In this special podcast, we invite you to meet the new President of the Board of Trustees, Lucy Smith Conroy ’90. Mrs. Conroy is a La Jolla Country Day School “lifer” who joined the board in 2013 and became vice president of trustees in 2017. She was past president of the Alumni Leadership Council, Chair of the Committee on Trustees and a member of the Executive Committee. Mrs. Conroy is a freelance theater director and member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society whose work has been produced both in New York and at regional theaters across the country. She is the former resident dramaturg at Court Theatre in Chicago. Mrs. Conroy earned a Bachelor of Arts in theater and women’s studies from Trinity College and a Master of Fine Arts in directing from Columbia University. Mrs. Conroy and her husband, Ambrose, have three children, Ben '24, Keira '25 and baby Sara. In this podcast, Mrs. Conroy reflects upon her experiences at La Jolla Country Day School and shares her insights on the school.

http://www.ljcds.org

Our Upper School academic program serves to prepare students for matriculation and success at our nation’s finest and most selective colleges and universities. Our greater mission is to prepare students for life. The student experience isn’t solely about the path to college but about the journey of education. In honoring LJCDS founder Louise Balmer’s educational philosophy, we believe in the importance of balancing traditional teaching with a progressive approach.

Enjoy this podcast with Tom Trocano, Upper School Head for La Jolla Country Day School, Dave Jenkins, Assistant Head of Upper School for College Counseling and Student Life for La Jolla Country Day School and Rachel Clouser, Ed.D. Upper School Dean of Academics and Student Life for La Jolla Country Day School.

http://www.ljcds.org

The Middle School at La Jolla Country Day School (LJCDS) is where we cultivate the maturation of our young scholars in Grades 5–8 in an ever-changing time in their lives. A bridge between the Lower and Upper Schools, the Middle School challenges students within a nurturing environment and provides opportunities to explore a variety of academic offerings, technology, physical education, music, art, community service and leadership roles.

Enjoy this podcast with Ryan Song, Middle School Head for La Jolla Country Day School, Kristy King, Assistant Lower School Head for La Jolla Country Day School and Maria Curtis, Early Childhood Center Director for La Jolla Country Day School.

http://www.ljcds.org

The La Jolla Country Day School Early Childhood Center's (ECC) goal is to provide each child an environment that offers developmentally appropriate activities to encourage social, emotional, cognitive and physical growth as well as personal responsibility. La Jolla Country Day School’s Lower School is a place where parents are often reminded of the best aspects of their childhood. Remember the caring elementary school teacher who believed in you or the one who helped you emerge out of your timid shell? Lower School is where we lay the foundation for the joy of learning, and our educators play a critical role in that process.

Enjoy this podcast with Melanie Baier, Lower School Head for La Jolla Country Day School, Marsha Poh for La Jolla Country Day School, Assistant Lower School Head and Maria Curtis, Early Childhood Center Director for La Jolla Country Day School.

http://www.ljcds.org 

Colleen O’Boyle began her career, as an educator, at La Jolla Country Day School in the college counseling and English departments in the Upper School. She left to earn her master’s in English literature through Middlebury College, where she studied with some of the great professors of literature at Middlebury College, St. John’s College and Oxford University. Colleen has been a member of the faculty at High Tech High. Later she was a founding member of the Da Vinci Schools in Los Angeles and, specifically, head of Da Vinci Design. Colleen returned to LJCDS as the academic dean of the Upper School in the 2013-2014 academic year, followed by her time as head of the Middle School. In her current role as the Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs, Colleen reflects upon the academic experience at La Jolla Country Day School and its ongoing evolution.

http://www.ljcds.org

Episode 013: Alumni Describe the LJCDS Experience

Please enjoy a specially recorded podcast with seven of our La Jolla Country Day School alumni who reflect upon the joy, relevance and impact of their La Jolla Country Day School experience.

http://www.ljcds.org

Episode 012:  Leading with Dignity  

Featuring Donna Hicks, Ph.D., Harvard University

Based at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University for more than two decades, Donna Hicks, Ph.D., has successfully applied her signature dignity model on a global stage. Her clients  include the World Bank, the United Nations, the US Navy, and governments worldwide. She currently helps leaders in business, health care, government, education and other fields to create cultures that foster innovation and dignified human relationships.  La Jolla Country Day School is featured in chapter 5 of her newest book: Leading With Dignity.

Episode 011: The Team, The Team

Featuring Jeff Hutzler, Director of Athletics and Physical Education,  La Jolla Country Day School.

The athletic program at La Jolla Country Day School provides student-athletes with an opportunity to broaden their educational experiences through a variety of team and individual sports by combining intellectual achievement with physical excellence. From basketball to water polo to rock climbing, students have a wide variety of options to choose. With our no-cut policy, students can participate on a team no matter their ability or experience. Athletics plays an important part in the life of LJCDS students as they find their balance between academic and athletic excellence.

Episode 010: Through the Lens of Art

Featuring Cindy Bravo, Director of Visual and Performing Arts,  La Jolla Country Day School.

Our mission in the arts is to provide an intellectual foundation through hands-on production in an array of media that develops confident, creative thinkers who form a lifelong appreciation for the arts. Courses include studio art, ceramics, engineering design, painting, graphic design, filmmaking and photography. Mentored by practicing artists, attuned to the continual evolution of the arts world, students explore and master varied techniques and mediums in the arts. We explore the opportunities and breadth of arts offerings at La Jolla Country Day School while also examining the important role of art in the lives of students as lifelong learners.

Episode 009: Kindergarten Readiness

Featuring Terri Zimmerman, Kindergarten Educator, La Jolla Country Day School

As a kindergarten teacher for over thirty years, Terri Zimmerman brings ideas, enthusiasm and insight into kindergarten readiness that is rooted both in experience and information. Through her playful sense of humor and keen intellect, Ms. Zimmerman reflects on how best to help parents prepare their children for kindergarten and the start of the lifelong journey of education.

La Jolla Country Day School's kindergarten is child-centered, honoring the intellectual, social and emotional life of each child. A rich and varied curriculum develops character and fosters a love of knowledge and each child's desire to learn. The faculty, through diverse teaching styles and interests, inspires creativity and imagination. In the words of Terri Zimmerman,  “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 on a task until completion regardless of challenges or frustration, will serve them in their future.”