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

  • Biology (H) and Physics Teacher
  • Photo of Maya Torres
    Maya Torres
    Educator, MS and US World Language
    (858) 453-3440 x355
    Bio
     
    “I inspire greatness by helping my students dream about new adventures in various parts of the world, by opening their eyes to other cultures, and by encouraging them to think beyond themselves, thereby acquiring the gifts of empathy and compassion for others. I give my students the opportunity to make mistakes and realize that taking risks will make them better learners, helping them to grow stronger and go further.”

    Maya Torres has a Bachelor of Arts in foreign languages and civilizations from La Sorbonne, in Paris, as well as a TESOL/TEFL/TESL certification from Oxford Seminars in New York City.

    As La Jolla Country Day School’s Middle School and Upper School French teacher, Ms. Torres has a passion for foreign languages that expresses itself in sensitivity and compassion to the needs of students. Ms. Torres appreciates the reduced class size at LJCDS, which provides her the opportunity to genuinely connect with each one of her students.

    Ms. Torres joined LJCDS in 2011. She has taught French I, French II, French III and French III Honors in the Upper School. She has also taught Spanish 1A and 1B in Middle School, as well as French 1A and French 1B.

    Before working at LJCDS, Ms. Torres was a dance teacher and traveled extensively, teaching in four different languages. Ms. Torres’ language proficiency in English, French, Spanish and Arabic provides her with the desire to teach these skills in the most sincere and compassionate way. She also shares her facility and love for languages by raising her three young sons in trilingual fluency. In her spare time, she enjoys the practice of martial arts with her family, salsa dancing, reading, experimenting with new recipes from different cultures, baking, hiking and traveling.
  • Photo of Dani Tucci
    Dani Tucci
    Educator, US Science
    (858) 453-3440 x 480
    Bio
     
    “I inspire greatness for a better world by sparking students’ curiosity in science and the world around them. I believe that every student can learn and ‘do’ science and that my role is to model what scientists do and how we can ask questions that can be tested in the laboratory. From the simplest atoms to the most complex structures, science is everywhere, and you just have to keep looking and searching for answers.”

    Dani Tucci, M.Ed., loves teaching science and wants to inspire students to achieve their academic goals, provide support and resources to succeed and empower them to tackle challenging problems both in and out of the classroom. 

    Before starting at LJCDS in 2023, Ms. Tucci earned her bachelor’s degree from Scripps College in 2012 and her Master of Education from UC San Diego in 2016. Since graduation, she has taught everything from biology to chemistry to environmental science in various school settings, from Title 1 public schools to small private schools. Ms. Tucci is a San Diego native but has taught mainly in the Bay Area for seven years. She is excited to return to southern California, where the weather is a bit warmer! 

    Ms. Tucci loves the outdoors, spending time with her family, playing board games and reading a good book. 
 

Faculty and Staff Spotlights

La Jolla Country Day School

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

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