LePort Montessori

Ms. Jamie Kim earned her B.A. in Mathematics for Secondary Education from San Diego State University in 2007. She had taught students in middle schools and high schools for several years. While Ms. Kim was taking the teaching credential program to become a Mathematics teacher, she realized her love and passion for the young children. As she raised her children, she realized the importance of early childhood education. Ms. Kim learned about the Montessori method from a family member and was immediately interested. She researched more and more, and ultimately decided to pursue a career in Montessori education. She earned her AMI Assistants to Infancy Diploma and Primary Diploma from the Montessori Institute of San Diego. Ms. Kim joined LePort Schools in 2012 and has been working with the children from infancy to 6 years old as a head teacher. She lives with her husband and her three children in Orange County. Ms. Kim and her family enjoy spending time together indoors and outdoors which gives a variety of experiences and fun memories to her three children.

Ms. Paula Marquez was born and raised in Southern California. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree at University of California, Irvine in Language Sciences. Ms. Paula is striving to earn her license as a Language Pathologist assistant to help children who have difficulty speaking . She is bilingual in Spanish and English as she was raised in a Spanish speaking home. Ms. Paula enjoys helping children learn and develop crucial skills with patience and understanding. She loves to see children develop pride in themselves as they accomplish any task. In her spare time, Ms. Paula enjoys watching movies, learning new skills, going out with friends and reading once in a while. Ms. Paula is also trying to learn new languages like Japanese and French.

Mrs. Farnoosh Nejadnasrollah was born in Iran and graduated in Agricultural Science from the University of Gorgan (Iran). Her love for children inspired her career path towards a degree in Early Childhood Education from Irvine Valley College. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and friends. Mrs. Farnoosh also enjoys reading books, cooking, and taking long walks.

Mrs. Gabriela Nodar started her teaching career in 2013 in a non-traditional way. Her first experience with the Montessori approach was many years ago when her first daughter began her school journey in Santa Barbara County. Ms. Gaby loved the approach. She began homeschooling her other children when they were very young and discovered that she really loved teaching. Prior to coming to the United States, Ms. Gabriela attended nursing school in Mexico. Shortly after moving to Orange County, she embarked on an entrepreneurial journey, running a successful business for seven years. During this time, Ms. Gabriela was also raising a family. She eventually decided to sell her business to focus more on her children.

While staying home to care for her family, Ms. Gabriela remained active in her community. She volunteered extensively, both in her children’s schools and at her church, where she contributed to the kids’ ministry. Through these experiences, Ms. Gabriela developed a passion for working with children, which continues to influence her today.

Ms. Gaby holds a Primary Montessori training certificate. She has practiced the method in a school setting since 2019. Prior to immersing herself in Montessori, she lived in Nevada for a while where she worked as a Spanish translator and as a Teaching Assistant for the Carson City School District and studied at Western Nevada Community College. Ms. Gaby has three wonderful children. In her leisure time she loves to hike and spend time with her family.

Ms. Vidya holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations. She worked in a corporate firm for 6 years before she became a mom of two young children. She previously worked as the head of her Sunday school for almost ten years, which inspired her to pursue a career in working with children. She completed a diploma in Montessori Early Childhood Education from the North American Montessori Center and is excited to work with children at LePort. Being around children always gives her joy and she believes that children are the most important work. Ms. Vidya is excited to contribute to their growth and development. In addition to English, she is fluent in 3 other languages. In her spare time, Ms. Vidya enjoys spending time with her husband and children, and connecting with close friends.

Ms. Flor was raised in southern California. She grew up speaking Spanish and English. Ms. Flor has always loved working with children. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development in 2014. She received her AMI training at the Montessori Institute of San Diego in 2017. She has been working with children since 2015. Ms. Flor enjoys watching infants and toddlers gain their independence and loves when they can finally say, “I did it!”

Ms. Flor is very excited to be part of the LePort team. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and her dog.

Ms. Ana is an educational entrepreneur, homeschooling parent, and lifelong learner. Her experience working with children dates back to her teenage years when she took an opportunity to assist in a home daycare. From that moment, she was inspired to guide young children–particularly toddlers. Her determination for understanding their psychology and behavior led her to fill positions such as Director of Curriculum, Assistant Director, Montessori Specialist, “Parent and Child” Instructor, and Head Teacher in various educational settings. Ana has experience coaching teachers at schools on the east and west coast. She has served as an advisor and guest lecturer for training centers and schools in China and the Philippines, furthering the impact of Montessori education worldwide. Ana received a Montessori Assistants to Infancy Diploma from the Montessori Institute of San Diego. She is an alumna at the University of Hartford and is currently in the midst of Primary training at the Montessori Training Center of Northeast.

When she’s not immersed in Montessori, Ana enjoys spending time with her family, exploring nature, and creating art. Ms. Ana believes education happens at every moment and in many forms. She is honored to support LePort’s Montessori team as they aim to provide quality education for children across the nation.

When Ms. Ana 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. Jessica Sosa is a Spanish native speaker born and raised in Peru. She worked for 15 years as a social worker, helping children and their families. Ms. Jessica is delighted to guide her young students on their educational journey. Her dedication and enthusiasm for early childhood education create an exciting and stimulating learning environment, where each child feels valued and supported in their development. In addition to her passion for education, Ms. Jessica deeply appreciates spending quality time with her family. Along with her child and her husband, she enjoys significant moments that strengthen family ties and enrich their daily lives. Her commitment to education and her love for the family intertwines, providing our students with a warm and enriching educational environment.

Ms. Adriana Sosa was born and raised in Colombia. Her love for children inspired her career path towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Language Education at the University of Pamplona, Colombia. She has been working closely with children for many years, in traditional schools and as a nanny, as well. Ms. Adriana is bilingual in Spanish and English. She enjoys working with children and seeing the child’s performance and how they learn and develop their potential. She has completed her child development classes and worked as a Teacher Assistant at LePort Montessori. In her spare time, Ms. Adriana loves spending quality time with her son Noah and her husband. She loves outdoor activities like hiking, cycling and going to the beach.

Mrs. Maria Villegas is a mother of three children, one son and two daughters. She comes from a traditional Mexican family, from a little state in Mexico called Morelos. Her first language was Spanish but she developed an interest in English and worked toward bilingualism. She is currently enrolled at Santa Ana College, taking child development classes to get her Associates Degree. Prior to taking child development courses, she received her nurse assistant license where she worked as a certified nurse for an Alzheimer facility for 14 years. Although she was happy with her position, her true passion is working with children. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, three children and her dog.