride enjoys baking and traveling with her family.
Faride graduated with National Council for Measurement in Education/American Montessori Society Montessori Early Childhood Education (2.5-6 years), Council for Measurement in Education/American Montessori Society Montessori Early Childhood Education Infant and Toddler (0-3), and Child Development certifications.She has been teaching Infants, Toddlers and Primary Children in Montessori Environments since 1993 and loves to include baking and kitchen safety during fun summer camps.
She believes that hands-on experience supports the growth, development and learning of children. She likes to encourage curiosity and build self-confidence, stretch children’s imagination to open their eyes to the beautiful world that surrounds them and learn the wonders in life.

Primary

Lisa Reynolds

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary)

Ms. Lisa Reynolds has worked for LePort Encinitas since October 2017, when she was hired as an Assistant Teacher and After Care Coordinator. Her strong work ethic, dedication, and commitment to the Montessori philosophy made her the ideal candidate when a Head Teacher position came available the following school year.

Before she found Montessori, Ms. Lisa worked as an ESL instructor in Shenzhen, China for four years, with children ages 3 to 17. Prior to her work in China, she taught ESL for 18 months in Yonago, Japan. She moved back to America in 2016 to train as a Montessori Primary teacher at the Montessori Institute of San Diego. She is excited to share her Montessori training, as well as her experience abroad, with her students. Outside of work, Ms. Lisa enjoys running, reading, drinking coffee, and of course, spending time with loved ones.

Maimaiti Kamilai

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary)

Maimaiti Kamilai has been a resident of San Diego since 2015, though her origins can be traced back to China where she was born and raised. With a robust educational background, she obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Medicine before embarking on a journey to the United States. Upon her arrival, she not only embraced motherhood but also seized the opportunity to immerse herself in the world of early childhood and Montessori education. She successfully completed the Association Montessori Internationale Primary Teacher Certification program for ages 3 to 6, and gained teaching experience at LePort Montessori Solana Beach after graduation. Motivated by a passion for nurturing young minds, Ms. Kamilai opened her own family childcare facility while raising her own children. During those 3 years, she created a small, beautiful Montessori environment, providing family child care services within her community. Ms. Kamilai has 4 years of teaching experience across both China and the United States, and she is fluent in Chinese, Uyghur, and English. Beyond her academic and professional pursuits, she finds solace in physical activities such as gym workouts, surfing, hiking, bowling, and dancing. However, her true calling lies in her dedication to guiding independent growth in the hearts and minds of the children she works with.

Vrunda Patwa

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary)

Ms.Vrunda has lived in San Diego, CA. since 2017. She was born and raised in India where she obtained a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies. Her first position in San Diego was in a Montessori school. Here she discovered the passion to learn more about Montessori education. Ms.Vrunda completed her AMI primary teacher certification program for 3-6 years, and also obtained a Positive Discipline certification. She has several years of experience working as a teacher, both in India, and in the United States. Ms.Vrunda has worked at LePort Solana Beach since May 2019 when she was hired as an Assistant Teacher. When offered the opportunity to become a lead guide, she jumped at the chance of running her own classroom. When not at work she likes dancing, singing, and yoga. She likes to travel and enjoys spending time learning different skills.

Roya Ebrahimi

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Roya has lived in San Diego for 38 years and is of Turkish and Persian descent. Prior to joining LePort, she worked in a hospital as a medical assistant. Ms. Roya has an associate degree in medical assistance and art photography. In childcare, she worked at a private preschool in Fremont, CA. She has worked with children for over 12 years now. She enjoys interacting with children and hearing about their experiences.

In her free time, she likes to take pictures of sunsets and landscapes. She also enjoys quality time with her family and especially with her only son.

Elnaz Vandaie

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary)

Miss Elle was born and raised in Cupertino, California, and moved to San Diego from Silicon Valley where she earned two degrees, an Associate in Arts in Child Development Associate Teacher, and in Liberal Arts Emphasis in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Her passion is working with children and she hopes to continue her education by taking the training to become a Montessori Teacher one day. Miss. Elle is a pianist and taught piano to young children before she pursued her dream in education. Miss Elle is also bilingual in Farsi and English. When she is not working, she loves to garden and collect different plant varieties from her travels, and also has a passion for cooking!

Elga Chavez

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary), Spanish Immersion

Ms. Elga Chavez is originally from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. She completed a bachelor’s degree in preschool education where she carried out fieldwork applying strategies on how to strengthen autonomy in preschool children. She began her career as a teacher in public schools at the preschool level and then continued on to a master’s degree. Her research was based on providing tools to young people in special education to use in work and daily life.

Ms. Elga was interested in Montessori education early on in her studies and she began to read about it. She incorporated some of Montessori’s principles in her classroom and was impressed by the results. As a result, she completed Montessori training in the U. S.
She believes in Maria Montessori for the construction of the man of tomorrow.

In her free time she likes to do yoga, swim at the beach, draw, cook, read, write, investigate, and listen to music. She likes to spend time with her family discovering new places, trying different dishes, and being in contact with nature.

Arixel Zambada

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Arixel Zambada was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. During her middle school years she moved with her family to Phoenix, Arizona seeking better educational opportunities. She then went back to the city she grew up in and started her career in education. Arixel knows that the time she was able to commit to her education has been invaluable to her professional growth. She is also appreciative of the opportunities to discover multiple cultures while volunteering in public schools. She believes that adults need to have a positive influence on children and guide their development. She is looking forward to completing her education in Early Childhood Education and becoming a fully certified teacher. Arixel is passionate about music. In her free time she writes music, plays the piano and ukulele. She likes to travel and have new experiences. She also loves to cook and drink coffee.

Elementary

Kait DeGrazia

Head Montessori Teacher (Elementary)

Ms. Kait DeGrazia started her work with children 12 years ago working in a preschool in Orange County with pre-k and kindergarten students. She left the preschool to complete her BA in marketing management from Menlo College. After college, Ms. Kait worked in sales and marketing for four years before missing the joys of working with children. She received her AMS E1 Credential from The Montessori Center for Teacher Education in San Diego. She worked at the Maria Montessori school for 3 years before starting her career at LePort. 

Mireya Pope

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Miryea Pope began her career in early child care education over fifteen years ago through volunteering at her children’s elementary schools and eventually, it became my career. She enjoys working at LePort because children learn essential life skills that stay with them forever. Most importantly, it is a place where children have fun in a safe and loving environment.

In her spare time, Mireya enjoys hiking, cooking, watching movies, and spending time with her family.

Alexandra Athanas

Assistant Teacher

Ms.Alexandra Athanas was born and raised in Cleveland, OH. She earned her BA from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, with a double major in English and Irish Studies. Following college, she was granted a full scholarship to St. Andrews University in Scotland, where she earned her M.Ltt. Upon returning to the States, she attended John Carroll University, where she earned her MEd. She taught high school English before meeting her husband and moving to Hawai'i. For the next several years, Alex worked as a background investigator for the Federal government. She and her family have moved multiple times due to her husband's military service, and have lived in Hawaii, Ohio, Georgia, Virginia, and finally, California. All three of her children have attended Montessori schools for their entire education. Alex has a passion for reading, creative writing, and hands-on learning, and loves the excitement and enthusiasm lower elementary brings to their work together.
In her free time, Alex loves to travel, bake, go to the beach, and, of course, read.

Elise Schild

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Elise always wanted to become a teacher. Her first experience with Montessori was in primary school. Inspired by the alternative learning concept, she decided to learn more about it. Ms. Elise has a Bachelor of Education and is inspired by the energy and creativity children have. Each day of working with children is a day full of new potential. Outside of work, Ms. Elise enjoys spending time with her friends, walking her dogs, and traveling the world. Moreover, she has a passion for painting and loves to be creative. Her goal is to be a role model for the younger generation to ultimately make the world a better place.

Additional Staff

Claudia Nelson

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Claudia recently relocated to California after living in Louisiana for over five years. She was an x-ray technician since 2004 until 2012. She is bilingual and looks forward to helping in both English and Spanish speaking classrooms. She enjoys learning each teacher’s approach in the classroom. She is thrilled to join LePort and work with young children. In her free time, she enjoys reading, taking walks and taking photographs.

Horyeh Golabi

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Horyeh has lived in Southern California for 36 years and moved to San Diego in 2019 to be closer to family. Before joining LePort, Ms. Horyeh owned and ran two businesses in addition to having worked in a preschool setting when her girls were young. She is passionate about working with children and delights in the joy of experiencing the world through their eyes. She believes mindful, compassionate attentiveness is the foundation of all interactions, especially those with children. Outside of work, Horyeh is a devoted practitioner of yoga and meditation and enjoys being in nature and spending time with loved ones. She has three adult daughters and a grandson with whom she loves spending time.

© Copyright 2023, LePort Montessori
Spring Education Group is controlled by Primavera Holdings Limited, an investment firm (together with its affiliates) principally based in Hong Kong with operations in China, Singapore, and the United States, that is itself owned by Chinese persons residing in Hong Kong.

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