Fridas Spanish School started as Salazar Family Daycare in a one-bedroom apartment in 2009 with the Salazar family team of teachers: Trinidad (mom), Marco (son), Paul (son), Monica (daughter) and Maria (daughter). Maria and Trinidad had a vision of sharing our family’s culture with other families in the Santa Monica and surrounding communities.
Maria Salazar is the Director and Preschool age Teacher.
“I grew up in Santa Monica, attended Will Rogers Elementary School, John Adams Middle School and Santa Monica High School. I graduated from California State University of Northridge in 2007 with a B.A in Social Work and a B.A in Chicana/o Studies, and have taken childhood development courses.
When I first opened a daycare with my mom Trinidad Salazar in 2009, I already had my daughter Frida, who was 18 months old at the time. Our family is from Michoacan Mexico, and I wanted to share our Spanish language, our culture, traditions, and values.
I now have three children: Frida, Antonella, and Daniel. My children have grown up in Frida’s Spanish School, have been part of many children's lives and grown close to them. They have seen them grow from infants to Kindergarten and beyond. We continue to have communication with families who have graduated or moved to a different city or state. Every year my children and I look forward to receiving the Christmas cards of families who send us an update of how much they have grown and what they are up to.” —Maria