What We Deliver

Good evening, teachers, parents, and students. I am honored to be able to come up here and speak to everyone about my exciting experience at LePort. I feel good coming back, and am glad to be welcomed back into the community as if I were never gone.

It is odd stepping into a new environment, and I have had to do just that several times within the last few years, the first being my move to America (probably the biggest change of all). Another major step was entering high school. In between those events came my two years at LePort, a place that felt to me to be more than just another school: it seemed to be a community.

Before we moved from Singapore to California, I had heard of Sage Hill and thought that I might like to go there in the future. The question was: where would I go NOW, for seventh grade? I hadn’t heard of LePort, but from the first moment that I visited (and was interviewed by Mr. Girn) I wanted to be here. Not only did it end up being the best school experience I’ve ever had, but it also equipped me to get into Sage Hill, and gave me the chance to represent LePort there. I am determined to make all my wonderful teachers from LePort proud.

I believe that LePort prepared me to do so by giving me the tools to learn new concepts. I am also thankful that at LePort I was challenged with some pretty advanced reading with books such as Frankenstein and Anthem, because being exposed to that reading level helps me cope now. Reading comprehension skills and annotation that I further developed at LePort help me at Sage, as there is much to be read and understood, and we need to be able to grasp all the challenging readings that are thrown at us. Thankfully, with LePort’s help, that is something I am not struggling with.

At Sage, as the Math class progresses, I am encountering some concepts we previously covered at LePort, balanced out by new concepts: honestly, I just wish that Mrs. Fisher was still teaching me!

Overall, what I miss most about LePort, beside the curriculum that I really enjoyed, are the people. I miss the teachers and their welcoming smiles, and the closeness between us all, and how it was almost like a family. LePort was like my home away from home, and I felt comfortable. I am hoping that that’s what Sage becomes to me. Though I know it will take a while, and I must be patient, I see an enjoyable journey ahead, hopefully similar to that of the one I experienced at LePort.

To the 8th Graders, my advice to you is to enjoy every moment that you are here, knowing that LePort is a special place that is giving you the tools you need to do anything you want to do in the future. Be yourself, and you will make friends who will love you for who you are. Even though I have only been at Sage for two months or so, I already feel that I am making friends for life. It still surprises me that I have only been there for two months: I feel like it has been much longer. I’m learning so many new things every day, and without LePort, I would not have been able to enjoy this journey as much as I am now. With that, I feel that the greatest gift to you I can give, is my thanks.

Knowledge is a gift to those who are willing to accept it. The ones who do are fulfilled, successful, and question even the simplest of facts. They learn by teaching, and live to learn. This is the philosophy on which LePort Schools proudly builds its foundation, a philosophy in which I believe whole-heartedly. I know that every student who walks through their classroom doors in the morning is going to learn something new and exciting simply because they are there.

This is largely a product of the wonderful and bright teachers working at this school. I have watched them plan their lessons and let me tell you, they slave away at trying to make them as individual and interesting as possible. I live just right around the corner from here so on the way out of my neighborhood, I see the school. Even late at night, the lights are on and I can see them working inside. The students here might not appreciate that this school is so special. I know that it was hard for me to understand that the teachers here are unique when they are distributing large helpings of homework. But now that I have seen some other teachers, I understand that what these do is not average, but extraordinary.

Mr. Peltz for example is the best science teacher that I will ever have. He is so enthusiastic that he has to be careful not to knock over specimen jars while he is prancing around the classroom explaining how the sun moves or how to make saltpeter. A simple grasshopper will send him skipping down to the office. Believe me… I’ve seen it happen. All of our teachers were excited about their particular subjects; I’ve watched them drool over pi, fall in love with literary heroes, and romanticize for hours about the renaissance. They have sent me to high school with a devout and passionate love for learning.

As many of you know, I am a student at Sage Hill School. I was expecting it to be a devastatingly difficult experience, but in actuality, LePort has prepared me for every aspect. I walked into that first day organized and confident, most of my friends come to me for homework help on difficult problems. My new teachers could never reach the level of those sitting before me, but they come dangerously close. My favorite class at the moment is English; my teacher was blown away by how much I read. I told her that at my old school, we actually set aside a time for reading and I haven’t stopped since. This may come as a shock to my classmates, but before I came to LePort, I hated to read. This changed however, when Mrs. Journo started using me as a test subject for choosing books to read in class. But I actually started reading as a hobby when Ms. Schnellbacher came and got all watery-eyed over Shakespeare, and Cyrano, not Cierno, de Bergerac.

At Sage, there is of course much more work to be done, but I believe that I am doing quite well with completing it. I still use the LePort method of organization and have converted many of my friends who agree that it is the best way to go. In that sense, I am way ahead of my friends. I don’t know how they manage it, but some of the kids’ books look like they have been trampled by a heard of elephants on the first day …

As a new freshmen, I believe that it is necessary for me to share some advice to the students who are going into high school. I suspect that most of you are terrified at the prospect of leaving the warm and comfortable bubble of LePort; don’t be! Be proud of who you are and what you are becoming. If you are simply confident in yourself and enjoy the company you are given, the rest will take care of itself. As far as the schoolwork goes, I tend to believe Jacob Bronowski when he said, “It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it.” If you question nothing and simply sit through boring lectures, you learn nothing. Question everything and you will learn more than you could possibly imagine.

I cannot help but miss this school of course. LePort has given me something that I could not rid myself of even if I wanted to: a passion for and comfort in the world of knowledge. It was, is, and will always be my beginning.”

All my experiences with the teachers and classes at LePort helped prepare me for my future years at Cornelia Connelly School. I am confident in the skills acquired here at LePort, and those skills learned here are making high school manageable. I learned how to manage my time efficiently in doing homework and projects and now I have it totally under control. My transition from LePort to Connelly was very smooth; thanks to the preparation the teachers here gave me.

Le Port was not always about academics, we had fun too. My favorite field trip was to the Huntington Library in Pasadena. The artwork was absolutely wonderful! Walking through the gardens was like walking through many different countries and cultures. The spirit days were also a lot of fun. My favorite was the Blue and Green Day, because there were many activities in which everybody could participate, not to mention, my team won.

Ralph Vaull Starr said, “Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.”

Well, I did reach high, and continue to do so. I dreamt deep and will continue to do so. I’ve learned you can be anything you want to be, do anything you want to do, as long as you put your mind to it, work hard, and keep your focus. My hope for all of you is that you too, continue to reach for the stars and dream deep.

When I started looking at high schools, I had a bit of a problem. See, the school that I presently attended was so great that I couldn’t be content with just any old school. I was determined to find one with the same high quality of standards, teaching, and sense of community as LePort had. It took me awhile, but eventually I found one that I thought would live up to my high standards: Sage Hill High School. So I marched through the lengthy application process, and was at last accepted as I had hoped I would be. …

One last thing I’d like to advise, not just to the pre-high schoolers, but to all the grades, is to appreciate every second of your time at LePort. There is no other school like it, and in my opinion, no school anywhere near as wonderful. Once you’re done here, you can’t come back, you can only go forward. You are, at this moment, in one of the very best schools in California, under the very best teachers I have ever had the privilege to come across. Take advantage of it. This school is completely unique. I only had the opportunity to spend one year here, and that’s something I’ll always regret. Just by being here, you have the opportunity to do all sorts of things, learn all sorts of things that you can’t do or learn anywhere else. Enjoy it. Cherish it. Use it.

We started our 2-year-old daughter at LePort in July 2009 and I truly cannot believe what a difference a school can make! LePort has taken a 'terrible two' and with the proper guidance and caring turned her into a 'terrific two'! Within a short time at LePort, our daughter's vocabulary excelled to complete, full, understandable sentences, she can count to 10, and knows and sings more songs than I know the words to! Last but not least, they had her potty trained within just a few weeks! Besides seeing my 2-year-old transition from a typical toddler, to a respectful and helpful little lady, LePort just feels like home for our family.

While my daughter has been enrolled at LePort, I have observed exponential development in her, both intellectually and socially. LePort Montessori provides her with a vibrant center of academic achievement, collective service and fun. The school presses for excellence with great teachers and the administration's responsiveness to parent concerns. By not asking how smart is the child but how is the child smart, LePort is able to guide the student to see their full potential, and equip them to pursue it with passion and purpose.

My son began attending LePort Montessori School in Yorba Linda when he was 18 months old. We immediately began to see advances in his vocabulary, speech, peer interaction and social skills. The staff at LePort has been amazing and made what could have been a difficult transition, one that was easy and incredibly beneficial to our son. I can't say enough about the care and support, both educationally and emotionally, my son receives every day. I would recommend LePort Montessori in Yorba Linda to anyone who truly values education provided in an open, nurturing and positive environment.

My daughter Aanya had stayed with me completely at home until she turned 3 and started school. I was very anxious as to how she would adjust. It must be said to the credit of the friendly and experienced staff that they made a big difference to Aanya's approach towards school. She is learning to be more self reliant with each passing day. I highly recommend this school to all parents who are looking for a school to launch their child in to this routine. I feel it is an excellent foundation to groom and prepare your child to take the next step in life.

I absolutely love this school. Both my children attend LePort Montessori and I am very pleased of the way they have both blossomed. The teachers are very knowledgeable and talented. I love the personalized attention that my children receive from their teachers. My children love it there and are very fond of their teachers.

My son has been in this school for almost a year. He really loves this school and his teacher. The staff members are very approachable too. My son has been enjoying his time in school and he has also been learning a lot of things. Everything is well organized and his teacher is one of the most talented and understanding teachers I have ever met. I would definitely recommend this Montessori.

I am a parent of two and this was my first time looking for a pre-school for my 4-year-old daughter. I am very lucky to find a school that has a comprehensive curriculum and fine staff members. There are many positives that the Montessori has brought to my child and I will continue to keep her here as long as I can. The teachers are committed to providing the children with quality and advanced work as well as a very trusting environment. I love LePort Montessori schools!

When our daughter turned 2, we needed to find a school for her. Our daughter attends the preschool class and loves going to school every day. She can’t wait to tell me about her day at school. Her teacher is everything the last parent’s post mentions. She IS truly one-in-a-million. We really owe the growth in our daughter’s maturity, independence and intellect to her. I would not hesitate in recommending LePort to other parents.

LePort Schools Mission Viejo campus is amazing! The environment is safe, warm, and caring. The staff is exceptionally trained, organized, excellent at communication, and deeply committed to providing the best education possible. My daughter attends the preschool at LePort and I couldn't be happier. She loves going to school—her teacher is wonderful and my daughter learns new things everyday. The staff is incredibly helpful and greet her everyday we walk through the door. On an aside, the facility is cleaned regularly and is pristine, which is important to me. It's been a great experience, we wouldn't change a thing.

My son started preschool at LePort, Mission Viejo at 4. The AMI-certified teacher is not only extremely experienced, loving, and perceptive to each student's abilities and personality, she is attuned to the students’ needs and develop his/her potential accordingly. When I asked my child what he did at school, he always said that he played all day long. As my son grew older, the teacher is able to individualize the curriculum to further challenge him. The staff and administration is organized and responsive. They are constantly implementing field trips and a variety of events. The school also offers different after-school classes like chess club, art classes, etc. Finally, the school is focused on providing a good education so that the students can thrive and mature into independent and responsible individuals.

Before we enrolled my son at this school, we visited numerous preschools in the area. This facility was by far the cleanest and the staff was very friendly and attentive to the children. It also helped that the Director took the time to explain the Montessori system in detail—which sets truly them apart from a daycare or regular preschool. I am very happy with the results and all the positive changes I have seen with my son.

For many children, the jump from 8th grade to 9th grade is really difficult—but with the preparation they received at LePort, both my daughters excel. They attend Sage Hill, a highly sought-after college prep school, and both are straight A students there. I attribute much of that success to my daughters’ time at LePort Schools: this school developed their interest in learning, their study habits and their confidence in their own abilities. After their success at LePort, my daughters had the pick of prep schools here in Orange County—and to see them be shining stars in the very achievement-oriented prep school they now attend, to see the confidence they now have, to see them blossom as eager learners, I just say: “Yeah God, it is just amazing.” I don’t want to over-credit LePort with the changes we saw, but I don’t know where else they would have come from.

LePort made my daughter love learning again. Within a few weeks at LePort, she went from not being interested in her studies at all to being so excited about science that she would pull her dad outside at night to look at the stars. Just a few weeks at that place, and she was valuing education. She really thrived there in 8th grade. She was coming home during that period, and she’d set her alarm at night for certain astronomical events. There was that sudden thirst for knowledge, she wanted to learn. Early in her time at LePort, she said something like “It’s ok to be smart—I like being smart. I guess I am smart after all”. It just shocked me when she said that—both the implied part of not thinking that she was smart before, and how quickly LePort managed to change her.

LePort has turned around my relationship with my son. With the old school, they brought me in for every issue in the classroom. I became very proactive and involved; initiating conferences with the teachers at the start of the year (they would have me sign a parent/teacher/student expectations contract at the conclusion of said meeting), regularly communicating with teachers/administrators throughout the year, etc. This involvement required that I become more of a tutor and disciplinarian at home, constantly after my son to do his homework, battling him over papers, telling him to please pay attention in class. At LePort, it’s exactly the opposite: they set the students up for success, and help the parents become part of the overall encouraging atmosphere. They are professionals; they work out the problems in the class, and provide the support at school—and equip me with the information I need to be encouraging and supportive. I no longer have to be so involved with his homework and assignments because my son proudly has it covered. With the organizational skills that he is taught at LePort and the unwavering support and mentorship that he receives from his teachers, my son is quite the independent and confident student. It’s wonderful to have a positive, happy relationship with my son again!

My son was on an Individual Education Plan in public elementary school through Grade 5. And despite the extra help he received, he struggled. After three years at LePort, he now goes to a public high school and did not re-qualify for an IEP: he tested above grade level in every single subject! LePort had a transformational impact on my son, both academically and socially. He learned to interact maturely and respectfully with other children, and became socially much more confident. Academically, although the LePort curriculum was very difficult for him, he rose to the challenge. I can show, objectively, how much he progressed: his recent testing in the public school system showed him above grade level, sometimes by quite a bit, and even in his weakest area, mathematics.

The changes we have seen in our son in the 1 ½ years he has been at LePort have been nothing short of transformational. I can’t say enough about LePort: every child should have this experience; it should be the norm, not the exception. If every child was educated the LePort Way, if we had this kind of educational approach in more places, we’d have a lot more brilliant, well adjusted adults in the world!

LePort has cherished my child, helping him to find his confidence and challenging his intellect. My son was close to dropping out of public school due to persecution and boredom. In the two wonderful years we've been at LePort, his outlook, his options, and his life have undergone an incredible turnaround. The team of staff and teachers at this school have the passion, and the TIME, to care for each individual child. I feel truly blessed that our family found LePort.

When we discovered Le Port, it truly felt like a miracle. Finally a place where not only could our son get excellent help in the areas he was struggling but also a school that would encourage and celebrate his areas of strength. [T]he small classroom size allows a teacher student connection that allows kids to never get 'lost between the cracks' and to find their own strengths and soar.

LePort gets students passionate about learning, because all the teachers themselves are so passionate about teaching, and about learning. While we were with LePort, the school grew significantly. We were impressed that the new teachers shared in this passion, and that the school leadership is able to convey their unique teaching method to all the new people they bring on board. The passion is just everywhere—across the subjects, across the grades—and the kids pick it up, because it is sincere.

The staff is exceptionally trained, organized, excellent at communication, and deeply committed to providing the best education possible. Students are taught to think about what they learn—making all the difference in the world. The teachers take the time to review the student's work and everything (and I mean everything) is marked. No busy work is done here—and students learn quickly to finish what they start. Where else could an 11-year-old read Shakespeare—and love it?

LePort teachers love what they do, and care a lot. A great education boils down to the teachers. At LePort, every single teacher is very passionate about his subject, has deep knowledge, and cares personally about his students. There’s a personal relationship that grows between a teacher and each child. The teachers become the student’s role models and mentors. Our son wanted to please his teachers, because he respected and admired them, and that made him strive harder. When his teachers gave him their constructive feedback, it thus motivated him, and allowed him to go back and do even better. I really believe LePort teachers care—they take a vested interest in each student, and there is a strong personal relationship that goes on. You can see that—watching my son leave the school, and how sad he is to have to go, and to not be able to see his teachers every day any more. The heart of LePort is the teachers, individually and as a group. They are all a little different, they have put together a good mix of nice people with their own styles and personalities. Every single teacher at LePort actively engages the children in learning, and connects with them socially.

The teachers at LePort inspire their students. They are all young and engaging—not teachers that have been doing it for 20 years, and are just going through the motions. Every one of them is sincerely concerned about a student’s personal growth. As they do the academics, they constantly talk about how they relate to the rest of life. All the teachers at LePort are the same way; they have a passion for their work, and it shows with the kids.

My son is 10 years old and has gone to 5 schools & NONE come close to the education LePort gives. The teachers and staff are truly OUTSTANDING. Each teacher strives to understand what type of child you have. The class sizes are small and at the end of the day the children have a homework period with a teacher to assist his or her needs...need I say more? I have another son in the pre-k program and the teachers are LOVING and UNDERSTANDING which bring out the very best in each child. LePort is an academically advanced school which has allowed my child to learn as fast as his mind lets him. LePort filled in the gaps my child had due to grade skipping. This is a one of a kind school. I wish LePort went up to 12th grade.

I’d never met Dr. LePort, the school’s founder, until my son graduated last year. I cannot thank Dr. LePort enough for making this school happen. Under the leadership of Lindsay Journo and Ray Girn, they have pulled together an amazing team, people who all share the same passion, the same ideas about the curriculum, and the same approach to teaching towards the needs of each individual child. If I could have planned the prefect school for my son it would be LePort: I wouldn’t change a thing. I am so thankful that our family found LePort Schools.

The clear focus on academics and education, and the logical curriculum approach. I was very impressed with Lindsay’s (the head of school) articulation of what the school emphasized—that they focus on core subject areas like grammar, literature, math. And I like their approach to teaching: they teach science from an evolutionary perspective, from the caveman looking up to the sky to today’s knowledge. The same with history: instead of jumping around like the public schools do, they teach history chronologically, so kids can really understand why the US Constitution was developed, based on what happened in Europe before.

At LePort, they instill curiosity; they expose them to a myriad of different disciplines, in a very interesting way. They tie the knowledge together. For instance, they link history to literature, and that enables the children to see why writers and poets wrote what they wrote, and it imbues both history and literature with deeper meaning. They deliberately create “Aha!!” moments, where the children discover an answer, like when they get why an author was so popular during a certain age. You don’t get that at the other schools, because their teaching is so fragmented. They might teach poetry now, and then some Victorian novel, and then California history, and then back to European history. It’s just haphazard, and then you can’t get that “Aha!!” moment that is so motivating to the children. At LePort, they make it easy to have that feeling—they make what they teach relevant to the children, so they want to learn more about it. My son is back to being a voracious learner—confident and excited about learning new things.

My daughter is in the eighth grade at LePort and has been a student there since 6th grade. LePort's curriculum is very academic but, more than that, it is designed to integrate across subjects and engage the kids more actively in their education. LePort kids learn to think, not just repeat answers for a test. My daughter has excelled on standardized tests and is probably much better prepared for high school than my older kids, who didn't go to LePort, were.

LePort is a fantastic school. The teachers and staff here have gone above and beyond meeting my children's academic, social and emotional needs. Children are taught to think through problems and work with materials to better learn and understand. There is no 'teaching to the test' here. The children work in a supportive, peaceful and happy environment. I wish I had this environment as a child in school!

At LePort, the curriculum is really well integrated. They teach grammar—and show how to apply it in writing. They integrate math and astronomy. Throughout, they show the children how people grew to understand what we consider knowledge today, so students don’t just memorize, but really understand. An integrated, challenging curriculum was very important for me, because both my girls are naturally strong learners, but the previous school just didn’t provide a strong enough learning environment to support them.

I first became aware of LePort Schools by looking at their web site and reading about their unique curriculum. I was very impressed and excited to finally see a school which focuses on teaching the child to think; not just blind repetition of facts and figures, but actually thinking about why the facts are important and how they affect our lives.

I’ve never met Dr. LePort, the school’s founder, until my son graduated last year. I cannot thank Dr. LePort enough for making this school happen. Under the leadership of Lindsay Journo and Ray Girn, they have pulled together an amazing team, people who all share the same passion, the same ideas about the curriculum, and the same approach to teaching towards the needs of each individual child. If I could have planned the prefect school for my son it would be LePort: I wouldn’t change a thing. I am so thankful that our family found LePort Schools.

At LePort, they focus on the most important academic subjects and take time to really teach skills. At my daughter’s old school, they’d do a bunch of meaningless projects—like papier-mâché studies on whomever they worked on in social studies, or building a math game out of a shoe box. At LePort, they don’t waste time on frivolous things like that. And they don’t expect 4th or 5th graders to learn all kinds of things: they realize that there is a core that they have to master to succeed in life, and they focus on that. At our previous school, it seemed that my daughter spent so much time on “enrichment” classes like Spanish, Religion, Arts, Music, that the basics suffered. They were drilling them on Spanish spelling, when they hadn’t even mastered English yet. Her math class was 35 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week: that’s ridiculous for 3rd grade! They didn’t even really know where my daughter was in math until the test, and when she did poorly, their answer was to get her a tutor!

In contrast, at LePort they want to teach them the basics about math, language arts and literature—and give them a lot of time to really absorb and apply what they learn. In each class, it’s one hour per subject per day, so they have the time to engage with the students and to ensure they learn what they are being taught. They have the time to teach them the basics of learning, of being good students—they can show them academic skills like how to study and how to write and how to take tests.

At LePort, they teach not just a love of learning, but also the skills, self-discipline and organizational skills that children will need in high school, college and life. They teach from the basics; they showed my son how to use his binder to file his class papers properly. They taught him how to use a planner to keep track of homework and other assignments. He practices those skills every day, in every class—until they are a habit, like brushing his teeth. He doesn’t have to think about the organizational process any more. He lays out his papers, he sets up work plans, he sets goals and time tables, and he monitors his progress. His summer reading assignment was tackled this same way, without any prodding from me. All of the LePort kids approach it that way; being well-organized is just second nature to them.