A new school dedicated to early education and backed by a local university is set to open in Irvine this spring.
Westcliff University is moving along with construction for the Westcliff Early Learning Academy (WELA), located about a block from Irvine’s city hall, and about a five-minute drive away from the main university campus of Westcliff, a private, for-profit university that’s been in business for 30 years.
“There’s a huge shortage of accessible, quality childcare in Southern California, and I’m excited to serve that big need in our community,” Anthony Lee, president of Westcliff, told the Business Journal.
Westcliff said it chose to open WELA in Irvine to give convenient access to working parents in need of childcare in the area.
The development is headed by Irvine-based Ram Construction. The nearly 1.8-acre site at 2941 Alton Parkway will hold a 14,000-square-foot facility; it previously held a 21,813-square-foot R&D building.
School Collection
The academy will enroll children between the ages of 3 months to 6 years old and is currently taking applicants on a waitlist on its website.
Tuition costs haven’t yet been released.
WELA is Westcliff’s recent addition to its collection of schools, joining Westcliff Preparatory Academy—which serves middle and high school students—and Western State College of Law, Orange County’s oldest law school acquired by Westcliff in 2021.
Dual-Language Program
Officials said their new school is one of the first in California to provide a blended learning approach.
The school’s curriculum combines Montessori, Reggio Emilia and nature-based learning for a well-rounded education that aims to meet the unique needs of each child.
The learning policies of both Montessori and Reggio Emilia adopt a self-guided approach while differing in methodology.
A Montessori education allows students to pursue their own interests, while Reggio Emilia promotes socialization through group activities. The blending of the two makes it possible for students to learn independence and cooperation, school officials said.
“We’ve designed the curriculum to specifically provide children the freedom to explore who they are as learners without confinement,” Monica Heredia, director of WELA, told the Business Journal.
In addition to the blended curriculum, WELA is offering a dual-language program beginning with Vietnamese and plans to expand to French, Spanish, Korean and Mandarin down the line. The language program will be open to toddlers and primary students.
The nature-based part of the curriculum stresses the importance of outdoor free play for a child’s well-being.
Part of the school, as a result, will feature a playground area for outdoor activities like nature walks and gardening.
Heredia has held previous director roles at Newport Mesa Unified School District and Muse Global School in Calabasas before joining WELA.
Her involvement in WELA is fueled by her fascination with early brain development.
Heredia notes that 90% of brain growth happens before a child turns 5, which makes early education that much more crucial for future learning and overall well-being, she said.
“We have the incredible advantage of being a part of Westcliff University, which provides us with insight from collegiate professionals in the early childhood field,” Heredia said.
Lifelong Learners
Westcliff University refers to its students as “lifelong learners,” which aligns with Lee’s mission to deliver quality education starting from infancy to advanced doctorate degrees.
Lee noticed a shortage of accessible early education when he tried to enroll his own children in school three years ago.
He ran into backed-up waitlists for preschools for both of his daughters.
“I could only imagine how hard it was for the rest of the community,” Lee said.
Lee collaborated with his wife, who is a pharmacist, on the health and wellness aspect of WELA.
WELA is partnering with The Lunch Mob to get nutritious meals made with farm fresh ingredients for students.
“We have a lot of faculty, staff and students that have children and it’s difficult for them to go to school or work,” Lee said.
