About Principal Lila Daruty

  • Principal Lila DarutyI will begin my principalship at Will Rogers Learning Community for the 2022-23 school year. This is a welcomed return to Will Rogers as I started my career in SMMUSD as a 4th grade teacher at Will Rogers in 2005. I have held several district positions that have prepared me to return to Will Rogers, now as your principal. I have been dedicated to educating students for over twenty-four years, most of which has been in rewarding service to the students of SMMUSD.

    I have held positions as a 2nd-5th classroom teacher, (K-5th) Instructional Coach through the Cotsen Foundation at McKinley, Coordinator of the Beginning Teacher Induction Program for new teachers PreK-12th grade, Assistant Principal at Grant and Principal of Webster Elementary. These positions have prepared me to be a knowledgeable partner in your child’s educational success. I earned my Master of Education and Administrative credential at the University of Los Angeles, California through the Principal’s Leadership Institute. Teaching and learning are not only my career, they are also my passion. I am a life-long learner and look forward to the ways in which I will grow as the principal of a newly authorized International Baccalaureate Programme school.

About Assistant Principal Gabriela Gonzalez

  • AP Gaby GonzalezI am honored to be the assistant principal of Will Rogers Learning Community and have been fortunate to be working with such an exceptional group of students, families, teachers, and staff members since 2015.

    I started my career with SMMUSD in 1994, since then I have held positions as a special education assistant, special education teacher in grades TK-5 at Franklin and McKinley, summer school principal and instructional coach at Franklin, Grant and Will Rogers.  I am thankful for these experiences because they have given me the opportunity to work with many talented teachers and administrators who have helped me to see education from different perspectives and continue to grow as an educator.  It is important to me to ensure that ALL students receive the education that they deserve.  I grew up in Santa Monica and am fluent in Spanish.  I earned my teaching credentials and my Masters in Special Education from California State University, Dominguez Hills and my Masters in Administration from California State University, Northridge.