📍Serving Long Beach - Signal Hill Border
Where every day is a launchpad for children to thrive! 🚀
Welcome Home !
Meet Director Guia De Luna: An Expert Educator You Can Trust
Choosing the right care for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make. I established Aubry Academy in 2017 to fill a compelling need for high-quality, reliable early childhood education in our community.
Located inside the beautiful, gated community of Aubry at Alamitos Ridge (on the Long Beach/Signal Hill Border), we provide a nurturing haven where children are encouraged to soar free and shine bright like a rocket ship reaching its highest potential.
I bring a unique blend of professional teaching expertise, business organizations, and a resilient, caring personality to my large family daycare. At Aubry Academy, children explore, learn, and grow in a loving environment that feels exactly like family.
Meet the Director & Assistants
About Director Guia
🎓 Academic & Professional Background
Child Development Program Director Permit – California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Multiple Subject Teacher Credential – Former 8th-grade Science teacher
B.S. in Business Administration – California State University, Northridge (CSU Northridge)
🌱 Nurturing Healthy Bodies & Minds
I am deeply passionate about wellness and maintain a highly active, healthy lifestyle through dance and daily exercise. I bring an energetic, health-conscious mindset directly into Aubry Academy through nutrition, movement, and hands -on nature exploration:
Movement & Play: My background as a dancer keeps our classroom dynamic active, and filled with healthy physical movement everyday!
Home-Cooked Nutrition: As a passionate cook and as a pescatarian, I love preparing wholesome, delicious food. I serve mostly plant-based, home-cooked meals that nourish growing bodies with clean, nutrient-rich ingredients,
🌟 Meet Our Dedicated Assistants
Our wonderful assistants work closely with Director Guia to ensure a safe, high-energy, and enriching environment. Whether leading music and movement or guiding children safely on community excursions, they are an essential part of our daycare family.
Miss Lauren Weatherspoon
Education: Graduate of the prestigious California Academy of Mathematics and Science (CAMS) High School; holds a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential.
Role: Ms. Lauren leverages her strong foundation in child development to lead gentle morning transitions, manage classroom activities, and design enriching experiences that spark early childhood growth.
I view my role not just as a caregiver, but as a facilitator of knowledge. My passion for community comes from my roots. I spent the first 15 years of my life in the Philippines, where daily social interaction with neighbors and extended family was a beautiful way of life. This instilled in me an open-minded perspective and excellent interpersonal skills, helping me connect deeply with diverse families from all walks of life. I am a self-made business owner, a proud member of the Enamorarte Dance Company, and most importantly, a mother to three children (ages 23, 19, and 12). Having raised my own children through every developmental stage, I know firsthand the joys and challenges of parenting. I love hosting parent conferences to share effective, real-world parenting strategies and help you navigate behavioral or developmental milestones with total confidence.
Miss Kiara Akbar
Education: Graduate of Long Beach Polytechnic High School ("Jackrabbit Pride!"); current Child Development student at California State University, Long Beach (CSU Long Beach).
Role: Bringing up-to-date, university-level early education strategies directly into our classroom, Ms. Kiara loves leading our high-energy music, movement, and circle time sessions, as well as keeping children engaged during outdoor adventures.
Our Core Pillars: What Makes Us A “Gem of a Daycare”
At Aubry Academy, children thrive because of an intentional, student-centered approach designed to nurture the "whole child" across five distinct areas:
A Classroom with No Walls (Frequent Field Trips): We believe learning happens everywhere! Our teacher and assistants guide the children on frequent field trips to explore the beach, local parks, zoos, museums, and libraries using our safe 12-seat passenger van. From aquarium adventures and zoo trips to seasonal berry picking, our hands-on experiences spark lifelong curiosity and wonder.
Seed-to-Vegetable & Culinary Curriculum: Every day, children participate in food preparation and cooking. Students plant, grow, and harvest ingredients like kale, arugula, tomatoes, and basil from our garden. They build confidence and healthy eating habits by peeling carrots, mashing avocado for toast, peeling eggs, and tossing salads with homemade dressing.
Creative Free Expression: Children freely express themselves through art, writing, music, dance, and books. We feature an interactive clothesline rope on our backyard fence where your child’s unique artwork is proudly dried and displayed!
Confidence & Leadership: Our daily Student Leader Showcase gives children the opportunity to present a special item or lead a favorite storybook read-aloud, building vital communication and public speaking skills.
Kindergarten Readiness: We dedicate 15–30 minutes daily to individualized, one-on-one academic prep using Montessori and kindergarten-readiness principles covering numbers, letters, language foundations, and creative problem-solving.
Our Daily Flow
Structured Days built for Active Learning
We balance structured learning, nutrition, and real-world exploration to design predictable days that keep children secure, active, and engaged.
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | Welcome & Morning Prep:
Children arrive for a gentle morning transition. While early arrivals enjoy a light breakfast with our morning assistant, the teacher prepares fresh, healthy ingredients in the kitchen.
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM | Circle Time, Music & Movement:
A high energy-session of signing, dancing, group song practice, and our inspiring Student Leader reading showcase led by our assistant.
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM | Wholesome Morning Snack:
Children gather for a healthy, home-cooked snack before diving into playtime.
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM | Core Exploration or Field Trips:
Days alternate between deep sensory play, writing, and art projects in the backyard or hitting the road for our community field trips.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM | Inside Reset & Family Lunch:
Our assistant leads the indoor cleanup and cot setup before we gather together for a delicious, nutrient-dense, most plant based home-cooked lunch served by our teacher.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | Quiet Activities & Nap Preparation
Children wind down with stories, calming activities, and cot setup to prepare for a restful afternoon.
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Rest & Nap Time
A peaceful rest period allows children to recharge and supports healthy growth and development.
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Afternoon Snack
Children enjoy wholesome snack and reconnect with friends after nap time.
3:30 PM - Parent Pick-Up | Free Play & Enrichment
Children participate in a supervised free play, outdoor exploration, creative activities, and social interaction while awaiting parent pick-up.
Strict Safety Protocols
Security, Health, and Well-being Are Our Highest Priorities
Because our “classroom has no walls,” we maintain strict, non- negotiable safety standards both inside our facility and out in our Southern California community.
🏡 Secure & Gated Location
• Gated Neighborhood: Our home-based academy is located within the private, secure, and gated community of Aubry at Alamitos Ridge in Signal Hill.
• Controlled Access: All visitors are strictly vetted, ensuring a safe, distraction-free environment for learning and play.
🚌 Travel & Transit Safety
• Safe Passenger Van: All local field trips are conducted using our dedicated 12-seat passenger van.
• Rigorous Loading Routine: While our assistant manages bathroom transitions and packing prep indoors, the teacher handles vehicle prep, safety inspections, and secure loading.
• Proper Restraints: Every child is securely buckled into age-and weight-appropriate car seats or booster seats that meet or exceed California highway safety standards.
🏖 Outdoor & Water Excursions
• Active, High-Ratio Supervision: During our summer beach trips, bike path outings, and visits to the El Dorado Nature Center, our dedicated summer assistants maintain tight ratios so every child is always within arm’s reach.
• Pool & Water Safety: For clubhouse pool swimming and beach water play, we enforce strict visual monitoring, buddy systems, and appropriate safety gear to ensure a fun, completely secure experience.
🧼 Culinary & Hygiene Standards
• Safe Food Prep: During our daily Seed-to-Vegetable curriculum, children are closely supervised by the teacher and assistants while using child-safe, age-appropriate culinary tools for peeling and chopping.
• Handwashing Routines: Strict handwashing protocols are practiced before and after gardening, food preparation, meals, and outdoor exploration.
What To Pack Checklist
PREPARING FOR YOUR CHILD’S DAY
To ensure your child is comfortable and ready for a fun-filled day of gardening, cooking, and outdoor adventures, please pack the following items in a labeled backpack each day:
☀ Daily Essentials
Change of Clothes: Two complete sets of seasonal clothing (including underwear and socks) in case of messy art, gardening, or water play.
Closed-Toe Shoes: Sturdy shoes suitable for running, gardening, and safe climbing. No flip-flops, please.
Sun Protection: A labeled sun hat or baseball cap, along with a pre-applied layer of sunscreen in the morning.
Sunscreen: A labeled bottle of your preferred sunscreen for afternoon reapplication before our outdoor excursions.
Water Bottle: A reusable, leak-proof water bottle filled witth fresh water daily.
On outdoor excursion days, please ensure your child arrives with or packs:
Swimwear & Towel: A swimsuit and a lightweight, absorbent towel for our pool or beach sand play.
Water Shoes: Safe, secure water shoes or strap-on sandals for protection on hot beach sand or wet pool decks.
Light Jacket or Layers: A light jacket or sweater for our extended summer hours as the sun goes down.
Heartfelt Thanks From Our Parents
At Aubry Academy, we don’t just care for your child during the day; we build an extended family. We create lasting memories and meaningful friendships through regular family potlucks, community dinners, and our famous Valentine’s Day parent date-night pajama parties! Here is what our community has to say:
“Words cannot express my immense gratitude for Aubry Academy. My 3-year old son, who had difficulty with speech and social interactions, is blossoming ang thriving. Miss Guia is just incredible as a teacher and strives to bring out the very best is her students. ”
“Our son started at Aubry Academy during Covid. Miss Guia truly provided an essential service at a time when we so desperately needed it. Like many working parents, we were struggling to do it all without kids at home. Sending our son to Miss Guia’s for preschool has been one of the best decisions we ever made. Our son has thrived and made some very good friends. He has enjoyed being at Miss Guia so much that he asked, ‘Can I visit her on the weekends?’”
“Guia has become family, and. we deeply care for her assistants as well. She has had the families over for dinner, and even on Valentine’s Day hosted a late movie/pajama party so us parents can have a date night. The families, too, have become our friends and we look forward to staying close with them as our children grow up. My husband and I are certain that there is absolutely nothing in our lives that we spend money on that is more important than having our girls in this kind of environment. I never dreamed that a daycare would bring us so much happiness.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Aubry Academy operates with a California Large Family Child Care Home License. This certification allows a capacity of 12 to 14 children when a qualified assistant is present — ensuring high-quality, closely managed, residential-based childhood education that meets all state-mandated health and safety laws.
Our academy is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Our standard day begins with welcome and morning prep at 8:00 AM, and our afternoon schedule transitions into quiet rest, custom enrichment, and final pick-ups by 5:00 PM.
Safety is our strict, non-negotiable priority. All local field trips to the beach, zoo, museums, and parks are conducted using our dedicated, safely maintained 12-seat passenger van. The teacher handles vehicle safety inspections and loading, and every child is securely buckled into age- and weight-appropriate car seats or booster seats exceeding California highway safety standards.
We serve wholesome, nutrient-dense, mostly plant-based, home-cooked meals and snacks prepared fresh daily by Director Guia. As a pescatarian and passionate cook, she designs menus packed with clean ingredients. Children also harvest and eat fresh produce like kale, arugula, tomatoes, and basil directly from our backyard garden.
Yes. With Director Guia’s background as a credentialed educator holding a Child Development Program Director Permit, our curriculum focuses on the "whole child." We provide intentional speech support, storytelling, and custom hands-on activities to help children
Aubry Academy is a second family. We host regular parent conferences to share real-world parenting strategies and milestones. We also love building community outside of regular hours through family potlucks, community dinners, and our popular Valentine’s Day parent date-night pajama parties.
Join The Aubry Academy Family