School Faculty
- Administration
- K-5
- Jr. High
- Enrichment
- Preschool
- Infant Toddler
- Aides / Day Care
Matt Conway
Principal
Mr. Conway is a native Escondidan. He attended Escondido public and private schools all the way through 12th grade. He graduated from Biola University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Talbot School of Theology with a Masters of Arts in Theology. Prior to becoming the Principal, he taught History and Bible at ECS. He has been married to his wonderful wife, Jenni, for 20 years. They have four children, Macie (17), Avenleigh (15), Lily (12) and Blaise (8), who keep them very busy.
Mr. Conway’s passion is leading students and teachers toward a greater understanding of how God’s character is both a comfort and strength in the life of the Christian. Mr. Conway’s pastimes include disc golf, history, current events, home renovations and hanging out with his family. He can easily be bribed when offered anything with chocolate and peanut butter.
Dawn Swazey
Student Services Coordinator
Linda Wycinsky
Business Manager
Jody Leduc
Admissions Director
Martina Nielsen
Preschool Director
mnielsen@ecslions.org
Phyllis Nichols
Jr. Kindergarten Teacher
Marissa Ingram
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher
Kalimah Devers
Older 2’s Teacher
Michele Lawrence
Preschool Assistant Director
mlawrence@ecslions.org
Des Garcia
ECP and ITC Floating Teacher
Rachael Jiles
Young 2's Teacher
Britani Drayson
Toddlers, Teacher
Karissa Grissom
Infants, Assistant Director & Teacher
Carlos Ortiz
Mr. Carlos Ortiz has proven to be a huge asset to ECS. Prior to joining ECS, he worked at a retirement center, community center as well as The Rancho Bernardo Inn. He is a longtime Escondido resident and graduated from San Pasqual High School. Carlos and his wife have three young children ages 1-6 who keep them busy. His hobbies include playing with his kids and watching movies. He also enjoys sports.
Heather Mason
Aide
Kasey Meisner
Diana Murcko
Aide & Preschool Teacher
Tiffany Marshall
Julie Mitchell
Amber Mitchell
English, 6th Grade Science, Photography Elective
Amber started teaching 6th grade at ECS in 2004. She has a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies and an MA in Cross-Cultural Teaching. She has a CA state multiple subject K-8 credential and is working on her single-subject credential in English. Her hope for her students is that they will gain a better understanding of the earth God has created for us. She wants them to know that God loves them and cares for each one equally. She also wants them to discover the talents God has placed within each of them and learn how to use those talents for His glory.
Joe Varadi
Bible, Guitar, DIY Electives
Mr. Varadi grew up in the backwoods of Oregon and was 17 years old before he was first introduced to electricity. Prior to being the Jr. High Bible teacher, Mr. Varadi taught music and played trombone professionally for 10 years. After being trained in Bible and Theology by the local church and Multnomah University he became the Bible teacher at Escondido Christian School. Apart from sonship in Christ Mr. Varadi’s greatest joy is being married to his wife, who is also an educator, and his 2 kids. Mr. Varadi’s greatest desire for his students is stated in Colossians 1:9b-12, “that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light”.
Susie Schuster
PLP Director
Mrs. Shuster has been married for 39 years. Her son attended ECS form Kindergarten through 8th grade and is a graduate of UC Irvine. Mrs. Shuster has been with ECS for 20 and has been a part of the PLP since its inception. She has taught math grades 1-8, in PLP and through private tutoring for the past 17. Mrs. Shuster loves working with children and watching them gain success in math. She enjoys gardening, reading and camping.
Tonya Pinkerton
P.E & After School Sports
Denisse Gushwa
Spanish Teacher
Mrs. Gushwa was born and raised in Baja California, Mexico where she graduated from college and became a 2nd grade teacher before meeting her husband Nate and immigrating to the United States. Nate is the Spanish Pastor at Escondido Christian Church and Denisse partners with him in missions. The Gushwas have two young boys that attend ECS and ECP.
Jenni Conway
Art & Musical Theatre/Drama Teacher
Mrs. Conway attended Clearwater Christian College in Florida and graduated from a prestigious performing arts high school where she did intensive study in theater and art with an emphasis in set-design. She worked at Disney World as a performer and photographer. Jenni has traveled extensively, been a missionary and is fluent is Spanish. She has four fun-loving children who have all attended ECS and she is married to Matt Conway, who is our Principal. Her favorite Bible verse Matthew 6:33.
Kate Canady
Counselor
Mrs. Canady came to us in 2018 from Indiana, where she was certified as a school counselor. She graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelors in Child Development and Family Studies and a Masters in School Counseling. She oversees our school wide assessments and facilitates referrals
For academic assistance. Kate also works weekly with individual students who have been referred for one-on-one counseling services. Please email her to enquire about beginning counseling services with your child. She is married and has two sons who attend ECS. Mrs. Canady enjoys spending time with family, baking and exploring the great outdoors.
Justine Chavez
Math, Science, American Sign Language Elective
Justine was born in Maine and raised in Oregon and California. She earned her bachelor’s degree at California State University, Northridge in 2000 and in the same year starting her teaching career by accepting a junior high position. In addition, Justine has served as a department supervisor in the elementary level. She currently holds an ACSI teaching certification. She has been married to her husband Carlos for over seventeen years and they have three fantastic children. They delight in spending time together and exploring the beaches and museums of San Diego. She has a huge passion for teaching and she finds joy in encouraging her students to have the same. She also teaches American Sign Language and enjoys learning about the Deaf Culture. One of her favorite Bible verses is John 3:30.
Peter McKinley
History, Social Studies, Geography, PE Coach
Peter is a loving husband and father of three girls all who have attended or are currently attending ECS. Peter attended ECS himself, graduating in 1988. After finishing at San Pasqual High School, he graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in Business Administration. Peter also played tennis for the University of Oregon for a brief stint. He worked as a business manager for 7 years prior to a career as a regional field sales manager for another 5 years. Peter has been working at our school for the last ???? years. Peter is very excited to help jr. high students grow in Christ and become strong young minds.
Diane Pombert
Kindergarten
Mrs. Pombert graduated from Illinois State University with a BS in Education and has a Kindergarten-9th Grade teaching credential. She has been teaching at ECS school for over 30 years! She has always taught Kindergarten in the same classroom. Her daughter, Tricia, attended ECS from Kindergarten through eighth grade, and is now our other kindergarten teacher as well as the summer program director. Diane loves reading, giraffes, the Padres and Disneyland. Mostly she loves teaching children about Jesus! Diane holds a B.S. in Education.
Tricia Pombert
Kindergarten
Ms. Tricia attended ECS as a student from kindergarten through 8th grade and has been on staff since 1998 in various capacities. Tricia has now come full circle and is teaching kindergarten. Tricia has her BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Governors University. She enjoys reading, movies, the Padres, Disneyland and spending time with family and friends.
Heidi Stock
1st Grade
Mrs. Stock has been at ECS since 2007. She has a Bachelor’s Degree from Cal State San Marcos, CA Multiple Subject K-8 State Credential, CLAD certified, and a Masters in Education from WGU. She has been married to her wonderful husband, Jeremiah, since 2012 and has two precious children. She enjoys cooking, doing crafts and swimming. Heidi has always wanted to teach our lower elementary students ever since she began at ECS as a Summer in the Son staffer at the age of 17. Her favorite Bible verse in Matthew 5:16.
Celeste Carney
1st Grade
Mrs. Carney has taught at ECS for 17 years. She holds a lifetime California Teaching Credential and graduated from the University of San Diego. She has a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology with a Reading Specialist Credential. She took 20 years off in the middle of her teaching career to raise three daughters. Celeste loves teaching because she knows that all she invests into each day is invested in God’s greatest treasure, His children!
Becky Ferreira
2nd Grade
Mrs. Ferreira came to ECS after working in Women’s Ministries for twenty years and raising her four boys. She attended Biola University and holds a California State Credential and ACSI certification. She has taught second grade at ECS for over 20 years. She has four married sons, four terrific daughters-in-law and 13 grandchildren! At ECS, she most values the opportunity to incorporate her love for missions and people around the world.
Ruth Valdez
2nd Grade
Mrs. Valdez attended CSUSM where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Literature and Writing Studies. She also received her teaching credential from CSUSM, as well as a Bilingual and English Learner’s authorization. She has been connected with the ECS family since 2013 when she began as a teacher’s aide and daycare staff. Aside from academic instruction, she has also ministered to children and high school students through her church. She is thrilled that ECS is a place where she can do both. God has blessed her with her husband Eduardo and two children, Jaretzy and Josman. Her past times are singing, reading, writing, and currently raising chickens, a dog, and a piggy!
Gina Guerrieri
3rd Grade
Gina’s alma maters are SDSU and CSUSM. She started teaching in ECS’s third grade in 1991. Before that, she worked for Migrant Education as the coordinating teacher. Her favorite pastimes, when she is not teaching are swimming, shopping, and loving on her granddaughters. Gina feels blessed to be able to share Jesus with her class. Her husband, John, is a retired, beloved public school counselor, who leads the Learning to Love program at Escondido Christian Church and now has an office on campus for our families to access for counseling.
Cindey Fikse
3rd Grade
Cindey Fikse has taught a total of 34 years. Twenty-five of those years were in the 3rd grade at Light and Life Christian School. She loves sharing her faith in Jesus with her students, and her favorite subject is mathematics. Her hobbies include singing in the choir, walking two miles every day, swimming laps in the pool, reading Christian fiction, and playing (or "hanging out") with her 17 grandchildren!! Cindey has a B.A. in mathematics, an M.A. in Education, a California state elementary credential, and a Lifetime ACSI credential. She wholeheartedly and enthusiastically enjoys being in the classroom with her students.
Tamara Beatty
4th Grade
Tamara Beatty
https://tbeatty0.wixsite.com/msbeatty4thgrade
Ms. Beatty loves teaching 4th grade at ECS. She is grateful that she has been at ECS since 1994. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary Education from Taylor University in Indiana. She has been blessed with two wonderful children and a terrific son-in-law and daughter-in-law. Both her son and daughter attended ECS, she even had her son in her 4th grade class! Ms. Beatty loves being a grandmother to her three beautiful granddaughters and travels to Philadelphia as much as possible to see them. She enjoys singing, shopping, dining out, reading and playing golf. Her favorite Bible verse is Phillippians 4:4-9.
Luke Holzschuh
4nd Grade
Luke Holtzschuh
Luke holds a business degree from California State University San Marcos, and is currently working towards his Master’s Degree in Education. Leaving the business world behind, he is following his dreams of being a school teacher, where he can help teach, mentor, and motivate our youth of today to live God centered lives. Luke is passionate about not only being a teacher to the students at ECS, but also being a mentor and role model. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Ranae, surfing, playing sports, working out, skiing and camping. Luke and his wife are passionate about sharing the Gospel of Christ through teaching and ministry. His favorite verse is Galatians 6:14.
Kayla George
5th Grade
Kayla George
Kayla began teaching at ECS in 2006. She graduated from Cal State San Marcos University. In her spare time, she enjoys working as the choreographer for our school drama department. Her two children are students here at ECS and Kayla is an ECS alumni also. Kayla has a passion for teaching and encouraging her students to be the unique men and women God designed them to be. She creates her classroom environment through the idea that education should be individualized, structured, and fun.
Ranae Holzschuh
5th Grade
Ranae has her Liberal Studies degree from Cal State San Marcos. This is her second year teaching and
is loving every single day. Ranae’s father was a teacher for 33 years and was her inspiration to become a teacher. It has always been her goal that her classroom would be her mission field where she would be able to mentor, encourage and help shape her students into the children God has created them to be. Her desire for her classroom is that it is a safe, fun environment where integrity, honesty, respect, and grit are strived for everyday.
Working alongside her husband Mr. Holzschuh has been a blessing to experience the beginning of teaching careers together.
Chris Grisson
School Secretary
Audra Preston
Library
Heather Snider
Marketing and Branding Coordinator
Miss Heather has been at ECS for almost four years, two of which have been helping out with and leading the high school program. Heather is currently taking on the role of Marketing and Branding Coordinator, and manages all of the school’s marketing opportunities and social media platforms. She also helps the IT department as an assistant when needed. Ms. Snider has a Bachelors in Business Management from California State University San Marcos and is so excited to be able to utilize her degree here at ECS and to better the Kingdom of God. She grew up in Fallbrook, California her whole life and moved to Escondido last year.Her favorite bible verse is Romans 8:38-39.
Grant Whitehead
IT Director
Mr. Whitehead is an alumnus of ECS and is currently working toward his teaching degree. He is a graduate of Joshua Wilderness Program, a biblically based one year service training intensive for college students. He has been employed at ECS since 2015 as part of our summer day camp ,and is now the IT Director for the school. He is recently married to the love of his life this past June and is excited to begin this next season of life beside his wife.