Dr. Laurie Klomhaus

My name is Laurie Klomhaus and I feel honored and privileged to be the principal of the Early Learning Academy. I am a life-long resident of Aurora and raised my family in District 129.

I began my teaching career in ESL pull-out instruction in Carpentersville, IL. I eventually received my Bilingual endorsement in the Spanish language and Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National-Louis University. During this time I taught for 9 years in Elgin in a second grade bilingual classroom. After teaching in Elgin, I stayed home a few years to take care of my small children. Eventually I went back to teaching half time on the East side of Aurora as a Title 1 pull-out reading teacher.

After East Aurora, In 2006, I moved to West Aurora as a Reading First Reading Coach for 3 years. This was an exciting time for me as I learned a tremendous amount about student learning in the area of reading. The Reading First initiative came to an end and I received the position of Assistant Principal at Greenman Elementary in West Aurora. During my tenure as Assistant Principal, I went back to school and received my doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Aurora University. In 2011 I became the principal of Todd Early Childhood Center now known as the Early Learning Academy in West Aurora.

 I want to welcome you and your child to the Early Learning Academy. Please remember that you are your child's first teacher. It is my great hope that we can create a strong partnership together to give your child the most successful entry into their educational adventure! 

Mrs. Kelly Person

Dear Early Learning Academy Families, Our mission at the Early Learning Academy, is to provide every child with a quality early childhood experience by offering opportunities to meet the whole child’s development through play. Early Childhood is my passion and where I have spent all of my professional career. These are the years where the growth happens and you can see the love and passion for learning in the eyes of each child.

I began my career in education in 2004, where I served as an Early Childhood Special education teacher for ten years, with a high focus on serving students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. It was in that work that I also developed a strong passion for special education. I believe that all children have the ability to achieve and be successful in their learning environment.

It was in 2014 that I came to West Aurora School District 129. I started as the Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator, and then moved into the Assistant Principal role. I now hold the position of Assistant Principal for the Early Learning Academy, as well as the Parents as Teachers (P.A.T.) program administrator. When joining the PAT program, I learned and developed a great love for serving the families of our youngest learners (Birth-3). This role affords me the opportunity to watch our families grow from Birth-5!

The Early Childhood years are such an important part of a child’s education, as early intervention is the best predictor of future success. This is the time when families and children learn and grow together and develop the strong foundations for future school success. In our work we seek to create a welcoming environment focused on family engagement and empowerment, establish safe and trusting relationships and environments with students and their families, and develop a foundation for the love of learning across home, school, and community. I am very pleased and thankful to be part of Early Learning Academy and look forward to meeting and working with you, your family, and your student!