Our family loves LePort Woodbridge! My son, now three years old, has been at this school for nearly a year, and I can see such a tremendous change for the better in him. He cleans up after himself, he wants to be helpful, he can focus on an activity like coloring, puzzles, or sorting his toys, and best of all, his vocabulary and clarity of speech have vastly improved. His teachers were very helpful with the toilet learning process, which I was dreading because he is very strong willed - but it was much easier than I thought thanks to their guidance. And when we've faced challenges, such as my son pushing or playing too rough with others, his teacher, Ms. D'Penha, and the Head of School, Ms. Tompkins, really took the time to work with us (and reassure us!) on strategies to move him past this behavioral phase. Communication from school is very frequent, with pictures and notices sent by email so you know how the day went. My son loves all of his teachers and talks so excitedly about his day - I can tell he is not just learning but also having a great time. As for Ms. D'Penha, I cannot say enough about how wonderful, kind, and loving she is. She is an excellent teacher, and I will always be grateful for the care and love she showed to my son and our family. He just moved up to the Primary room with Ms. Stephens, and I can't wait to see how he continues to grow socially, emotionally, and intellectually in her classroom.

My son has been attending the Woodbridge campus since he turned 18-months-old and is still continuing to attend through his Kindergarten year. There is no doubt in my mind that my son will be attending this wonderful school, LePort, for his elementary education as well.

Having my son grow up in the Montessori environment has been life changing! Seeing him take initiative at home and really having a strong sense of focus is a direct result of his time at LePort Woodbridge. I love that what he does in the classroom translates into his home life.

His current classroom teacher is, Miss Stephens. Her caring attitude for not only her children that attend the school but the families as well, really shines through in the constant interaction and activities that she plans. Her dedication is what I have come to expect from a Head Teacher and she sets the bar very high. My son thoroughly enjoys being in her class and always looks forward to the lessons that he receives from her. He often comes home and shares with me what lessons he has worked on and funny anecdotes of the day. He loves the assistant teachers, Ms. Rupa and Ms. Servantes. Not to mention the aftercare staff too!!

He literally begs me to leave him for aftercare nowadays! He works on art projects with Ms. Oberoi, and after some time with her he now insists that art is his passion. Aftercare is a fun time for him to socialize with the children from the other classrooms and play games. I love that he actually wants to stay at school.

Prior to his time in the primary classroom, my son was in Ms. Melgar's toddler classroom. It was in her room that he really began to come out of his shell and get the foundation for a successful Montessori education. She is very kind and nurturing to the students. She was always very patient with him and was so very understanding when he would have rough morning transitions. I can't begin to tell you how much it meant to me, knowing that when I dropped off my crying toddler, she was there to greet him at the door and soothe him in my absence. Ms. Maricela was the assistant teacher for the classroom and he always felt so comfortable with her. She really was such a help with his transition into school as well.

Honestly, all the teachers and assistant teachers are a joy to meet with. I feel confident that I have put my son at the right school, especially when he comes home and speaks so enthusiastically about his day and interactions with all the staff. It really shines through what a great job the staff is doing. The open-door policy of the front office is great and I have nothing but high praise for everyone at the school, especially the admin staff, Mrs. Tompkins, Christina and Haley; they are all so dedicated to their jobs. If a need arises I see them all diligently working together to make the campus such an enjoyable place to be.

There are so many community building events that the school hosts. The Family Social at the beginning of the year is one of my personal favorites. Between the Special Friends and Family Day or the field trips, the children really have a lot to look forward to. Even the parents' activities, like Mother's and Father's Day or the Parent Education Nights are really a treat. There really is always something going on at the Woodbridge campus. The parents that I have met, as well as their children, are awesome. It's been proven to be a great place to network and you really get the family kind of vibe with this school. It's a wonderful location and seeing my son recognize his classmates or teachers outside of the classroom and around the community is quite enjoyable.

There is no doubt in my mind that this school deserves a five-star review. Its stellar classroom setup, cozy campus grounds, administration and teachers, along with the parents and children that have associated with LePort Woodbridge all contribute to becoming an anchor in the community. I love that we found this school when we did and am always excited to pick up my son to hear his awesome accomplishments.

My family and I love the LePort Woodbridge staff and campus. When I drop my children off (Toddler and Primary programs) each day, I leave them having full confidence in their being safe and cared for, knowing also that they will have a day filled with purposeful activity in a peaceful environment. My son has attended for three years and will continue to his kindergarten year here as well. My daughter happily walks into her toddler room in the mornings, ready to start her day. The teachers and assistants are knowledgeable and inspiring, it's obvious they love to be there with the children. I'm amazed at how my 4-year-old has grown his grace and courtesy amongst his peers, and to see him focus so contentedly on his activities in class and at home. Woodbridge is a supportive community of parents and families and we are happy to be a part of it for our children.

For new parents, the only thing scarier than raising your new born, is making sure you pick the right school for your children too! Before we started our toddler at LePort Montessori, we toured several other Montessori schools, as well as some bother traditional and non-traditional schools. From day one, LePort Woodbridge just felt like the perfect fit for our family. Now that our son has been there for over 18 months, we know we made the right choice.

Our son has been in Ms. Melgar's class since he turned 18 months old and her class has been the perfect place for him! Her love and care has him looking forward to school everyday (even though the transition over the first few weeks of class was a bit bumpy while he go used to his new routine). Now that he's been there for a year and a half, it really feels like a second home to him. Ms. Melgar, Ms. Karen, Ms. Maricela and all the other loving and helpful assistants know my son by name, they know his likes and dislikes and they know how to make him happy if he's having a rough day. Knowing that the staff at LePort Woodbridge is taking excellent care of your child, really helps you focus on work and everything else you have to get done while your child it at school.
The head of the school, Ms. Tompkins, is such a joy as well. She takes an active interest in the kids and the families of LePort. We've met with her multiple times throughout the years to make sure everything is on track for our son and her help and knowledge has always been very valuable to us.

On a side note, our son has been diagnosed with Autism since he was around 15 months old. This school is not a specialized school for children with learning differences, but they have worked with us from day one to make sure that our son is a valued member of school, just like all his other peers. This has no doubt meant additional time and effort by all members of the staff at this school, but at no point have we ever felt that he was "a burden" to his classmates or teachers. They have always been very loving and inclusive towards our son, and that love means more than words to a parent with a child who has special needs.

I would not hesitate to send our son here again! If we have any other children in the future, they will definitely be attending LePort as well. Can't say enough wonderful things about this amazing place!

This review is really long overdue as my child attended LePort Woodbridge close to 4 years ago! I will always have fond memories of this place as my daughter's very first home away from home.

My original intent was to have my daughter go to the LePort Irvine Mandarin campus but it was not open just yet at the time I needed my daughter to start school. I was also scheduled to tour the other LePort campuses nearby but after a tour with Head of School Ms. Lucia Tompkins, it was clear that this school was clearly for our family! The school has a cozy and warm atmosphere and Ms. Tompkins allowed us to go inside the classrooms and see the children in action. At close to 2 years old, my daughter had only been around me, my husband and her grandmother and she was very shy to the point that she would literally freeze when she was in the presence of others. But for some reason my daughter just seemed completely comfortable walking around this school and surprisingly smiled at a teacher (who later was her future teacher) and she didn't even hesitate to shake her hand! This surprised and impressed me so much that I knew that my daughter had made her first "Montessori choice" and that we were meant to be at this wonderful school.

Of course the campus was completely full at the time that we wanted to enroll. So when we got the call that there was a spot, I was jumping for joy! It took my daughter a little while to adjust to the environment, which we found to be very normal. As a mom, I had to adjust to having "my baby" go to school for the first time. There were tears (yes, mine) but it soon turned to smiles when I saw how much she was gaining from her experience. The teachers were wonderful at communicating to me how she was doing daily and they offered ways that I could help her with the transition. She gained so much confidence and independence at such a young age. I learned so much as a parent from the Montessori philosophy and tried to incorporate suggestions at home--which made the "terrible twos" never ever terrible for me! In fact, I miss it so much now that she is older!

One thing that I was originally worried about was my child coming into an all English environment because we were speaking Chinese at home. Even though my daughter was quiet for the first part of her experience, I was surprised how quickly she picked up English!

As a working parent, I sometimes feel extremely guilty about picking up my child at 6 p.m. each day. It is a long day for the child but the wonderful Toddler assistant teachers made her after school experience safe and fun, which was such a relief for a busy mom. I admit, we sometimes will visit her former assistant teachers though we are at another LePort! Most of them are still there after many years! They will always have a special place in my heart.

I am writing this right now as it is my daughter's final year in the Primary program at the Irvine Mandarin LePort school (she is now 6 years old). The years really fly by too quickly and I am so glad that my family was able to invest in a quality early education experience for her. She is fully bilingual, independent and confident and I couldn't have imagined her in any other educational environment besides the ones that LePort provides. Though she only spent her toddler time at Woodbridge, I feel that it was a start to the foundation of who she is now and who she will be in the future.

Thank you Woodbridge for being my child's first Montessori home!

My 4-year-old son has been a student at LePort Montessori for over 2 years now. We highly recommend LePort because of the excellent teaching staff and administration. My husband and I truly feel that LePort fosters a sense of community with the families enrolled in the school. There are several opportunities to be a parent volunteer and observe the classroom-learning environment during the year. I continue to be impressed with the high level of credentialed staff at LePort. They treat our son with respect and care; I truly feel that I drop my son off at a safe and nurturing environment. My son has benefited from the Montessori method of learning in so many ways! His vocabulary and practical life skills learned in the classroom are observed at home! My son is currently in Miss Stephen's class for the second year in a row. Her teaching style is excellent and she is always responsive to questions and updates on issues if they arise. Lucia Tompkins, the Head of School, is a great administrator and an experienced educator. We are greeted at drop off and pick up by the talented and helpful administrative staff, Christina and Haley. We are truly appreciative of the LePort Woodbridge community and we plan to enroll our daughter into the Toddler program in the spring.

Before I share my experience with LePort Woodbridge, I want to address some of the things mentioned in other reviews. I am a little surprised about things some parents were focusing on...such as staff turnover, or payment options, etc... While those things are important, how come nobody focused on the exceptional level of teaching that goes on at this school??!!?

Yes, there are occasional staff changes, but the children NEED to be able to adapt to changes in their life. We cannot shelter them from everything that makes them a little uncomfortable. It's not like anyone is blindsided. Lucia Thompkins makes sure that all future changes are announced far enough in advance in order to prepare the parents and children. And most of the time, the children don't even mind the change. It's harder on the parents to deal than the kids. The school is like one big family with all teachers helping each other out in different classrooms, so most of the time the kids already have met and/or have already worked with the incoming replacement. Lucia, in general, is very good about emails and newsletters to keep parents well informed. She also coordinates lots of parent workshops and meetings. I am always disappointed to see such a low parent turnout because these sessions are incredibly helpful. I think if parents actually make the effort to seek help, there are a number of resources available to them.

Tuition/Payment--LePort is an expensive program, and I am not unaware of the fact that Irvine Montessori schools are significantly more expensive than other cities. It is a problem an Irvine resident deals with in every situation of their life. That's the price we pay for living in this city. My husband and I were very torn about whether we could financially afford to have both our sons attend LePort. But ultimately, nothing is more important than our sons' futures. And I highly doubt we are going to look back in 10 years and regret having them attend. We SEE the benefit of this decision every day!

My oldest son has been with Ms. Nambiar for almost 2.5 years. She has truly brought out the best in him. He used to be "the crier", the one who hated being away from his parents, the painfully shy, and the insecure child who had a meltdown in any new or unfamiliar situation. Today, he is confident, he speaks his mind in a large group setting, participates in team sports, and just radiates calm and confident energy. It's all because of Ms. Nambiar and her team of assistant teachers. She is calm ALL the time. The woman has unbelievable patience and is very intuitive. She knows each child's strengths and weaknesses and wastes no time individualizing her teaching method to allow the child to reach their full potential. The environment in her classroom is like a home; where everyone knows their purpose and is respectful and loves each other. The many times I've done parent observations, I'm just blown away by how mature the children are and how Ms. Nambiar has an innate ability to bring the best out of her students. She is the epitome of "teacher."

My youngest son just started his first year of the Primary program and I am already seeing extraordinary growth and confidence. I had my doubts to how he would adjust to a full day without his parents and with naps at school (since he fights naps at home), but he is doing absolutely fine! Ms. Elliot and Ms. Hogeweg did everything to make sure my little man felt comfortable and safe. He naps well and always comes home with a smile on his face and some project in hand that he is excited to show off. Ms. Elliot has said that she wanted to be a teacher her whole life, and it shows in her demeanor. She loves her students and you can tell she truly loves what she does.

I would like to send a little shout out to Christina, who has been the warm and caring person taking care of all the administrative duties here for so many years. We are so glad that she has returned back to the campus and always appreciate how she goes above and beyond her duties to make everyone's day a little easier.

Also worth mentioning, I am a huge fan of the new online transparent classroom experience. We get pictures of our little ones working in the classroom as well as a description of what developmental skills are learned with that specific material.

I would highly recommend this campus and appreciate all that this school has done to give my boys the proper foundation for a lifetime of success. They have learned independence, respect, and confidence. To me, that is priceless!

Amazing school. Not a preschool. This is an investment in their future. The teachers are all qualified. Montessori bachelor-educated. What a wonderful place. So honored to bring my child here.

We have been with LePort for over 4 years at this very campus.

Both of our kids started off in their Toddler program and my eldest just graduated his 3rd year in the Primary class. Overall, we have had a very good experience with the teachers, assistants, and director. We kept our eldest in his Kinder year here because the IUSD Kindergarten program could not compare--he would have been bored academically. During his last year, changes did occur within the school and for my son but with the help of Ms. Tompkins, the campus director, we were able to find the best resolution for him. Even after being a LePort parent for so many years, this one situation made me realize how truly blessed we are to have her! Ms. Tompkins handled the situation very professionally, lovingly, and really stood by us in support of our child.

By having two children at this campus for the last few years, they have been with different teachers and classes. Our eldest son's last teacher was Ms. Stephens, who teaches one of the Primary classes. We LOVE her!! She has a heart of gold, pure love for each Montessori child, and is always seeking out ways to help each child. She is consistent, which we all know children need, and at the same time very loving. She has years of experience as a Montessori teacher and I know for a fact that many of her past students, who are now in their late teens, still keep in touch with her. She is THAT teacher whom students will remember because of the impact she has made in their lives.

I love this school, I love the staff, I love our teacher Ms. Nambiar and I love that my daughter loves this school. They offer before and after school care--yep, for a reasonable and affordable additional fee which is so convenient for us as I work early and leave a little later than they get out. I love that EVERYONE in the school knows my name and my daughter's. Even other teachers who are not her regular teachers. Every single time I enter the facility I am greeted with smiles and welcoming attitudes, any time I have a question or request it is met with pleasant understanding and helpfulness. I love that all parents can participate in the field trips, I love that they offer after school classes like music, soccer, and dance. I love that every Tuesday, all parents get an email about what is going on in the school for the coming weeks and what to expect and any updates.

The summer program was amazing, they had music performers come out to sing songs with the children, they had a desert week where a zoo keeper came to introduce the children to different animals such as snakes and lizards--if they were interested. And every Friday was splash-and-pizza day.

Now all parents want to know--WILL MY 3-YEAR-OLD BE DOING ALGEBRA BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR!!? WILL SHE BE WRITING 5 PARAGRAPH ESSAYS!!! HUH HUH WILL SHEEEE/HE!!!?? The answer is no--because they are toddlers and that won't determine their success in life. Let me tell you what THEY WILL be doing. They will be helping to put things away at home when they are done playing--IF YOU hold them accountable, if you buy in to the program and understand that it is simply an EXTENSION of your home and they (the children) are not responsible for YOUR PARENTING. They will communicate with you better as communication in the classroom is essential, they will follow your routine better as long as you have one, they will respond better to affirmative and assertive parenting because they have that type of guidance at school. They will sit at the table and wait for everyone to be ready to eat to begin eating, they will clean up after themselves (sometimes while making a mess in the process), and they will understand and thrive on consistency.

The best example of the control my daughter is beginning to show thanks to this program happened over the summer: family was visiting and were sitting at a large table with 13 people all together, everyone was chatting amongst themselves and my daughter was trying to get the attention of the group. Instead of getting frustrated and throwing a tantrum, she said, assertively and to everyone, "Excuse me, I have a story I want to tell everyone." My jaw dropped. My daughter is very expressive as most toddlers are and I truly believe that the education she is receiving here is directly affecting her to communicate more positively and effectively. My daughter is ecstatic to be attending the school--she loves the lessons and is always looking forward to seeing Ms. Nambiar and moving onto the next lesson. This program caters to her ever-evolving attention span and she is thriving independently. She doesn't whine for me to put her shoes on, and the minute she isn't happy with me for making her clean-up or put on her own shoes, I remind her that Ms. Nambiar has her put on her own shoes, to which she quickly remembers. It is a double-edged sword of course in that my daughter also HOLDS ME accountable as a parent by reminding me when I am deviating from the plan or normalcy.

I am so pleased and so happy I chose this place as the start of my daughter's educational career. I really could not be any happier with how friendly and helpful and welcoming the staff is.

Did I mention back-to-school night was an amazing opportunity to ask the teachers what goes on an hour-by-hour basis in the classroom, what I can expect, and how the children thrive on the learning? And the Family Night was a really fun way to connect with all the other parents and eat yummy tacos too! The teachers and staff are ALWAYS available for updates and questions and anything else. Truly I have nothing but positive things to say and I would love to give them more stars if possible!!!

My son and I took the Mommy and Me class at LePort Montessori at the Woodbridge location this fall.

I didn't really think that he could learn so much from going to the class once a week in the course of 8 weeks. In fact, I learned a lot too--both from the first hand experience observing the teacher (Ms. Ana Rivas) work with my son and other kids and those handouts she used to give us at the end of every class.

The most important thing for me was probably learning to bring myself to my son's level, talk to him in a calm voice, treat him with respect and let him engage in whatever activity he chooses to and not to choose for him. My 19-month-old son is now putting his toys back after he's done playing with them, helping me sort out and put away the laundry, and filling our dog's drinking bowl with water.

I must admit I was a bit jealous of other moms when I saw their kids sitting quietly with the toys or doing some activity for a considerably longer time span than my child was. But after talking to the teacher I realized his behavior is very normal for his age. I also now understand that even though he prefers to do simple tasks such as watering the plants or trying to master the use of a broom rather than play with educational toys, this is okay too since he is developing at his own pace. I realized that I just need to have more patience and confidence in my own son.

My son and I cannot wait to be back for our next Mommy and Me group and we are looking forward to seeing Ms. Ana again. I couldn't be happier with the course and I'm glad I've listened to my friend's recommendation and chose her as our first teacher to introduce us into the world of Maria Montessori.

Two days ago, I was invited to observe in my child's classroom for more than two hours. I was so happy with what I observed. From the minute I walked in to the end of my observations, I didn't find one child that wandered without any work to do. Every child knows what they want to do and they do it with a purpose. Teachers make sure they concentrate on every child's work and do not mix with the other children's work. The teachers ask questions to engage the child's learning. Truth be told, I admire these kids! They are very systematic in their work, attitude and behavior. Simple things like cleaning up their work after they are done, to sliding their chairs in once they are done. It just amazes me! As a parent, I thought children should not be given too many choices (I am sure many parents will agree with me) but here it is wrong, here children are given a lot of choices and the kids pick wisely. Which makes me think, that I need to change as a parent and give my son more choices. During a lesson his teacher purposely said the numbers wrong just to make sure that my son was engaged in his work, and he corrected her. I was blown away and so thrilled. I also watched my son work with a trinomial cube, which as a parent I had trouble putting together, and he did it beautifully and tried each cube to make sure it fit perfectly. The number rods they use in the classroom have helped my son to be already learning addition. Children are not distracted by things happening in their classroom, they are concentrated on their own work. The older children in the class not only do their own work but they help the younger children to learn as well. It felt like a family environment and reminded me of my own family. I also observed a tour going on in the classroom and the children who were in transition between works, came up to the tour and shook their hand and welcomed them to their classroom. They engaged with both the mother and the child to make them feel as though this was their classroom as well. I feel good that my son is in wonderful hands and I know I made the right decision in placing my child at LePort Woodbridge.

I was able to observe my child in his classroom a few days ago. I was very impressed to see how all the activities flew so smoothly. The children were engaged in their work quietly and teachers guided them appropriately. My son looked like a different person as he concentrated on his work. I found out that he could do so many things all by himself and do them well. I really thank all the teachers for their energy and support for our kids.