Cleveland Spanish School & Academy – Children’s Spanish Programs

Cleveland Spanish School & Academy – Children’s Spanish Programs offers children’s classes, Saturday children’s classes, children’s private classes, summer programs, and immersion classes that focus on Spanish instruction. The program also offers Spanish classes at its own location and Spanish classes at a child’s school as part of its children’s Spanish options.

• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: Next session starts January 12; winter children’s classes start January 24
• Price: Group classes are $16 per hour

The Cleveland Spanish School & Academy began in 2004 together with the Cincinnati Spanish School & Academy. In Cleveland, children’s classes were first offered in the Broadview Heights area in 2011, and then expanded and moved to a permanent home in Lakewood in 2013. The school states that it has been experts for more than 10 years and teaches Spanish to more than 250 children, with a staff of more than 8 experienced native teachers.

Children’s Spanish programs are led by experienced, 100% fluent Spanish-speaking instructors. Director Maria Elena Penzol-Pauer (also listed as Maria Elena Pauer) received a BA in Spanish and Political Science from The Ohio State University and is a Foreign Language K–12 licensure candidate in Spanish from Cleveland State University. Instructor Edith Quimper has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management and a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics in Spanish as a Second Language. Instructor Javier Cruz studied Early Childhood Education and Secondary Education at the Universities of Granada and Madrid, has worked for 10 years in Madrid as a Spanish teacher, and for 2 years in Ohio at a private high school. Instructor Brenda Reyes has been teaching Spanish for 13 years to students of varied backgrounds, including college students and Canadian ambassadors.

Classes use an immersion learning methodology focused on learning Spanish in Spanish, with activity-based, age-appropriate activities in every class. The program describes its setting as informal and welcoming, with small groups in a small, conversational setting at reasonable prices and a carefully planned curriculum taught by experienced, native instructors.

The school’s mission is to serve English- and Spanish-speakers with products and services that offer educational, linguistic, cultural, social, and communication benefits. It serves adults, children, and organizations through Spanish instruction, translation, ESL instruction, interpretation, social networking, study abroad, and print, broadcast, and online publishing, and states that its mission will bring people together while encouraging tolerance, understanding, and exploration of new languages, cultures, and ideas.

The Cleveland Spanish School & Academy partners with local schools and provides Spanish classes at 9 different schools and preschools. It is a partner of Lakewood Schools and other area preschools and programs to offer Spanish curriculum and serves individuals and organizations with educational, linguistic, cultural, social, and communication services.

Parent and student comments describe conversational-based curriculum, small class sizes, native Spanish instructors, and interactive classes. One parent reports that teachers are “absolutely AMAZING” and that after one class a child had learned “so much” and found the class fun and very interactive. Another parent reports that a child who initially disliked the idea of Spanish class later looked forward to class, came home with new words after every class, and said that having Spanish made the entire year better. A parent of a 4-year-old notes that the child looks forward to Spanish class every week, uses Spanish at home, and that the instructor relates to the children and makes them feel comfortable to learn.

Last updated January 20, 2026.