La Casita Day School

La Casita Day School is a Spanish immersion preschool and kindergarten where children take part in full Spanish immersion through play, daily routines, and relationships. The program includes specific activities such as Spanish immersion, STREAM (Science, Tech, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math), reading, writing, and speaking Spanish. STREAM in Action connects Science, Tech, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math in real life through hands-on activities and interactive lessons that encourage creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, while also promoting bilingualism.

• Ages: 2–6 years old

The concept for La Casita Day School originated in 2008, and the school was founded in 2013. It began in Irene’s little casita (house) in 2013 with an 8-student license, and on September 29, 2022, Irene and Maria opened their preschool center with small class sizes and a warm, loving space that feels like a second family. The program is now Meyal International Preschool, growing into an IB candidate school.

La Casita Day School was co-founded by Irene Silva and Maria Silva. Irene has 32+ years of experience managing small businesses, and Maria has 32+ years of experience in Spanish immersion education. Maria Silva’s expertise in STREAM dates back to her experience with the California Mini-Corps (CMC) Program. The school lists loving teachers who are warm, invested, and passionate about each child’s development, and it emphasizes homegrown values and a space rooted in kindness.

The mission of La Casita Day School is to be a Spanish immersion preschool where love, safety, and belonging come first, and learning happens naturally. The mission states that the early years are a powerful stage of development, and that La Casita honors this stage by leading with love, consistency, and meaningful relationships. According to the mission, through nurturing routines, joyful play, and full Spanish immersion, children build confidence, language fluency, and a strong foundation for lifelong learning, without pressure or rush. The mission also states that love and emotional security come first in every program, and that from that foundation, Spanish immersion and strong academics help children graduate confident, fluent, and ahead. The school is committed, according to its mission, to providing an exceptional educational experience that prepares students for future academic success and nurtures their cultural awareness and fluency in Spanish.

La Casita Day School established Sonoma County’s first Spanish immersion preschool center and was created to address a gap in the market for Spanish immersion preschools in Sonoma County. The program includes Spanish immersion and strong academics, and its STREAM program is described as designed to foster a love of learning in multiple disciplines while promoting bilingualism. The school holds License #493010225.

Parent and educator testimonials describe experiences with La Casita and its co-founder Maria. One parent, Sarah Williams, states, “I couldn't ask for a better teacher for my son. She is nice, patient, organized, and professional. My son has learned a lot of Spanish from her.” Another parent, Blanca Salgado, says, “Maria uses a variety of resources to respond to student's diverse needs. Maintains excellent rapport with students throughout the lesson, while modeling patience and a positive tone.” School principal Ken Saltzbert notes, “Maria demonstrates an excellent ability to communicate with both her students and parents---and provides lessons that enable her students to connect their learning to prior knowledge and life experiences.” Parent Jana Rojas shares, “La Casita Day School day was one of the best educational experiences for my daughter. The warm family environment with a small student to teacher ratio resulted in my daughter learning to read, write, and speak. If you are interested in your child learning about Latin culture and how to speak Spanish, I would greatly recommend La Casita Day School.”

Last updated March 28, 2026.