LePort School Huntington Harbor

After researching and visiting a variety of different preschool and day care setups, LePort was the «winner» hands down. The school’s organization, methodology, and care for its students are unsurpassed. Yes, it’s expensive, but the cost is worth it.
Our toddler son started 3 days a week in Miss Hattery’s classroom in Summer 2015. We immediately loved her. Miss Hattery genuinely cares about the children in her classroom and was very helpful in our son’s transition to school, especially on the rougher drop-​off days during the early weeks. Seeing his early progress in independence, speech, and socialization, let alone the more measurable things he’s learning, in just the 3 days a week he was going, we decided to increase to 5 days a week. We’re very happy with this decision. We continue to admire his progress and couldn’t be happier with our decision to send our son to LePort. He always comes home happy from school and we can see how his time at school positively influences him. Once our son transitions to the next classroom level, we’ll be sorry to say goodbye to Miss Hattery, but we know LePort’s other teachers will be just as amazing. Once our second child is ready for preschool, we’ll be sending him to LePort as well.

My husband and I researched and visited many day care places for our daughter to attend when I returned to work from maternity leave. I was nervous about leaving my 3-​month old during the day and several of the places did not calm my nerves. When we found Le Port School, the choice was clear and we immediately felt better about my transition back to work and leaving my daughter during the day.
LePort School’s infant program is way more than a day care. When I tell people my now 7 month old daughter is going to «school,» I usually receive a chuckle, but LePort truly is a school. The campus is a nice location that goes up to 3^rd grade and the classrooms are set up based on the Montessori philosophy to encourage learning, exploration and interaction. The child: teacher ratio is 3:1, which is obviously better than the usual 4:1. Miss Almanza, the head teacher, has 3 other teachers who work in her classroom during the day with her. They are all fabulous and take wonderful care of my daughter.
Before my daughter began at the school, Miss Almanza came for a home visit to learn about our routines and our goals for the program. We could tell right away that our daughter was going to be in good hands, and after 4 months there so far, we could not be happier with our decision.
My daughter receives daily and detailed monthly progress reports. The teachers focus on her individual needs and are truly dedicated to her cognitive, physical, emotional and social development. They even have parent-​teacher conferences in order to discuss any questions, concerns or future goals we may have. And, I love the little school projects she comes home with and the photos they share to show her daily activities and progress.
Returning to work from maternity leave was not easy, but LePort School was an easy choice and a choice my husband and I are so thankful to have.
Thank you LePort for taking such wonderful care of our daughter!

Our 19 month old son started at LePort when he was 4 months old in the Infant Program (Mrs Levy) and recently moved up to the Toddler Program (Mrs Hawkins). We’ve been so pleased with our experience at LePort. We know he is always well cared for and loved while we are away at work; his teachers treat him with respect and love, as if he was their own child. We are extremely pleased with his development both physically and mentally. He is a very happy, well adjusted toddler.
We love the school so much that our second son just started in the Infant Program this week in Mrs Levy’s class. We would highly recommend LePort to any family looking for the absolute best care possible for their children.

This school always accepts sick babies. And they let sick babies play with other babies too, even sick baby with pink eyes!
Before my 8 month attending Le Port, he was a very happy and cheerful baby. Most importantly he is a very healthy baby without school. Less than 2 weeks after he started in Le Port, he became very depressed especially everytime when I picked him up from Le Port. He looked dramatically sad! Of course there is no way for me to find out what he exactly experienced from school. But I certainly know that baby can’t lie! Although you school claims you are open campus for parents. But your teachers always discourage me for stopping by. And there is no in classroom.
He was sick having running nose, cough, and etc almost everyday in October and November 2015. And school staff carelessness made it even worse. **11/​9/​2015 I dropped off my baby to Le Port in late morning and told your teacher he was not feeling well and having cough and running nose. the teacher still accepted sick babies as usual. I thought they would give extra care at least. Ms. Levy called me at around noon time on that day and said she suspected he is having pink eyes but she is not sure. And she didn’t ask me to pick him up right away. So I thought it was nothing serious or urgent and I went to pick him up at the usual time around 4pm. As I walked into the classroom I saw he was still out in the field with other babies. His eyes were swelling so bad and yellowish discharge was coming out from his eye like no tomorrow! He looked so tired and sick with no attention outdoor in the field! Especially if your school already suspected he was having pink eyes, then he should be isolated from other babies to avoid further spread! I took him to urgent care right after school and was confirmed he had pink eyes. So I had to pull him out and have him rest at home. He was out for almost 3 weeks. I called Le port the end of November and see if I still want to take him back to your school. But Ms. Asgar, who claimed that she is the head of the school, is rude and told me viruses are everywhere baby gets sick no matter what. And i won’t get refund for my December tuition. I tried to contact the headquarter of Le port. But they were not willing to give out any upper executives contact information!

I have both my 3 year old and 1 year old enrolled in Leport and cannot be happier with both the school and teachers. Miss Zappa was our infant teacher for both our kids who our children adore, I feel like our daughter has been progressing daily under her care and we get constant feedback on her development and advice for home. She’s grown both physically and mentally and can even sign a few words to us.
Our Son Parker started in Miss Zappa’s class and progressed to Miss Hattery’s class. I feel like the school is more than just daycare it’s amazing the progression on his vocabulary and life skills he learned while with Miss Hattery. With her help he became potty trained by age 2 and the vocabulary and skills of a three year old.
Parker is now in Mrs Ferdinandus’ class and has progressed even further, he loves going to school and picks up new skills daily. Every day he has a new word we’ve never heard him speak and talks about the activities that have helped him grow.
This school is more than daycare, I really have been won over by the Montessori philosophy and cant be happier wtih our choice. Highly Recommend considering we’ve had Parker in about 4 different daycares prior to Leport.

We have been a LePort family for 1 year and absolutely love the school. We started our daughter in Ms Zappa’s infant class and she is now in Ms Hattery’s toddler class. She loves going to school each day and is constantly amazing us with her development and what she has learned each day. We will be starting our son in Ms Zappa’s class in the new year. We have enjoyed all of the events for parents and family to interact with students in their environment. All of the admin staff have been very helpful and accommodating as well.

Mrs. Ferdinandus has been our Alex’s teacher for 4 months. She is calming and loving to him. In her class, she models and demonstrates what «jobs» need to be done and supports the students when they would have difficulty.
I was able to watch my Alex a few weeks ago and it was interesting to see how these little sweet 2 — 4 years managed their day. I was impressed.
Mrs. Ferdinandus cares about her children and the program!!!

Our son has been going to LePort for almost a year (since he was 6 months old) and we couldn’t ask for anything more. Ms. Zappa and the teachers in B8 really love and care for the children, as well as make sure they’re taught important life skills. They challenge the children learn and develop, even if it may not be the easiest or fastest thing for themselves.
As new parents, we were a little apprehensive to entrust our baby in the hands of others, but we quickly saw how safe and nurturing environment LePort was.
Maybe the best thing about this campus and Ms. Zappa’s class is how often they get out to play in the playground and sand box, go on buggy rides, and visit the garden to see all of the fruits and vegetables. Every day they get out and have these great experiences.

My daughter has been in Ms. Zappa’s B-​8 since she was three months old. The development that she has shown in the 13 months she has been with Zappa has truly been extraordinary. From fine motor skills, gross motor skills, hand eye coordination, learning development, comprehension, and manners (yes, my daughter shakes everyone’s hand when she comes to school) I have truly been amazed at where she is at in relation to other children around the age.

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 than.
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, 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. (couple 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.

My daughter has been enrolled at Leport Huntington Harbor since Oct 2012 where she started in the Infant Program. She is now 4 years old and is currently in the Spanish Immersion Primary class with Ms. Gaxiola. My daughter loves Ms. Gaxiola who sings to them and gives them hugs goodbye. She is very patient with the children. My daughter has also learned a lot from her on various areas such as food preparation, language and nature to name a few.
I was able to see this interaction as I participated in the «Watch Me Work Wednesday» program were as a parent you can come in and observe the classroom. It was amazing to see the children engaged in their work and how smoothly Ms. Gaxiola and Ms. Penaloza (her assistant teacher) work together and with the children.
Finally as both my husband and I do not speak an ounce of Spanish, it has been wonderful seeing how easily my daughter has absorbed the language. Sometimes she even teaches me words, which has been a fun learning experience.
Overall our our time at Leport has been great. It’s hard having someone else watch your child, but it makes it easier when you see how well cared for they are, how much fun they are having meeting and making friends and learning too. The teacher, staff and classmates (and their families) have become a part of our family too.

I started my son here when he was a few days from being 9 months old. He was enrolled in Ms. Zappa’s infant class. My husband and I fell in love with this school. I myself work as a preschool teacher at another Montessori school but still put my son here for the simple fact that I knew this school is great and the children get the love and attention that is needed for them to thrive. Most importantly low numbers which is the most important when working with infants. Ms. Zappa has been a wonderful teacher and has always kept communication open and always there for support. The first week she called and touched base with me to make sure my son was in good hands which is always the most important aspect when your child is in the care of someone else.

5 Solid stars. Kudos to Mrs Asghar; Mrs Satyani. Very helpful tips transitioning my pretty princess into LePort school. Ever so informative. Truly faithful to Montessori concept.
My daughter Arwa joined LePort in March this year, at age 3, and in six months progress is remarkable to say the least.
SPEACH and pronunciation of sounds so clear my friends say they enjoy conversing with Arwa, knowledge about nature and simple science. Arwa talks about stages caterpillar goes through before becoming a butterfly, whats a magnet, volcano eruption and hot lava. Naming continents and all states of america on the map!
Arwa now can read, spell and do basic reading. I have her read me a good night story :). Basic math. Writing is an excitement for her, she proudly shows off her skills.
Outdoor activity, «gardening» !
Independence, thats the key word.
On certain events and celebration, we look forward to friendly put luck gathering, its really all about the community.
Wining, reduced by 90%, she uses words more to express her feelings, boy she has a lot of them; I treasure them all.
Big step for our family, we can sit down to nice dinner table and have a pleasant conversation about Beautiful America.
There is a lot more for m to talk about, mostly about becoming a proud montessori parent.
Thanks Mrs Satyani, fine job.
Mrs Asghar, and all friendly efficient staff, big THANK YOU.

I can NOT express just how much my family loves this school and staff. I was a stay at home mom for nearly 18 months with my daughter. After we noticed that she was learning at a quicker rate than average my husband and I decided to challenge her in a structured academic setting. I was very (and still am) extremely protective over my daughter so choosing a school was difficult. It took us several months and tons of school interviews to basically give up. Our greatest concerns during these interviews at other facilities included: lack of daily structure, unkempt campuses, and lack of strong curriculum. I decided to just go back to work part time and get a nanny. I did not want my daughter just sitting somewhere mindlessly or being provided education that I was capable of doing at home for free. BUT THEN WE FOUND LEPORT!!!
From the moment we stepped on campus I was hooked. We were greeted by the warmest staff and taken on a tour by the head of school (who is incredibly busy, but you would never know because she takes time to stop and talk with each parent and child no matter what she is doing). My daughter LOVED the classrooms, the gardens, and campus make up. She didn’t want to leave. We had her enrolled within weeks.
She was placed in Ms Arzate class. She is phenomenal!!! I cried like a baby the first day we left her and she called me and emailed me throughout the day to ease my mind. She is so consistent with the children and they thrive with her. Honestly I thrive with her. She has taught me so much especially since my family is new to the Montessori world. She had my daughter potty trained within two weeks of being in her class and her vocabulary and social skills have blossomed. Ms Adly is her teachers assistant and I am so grateful for this woman. My daughter was very attached to me so her transition to school was a little challenging as expected. Ms Adly would LITERALLY just hold her and comfort her some days to ease her fears. She has become such a vital part of my daughter’s life and our lives. She is such a sweet spirit. We truly are so grateful for them both.
I was one of those moms that was so concerned with how fast my daughter could say her alphabet and recite her colors, but this school has taught me there is so much more to learning. While she continues to thrive academically she has grown leaps and bounds socially, emotionally, and her level of independence is through the roof.
The staff is one of a kind. They are kind, thoughtful, and consistent. They return phone calls and emails promptly and truly care about the kids. If you can’t tell yet we love this place, so much so we drive 30 minutes each way, passing 4 cities, and driving surface streets to get here. It is worth it!!!
Thank you Leport for all that you do.
(FYI we have been here nearly four months and we are still impressed).

My son has been going to Leport since he was in the infant program and we have been so happy and my son is thriving! I will be honest and say at one point we had a problem where my son wasn’t thriving like he was before but I expressed my concerns and the school went above and beyond to accommodate us and our concerns and my son has been doing better then ever! It AMAZES me on a daily basis what my son has learned! My son also moved up a bit early and was the youngest kid in the class and I was a little concerned he would be picked. The kids have been PHENOMENAL with him! He is so loved but not only his teachers but his classmates as well. We are so very happy with Leport and I would recommend it to anyone!

Still here and thriving! Thanks Leport! The model of academic learning at this school is fascinating and is incredibly tailored to children’s learning. I wish I could go back in time and a have choice in where I went to school.
Also, our son has formed great bonds with the staff and children at Leport. The environment lends itself to be kind and gentle with people and things. The ongoing parent education classes are also incredible. Parents learn methods from the perspective of children-​teaching us how to better communicate and model for them.
We plan on continuing through the summer and look forward to the activities planned.
I encourage you to visit the school and experience the warmth for yourself. Best decision we have ever made.

LePort offers such a joyful and enriching learning experience. The quality of care and rigor is unparalleled.
Our child began in the infant program with Mrs. Kim (and assistant teachers Ms. Anderson, Ms. Tapia, and Ms. Wilson) and then transitioned to the Spanish immersion toddler program with Mrs. Altamirano (and assistant teachers Ms. Palacios and Ms. Carrera). The teachers are to be commended for their gentle and personalized approach in the classroom, as well as their open communication with parents. Our child is full of wonder, exudes confidence in being independent, and respects being part of a community.
Mrs. Asghar is the Head of School, and the campus truly thrives under her leadership. All of the office staff and the teaching staff are competent, caring, and responsive. The school has the feeling of a warm, family environment, especially since all staff know each and every child by name.
We are advocates of a Montessori education and highly recommend LePort!

My son has been attending Leport Huntington Harbor for 8 months. He began in the infant program at a year old, and has just moved up to toddler. As a very busy working mother who would love to be home with my child, it is hard to drop him off somewhere every day, but I am so happy that I can go to work knowing that he is safe, happy, and receiving the attention he needs.
We did not begin the «montessori lifestyle» prior to starting him at Leport so there was a bit of a transition, but he has become so independent and responsible at such a young age, it is amazing. At a year and a half (and behind the pack I might add) he eats at a table with a fork and spoon, drinks from a regular cup, communicates when he is hungry, tired, or thirsty and puts away his toys when he is done playing with them.
His teachers, specifically Mrs. Levy and Mrs. Hattery, have both been wonderful. While in infant, I felt as though I was dropping my son off with a family member when I passed him along to Mrs. Levy. She reported back everything about his day, and what they would work on, so that we could continue and remain consistent at home. Although it has been a short time, I feel just as comfortable with Mrs. Hattery.
I am now pregnant with my second child, and really hope I can send her to Leport HH as well!

This review is long overdue as we have been extremely happy with LePort since our daughter started at age 3 months. As a full-​time working mom, it was incredibly difficult to leave my new baby. But the environment and staff at LePort made me confident that she was in loving hands. It seems that every teacher there knows her name (even the upper teachers) and greets her each day.
She has transitioned through Ms Almanza, Ms Kim and now Ms Hattery. They are all wonderful, but we have been particularily happy with Ms Hattery. She has a gift with toddlers. Our daughter is so eager to see her everyday that she is often disappointed on the weekends! We have watched our daughter blossom into an independent and curious little person. Our friends and family are always amazed when she picks up toys before moving on to the next activity (even at other people’s house!), and although we’d love to take ownership of that skill it’s really all thanks to LePort.

My daughter started in May 2014.
As my child’s first experience with school, I think that it was and is a great choice. My little girl is very well rounded. Her head teacher, Mrs. Altamirano, is a wonderful and very nurturing teacher. As a parent I was very concerned about the adjustment, but she took to the teachers and the environment like a fish to water. The environment at Leport is a rich and encouraging environment for exploration and learning skills she can carry throughout her life. Mrs. Altamirano is always available to discuss any issues that may come up. She also keeps us up to date on whats going on in the class and to help us be consistent at home. Based on our experience with this class, I would recommend LePort to anyone.