Ms. Kelly, School Director

Ms. Kelly grew up in Fort Lee, NJ with her parents and older brother and sister. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, with a minor in Law, Public Policy, and Human Rights at Mount Holyoke College. In 2018, she became an aunt and discovered her love of children. She pursued this passion for early childhood education and earned her Montessori Teaching Diploma for Early Childhood Years (2 1/2 - 6 y.o.) at the IAPM Montessori Teacher Training Institute here in San Diego in 2019. Since then, she has led classrooms and been a school administrator at Montessori schools in California, Arizona, and New Jersey. Her favorite part of teaching is guiding children through the process of learning sounds, building them into words, and then sentences until they are fluent readers! She also loves getting hugs each day from the sweet children at Pearl Montessori Preschool.

Ms. Kelly joined the Pearl Montessori Preschool team in May 2026.

Ms. Patty, Preschool Teacher

Ms. Patty loves teaching and has taught for the past 20 years at Pearl Montessori Preschool. She is a fully qualified Preschool teacher and has earned her Early Childhood Montessori Diploma with NAMC.

Ms. Patty was born and raised in San Diego. She is a mom of four and currently lives in Spring Valley with her husband, David, and three of her children (David, Jasmin, and Alyna). Her daughter (Sonia) recently moved to Portland, Oregon. They also have a Maltipoo dog name Chai and a Calico cat name Suki. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring, hiking, traveling, watching movies and spending time with her loved ones. She is so excited to be your teacher, and she is looking forward to all the fun things the children will learn in her class!

Ms. Patty joined the Pearl Montessori Preschool team in April 2006.

Ms. D, Preschool Teacher

Ms. D has over 25 years of childcare experience, caring for children from infants to elementary aged children. She has an associate’s degree in Child Development and has taken many courses studying early childhood education with a focus on infants and toddlers.

Her favorite part of being a teacher is seeing the “A-Ha!” moment when a child learns a new skill, and seeing children grow into leaders and helpers in the classroom.

Ms. D joined the Pearl Montessori Preschool team in November 2023.

Ms. Alison studied Early Childhood Education at Grossmont College and is currently working toward her Montessori certification. Ms. Alison loves welcoming the children each morning—especially the hugs! Her favorite part of teaching is watching children learn, grow, and feel proud as they master new skills and gain independence.

Ms. Alison was born and raised in sunny San Diego. Her passion for working with children began when she became an aunt for the first time and discovered how much she loved being part of a child’s growth and development. Ms. Alison loves building meaningful relationships with all PMP children and families!

Ms. Alison joined the Pearl Montessori Preschool team in September 2025.

Ms. Alison, Toddler Teacher

Ms. Neyla has a degree in Education with a specialty in Special Education for Learning Difficulties from Universidad Pedagogica Experimental Libertador in Caracas, Venezuela. She worked as a teacher in Ecuador for 3 years at Teilhard de Chardin.

After moving to San Diego, Ms. Neyla completed her coursework in Early Childhood Education, becoming a fully qualified Preschool and Infant teacher in 2025. She also earned a Montessori Assistant Certificate for ages 3-6 years with Montessori Stoppani - Association Montessori International (AMI).

Ms. Neyla joined the Pearl Montessori Preschool team in October 2024.

Ms. Neyla, Preschool Teacher Assistant

Ms. Mia graduated summa cum laude from Syracuse University with a B.A. in English and Textual Studies. She studied Early Childhood Education at UCLA and is now continuing her education at SDSU by working toward a Education Specialist Credential for Mild to Moderate Support Needs, further expanding her ability to support children with a variety of developmental and learning needs.

Ms. Mia loves being a teacher because she has the opportunity to support children as they learn, grow, and discover the world around them. She finds so much joy in helping each child build confidence, independence, and the skills they need to become the best version of themselves. Knowing that she can make a positive and lasting impact during such an important stage of a child’s development makes her work especially meaningful.

Ms. Mia joined the Pearl Montessori Preschool team in October 2025.

Ms. Mia, Preschool Teacher Assistant

Ms. Ashley, Infant Teacher

Ms. Ashley is a fully qualified Infant teacher, who studied Child Development at Southwestern College. She worked in childcare settings with infants and toddlers for two years before she joined PMP.

She is a fun, caring, and energetic childcare professional who creates a safe, happy environment where children feel comfortable, supported, and excited to learn. Ms. Ashley enjoys planning engaging activities, encouraging curiosity, and helping children build confidence through play and meaningful interactions. She values strong communication with families and is known for being dependable, nurturing, attentive, and bringing a joyful, positive energy each day, with the goal of making every child feel seen, heard, and eager to come in.

Ms. Ashley joined the Pearl Montessori Preschool team in March 2026.

Ms. Fargol earned her B.S. in Clinical Psychology at George Mason University. She continued her studies with coursework in Child Development at Mira Costa College.

Ms. Fargol is a caring and dedicated educator with a genuine passion for supporting each child’s growth and independence in a Montessori environment. She loves creating a calm, nurturing space where children feel safe, confident, and excited to explore and learn at their own pace. She is committed to fostering curiosity, respect, and a lifelong love of learning in every child, while continuing to grow and learn alongside them as an educator.

Ms. Fargol joined the Pearl Montessori Preschool team in March 2026.

Ms. Fargol, Infant Teacher Assistant

Ms. Ava is a dedicated and enthusiastic educator with a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development and a genuine passion for nurturing young minds. She has experience working with children from infancy through preschool in both Montessori and play-based learning environments.

Ms. Ava strives to create a warm, safe, and engaging classroom where children feel comfortable exploring, building confidence, and developing a love of learning. She especially enjoys supporting each child’s individual curiosity and celebrating their growth and accomplishments along the way. Ms. Ava is excited to be part of the Pearl Montessori Preschool community and looks forward to supporting each child’s learning, confidence, and development!

Ms. Ava joined the Pearl Montessori Preschool team in August 2026.

Our Team