Manzanita Wonderschool of Hacienda Heights

Our Teachers

Liliana Botello, Director & Head Teacher

Liliana has extensive experience working with children and creating a safe and enriching learning environment. She was an Elementary School Teacher for 16 years, teaching first, second and fourth grades in three different schools within the Los Angeles Area. She continues to maintain contact with former students and enjoys hearing of their current academic and social successes.

Liliana recently worked as an Educational Parent Facilitator for a non-profit organization. She trained parents in elementary schools on the importance of providing key emotional needs for children and the effect it has on a child’s life. She emphasized to parents that a child who is emotionally well balanced has better opportunities both socially and academically. Liliana is passionate about working with children and believes a major key in a child’s successful upbringing is parents and educators working together.

Liliana holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Child Development with a minor in Psychology from Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles. She also has a Master’s in Education from Mount St. Mary’s College. In addition, she took credential courses at California State University Los Angeles.

Liliana has three children of her own including two college students and an eighth grader. She loves promoting self-confidence in little ones by empowering them as they learn their strengths and develop their personalities.

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Testimonials

“Ms. Lily has been a blessing for our family. She has fulfilled everything and more that we wished for our child in beginning his educational journey. She’s created a fun, caring and safe learning environment for her students. After a few weeks of starting, our 3.2 year old was holding his writing utensils the correct way, singing a lot more and his speech improved. Now that it’s almost the end of his first school year, he’s now coloring 90% of his work using multiple colors, can spell his name, and brings home the cutest alphabet, numbers and holiday artwork. Most importantly, our child has made great “first” friends, he talks about them all the time and can’t wait to go to school to see his friends and Ms. Lily.”

“Our daughter stayed home with me since birth until starting school here at Ms. Lily’s school. I searched all over the internet for a good school and we couldn’t have picked a better place! Ms. Lily is the most patient, caring, sweetest teacher. She has extensive experience with children, and you can easily tell this is her passion and love. Ms. Lily and her home is very welcoming. She has an outdoor classroom setting in her backyard with plenty of space and coverings. Class size is small but great because the kids develop a strong bond with one another and I feel they are all getting the attention and care they need. We are so lucky and grateful to have found this place as our daughter’s first school.”

“As a parent, I cannot express enough gratitude for the incredible experience my child has at Mrs. Lily’s. From the moment we stepped foot into the welcoming environment, we knew we had found something special. She’s not just an educator, she genuinely cares about each child’s development and well-being. My son comes home excited every day, eager to share what he discovered and learned. The hands-on activities and engaging projects provided the perfect balance of structure and exploration. Mrs. Lily creates a nurturing atmosphere where children feel safe to express themselves, make friends, and develop important life skills like sharing empathy and resilience. She has a safe outdoor play area and enriching resources that stimulate young minds. Communication with her is seamless, with regular updates on my child’s progress and open channels for any questions or concerns via text and the wonderschool app. I wholeheartedly recommend Manzanita Wonderschool to any parent seeking a nurturing, stimulating, and enriching early learning experience for their child. Our family will forever cherish the memories and growth that occurred during our time at here.”

“July 17, 2018 Dear Mrs. Botello, Last month, I graduated high school as valedictorian, and in September I will be starting school at Stanford University. A lot of people have helped me reach this point in my life, and I’m blessed to say that you are one of them. You are an amazing, patient, and kind-hearted educator who I can say had a great impact on me at a critical time in my education. You have been one of my favorite teachers, and not just because you had your brother bring lunch for my mom and me because we forgot ours when we went on the field trip to the Pio Pico Historic Park. You were always so patient and kind with me, with all of us, even that time that I cried in class because I didn’t get a stamp on my hand, even though you stamped at random and it was a part of your lesson. In the end, I guess I just want to say thank you for being more than just a teacher and for helping to shape me into the person I am today. I will never forget all that I learned while being your student.

–Former Student”

Philosophy

Manzanita Wonderschool of Hacienda Heights provides children with a safe, family-oriented environment where they can explore, gain confidence, and learn positive communication and social skills.

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Location

Manzanita Wonderschool is located in the friendly and pleasant city of Hacienda Heights. The single-floor family home is located on a cul-de-sac street next to the foothills. The children have a breathtaking view of green hilltops from the backyard. There is a hiking trail nearby that lends itself to soothing mild walks, exploration and other physical activity. There is the Countrywood Park nearby where the children can run and play in an age-appropriate playground. Manzanita Wonderschool is conveniently situated about 5 minutes from the San Gabriel 60 Freeway with a shopping center and restaurants.

The children can play with their classmates in our private backyard during outdoor play. They have access to a small garden as they learn the process of growing and taking care of plants.

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About our program

Manzanita Wonderschool provides a safe and nurturing environment that allows children to thrive not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. The children will be provided with different activities that will help develop their fine/gross motor skills and problem solving techniques.

We acknowledge that children learn best when exposed to the various learning modalities that will meet each child’s learning and developmental needs, including auditory, visual, and kinesthetic activities. We also understand each child learns best at their own pace, therefore giving each child ample time to complete tasks.

One of our main goals is to provide a variety of activities both indoor and outdoor that will enable the children to tap into and develop their strengths. We have various learning centers in our learning space, including a dramatic play area, puzzle center, math center, reading area and more.

Since it is through social and peer interaction that children learn about the world, we emphasize the importance of building strong relationships with peers and teacher(s) through both whole and small group activities.

One of the key beliefs at Manzanita Wonderschool is the importance to instill confidence in every child through social and educational interactions. It is essential that every child not only develops strong self-esteem, but also learns to treat others with respect. We encourage children to communicate by using their words to have their needs met, thus assisting in developing a broader vocabulary. We promote a positive environment by redirecting students, teaching conflict-resolution skills, modeling positive behavior, using praise words and giving children the ability to make proper choices.

Our curriculum embodies various learning-based components that are developmentally appropriate for the students. An integral part of our curriculum includes learning centers that allow children to explore and develop their strengths. The children learn through creative play as they dress up in various costumes and interact with their peers. We do whole group activities promoting critical thinking skills, like performing experiments and doing guided cooking lessons. Children will also enjoy participating in vibrant art lessons as they listen to music.

Physical activity is also an important component of Manzanita Wonderschool. Children can run, explore and do whole guided age-appropriate exercises that benefit them physically and mentally.

Finally, we offer Spanish lessons so they can learn the basics of a second language. Manzanita Wonderschool provides a safe and enriching environment where your child can blossom into a confident and loving individual.

Admissions

Join the Manzanita community in four easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour the school

Come see what makes Manzanita Wonderschool unique. Please schedule a tour by filling out the “Schedule Tour” form.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application at <a href=”http://www.wonderschool.com/manzanita/apply” target=”_blank” >www.wonderschool.com/manzanita/apply</a> – Please note that we require tours for all prospective families. Do not submit an application if you have not toured.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation, you’ll pay your deposit (usually equal to one month’s tuition), fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.

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