Guidepost
Montessori

at Las Flores
.

Tours & Events
Las Flores.
Monday-Friday | 7:00 am – 6:00 pm

Nido (6 weeks to 18 months)
Toddler (18 months to 3 years)
Children's House (3 to 6 years)
Mandarin Immersion (18 months to 6 years)

28672 Deerpath, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 US
Dora Rapien
Guidepost Montessori at Las Flores is a trusted Montessori school in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. We are a dual immersion school offering both Mandarin and English programs. We proudly serve the communities of Rancho Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Coto de Caza, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Las Flores, and more. Our school is conveniently located off the corner of Oso and Antonio Parkways, near the Coto de Caza private community.
Dora Rapien . Head of School
Tours & Events
Child crawling with toy

Learn more about Guidepost from the comfort of your own home!

Just starting your childcare search? Not ready to tour in person?

You’re invited to Making the Most of Childhood: A Virtual Tour of Guidepost!

Get your questions answered and learn more about our:

  • curriculum and approach
  • schedule and a typical day
  • communication & collaboration

explore our programs.

Our approach is designed to empower each child to achieve independence by combining our hands-on curriculum with personalized learning to create an environment where curiosity flourishes, independence grows, and academic excellence is a natural outcome.

We want your child to see and believe: “I am capable!”

Nido.
A nurturing space for babies to walk, talk, and explore
Toddler.
For children ages 18 months to 3 years old
Children's House.
A preschool for hands-on reading, writing, math and more
Mandarin Immersion.
For children ages 18 months to 6 years old
Guidepost at Home.
For children ages 0 to 12 years old

what makes us stand out.

How is the Guidepost Montessori approach different from conventional education?

At Guidepost, we join with parents on their mission to help their child grow and live well. Together, we design an education to empower each child to build the knowledge, skills, and confidence she needs to craft an independent, flourishing life.

Though there are many differences between the conventional approach and Guidepost, here are some of the most important:

Conventional Education vs Guidepost Montessori
What is the Guidepost Mission?

At Guidepost, our mission is to support each child in achieving her own independence. To do this, we help her gain the knowledge, build the skills, and craft the personal character she needs to flourish. Above all, our goal is to cultivate joy—in the pursuit of knowledge, in effort applied to work worth doing, in the achievements of herself and others, and in taking the steps to author her own life.

Read more about the Guidepost Mission.

Learn about the key milestones we support—from infancy through high school.

Read more about why we educate for independence, and how we support independence for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-age children.

What are the outcomes of your programs?

Montessori education is known world-wide for having positive impacts on both academics and social and emotional skills.

At Guidepost Montessori, when we design an environment to meet the developmental needs and interests of children alongside personalized care and support, the child can learn advanced skills at an accelerated pace.

Our students, for example, regularly learn to read by the time they’re 4-years-old and can perform all four math operations with 4-digit numbers by the end of their Kindergarten year.

The language and math skills of our kindergartners are on a par with what children in conventional programs learn in 3rd grade or beyond! What’s more, our students learn advanced academics joyfully—while simultaneously developing deep focus, self-discipline, and positive social skills.

Read more about the Guidepost Montessori advanced Language Curriculum in Children’s House.

Read more about the Guidepost Montessori advanced Math Curriculum in Children’s House.


Do your programs include Kindergarten?

Yes! The third year of our Children’s House program, designed for 3- to 6-year-olds, is the capstone kindergarten year. In this year, the child has been well-prepared to experience an explosion of literacy, learn advanced math concepts, and use her hard-won ability to focus, problem-solve, and persist through challenges to then make advanced gains across the curriculum. Children who continue with Guidepost through Kindergarten are often well-ahead of their peers when they enter 1st grade.

Learn more about the capstone Kindergarten year at Guidepost.

Learn more about the next exciting stage: the Guidepost elementary program.

Following elementary, students continue on to our Montessori middle and high school, the Academy of Thought & Industry: a school that combines a classical liberal arts emphasis on history and great books, and a Montessori emphasis on independence and agency.

How does Guidepost partner with parents?

At Guidepost, we want to make the best education the best for children and parents. This is why we provide year-round, extended-day programming at no extra cost, enabling consistent and uninterrupted access to the care and developmental support parents expect. We invite you into your child’s world—with daily photo and video updates, regular milestone meetings, and parent-child events that showcase your child’s progress. We work to understand your unique context and needs, so that we can provide support for milestones at home as well as at school.

In everything we do, we strive to cultivate joy as you watch your child grow!

Read about Transparent Classroom, the app that provides a window into your child’s day.

Read about recent family events such as Grandparent’s Day, a cultural celebration, and a spring celebration.

discover the benefits of our mandarin immersion programs.

Children under the age of six absorb language effortlessly, which is why we are pleased to offer bilingual environments. In our Mandarin Immersion program, children learn both Mandarin and English literacy skills, however, the prevailing language spoken throughout the day is Mandarin. The overall emphasis on Mandarin rapidly increases fluency, as children feel naturally compelled to communicate with their Mandarin-speaking guides. Learn more about our Mandarin Immersion program here

The gift of language: Mandarin Immersion at Guidepost Montessori

take a peek at our school.

what parents are saying.

All
13
Google
8
Yelp
5
Gabriela A
Jul 29 on yelp
This school is by far the best school I could have imagined for my daughter. This is her first school experience, started just at 3 years old, from being home always with us parents. This school has been a blessing. It's the guides, faculty, and facility as a whole that's been tremendous. Ms. Anne, Ms. Izzy and Ms. Maha are all major figures to my daughters life now. They keep her safe, help her learn, and she's truly so happy here. In the short time she's been here, about 2 months, her speech has improved, confidence and social skills have improved. Now I have a toddler who looks forward to going to school where she has her friends but also her independence which is important to her as well. This is a school where I will truly advocate forever for. Being able to choose a school, after touring many in the area, that makes my husband and I feel comfortable to leave her during the week was a big deal for us. She's been always at home for us and we were extremely picky at where we decided to place her and we couldn't have thought of a better place than this one. It's truly worth every penny for our daughter's well being and growth. Also, I would like to add there is financial assistance you can get through the school, so definitely something to consider, that many other schools don't offer. As a family that utilizes it, it's a big help also financially for us.
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Miranda Bhutani
Jun 25 on google
My child has been enrolled at this campus for almost 3 yrs now. While there has been staff turnover in all this time, I can honestly say the leadership and the quality of the program keeps getting better and better. My child has been thriving in such a safe and loving environment. I will be very sad when he moves on to elementary school.
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Salvador S.
Feb 13 on yelp
Words can hardly express the gratitude my wife and I feel towards Ms. Ashlee, the extraordinary Montessori teacher and her Assistant guide Ms. Patricia at Guidepost Montessori, Las Flores. From the moment we stepped into her classroom, it was evident that they pour their heart and soul into their work. Ms. Ashlee embodies everything we could hope for in an educator and more. Her warmth, patience, and genuine love for each child shine through in every interaction. She creates an environment where kids not only learn but flourish, where curiosity is encouraged, and kindness is celebrated. Ms. Ashlee and Ms. Patricia not only nurtured our daughter's academic growth but have also instilled in her their important values of empathy, respect, and independence. Under Ms. Ashlee's guidance, my daughter has blossomed into a confident and compassionate individual. On top of that she was able to potty train our daughter at age 2 after our unsuccessful attempt. For that we will be forever grateful! Beyond the classroom, Ms. Ashlee goes above and beyond to foster a sense of community among families. Her communication is impeccable, always keeping us informed and involved in our child's learning journey. In a world where exceptional teachers are rare gems, we feel incredibly fortunate to have found Ms. Ashlee. She is not just a teacher; she is a mentor, a role model, and a friend to our family. Thank you, Ms. Ashlee, for your unwavering dedication and for making a profound difference in the lives of our children. We wholeheartedly recommend Ms. Ashlee to any parent seeking an exceptional Montessori experience for their child. She truly is a treasure!
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Kait Ireland
Feb 15 on google
We enrolled my son into Ms. Indira’s Nido classroom when my son was 6 months old and I was beginning to transition back to work. We wanted to leave our son with caregivers we felt we could trust, who were going to care for him and be as invested in his growth and development as we were at home. We chose the Las Flores Guidepost Montessori because the Montessori philosophy aligned with our home values and from the moment we met Ms. Maha and the guides of the Nido classroom, we knew they would love and nurture our little guy the way we wanted. We are in our third month and couldn’t be happier with that decision. Our son, who tends to be slower to warm up to new people and situations, reaches toward the guides every morning when we arrive, eager to play and interact with his favorite activities (like making music) and his classmates. He is thriving! We could not recommend this school enough. It’s worth it.
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Alexis Wensman
Feb 20 on google
I’m the grandmother of a young student who attends this school. I am compelled to comment on the high level of care and professionalism that I have witnessed at the school. Individual care offered to each little child while guiding them to exhibit grace and understanding for all. The Director ( I apologize I do not know her name) goes well over and above in her role everyday. Yesterday she hosted a waltz and formal tea party!! She thinks out of the box and does not limit her ideas as these are all children 4 years of age and under. A TRUE representative the Montessori philosophies. I’d like to give a special mention about Miss Ashley and the other instructor ( I’m SO sorry I don’t know her name) who works with her. They exude what appears to be unending love and energy everyday. My little grandson feels very safe with Miss Ashlee which offers great comfort for his mother and I. I recommend the Montessori School very highly. Thank you to all staff who work to make the school special.
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Alina D
Jan 25 on yelp
Our three children have attended Guidepost Montessori Las Flores for the past 6 months. They love the school and their teachers. Ms Jessica and Ms Lian in the Chinese toddler class are very sweet and loving with all the children. Our toddler went in on her first day and never looked back! She frequently tells us she loves Ms Jessica and and Lian. Mr Andy, Ms Olivia, Ms Zoe and Ms Yi are a great team for the Chinese children's house. Mr Andy is the most patient and kind teacher ever, and our preschooler and kindergartener have learned so much already from him and the entire team.
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C
Apr 23 on google
This school is amazing. Ms. Maha has really turned the school around over the past couple years. The guides and leadership have been amazing, you can see they really care about children, and I'm so sorry we had to leave (only because we had to move!)
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Felix Y.
Feb 23, 2023 on yelp
I couldn't be happier with my experience at Guidepost Montessori at Las Flores. From the moment I walked in, I felt welcomed by the staff and impressed by...
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M C.
Dec 19, 2022 on yelp
I'm very happy with my daughter attending this montessori school! I looked at a lot of places and this school had some openings. I believe the openings had...
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Stephen Nordman
Oct 11, 2022 on google
Our eldest and now youngest children have attended the nido program and we can’t be more thrilled with the advancements that our children showed from a very early age. I would highly recommend to any parent who wants a school based in original Montessori principles, is safe, clean and professional. Edit: We attended prior to the pandemic and have attended again for the past 10 months. They had a change of leadership during that time and I can say the current leadership is exceptional, even exceeding the original leadership we experienced.
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maha mikati
Oct 11, 2022 on google
My 4 year old daughter is currently in the Children's house and loving it! I especially appreciate the strong focus on practical life, which has helped develop her sense of independence and self care tremendously. The guides in the classroom helped make her transition so smooth and easy and right away new what level she was at cognitively and social/emotionally. The Head of School is always present and available for any questions and super approachable. I also really like how happy the guides seem which indicates a comfortable and joyful environment. and in the end, thats what matters the most to me!
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Andy Chiu
Oct 12, 2022 on google
My son has been at Las Flores Guidepost since Nido and is now in Children’s House. Throughout the years, he has learned numerous everyday life skills and adapted to be more independent when executing them. He enjoys going to school and is very passionate to show off his skills when he is at home. Keeping a child engaged, curious, and eager to learn is worth every penny over daycare. I highly recommend you to tour this campus and speak to the staff (and other families if you get to) to see what the school has to offer.
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Nathan Winneke
Oct 8, 2022 on google
Fantastic school, Fantastic teachers. The kind of early life education I was looking for and found. My daughter loves her teachers so much and has developed so many amazing new skills.
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The Guidepost Approach

start your journey with us.

Our team of admissions specialists are ready to meet you and get you started on your journey within the Guidepost community. We're here to provide your family with the information and confidence you need to enroll in one of our programs.

Learn more about Montessori.

Read our enrollment guide.

Book a school tour.

Submit your application.

Start your journey with us