Meet Our School Leadership
Jennifer Knopf | Principal
It is a privilege to introduce myself as principal of Garfield. Before joining Garfield, I held several administrative positions including principal at Henry Ford; assistant principal at North Star, MIT and Kennedy; and an English Language Development Teacher at Fair Oaks Elementary School. As much as I enjoy the role of leadership, I will always be a teacher at heart. I started my teaching career right after college. I moved to Chiapas, Mexico, where I taught English as a second language while learning Spanish. After returning to the States, I obtained a teaching position in Redwood City. I dedicated the next several years as an elementary classroom teacher at Fair Oaks and then at Roy Cloud.
In addition to being an educator, I am a mother of three children who attended K-8 in the Redwood City School District, where we live. I have the same expectations for every student at Garfield as I do for my own children. I want every student to look forward to attending school when they wake up in the morning, to develop a love of learning, and to have the opportunity to pursue whatever it is they want to be when they grow up.
I am fortunate to work with such a dedicated and talented staff that is willing to do whatever it takes to support students both socially and academically. All of us are here at Garfield want to make a positive difference in the lives of your children and help them achieve their highest potential. I look forward to working together with all of you.
Jennifer Knopf
Yadira DiSiena | Community School Coordinator
Yadira DiSiena was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and raised in Los Angeles. The eldest of two sisters, she became the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a Bachelor’s in Sociology from California State University, Northridge.
After moving from Los Angeles to Menlo Park with her husband and five beloved pets, Yadira has fully embraced her new community. Professionally, she’s been deeply involved with local initiatives—working with Izzy Head Start, AbilityPath, The Primary School, and most recently serving as the Community School Specialist at Taft Community School. In that role, she partnered with numerous community agencies to provide vital support to local families.
In her free time, you’ll often find Yadira—and her family—at community events, local parks, or enjoying her community pool.
She’s very excited to join the Garfield Gators as their Community School Coordinator!