School Administration

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Fatima Asghar

Head of School

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 School Huntington Harbor. As the 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.

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Lillie MacDonald

Assistant Head of School

Ms. Lillie MacDonald was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California. She received her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach in anthropology and worked at a preschool as the teacher’s aide for two-year-olds. While working there, she completed 15 units in Early Childhood Development from Santa Ana College. She then moved to Georgia where she worked in the library at an elementary school. After a year and a half, she moved back to California to be closer to her friends and family, and also for the weather. Ms. Lillie's passion in administration and her love of working in a school setting led her to pursue an administrative support role at LePort. In her spare time, Ms. Lillie loves going to Disneyland, taking her dogs to the beach, seeing the latest movies, and spending time with her family and friends.

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Jachelle Generosa

Admission Coordinator and Administrative Support

Ms. Generosa has been working with children of all ages since 2012, working in various schools in the Orange County area. In 2014, she worked at her first Montessori campus and fell in love with the teaching philosophy, and began her Montessori training in 2017. In her years in education, Ms. Generosa has led parent and me classes, toddlers and preschool classes, and has worked with infants and elementary Montessori programs.

In her spare time, Ms. Generosa enjoys music and theatre, singing in her church choir, and spending time with her friends and family.

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Tiffany Yonekura

Business Manager

Ms. Tiffany Yonekura has always had a passion for child development. Her passion led her to devote her career to childhood education. She began her education at Golden West Community College, and eventually went on to study Child and Adolescent Development at California State University, Fullerton. She completed her education with a teaching credential and master’s degree in education from Hope International University. In addition to child development, Ms. Tiffany enjoys spending time with her family and sharing her love of reading with her children.

Infant

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Sumayya Sheikh

Head Montessori Teacher (Infant)

Ms. Sumayya is a compassionate and well-educated native of Pakistan. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Allama Iqbal in Islamabad, Pakistan. Additionally, she earned her master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Punjab, Pakistan. Prior to joining LePort, she worked as a teacher for 12 years. Ms. Sumayya believes that teaching is a sacred profession, and that it enhances the purity of mind, an honesty of your inner self. She is a mother of two young children and is very excited to join the LePort team!

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Azza Basilios

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Azza Basilios was born and grew up in Cairo, Egypt. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from Ein Shams University in Egypt. She worked as an English teacher for fourth and fifth graders for twelve years and then she met her husband and had two children. Ms. Basilios then moved to the United States and has lived in Huntington Beach for the past ten years. She always had a passion for learning and so she continued her education and earned her units in Early Child Development. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling especially to Paris, Dubai, and Turkey. She enjoys drawing, coloring, cooking and learning new recipes with her children.

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Luziminda Dabuet

Assistant Teacher

Bio coming soon.

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Lizet Garcia

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Lizet Garcia was born in Fountain Valley, CA. but has lived in Huntington Beach her entire life. Growing up, she always dreamt of becoming a teacher. Before working in the retail industry, she was previously working at the Boys and Girls Club of Huntington Valley for a little over 3 years. She is currently furthering her education by completing her ECE units through Theoria Technical College. Aside from working with children, she also enjoys drawing, painting, shopping, and photography.

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Rebeca Jimenez

Head Montessori Teacher (Infant)

Ms. Rebeca Jimenez has worked in the Child Development field for many years. She has completed more than 25 units in Child Development. In 1998, she received her preschool director certificate and worked as a preschool director for 5 years. Ms. Jimenez joined LePort as an Assistant Teacher in 2016, and shortly after, decided to pursue her Montessori training. Ms. Jimenez attended the Montessori Institute of San Diego and graduated with her AMI Assistants to Infancy (0-3 years) diploma in August 2018. She enjoys teaching children and seeing their growth academically and socially. In her spare time, Ms. Jimenez enjoys being active and attending classes at the gym, and she enjoys spending time with her family.

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Christle Fells

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Christle Fells was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and currently lives in Long Beach. She has worked with infants and toddlers for 10 years and completed the Los Angeles Southwest College Child Development program with her Associate Teacher Infant & Toddler Certificate. Before joining LePort in August 2016, she worked as a day care provider and substitute teacher. Ms. Fells has a 14-year-old daughter, and she enjoys baking!

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Thamar Barragan

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Barragan was born and raised in Huntington Beach and earned her ECE credits through Goldenwest College and Theoria. Ms. Barragan will be continuing her education this spring. Growing up, she always knew she wanted to work with kids. Ms. Barragan is still new to the Montessori philosophy but has enjoyed watching children gain independence at such a young age. Outside school, she likes to spend her free time with her family. She enjoys traveling and trying new coffee places.

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Chelsey Palomino

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Chelsey Palomino was born in Huntington Park and raised in LA. She has been working with children for three and a half years and is currently working on her child development degree. She loves drawing, completing creative crafts, and working on projects around her home. She enjoys working with the children and likes doing hands-on activities with the children. She loves seafood, enjoys spending time with her family, and traveling to Mexico with her family and boyfriend.

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Justine Sneddon

Assistant Teacher

Bio coming soon.

Toddler

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Hailee Tokuno

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Tokuno has a passion for childcare and teaching. She moved to Orange County in September 2021. Ms. Tokuno encourages lifelong learning, believing it's crucial to nurture quality education in early childhood and throughout life. Born in the Bay Area and raised in Sacramento, Ms. Tokuno has a culturally diverse background and awareness of different socioeconomic levels and acknowledges respect for different backgrounds. Ms. Tokuno worked with parks and recreation in the Bay Area and Sacramento area before joining the LePort team. She is continuing her education in teaching through Theoria Technical College and at Long Beach City College.

Ms. Tokuno enjoys traveling and exploring new places. She loves hiking, gardening, and art. She was a young entrepreneur, starting a baking business as a child. Her love of cooking and baking has flourished since then.

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Alma Arzate

Head Montessori Teacher (Toddler)

Alma Arzate joined us in 2012 and is excited about becoming a valuable addition here at LePort Schools. Ms. Arzate has gained experience by volunteering as a Child Life Specialist from 2010 through 2012 at Miller Children’s Hospital at Long Beach Memorial Hospital. There she had the opportunity to interact with infants through adolescents. She also earned her certificate of completion in Careers with Children, which involved an additional year of experience at the LBCC Children’s Center. Ms. Arzate completed her AMI Montessori teacher training for the 0 to 3 age group at the Montessori Institute of San Diego. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her fiancée, creating personalized jewelry, cooking, and enjoys meditating every morning.

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Alexandra Kahm

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Kahm graduated from the California State University, Long Beach with a degree in Communications. She partnered her degree in communications with her love for animals and lived in South Africa for three months educating the public about cheetah conservation. After returning home and resuming her nanny position, she realized she wanted to pursue a career in early education. She has become very interested in child development and has been taking classes at Long Beach City College. Ms. Kahm looks forward to beginning her teaching career at LePort.

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Lisa Hawkins

Head Montessori Teacher (Toddler)

Ms. Lisa Hawkins is a mother of three who recently relocated to Southern California from Flagstaff, Arizona. Ms. Lisa received her AMI diploma in 2008 from the Montessori Institute in Denver, Colorado and worked at a Montessori school in Flagstaff for ten years where she worked with toddlers and infants. She has accumulated over 120 credit hours at Northern Arizona University in the fields of psychology and sociology. She has a passion for children and their learning, and loves that young children take nothing for granted and live each day with excitement and wonder about their environment. Ms. Lisa enjoys being outside hiking, biking, swimming, playing sports, reading, and going on all kinds of adventures with her family.

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Ellie Groos

Assistant Teacher

Bio coming soon.

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Veronica Jaramillo

Head Montessori Teacher (Toddler)

Ms. Jaramillo was born and raised in Southern California. She has worked in the preschool setting since 1999. She holds a Montessori A to I Diploma (ages birth through 3) from the Montessori Institute of San Diego. In addition, Ms. Jaramillo has completed numerous early childhood education courses and continues to expand on her knowledge by participating in various courses and seminars.
Ms. Jaramillo 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.

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Karla Mata-Luna

Head Montessori Teacher (Toddler)

Ms. Karla was born and raised in Orange County. She's known that she wanted to work with children since she was in the second grade. She received her Associate of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Fullerton College and is continuing her education in Childhood and Adolescent Education at California State University, Fullerton. Ms. Karla has worked at the Anaheim YMCA for over 3 years prior to joining LePort Montessori. Apart from working with children, Ms. Karla enjoys hiking with her fiancé and dog Toto, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

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Yareni Flores

Assistant Teacher

Bio coming soon.

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Daniela Mata

Assistant Teacher, Spanish Immersion

Ms. Mata was born and raised in Orange County. She is currently working on her Early Associates of Science Degree in Early Childhood Development at Fullerton College and plans on continuing her Bachelor's degree in Childhood Education at California State University, Fullerton. She has wanted to work with children since she was in elementary school. She loved to play teacher and would spend her time tutoring her younger siblings and cousins.

Apart from working with children, she loves to cook and bake. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family and taking her dog Mika on walks.

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Reham Adly

Head Montessori Teacher (Toddler)

Mrs. Reham Adly was born and raised in Egypt. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Applied Arts. Mrs. Adly had always been interested in child development and after graduation, she began designing children’s furniture. However, after getting married and having her first child, she decided she wanted to share her passion for art with children. So, in addition to her interior design work, she worked as an art teacher for five years, teaching children how to paint and draw. When she moved to the United States, she completed her child development classes and worked as a Teacher’s Assistant at the LA Mission College Child Development Center. Mrs. Adly enjoys spending time with her two daughters and husband. She loves drawing and photography. In addition to English, Mrs. Adly is also fluent in Arabic.

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Alexis Waters

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Alexis Waters is an Orange County native and has lived in Huntington Beach most of her life. She studied Early Childhood Education at Laguna Technical College. Ms. Waters has worked with children for the past seven years as a Teacher’s Assistant and a Nanny before she joined LePort team. She is excited for the upcoming years and new experiences at LePort. Ms. Waters enjoys the beach, bike riding and spending time with her family.

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Kari Gallo

Head Montessori Teacher (Toddler)

Ms. Kari Gallo was born in Mexico City, Mexico. At the age of 3, her life changed forever when her parents decided to move to California. Ms. Gallo realized she wanted to teach at an early age. When she was a child, she enjoyed pretending she was a teacher and mimicking what she had seen her teachers do!

Ms. Gallo attended the Orange County Regional Occupational Program (ROP) where she received her Infant/Toddler Assistant certificate. From that time on, she knew that she wanted to pursue her passion in working with children. Ms. Gallo found an even deeper passion, especially for the Montessori philosophy, once she started working at LePort. She is very intrigued by the Montessori methodology. Each day she looks forward to learning something new and incorporating the philosophy into her work, as well as with her own children. Both her son and her daughter attend the LePort Huntington Harbor campus. Ms. Gallo has completed her AMI Assistants to Infancy training at the Montessori Institute of San Diego. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her children and go to Disneyland.

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Taeler Yoshioka

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Taeler Yoshioka was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Her enthusiasm for learning led her to Northern Arizona University, where she received her Bachelor's in English with a certificate in Linguistics and a minor in Asian Studies. While working on her undergraduate degree, Ms. Yoshioka realized that a career in education would allow her to share her passion with other curious minds. After spending some time as a paraprofessional, she pursued her multiple-subject teaching credential at CalStateTEACH. Ms. Yoshioka is excited to learn more about the Montessori philosophy and develop her teaching skill set at LePort.

Primary

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Andrea Dias

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary)

Mrs. Andrea Dias received her AMI Diploma in 1987. She also has an Associate Diploma in Drama from the prestigious Trinity College of London. Andrea joins LePort with over 25 years of experience �” first in Sri Lanka, where she grew up, and later at a Montessori school in Florida where she ran Pre Primary class for 4 years and Primary classroom for 5 years . She is passionate about every aspect of teaching. Being a talented artist she takes a particular interest in organizing and implementing children’s Art exhibitions, Gardening projects and Theatrical productions.

In her personal life, Andrea is the mother of a 20 year old son and 13 year old daughter. Andrea and her children had a Montessori foundation and she is an ardent follower of the Montessori Method. She is an excellent cook and loves art and handicrafts. She also enjoys reading gardening and sewing. She has been working at LePort since 2011.Teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs on earth and Andrea considers herself lucky and blessed to have a job that she loves.

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Pamela Wiggins

Assistant Teacher

Ms.Wiggins has been working in the field of education since 1997, and has been a member of LePort Montessori schools since 2008. She has an AA degree in Business. In her spare time she loves to hang out with her son experiencing new and exciting adventures with him.

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Abelina Gomez

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Abelina Gomez was born and raised in Long Beach California. She has been working with children since 2017 when she started her degree in Early Childhood Education. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree at California State University Channel Islands and has been fortunate enough to work at some amazing preschools. She has grown to love seeing children learn through their experiences, interactions and being proud of their accomplishments as young learners. She is very excited to be working at LePort Huntington Harbor and learning the philosophy of Maria Montessori. She is excited to grow with the school so that she may help children grow both academically and individually. Outside of school some of her favorite things to do are spend time with her friends and family, go to the beach, and read at the park.

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Xenia Monroe

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary)

Mrs. Monroe earned her AMI Primary Diploma at the Montessori Institute of San Diego in 2015 and received her bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Fullerton in 2012. Prior to joining LePort, she worked as a primary childcare teacher at another Montessori school for 4 years. Additionally, Mrs. Monroe has over 4 years of volunteer experience working with the Child and Adolescent Student Association, Club Teach, and various child-centered educational programs. Mrs. Monroe is thankful for the opportunity to work in a nurturing, loving environment where children can learn and experience new challenges that will help build their confidence while they grow. Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Monroe enjoys playing board games, reading, swimming, archery, watching documentaries, and rooting for local sport teams!

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Duanee Quickley

Assistant Teacher

Bio coming soon.

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Jillian Snyder

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary)

Ms. Jillian Snyder received her B.A. in Sociology from The College of Wooster in Ohio. Her mother was an AMI-trained guide, and as a child during her primary years she attended two Montessori schools in Texas. Once reconnected with Montessori philosophy as an adult, she pursued her master’s in Montessori Education from The University of San Diego as well as her AMI 0-3 and Primary diplomas through the Montessori Institute of San Diego. Through these trainings Ms. Snyder has become a strong supporter of the Montessori approach to education. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and passion for the Montessori method. Mrs. Snyder is excited to continue collaborate with the talented team of teachers at LePort Schools as they continue to support and create quality personalized educational programs for each child. In her free time, Ms. Snyder appreciates skiing, the outdoors, and photography.

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Bailey Padilla

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Bailey Padilla is from Flagstaff, Arizona and moved to Huntington Beach three years ago. She completed her Early Childhood Education units through Theoria Technical College. Ms. Padilla enjoys working with children and believes that while we can teach them a lot, they can also teach us so much!

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Shumaila Syed

Junior Montessori Teacher

Mrs. Shumaila Syed has been a part of our LePort team as an Assistant Teacher and she has a great passion for working with children. Mrs. Syed was born in Pakistan and received her Bachelor's in Psychology. She immigrated to the United States over 20 years ago and furthered her education at Orange Coast College, where she studied Child Development. This year she earned her AMI Diploma at Southwest Institute of Arizona. Mrs. Syed's personal life is all about her family and hobbies. She has four lovely children with her husband. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, sewing, cooking, and hiking. She is trilingual and speaks fluent English, Hindi, and Sindhi.

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Brittney Rojo

Assistant Teacher

Mrs. Brittney Rojo was born and raised in Buena Park, California. She always knew she wanted to work with children and completed her Early Childhood Education units at Fullerton College and Laguna Tech. Mrs. Rojo’s first introduction to the Montessori philosophy was in 2007 when she began working for a school in Fullerton. She instantly fell in love with the Montessori method. Mrs. Rojo enjoys watching the children grow and seeing the interactions in mixed age classroom. Mrs. Rojo’s daughter also attends the Huntington Harbor campus, and she is very excited to watch her own daughter now grow in our Montessori program. In her spare time, Mrs. Rojo enjoys spending time with her husband and her daughter, and enjoys going to the movies, reading, and scrapbooking.

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Lauri Federwitz

Assistant Teacher

Mrs. Federwitz has been working with children since 1989, and loves the experience. Mrs. Federwitz earned her BA in Liberal Studies with an English concentration from Cal State University Long Beach, her AA in General education from Cypress Junior College, and her Early Childhood units from various colleges. When she first observed a Montessori environment, she was amazed at the level of concentration and independent work displayed by the children. Mrs Federwitz 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 her spare time, Mrs. Federwitz enjoys spending time with her family and going shopping.

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Joya Buxton

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary)

Ms. Joya Buxton grew up in the South Bay, and went East for college where she majored in Hospitality at Cornell University. She worked in Real Estate Acquisitions, Property Management, Interior/Landscape Design, and as a Prívate Educator. After having a baby in 2018 she enrolled her daughter at LePort after getting rave reviews from her nephew. She fell in love with the Montessori philosophy and it inspired her to get her AMI diploma and transition to a more child-friendly career. In her spare time she loves to cook, garden, and travel.

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Jessica Cuellar-Mateo

Assistant Teacher, Spanish Immersion

Ms. Mateo was born in Orange County and raised in the Inland Empire. She started her journey working with children as a freshman in high school by volunteering in an elementary after-school program. She studied at UCI and majored in Spanish Literature and Language. Working in a school setting is a lifelong goal for Ms. Mateo; to have a positive lasting impact on a child's life and education by supporting and guiding them through their efforts to learn and grow. One of Ms. Mateo's true joy is watching a child learn and master a new skill or concept. She enjoys the arts and literature in all shapes and forms, which means she enjoys reading and singing every day.

Some personal hobbies include studying linguistics, learning about different cultures, and learning new languages.

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Angelica Nava

Head Montessori Teacher (Primary), Spanish Immersion

Ms. Angelica Nava was born and raised in California. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development. Ms. Nava worked at a licensed preschool/daycare for five and a half years before exploring educational techniques outside traditional conventions. It is then that she became interested in the Montessori approach to teaching. She is amazed at the things children are capable of doing at such a young age with the proper guidance. She believes there is nothing more rewarding than working with children and being a part of their everyday learning.
In her free time, Ms. Nava enjoys reading and walking her two dogs. She loves spending time with friends and family, especially with her seven nieces and nephews.

Elementary

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Shaillina Dhanani

Head Montessori Teacher (Elementary)

Ms. Dhanani’s love of teaching first began in 2001 when she did 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 the Aga Khan Development Network, 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 a Montessori Elementary training certification and graduated from the AMI Montessori Institute of Milwaukee, WI in 2007. During this time, Ms. Dhanani spent considerable time in both Primary and Lower 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 Montessori Westpark. When the opportunity arose to return to the Primary classroom, Ms. Dhanani was thrilled to accept. She focused her attention on 3- to 6-year-olds, who were her first educational interest, and enjoyed applying all of her experiences to her work with her students.

In 2015, after five years of working in LePort's Primary classrooms, Ms. Dhanani returned to teaching elementary students and is now teaching at LePort Huntington Harbor.

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Melissa Carey

Assistant Teacher

Bio coming soon.

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Jose De Jesus

Head Montessori Teacher (Elementary), Spanish Bilingual

Mr. Jose De Jesus was born and raised in Michigan and graduated with a BA in sociology. In 2002, he began working with at-risk teenagers at Michigan State University and for several years afterwards in Chicago, as he saw a great need for mentors for future generations. A friend suggested he look into becoming a Montessori teacher, and upon researching Dr. Montessori’s method, he felt it was exactly where the traditional school system was failing. Mr. De Jesus graduated from the Elementary training course at the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee in 2010, and he and his supportive wife moved to California, where he began working for LePort Montessori as a Lower Elementary teacher. After the birth of his second daughter, Mr. De Jesus made the difficult decision to stay at home with his daughters, putting his teaching career on hold. Mr. De Jesus is incredibly proud to return to LePort Huntington Harbor to continue the important work of guiding Elementary students as they explore our amazing world!

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Stephanie Tirado

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Stephanie Tirado is from Long Beach, California and is currently a student at Long Beach City College majoring in Early Childhood Education. Ms. Tirado really enjoys working in the Montessori setting and enjoys promoting the student’s independence while also fostering growth at the individual pace of each child. In her free time, she enjoys going to the mall and relaxing. She also likes going out with her family, boyfriend and friends when enjoys taking her dog on long walks.

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Elizabeth Peña

Junior Montessori Teacher

Ms. Elizabeth Peña was born and raised in Orange County, California. She is Mexican American and speaks both Spanish and English fluently. She has her Associate Preschool Teacher Certificate and Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Development. Ms. Peña has experience working with preschool, elementary, and high school students. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Development and is also taking her AMI Elementary training. Ms. Peña loves seeing how children enjoy working in Montessori classrooms, and she finds it so fascinating how children progress in the Montessori environment. When Ms. Peña meets a new student, she frequently recalls a quote by Dr. Maria Montessori: “It is the child who makes the man, and no man exists who was not made by the child he once was.” Ms. Peña believes that each child has his/her own place in the world and believes that unconditional love is the most important element in a classroom. Ms. Peña enjoys working with children of all ages! In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking, jewelry making, and spending time with her loved ones.

Additional Staff

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Taraneh Massoumi

Assistant Teacher

Mrs. Tara Massoumi has been working with different age groups of children from preschool to primary and high school since 1983. She has a Master's degree in Ancient Cultures and Languages and a Bachelor's degree in English Literature. She also has an Associate degree in primary school education. She received her Early Childhood Education certificate from North Orange County Community College. In her free time, Mrs. Tara loves spending time with her family, doing yoga, swimming, and reading.

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Lauren Thompson

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Lauren Thompson was born and raised in Long Beach, California. She attended Western Oregon University where she studied education and communication, on track to complete her Bachelor's Degree in Humanities. When she was younger she always knew that she wanted to work with young children . Ms.Thompson has been in the early education field for over 3 years. She has worked with infants, toddlers and primary aged children. She supports each child and watches their independence and loves seeing them grow. During her free time she likes to attend baseball games (Angeles are her favorite but she also enjoys the Dodgers), swimming, photography, watching TV, and spending time with her family (including international travel; Australia, China, Vietnam, Etc.)

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Krutika Bhakta

Assistant Teacher

Ms. Krutika Bhakta was born in Barstow, California and moved to the City of Westminster when she was 4 years old. In high school, Ms. Bhakta took a class where she worked at a preschool and she really enjoyed it. After taking that class, she knew that she wanted to work in the education field with children. Shortly thereafter, she earned her ECE certificate. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, playing board games, and spending time with her family.

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Monica Fuentes

Assistant Teacher, Spanish Immersion

Ms. Monica Fuentes was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. In high school, Ms. Fuentes took the ROP Child Development class and from there, she became interested in Child Development. She graduated from Cerritos College with an Associate in Arts in Child Development/Early Childhood. In her free time she enjoys reading, relaxing and going to the mall and doing crafts. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, especially her six nieces and nephews.

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Mary Boatman

Outdoor Education Teacher

Mary Boatman has been teaching for 26 years. She started her teaching career as a substitute teacher for Orange County Unified School, and has also worked as a Preschool teacher. During this time Ms Boatman also gained experience as a personal trainer. She now devotes her teaching time to physical education.
In her free time, Ms Boatman enjoys playing sports and working out. She supports the Lakers whenever she can and also enjoys gourmet cooking.

Staff

School Administration

Fatima Asghar

Lillie MacDonald

Jachelle Generosa

Tiffany Yonekura

Infant

Sumayya Sheikh

Azza Basilios

Luziminda Dabuet

Lizet Garcia

Rebeca Jimenez

Christle Fells

Thamar Barragan

Chelsey Palomino

Justine Sneddon

Toddler

Hailee Tokuno

Alma Arzate

Alexandra Kahm

Lisa Hawkins

Ellie Groos

Veronica Jaramillo

Karla Mata-Luna

Yareni Flores

Daniela Mata

Reham Adly

Alexis Waters

Kari Gallo

Taeler Yoshioka

Primary

Andrea Dias

Pamela Wiggins

Abelina Gomez

Xenia Monroe

Duanee Quickley

Jillian Snyder

Bailey Padilla

Shumaila Syed

Brittney Rojo

Lauri Federwitz

Joya Buxton

Jessica Cuellar-Mateo

Angelica Nava

Elementary

Shaillina Dhanani

Melissa Carey

Jose De Jesus

Stephanie Tirado

Elizabeth Peña

Additional Staff

Taraneh Massoumi

Lauren Thompson

Krutika Bhakta

Monica Fuentes

Mary Boatman

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