LePort Montessori

Mrs. McDougal is a California resident, coming to the state after having grown up in Savannah, Georgia. She discovered her passion for early childhood education and brings experience working with primary-age children. She is excited to transition to working with infants and toddlers. Alongside this passion, Mrs. McDougal is an avid outdoors enthusiast. She spends her time hiking, camping, and running. She is an animal lover and enjoys volunteering at animal rehab centers, where she gains experience with the hope of becoming a park ranger one day.

Mrs. Sukaina Munjee brings over a decade of experience in early childhood education, with a strong foundation in the Montessori method and a passion for nurturing young minds. Originally from Pune, India, she has worked with several prestigious preschools affiliated with the Early Childhood Association, specializing in language development, phonics, and creating engaging, child-centered learning environments. Mrs. Munjee holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a Diploma in Montessori Education. She also has specialized training in supporting children with special needs and learning differences, which enhances her ability to meet each child where they are developmentally. Since moving to the United States in 2023, Mrs. Munjee has continued her commitment to creating joyful, meaningful experiences for toddlers that spark curiosity and build a strong foundation for lifelong learning. She believes deeply in the Montessori philosophy and the importance of building strong emotional connections with young learners. In addition to English and Hindi, Mrs. Munjee is currently learning French and Spanish, which enriches her communication and cultural understanding in today’s diverse classroom environments. Outside the classroom, Mrs. Munjee enjoys painting, reading, cooking, and traveling with her family.

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.

Ms. Christine Nguyen currently resides in Garden Grove and has earned her Early Childhood Certificate. She has been working with toddlers and preschool aged children for more than 5 years and has worked with adults and children with disabilities for more than 6 years. She loves being in the classroom and working with the children. In her free time she enjoys traveling, hiking, shopping, and hanging out with my family and friends.

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.

Ms. Anoma Panditha was born and raised in Sri Lanka and moved to the United States with her family in 2005. She was interested in Montessori education after caring for her two children. Before her Montessori teaching, she worked in the accounting field in Sri Lanka. She attended Irvine Valley College and Monarch Bay Montessori Academy. Ms. Panditha has been teaching Montessori since 2016 and enjoys watching the children grow in a normalized prepared environment. Outside of work, she loves hiking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two children.

Ms. Patton was raised in Los Angeles and Long Beach, California. She has always wanted to follow in her mothers footsteps as a teacher since Elementary School. From starting off as a Daycare assistant to working at LePort, Ms. Patton continues to grow every step of the way. She is continuing her education and gaining experience in Early Childhood Education. She loves working with little ones and in her free time she enjoys reading, dancing, and spending time with loved ones.

Lina Quintana was born and raised in Colombia. Ms. Quintana earned her Bachelor’s Degree in elementary and lower secondary education in Spanish and English Language. While pursuing her degree, she worked with different age groups ranging from preschool to elementary. Ms. Quintana moved to the US and has earned her units in Early Child Development. She enjoys hiking, reading and spending time with family.

Ms. Rafferty is a California native, mainly raised in the Long Beach area. She graduated from Cal State Long Beach with her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. While pursuing her degree, she worked as a toddler teacher on campus for two years which fueled her passion for child development. She strongly values spending quality time with her family and friends. In her free time, she enjoys antique shopping, kayaking, reading and traveling.

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.

Ms. Annabel Sanchez was born in Los Alamitos and raised in Hawaiian Gardens. She holds an Associate of Science Degree in Health and Fitness Training. She is also certified through National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Fitness Nutrition Specialist and Corrective Exercise Specialist. Ms. Sanchez discovered her passion for working with infants through her prior Montessori experience when she resided in Arizona. Outside of the classroom she enjoys cooking all kinds of foods, playing video games, and attending concerts/rave events.

Ms. Sheikh is a compassionate and well-educated member of our team. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Master’s Degree in English Literature. Prior to joining LePort, she worked as a teacher for 12 years. Ms. Sheikh believes that teaching is a sacred profession and that it enhances the purity of mind, and honesty of your inner self. In 2023, Ms. Sheikh had the opportunity to take the Association Montessori Internationale Montessori Assistants to Infancy training (0-3 years old) and she is completing her training from the Southwest Montessori Institute of Montessori Studies. Ms. Sheikh is also the mother of two children. In her spare time, Ms. Sheikh enjoys cooking.

Ms. Stephens, born in Erith, Kent, England, came to the U.S. in 1980. She received her A.A. in Early Childhood Education from State University of New York, Farmingdale, and her B.S. in Education from C.W. Post, Long Island University, New York. After four years in New York, Ms. Stephens moved to Southern California. She continued her education and earned her AMI Diploma from The Montessori Institute of Los Angeles in 1986.
Ms. Stephens brings to her teaching a wealth of enthusiasm, experience and talent. She is deeply committed to the Montessori method and continues to attend seminars, refresher courses, and lectures to deepen her understanding and appreciation of Maria Montessori’s approach to education. She has long been an active equestrian, and has a great interest in travel, the arts and nature. Since 1986 Ms. Stephens has been a teacher right here in Orange County, and has been a Head Primary Teacher at LePort Montessori since 2009.

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.

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.)

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.