Leport Montessori

Ms. Lily was born in Mexico City and raised in Southern California where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in 2013 at the California State University of Fullerton with a major in ethnic studies and a minor in child and adolescent development. Her career in education began as an after school program leader for a local school district for four years. While seeking other career paths in the educational field she became a Montessori primary assistant and after 4 years of experience she decided to pursue the Montessori Primary training. In the summer of 2019 she joined the Montessori Institute of San Diego and completed the course in August 2020.

In her free time, Ms. Lily enjoys going to the movies, spending time with family, road trips, baking, and many outdoor activities including soccer and hiking.

Ms. Marisa Rodrigo is a resident of Los Angeles who is currently pursuing her degree in Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine. She loves engaging with children and is immensely passionate about working with children as well. During her free time, Ms. Marisa enjoys a lot of family time in addition to playing the piano, painting, and having fun with her cutest little dog.

Ms. Leah Rojas is an experienced educator with several years of working in education as an after-school teacher, where she has taught a variety of subjects, including penmanship, robotics, art, Spanish, poetry, choir, and reading. Currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education, she is deeply passionate about helping children reach their full potential. Originally from Colombia, Ms. Leah is fluent in both Spanish and English, which enhances her ability to connect with diverse students and families. She enjoys cooking and spending time with her family. Ms. Leah loves working with children and is dedicated to fostering their growth and development in a nurturing and engaging environment.

Ms. Roshika joined LePort with over seven years of experience working as a Montessori Toddler and Primary Teacher. She fell in love with the Montessori approach after caring for her two children. Ms. Roshika earned her diploma in Primary Montessori Education at the Colombo Montessori Teacher Training Center in Sri Lanka, which is affiliated with Fairfax University in the United Kingdom. She also has numerous continuing education credits in Early Childhood Education from various colleges in the United States. Ms. Roshika describes herself as simple but strong-willed, and a passionate and kind person.

Ms. Michaela was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and her ethnicity is Native American. She comes from a background of other family members working in the educational system. Her love for children came from babysitting her nieces and nephews at an early age. Ms. Michaela hopes to go back to school so she can become a teacher and lead her own classroom someday. After high school, she pursued working as an Assistant Teacher at a daycare for four years working with all ages from infants up to middle school aged children. Her interests are reading all kinds of books or doing artwork using different mediums from drawing to painting. She enjoys spending quality time with her family members.

Ms. Ritu was born in India and has lived in Southern California since the early 2000s. She earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Arts in English Literature, and has a Teacher Aide Certification from the Irvine Adult School. She has worked with children in Autism-specific and general education classrooms in the Irvine Unified School District. After raising her two kids, Ms. Ritu was inspired to pursue her lifelong interest in teaching as a career. She worked at a Montessori preschool as a teacher and supervisor before joining LePort. In her free time, she enjoys shopping, spending time with family, traveling and watching movies.

Mrs. Shaw was born and raised in Mexico and moved to California in 1985. Prior to joining LePort, she worked in the medical field, but had always desired to work with children. Mrs. Shaw attended Laguna Technical College to receive an education in Human Development and Childhood Education. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys reading, movies, music, and most of all, spending time with her two sons and family in Mexico.

Ms. Jillian Snyder received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from The College of Wooster in Ohio. Her mother was an Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)-trained guide, and she attended two Montessori schools in Texas. Once reconnected with Montessori philosophy as an adult, Ms. Snyder 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. Ms. Snyder is excited to continue to 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.

Ms. Diona Trinidad graduated from Cal State Fullerton University in 2014. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Child and Adolescent Development with an emphasis on Early Education. Her passion for working with children started at the Beyond Blindness nonprofit organization in 2016. During her seven years of working there, she had various roles as an early interventionist and classroom teacher for infants and toddlers with developmental delays. Ms. Diona found joy in guiding the curious nature of all children and fostering their willingness to learn. Ms. Diona sees Montessori methods as a way of life. She is especially excited about not only utilizing Montessori materials but also learning the best practices for developing independent and confident lifelong learners. Outside of work, Ms. Diona enjoys hiking, crafting, and spending time with her family. She has a son who is also enrolled in LePort Montessori.

Born and raised in India Veronica Urs migrated to the United States several years ago. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and Graduate Degree in Education and Psychology. She worked at a Family welfare agency in India and then as Community Development manager at YMCA of Singapore working with Children and youth at risk. After coming to United States, she chose to stay home and raise her three children. When she became an empty nester she went back to school and received her Early Childhood Education units. Nurturing children has been her passion and she enjoys being part of nurturing the gifts and talents of the children in her care and helping them grow to their full potential. In her spare time she loves travelling, gardening, learning and cooking new cuisines and volunteering.

Ms. Liqing was born and raised in China, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts. She has been interested in Early Childhood Education since her children were young. She takes Early Childhood Education courses at Irvine Valley College. Ms. Liqing has been working with children since 2019. She values children’s independence and self-confidence. She always encourages children to explore the world by themselves. She believes that each child is unique, therefore they learn and thrive at their own pace. In her free time, she loves traveling, music, cooking, and gardening.