Teaching at La Jolla Country Day School

Faculty/Staff Directory

Department

Grade

Last Name

Gabriella Armas

Assistant Educator, Kindergarten; Extended Day Group Leader, Kindergarten

(858) 453-3440

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by cultivating a kind and inclusive educational environment where students feel safe to thrive on both a personal and academic level. I believe every student has a brilliance inside of them that is waiting to be recognized. I strive to create a space that allows students to arrive as their most authentic selves. I believe this happens through creating an environment that values kindness, respect and inclusivity.”

Gabriella Armas joined LJCDS in 2023 as a kindergarten assistant educator. She is excited to be a part of each kindergartener’s educational journey by supporting them inside the classroom.

Ms. Armas earned her bachelor’s degree in literature and writing from the University of California. She has worked with elementary students since 2017 as a classroom assistant and private tutor. Before coming to LJCDS, Ms. Armas worked for a non-profit that provided a before- and after-school program to San Diego Unified School District students.

When Ms. Armas is not at LJCDS, you can find her camping, rock climbing, walking her dog Lorenzo and spending time with her family. She is a San Diego native and feels lucky to call this city her home.
Dani Bonfield

Learning Specialist

(858) 453-3440 x402

Bio

“I strive to inspire greatness for a better world by instilling a genuine interest in and love of learning. I would like to inspire people to view learning as a ‘want to’ job rather than a ‘have to’ job. It could be anything from exploring something new to mastering something that takes much effort and practice. My hope is to inspire my students to view learning as a journey that never ends, no matter how old you are.”

Dani Bonfield, M.A. Ed., believes that academic, social and emotional growth are important to every child’s development. As a specialist in the Learning Resource Center, Ms. Bonfield’s role is to offer assorted educational opportunities and strategies to a diverse body of learners. The best parts of her day are sharing in the elation of accomplishments and the many smiles and hugs she receives from her students.

Ms. Bonfield’s career began in Cincinnati, where she first taught gymnastics to children. This early involvement with children inspired her to obtain a bachelor’s degree in education from Miami University, Ohio. Then after a short time teaching at the American School in Guadalajara, Mexico, Ms. Bonfield began teaching in San Diego and has resided here since 2001. She later completed her master’s in education and reading specialist certification.

Ms. Bonfield enjoys spending time with her two young daughters and husband. Her family members have become aquarium enthusiasts. The hobby has led her to appreciate the beauty and complexity of marine life.
Emma Buttery

Administrative Assistant, LS

(858) 453-3440 x161

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by supporting the needs of the students and faculty in the Lower School. I try to provide a space for all who come to the Lower School office to be heard and feel appreciated. Small actions can make a big difference in making the world a better and kinder place.”

Emma Buttery is the Lower School administrative assistant. Her job includes greeting and assisting all who visit the Lower School office. She is always willing to jump in and help, whether out on the playground at recess or connecting with families to help students be successful throughout their day. Ms. Buttery makes sure the Lower School faculty feels supported so that they can create an environment for students to thrive.

Before joining LJCDS in 2020, Ms. Buttery was an assistant supervisor in the education and conservation department at SeaWorld San Diego. She helped facilitate and build a curriculum for SeaWorld’s summer camps and field trip programs. Ms. Buttery partnered with San Diego Unified School District to help create SeaWorld’s Ocean Link Lab, a free program for middle school students, to help expose them to STEAM careers at SeaWorld and in San Diego. Ms. Buttery graduated from Cal State, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance. She danced professionally for 10 years before retiring her pointe shoes to start a family.

In her spare time, Ms. Buttery likes spending time with her husband, Michael, and son, JP. She enjoys cooking and spending time outdoors in the beautiful San Diego sunshine.
Meghann Carpenter

Associate Educator, Kindergarten

(858) 453-3440 x420

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by creating an environment of encouragement and support to help our youngest minds grow excitement for learning. From learning how to grow in friendships to viewing the world in new ways, kindergarten helps to lay the foundations for a child’s education. By fostering a mindset of curiosity and wonder about everything they are learning, I hope to build our students up to be problem solvers and persistent learners.”

Meghann Carpenter believes that modeling empathy and engaging students’ strengths and interests help to build an environment where every student can succeed. As an associate teacher in the kindergarten classroom, Mrs. Carpenter leads her class in lessons and activities that draw on students’ creative abilities and builds relationships to connect with students on a personal level.

Mrs. Carpenter graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2014 with a degree in teaching. Since then, she served her community as a nanny and an assistant kindergarten teacher at La Jolla United Methodist Church Nursery School before joining the LJCDS family in 2021 as part of the Extended Day team for kindergarten. In 2022, she stepped into the role of kindergarten associate educator.

In her free time, Mrs. Carpenter enjoys soaking in every minute with her young daughter, playing games with friends, going to the beach, and trying new restaurants and coffee shops.
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.
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.
Lorrie Culver

Coordinator of Library Services and Research (Emeritus)

(858) 453-3440 x163
Rafael Eaton

Director of Libraries

(858) 453-3440 x165

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by guiding collective curiosity, by connecting us to new perspectives to create a dynamic worldview, and by supporting the informed asking of questions that drive our day-to-day lives.”

Knowing how to competently navigate and utilize a world of information is the key to creating well-informed global citizens. Rafa Eaton’s goal is to provide guidance to students’ independent learning and self-discovery through the library’s digital and physical programming.

Originally from Oregon, Mr. Eaton began his career at Portland State University and finished his Bachelor’s at The City College of New York, where he concentrated on English Literature and Judaic Studies. He received his Master’s Degree in Library Science from Drexel University in Philadelphia. Before joining La Jolla Country Day School, Mr. Eaton plied his trade across the US as a line cook and an archivist-trainee for the San Diego Museum of Us, Democracy Now! Productions, and Canyon Cinema.

In his free time he [still] enjoys cooking for his wife and two sons.
Elaine Gain

Associate Educator, Kindergarten

(858) 453-3440 x217

Bio

“Every day I strive to be a role model who inspires greatness for a better world. In my class, I listen to the ideas, needs, passions, emotions and lessons that the children bring in and apply them to my planning every day. Doing this allows the children to gain confidence, feed their curiosity, understand their emotions, provide for others, ask questions, and find their little voice in this big world.”

Elaine Gain began her career in early childhood education through her high school’s ROP program. She received her Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts and sciences and teaching credential with an embedded Crosscultural Language and Academic Development certificate (CLAD) from San Diego State University. Ms. Gain continues to obtain more early childhood education units to further her development as an instructor and holds a California Site Supervisor Permit for early childhood centers. Before coming to La Jolla Country Day School, Ms. Gain worked as a substitute teacher in the San Diego Unified School District, as a site supervisor/program coordinator at an early learning center, and as a pre-K teacher through the YMCA.

Outside of school Ms. Gain enjoys cooking, trying new food, visiting Disneyland and traveling. She is also passionate about living a more Eco-friendly life that will keep our planet healthy for many more generations to come.
Devin Grant

Educator, Physical Education; Coach - Flag Football, Softball

(858) 453-3440 x478

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by demonstrating different fundamentals that teach a wide range of students physical education-related skills. The future of opportunity for some students lies in sports, allowing them to unlock their full potential on and off the field. The greatness isn’t measured through on-the-field stats, but the lessons that are taken from playing and how they become applied to life.”

Devin Grant believes that physical education teaches fundamentals and lessons that spread beyond the classroom and field. As a physical education educator, his role is to build the basic fundamentals for locomotor, ball, kicking and perceptual skills within the Lower and Middle School. Coach Grant helps support the Upper School teams in football and softball as an assistant coach.

Coach Grant grew up in the Bay Area and developed a love for sports from an early age. He quickly transferred that love onto the field and court and earned a scholarship to play football at the College of Idaho, where he also earned a degree in Human Health and Performance.

Shortly after graduating in 2021, Coach Grant moved to San Diego and began working at LJCDS as a Middle School coach for flag football and softball. In 2022, he also became a physical education teacher.

Coach Grant's love for sports spreads beyond his profession. He participates in adult flag football and softball leagues. When he’s not doing that, he is hanging out with his two cats, Spooky and Naya, and his girlfriend Caitlynn. Coach Grant is a huge fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and UCLA softball, so if you're ever in need of talking sports, he is your guy.
Lauren Hansen

Educator, Kindergarten

(858) 453-3440 x760

Bio

“I strive to inspire greatness in my students by giving them the resources to become excited and passionate about learning. I believe that my ultimate goal as a classroom teacher is to build lifelong learners. My educational belief is that all students need to be given a space where they can think, question and create.”

Lauren Hansen believes that a strong educational foundation can make all the difference in instilling a child’s passion and love for learning. This is what drew her to teaching in the Lower School. Having attended independent schools herself, she understands the value of an independent school education and is very excited to grow as an associate teacher in the Lower School.

Lauren Hansen’s love for teaching began when she was in high school at Marin Academy in the San Francisco Bay Area when she taught a journaling class to a group of local middle school students. She attended Baylor University where she served as a student teacher in a variety of elementary grades through Baylor’s School of Education. She was immediately drawn to the early grades and began her teaching career as a lead preschool teacher at Carlsbad Country Day School.

When Ms. Hansen is not in the classroom, you can find her spending time with family and friends outdoors. She enjoys taking her dog to the beach and taking advantage of the beauty of San Diego. She is also very passionate about service and has been to Mexico, Kenya and Jamaica on community service trips.
Kelley Hart

Educator, ECC and LS Performing Arts

(858) 453-3440 x360

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by instilling in students the idea that we are all creative, expressive beings capable of musical growth and appreciation, regardless of natural talent.”

Kelley Hart believes music is an integral part of a child’s life. Through music, children develop a sense of self-identity, release stress, communicate complex emotions in a healthy way, and connect with the beauty of the world through aesthetic experiences. Ms. Hart regularly witnesses the impact music has on self-esteem and confidence. Working together with fellow musicians builds long-lasting friendships. Performing allows children an opportunity to reach out and touch the hearts of all those who hear it.

Ms. Hart began her musical studies at age 8, when her parents gave her a piano and lessons for her birthday. She earned a Bachelor of Science in music education from Missouri Southern State University and a Master of Music in opera performance from the University of Texas at Austin. She has taught all ages, pre-K through high school, served on the faculty at Kenyon College, Ohio State University and the University of San Diego. She is the co-founder of Opera NEO, a local nonprofit summer opera festival. Ms. Hart enjoys teaching students of all ages and believes her strengths lie in the diversity of her musical experiences.

Ms. Hart moved to San Diego in 2010 with her husband, Peter Kozma (who is also a musician), and their daughter, Sofie (who was two at the time). When Sofie started school as a junior kindergartener, they found a loving, supportive community at LJCDS and decided to put down roots in San Diego. Ms. Hart is thrilled to be a part of the LJCDS community!
Tina Kinkead

Educator, Physical Education; Coach - Volleyball, Soccer

(858) 453-3440 x275

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by appreciating and understanding the voices of my students, athletes and colleagues. By making these connections, I create a safe and energetic environment for students to freely explore and embrace their strengths and weaknesses, and instill the drive to give their best effort.”

Tina Kinkead joined LJCDS in 2019 as a physical education educator and head women’s volleyball coach. As a PE teacher, her role is to develop the core locomotor skills, sport skills and strategies, and to instill self-confidence and excitement for being of healthy body and mind. As a coach, her role is to use volleyball as a catalyst to establish healthy lifelong habits that create strong young people to make a difference in this world.

Coach Kinkead earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Santa Clara University, a master’s degree in physical education emphasizing sports psychology from San Diego State University, and a teaching credential for physical education and health. Her career as a coach began in 1991, and she has coached at the collegiate, high school and elementary levels.

Coach Kinkead married her college sweetheart, lives in Bird Rock, and has three children. Her favorite hobbies are watching her kids play sports and playing beach volleyball.
Ashley Marlow

Counselor, Early Childhood–Grade 5

(858) 453-3440 x317

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by supporting students in their social and emotional development. My office provides a safe space for children to find a compassionate ear, with the hope that they will leave feeling encouraged and heard. I love visiting students in their classrooms and working with them individually and in small groups. I help them to self-reflect, problem-solve, and develop empathy so they can make healthy choices and positively impact the world around them.”

Ashley Marlow was born in California but grew up in New Jersey. Attending an all-girls school from grades 9 through 12 gave her the opportunity to appreciate the value of an independent school and an environment that can develop the leaders of the future.

Ms. Marlow returned to the West Coast for college and received her Bachelor of Arts in communications from Pepperdine University. She studied abroad in Florence in her sophomore year and consequently loves everything Italian. Inspired by the conversations she had while supervising student workers in the admissions office, Ms. Marlow pursued her graduate degree in school counseling at the College of William and Mary. After graduation, Ms. Marlow was a middle school counselor at a public school for two years before joining the LJCDS community in 2011.

Ms. Marlow is thrilled to work with students and their families. She is passionate about helping children understand and manage their feelings and learn how to navigate social situations. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, watching movies, spending time with friends and family, and taking her dogs for walks by the beach.
Caitlyn Milazzo

Associate Educator, Kindergarten; Coach - Soccer

(858) 453-3440

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by creating a nurturing and inclusive environment where each child feels seen, heard and loved for who they are as they learn the beauty of individuality in a group setting. I strive to stretch children’s capabilities and help them explore new perspectives.”

Caitlyn Milazzo joined LJCDS in 2023 as a kindergarten associate educator. She wants to guide children and their families in discovering the joyful process in which we all learn together. Ms. Milazzo is committed to empowering young learners to be change-makers and involving them in co-creating the classroom curriculum. She deeply connects to the Reggio Emilia Approach and values the opportunity for children to explore a wealth of unique materials as they give life to their thoughts and feelings through expressive art.

Ms. Milazzo earned a Bachelor of Arts in elementary and special education from Seton Hall University, where she also played for the SHU women’s soccer team. In 2020, she earned a master’s degree in early childhood education (ECE), focusing on inclusive education, constructivism, and curriculum and instruction. Since 2012, Ms. Milazzo has been a lead and assistant educator in Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago. Drawn by the desire to support children’s social-emotional growth and early academics, she dedicated herself to ECE by helping children develop self-love and cultivate a positive relationship with school and learning.

Ms. Milazzo enjoys learning to surf, playing soccer, hiking, running, traveling, building charcuterie boards and gardening. She loves hanging out with her husband, Joe, family and friends. And she always takes advantage of every opportunity to sprinkle some puns into her daily interactions.
Christine Mitchell M.S., ATC

Athletic Trainer

(858) 453-3440 x138

Bio

“I inspire greatness through my passion for sports medicine and helping others. I accomplish this by integrating the most current research with personalized care in order to optimize patient outcomes and keep athletes at their highest performance levels, both on the court and throughout the community.”

Christine Mitchell is committed to helping students do more than overcome their injuries by working to improve their functional movement so they can succeed as athletes and improve their joint health.

Here at La Jolla Country Day School, Ms. Mitchell started a student athletic training program in order to share her love of sports medicine. She hopes to inspire students to pursue careers in the medical field. At the very least, students will learn about their bodies and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, and how to perform CPR and use an AED.

As LJCDS’s certified athletic trainer, Ms. Mitchell ensures the safety, well being and success of all Torrey athletes, whether it’s caring for abrasions, rehabilitating reconstructed ACLs, educating on concussions, developing injury-prevention plans, or implementing emergency action plans.

Ms. Mitchell obtained a Bachelor of Science in athletic training from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Science in exercise physiology from Boston University. She has worked with South Carolina’s football and basketball teams, Boston University’s field hockey team, the New England Revolution’s academy soccer teams and San Diego State’s women’s soccer team. In her spare time, she teaches injury prevention at the San Diego Circus Center, where she is also learning to hand-balance.

After exploring the East Coast, Ms. Mitchell returned to Escondido, where she resides with her chihuahua, Charlie.
Tara Peace

Program and Outreach Librarian

(858) 453-3440 x407

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by encouraging and teaching students to be lifelong learners and highlighting how the library can create a community. The library is a place where we can come to learn, to grow and to connect.”

Tara Peace joined LJCDS in 2021 to help build and strengthen an engaging library community. Hailing originally from Virginia, Mrs. Peace traveled to California over a decade ago, earning a master’s degree in history at California State University, East Bay. She holds a Master of Library Science from the University of Alabama. With her educational and people-focused background, she hopes to engage with students and faculty to create a dynamic and collaborative library experience.

Mrs. Peace is an avid reader—her favorite book is The Overstory by Richard Powers. In her free time, she loves to cook and travel—and particularly enjoys camping. All of this is done with her husband, Kevin, and their daughter Cheyenne '35, who became a Torrey in 2022.
Marsha Poh

Assistant Head of Lower School

(858) 453-3440 x229

Bio

“I believe our Lower School is a special place where students are encouraged to explore, play, and make deep connections between the material they study and their own lives. Each day I hope to inspire our students to work toward their goals and get involved in new experiences. I am fortunate to work with an amazing group of educators who are always pushing to make life at Country Day memorable for our students and families.”

Marsha Poh was always on the move throughout her childhood. By the time she graduated from high school, she had lived in eight different homes. While growing up, she was known to set up a classroom in her home and “teach” her sister whatever she was learning in school. Mrs. Poh started playing softball as a child and played competitively until she graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. (where she also played Division I softball—Go Crusaders!). There she majored in psychology with a biological psychology concentration. Throughout her four years at Holy Cross, she found herself drawn to teaching.

After graduating in 2006, Mrs. Poh knew she wanted to learn more about education. Her curiosity took her to Cambridge, Mass., to pursue a master’s in education in middle school math and science from Lesley University. After finishing the collaborative master’s program, she married her college sweetheart.

In her free time, Mrs. Poh loves to spend time with her family, exercise, volunteer with Pegasus Rising and the San Diego Food Bank, and take her rescued boxer, Mia, on walks around the neighborhood.
Jezabel Rabaneda Boo

Educator, ECC and LS World Language

(858) 453-3440 x472

Bio

“I inspire greatness by helping my students understand this quote, ‘We have to fall in love with the process of becoming great’ by Jeff Capel.”

Jezabel Rabaneda Boo first chose La Jolla Country Day School as a mother. She was looking for an educational environment that would inspire her daughter to think big and have an open mindset, to develop her abilities and to embrace and support the emotional aspect of her being. Then, Ms. Rabaneda Boo had the opportunity to be part of LJCDS as an educator, which she thought was a true blessing, as she aligns with the school’s core values. She started in 2019 as a Spanish educator in the Early Childhood Center and the Lower School.

Ms. Rabaneda Boo received her B.A. in Education from Barcelona University, followed by a postgraduate degree in Social Theater and Educational Intervention. She taught in Spain for a few years of her career and then moved to the United States to work as a Spanish teacher in bilingual schools and at an International Spanish Academy in Florida. That was followed by five years as a Spanish teacher at Ideal School of Leadership, a multiple intelligence school that applies current brain research to educate.

Ms. Rabaneda Boo believes knowledge is the beginning of improvement, love is the way, and oneness is the ultimate truth. She likes being in nature, reading, writing, listening to music, practicing yoga and learning about neuroscience and growth mindset. She is passionate about essential oils and holistic medicine. Her goal is to be a better version of herself every day and help to build a world where everybody wins.
Kevin Reaume

Educator and Director of Physical Education; Coach - Football, Track & Field, Athletic Performance Director

(858) 453-3440 x244

Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by creating an environment that allows each student to find their true potential physically, emotionally and intellectually. Being a teacher and coach for the past 32 years, I have experienced the greatest sense of community at La Jolla Country Day School. There is no other institution that provides a young person with all the tools necessary to go out into the world to make it a better place.”

Kevin Reaume has been teaching and coaching for 36 years and began coaching full-time at LJCDS in 1990. As LJCDS’s physical education educator, athletic performance director, full-time football coach and head men’s and women’s track and field coach, Coach Reaume is the most successful track and field coach in LJCDS history, with a combined men’s and women’s dual meet record of 282-75, with 19 team championships. Throughout the years Coach Reaume has produced eight individual Division 2 CIF champions, seven California state qualifiers and 19 Torrey student-athletes continuing their growth at the likes of Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Middlebury and Emory.

Coach Reaume was instrumental in all 12 of LJCDS’s football championships (four of which were CIF Championships), including the school’s first-ever 11-man CIF title as well as three 8-man titles. He has worn many hats for the Torrey football program, including defensive coordinator, offensive and defensive lines, and athletic performance director.

Coach Reaume grew up in Canada, where he was a standout football, basketball, and track and field athlete. He played football at St. Francis Xavier University, earning a Bachelor of Science in physical education, two-time first-team All-League honors, preseason All-Canadian and three conference championships. He was also the captain of his team for two years. After graduation, Kevin was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, opting instead to pursue a career in teaching and coaching.

In his free time, Coach Reaume enjoys his family, golfing, reading and roller-blading along the bay in Coronado.
Nikki Romani

Athletic Trainer

(858) 453-3440
Porschia Talbot

Educator and Team Lead, ECC and LS Visual Arts

(858) 453-3440 x225

Bio

“I inspire greatness by introducing my students to new ways of viewing the world and giving them the tools to express themselves through art. I believe that creative expression is imperative in building self-confidence and creating a well-rounded individual. I strive to instill a passion for exploration, invention and understanding in my students so they may go on to build a more connected and loving world.”

Porschia Talbot ’03 believes that art is the glue that ties all the other subjects and skills learned in school (and life) together. She provides her students with a safe environment, where they can make mistakes, get messy and have fun while learning how to creatively express themselves.

Ms. Talbot was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia before her family moved to San Diego. She joined LJCDS in the eighth grade and graduated in 2003. She is thrilled to be back on campus to give back to the community that gave her so much.

Ms. Talbot has taught art programs in schools in Portland, San Francisco and San Diego. In 2009, she opened an art school, My Art Shed, in La Jolla, where she provided fine art and craft lessons, workshops and camps for ages 2 through adult. Since 2017, her business has been mobile, facilitating on-site enrichment programs. Ms. Talbot also teaches weekly adult painting lessons and creates custom murals and artwork for businesses on the West Coast.

She studied architecture at The New School of Architecture and Design in San Diego while teaching art at The Monarch School for three years. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Portland State University.

In her free time, Ms. Talbot loves painting vintage cars and trucks and going on road trips with her wife, Dawn, and dog Spirit.
Laura Tonini

Educator, Kindergarten

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Bio

Read about Mrs. Tonini in a Faculty Spotlight article.
Terri Zimmerman

Educator, Kindergarten

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Bio

“I inspire greatness for a better world by teaching my children three key characteristics: confidence, risk taking and grit. Confidence for a kindergarten student is instilling that ‘Yes, I can’ attitude in all endeavors. There are innumerable opportunities on a daily basis for risk taking, a key component for successful innovators. Grit, the ability to stay with a task until completion regardless of challenges or frustration, will serve them in their future.”

Terri Zimmerman brings energy and enthusiasm to her classroom. She creates a vibrant and exciting learning environment. This environment sparks students’ curiosity and inquisitive nature. Ms. Zimmerman has taught junior and senior high school students and junior kindergarten, but kindergarten is her passion.

Ms. Zimmerman graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She served as director of a tutorial center in San Diego before joining the staff of La Jolla Country Day School. Her hobbies are horseback riding and hiking.

Faculty and Staff Directory

Faculty/Staff Directory

Faculty and Staff Spotlights

La Jolla Country Day School

Country Day Connection Newsletter

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