Where are they now? Elizabeth Staresnick (Ellison) ’08

 

I have always known that I would grow up to be a teacher, dating back to first grade in Mrs. Bingham’s class when I completed an “All About Me” poster. Country Day provided a nurturing community for my sister and me where my mom, Coach Ellison, was a PE teacher. Being a faculty child, school was more of a second home to me, as I was there early in the morning and would often stay late. Being on campus so often, I was able to build relationships with more faculty and staff than just my own teachers. 

Country Day was always a community that was ready to support me in multiple ways, including providing tuition assistance. Without the support of those teachers, whom I am still in close contact with today, my teaching practice would look very different. They taught me to appreciate opportunities, take risks and push myself beyond what I thought was possible. Through their support, I have grown, and I have developed the desire to continue to push myself and recognize that growth as I experience both successes and challenges. 

LJCDS maintained an exemplary model of what quality instruction and a community should look like. This has driven my own instruction in my classroom for over nine years, creating lasting memories and relationships with students and families that go beyond the classroom. Today I am a fifth-grade teacher at Bullis Charter School in Los Altos and the team lead for grades 3–5. I am forever grateful for all the ways LJCDS impacted my life and career.