A Mission Driven Pursuit To Transformative Education
At Excelementary, we believe the best education doesn’t start with a textbook—it starts with the child.
Learning Reimagined
Our story began in 1996, when Peter Hernandez left the corporate world to become a first-grade public school teacher. But it didn’t take long to see the problem: children weren’t connecting with how they were being taught. They became distracted, frustrated, and discouraged—not because they didn’t care, but because traditional instruction didn’t meet how they naturally learn.
Drawing on his background in Design Thinking, Peter reimagined education from the inside out. He created PAL: Playful Animated Learning™—a child-centered approach that blends guided play with animated instruction through our proprietary platform, Animator™.
For over 25 years, Animator has brought lessons to life through joyful, multisensory learning that builds strong foundations in reading, writing, and math—while inspiring the confidence and curiosity children need to thrive in a fast-changing world.
Photo of Peter and early years photos here*
Meet Our Team of Excelementary Instructors
Peter Hrnandez
Excelementary Founder
Credentialed Educator, MBA, BS
30 Years, Retired Credential Teacher with an MBA at USC and BS at NYU.
Daniel Hrnandez
Director
Credentialed Educator, MBA, BS
6 Years Credentialed Teacher with a BS & M.Ed from University of Notre Dame
Christopher Hrnandez
Lead Teacher
Lead Teacher
5 Years Lead Teacher with a BS, USC
Lupe Hrnandez
Head of Operations
Lead Teacher
5 Years Preschool Teacher, 30 years of community advocacy and senior management experience.
Why it Matters
The early years are not a dress rehearsal; they’re the foundation.
Children who struggle early often lose confidence before they have the chance to grow. At Excelementary, we understand that learning is emotional and formative. That’s why our work is focused on helping children build both skills and self-belief from the very start.
What We Do
We build mastery in reading, writing, and math.
One joyful lesson at a time.
Excelementary guides children ages 4–7 using engaging, research-based instruction designed for developing minds. Every session nurtures confidence, curiosity, and deep understanding.
What Makes us Different
We don’t just teach what to learn. We shape how they learn—and who they become.
No worksheets. No rushed lessons. Just joyful, hands-on experiences that promote true mastery. We go beyond gap-filling to help each child become a strong, joyful learner from the inside out.
The Deeper Impact
Learning success builds something bigger: identity.
When students begin saying, “I can do this,” they eventually believe, “This is who I am.” We foster that inner confidence that leads to lifelong motivation and a love of learning.
Results You Can Trust
In national MAP testing, elementary students using our iPal method placed in the 81st percentile in math, compared to a national sample where 50% scored in the 10th percentile.
Our approach works. And it lasts.
Our Programs
Transitional Kindergarten
Designed for ages 4–5, TK builds readiness through playful, structured learning in reading, writing, and math.
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Kindergarten
Foundational skills for ages 5–6, fostering early mastery in reading fluency, number sense, and writing expression.
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1st Grade
Ages 6–7 refine core skills and take their learning to the next level with challenging, confidence-building lessons.
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Learning Recovery
Personalized instruction for ages 7+, focused on closing learning gaps in a nurturing, engaging way.
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Why We Exist
We believe childhood is more than a prep course; it’s where identity forms.
At Excelementary, we nurture skill and spirit with developmentally meaningful lessons that help children master the fundamentals and discover who they are as learners
Ready to start excelling?
Schedule your free assessment today!