June 28, 2023

Ms. Madeleine Gau

Ms. Madeleine Gau holds a Bachelor of Arts in both Public Relations and Spanish language in 2020 and is passionate about bilingual education. After working in traditional early-childhood education programs, she became interested in Dr. Montessori's methods for early childhood education. Ms. Madeleine is passionate about child development and about learning more about Dr. Montessori's methods for early childhood education. Read more

June 28, 2023

Ms. Karina Velazquez

Ms. Karina Velazquez earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education in 2007 from Centro Superior de Pedagogia Mentor Mexicano in Tijuana, Mexico. During her last year of college, she began working as a preschool teacher in a traditional school. In 2010, she had the opportunity to get to know the Montessori philosophy in depth and began working as a Primary school assistant at Kinderhouse Montessori School. Attending a Montessori-prepared environment was when she fell in love with this unique way of learning. At that time, Ms. Karina decided to take the training to become a certified Montessori Guide at the FAMM training center in Buenos Aires, Argentina and earned an Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Diploma to become an AMI Guide at the Fundacion Argentina Maria Montessori (FAMM) in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2011 and began working as a Montessori Guide. Read more

April 12, 2023

Ms. Melissa Vazquez

Ms. Melissa Vazquez earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Arts and Sciences from San Diego State University in 2017. After completing her Degree, she continued her preparation in the field of Child Development while working in elementary school computer science programs as a coding teacher at ThoughtStem LLC. In early 2020, Ms. Melissa pursued an infant/toddler teacher position at KinderCare Learning Centers where she developed her instructive practices. Read more

October 5, 2020

Ms. Flor Roshnaye

Ms. Flor Roshnaye has over three decades of experience in childcare. She helped build childcare programs at the Mission Valley YMCA to work in the food service department for the San Diego Unified School District. She enjoys seeing the growth of all the children she has taken care of over the years. Seeing them go from children to high school and college graduates makes her very happy. Read more

October 2, 2023

Ms. Olivia Ventimiglia

Ms. Olivia Ventimiglia earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz in 2021. She most enjoyed her Child Development and Child Psychology courses and has been enthusiastic to apply what she learned in her courses to her role at La Jolla Montessori School. Read more

December 5, 2023

Ms. Kalpana Floater / Lower Primary EDP Teacher

Ms. Kalpana Masaram

Ms. Kalpana Masaram earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Sciences from MIST Engineering College and a Master of Science Degree in Informational Technology from ASTRA University in India. After graduation, she worked as an Assistant Professor teaching Sophomores and Juniors IT-related coursework at an Indian University. She enjoyed the academic teaching environment and inspired her students engaging them in group discussions. Read more

November 12, 2024

Ms. Luz De Leon

Ms. Luz De Leon earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Language Teaching in English, Spanish, and French in 2018 at el Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexico. She also earned an AMI Montessori Orientation Certificate for children 3 - 6 years of age in 2020 at el Fundación Argentina Maria Montessori in Argentina, Buenos Aires. Ms. Luz has experience working with children since 2009 and hopes to make a better world by teaching the young ones using the Montessori method. Read more

November 14, 2024

Ms. Rachel Pigula

Ms. Rachel Pigula earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Fairfield University in 2019. Since then, she has worked as a private nanny, as well as taught and explored the world of yoga and Ayurveda. Ms. Rachel aims to marry these ancient practices with early childhood education in order to infuse mindfulness into the classroom. Read more

August 12, 2024

Ms. Courtney Miller

Ms. Courtney Miller attended both Humboldt State University in Northern California and the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Integrative Animal Biology. She worked in the science field after graduation from working with big cats at a zoo to working in quality control in the beer industry. Ms. Courtney has also held many child-related jobs over the years. During her childhood, her mother ran a daycare business in their home. Being around children throughout her childhood and adolescence ignited her love and passion for working with younger children. She worked as a gymnastics instructor, swimming instructor, gym teacher at My Gym Children’s Fitness Center and as a nanny for several families in Virginia Beach. Ms. Courtney believes she has found her calling in the Montessori method and is currently finishing up her Childhood Education courses so that she may train to be certified as a Montessori Guide. Read more

Staff