FACULTY LOUNGE edgewood librarian keeps it light

"Hey Friends!" or "Don't aggravate my liver!" are common phrases you will hear from Mrs. Ginger Liess, the Edgewood campus librarian and ASB advisor.  Ms. Liess has been working at Fairmont for 10 years now. Her career at Fairmont began at the Anaheim Hills campus about five years ago. In addition to her current role, Ms. Liess has also taught Junior High Study Skills. Her passion for working with children has landed her a BS in child and adolescent studies and a Master's degree in education. She has been working with children for 16 years now and not a day goes by without a smile on her face. In her spare time, she loves frequenting Starbucks, traveling, spending time with family and playing with her puppies. 

Contributed by Jonna, Edgewood campus

FACULTY LOUNGE edgewood acknowledges maintenance man

Thanks to Camerino Esquada in Fairmont’s maintenance department, teachers and students can focus on learning and leave the “dirty work” to him!  We are very thankful to him for everything he does to keep our campus looking great year round.  Mr. Esquada is a native of Mexico City and has lived in the US for the past 17 years.  He and his wife, Leticia, have three children: two sons and a one year-old daughter.  When he’s not hard at work helping keep the Edgewood campus in tip-top shape he enjoys playing the guitar, playing soccer, swimming, hiking and spending quality time with his family.

Contributed by Jonna, Edgewood campus

FACULTY LOUNGE edgewood features organ aficionado ed williamson

Edgewood fifth grade teacher, Mr. Ed Williamson, is a native Californian who grew up in north San Diego County. He attended high school at San Pasqual Academy and earned his BA in Liberal Arts from Loma Linda University, La Sierra Campus.

Currently, he lives in Tustin, within walking distance of the Edgewood campus. He and his wife (who is also a teacher) have two grown children and one grandchild. Adding spunk and joy to their household are a MinPin and a Long-haired Chihuahua. 

Mr. Williamson played basketball on his high school and college teams, but music was his true passion and continues to be to this day.  He began studying piano at the age of nine.  He also studied organ for four years during high school and is currently a member of the American Guild of Organists.  He plays for various churches here in Southern California.  In addition to playing music, Mr. Williamson enjoys watching movies, attending plays, going to the symphony and watching sports – especially the Angels and Lakers.

Mr. Williamson has been teaching elementary school for 25 years. He has taught fifth grade at Edgewood since 1996. In addition to his teaching duties, he enjoys coaching DSL flag football and basketball.  “I feel truly blessed to be a part of the faculty here at Edgewood,” he says.

Contributed by Jonna, Edgewood campus

FACULTY LOUNGE citron celebrates creative, experienced kindergarten teachers

Kindergarten is a special time in a child's life and Citron has some super special kindergarten teachers.

Dr. Janet Molina has 30 years of teaching experience with the last 20 years spent as a kindergarten teacher at the Citron campus. Janet has two children (both college graduates) who attended the Citron campus. She loves seeing the excitement in a student who first learns to read or one who begins to "think mathematically." Janet enjoys spending time with her family and attending USC games.

Citron has had the pleasure of having Ms. Karen Young at Fairmont for 29 years, all of which have been with kindergarten students. Karen was born and raised in San Diego, which is why her favorite teams are the Padres and the Chargers.  When you visit Room 2, you might notice items such as Annie, Woody, the Running Man, a miniature podium, and even a real stop light. All of which were made by Ms. Young’s dad. You will also notice a picture of Frank Sinatra, one of Karen Young’s favorite singers. If you are a student in her class you will learn to sing some of his classics. Karen’s hobbies include golfing and fishing.

In 1967, Mrs. Patsy Bauman attended Fairmont Private School for her kindergarten year. Thirty years later, she returned to Fairmont as an educator and has been at the Citron campus for 13 years. In addition to her love for children, both biological and those of the kindergarten variety, she enjoys her friends, home, garden, animals, nature, and baking. Mrs. Bauman is very artistic and it shows in her classroom and in the variety of fun activities she plans for her students.

We are so fortunate here at the Citron campus to have such experienced, passionate kindergarten teachers.  They have a lifelong love of learning and are happy to share it with anyone who visits their classrooms.

Contributed by Elly, Citron campus

FACULTY LOUNGE edgewood's kari white fulfills life-long dream

Fifth grade teacher, Kari White, joined the Edgewood team four years ago teaching  elementary science lab, various junior high math classes and seventh grade life science. Mrs. White taught a variety of subjects and grade levels in public schools before finding a home at Edgewood, where she feels fortunate to be in a job surrounded by curious students and supportive parents. 

“Teaching has always been my dream,” she said, “and nothing makes me happier than seeing students excited about learning.”

Mrs. White has always loved learning. She started in high school, volunteering as an aid in an elementary school. Although she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be a teacher, scientist, author or Nancy Drew, she continued to study in college, earning degrees in English, Liberal Studies and Science.  She also earned a multiple subject credential, a single subject credential to teach English, special certification to teach gifted students, and she is currently enrolled (though taking a break this semester) in a joint masters and administrative credential program. She continues to write for fun, and also writes test questions for the CTP4 tests. 

Whenever she has time, she helps her husband, who is a science consultant, with their business. One of her favorite activities was running a digital academy with her husband to teach inner-city students how to film and edit video.  She enjoys traveling with her husband and daughter and volunteering with the forestry service. Currently, she is busy collaborating with her seven siblings to plan her parents’ 50th wedding anniversary.

Contributed by Jonna, Edgewood campus

FACULTY LOUNGE anaheim hills' heather lopez working toward BTSA cert

Heather Lopez graduated from Chapman University in May 2006. She acquired her CLAD multiple subject teaching credential in 2007, the same year she started teaching at Fairmont's Anaheim Hills campus. Currently, Heather is working on completing her BTSA certification and will have completed this two year program in only one year. She was one of only three candidates chosen in the State of California to complete the program in only one year.

Heather's passion for teaching children at a critical point in their development fuels her to teach early childhood education at Fairmont. Heather notes, "Watching students who could not read at the beginning of the year, read entire books at the end of the year, is incredibly gratifying." She prides herself in being a valuable member of Fairmont and an asset in the lives of each of her students.

During her free time she likes to spend time with her husband, Jorge, and the couple's three dogs (Tucker, Daisy and Winnie.)  She enjoys reading, shopping and going to Dodger games! Heather hopes to earn her reading instruction certificate from Chapman University in the near future.

Contributed by Vicky, Anaheim Hills campus