At Kavod Charter School, a tuition-free TK-8 public charter school in San Diego, every explorer’s journey is shaped by the educators who show up for them, year after year. This September, we’re spotlighting Ms. Leonard, one of our beloved 3rd grade teachers, whose classroom is built on relationships, curiosity, and a whole lot of laughter.
Five Years of Building Community
Ms. Leonard has been part of the Kavod community for five years. In that time, she’s found something she describes as the heart of her work: watching relationships grow long after her explorers move on to new grades.
“I love being able to build relationships with the explorers in my class and continuing to have relationships with them after they’ve left my class,” she shares.
That same spirit of connection is what she wants prospective and current families to know most about Kavod: “Kavod has a staff that is supportive of each other and dedicated to our students,” sharing a sense of teamwork that Kavod students feel in every classroom they walk into.
Down on the Farm: A Field Trip She’ll Never Forget
Ask Ms. Leonard about a favorite Kavod memory, and she doesn’t hesitate: the Coastal Roots Farm field trip. “The kids get to explore a working farm and learn about sustainability and the role each part of the farm plays in keeping the system working. The kids have so much fun!” It’s the kind of hands-on, real-world learning that brings Kavod’s values to life outside the classroom walls.
Those values are personal to Ms. Leonard as well: “I think it is so important that children learn the importance of being a learner as well as a part of the local, national, and global communities,” she explains. “Teaching them to bring kindness, compassion, and open-mindedness into the world is a cornerstone at Kavod.”
A Legacy of Teachers: The Family Behind Her Passion
Ms. Leonard comes from a family of educators: her mom, dad, and aunt are all retired teachers, and now she and her sister have carried on the tradition. “I think we both saw how happy the job made them and wanted that same fulfillment,” she says. It’s a legacy that shows up daily in how she shows up for her explorers: with patience, warmth, and genuine joy. “What I enjoy most about teaching is building relationships with the students and just having fun and laughing with them.”
3 Fun Facts About Ms. Leonard
Beyond the classroom, Ms. Leonard brings a lot of life experience and personality to Kavod:
- She has taught in four different states before finding her home at Kavod.
- She shares her home with a lovable 115-pound dog.
- She learned to cook Italian food from her grandmother, over Zoom.
Respect, Every Day
Ms. Leonard’s story is a reminder of what makes the Kavod community so special: educators who are deeply invested in every explorer, both in their classroom year and long after. It’s respect in action, the kind that builds relationships that last.
Want to see more of what life at Kavod looks like this year? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for a behind-the-scenes look at our explorers, teachers, and classroom moments throughout the school year.
About Kavod Charter School:
Kavod is a tuition-free public charter school in San Diego committed to growing the next generation of bilingual, globally aware leaders who will make the world a more respectful place. We offer modern Hebrew and Spanish to diverse TK-8th graders alongside a rigorous curriculum, the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, and enriching electives. As a non-religious, dual language elementary and middle school, we are consistently ranked as a top 5% charter school in California and the nation. Kavod means respect – we believe respect makes a world of difference. Enroll with Kavod today!
