Faculty & Staff
Instructional Support
Karina Salazar
Principal
Karina Salazar is a dedicated administrator in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
At the heart of Mrs. Salazar’s educational philosophy is her belief that high-quality instruction, along with nurturing learning environments that honor every child, are essential practices for transformational learning. She has ushered innovative practices that have resulted in positive learning outcomes that cultivated equitable and inclusive environments where equity and inclusion are the norm.
Combined with Mrs. Salazar’s extensive public-school experience, she served on a work team for the California Environmental Literacy Taskforce to provide strategic direction on the California Department of Education’s A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy.
Most recently, Mrs. Salazar served as the instructional leader for 19 schools in the Venice Community of Schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District. During her leadership, Venice CoS outgrew graduation rates to unprecedented levels.
Mrs. Salazar is married and has one son and three daughters. She enjoys traveling with her family and attending triathlon competitions as two of her daughters are high school triathletes.
Mrs. Salazar is delighted to join the Franklin Avenue Elementary School community and is honored to partner with students, staff and parents to contribute to its tradition of academic excellence.
Shalom Kim
Assistant Principal, Elementary Instructional Specialist (APEIS)
Heidi Motzkus
PH.D. RESOURCE SPECIALIST TEACHER
Heidi Motzkus holds a Bachelor's Degree in Theater Arts, a Master's Degree in Theater History/Literature/Criticism, and a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies. She is the Resource Specialist Teacher at Franklin, working with students in grades K-5 to meet their individualized learning goals. She has taught at Franklin for over 20 years as a Special Education Teacher. Outside of school, she enjoys backpacking in the Sierras, traveling internationally, hiking, spending time with family, and attending the theater.
Iris Pineda
Intervention Coordinator
Ms. Pineda holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Learning, a Multi-Subject Clad Credential, and a Master’s Degree in Education with emphasis on Reading and Language Arts. She has been with the Los Angeles Unified School District for over 20 years as a Teacher Assistant, Categorical Coordinator, and classroom teacher in Kindergarten and 4th grade. Ms. Pineda has been part of the Franklin family since 2015 and is a proud parent of a Franklin alum!
Aimee Young Hopkins
M.A. AND CALIFORNIA CREDENTIALED TEACHER
Aimee Young Hopkins has worked extensively in literacy and arts education since 1988. Originally from Rhode Island, Aimee achieved her B.A. Magna Cum Laude from Middlebury College in Vermont and her M.A. in Theatre from Trinity Rep Conservatory in Rhode Island. Holding both the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and the Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development (CLAD) Certificate, Aimee received the prestigious “Golden Apple Award” from LA Unified School District in 2002. Aimee has taught English in Latin America and toured the U.S. as an Artist-in-Residence. Before settling in Los Angeles, she won First Place in Rhode Island’s NATS (National Association for Teachers of Singing) Vocal Competition and several honors at the Solo/Ensemble Competition for Vocal Music. Since coming to the west coast, Aimee has performed in musical theatre and in her own musical one-woman shows and original plays. With her company, Aimee Art Productions and with the Music Center of Los Angeles, Aimee continues to offer quality arts instruction at schools and non-profits throughout the Los Angeles area. She is passionate about using the arts as a tool to build literacy and self-esteem and about sharing her expertise with classroom teachers. (Program Director; Private Teacher – piano, voice; Teaching Artist – Music, Dance, Musical Theatre, Art). "Ms. Aimee" considers Franklin to be her "Home School". She has been a Franklin Fox since 2002 and continues to celebrate the amazing families and children at her beloved Franklin every day. Go Foxes!
Lily Molander
School Registered Nurse
Lily Molander holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Pacific Union College, California. She was a nurse in the private sector for 16 years, prior to joining LAUSD, where she has served as a credentialed school nurse at multiple LAUSD schools. She joined the Franklin family in the 2024-2025 school year, but due to the nursing shortage, was assigned only part-time to Franklin. Since January 2025, she has been the full-time nurse at Franklin Elementary. She is passionate about health maintenance and disease prevention and ”food as medicine” model for healthy living, and enjoys teaching about it. She loves the daily interactions with the students who visit the health office and enjoys working with their families. In her spare time, she loves gardening, eating, and cooking!
Jeannette Guerra
Psychiatric Social Worker (PSW)
Hello! This is my first year at Franklin Elementary School. I have over 20 years of experience serving elementary schools at LAUSD in a variety of roles; currently as a Psychiatric Social Worker, and in the past, as Pupil Services Attendance Counselor, and Healthy Start Coordinator. I grew up near Koreatown in Los Angeles, and love to experience all of the international cuisines and geographic features that our city has to offer, from the weather, the beaches (my favorite), and the mountains. My parents immigrated from El Salvador when I was very young and have instilled in me the importance of getting a good education so we could fulfill our family’s American Dream. I am honored to work at Franklin Elementary and other LAUSD schools this year to continue to support the wellness and academic success of students and their families, and help them to stay on the road of fulfilling their dreams.
Universal Transitional Kindergarten
Transitional Kindergarten
& Kindergarten
Yolanda Viramontes
Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
Yolanda Viramontes is super excited to be joining Franklin Avenue Elementary School. Some of her favorite things are hiking, going to Disneyland, and spending time with my family. She is looking forward to getting to know this school community.
Elisa Alamillo
Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
Elisa Alamillo joins us with 17 years of classroom experience both in the private and public sectors. She completed her undergrad work at Pacific Oaks College in Child Development and earned a Master's Degree in Education at National University. Mrs. Alamillo is thrilled to be joining LAUSD and Franklin Avenue Elementary School. She is excited to demonstrate her passion and enthusiasm for education while promoting lifelong learning to students.
Rosalinda Aleman
Kindergarten
Rosalinda Aleman holds a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies and a Multiple Subject teaching credential. Mrs. Aleman is bilingual; she speaks English and Spanish. She has taught Kindergarten at Franklin since 2014; however, Mrs. Aleman is relatively familiar with the school setting and neighborhood, as she was born and raised in the beautiful Los Feliz/Hollywood area. Mrs. Aleman is a proud alumnus of Franklin, having been a student at Franklin from Kindergarten to 5th grade. Mrs. Aleman has worked within LAUSD since 2005. Her favorite hobbies/interests include reading, arts & crafts, hiking/nature walks, and baking.
Melita Lewis
Kindergarten
Melita Lewis has more than 16 years of teaching experience in grades second, third, and fifth. She’s originally from Long Island, New York. Mrs. Lewis started her teaching career in Georgia and recently moved to Los Angeles. Mrs. Lewis has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Master of Arts Degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She believes that fostering positive relationships with students and parents is important and can build a stronger sense of community. We’re all in this together.
1st Grade
Spencer Jezewski
1st Grade
Fun Fact: Mr.J can walk the halls of Franklin Avenue School with his eyes closed!
Debbie Hasuike
1st Grade
Ms. Hasuike brings over 20 years of experience teaching primarily 1st grade and has a deep passion for early childhood education. Her journey in education began right here at our school, where she first served as a teacher's assistant. Now, as a dedicated classroom teacher, she continues to nurture a love of learning in her students through patience, creativity, and a strong foundation in the basics.
2nd Grade
Janet Ramdeem-Banks
2nd Grade
I am Janet Ramdeen-Banks and have been a teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District for over 28 years. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Master’s degree in Education. I have a multiple subject credential, and also a reading specialist credential. I am pleased to be apart of the Franklin Avenue family, and am dedicated to working in partnership with an amazing faculty and staff as well as parents who are extremely supportive.
Wendy Bescher Perez
2nd Grade
10 Fascinating Things About Me, by Wendy Bescher Perez
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I grew up in Waterloo, Iowa. After high school, I went to Rockford College, outside Chicago, and later transferred to Radford University in Virginia (near Roanoke).
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I spent my junior year of high school as a Rotary Exchange Student to Orange, New South Wales, Australia. It was life changing!
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I started out as an English major in college, and then switched to Fashion Design. This may have been my first true love. My claim to fame in the fashion world? Some freelance work, yes, but I had a paying job as a designer of shoulder pads! :)
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I was fortunate enough to have the spectacular Maya Angelou as one of my professors when I was in school in Virginia. I only regret I was too young to fully appreciate all she had to offer.
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Another job I had when I landed in Los Angeles was as a personal assistant to a celebrity. It seemed like a dream come true to go from detassling corn to spending time on movie sets and handling fan mail!
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Before I became "Mrs. Perez" and had a family, I spent time in Central America and did some volunteer work with a school in El Salvador.
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I love to read! And I consider it my mission to find the right books for my 2nd graders, books that will give them a taste of what losing themselves in a story feels like. It's a great era to be a new reader!
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I love being a mom! Our 2 girls are proud Franklin graduates. Such a special time of our lives.
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I started as a substitute teacher. I knew after just a few days that I wanted to be a teacher. I still love it!
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I've had my own classroom - Room 18 - since 1997 and I think I have the best job in the world. I feel so fortunate to have found such a great family at Franklin!
3rd Grade
Jessica Juarez
3rd Grade
My name is Jessica Juarez, I hold a BA in Spanish Literature and an MA in Educational Administration. In my almost 20 years of teaching, I’ve taught every grade K-6. I am a product of LAUSD, I attended West Hollywood Elementary many moons ago. Both my children are proud Franklin Foxes! I enjoy teaching at Franklin because the parents are so involved, and this creates a real sense of community, that is palpable throughout the school
Shona Munro
3rd Grade
Hello! My name is Ms. Munro. I began my teaching journey in 1993 in Scotland. In 1999, I had the incredible opportunity to teach in the United States for a year through the Fulbright Exchange Program. I returned to Los Angeles in 2003 and have been proud to call Franklin my teaching home ever since. Over the years, I’ve taught Kindergarten, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. In addition to being a teacher at Franklin, I’m also a proud parent of twins who attended the school. I genuinely love what I do and feel truly grateful to be part of the warm and vibrant Franklin community
Christina Casutt Waimrin
3rd Grade
Christina Casutt Waimrin holds a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from the University of California, San Diego. and a Multi-Subject/B-Clad Teaching Credential from California State University, Northridge. She started her teaching career at Los Feliz Elementary in 2000 and later joined the team of teachers at Franklin in 2010. From 2000 to the present, Mrs. Waimrin has taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. Her daughter graduated from Franklin, and her son is currently a student at Franklin. Mrs. Waimrin enjoys spending time with her family and friends, outdoor activities, and traveling. She is proud to be part of the Franklin community and enjoys working with the dedicated staff, parents, and students.
4th Grade
Carolina Orozco-Smith
4th Grade
Carolina Orozco-Smith has 15 years of experience teaching students in various grades, ranging from second through fifth grades. An LAUSD student first, she is re-joining our wonderful district and is now a fourth-grade teacher at Franklin. She has ample experience in Restorative Justice and social-emotional behavioral training. She believes that the key to advancing any work with students is through building relationships with students and families.
Judy Murray
4th Grade
Judy Murray’s journey as a Franklin teacher began in 1994, when she was hired fresh out of the UCLA Credential-M.Ed. program by then-principal Dr. Verna B. Dauterive. This diehard fourth-grade teacher considers Franklin her other family. Her own two children, Erin and James, attended Franklin and were a part of the school community long before they started kindergarten, often coming to school events such as FAME and the annual Halloween Costume Parade. A native So. Cal. girl, Mrs. Murray is proud to say she, too, is a product of LAUSD. Upon graduating from Pali High, she became a Cal Bear. After receiving her BA in French Literature & Civilization, she spent much of her twenties working in the fitness industry, as an aerobics instructor, personal trainer, and health club program director. Eventually, she realized her true calling was to be in a classroom with kids. In addition to teaching 4th grade, she serves as the school’s GATE Testing Coordinator, a hat she has worn since 2002. Look for her at the top of the middle stairs in Room 8
Mrs. Murray will also gladly accept donations of hand wipes and tissues.
5th Grade
Marco Serrano
5th Grade
Marco Serrano has taught several classes at our school as a substitute teacher. He immediately became one of our preferred subs and teachers and students alike were happy to have him in the classroom. He joins us from 24th Street Elementary where he served in a full-time position as a fourth-grade teacher. He often finds himself engaged in professional development to continue to perfect his teaching. Most recently, he participated in the District’s Future Ready Certification Program for teachers.
Jamie Halpenny
5th Grade
Jamie Halpenny is joining our Franklin family with 12 years of teaching experience in the private sector where she taught middle school (6th-8th grade) math while moderating the student council and acting as the school's testing coordinator.
Ms. Halpenny has a strong belief that collaboration, communication, and cooperation are key components to allowing students to experience success and joy throughout their education. She enjoys having the opportunity to engage with and contribute to students by ensuring they understand the inherent value they each possess while also developing their skills to be able to actively contribute to their communities in a positive way.
NOT PICTURED:
Aides:
Eva Acuna, Campus Aide
Hilda Estupinian, Library Aide
Keasha Fikes, Crossing Guard/Campus Aide
Caisy Giron, TA/Instructional Aide
James Murray, TA/Instructional Aide
Emily Perillo, Supervision Aide
Frida Gaspar, Instructional Aide
Ingrid Giron, Supervision Aide
Sydney Fernandez, Educational Aide
Arts:
Karrington Kurlander, Visual Arts Teacher
Maria Loncar-Hallman, Vocal Music Teacher (Grades 3-5)
Mr. Chris, Orchestra Teacher
Campus:
Nancy Duran, Cafeteria Worker
Andrea Molina, Cafeteria Manager
Luis Rosalio, Custodian
Irlanda Corado, Custodian
Office:
Caitlin Pistor, School Psychologist
Norma Monterrosa, Admin Assistant
Samantha Roybal, Office Technician
Special Ed Assistants:
Tania Cortez
Gayane Khachatryan
Evelyn Lopez
Marisol Munoz
Selenna Landeros