Learning Community in Downey, CA

An innovative, personalized learning environment. Our microschool is a modern spin on the one-room schoolhouse consisting of blended age groups, experienced educators, curated curriculum, and customized instruction with real-world applications.

Ellemercito Learning Community is an independent hybrid homeschool program founded in 2021 with the simple goal of providing students with a living, highly tailored, and transformative education. Each student’s academic and social-emotional development holds equal value and a holistic, trauma-informed, and experiential learning approach is taken to meet individual needs. Educating students both in a relevant and meaningful manner coupled with an engaging, project and place-based model is at the core of who we are. We provide a small teacher to student ratio, individualized learning plans for all students, exceptionally personalized, differentiated instruction, and unique field trip opportunities that all focus on student-centered learning.

At Ellemercito, we believe education should awaken purpose, cultivate connection, and nourish the whole child. We are a co-healing, co-learning community that prioritizes youth mental health and creates space for every learner to feel safe, valued, and empowered.

Our approach is rooted in a rich constellation of research-backed, heart-centered philosophies:

• Charlotte Mason – for her deep respect for children as whole persons and her emphasis on wonder, habit formation, and living books—narrative-rich texts that stir imagination, evoke empathy, and engage both heart and mind

• Paulo Freire – for his belief that education must be liberatory, student-centered, and built on dialogue, reflection, and action—giving learners the tools to question, create, and lead

• Erin Gruwell (Freedom Writers) – for her trauma-informed, relationship-driven approach that proves empathy, trust, and storytelling can transform a child’s path

• Project-Based, Inquiry-Based, Experiential, Place-Based, and Culturally Responsive Learning – for immersive, meaningful exploration that honors student identity, fosters agency, and connects learning to real lives and communities

• Healing-Centered and Trauma-Responsive Practices – for placing nervous system regulation, belonging, and emotional safety at the core of every learning experience

• Explicit Teaching of Empathy and Emotional Intelligence – because compassion, self-awareness, and authentic connection are essential to academic success and lifelong wellbeing

Together, these philosophies form a dynamic and inclusive learning model—one where joy and justice meet, where structure supports freedom, and where every child is seen, supported, and inspired to become who they’re truly meant to be.

At Ellemercito, every day is crafted with intention. Our week is built to nurture the mind, heart, and creativity of each learner—blending structure with freedom, academics with wonder, and connection with purpose.

Here’s what families can expect from our rhythm:

📚 Monday–Wednesday: Core Academic + Enrichment Days
On-campus hours: 8:15 AM – 2:15 PM
After-school option: 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM

These are our core academic days—but at Ellemercito, we don’t view workshops or hands-on activities as “extras.” We believe that living is learning, and every experience, whether it’s writing a story, building a model, solving a math problem, or painting a mural, plays a valuable role in a child’s development.

Students engage in a rich blend of literacy, mathematics, collaborative projects, creative expression, and social-emotional learning—all woven into a school day that feels both purposeful and joyful.

Families needing extended care can opt into our After-School Club, offered from 2:30–4:30 PM. This time is intentionally designed to feel like an exhale after the school day—where children can catch up on schoolwork with tutoring support, dive into creative projects, or simply connect with friends in a relaxed, welcoming environment. Some students choose to work quietly, others tinker, paint, build, or explore new interests. It’s a space where learning continues—but with more room to breathe, play, and be themselves.

🌿 Thrive Thursdays: Whole-Child Learning in Action
Full-day in-person program: 8:15 AM – 2:15 PM

Thrive Thursdays are intentionally designed to support the whole child—fostering growth in academics, creativity, and connection. These full-day experiences include:

• Community connection and team-building

• Local outings and place-based learning (learning through direct engagement with the environment and community)

• Hands-on projects and entrepreneurship (creative thinking, innovation, and business basics)

• Student-led exploration and creative freedom

• Optional 1:1 academic support and tutoring for individualized growth

Thursdays are spacious and student-centered, offering time to slow down, follow curiosities, and strengthen relationships in a low-pressure, high-trust environment.

✨ Fridays: Freedom to Flourish
Fridays are currently reserved for:

• Family adventures

• Passion projects

• Outdoor exploration

• Rest and self-directed learning

This intentional pause encourages balance, fosters independence, and gives learners the freedom to apply what they’ve gained in new and meaningful ways—whether it’s a nature walk, baking at home, or creating a short film.

🗓 Looking Ahead: 2025–26 School Year
In response to family interest, we’re exploring the option of offering Fridays as an additional program day. This would provide families seeking a four- or five-day in-person model with greater flexibility—while still preserving the heart of our learner-centered, personalized approach.

💛 Want to see it for yourself?
We’d love to welcome you for a tour or a preview day. When families step into Ellemercito, they often say it just feels different—calmer, warmer, more alive. Come see what a week of meaningful learning could look like for your child. We’re here when you’re ready.

At Ellemercito, we don’t follow a strict schedule—we follow a rhythm.

Our days are intentionally designed to feel grounded, spacious, and emotionally safe. Rather than moving from subject to subject at the sound of a bell, we flow through learning in a way that honors the whole child. If a story sparks a powerful conversation, if a science project leads to a deeper question, we stay with it. We believe slowing down doesn’t mean falling behind—it means going deeper.

This approach is grounded in the principles of:

• 🧠 Constructivism – Children build knowledge through meaningful experiences, not memorization.

• 🪴 Whole-child and trauma-responsive practices – A calm, regulated environment fosters trust, safety, and growth.

• 🎨 Interdisciplinary learning – Just like in life, subjects blend together organically. A writing prompt may emerge from a science experiment; a math question may arise from a cooking project.

• 🔄 Rhythm over rigor – We trade the rigidity of conventional schooling for a flexible, responsive flow that supports curiosity, creativity, and connection.

📅 Monday–Wednesday

Learning Rhythm: 8:15 AM – 2:15 PM
After-School Club (Optional): 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM

🌞 Morning Rhythm

• 8:15–8:25 • Arrival & Morning Circle 🧭

• 8:25–8:55 • PE / Movement ⚽

• 8:55–9:25 • The Art of Storytelling ✍️

• 9:25–10:00 • English Language Arts (ELA) 📚

• 10:00–10:20 • Break / Snack Time 🍎

• 10:25–10:40 • Reading Nook 📖

🧠 Midday Rhythm

• 10:45–11:15 • Math ➗

• 11:20–12:00 • Science 🔬

• 12:00–12:35 • Lunch 🥗

• 12:40–1:05 • Spanish 🌍

• 1:10–1:35 • Art 🎨

• 1:35–2:05 • Social Studies 🗺️

• 2:05–2:15 • Community Circle 💬

🌿 After-School Club (Optional)
2:30–4:30 PM
A soft landing after the day’s rhythm. Students can receive tutoring support, collaborate on creative projects, or simply unwind in a relaxed and welcoming space. It’s still learning—but with more room to be themselves.

🌱 Thrive Thursdays

Full-Day In-Person Rhythm: 8:15 AM – 4:30 PM

Thrive Thursdays are designed for whole-child learning—interdisciplinary, experiential, and interest-driven. With more spacious pacing, students dive into collaborative experiences that nurture both skills and self-expression.

Activities may include:

• 👫 Community-building and team-based challenges

• 🗺️ Place-based learning through local outings and nature walks

• 💡 Student-led passion projects and entrepreneurial exploration

• 🧩 Hands-on activities blending science, design, and creativity

• 📚 Optional 1:1 academic support for personalized learning goals

On Thursdays, students aren’t rotating through subjects—they’re immersed in them.

✨ Fridays: Freedom to Flourish

Fridays are left intentionally open and unstructured to honor the learning that happens beyond school walls. Families often use this time for:

• 🌳 Outdoor adventures and hikes

• 🧁 Baking, building, or creating at home

• 💻 Independent or family-led learning projects

• 🎥 Exploring creative media, tech, or design

• 💞 Simply resting, recharging, and reconnecting

This flexibility reinforces our belief that learning is lifelong, whole-person, and woven into everyday life.

🗓 Looking ahead: For the 2025–26 school year, we may offer Fridays as an additional in-person learning option, based on family interest and community needs.

The four core and MORE: ELA, math, social studies, and science as well as Spanish, P.E., and multiple community workshops including the following:

• Ecogreen Learning Lab 
• Songwriting
• Fine Arts
• Ceramics
• Bricks 4 Kidz STEAM 
• Culinary Arts
• Content Creation 

Students learn content in a group setting and also work independently. Every student has their own chosen curriculum. We meet with families to create an individualized learning plan for every student that includes a full student portrait, the student’s love language, primary multiple intelligence, and preferred learning style. 

A variety of resources including STEAM projects, special guest speakers, and a plethora of resources are at our fingertips. We follow a hybrid model approach utilizing the best research-based technological practices while highly valuing tangible books, penmanship, and analogs of all forms.

Seton testing is offered to students in the spring and parents can opt out if needed. Transcripts are also available upon request.

We offer our community membership program and students can stay until 4:30pm Monday through Wednesday. Tutoring is available as well as after school activities.

Parents can choose “a la carte” style from our diverse programs, including Nature Club (monthly hikes and nature-inspired field trips), After-school Club (tutoring and use of our Creation Station), and a variety of workshops ranging from culinary arts to content creation. The program includes up to 2 hours a week/8 hours a month as families select “their own adventure” in choosing the activities that best fit their child’s needs. Community membership is not a drop-off program and parents are required to stay on campus. Parent participation is required for younger students.

MONTHLY RATE (2 HRS WEEKLY/ 8 HRS MONTHLY)

$190 PER STUDENT

$20 OFF PER SIBLING

Ellemercito Learning Community is not standards-centered, but student-centered. However, we do test in order to determine the efficacy of the instruction and learning taking place. As the learning continues, students are assessed on their progress through formative and summative assessments with individualized learning goals. 

The goal is for students to achieve mastery before moving on to the next higher-level concept. We believe our students are more than a quantified measurement, therefore letter grades are not the only means used to assess progress. Rather, students are also assessed through discussion, projects, portfolios, daily work, and with real-time learning tools.

Twice a month and parents are welcome to attend if there is availability.

Yes! While formal CTE pathways are typically designed for high school students, we believe career exploration should start early. At Ellemercito, we integrate pre-CTE learning exploration beginning in middle school.

Our approach introduces students to real-world skills across various industries—such as digital media, health and wellness, entrepreneurship, education, engineering, and environmental science. Through hands-on projects, guest workshops, and student-led capstones, learners begin to discover their passions and build the foundational skills needed for future careers.

By the time students reach high school, they’re empowered to pursue deeper learning through CTE-aligned electives, industry certifications, and entrepreneurial experiences like our Kidpreneurs Marketplace. Whether your child dreams of launching a business, producing a podcast, designing a prototype, or leading a wellness campaign, Ellemercito provides the space and support to explore those interests in meaningful ways.

Three available options:

• 1-day instructional program (select any day from M-W) – $100/week 
• 2-day instructional program (select any days from M-W) – $200/week
• 3-day instructional program (M-W) – $300/week

Our goal is to make microschooling accessible and equitable for all students. Scholarships are limited at this time; however, an income-based sliding scale option is available. Send us a message by clicking on the chat window on this page or by calling us directly. (562) 600-8406

Graduation Criteria

Graduation criteria at Ellemercito are clear, purposeful, and deeply learner-centered, ensuring that every student is supported through an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) tailored to their strengths, interests, and long-term goals. Each ILP is co-developed with families and aligned to Ellemercito’s core pillars of holistic education, trauma-informed and healing-centered practices, project- and place-based learning, competency-based mastery, emotional intelligence (EQ), and a strong commitment to equity and inclusion.

All students at Ellemercito have an ILP, regardless of their enrollment pathway, to ensure personalized, meaningful learning. These ILPs intentionally emphasize:

• Delight-directed learning: pursuing topics, projects, and experiences that spark the learner’s natural enthusiasm and joy

• Self-directed learning: encouraging students to take ownership, make choices, and build agency in their educational journey

Ellemercito also prioritizes youth mental health, providing proactive education, resources, and supportive relationships to help students understand, protect, and strengthen their emotional well-being as part of their overall growth and resilience.

Pathways

• Charter-affiliated homeschool students meet their charter school’s graduation requirements, including California A–G subject completion and any charter-specific assessments. Their ILPs weave in these academic standards alongside enrichment opportunities, social-emotional growth, and authentic, interest-driven learning experiences.

• Independent homeschooling students follow an ILP developed in partnership with families, identifying clear, measurable competencies in academic subjects, life skills, and social-emotional domains. These plans prioritize mastery-based progress and align with family values while using authentic assessments, portfolios, projects, and presentations of learning to demonstrate readiness for future learning or career pathways.

Core Academic Expectations: The Four Core and More

All Ellemercito students are supported to achieve mastery in the Four Core and More: English language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science, with additional opportunities in foreign languages, physical education, and other integrated learning experiences. Learning in these areas is reinforced with progress monitoring, evidence of growth, and opportunities for reflection and feedback.

Integrated Learning Experiences

Ellemercito does not see learning as separate from living. All workshops, programs, and opportunities — whether conventionally labeled enrichment or extracurricular — are intentionally woven into each learner’s journey as authentic, meaningful learning experiences. These opportunities are designed and adapted by developmental stage, ensuring relevance and purpose.

Examples include:

• Elementary and middle grades: Bricks 4 Kidz STEAM, Art Therapy, Speed Cubing, Ecogreen Learning Lab, Ceramics

• Middle and high school: Songwriting, Fine Arts, Culinary Arts, Content Creation, advanced STEAM projects, entrepreneurship opportunities including the Kidpreneurs Business Course and Marketplace, where students plan, create, and operate their own small businesses, as well as Money Matters, a financial literacy program supporting real-world economic skills, and community-based mentorships or internships

These experiences are delivered through project-based and place-based approaches, empowering students to connect their learning to real-world contexts and their communities.

Community and Service-Based Learning

As part of graduation requirements, students participate in community-based or service-learning experiences that build civic responsibility, empathy, and global citizenship. These experiences may include local partnerships, volunteering, or place-based projects that strengthen ties to their broader community.

Culminating Presentation of Learning

Each student completes a Presentation of Learning to demonstrate growth in academic competencies, critical thinking, social-emotional development, and personal strengths. This public demonstration is a powerful opportunity for students to reflect on their growth, share their learning, and build confidence as emerging leaders.

Portrait of a Graduate Alignment

Graduation pathways are directly aligned to the Ellemercito Portrait of a Graduate, ensuring that each learner is supported to become:

• Global Citizens: demonstrating cultural awareness, empathy, and responsibility

• Inspired Innovators: applying creativity and innovation to solve real-world challenges

• Skillful Collaborators: working effectively with others to achieve shared goals

• Mindful Learners: reflecting on their learning processes, developing self-awareness, and pursuing continuous personal growth

• Solution Seekers: approaching challenges with curiosity and determination

• Effective Communicators: expressing ideas clearly and confidently across diverse media

• Emotionally Intelligent Leaders: demonstrating self-awareness, empathy, resilience, and the ability to build healthy relationships

By rooting graduation criteria in these intentional pathways and an inspiring Portrait of a Graduate, Ellemercito ensures that every learner can thrive as a whole, empowered, community-connected individual ready to contribute meaningfully to society. Our program balances flexibility and student agency with clear, well-defined mastery requirements to ensure each learner is fully prepared for postsecondary success, whether that means college, career, or other pathways. Ellemercito continuously reviews and refines these graduation pathways in collaboration with families, community partners, and learners themselves to ensure they remain relevant, equitable, and transformative.

Yes! Our Summer Adventure Camp is a joyful, hands-on experience for children ages 5 & up—where learning feels like play, friendships grow, and every day is filled with creativity, connection, and exploration.

🗓️ Camp Details:

• Dates: June 30 – August 15

• Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

• 📍 Location: Downey, CA

• 💰 Tuition: $250 per week
  Save 10% when registering for multiple weeks!

• 👧 Ages: 5 and up

🌟 What Makes It Special:
Campers experience a blend of academics and adventure, including:

• 🧠 Daily academic enrichment in reading, writing, and math through games

• 🧪 Hands-on STEM labs and 🎨 creative art tied to weekly themes

• 🌳 Outdoor play, team games, and weekly outings

•  Mindful morning routines and calming daily reflections

• 💬 Connection circles that build emotional growth and community

🎨 Weekly Themes:

• ✨ June 30 – Global Explorers

• 🔬 July 7 – Young Scientist Week

• ⚙️ July 14 – Build, Test, Try: Engineering

• 🌌 July 21 – Outer Space Adventure

• 🎨 July 28 – Color Me Creative

• 🤖 August 4 – Rad Robotics

• 🌊 August 11 – Ocean Odyssey

⏰ Daily Schedule Snapshot:

• 9:00–9:30 AM – Morning Welcome & Mindful Warm-Up

• 9:30–10:00 AM – Reading/Writing Through Games

• 10:00–10:30 AM – Outdoor Play & Movement

• 10:30–11:00 AM – Math in Motion (Game Schooling & Puzzles)

• 11:00–12:00 PM – STEM Lab: Experiments & Challenges

• 12:00–1:00 PM – Lunch & Outdoor Play

• 1:00–2:00 PM – Thematic Art Projects

• 2:00–2:45 PM – Connection Circles & Team Games

• 2:45–3:00 PM – Daily Reflection & Creative Wind-Down

📌 Ready to Register?
Spots are limited! Sign up here: https://omella.com/hhjt8

📩 Have Questions?

• For PreK–2nd Grade: Dr. Bethany at connectedcuriosityla@gmail.com

• For 3rd Grade & Up: Lizette at lvalles@ellemercito.org

☀️ Two Ways to Summer With Us! 🎉🌱

Whether your child wants a full-day adventure or just a spark of creativity each week, we’ve got you covered!

💫 Option 1: Full-Day Summer Camp (Mon–Fri, 9am–3pm)
Hands-on projects, academic refreshers, outdoor play, creative challenges, and weekly outings — designed for 3rd grade and up. Perfect for learners ages 5+ who thrive through movement, imagination, and connection.

🎨 Option 2: À La Carte Clubs & Workshops
Pick what fits your family’s schedule: culinary arts, cubing, LEGO STEM, art therapy, chess, crafts, empowerment clubs, and more! Open to ages 4–17. Most workshops are just $15–$25.

📍 Downey, CA | June 30–August 15
🎟️ Spots are limited!

👉🏼 Register Here