The Paige Monroe Academy

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.

— Sonia Hernandez, Director

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.