As directress of Montessori classrooms for children aged 2 1/2 - 12 for over twenty years, Jan is pleased to be an active participant helping students be involved with integrated arts and sciences. She diligently strives to build a school which contributes to and benefits from community.

She believes that the Montessori Curriculum provides students with a comprehensive and organized framework, where an individual child is encouraged to explore all content areas with hands-on materials, experiments and activities which lead to development of abstract thinking and skill development. She is continually inspired by the integration of subjects, which results in looking at subjects from a range of perspectives. When this occurs, learning is enhanced and strengthened. Jan Taylor enjoys providing opportunities to be creative in sciences and arts. Her students are nurtured to take personal responsibility and mentored to make a difference in the community.

Jan has been working in the education field since she started as a Teacher's Assistant at age 13. She has taught at all levels and with special needs students in both public and private schools in New Zealand and California. She assisted in development of library resources and administration in New Zealand. She taught English as a Second Language for Volunteer Services Abroad, New Zealand in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. She coordinated with United Nations Development Program in Tonga.

Through her career, Mrs. Doran has worked with students and community in a variety of learning environments while developing strategies that affect students effectively according to need or preference.

The Montessori Curriculum provides scope for Mrs. Doran to connect with the student's imagination. Then, with her guidance, the child is mindfully led to acquire skills and knowledge through exposure to resources and experience using equipment and materials. Julia is creative and is inspired to develop interrelated learning.

Mrs. Doran works deliberately to help each child individually. Yet she has the ability to manage students to build an inspiring and effective learning environment.

Creative writing is a passion of Mrs. Doran, working with her students in journals, poetry, descriptive writing and stories. Her students develop a joy of reading literature and non-fiction in all subjects: animals, culture, history, and the sciences. Mrs. Doran thrives on presenting math experiences that are utilized daily by the children. Building this foundation, she feels, will allow children to keep spatial and mathematical concepts clear as they progress into further complex operations.

Love of the outdoors and nature lead Julia to interests in biking, gardening and a passion to conserve and preserve natural resources. Julia enjoys travel and adventure, yet she follows the principle of thinking globally and acting locally.

Ms. Jillian Buccola is pleased to have the opportunity to use her management experience and enthusiasm for learning as she guides and mentors her students in the Montessori setting. She is committed to helping each of her students develop through utilizing all learning styles. Each presentation in History, Zoology, Geometry, Botany, Geography, Mathematics and Language is coordinated so students have an integrative experience.

Providing knowledge in content areas first, then engaging students in comprehension, application, comparisons, analysis, evaluation and synthesis, Ms. Buccola encourages self-expression of her students. Inspiring excellence and supporting quality are passions of hers. She believes children thrive with positive interaction and support.

Ms. Buccola is a good communicator and demonstrates teamwork and collaboration. She is a talented artist that develops our model for connecting the sciences with the arts.

In her words, "Montessori education is a great foundation for life. Students become confident in skills and develop a love of understanding." Ms. Buccola is creative and a problem-solver who works to engage students on world issues, so they may discover how they will make meaningful contributions.

Mrs. Denise Buccola has been a member of the Montessori Arts and Sciences School community for over twenty years. Denise has career experience with office management with which she keeps the school's office organized and welcoming to parents, children and professionals. Denise has a strong interest in education of cultures, science and facilitating creative expression. She has the ability to help promote an idea into reality.

Mrs. Denise Buccola has made it her life's work to create textile art, oil painting, graphic design, sculpture and mosaic. With collaborative and networking talent, she designs and produces costumes, sets and props to showcase our students in music and theatrical programs.

Senora Isabel De Anda has twenty-two years of teaching experience facilitating children to become more proficient in both English and Spanish. She has worked as a bilingual teacher, tutor, translator and instructor for Latino parents helping their children to be successful in school.

Using Montessori materials to provide hands-on experiences with Spanish is a preferred method of teaching for Ms. De Anda. Her children attended Casa Montessori de Carlsbad School and Ms. De Anda has taught at Montessori Arts and Sciences School in previous years.

With insightful understanding about the joys and needs of children learning language, Ms. De Anda develops lessons that integrate with the core subjects as well as literature and field trips. Her classes are fun, while incorporating conversation, games, reading, writing and exposure to culture.

Plato said that music is a more potent instrument than any other for education. Now scientists know why...Music, they believe, trains the brain for higher forms of thinking. The last decade has been full of studies of how early music training increases math scores and spatial reasoning in students. We use this information to justify music education. Although, Mrs. Spencer is interested in brain research and would not discount improved mathematical skills as a benefit of music training, she believes that music should be an essential part of a child's education for the enjoyment that it brings to life.

Children love to create music. It is Mrs. Spencer's goal to give children the tools through classes on rhythm and pitch to be life-long music makers. The music program at Montessori Arts and Sciences is one that encourages children to improvise and compose. The students use pitched and non pitched percussion for song and movement. Musical skills are taught through imitation and games. The music classroom is lively and engaging.