La Casita Day School (becoming Meyal International)

La Casita Day School (becoming Meyal International) offers full Spanish immersion through play, daily routines, and close relationships with teachers. Children take part in play-based learning and STREAM in Action, which brings Science, Tech, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math into real-life experiences. The program also includes STREAM exploration, creativity, and emotional development as part of everyday activities.

• Ages: 1–6 years old

Founded in 2013 after the idea first began in 2008, La Casita Day School is a Spanish immersion preschool and kindergarten with programs for toddlers, two's, preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten. The school features small class sizes and a low student to teacher ratio, described by a parent as a small student to teacher ratio. It is evolving from La Casita Day School into Meyal International, with a globally minded early childhood education approach rooted in love, belonging, creativity, cultural connection, and joyful exploration. The program emphasizes Spanish every day, strong academics, full Spanish immersion, and a focus on love, safety, and belonging, with loving teachers who are described as warm, invested, and passionate about each child's development. La Casita Day School holds License #493010225.

Co-founders Irene Silva and Maria Silva lead the program. Maria brought decades of Spanish immersion teaching experience and a deep understanding of how children learn, and Irene brought vision, business leadership, and a lifelong passion for human development. Through word of mouth and community trust, La Casita Day School grew into one of Sonoma County’s most recognized Spanish immersion preschool programs.

Parents and educators describe the program and its teaching in several ways. One parent shared, "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 noted that "Maria uses a variety of resources to respond to student's diverse needs" and "maintains excellent rapport with students throughout the lesson, while modeling patience and a positive tone." A school principal stated that "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." Another parent described La Casita Day School as "one of the best educational experiences" for her daughter, highlighting the "warm family environment with a small student to teacher ratio" and sharing that her daughter learned to read, write, and speak there, and recommending the school for families interested in Latin culture and Spanish.

Last updated June 26, 2026.