This is a review for the fantastic Ms. Emmy Zappa and Ms. Katelyn Hattery of LePort Montessori. When we moved to Long Beach from the east coast a couple years ago, we toured at least ten day care centers before checking out LePort, in part because it seemed like too far a commute.

We were blown away the moment we took a peek inside Ms. Zappa's infant classroom and knew this was the right place for our 9-month-old son. Ms. Zappa's room is at once expansive and cozy, with Montessori furniture and play structures in high-quality natural wood, warm lighting and quiet corners for infants to explore puzzles and textures. The napping area has cozy floor beds, soft white noise and fairy lights overhead. Parents often joke that our babies' best sleep occurs in Ms. Zappa's classroom, because children are stimulated with constant learning, and can then snuggle up to sleep in an incredibly serene atmosphere. We signed our son up right away, and then began to see that LePort's value for our children goes far beyond the delightful classroom we first encountered.

LePort's value is rooted in the incredible teachers (or "guides") who create an atmosphere of calm, order and joy and then carefully nurture our children's increasing independence and journey toward self-discovery. Ms. Zappa and the teachers who work with her in B8 (the wonderful Ms. Waters, Ms. Fells, Ms. Briseno and Ms. Barrios) express their deep care and respect for each child not only in their loving hugs and gentle touch, but also in their patience and determination to allow the children to learn and grow as independent and self-sufficient little humans.

I have watched as they take the time--admittedly painstaking amounts of time for families rushing through their days at home--to do any number of daily tasks that help the world and themselves. Just by way of example, I have observed children delight in being guided to throw away a piece of trash in the correct bin, water a flower on the patio, fetch a blanket for nap time, hold a bicycle handle properly so as not to fall, put on shoes, watch rainwater collecting in a pool and so much more. Every daily activity is an opportunity to learn about the world around them, and so every moment spent on such activities is time well spent.

Ms. Zappa further demonstrates her passion for this profession by dedicating herself to the oft-overlooked details. She and the teachers of B8 send home detailed notes about each child's day and check in with caregivers before and after school to discuss any new developments. They also take sincere joy in each child's unique personality and are genuinely thrilled at each new milestone. Before our second son was born, we made sure he was on the waitlist for Ms. Zappa's class, and now we have the pleasure of watching him embark on the same journey of growth and discovery that his brother experienced.

Since "graduating" from the infant program at around two years old, our older son has been thriving under the expert care and guidance of Ms. Katelyn Hattery and Ms. Daniela Hoyle. Ms. Hattery's toddler classroom is tucked away behind a quaint red gate, across a patio filled with flowers and vegetables tended by the teachers and students. The very walk to her classroom feels like a storybook adventure for a small child, and my son enjoys pointing out all the lovely features in Ms. Hattery's garden.

Inside, the classroom feels calm and orderly, even when buzzing with toddler activity. There is a large table for the whole class to eat snack and lunch together, a cozy story corner, stations for life skills activities and shelves lined with "work" for the students to do independently. It's always a delight to peek in while the children are working on tasks that we typically assume toddler's aren't capable of, whether it be washing everyone's dishes after lunch, washing the mirrors or helping with laundry. And the students *love* the sense of well-being and independence they gain by taking part in these activities.

Ms. Hattery is one of those people whose serenity and focus is captivating, especially for the little ones in her care. She speaks in a kind, calm voice and carefully intervenes at every turn to help the students understand how their actions may affect others. Listening to Ms. Hattery is a lesson in patience and child psychology, and I can honestly say that I've greatly benefited from watching and emulating her style and approach. A classroom full of toddlers who are extremely well-behaved, well-adjusted and delighted to spend time together is all the proof I need that Ms. Hattery's system works!

We knew nothing about the Montessori method before coming to LePort, and thanks to the wonderful example provided by teachers like Ms. Zappa and Ms. Hattery, we are now dedicated to aligning our home environment with the atmosphere and learning opportunities our children experience at school. I can't recommend these teachers highly enough.

We feel very fortunate that our daughter has been able to attend LePort Montessori Huntington Harbor. Specifically, our experience with Ms. Zappa, along with her wonderful team of assistant teachers, has been exceptional. Ms. Zappa has made it clear that the children in her classroom are her number one priority. This gives us great confidence and assurance that we are leaving our daughter in the best possible hands. Our daughter started with Ms. Zappa at four-and-a-half-months and we have witnessed her grow into an independent, thriving fifteen-month-old. Every day we continue to see the benefits of a Montessori program implemented by a passionate and dedicated professional. We are also very pleased with the level of communication we have with Ms. Zappa, who is very attentive and accessible and keeps us informed of even the smallest milestones in our daughter's day. Given the amount of time that our daughter is in school, it is wonderful to feel so close and included in these small yet meaningful moments. Overall our expectations have been exceeded and every day we enjoy seeing how excited our daughter is to step into Ms. Zappa's classroom.

We absolutely love LePort, our toddler son is thriving. He began in Ms. Jimenez's Infant room and really came out of his shell after being home with a mom/grandma/nanny for the first 14 months of his life. She was a wonderful first teacher for us to send our baby off everyday. He's now in Ms. Hawkins Toddler class and doing so well. She's down to earth, practical, caring and kind my son has simply blossomed in her class. I feel great sending him off to such loving and warm school everyday. Every staff member I interact with is truly lovely and they do such a great job with COVID-19 precautions!

My daughter is currently in Ms. Arzate's class. I couldn't ask for anyone better to help me mold my daughter through her toddler years. Ms. Arzate's passion for the Montessori philosophy reflects through my daughter and I am so thankful to see how it has helped my daughter blossom. The biggest thing for me as a parent is knowing that my child is not just being successful in her class, but truly knowing that she is in great caring hands. Ms. Arzate is a nurturer and I love how her love for my daughter is genuine. She has such a way with words and it has helped a lot during times when my toddler is having a hard time. I highly recommend Ms. Arzate if you want an authentic Montessori experience for your Toddler.

Deciding on the best school for our newborn son was an incredibly difficult and stressful situation. We wanted our son to not only be in a safe environment, but we also wanted him to be in an environment where he could flourish. After interviewing multiple facilities, we felt most comfortable with LePort, and so we enrolled our son in LePort many months before he was born.

Our son is currently 14 months old and has been in Ms. Jimenez's class at LePort since he was 3 months old. The teachers at LePort have been absolutely fantastic, this includes, but is not limited to, Ms. Jimenez, Ms. Fells, Ms. Palmer, Ms. Rodriguez, Ms. Mayorazgo & Ms. Raymond. Our son thoroughly enjoys going to school every day - his face lights up at the sight of his teachers and fellow students.

We have seen our son grow in so many ways since enrolling at LePort. He has been well taken care of at school and even at his young age he is advancing quickly.

We highly recommend LePort to all families. The teachers, culture, classrooms, and schools grounds, are all fantastic. The school takes a serious interest in our son's wellbeing and care, and they always keep us updated on his progress and the on goings at the school. We look forward to many future years at LePort Huntington Harbor.

Our daughter attended the Infant program from the time she was 4-months-old (when I was going back to work) until 10-months-old (when we moved to LA). My husband and I cannot express how grateful we are to LePort for the outstanding, safe, and thoughtful care and education provided to our daughter. The Montessori philosophy allowed her to learn independence within a structured and calm environment at such a young age. She thrived in Ms. Zappa's classroom, and we felt that her development - including gross and fine motor skills, eating, sleeping - really accelerated once she started attending LePort. Ms. Zappa's passion for infant development comes through in the day-to-day interactions she has with the children, as well as the time she puts into working with the parents. The Head of School, Ms. Asghar, is also outstanding as a leader. We could not recommend a better environment for your child!

Our daughter has been at LePort for three years and we absolutely love having her there. She loves being there too! Not only have they taught our daughter so much, but we as parents have learned a great deal from the teachers. She has been in Spanish immersion for over a year now and we love hearing her talk and sing to us in Spanish. Great teachers and great community!

We first learned about LePort from some dear friends that had wonderful experiences with the company of schools, but we were wary of the cost. We were thrilled when we found out about their Parent and Child program (a 1.5 hour one day/week parent and child class) because it was a low commitment/reasonable cost way to see if LePort Montessori would be the right fit for us and our daughter (who, at the time, was about 14-months-old).

We consider ourselves so fortunate that we were enrolled in Ms. Zappa's Parent and Child infant class. Her kindness, attentiveness, warmth, brilliance, and graciousness enriched our lives so much. She has a certain intentionality behind every word she utters, and every action she undertakes...which ultimately makes her an ideal role model for our daughter and even for us as parents as to how we "should" strive to be. Our daughter was immediately drawn to her and receptive to her guidance. We still refer to her by name when we do different things that we learned in our Parent and Child class. It's easy for us to say that Ms. Zappa's amazingness made up a large percentage of the reasoning behind our decision to enroll our daughter in LePort full time. We were only bummed that our daughter was too old for her class at the time we decided to enroll. But even after the class was over, Ms. Zappa was so kind to offer her time and counsel in helping us think about what was best for our daughter, and how to guide her to be independent, confident, and graceful. We will forever be grateful to Ms. Zappa.

Another large element of our decision to enroll was their amazing Admissions Director, Ms. Gump. As a fellow mother and parent of a LePort student, she was empathetic, patient, professional, and so kind throughout the whole admissions process. She never made us feel like we were asking too many questions, even though we probably were! She made the process as seamless as possible. And she will always be a friendly face and resource we can turn to at LePort.

Our great fortune continued when we enrolled our daughter in Ms. Arzate's class. Ms. Arzate is a special kind of human. Upon meeting her, her peaceful aura, welcoming demeanor, and her excellence in teaching became immediately apparent. And that has only been further affirmed in the last few months in her class. Ms. Arzate has become a co-parent of sorts for us--she really spends the time to discuss and work through the countless questions and journeys we go on as parents. And she does it all with such grace, compassion, and a lack of judgment. Our daughter adores her and her wonderful assistant, Ms. Satiyani. They have become household names in our home, and have been an integral part of our daughter's "toddlerhood." They see and nurture her strengths, and patiently guide her through any of her challenges. Our daughter comes home happy and looks forward to her time at school. Ms. Arzate will always hold a special place, filled with immense gratitude, in our hearts, and in our memories about our daughter's early growth.

The whole LePort family has been so kind to us...and after just a few months with LePort, we feel at home and are so grateful to every individual that we have interacted with at LePort. We highly recommend the Huntington Harbor school.

My husband and I spent months searching for an infant care for our daughter. When she was 8-months-old we found LePort, which finally met the standards I had for our daughter’s first school. Immediately we felt comfortable with Kristy Gump in admissions who was generous with her time carefully explaining to us about the school and the Montessori curriculum. After observing all the infant classrooms we knew Ms. Almanza's infant class was the one for us. Along with Ms. Kahm, Mrs. Bolden, and Ms. Palmer, the classroom had a calmness that was similar to our home environment while fostering curiosity and fun.

Dropping our infant off at daycare was extremely tough, but at LePort we truly felt she was in school and learning in ways we couldn't offer at home. Everyday, Ms. Almanza would discuss with us how the day went and sent home detailed notes of when she ate, slept, if she was clingy, happy, or tired. We began on the 3-days/week program, and I would pick her up at varying times everyday. Nobody knew when I was coming, and I always walked into a joyous environment. The teachers adhere to the 3:1 ratio. Before age 1 our daughter was eating with adult utensils, clipping on her own bib, comfortable playing with other children while setting her own personal boundaries and walking!

It truly does take a village, and LePort has been our extended village.

When speaking to the parents of her classmates we all agree Ms. Almanza is as good as it gets for infant care. Our daughter, took a particular liking for Ms. Kahm. Wiith ample teachers per classroom, Ms. Almanza was able to honor the relation Orca had with Ms. Kahm and they were often grouped together for daily outside walks, gardening activities, and more.

Currently, our daughter has moved up to the Spanish immersion Toddler program. It was hard for the whole family to leave Ms. Almanza's class but we have found Mrs. Jaramillo to be absolutely wonderful too. We love seeing how much our daughter has grown in a short period of time being around older toddlers!

I have done a lot of research on schools and day care facilities in Orange County (probably too much). Due to the higher tuition, I always felt that there had to be something else out there that matched the quality of learning, but this is one of those circumstances where you "get what you pay for". LePort Huntington Harbor checks ALL of the boxes. It gives children a safe, comforting home during the day with attentive and loving teachers that care for your family as if you are their own. My second child started the Infant program at 3-months-old. Even though we had been through it before, it is always hard leaving a child that small with someone other than your direct family. Ms. Levy (our infant teacher) became part of our family. She cared for my daughter as if she was her own, building up her strength, language and independence, all the while, teaching my husband and me how to improve her learning environment at home. My oldest went through the Infant and Toddler program, and is now in Primary. At three-years-old, he is polite, independent, and genuinely enjoys going to school to do his "work" each day. My daughter has recently moved up to a toddler classroom with Ms. Hattery and Ms. Hoyle, who are equally as amazing as Ms. Levy. They create a structured classroom where the children develop language, artistic skills, a respect for their world and environment, as well as the basics of bathroom training and responsibility. The teachers and staff have given me comfort in knowing that my children are not only safe, but in loving hands. I cannot recommend this school enough.

It has been such a blessing to have our little boy in Miss Zappa's infant class. LePort is such a good environment for him and to see his growth as an infant has been so impressive. Miss Zappa is very attentive and has a passion for this kind of work. We couldn't be happier seeing our little boy's excitement and cheer when he goes to class every morning. We really appreciate the updates that we get on his well-being and his development. Great job Miss Zappa! And great job LePort! We couldn't have picked a better program. LePort is so much more than a daycare center.

I am SO glad that we made the decision to go with LePort! It feels like we have joined a community. The school offers workshops on how to be a better and more effective parent. They hand out literature on parenting techniques and ideas for tools at home to improve the success of the Montessori lifestyle. We saw a change in our daughter immediately, when she was just 2-years-old, and continue to see positive results in her, and love seeing how she has blossomed into a more confident and independent child, now at 4-years-old. Miss Hattery was great as a Toddler teacher, and we are very impressed with Ms. Ferdinandus in the Primary class. She is kind but firm, and creates the structure and boundaries that our “spirited” daughter needs. She knows many different approaches with children and figures out which is most suitable for each child's personality and learning methods. We love that the teachers nurture and guide, but don't hover, and they treat her as a small grown-up instead of an incapable child that needs help with everything. The teachers have excellent communication, and everyone on the staff is always friendly and happy to field my many questions. We also love that it is a multicultural atmosphere, and that there are so many opportunities and events for parents to get involved and meet each other. Such a sense of community here, and we are so privileged to be able to be part of it! Would highly recommend! This is a five-star school all of the way!

My daughter has been attending the Infant program for about 2 months now, and I am so happy with our decision to send her here!

The admissions process was so easy thanks to Kristy. During our tour, she never made us feel rushed as we took as much time as we needed to get to know the campus. She was very accessible and answered many, many, many questions for me with honesty and transparency. It was like speaking with a fellow mom rather than someone who was trying to sell me.

Her Head Teacher, Mrs. Reynolds, is so great! My daughter started at 9 months and had already developed stranger anxiety. However, my daughter took to Mrs. Reynolds so easily--she has a magic touch! Sending her to school was definitely a transition, but Mrs. Reynolds made it as easy on her (and me!) as possible. I got daily phone calls updating me on how my daughter was doing for the first week. Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Carrillo are very in-tune with the students and are always willing to answer questions or talk about my daughter's progress.

If you're looking for a true Montessori experience, this is it! The Head Teachers are Montessori certified and they’re always offering suggestions on how to further the experience at home.

My husband and I actually drive out of our way to bring our daughter here... that speaks to how well we feel she is cared for here at LePort :)

We have had our baby girl enrolled at LePort for 6 months now (she started at 12 weeks), and are thrilled with Ms. Almanza's infant class. We were initially drawn to the school because of its location and glowing reviews. We have several friends and neighbors whose kids are current and former students, and they also recommended LePort. That being said, I think we underestimated how much we would love the Montessori approach and its impact on our daughter’s development.

We get daily, detailed updates and lots of pictures on a regular basis. The babies don't just "play"--they have materials that are age and developmentally appropriate. There is a tremendous amount of thought and care that goes into the classroom setting...arts and crafts, singing, reading, buggy rides, outdoor time...they even have a class fish! My daughter has shown a tremendous amount of independence, curiosity, and growth. Friends and family remark at how engaged she is with people, especially other kids.

We also love the community at LePort. All of the teachers in B7 are warm, engaging, and genuinely caring. They have social events and encourage the parents to get to know one another as well.

Our toddler began attending LePort in August after taking the Mommy and Me classes over the summer. We love this school, and especially his teacher, Mrs. Hawkins. We have seen many positive behaviors develop in our son already and he loves to go! He runs to the car every morning when he sees me get his lunchbox ready, that alone is worth the price of admission, lol! It is a well-run campus with diverse students and teachers and nice classrooms. We also love the closed Facebook group where we get to see his activities. So much fun and he's learning a lot of new skills. We are extremely happy with our choice of preschool. Mrs. Hawkins is caring, nurturing, and very knowledgeable--we adore her!

My son has been attending LePort Huntington Harbor for 10 months now. His teachers are Ms. Adly and Ms. Jimenez. I couldn't be any happier with the school and his teachers. I can see how much he has learned. Every time I take him around other children I can tell how developed he is in comparison with other children. Most importantly, my son is very happy with his teachers, his school, and his schoolmates. Every morning he is happy and excited to go to school. I can tell by the sound in his voice how much he cares for his teachers. I did a lot of research before enrolling my son in this school, and without a doubt I made the right decision. His teachers are devoted to him and the other students. The classrooms are always clean and organized with enough material for all the children to work and develop their skills. Every day my child comes home with tons of new things he learned from his school. Hooray for LePort and the staff!!!

We have our son enrolled in Ms. Adly's class. We are very pleased with the level of commitment she and Ms. Jimenez have shown for our son this past year. Because of their dedication to his learning, he now can count, knows his colors, is speaking a TON, and is even toilet trained. Their desire to have him learn (versus just making sure he is safe) is the reason why they deserve a 5-star rating. We had a few concerns regarding our son (not because of the school but just him in general) and Ms. Adly had me write out my concerns so we could have a meeting about them. We could not be happier with how well he is doing.

We have two daughters enrolled here, our older one is 4 and going to Ms. Satyani's class and we absolutely love it. She is an amazing teacher. Our daughter loves her--even on days when she doesn't want to go to school, it lasts only until she sees her teacher running to her. Ms. Satyani has great attention to detail--very honest and upfront and always encourages everyone to express any concern and keeps you engaged. Our daughter showed a huge improvement since starting school. We love it--it's the school that gives me comfort every time I leave my kids.

Ms. Hattery is such a gentle and loving person--our younger daughter (soon to be three) attends her classes and there is nothing but good things to say. Ms. Hattery always encourages her advancing and improving, we really appreciate it. For both of their classes, great Head and Assistant Teacher, and loving AM and PM care.

Everyone in the office is just always there for you to help with any questions and they do it right away. We are really blessed they both get to attend this school.

Our family has attended LePort Huntington Harbor since 2011 and we couldn't be happier with the educational experience. Currently our older daughter is in second grade. Her teacher, Ms. Dhanani, is an experienced compassionate Montessori teacher with expertise through 6th grade. This is important to us as it allows our daughter to progress through material at her pace and not be limited to traditional "second grade" work. Our younger daughter is in the Spanish immersion tract with Ms. Gaxiola. She loves going to school and after three years in the program is functionally conversant in Spanish. We plan on keeping our children with LePort through 6th grade as I can't imagine a more perfect educational experience for our family.

Our son is currently in Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Bodinayake's Primary class. He loves going to school every day and has really thrived under the careful nurturing of his teachers. Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Bodinayake make a great team, and their amazing chemistry as colleagues helps to create a calm and harmonious energy in the classroom. They are both extremely caring, warm, and engaged with each of their students. I feel very fortunate that our son has such wonderful teachers!

The administration is also amazing with Mrs. Asghar doing a fantastic job leading and growing the school. Everyone in the front office is friendly and ready to help you with anything you need. In addition, the group of genuine and kind families that LePort has attracted really makes it feel like a close community of friends. I am very happy that my son attends this school and am very grateful to all of the teachers and staff that make this school truly top-notch.

I was already impressed by their Infant program but I'm even more impressed with their Toddler classes.

My daughter has blossomed into an independent little girl thanks to the guidance of Ms. Arzate and Ms. Satyani. She is nearly potty trained at 26 months and we're blown away by her progress in 5 short months. My son struggled for a while after the transition into toddler. Drop offs were tough and he just didn't seem happy. Feeling worried, my wife and I sat down with Ms. Asghar and expressed our concerns. She listened intently, offered thoughts and suggestions for changes (both on and off campus). Within a couple of weeks and after a few changes implemented within the classroom, my son's attitude has completely changed. Drop offs are a breeze now and he actually appears happy at pick up. Both Ms. Gallo and Ms. Wiggins have done a wonderful job nurturing his growth and the improvements we've seen have been awesome. Ms. Asghar listened to our concerns and changes were implemented at the benefit of our son.

We could not be happier with the growth we've seen in our kids. We'll be at home going through books/flashcards and we're shocked at how our twins can verbally identify items that we never taught them. We continue to be impressed with LePort and we look forward to our kids' next transition into the Primary program. We still highly recommend LePort to any parent.

LePort is a very rare school. The state of childcare in this country makes finding care for your child both very expensive and/or incredibly mediocre.

Granted, most who go into this field are very passionate about children and education. Along with this passion, early education requires exceptional professionalism and extreme dedication to methodology. But let's face it - this is an incredibly difficult job and it was really tough for us to find a school that excels at all aspects of what's ideal. LePort blew our expectations out of the water.

Ms. Zappa, the Head Teacher in our child's infant class, is a unicorn. I've known many people in the early childhood education community but I've never met a teacher who is so consistently on point while unbreakably warm and passionate. And mind you, she's not just a teacher to our child but a teacher to us parents as well. She has taught us the world and we couldn't be more grateful.

Our child feels like a member of a gifted community. He comes home energized and eager to learn and participate in our daily lives whether it’s art, food, or even chores around the house. He's constantly surprising us, and in short, he's able to explore the wide range of his interests and curiosities in a way us parents can't do without the help of his teachers.

I recommend all parents to visit many schools, but to definitely include LePort and speak to the facility, the Head Teachers (though they are often pretty busy), and even the parents if you find a chance. Also, don't forget to ask about their financial aid. The communication and professionalism of this school is so beyond comparison that I even notice myself finding it hard to call LePort's Infant education program "daycare".

After researching several other daycares and schools in the Long Beach area for my then 8-month-old, my husband and I found LePort in Huntington Harbor. There was an undeniably vast difference in quality in not only the campus and classrooms, but the staff as well which made this transition very easy for us, and him!

The Montessori setting allows our son to freely explore and learn at his own pace. And, in comparison to our friends with children his age in traditional day care, our son seems to excel beyond his friends not only in gross motor skills, but also major developmental skills. At just 13 months he is able to climb a few stairs to get to the sink to wash and dry his own hands, then climbs down and throws away his towel. He will say hello and goodbye and shake hands on command. He is even being potty-trained.

All of the teachers in my son's classroom are very well-educated, caring, kind and patient. My son starts his day excited to see them and doesn't want to leave when the day is done!

It truly is a relief that our son is in such great care. We couldn't be happier! We just hope that LePort expands their offerings at this location beyond 3rd grade so we can keep him in their school as long as possible!

Our son started in the Toddler program 4 months ago after trying out the Montessori approach through the Parent and Child program that they offer. I remember touring one of the classrooms during snack time and my jaw dropped in disbelief that 12 toddlers were sitting quietly at the table, waiting their turn to pour a glass of water and serve themselves a snack. It was difficult to imagine that my own son could also behave in that manner, given the opportunity. Although we had our doubts, he proved us wrong by thriving in the environment. We love the approach of the Montessori philosophy and his teacher, Mrs. Hawkins, is exceptional. She is constantly challenging him, which is evident in his accelerated development.

My personal experience with LePort Huntington Harbor has been excellent. The initial visit, applying for the school, visiting with the teacher--the whole enrolling process was smooth and easy. Communication was on the level--always prompt, and with detailed answers to my questions. The whole staff involved in the process was very courteous, polite, and professional.

My positive experience with LePort was only furthered after my child started attending. It is very clear that LePort Montessori Schools delivers a genuine Montessori experience. My child's teacher, Mrs. Ferdinandus, has great passion for the Montessori method, and great compassion for the children. This shows everyday on the happy face of my child and through the new skills my child acquires. I'm very pleased with the school and with Mrs. Ferdinandus' efforts in helping my child become an independent and confident person.

My daughter has been attending this school for 3.5 years and I can't express my admiration, respect and love for the staff and the community. Their campus was the first thing that caught my eye some years ago when I toured the schools looking for a perfect match for myself and my daughter. And I couldn't be happier about the choice that I made back then.

During the first year at school she was fully potty-trained, putting on her clothes and shoes pretty much independently, cleaning up her toys, and helping me in the kitchen.

She is now 5-years-old, and she has been in Mrs. Masood's class for two years. The progress that she has been making overwhelms me and my husband most of the time. She can read and write, and she can add, subtract, multiply and divide large numbers using Montessori materials. And this is just the smallest part of what they teach. Geography, nature study, history, gardening, and the list continues. (A couple of weeks ago she made a booklet of the planets and I asked her, "Where is Pluto?" She made this face at me and said, "Oh, silly mom! Pluto is not a planet!") They also have great after school activities like art class, soccer, ballroom dancing, chess, etc.

It also helped Sophia at her Saturday school where she learns to read and write Russian. She started reading after just 3 classes.

I can't thank Mrs. Masood and Mrs. Bodinayake enough for their love, patience and knowledge they are always willing to share and Mrs. Ashgar and the support staff for their professionalism and willingness to help.

In a nutshell: if you want your child to fall in love with the learning process, this is just the right place.