Who We Are
Leadership Team
We Share a Passion For Education, A Commitment To Teach Knowledge For Life—And To Live What We Preach
Our leadership team is a diverse group of people who came together at LePort in the pursuit of a common goal: developing and delivering a great educational experience for children, one that teaches Knowledge for Life.
Our shared ideas about education motivate us to get up every morning excited about the day's work ahead. These shared ideas form the foundation for a spirit of camaraderie, a culture of learning, and a joyful dedication to achievement that touches every aspect of LePort Schools. They are:
- A deep conviction that a great education is crucially important in shaping a young person's life, and that offering such an education is a noble and personally meaningful charge.
- A commitment to a unique educational approach that doesn't fall into the trap of teaching either content or method, but delivers on both—an approach that equips each child with Knowledge for Life, and prepares him in his whole being for the adventure that lies ahead.
- Passionate Professionalism in our work—a dedication to becoming the best we can be, as people and as professionals. We live the mastery mindset we want to instill in our students. We love asking why, over and over again, until we get answers. And we love being challenged, by each other and by our community of students and parents, to always improve.
Leadership Team
Peter LePort, MD
Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors
Dr. LePort is a general surgeon in private practice in Orange County, California. He received his M.D. degree and surgical training in Brooklyn, New York at Downstate Medical College, where he was an Assistant Professor of Surgery for two years prior to moving to California. He is a member of the Faculty of the American College of Surgeons, and the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons. While in medical school, Dr. LePort became interested in childhood education. He studied the writings of Dr. Maria Montessori and educated his children by the Montessori Method until they completed fourth grade. He helped develop an Upper Elementary Program for his children through the rest of their education.
LePort Schools is the culmination of Dr. LePort's efforts to provide children with a superior education, one in which they develop strong basic skills, master challenging content, and learn to think independently. From a small homeschool with three students, LePort Schools has grown to five locations in Orange County that now caters to almost 500 students. Dr. LePort's dedicated team of administrators, teachers, and educational experts have worked together to develop and deliver an exceptional curriculum in a stimulating, nurturing environment, earning LePort Schools its reputation as a superior place of learning.
Ray Girn
Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Girn received an Honors B.S. from the University of Toronto in developmental psychology and philosophy. Mr. Girn joined LePort Schools in 2003 as Director of the Math and Science Department, where he taught and designed curriculum for several years. In 2008, he became the company's Director of Strategic Development, turning his attention to the organization's general goal of creating a prototype K-12 superior education. In 2010, Mr. Girn was promoted again to the position of Chief Executive Officer of LePort Schools.
Monica N. LePort
Vice President of Operations
Since joining LePort Schools in 2000, Ms. LePort has been managing the operations of all the campuses. Her duties include human resources, facility management, liaising with parents, and daily operations. With her supportive leadership style and commitment to excellence, Ms. LePort has helped LePort Schools become one of the leading educational institutions in Orange County.
Ms. LePort's enthusiasm for education and life in general has created a safe and caring environment where parents are pleased with their children's learning and social development. This environment also makes for a satisfying workplace for our teachers, who are committed to both LePort Schools and the Montessori philosophy.
Guy Barnett
Vice President, Development and Finance
Mr. Barnett received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Toronto in 2003. He was the Senior Property Manager at a Property Management and Development firm, managing 25 properties and approximately 55 employees, for over six years before joining the LePort team. Mr. Barnett oversees LePort School's finances and strategic growth. Because of his background in real-estate, he is involved in facilities and maintenance matters.
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.
Heike Larson
Vice President, Strategy and Parent Outreach
Ms. Larson holds an undergraduate degree in business from the Koblenz School of Corporate Management in Germany, and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. She was an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, the international management consulting firm, and held senior positions in Marketing and Sales for two airplane manufacturers.
Ms. Larson discovered Maria Montessori's ideas while in college, and decided back then to have her children attend Montessori schools. Over the years, as she learned more, her interest in the Montessori method only deepened. When her daughter started attending preschool, her discussions with other parents led her to discover that few others shared her appreciation of Montessori's value—even at a Montessori School! As a result, she developed a deep passion for educating parents about the tremendous benefits that a proper Montessori education offers to young children.
In early 2010, Ms. Larson's interest in education led her to discover LePort Schools, and she was impressed with the consistently high quality of their Montessori programs. When the opportunity arose, she took on the project of guiding the organization's development of its new website. In the process, she became fascinated by LePort's innovative approach to elementary education and pedagogy.
Today, Ms. Larson is responsible for overseeing and coordinating LePort's parent education, outreach, and development programs. She is excited to help LePort share the value of its quality educational programs with a broader audience, in Orange County and beyond.
Rebecca Girn
General Counsel and VP of Human Resources
Rebecca Girn has been around Montessori schools since she was a child. She attended various East Coast Montessori schools through eighth grade. Later, while studying at the University of Chicago, she worked in several Montessori environments, both as an administrator and as a classroom assistant. Rebecca went on to earn her J.D. from the UCLA School of Law, serving as an Articles Editor for the UCLA Law Review and earning a specialization in Business Law. She started her career practicing labor and employment law with a major law firm, but jumped at the opportunity to return to the Montessori world by joining LePort Schools. Rebecca loves the challenge of applying her skills and experience to the task of helping LePort achieve its worthy educational mission. In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys cooking, theater, and exploring Orange County--she still marvels at the glorious California weather, compared with the snowstorms of the East Coast and Chicago!
Support Team
Gail Cosby
Operations Coordinator & Finance Liaison
Ms. Cosby has been an administrator with LePort Schools since 2007. Her responsibilities include supporting the Chief Operating Officer and Montessori Academic Director, as well as assisting families and staff at the San Marino campus. While her education and background is in business and accounting, she appreciates and admires the Montessori approach to educating children. After joining LePort, Ms. Cosby returned to school to obtain her ECE credentials at Vanguard University in Orange County, California. She also frequently attends Childhood Education and AMI conferences to further her own education. Ms. Cosby enjoys being with her family, hosting frequent gatherings for friends, dirt-bike riding, and spending weekends at the ranch riding horses.
Judi Chimits
Operations Coordinator & Outreach Liaison
Before having children, Judi worked as a publication coordinator and in the field of public relations. Long interested in early education, Judi entered Vanguard University to obtain her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology (emphasis in Human Development) in 2000, graduating in 2001. Still dissatisfied with the developmental philosophies she had learned in college, she began to study different methods of education—when she discovered the Montessori method. Judi joined LePort Schools in 2003, with the purchase of our Irvine (Lake) campus.
After witnessing firsthand the benefits of a Montessori education for her daughter, Judi began to realize what a tremendous opportunity the philosophy offered. She transferred to the Mission Viejo campus in 2007, working in the Administrative Offices.
Judi enjoys spending time with her husband of 15 years, Bob, and her daughters (both LePort students)! She can most often be found riding her bike, reading, camping, shopping, or shuttling her children to a variety of activities. Judi is also a Girl Scout leader, and coordinates several activities throughout the year to support the U.S. Marines serving around the world.
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, after several years of guiding a Primary class, her AMI Elementary diploma.
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, Mrs. Lockitch guides curriculum projects, develops parent education materials, and works with the Montessori staff at all of the campuses to help make LePort an outstanding school.
Abe Pattee
Outreach Coordinator
Mr. Pattee received a B.A. in Computer Science / Information Systems from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN. Before joining LePort, he was the Marketing Manager for 130-year-old company Duluth Pack, where he honed his ecommerce, online and print marketing skills. At LePort, Mr. Pattee works closely with the Vice President of Outreach to execute a broad range of efforts, both online and offline, all aimed at educating parents about the unique education offered by LePort Schools.
Mr. Pattee is uniquely qualified for this role. He was fortunate to have personally experienced the benefits of a Montessori education in elementary and middle school, and has been deeply immersed in the world of education throughout his life, as his immediate family includes two college professors and three teachers.
Mr. Pattee is excited to apply his marketing skills to enable more families to discover the high quality education available at LePort Schools. He’s looking forward to California winters in the 60’s, golfing year round, and being able to spend time at the beach with his wife.
Shereen Hall
HR & Development Coordinator
As a child, Mrs. Hall was educated in the Montessori Method by her mother who is also a Montessori teacher. The teachings of Maria Montessori have been a consistent and integral part of her life. Shereen attended California State University, Long Beach and received her B.S. in Marketing with a minor in Communication Studies. Working in a Montessori environment off and on throughout her life, she realized that her true passion was to work with children and went on to pursue her ECE units from UCLA Extension. Shereen is excited to have joined the LePort team where she works closely with the leadership team and the Montessori staff at all of LePort’s campuses.
Shereen enjoys spending time with her family, scrapbooking, photography, and baking.
Information Technology Coordinator
Ms. Elizabeth Fontana received a B.S. in Computer Science/Information Systems from Centre Technological University in Venezuela 1997, and has been in the Information Technology field ever since. Ms. Fontana also has both personal and professional connections with Montessori education! As the mother of three, Ms. Fontana discovered the Montessori method when she was researching educational options for her children. She fell in love with the idea of a rich academic program leading to independent children with strong problem solving skills and joyous engagement in the daily experience of learning. Since then, Ms. Fontana has done everything in her power to educate her three children in the best available Montessori programs. It was this desire which led her to an IT position with a group of three Montessori schools in Ohio, and then, when she and her family moved back to Southern California, it led her in turn to LePort Schools! In 2011, Ms. Fontana accepted a position with LePort Schools, and the next day enrolled her three children at LePort's Huntington Beach campus!
On the personal side, Ms. Fontana grew up in a multilingual home, learned four languages, and married her lifelong sweetheart. She loves spending time with her family. She also loves golf, and has been playing since she was nine years old. As a teenager, she represented her country on the national golf team, bringing home a first place trophy!
Executive Assistant
Ms. Alexandria Negron received her B.A. in Business Administration with concentrations in both Marketing and Entertainment & Tourism Management from California State University, Fullerton. Upon graduating in 2009, she spent time searching for her calling, eagerly awaiting the right opportunity. During that time, she embarked on a trip to India and mentored a group of high school girls. Through these life-changing opportunities, she gained the desire for a meaningful career, and was thrilled when the opportunity arose to work for LePort Schools. In her free time, Alex enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Operations Coordinator
Before joining LePort Schools, Peter worked for a national restaurant company as an Operations and Marketing Administrator. His education and background is in business, but he admires the Montessori philosophy. When not working, Peter enjoys spending time with his fiancée, trying new restaurants or watching movies. He also loves playing and watching sports with his childhood friends. Peter is honored to be working with LePort Schools.
Development Coordinator
Tiffany Reyes received her B.A. in International Business, with a language concentration in Spanish and a minor in Latin American Studies, from California State University, Fullerton. She has worked in the operations of several small businesses in the Orange County area and brings to LePort Schools a vast array of business experience. Tiffany is actively involved in her own children’s education. She has a passion for childhood learning and development. She has spent many years volunteering and working with preschool and school age children. Tiffany lives near the beach, and she enjoys running, music, dancing and yoga. She especially enjoys supporting and following her children’s sports and activities.
Financial Controller
Ms. Darshee Shah joined LePort Schools with over eight years of experience in public accounting, specializing in taxation and audit. In 2001, Darshee received her B.A. from the University of Mumbai, India with a dual-major in taxation and accounting. She stayed in India for her initial professional experience, then later moved to California, where she earned her CPA license, and continued to expand her range of expertise in taxation and other areas of accounting.
When Ms. Shah decided to make a career change to private accounting, she was thrilled to discover LePort Schools. Here, she is able to apply the full range of her skills in providing critical financial services and guidance to an incredible network of schools.
When away from work, Darshee loves spending time with friends and family, cooking, and traveling with her husband, Vishal, a Manager at Deloitte Consulting.
Lead Educators
Expert Teachers, With a Passion For Their Subjects, A Demonstrated Love of Working With Children—And Great Individuals
At LePort, we understand that excellent, motivated teachers are critical to delivering our unique program each and every day. We hire and develop Passionate Professionals to deliver the excellent education you have come to expect from LePort.
We have developed a clear approach to hiring: we don't rely merely on teaching credentials, but instead hire to our own standards. Our preschool Montessori teachers have invested in a year-long training course offered by a national credential and accrediting association, such as the Association Montessori Internationale. All of our Montessori-credentialed teachers also have completed a Bachelors degree. For our elementary program, we select teachers with both deep subject matter expertise and genuine passion for their subjects, and then offer in-house training. All of our teachers are people who have demonstrated a love of working with children, and who are great individuals themselves—that is, honest, high-minded adults who can model upstanding character, and a passion for life.
To help our teachers and administrators meet our high standards, we extend our "prepared environment" approach to our staff: in contrast to many schools, where teachers are predominantly on their own in determining what to teach and how teach it, we provide systematic training, feedback and development to each staff member. We invest in training, sometimes for a number of years, before we expect teachers to take on a full class load. For example, in our Montessori program, we keep several additional trained teachers on staff who learn under the guidance of our head teachers and Heads of Schools until they are ready to take on a class of their own. In our elementary and junior high/middle school program, we often have teachers observe, assist other teachers, co-teach, and generally train for a period of time before we assign them classes to teach on their own. Our training never stops: teachers continue to observe other classes and have other teachers observe theirs; they have regular meetings with their department heads; they participate in regular development and training sessions attended by all of our academic staff.
Each of our campuses is led by a Head of School—an experienced, expert educator who directs the training programs, mentors and develops the teachers, and leads the implementation of our unique curriculum. The goal of our hiring, training and communications systems throughout is to enable each teacher to consistently offer his best to your child, so that the quality of your child's education meets our high standards each and every day.
Lead Educators - Heads of School
Lindsay Journo
Acting Head of Montessori, Mission Viejo
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.
Lucia Tompkins
Head of School, Irvine-Lake
Mrs. Tompkins has been an integral part of the Montessori community in Orange County since 1972. She has first hand knowledge and experience in AMI school administration and classroom management. Mrs. Tompkins received her Montessori Primary Diploma from the Montessori Institute of Los Angeles. After teaching for over 20 years, she operated her own Montessori school in Orange County.
Jennifer Williams
Head of School, Irvine-San Marino
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.
Fatima Asghar
Head of School, Huntington Beach
Mrs. Asghar has been working in Montessori classrooms in some capacity since 1989. She was immediately drawn to Maria Montessori's ideas after she first observed a Montessori environment—she was amazed at the level of concentration and independent work displayed by the children. Mrs Asghar quickly came to appreciate the uniqueness of the Montessori Method, and to believe deeply in the difference that it can make in the lives of children.
In 1997, Mrs. Asghar received her AMI Diploma in her then hometown of Hyderabad, India. After moving to the United States, she taught for two years in a Montessori school in College Station, Texas. She then moved to California in 2000 to join LePort's Huntington Beach campus team as a Head Primary Teacher.
In 2008, Mrs. Asghar was promoted to the position of Montessori liaison. While continuing to teach a full class, in her new capacity she also took on the role of offering teachers both administrative and academic support. Over time, her quiet leadership and genuine dedication to students and staff earned her the deep respect of teachers, parents and management. In 2010, Mrs. Asghar was offered, and heartfully accepted, the position of Head of School at LePort's Huntington Beach campus. As Head of School, Mrs. Asghar oversees all operations, and ensures that each student at the school receives the highest quality Montessori education.
In her spare time, Mrs Asghar enjoys playing basketball and tennis with her family, cooking, sewing, and decorating.
Lead Educators - Curriculum Development Team
Jane Erickson, Ph.D.
Upper Elementary and Junior High Curriculum Coordinator
Ms. Erickson received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Yale University. During her intense study of cognitive development, Ms. Erickson had the opportunity to work with hundreds of children at a number of different elementary schools. She has lectured and published on issues in Developmental Psychology and has been sought after as an education consultant by well-recognized companies, including Hit Entertainment (creators of Dora the Explorer). In addition, she has received awards for her college-level teaching, including the prestigious Prize Teaching Award from Yale University.
Ms. Erickson is thrilled to be a member of the LePort team, where she can contribute to an outstanding curriculum delivered by dedicated teachers. She finds nothing more rewarding than watching children's curiosity nurtured into a lasting understanding and deep appreciation for the world, giving them the confidence to pursue and succeed at any endeavor they choose for their future.
Cornelia Lockitch
Montessori Curriculum Coordinator
Biography coming soon.
Doug Peltz
Academic Director, Science and Geography
Mr. Peltz received a B.A. in history from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), where he took courses in the sciences and the humanities, with a focus on the history of science. Mr. Peltz has had a lifelong passion for science. He is an amateur naturalist who takes great pleasure in getting outdoors to study flora, fauna, earth, and sky. Prior to joining LePort Schools, he taught in a Montessori-based environment at a private school in Illinois. Mr. Peltz loves working with kids, and relishes the opportunity to instill in them an enduring love of science, technology, and the natural world.
Mr. Peltz says of teaching at LePort Schools: "What first attracted me to teaching at LePort were the teachers and the students. Here are teachers who are driven, and whose driving purpose is to give their students the skills crucial to maturing into thinking, happy, successful adults. Here are students who are experiencing real enchantment with their education--it is, in my opinion, exactly what a school should be."
Jesse McCarthy
Academic Director, History
Mr. McCarthy received his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied psychology and political science.
Shortly after graduation in 2003, he began working in Administration at LePort Schools in Irvine (Lake), where he became familiar with the Montessori Method and realized just what heights were possible for the field of education, for every child’s cognitive and emotional development. He discovered that the love of learning present in the early years of life does not have to fade as children progress through their schooling. In fact, he came to believe that the opposite can and should occur: that the excited, natural love of learning—toddlers searching every corner of their new world for thrilling discoveries, young children asking “Why?” about everything in sight—should only get stronger and deeper throughout life, from age 1 to 100 and beyond!
Mr. McCarthy eventually joined LePort's elementary program in Mission Viejo, where he taught vocabulary and history, developing curriculum for both subjects. In 2008, he became the History Department Head, taking on the challenge of creating a comprehensive elementary and junior high history curriculum. In 2010, Mr. McCarthy stepped in as the Acting Head of School at our Mission Viejo campus, where he currently oversees operations as a whole while continuing to teach history and head the History Department.
“At LePort we’ve created a program, from 18 months to 8th grade, in which kids gain an incredible wealth of knowledge at each successive stage of development—and love every moment of the ascending journey. Each child is challenged at his individual ability level and joyously experiences each and every day. Whether in the Toddler room learning to button his bib, or on a Lower-Elementary nature walk identifying birds by their calls, or in 8th-grade math striving to master Pythagoras’ theorem—every moment counts at LePort, every new bit of knowledge and every step of growth is exciting. And that’s why students, parents, and teachers alike love their experience at LePort. That’s why every September when our kids return to their classes full of happiness, literally proclaiming, ‘I couldn’t wait to get back to school!’ I can honestly and earnestly reply: I couldn’t either!”
Lindsay Journo
Vice President of Academics; Academic Director, Literature and Language Arts
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.
Ray Girn
Chief Executive Officer; Academic Director, Mathematics
Mr. Girn received an Honors B.S. from the University of Toronto in developmental psychology and philosophy. Mr. Girn joined LePort Schools in 2003 as Director of the Math and Science Department, where he taught and designed curriculum for several years. In 2008, he became the company's Director of Strategic Development, turning his attention to the organization's general goal of creating a prototype K-12 superior education. In 2010, Mr. Girn was promoted again to the position of Chief Executive Officer of LePort Schools.
Our Community
Essential Knowledge-A Personal Touch-Personal Development-Passionate Professionalism
At LePort, we want to prepare our students in their whole being for the adventure of life, and our students' families are our partners in that process. We enroll a family, not just a child. We actively encourage parents and other significant people to be involved in the LePort experience.
Parent involvement ranges from becoming informed about what is going on at LePort, to participating in our many school events, to providing us feedback on what you like and on what we can do better: just as we expect our students to learn and grow, so we work to constantly improve, and your candid, kind feedback helps us do that. (We do not, however, expect parents to work at the school—there are no mandatory work expectations—nor do we solicit you for fundraising, donations, or other forms of mandatory support.)
Montessori family involvement opportunities include:
Participation in our parent education program. We start each year with a Parent Orientation Evening, to introduce parents to the school and answer any questions they may have. We then hold a series of five Parent Education Evenings every year. During these events, we provide you with an overview of the Montessori education your child will experience. We start with a general session on the Montessori Method, and then guide you through Practical Life, Sensorial, Language and Mathematics. The crowning event of this process is "Parent Night": your child's opportunity to invite you into class with him to show you the amazing work he is doing every day! Both parent and child love this experience!
Active communications. Throughout the year, we communicate regularly with you—informally via e-mail and at drop off, and formally, via written reports and two parent-teacher conferences each year. We also encourage you to participate in our "Watch Me Work" days: every year in the spring, we invite parents to schedule a formal observation in class, so you can experience how far your child has come. Of course, we also invite you to observe informally at any other time; just call us to schedule your visit.
Joining your child for Special Events. Throughout the year, we celebrate diverse cultural holidays: our students and families come from all over the world, and we invite families to bring their culture into the classroom, whether for Chinese New Year or St. Patrick's Day. We also celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day. Your child's class might, for example, prepare a meal for you and host a luncheon in our beautiful outside spaces.
We also encourage participation for our Elementary and Junior High/Middle School program:
Parent education opportunities. It is important to us that you understand what we teach, so we can partner in your child's education. That's why we hold a Curriculum Night at the beginning of each school year. During this evening presentation, you will meet the department heads for all subjects to learn more from them and about LePort's unique curriculum. We also provide you with handouts that show in detail what we teach in each subject in each grade, and how we evaluate your child's academic progress.
- Active communication. We are very active communicators. We make sure that the way we communicate with you is effective, so that you can be a partner—rather than be overloaded with paperwork and perfunctory responsibilities. You will hear from us in different forms, regularly: for our younger students, we recommend that parents sign their planners every night to ensure that homework and other assignments get completed. We communicate proactively if there are any academic issues—for example, if homework is missing more than once. We also send you a weekly "Tuesday folder", which contains school announcements, as
well as information about your child's academic work that week. Our semi-annual report cards are very detailed, with academic and developmental feedback. And we discuss your child's development with you in our semi-annual parent-teacher conferences. In general, we believe in open communication and open doors: our parents are always welcome to contact any teacher or staff member, and to observe in class.
- Active participation in field trips & special events. We start each school year with our "Meet & Greet" event, often a picnic in the park. This is a great opportunity to meet teachers, fellow parents and students. Our enrichment program offers many opportunities for families to participate. We invite parents to help with field trips, which many families enjoy tremendously. We invite Grandparents and Special Friends to their own LePort Day, and the whole family is invited to our major events, such as Fall and Spring Recitals and our annual awards ceremony.
Of course, if there are other ways you'd like to participate in our school, we are always open to suggestions. If you have ideas, just contact us: we'd love to hear from you.
Our History
Born From a Parent's Longing For a Better Education – One That Delivers Knowledge For Life
The story of LePort Schools starts with our founder, Dr. Peter LePort. It is an all-American story: a surgeon, business man and parent, who became interested in education, experienced its ups and downs with his own children—and decided to do something about it by starting his own school.
Dr. LePort first became interested in childhood education while in medical school, over thirty years ago. As a result of his interest, he discovered and began studying the ideas of Dr. Maria Montessori. He was intrigued by Montessori's unique approach to developing the cognitive and moral needs of the individual child.
Years later, when his own young children were ready for preschool, Dr. LePort chose to educate them on the basis of Montessori principles. He sent them to the best Montessori schools in the area, trying several over the course of a few years. While his observations of his children's experience confirmed his earlier appreciation of the Montessori method, he found most schools to be poorly managed. Often, administrators failed to hold themselves accountable to high standards, and teachers were regularly demoralized by a lack of support and guidance. Dr. LePort's experiences managing his own business made him acutely sensitive to the ways in which poor administrators can undercut the expertise of motivated specialists—whether doctors or teachers.
As his older child approached fifth grade, Dr. LePort became increasingly dissatisfied with the schooling his children were receiving. Most of the local Montessori schools did not extend into the upper grades, and those that did failed to stress the academic rigor and conceptual thinking skills he wanted for his children. Dr. LePort turned to traditional private schools, and was again disappointed with what he found. Some schools focused primarily on social conformity, others politicized learning, others stressed rote memorization at the expense of understanding, and yet others pushed "creativity" at the expense of learning actual content. The biggest problem was that schools either did not teach knowledge, or taught it as blind dogma—they did not teach an evidence-based approach to knowledge.
Not satisfied with any of his alternatives, Dr. LePort decided to hire a teacher to homeschool his children, and helped her develop an innovative, new upper elementary program. Both of Dr. LePort's children went on to finish that homeschool program, and gained entrance into PhD programs at top California universities.
Dr. LePort had been thinking about the field of education for decades; he had been involved in the process of educating his kids from start to finish; and he had the business acumen to see that most schools were very shoddily managed. Starting a school seemed like the next logical step. He began to envision a brand new approach to teaching children, an approach that would draw together the best aspects of Montessori and Classical education, taught through an evidence-based, scientific method—that is, an approach that offered Knowledge for Life. This school would hire the absolute best teachers and administrators it could find—and then hold them firmly accountable to high standards as only a private business could.
LePort Schools is the culmination of Dr. LePort's efforts to provide children with a superior education, one in which they develop strong basic skills, master challenging content, and learn to think independently. Dr. LePort's dedicated team of administrators, teachers, and educational experts have worked together for over a decade to develop and deliver an exceptional curriculum in a stimulating, nurturing environment, earning LePort Schools its reputation as a superior place of learning. At five campuses and growing, LePort Schools now caters to almost 500 students in Orange County, equipping each one of them with Knowledge for Life.