Faculty and Staff Directory

The La Jolla Country Day School faculty, administration and staff are strong, diverse and talented individuals who have been drawn together for a common purpose. Ours is a vibrant community with an exciting charge—to create a stronger, better place where our children and those of future generations can grow to become excellent individuals, citizens and adventurers of the world.

Below is a list of the administration, staff and faculty. To locate a member, click on the drop-down menus below to search by division, department or last name. Faculty and staff bios are also available below.

Faculty/Staff Directory

  • Photo of Sandra Carlton
    Sandra Carlton
    Associate Educator, Grade 1; Coach - Cheer
    (858) 453-3440 x 163
    Bio
     
    “I inspire greatness for a better world by creating a community that fosters the needs of each student. I believe being a teacher at LJCDS means starting each day with a positive outlook to ensure a warm community for students and colleagues.” 

    Sandra Bashore joined LJCDS in 2023 as a first-grade associate teacher working with Sally Krause to create an engaging classroom for all students. She believes in developing the whole student in academics and social-emotional growth. 

    Ms. Bashore earned her Master of Education from the University of Florida, specializing in elementary education and her Bachelor of Science from Florida State University, majoring in child development. She was a second-grade teacher for two years.

    In her free time, Ms. Bashore enjoys traveling with her fiance, Madie, and goldendoodle, Bear. She is up to 35 states of her goal of visiting all 50 states. After living in Seattle for two years, she is excited to be in sunny San Diego. 
  • Photo of Briony Chown
    Briony Chown
    Head of Lower School
    (858) 453-3440 x120
    Bio
     
    “I inspire greatness for a better world by hearing and elevating the voices and the work of young learners as they embark on their school journey. Lower School students can create work and have ideas that are meaningful, complex and have an impact on the world. I seek to honor that within the school and within our San Diego and global community.”

    Briony Chown believes that young children are capable of far more than most adults believe. She is delighted to be part of the La Jolla Country Day School community where the curiosity and talents of both students and educators are nurtured and students’ intellectual and social-emotional growth are always at the forefront.

    Ms. Chown is an experienced educational leader with a strong early childhood and elementary school background. Most recently, and since 2015, she has been the director of High Tech High Explorer Elementary in Point Loma. In addition, she has been a Grades 2–5 teacher. Originally from the United Kingdom, she has an undergraduate degree in literature and philosophy and a graduate degree in primary education, multiple subjects.

    Throughout her career, Ms. Chown led the redesign and oversight of a K–4 curriculum; shaped and developed schoolwide facilities; hired, mentored and evaluated faculty; designed and facilitated professional development for her school community. She is committed to the development and success of our youngest students in the classroom, on the playground and beyond.

    Originally from London, Ms. Chown enjoys theater, museums and the arts, although she is also now fully immersed in the San Diego lifestyle of paddleboarding, camping, hiking, yoga and brunch. She is a proud mother of twin boys born in 2017.
  • Photo of Molly Cleere
    Molly Cleere
    Educator, Grade 4
    (858) 453-3440 x350
    Bio
     
    “I inspire greatness for a better world by helping students gain the confidence and skills to make a difference in the world. I empower students to grow academically, socially and emotionally. It is my goal to capture each student’s natural sense of wonder and ignite their joy of learning so they will commit to a lifetime of learning.”

    Molly Cleere believes that education is the one tool that has the ability to solve the world’s greatest challenges. She knows that all students have unlimited potential to learn and educating students at LJCDS is a tremendous honor and responsibility. As the Lower School science educator, Mrs. Cleere strives to help students uncover who they are and how they learn.

    Mrs. Cleere earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Bucknell University where she majored in Elementary Education and Spanish. She also received her Master of Education from Vanderbilt University specializing in English Language Learners. Mrs. Cleere taught fourth and fifth grade in upstate New York for 10 years before moving to San Diego. During that time, she was selected as a New York State Master Teacher and was an active participant in the statewide STEM program.

    In her free time, Mrs. Cleere enjoys traveling, spending time with family, playing golf, watching sports, reading and playing board games.
  • Photo of Wendy Clemente
    Wendy Clemente
    Educator, LS Music
    (858) 453-3440 x211
    Bio
     
    “I inspire greatness by helping children find their voice. A child who sings with confidence and joy will always know how to share their ideas and empower others to use their voices as well. I believe that the singers in my classroom are on their way to becoming citizens who will live their lives out loud.”  
     
    Since 2003, Wendy Clemente has taught general and vocal music in the Lower School. Beginning with the first graders, she enjoys watching her students explore musical expression and find their voices. She believes that all humans are musical and that early music experiences can build skills that will set up a lifetime of music-making. In the Middle and Upper School, Ms. Clemente works as the theater costumer, designing and dressing shows, while also teaching and mentoring costuming students in the theater tech program.  
     
    A life-long Californian, Ms. Clemente always knew that she wanted to be a music teacher. She grew up singing regularly in church and began piano lessons at age 9. In high school, she began performing in musical theater while also interning for a small-label fashion designer. She spent a year studying music and theater in England, toured Western Europe as a soloist, and finally graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education. Ms. Clemente began her first teaching job in Bozeman, Mont., and then relocated to San Diego, teaching music and English at Escondido Adventist Academy for 11 years. She continues to perform as a soprano and conducts various choral organizations, including the La Jolla Renaissance Singers, the UCSD Geisel Library Toy Piano Duo, Bach Collegium–San Diego, St. Paul’s Cathedral, La Jolla Playhouse, and the La Sierra University Vocal Octet Alumni. On weekends, she serves as music director at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church in Escondido. In 2019, she was selected as the La Jolla Rotary Club Teacher of the Year.  
     
    Ms. Clemente spends her spare time sewing costumes and apparel for herself and family members, cooking gourmet vegetarian food, reading, and traveling with her husband, two adult children (who both attended LJCDS), two cats and a very spoiled beagle.
  • Megan Cohen
    Long-term Substitute Learning Specialist
    (858) 453-3440
 

Faculty and Staff Spotlights

La Jolla Country Day School

9490 Genesee Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037
858-453-3440

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