Daniella Field is currently a first-grade associate educator. Over the years, Mrs. Field has filled many roles at LJCDS. From being a substitute to an associate educator in kindergarten and third grade, to lead educator in both third and fourth grade, Mrs. Field feels lucky to have been immersed in the different parts of the fabric that make up the Lower School.
 
Ms. Field is a San Diego native who can’t imagine herself living anywhere else in the world. Thus, when she had to make the decision of where to go to college, she didn’t go very far. She completed her undergraduate education at the University of San Diego and received her teaching credential and master’s degree at National University while working as an associate educator at LJCDS.
 
Ms. Field enjoys traveling, music, photography, the outdoors and spending time with her husband and two sons. Both of her boys are happy and thriving students at LJCDS.

From an early age, Catherine Florendo’s parents taught her to value education. She was the first person in her family to graduate from college. Before joining LJCDS, she was teaching associate at San Diego State University, an instructional assistant at Miramar College and a transcript coordinator supporting the office of the registrar at Ashford University. Mrs. Florendo is currently the assistant to the office of admission.

“I inspire greatness for a better world by offering a classroom community founded in strong relationships, mutual respect and appreciation for each student’s identity. I strive to create an environment where inquiry, reflection, teamwork and differences are celebrated components of the learning process, and I hope each student leaves the classroom with agency, a stronger self-identity, and aspiration for life-long learning.”
 
As a Grade 4 educator, Conor Foley recognizes the bittersweet emotions that punctuate every week of his students’ final year in the Lower School. He strives to provide them with meaningful, relevant experiences that he hopes they will remember for years to come. Mr. Foley believes in cultivating the heart as well as the brain. He values strong social-emotional learning opportunities that encourage students to consider the perspectives, unique lived experiences, and inherent value of others.

Mr. Foley’s career as an educator began in 2005 as an in-class tutor at Cajon Valley Middle School. Before arriving at LJCDS in 2015, Mr. Foley assisted researchers at San Diego State University’s Special Collections and the NewSchool of Architecture & Design. He received his degree in LGBT Studies with a minor in English from SDSU and his multiple subject teaching credential from CSU San Marcos.
 
Mr. Foley enjoys collecting music, playing video games, eating vegetarian cuisine, and bonding with friends over board games in his personal time. A California native, he grew up in East County and now lives in University City with his husband, Marco, their cat Rory, and their dog T.V.

After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania and receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Karen Frischwasser worked at Mount Sinai Medical Center doing research on autism. It was this experience, and contact with amazing speech pathologists, that led her to the field. Shortly after, she completed her master’s degree in speech and language pathology from San Diego State University. She speaks fluent Spanish and received additional certification as a bilingual therapist. Her proven clinical expertise is a result of working in public schools, clinics and private practice settings as a licensed speech-language pathologist since 2008.

Ms. Frischwasser joined the speech and language pathology team at LJCDS in 2015. She has experience providing therapy for children with phonological disorders, orofacial myofunctional disorders, apraxia, language disorders, stuttering and voice disorders, as well as English-language learners. Ms. Frischwasser values collaborating with the families and children she works with in order to improve communication skills and to help carry over skills into the home environment.  

Ms. Frischwasser enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She has three sons who constantly keep her on her toes. Ms. Frischwasser feels lucky to be a part of such an amazing school and team here at LJCDS.

 

Mimi Fullan joined the LJCDS Community in the fall of 2020 as an educator on the first-grade team and has since transitioned to supporting the head of school, associate head of school, and board of trustees. She maintains her connection to the Lower School through playground duties and supporting the kindergarten extended day program.

 

Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Ms. Fullan studied middle grades education and French at the University of Georgia. Her academic journey included experiences studying in Austria and Australia, which ignited her passion for traveling. Following graduation, she moved to Australia and later backpacked through Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, deepening her passion for sustainability and food insecurity issues.

 

In her free time, Ms. Fullan enjoys traveling, camping with friends, volunteering at animal sanctuaries, enjoying the local beaches, and cooking food from her local farmers market.