The Paige Monroe Academy

Our Teachers

Hello! I am Sonia Hernandez, the founder of The Paige Monroe Academy. It has always been my dream to design a creative space where children can blossom and grow.

I’ve been working with children in many different types of learning environments for the past 15 years.

I started working with preschool aged children 15 years ago as a Martial Art Instructor. During the summer, I would host a program for the same mixed age group. We made arts and crafts projects, created music from the items we found on our nature walks, and shared original stories. Watching the growth of these children sparked my love for creative learning.

With my growing love for childhood development, I moved onto becoming the Manager of a local children’s museum. In this position, I interacted with about 300 children a week. From monitoring play stations to helping the director create special events, I increased my knowledge of Early Childhood Development.

Many years later, I managed a Private College, guiding students from enrollment to graduation. I oversaw a staff of 40 employees and developed a system to support students along their journey.

I became a mother in the years after. I could better understand the needs of a developing child and the expectations of a mother in a learning environment. I knew it was time to create a program based around the benefits of Smart Play.

This summer I will be attending Santa Monica College to ensure my program provides the highest quality of learning and support for each and every family.

We look forward to leading you in your learning journey and accompanying you through the most crucial time of your child’s development.

Philosophy

At The Paige Monroe Academy, we believe children thrive when their individuality is supported. Our STEAM-based projects and activities are designed to encourage exploration and spark creativity so that children can discover their interests. It is our goal to provide a safe, and nurturing environment where children’s unique abilities are highlighted and where they can develop independence and be proud of who they are, what they like, and how they feel.

Parent - Teacher Communication

When you enroll at The Paige Monroe Academy, we will immediately begin creating a communication plan that works for your family. You can expect to receive messages each day that provide glimpses into what your child is experiencing. Depending on your schedule, we’ll take advantage of pickup and drop-off time to share updates on your child’s development and program updates. Our priority is working well as a team to help your child become their best selves.

Location

The Paige Monroe Academy is located in a bright, sunny apartment just 2 miles from the Santa Monica Pier. Our high ceilings and open floor plan allow for a generous amount of space to play and learn.

We have four extra-long windows in our main learning center, inviting sunlight, waving palm trees, and passerby furry friends in the picture windows to entertain and delight.

Just a five-minute walk takes you to the Colorado Center Playground & Picnic Area. Or for a more adventurous hike, Douglas Park is simply 15 mins from there.

We’ve designed our care environment with play and learning areas that allow children to explore various developmentally-appropriate activities based on their interests. Some of our favorite areas include the dramatic play area (for self-expression and empathy), music and movement area (for physical activity and cultural learning), and manipulatives and math area (for fine motor skills and beginning math concepts).

Children will have outdoor time every day at our local parks and playgrounds. Connecting with nature is vital to a child’s happiness and growth.

At the Paige Monroe Academy, we want to provide an environment that supports the cognitive, social, and emotional growth of each child.

About our program

Our daily projects and activities are designed to encourage exploration and spark creativity. Children discover their interests with a can-do approach.

We include a non-contact version of Tae-Kwon-Do every single day to help instill the five tenets of the practice:

· Integrity

· Perseverance

· Indomitable Spirit

· Courtesy

· Self-Control

We want to create a program for children to watch their strengths develop, both inside and out. You don’t know who you are until you try and try again.

We also encourage exploration through science; communication through music; and good eating habits through food prep.

Admissions

Join the The Paige Monroe Academy 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 our program

Come see what makes The Paige Monroe Academy unique. If we are currently hosting tours, you can request or schedule a tour at the top of this page. If we are not currently hosting tours, you’ll see a “Request Info” button at the top of this page; if you submit your information using this button, we will notify you when we start host tours again in the future.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application. Please note that we require tours for all prospective families. Please do not submit an application if you have not visited the program.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation you’ll pay your enrollment fee, fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.