Open EnrollmentTo Schedule a Visit Call (805) 492-KIDS (5437)

WHERE NATURE AND NURTURE ARE AT THEIR BESTTM

As the premier Early Education facility in the area, Whole Child Academy is highly selective in its hiring process. Only the best candidates are considered, based on a passion for teaching, educational background, experience and an exceptional ability to realize and extend each child’s potential.

With an average of 15 years experience, our highly qualified Montessori teachers maintain their excellence with continuous training and education. As a non-profit, our sole focus is on the well-being of the child, with the goal of helping each child develop his/her full potential during these, their most formative years.

Our teachers view each child as an individual, and as a part of the group. They assess the child’s developmental needs in all areas (social, emotional, cognitive and physical). They plan a variety of daily experiences to best meet the child’s needs, increasing the complexity of these experiences as the child progresses.

Ms. Rajani

SENIOR STAFF

Ms Rajani has over 20 years experience in early childhood education and specializes in teaching Math, Science and Language-Arts to children aged 2 through 9.

Being a Montessori student herself, it was only natural for her to enroll her daughters in a Montessori school. She volunteered at their school until they graduated and then went on to complete her Early Childhood teacher training with NAMC, a member of The International Association for Montessori Educators (IAME).

A few years later Ms Rajani obtained her Elementary School certification and she is a certified Preschool and Lower Elementary school teacher. She holds a Masters degree in sociology and completed her Child Development training in college.

Over the years Ms Rajani has taught at several local preschools and kindergartens, improving some of their programs and creating new ones such as Science Fairs and Parent-Child events. She introduced a highly acclaimed Multicultural Day, the first of its kind for younger children – an event that was reported in the local newspapers.

More recently, Ms Rajani helped transform a traditional preschool into a fully functional Montessori school, implementing a new curriculum and training 5 teachers. Meanwhile, many parents kept asking her to open her own school, and some even offered to help her with the start-up. With such enthusiastic encouragement from parents and even some teachers, Ms Rajani finally opened her state of the art Montessori school, Whole Child Academy.

In her spare time, Ms Rajani likes to listen to classical music, hike, spend time at the beach, travel and keep up with the latest developments in Science – which she integrates into the school curriculum.


Ms. Amanda

Born and raised in Southern California, Ms Amanda knew at an early age that she wanted to work with children. After high school, she went on to college to study Early Childhood Education and subsequently began working towards her degree in Business Management. Soon after, Ms Amanda began her training in the Montessori philosophy and teaching method under the supervision of an AMS trained and NAMC certified Montessorian. She quickly realized that she loved the Montessori Method and soon embraced it in all aspects of her life, and went on to complete her Early Childhood teacher training with NAMC.

As Director/Teacher, Ms Amanda brings with her extensive experience of working with children, beginning with her time as a YMCA counselor at the tender age of seventeen. She quickly advanced to the position of Director, which she held until 1995 when she had her daughter, Victoria. Shortly thereafter her family moved to Seattle, Washington, where they lived for two years. Upon her return to Southern California, Ms Amanda worked as a teacher’s aide at a rapidly growing school and soon advanced to lead teacher, a position she held for eight years. In 2007 she became Director of the school, a position she enjoyed and excelled at.

In 2011, Ms Amanda teamed up with Ms Rajani and became Director/Teacher at Whole Child Academy.

In her spare time, Ms Amanda enjoys hiking in the local mountains, spending time at the beach, experimenting with foods from different cultures, and is actively involved with her family and friends.


Ms. Elma

Ms Elma is a credentialed Montessori teacher, and has had many years of experience working with preschool and kindergarten children.

She moved to our area from an out of state Montessori school – a school whose director called her a key employee “who set the standard of excellence for professional Montessori instruction and truly loves the children.” Ms Elma has held lead teacher positions at Montessori schools since earning her Montessori Early Childhood Credential, and regularly participates in continuing education Montessori workshops.

She has worked as a Bilingual Kindergarten Enrichment Specialist and is using her skills with our students here at Whole Child Academy.

Ms Elma feels that the Montessori system is where her heart is, and she joined our family at Whole Child Academy because she was “eager to return to a Montessori environment in a school that truly incorporates the method, in the spirit in which it was conceived by Maria Montessori.”

In her spare time Ms Elma likes to read, cook, work out, and play with her dog Paloma.