La Jolla Light’s Community Heroes series.
De La Loza has held the director position for nearly seven years. She came to the preschool after teaching and training others in early-childhood education for a few decades.
“I coordinate it all,” she said. “I partner with the parents, I do everything I can to support the teachers, providing everything they need to be the best early-childhood educators.”
De La Loza, who lives in Carlsbad with her husband, said she visits classrooms, meets regularly with teachers and supports their development to ensure that the roughly 85 students — whom she calls her “little punkins” — are thriving.