Welcome To Your "Children's House"


“Now, what really makes a teacher is love for the child; it is love that transforms the duty of the educator into the higher consciousness of a mission.” -Maria Montessori
La Jolla Montessori School is all about teaching your children well. Our focus is to teach each child in ways they respond via the Montessori Method. LJMS provides experienced, worldly and well-educated English and Spanish teachers who observe your children and their strengths as individuals; then, builds a learning program around them to complement their personal interests and pace in both English and Spanish. The result: children will learn concepts that foster their self-esteem and independence.

About The Founders


Kristin Edwards and Saied Nakhai are the Co-Founders of Lifetime Montessori School (LMS) located in Santaluz near Rancho Santa Fe, California. After 12 years of great success with their 18 month - Elementary program with more than 200 students and after being recognized as one of the top Montessori Schools in San Diego, they have created another strong Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) school together called La Jolla Montessori school. Located in the La Jolla community, they are very excited about the opportunity to keep high-quality Montessori methodology in San Diego.

About The School


Just like Lifetime Montessori school, La Jolla Montessori’s goal is to provide a stimulating and enriching experience based on Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) ideologies. Working hands-on with AMI Montessori materials and highly trained teachers, children become joyful and confident learners who know they can excel at anything they put their mind to. They will also support children by collaborating with community members to meet each of their unique needs while supporting the families by engaging, inspiring, and educating parents on a daily basis. Every family member is invited to participate in informative and stimulating events held at the school throughout the year. Each moment children experience at La Jolla Montessori School will encourage and allow them to reach their full potential.
La Jolla Montessori School aims to cultivate children to be independent free thinkers, joyful learners, confident individuals and active participants in their community. Their goal is to work with a diverse group of families that feel confident parenting with the Montessori methodology—allowing their children freedom of choice, exploration, and discovery. Together, the school and community will produce children who care for their environment, value their community, are inspired to follow their own path, and will excel in all areas of interest.
La Jolla Montessori School's mission is to foster a nurturing environment that is physically and psychologically supportive of learning for toddlers through kindergarteners in both English and Spanish. Early language immersion is one of the best ways for children to become bilingual – a privilege that has shown to have life-long benefits. Our English/Spanish bilingual program is integrated into our Montessori programs, so children receive both an authentic Montessori education and a strong Spanish language program at the same time. The school will offer a cooperative and enriching atmosphere where your child will develop their knowledge through self and teacher-initiated experiences. When children graduate from La Jolla Montessori School they will become confident, secure, independent and joyful learners.
Dr. Montessori founded the first Casa Dei Bambini, or "Children's House" in 1907. Today we honor her legacy by following all Association Montessori International (AMI) standards and aim to make LJMS your "Children's House".
For any enrollment or general questions, Contact Us today!

Our Vision


La Jolla Montessori School (LJMS) aims to create children who are independent thinkers, joyful learners, confident individuals and active participants in our community. Our goal is to work with families who feel confident employing the Montessori Method—allowing children freedom, exploration, and discovery. Together, LJMS and our parents seek to build children who value themselves and others, who are inspired to follow their own paths, who care for their environment and who will excel in their areas of interest.

Our Mission


La Jolla Montessori School focuses to give children 18 months to Kindergarten a stimulating, enriching English and Spanish Bilingual experience based on Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) ideologies, the 110-year old teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori. By using AMI Montessori materials and highly-trained English and Spanish teachers, children have the space and guidance which paves the path for them to become confident, joyful, and bilingual lifelong learners. Our school supports children by collaborating with parents to meet their individual needs. As a result of this participatory experience, children learn to do by themselves at school and at home which brings great joy to the child, the parents, and the teachers.

Dear Parents,
The Montessori approach to education is about cultivating the passion for lifelong learning. You might say it is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of educational objectives. That is why we named our school La Jolla Montessori. Our program prepares your child to become a lifelong learner, problem-solver, and good citizen. Isn’t that what it all comes down to as adults?
Dr. Montessori believed we could cultivate this love of learning by offering the child authentic learning activities, immersing them in a culturally rich environment, developing their love of ‘game play’, and permitting them the time and space to learn at their own pace. That is why it is our school’s mission to provide a nurturing, supportive and loving bilingual environment to support your children’s academic, physical and psychological make-up and social-emotional development.
Our year-long Toddler program serves children 18-months to 3-years and supports the youngest members of our community in learning how to feel safe and secure at school, how to explore a classroom environment, and how to independently use the toilet. Children enter the Primary environment at the age of 2 ½ to 3 and continue in the same environment through Kindergarten. Our Primary curriculum focuses on developing the young child’s concentration, communication, problem-solving and sense of self.
We are grateful for the opportunity to work with you and your children to help create a new generation of leaders in a world that will need all our collective help.
Sincerely,

Heather A. Davis, Ph.D.
Director