ANGEL ACADEMY
A Heart Centered Preschool in Berkeley Hills, California
About Us
"We are more than co-workers, we are soul sisters. And because we
are soul sisters, our children experience ultimate support and unconditional love."
Halimah is an educator, storyteller, and international advisor for educational initiatives. She is a graduate of the State of Florida’s honors college for liberal arts, New College of Florida. Her thesis, entitled “From Stories to Dialogue: The Student’s Path to Freedom,” highlights the intrinsic relationship between the teacher and their student’s love of learning. Halimah was ordained as a Buddhist nun in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at Wat Umong, where she assisted in Buddhist Studies and Philosophy at Wat Suan Dok’s Buddhist University (MCU). After disrobing as a nun, Halimah worked with the Himalayan Trust Foundation as an educator and advisor for the Pangboche School in Khumbu, Nepal. Following her time in Asia, she returned to the States, where she delved into early childhood education.
Halimah began teaching meditation to children with special needs. She continued to oversee several preschool classrooms that led to the birth of TAP (The Awareness Palette), an educational program fostering individual growth and cultural awareness for younger children. In 2016, Halimah founded Angel Academy, a heart centered early childhood preschool in Berkeley, California. She has been invited to speak about Angel Academy's heart centered philosophy at the 2021 TEDx Conference. Halimah feels she is one of the most fortunate people in the world, doing what she loves most, nurturing children towards compassion, reverence, play, and wonder!
Halimah Harden
"How we respond to children is teaching them how they are to respond to themselves. At our heart centered preschool, we show them how every emotion is worthy of love."
Adriana Kussrijanto
Adriana has 20 years of experience in early childhood education and development. She is well-versed in holistic and play based methodologies. Adriana loves culture and traveling. She enjoys learning about people and their traditions, especially through listening to music from around the world. Adriana’s favorite pastime is reading. Her parents loved books and encouraged her and her three younger siblings to pick up books at an early age. Some of Adriana’s favorite authors are J.R.R Tolkien, Victor Hugo, Enid Blyton, Dr. Seuss, and Paulo Coelho. We are delighted to have Adriana at Angel Academy. She infuses the preschool with her peaceful and tranquil presence. Her dedication to teaching children is unparalleled.
Angel Academy • 2215 Marin Avenue, Berkeley California 94707 • angelacademy2215@gmail.com