ABIGAIL LUNA

Abigail Luna is the Director, Owner, and Co-Founder of Luna’s Montessori Bilingual School. A second-generation Montessori educator, her connection to early childhood education began during her teenage years, when she assisted her mother at the family’s bilingual Montessori daycare. There, she discovered the joy of working with young children and witnessed how a thoughtfully prepared environment could nurture independence, confidence, concentration, and a genuine love of learning.

Abigail began her college education studying Child Development at Napa Valley College. She later completed a comprehensive two-year Montessori teacher education program through the Montessori Teacher Education Center of San Francisco. Her formal preparation integrated child development, Montessori theory and practice, curriculum development, classroom application, and the completion of a thesis. She also earned a certificate in Small Business Administration from the College of Alameda, strengthening the educational and organizational foundation she would later bring to her leadership of Luna’s Montessori.

After gaining professional experience in real estate and business, Abigail was presented with the opportunity to open a school of her own. In 2006, she co-founded Luna’s Montessori Bilingual School in Alameda, bringing together her family’s Montessori legacy, her passion for early childhood education, and her vision of creating a warm, harmonious, and close-knit school community.

For Abigail, Luna’s is much more than childcare or a traditional preschool. It is a bilingual English-Spanish Montessori community where children are respected as capable individuals and encouraged to learn through purposeful, hands-on experiences. In mixed-age classrooms, younger children learn by observing their older classmates, while older children strengthen their confidence, responsibility, and emerging leadership skills. Each child is supported in working at their own pace and level of development within a carefully prepared environment.

One of the most meaningful aspects of Abigail’s work is witnessing a child’s transformation: seeing a child arrive feeling uncertain about separating from home and, over time, become comfortable, curious, confident, and independent. She finds great fulfillment in watching children choose purposeful activities, develop concentration, take pride in their accomplishments, and discover the joy of learning for themselves.

Since opening its doors, Luna’s Montessori has grown through many seasons of change. The years following the pandemic brought significant challenges throughout the early childhood education field, including changes in staffing, enrollment, family needs, and the availability of public preschool programs. Rebuilding and strengthening the school required patience, adaptability, perseverance, and renewed hands-on leadership.

Through those experiences, Abigail developed systems designed to preserve the consistency and quality of the school during periods of transition. These include clearly documented curriculum and classroom procedures, intentionally prepared Montessori environments, consistent daily routines, staff orientation and training, ongoing observation and assessment, professional development, leadership support, and defined expectations for classroom quality and family communication. These structures help new educators understand the school’s philosophy and allow children to continue experiencing stability, order, and meaningful learning even as a teaching team evolves.

Abigail remains actively involved in the life of the school. She oversees daily operations, curriculum development, staff coordination and mentoring, enrollment, communication with families, and the preparation and continued improvement of the Montessori environments. She also works directly in the classrooms when needed, allowing her to remain closely connected to the children, teachers, and everyday needs of the school community.

An essential part of Abigail’s vision is supporting and inspiring educators. She believes that a strong Montessori environment depends not only on beautiful materials and carefully planned lessons, but also on teachers who feel guided, valued, and encouraged to continue growing. By developing clear systems and investing in professional growth, she works to help educators reach their potential while preserving the values and educational standards of Luna’s Montessori.

For more than twenty years, Abigail has remained committed to creating a nurturing bilingual community where children feel safe, respected, capable, and inspired. Her work continues to be guided by the belief that when children are given freedom within structure, meaningful work, patient guidance, and an environment prepared for their developmental needs, they can build the independence, confidence, and lifelong love of learning that will remain with them far beyond their preschool years.

E-mail Abigail at abigail@lunasmontessori.com