Welcome to the Eisner Campus

Dear Jaguar Families,

Welcome back for our 23-24 school year. This year, we are excited about the foundation we've established across both our campuses for our school-wide priorities of Bridging Toward Belonging and Intellectual Engagement. For Bridging Toward Belonging, we've rooted our approach in our shared CARE values (Communidad/Community - Alegria/Joy - Respeto/Respect - Equidad/Equity). For Intellectual Engagement, we're leveraging the strong learning habits our students have built extending back to last school year so they can deeply engage in rigorous content and learning throughout the day.

We know that at our campuses we hold tremendous influence over the growth and development of our students, and we do not take for granted the powerful impact we make as educators. We also know that our students' families are their FIRST educators, and so we are forever grateful for your partnership and collaboration in supporting our students in reaching their highest levels of success.

Thank you for all that you do to foster our students' growth and development. We are excited to work as an entire school community to build strong bridges of belonging and deeply intellectually engage all our students this year.

Thank you,
Mr. Jay Laughlin, Principal

About Eisner

The Jane B. Eisner Middle School is part of the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy network. We are a caring and supportive community that is committed to serving the children and families in the West Adams/Harvard Heights neighborhood.

Our school is small with about 270 students in grades 6-8. This allows us to give students individual attention and constant feedback to help them grow and improve. Our focus is on preparing students for high school and college and empowering them to be agents of social change. This approach sets our middle school apart from others in the neighborhood.

We foster an inclusive environment in which each student is valued and encouraged to succeed. Teachers and students build close relationships and parents are involved in their child's education. We strive to help each child reach their full potential so that they can thrive in middle school and then in high school. Learn more about our approach here.

Our mission is to educate students in a college preparatory program to be literate, critical thinkers, and independent problem solvers who are agents of social justice with sensitivity toward the world around them.

You can access our most current charter renewal petition and other documents by clicking here.

Leadership

John "Jay" Laughlin Principal	John "Jay" Laughlin has been honored to serve as the principal at Castellanos and Eisner since the summer of 2020. Jay's motivation as an educator is grounded in a promise to provide all students with an excellent education that empowers them with access to opportunity. Starting in 2009, Jay began his career in education as a teacher in Chicago Public Schools. While passionate about serving the students and families in his classroom each year, Jay became interested in finding ways to make a positive impact beyond his classroom. In 2015, Jay transitioned into a school leadership role as an Assistant Principal at The Chicago Academy Elementary School, a public PK-8 school on Chicago’s northwest side. After one year in the Assistant Principal role, Jay took on the Principal position at The Chicago Academy from 2016 - 2020, and during this time The Chicago Academy earned the highest possible rating across Chicago Public Schools. At Castellanos an Eisner, Jay has prioritized investing in students, families, and staff in order to build collective capacity and ensure every student is engaged in an excellent educational experience everyday. Jay, along with the Castellanos and Eisner team, knows that family partnerships are foundational to the success of the educational program. Jay sees the amazing potential in our students. He knows that integrating strategic supports across our school, our students will rise to the high expectations we set. Jay earned an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University, a Master's in Teaching from Dominican University, and a Master's in School Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Jay lives with his wife, Alexandra, his nearly 3-year-old son, Miles, and his 1-year-old daughter, Ella.
Yesica Shah Assistant Principal of Instruction
Samantha Guzman Assistant Principal of Student Supports	Samantha was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, about 30 minutes outside of Los Angeles. Samantha graduated from UC Riverside with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Sociology. After graduating in 2013, Samantha began her career in education by serving as an Americorps member with City Year, Los Angeles. In her two years of service at Virgil Middle School, Samantha discovered her passion for supporting students in becoming their best possible selves. Since then, Samantha has spent the past 10 years working with students, staff, and school communities in Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, and Huntington Park. In 2017, Samantha earned a Masters Degree in School Counseling and PPS credential from Loyola Marymount University, and most recently earned her Administrative Credential in 2022. Samantha has held various roles such as Instructional Aide, 9^th grade English teacher, academic counselor, and most recently School Counselor and Special Education Coordinator. Samantha joined the CNCA Eisner community in 2022 as the Assistant Principal of Student Supports. Samantha strives to ensure that students feel they can come to school with not only connection and belonging as an Eisner Jaguar, but the supports to be their best and most authentic selves. As part of her educational mission, Samantha wants students to not only excel academically but to develop and practice interpersonal skills to be successful in whatever path they take. In the words of Ms. Guzman, she wants students to “Make good choices.” Along with this, Samantha works to create alignment and collaboration with Eisner teachers, staff, and parents to create a space at Eisner for all to feel safe, connected, and valued. Samantha is grateful every day for the opportunity to be a part of Eisner.
Jenifer Guitierrez School Operations Manager	Born and raised in the heart of Los Angeles. I have a BA in Sociology with a Feminist Studies Minor from UCSB and a Master in Teaching from Bard College. I have been with our CNCA Eisner Community for the past 8 years in various roles such as RSP TA, IEP Clerk, ELA 8th Grade Teacher, Cheer coach, and SRLA Coach. As an Operations Manager, I ensure that our school is always welcoming and running smoothly for all of our children and staff so that they can focus on learning and achieving greatness. I am passionate about education and helping bridge the gap between education and the obstacles that our children and our families face every day. On my personal time, I run my own Business and I travel as much as possible. Traveling fuels my soul. I enjoy spending time with my family and my two dogs, Terra and Khaleesi.
Student and Family Coordinator Yesenia Rivas	Yesenia Rivas-Hernandez is the liaison between the school and the families at the Jose Castellanos and Jane B. Eisner MS. Prior to joining the school's leadership team, she worked for Youth Policy Institute for nine years. There she developed a passion for working with children and families as a tutor, serving students in the Pacoima and San Fernando area. She has an extensive background in coaching, budget management, workshop development and facilitation, and cultivating connections from school to home. Yesenia graduated with a bachelor's degree in liberal studies from California State University, Northridge.

Contact Us

2755 W 15th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90006

Phone: 323-358-2030

Fax: 323-732-1439

Eisner Programs