1st Grade

I was born and raised in Orange County. I teach 1st grade on the Newport Beach campus and my goal is to create an inclusive classroom that results in a successful learning environment. I am recently married and we have three dogs that keep us very busy. When I'm not teaching or playing with my dogs I enjoy reading and playing card games. I’m excited for another great year at Seashore!

Spanish Immersion

I have started as a substitute teacher at Seashore Academy in February 2020. Later in 2020, I started teaching History, Science, and Spanish at the Huntington Beach Campus to TK/K and Elementary level, as well as Spanish to various grades in Newport Beach. I currently teach 2nd and 3rd grade in our Spanish Immersion program in Newport Beach, which I enjoy immensely! Besides my love to teach and learn for myself, I’m passionate about Astrology, travel, good food, and spending time in nature. To stay fit, I take Yoga/Tai chi classes, and also bike, hike, and swim.

2nd Grade

I was born and raised in Orange County. This is my fourth year at Seashore Academy teaching 2nd grade at the Newport Beach campus. My goal for all my students is for them to love school and learning. In my spare time, I enjoy sailing, being with friends and family, going to the lake, and traveling. I am looking forward to another great year!

7th & 8th Science

I teach 7th-grade life science and 8th-grade physical science at the Newport Beach campus. I love teaching and getting to see the children grow in their academics and social skills throughout the year. I love to teach all ages but have found that I gravitate towards first-grade and middle-school ages. Outside of teaching, I love to do art, go to the beach, and be with my friends, family, and my dog.

I always loved school growing up. As a teacher, I try to make the learning experience as enjoyable and engaging as possible. I am also an artist and I integrate creativity into my lesson plans as much as possible. I have a MA in Education, B.A. Fine Arts, and B.F.A. Graphic Design. I graduated Cum Laude from the University of California at Santa Barbara and Corona del Mar High School. In my free time, I enjoy going on walks or hikes and spending time with my family and friends. I am very happy to be at Seashore and I do my best every day to make it a joyful experience for the students.

Kindergarten

I am a kindergarten teacher at Newport Beach Campus. I love this age group! I grew up in Japan and love to travel there every year. I have an amazing daughter who is twelve years old and loves to horseback ride. My goal is to create a warm, loving, and supportive environment where my students are excited about learning and look forward to coming to school.

Managing Director

I am so excited to join the Seashore Academy team this year, as the classical teaching strategy aligns with my educational philosophy. Not only have I taught in private education for over 20 years, I grew up as a student enrolled in private education as well. I am passionate about developing students who feel successful and confident as they flourish in their educational setting. I believe that Seashore Academy’s philosophy of “Unlocking Potential, Embracing Flexibility” provides that opportunity for success. I look forward to partnering with parents, students, and faculty to foster that environment of success in Seashore’s daily environment. Outside of Seashore, you will find me and my wife Molly, on an athletic field coaching or in the stands cheering for our 3 kids as they excel and pursue their passion for athletics. We enjoy the beach, short vacations, and spending time together as much as possible. Our family is rooted in the values of private education and we look forward to being a part of the Seashore Academy family.

TK and ECE

It's my second year teaching TK and ECE. I'm currently getting my Early Childhood Education Degree at Coastline College. Outside of work I like to swim, hike, and see friends and family. I'm very happy to be back at Seashore. I can't wait for another amazing year!

3rd/4th Grade & Spanish Immersion

I grew up In Newport Beach and this is my 3rd year teaching at Seashore Newport Beach. I recently obtained my MA in Elementary Education. I am passionate about teaching and love building relationships with my students and their families. In my spare time, I enjoy going to the beach, golfing, and spending time with my family and friends. I love being a part of the Seashore team!

Substitute Teacher

After teaching 1st and 2nd grade at the Huntington Beach Seashore campus for 2 years, I am taking a bit more time to be with my family and substitute teach. I’m thrilled to still be teaching at Seashore as a substitute at the Newport campus this school year. My hobbies include: spending time with my husband, 3 boys, and our dog, Nellie, bike riding, running, reading, and cooking. We also love to hike, go to the beach, and explore new areas throughout California. I’m grateful to live and work in a community, where surfing, learning, and friends/families are strongly supported!

3rd & 4th grade and Spanish Immersion

My favorite part about teaching is building relationships with my students and their families! Because Seashore Academy has small class sizes and such a strong community bond, I’m able to teach to my full potential! When I’m not teaching, I love to cook, travel, and exercise. I also love riding my beach cruiser to the beach with my family.

TK

I was born and raised in Newport Beach. I got both my BA in Communication and MA in Education at USC. I have 4 children: Reagan is a senior at the University of Wisconsin, Maddy a junior at the University of Georgia, Brady is a senior at CDM, and Dylan is a sophomore, also at CDM. I love spending time with my family and friends. When I’m not working, I also enjoy reading, paddle boarding, and swimming. I’ve been at Seashore for 4 years now…I taught Kindergarten and now I’m in TK at the Newport Beach campus. I love my job and am so thankful to be working at Seashore, as we have the best staff and families!

English, 5-8th grades

Lynette Planto is a dedicated educator with a diverse background, teaching at all grade levels for over twenty years. Her desire to be at home raising her two children led to a career in teaching. With many long-term assignments in English, Drama and German at the middle school level, she is eager to be a part of the Seashore Academy staff! Passionate about fostering an environment for learning success, she enjoys sharing insights with students to make writing more enjoyable. As an army veteran and USO volunteer, Mrs. Planto has had the honor of facilitating support groups for military families and veterans, to include working with children in many volunteer roles. A graduate of University of Arizona in communications and drama, she also enjoys working with young people in the area of public speaking and theater.

Early Childhood Education

Hello! This is my second year teaching at Seashore Academy! This year I am working with the youngest group on Newport Beach’s campus, our Early Childhood Education program. This group is so much fun! I love that I get to make our classroom a Home away from Home for kiddos who are experiencing school for the first time!

At home, I love spending time with my family outdoors, swimming and playing water polo. I have two dogs, Ghost and Houston, and I love Halloween and popcorn!

Tutor

I started working in 2012 for the Redlands Unified School District as a math tutor for the AVID program. It is a program that is meant to teach students good note taking, test taking strategies, and study habits to succeed in grade school and beyond. From there I have been working as an online math teacher since 2017 in all grade levels. My approach to teaching is that I believe that it is important for my students to feel comfortable making mistakes and not be afraid of having the wrong answer. However, I also believe that it is crucial for students to understand why their answers are wrong so that they can learn from their mistakes and improve their understanding of the material. By encouraging my students to view mistakes as opportunities for learning, it allows them to develop a growth mindset and build their confidence as learners. Outside of teaching I enjoy playing instruments, snowboarding, cooking, and rock climbing.

Campus Manager

Seashore's philosophy and approach to learning are what attracted me to the academy.

I grew up in both the Netherlands and France and I am fluent in Dutch, French, English & Spanish. After graduating from Leiden University in the Netherlands, I worked as an international conference child care director, where I traveled around the world managing large groups of children and counselors from diverse backgrounds. I also gained valuable experience working as a consultant in the industrial labor force business, bridging communication gaps between management and the labor force. I am excited to use my background in childcare and communication to contribute to Seashore Newport Beach, a wonderful place for children to learn and grow! In my free time, I enjoy swimming, beach workouts, music and being creative.

Mandarin Immersion

I was born in Taiwan and earned my degree in Visual Communication from the National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. I am currently a 3rd-grade teacher at Tzu-Chi Academy at Irvine and a K/1st teacher at Seashore. This is my 10th year teaching and 8th year teaching at Seashore. I believe learning Mandarin is important for the language as well as understanding Chinese culture and history. I design projects for children using my creative talents and integrating language in a fun way. I am able to keep children engaged in learning Mandarin while I meet curriculum goals and objectives

1st Grade

I work at the Newport Beach campus teaching first grade. I am so excited to shape the minds and create memories with the students of Seashore Academy. When I am not teaching, I enjoy being creative and hanging out with family. I cannot wait to share my passion for learning and my joy of working with students.

Mandarin Immersion / 3rd Grade

I have been with Seashore Academy for more than 10 years. I teach Math and Science as well as Mandarin for all grades. I became a teacher because of my love for children and the opportunity to not only teach but to mentor and watch children grow and thrive! I love the hands-on learning experiences that Seashore offers and values the safe and joyful environment. When I am not teaching, I enjoy going backpacking and spending time in nature! I also love trying new foods!

Campus Administrator

I joined Seashore last fall of 2021 as my values aligned with Seashore's traditional philosophies. My favorite aspect of my role is building relationships with families and providing an environment where students can thrive. When I am not at Seashore, I love spending time with my 3 children, going to the beach, paddle boarding, and hiking. I am also a Seashore parent and enjoy both the opportunity of being an administrator and an academy parent.

1st & 2nd Grade

This is my third year with Seashore Academy and I could not be happier! My co-workers and administrators add support, motivation, and experience to my teaching experience every day! For the last two years at the San Juan and Mission Viejo campus, I have taught combo classes TK/K/1/2. What I look forward to most is when students experience that special moment when they understand or have mastered a concept, math problem, word, reading passage, or challenge. Seeing the relief and joy in their eyes and smiles is very rewarding! I enjoy country line dancing, Texas two-stepping, camping, hiking, swimming, kayaking, and most outdoor activities. I have traveled to 34 countries and have set a goal of 50 countries to see during my lifetime!

TK & Kinder

This is my second year as the TK/K teacher on the Mission Viejo Campus. Teaching has been something that I wanted to do since I was a little girl! When I was 13 I was already giving swim lessons and babysitting. I love helping students learn that they are capable and that they can do hard things! I love being a part of young students' journeys. Something that is very important to me is helping students of all ages become the best versions of themselves. I love painting, crafting and being creative at home to relax(and with students!). I also enjoy doing anything outdoors; camping, hiking, swimming, walking, and backpacking. My family is the most important thing to me and quality time with them keeps me grounded and ready to be the best teacher I can be.

Controller

I joined Seashore Academy in March 2022 and I am really enjoying being part of a business with such a great mission. I grew up in upstate New York and reside there with my husband and cats. In my spare time I enjoy being outdoors, gardening, cooking, making furniture, construction, and quilting. I love nature, creating things with my hands and living life simply, and of course I have a passion for accounting & finance.

Admissions & Operations Director

I joined Seashore last fall of 2021 as my values aligned with Seashore's traditional philosophies. My favorite aspect of my role is building relationships with families and providing an environment where students can thrive. When I am not at Seashore, I love spending time with my 3 children, going to the beach, paddle boarding, and hiking. I am also a Seashore parent and enjoy both the opportunity of being an administrator and an academy parent.

Seashore Accounts

I joined Seashore in February 2021 and oversee billing and accounts. I love working for such a unique school. I spent most of my life in Orange County and raised my children there, but currently live in Texas with my husband and adult children. I love spending time with family and in my spare time enjoy walks, friends and church.

Communications

I joined Seashore in October 2021 after years of working in International Education. I love connecting with the families that Seashore attracts and seeing happy kids across all Seashore campuses. In my free time, you will find me with my husband and our three young children, traveling, doing yoga, going to the beach, and searching for our next adventure!

HR

Born and raised in Northern California, I am a Human Resources Professional with many years of experience in all things HR. I currently reside in Northern California with my husband, my kids and our animals. I am a big fan of all sports and generally spend my free time hanging out with my family, playing or watching sports, and running a non-profit hosting events.

Director of Family Relations at Newport Beach

It has been an enriching, fun, and exciting journey to be a part of Seashore's continued growth and positive transformations since I joined in 2019 and a student population of around 45. I am passionate about Seashore’s values and feel honored to work with the best families, students, teachers, and staff who inspire me daily.