Contacts & Directions

Born and raised in Santa Barbara, Daisy earned her BA at UC Berkeley in Political Science with a minor in History, and her MA at Loyola Marymount in Educational Policy and Administration. Having been selected for the Teach For America Rising Leader Fellowship, Daisy brings strong experience to Laguna as a K-12 educator and leader. She has taught both history and English for multiple years in the Bay Area, and most recently, served as the After School Program Coordinator at The Turner Foundation. Daisy is passionate about designing student-centered curriculum, building community, and helping students develop their potential. She will be taking over Mr. Guay’s current classes, which include all three sections of World History I, as well as one section each of World History II and US History. 

Full of energy and optimism, Ms. Armstrong began her journey in 2014 at Laguna’s Lower School campus as the Grades 3 & 4 Instructional Assistant. In 2015, she transitioned to the Hope Ranch campus, where she took on the lead teaching role in sixth grade. Ms. Armstrong has been instrumental in curriculum development and in building strong connections with students, families, and colleagues. Not only has she excelled as the sixth-grade lead teacher, but she has also played a key role as a faculty advisor for Laguna’s TEDx program, showcasing her commitment to fostering innovative ideas and empowering students. Additionally, Ms. Armstrong’s dedication to environmentalism shines through in her participation in the annual CA Coastal Cleanup Day. Driven by her passion for science, she brings her infectious enthusiasm to the classroom, returning to the Lower School community in 2024 as the science instructor. Ms. Armstrong holds a B.A. in history from Whitman College and a master’s degree in education from UCSB.

Dan Ary has taught for over 35 years, including 24 years as a full-time instructor at Laguna Blanca School. He is an adjunct professor in Mathematics at Santa Barbara City College and has been a Visiting Instructor in Computer Science at UCSB. His Master’s degree from UCSB is in Mathematics. During his graduate years at UCSB he acted as a Teaching Fellow specializing in enrichment math for EK-12. While at the university he worked many summers developing curriculum, grades K-6, for the DIGIT program.

He was instrumental in the development and teaching of the AP Calculus program at Laguna Blanca School and has frequently taught AP Computer Science there. In the past he has acted as chairman of the Math department.

Mr. Ary has tutored extensively with both individuals and small groups in math SAT. He has years of experience in teaching both SAT I and SAT II math courses. He has successfully collaborated in the development and teaching of SAT preparation courses since 2000.

When he is not enjoying his teaching of mathematics he spends his time at home playing with his Irish wolfhound. He enjoys Santa Barbara and feels privileged to have been a resident for over 45 years.

Charlie Aslesan (Mr. A) comes to Laguna Blanca from St. Paul, Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Education & Family Studies from Saint Olaf College where he was also the Co-Captain of their basketball team. Mr. A has over five years of teaching experience in Middle and Upper School Social Studies and English courses, including seventh grade Geography. In 2021, he was the recipient of the Saintly Service Halo Award, which goes to two educators in the entire state of Minnesota, recognizing excellence in the development of students.