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Administration
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Lindsay Journo - Executive Director, Upper Elementary & Jr. High
Mrs. Journo received her Honors B.A. and B.Ed. from York University, and her Honors Specialist Certification in the Teaching of English from the University of Toronto. Before joining LePort Schools in 2003, Mrs. Journo worked as an administrator and teacher of English and history at private schools in Toronto, Canada, where she specialized in writing curriculum, leading teacher training workshops, and creating classroom resources. As Exective Director of LePort Upper Elementary and Junior High School, Mrs. Journo focuses on curriculum development and implementation for grades 4-8. E-Mail: LJourno@LePortSchools.com
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Monica N. LePort - Chief Operating Officer
Since joining LePort Schools in 2000, Ms. LePort has been running the operations of all the campuses. Her duties include human resources, facility management, liaising with parents, and daily operations. With her supportive leadership style and commitment to excellence, Ms. LePort has helped LePort Schools become one of the leading educational institutions in Orange County.
Ms. LePort's enthusiasm for education, and life in general, has created a safe and caring environment where parents are pleased with their children's learning and social development. This environment also makes for a satisfying workplace for our teachers, who are committed to both LePort Schools and the Montessori philosophy.
E-Mail: MLePort@LePortSchools.com
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Jennifer Scricco - Enrichment Director
Ms. Scricco received her B.S. in Chemistry and B.A. in Philosophy from The College of New Jersey. She received her PhD a.b.d. in Polymer Science from the University of Pennsylvania, where she won the Penn Prize for Excellence in Teaching by Graduate Students and the Penn Teaching Fellowship. She has over a decade of experience as a private tutor and curriculum consultant for middle school through college students and has worked as a professor at Haverford College.
After spending a summer at LePort working on the chemistry curriculum, Ms. Scricco was so impressed with the dedication, enthusiasm, and professionalism of the school that she moved 2723 miles cross country to work there. As Enrichment Director, Ms. Scricco is responsible for the development of the tutoring, homeschooling, after school enrichment, and camp programs at LePort Schools. In her free time, Ms. Scricco enjoys vintage swing dancing, Judo, and the beautiful California weather.
E-Mail: JScricco@LePortSchools.com
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Judi Chimits - Marketing and Special Events Coordinator
Before having children, Judi worked as a publication coordinator and in the field of public relations. Long interested in early education, Judi entered Vanguard University to obtain her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology (emphasis in Human Development) in 2000, graduating in 2001. Still dissatisfied with the developmental philosophies she had learned in college, she began to study different methods of education--when she discovered the Montessori method. Judi joined LePort Schools in 2003, with the purchase of our Irvine (Lake) campus.
After witnessing firsthand the benefits of a Montessori education for her daughter, Judi began to realize what a tremendous opportunity the philosophy offered. She transferred to the Mission Viejo campus in 2007, working in the Administrative Offices.
Judi enjoys spending time with her husband of 15 years, Bob, and her daughters (both LePort students)! She can most often be found riding her bike, reading, camping, shopping, or shuttling her children to a variety of activities. Judi is also a Girl Scout leader, and coordinates several activities throughout the year to support the U.S. Marines serving around the world.
E-Mail: JChimits@LePortSchools.com
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Andy Robles - Administrative Support/Facilities Manager, Mission Viejo
Andy has been with LePort since January of 2009. Before joining LePort schools, Andy worked in the non-profit sector for three years assisting developmentally disabled adults and other underserved populations with career placement and job training. Andy holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from California State University, San Bernardino and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Redlands. In his spare time, Andy enjoys spending time with his wife, playing sports, attending sporting events and concerts, reading, exercising, and cooking various foods on his BBQ grill. Andy is thrilled to be a part of the LePort Schools family and is excited to see what the future will bring as the school continues to grow.
E-Mail: ARobles@LePortSchools.com
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Teachers - Mission Viejo
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Ray Girn - Department Head: Math
Mr. Girn received an Honors B.S. from the University of Toronto in developmental psychology and philosophy. In 2004, he obtained an Early Education Certificate from Vanguard University. He has been teaching and designing curriculum for LePort Schools since 2003. Before that, he worked as an assistant teacher at a private school, where he organized and taught an SAT preparation course. Mr. Girn has also tutored professionally for many years, helping 8-16 year olds to improve reading comprehension and grammar, and to develop and master proper study skills.
Mr. Girn finds teaching very fulfilling and stimulating. When asked why he chose to teach as a career, he answered: "Teaching offers me the refreshing pleasure of daily interaction with children. It offers the exciting challenge of identifying how to impart knowledge to those children. And it offers the rewarding sight of knowledgeable minds in love with learning and eager to apply their education. I cannot imagine a more noble and enjoyable profession to pursue."
E-Mail: RGirn@LePortSchools.com
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Jesse McCarthy - Department Head: History
Mr. McCarthy received his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he studied psychology and political science. His interest in teaching stems back to his own elementary days, when he would explain math solutions to his peers. Mr. McCarthy loves to learn and is an avid reader of literature, philosophy, political science, and history.
Mr. McCarthy had this to say about working at LePort Schools: "What I love most is teaching students who are eager to expand their knowledge, and inspiring less enthusiastic students to acquire a new passion for learning. I've chosen to focus on history because I find it thrilling to piece together and then convey the story of man's past. It is just so rewarding when, after telling a student (or an eager adult, for that matter) the heroic story of a Greek general or the tragic tale of a Roman Emperor or the epic account of a Revolutionary battle, you see his or her eyes light up!"
E-Mail: JMcCarthy@LePortSchools.com
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Doug Peltz - Department Head: Science and Geography
Mr. Peltz received a B.A. in history from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), where he took courses in the sciences and the humanities, with a focus on the history of science. Mr. Peltz has had a lifelong passion for science. He is an amateur naturalist who takes great pleasure in getting outdoors to study flora, fauna, earth, and sky. Prior to joining LePort Schools, he taught in a Montessori-based environment at a private school in Illinois. Mr. Peltz loves working with kids, and relishes the opportunity to instill in them an enduring love of science, technology, and the natural world.
Mr. Peltz says of teaching at LePort Schools: "What first attracted me to teaching at LePort were the teachers and the students. Here are teachers who are driven, and whose driving purpose is to give their students the skills crucial to maturing into thinking, happy, successful adults. Here are students who are experiencing real enchantment with their education--it is, in my opinion, exactly what a school should be."
E-Mail: DPeltz@LePortSchools.com
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Iris Ashkenazy - Math Teacher
Ms. Ashkenazy relocated to southern California from Toronto, Canada, where she taught math and drama for two years at a private high school. While working in the high school, Ms. Ashkenazy volunteered to run after-school programs; she co-directed the school play and created and ran a tango club. Ms. Ashkenazy received her B.A. from York University in Toronto and her M.A. in Education from Daemen College in Buffalo, NY.
Prior to becoming a teacher Ms. Ashkenazy dedicated herself to being a program director for various non-profit organizations, where she was recognized for maintaining the number one office in North America for three consecutive years. She prides herself in having made a difference in the lives of people in her community. Ms. Ashkenazy's hobbies are Argentine Tango dancing and cooking. She also loves to travel and is thrilled to be experiencing all that California has to offer, including its warmth in the winter.
E-Mail: IAshkenazy@LePortSchools.com
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Matt Ballin - History Teacher
Mr. Ballin graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers University, where he received his B.A. in philosophy and took courses in political science and the history of ideas. Planning to pursue a career in education, he also studied theories of learning and knowledge.
After learning about the innovative curriculum and individualized attention offered to students at LePort Schools, Mr. Ballin decided that it was, unquestionably, the setting for his future career. Since relocating from New Hampshire, he has enjoyed working with the staff and children at our Mission Viejo Campus and is proud to be a LePort teacher. Mr. Ballin is delighted by the opportunity to help students learn about the past and how it can help them live more fulfilling and enjoyable lives in the present. In his spare time, Mr. Ballin enjoys watching history documentaries and teacher movies, and enjoying the physical beauty and rich cultural life of Southern California.
E-Mail: MBallin@LePortSchools.com
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Zev Barnett - Literature, Language Arts and Vocabulary Teacher
Mr. Barnett received an Honors B.A. from the University of Toronto double majoring in history and literature. It was during his undergraduate career that Mr. Barnett first came to appreciate, among others, the likes of Emily Dickenson, William Shakespeare, and Victor Hugo. A first introduction to these literary giants only served to whet his appetite, and he subsequently went on to complete an M.A. at George Mason University. Given his passion for literature, Mr. Barnett found the prospect of beginning a teaching career at LePort to be an irresistible opportunity. When asked why, he said: "At LePort Schools English class not only focuses on teaching the content of a book or poem, but also focuses on communicating an enthusiasm for writing and reading. What benefit is it if a student is taught the plot of Romeo and Juliet, but learns to dislike Shakespeare? What I want to impart, more than anything else, is a love of literature."
E-Mail: ZBarnett@LePortSchools.com
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Sarah Biddle - Literature and Language Arts Teacher
Mrs. Biddle received her Honors B.A. in History from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia. Before moving to California, she was a registered nurse and worked part-time as an assistant teacher in a Montessori school. Mrs. Biddle spent two and a half years teaching at a private school in Aliso Viejo, where she taught literature, language arts and math, before joining LePort.
Mrs. Biddle is proud to be a teacher at LePort Schools because of its commitment to excellence, high standards and continual improvement. When asked why she changed to a career in teaching, Mrs. Biddle replied: "I love to watch children's minds blossom and grow. I love to see them discovering truths, making connections, and applying new knowledge to their daily lives. I especially love to see their faces shine with pride after succeeding in grasping a new idea or mastering a difficult skill." In addition to teaching, Mrs. Biddle enjoys ballroom, country and Latin dancing, reading great literature, and spending time with her family.
E-Mail: SBiddle@LePortSchools.com
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Tiffany Bithell - Literature, Language Arts and History Teacher
Mrs. Bithell has lived in Orange County her whole life. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from California State University, Long Beach, with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and a concentration in History/Social Science. As part of her degree program she also earned her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.
Prior to joining LePort in 2008, Mrs. Bithell has had the opportunity as a substitute teacher to teach a wide range of subjects to students in grades K-8. As well, her long-term placements have given her the opportunity to develop curriculum that is engaging and challenging for students. Mrs. Bithell particularly enjoys LePort Schools' private school setting because of its close-knit environment and stimulating curriculum. In addition to teaching, she enjoys reading, traveling, doing crafts, and hiking with her husband and dogs.
E-Mail: TBithell@LePortSchools.com
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Lauren Donahoo - Literature and Language Arts Teacher
Orange County native, Ms. Donahoo, has been teaching almost as far back as she can remember, starting with teaching her younger brother shapes and colors when she was only a preschooler. She received her B.A. from Cal Poly Pomona University, where she graduated magna cum laude and was actively involved in the University Honors Program. It was in college that Ms. Donahoo's teaching adventure formally began, as she worked to design and teach a variety of theater classes for children in the local community.
Ms. Donahoo has extensive experience in private tutoring, having tutored in subjects ranging from primary reading to high school geometry. She has also developed and taught classes for several different summer drama camp programs. Prior to teaching at LePort, Ms. Donahoo worked as a teacher's aide at a private school in Laguna Niguel. In addition to the joy she receives from teaching and learning, Ms. Donahoo takes pleasure in reading, baking, playing games of all varieties, surfing, dancing, and spending time with friends and family.
E-Mail: LDonahoo@LePortSchools.com
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Serenity Fisher - Math Teacher
Mrs. Fisher grew up in Orange County and received her B.S. and Multiple Subject Teaching Credentials from California State University, Fullerton. Her previous teaching assignments have included elementary classes in both private and public schools, as well as pre-algebra through Algebra II in a junior high setting.
Mrs. Fisher's extensive background in mathematics has offered excellent preparation for teaching the enriched curriculum LePort Schools offers our students. She strives to utilize her creativity in the classroom, so that each and every child becomes curious and confident in the field of mathematics. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys traveling with her husband, spending time with her family, and relaxing by the beach.
E-Mail: SFisher@LePortSchools.com
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Jane Martin - Science and Vocabulary Teacher/Curriculum Coordinator
Mrs. Martin received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Yale University. During her intense study of cognitive development, Mrs. Martin had the opportunity to work with hundreds of children at a number of different elementary schools. She has lectured and published on issues in Developmental Psychology and has been sought after as an education consultant by well-recognized companies, including Hit Entertainment (creators of Dora the Explorer). In addition, she has received awards for her college-level teaching, including the prestigious Prize Teaching Award from Yale University.
Mrs. Martin is thrilled to be a member of the LePort team, where she can contribute to an outstanding curriculum delivered by dedicated teachers. She finds nothing more rewarding than watching children's curiosity nurtured into a lasting understanding and deep appreciation for the world, giving them the confidence to pursue and succeed at any endeavor they choose for their future.
E-Mail: JMartin@LePortSchools.com
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Shannon Shaw - Literature, Writing, and Vocabulary Teacher
Ms. Shaw holds a B.A. in political science from California State University, San Bernardino. She is currently completing her Masters in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix.
Ms. Shaw came to LePort in 2008 with a rich and varied background in teaching. Her most recent position was as a middle school teacher at a private Montessori school in Pasadena, where she taught language arts, math, science, social studies, and physical education. Ms. Shaw has also spent two years substitute teaching at the elementary, junior high, and high school level, and has worked as an instructional aide in special education classrooms. Additionally, Ms. Shaw has over ten years experience teaching at private tutoring companies, such as Sylvan learning center. Besides teaching, Ms. Shaw enjoys spending free time with her husband and being a role model to her two teenage sisters. Her hobbies include practicing karate and yoga, reading, writing fantasy and historical fiction, and taking nature walks.
E-Mail: SShaw@LePortSchools.com
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