From the Head of School Nanci KauffmanHA

The Strength of Our Community

Just before last year’s issue of Full Circle went to print in the spring, I added a note at the end of my letter to announce that we were transitioning to Distance Learning in response to the pandemic. I will admit, and I am guessing many of you might agree, that it feels like more than a year has passed since then. As individuals, we have all faced losses and challenges related to COVID; and as a community, we will continue to support each other through these experiences.

In recent years at Castilleja, we have explored different school-wide themes as a way to reflect on our learning inside and outside the classroom; and this year’s theme, Justice, has been especially relevant as we seek to make meaning from everything we are discovering about ourselves and the world.

In visual form, Justice is often represented by a woman holding scales. As the head of a school that educates girls to become confident thinkers and compassionate leaders, I am especially interested in this image because it asks all of us to consider the unique role that women can play in addressing questions of equity. In August of 2020, we marked the centennial of the 19th Amendment, which removed gender as a barrier to voting. The milestone was a complicated one to celebrate because many other barriers, including race, class, and status as a naturalized citizen, remain firmly in place. This fall, we were filled with pride as many of our students voted for the first time while we also committed to creating a more inclusive legacy for women in the next 100 years. Luckily, role models abound. Women are making a difference in every realm—politics, climate change, education, medicine, and philanthropy—in the service of equity, and Castilleja alumnae are among them. For example, recent graduates created the Castilleja Black Alumnae Association, a formal network to provide opportunities for advocacy, support, and connection among Black alumnae. Other graduates are lobbying for health care reform, amplifying diverse voices, and finding creative ways to give back to Castilleja. In the pages of this magazine, you will find stories about new programs and initiatives on campus to support and inspire the next generation of women leaders to use their learning not just to effect change but also to consider how that change can bend the arc of the universe toward justice.

At Castilleja, the strength of our community has always been one of our most valuable assets. During this unusual year, we have been able to open our virtual community events to include families and alumnae for the first time. I hope those experiences and this issue of Full Circle help you feel connected and inspired. Even during periods of time when we have had to be physically apart, we are strongest when we find ways to continue to come together and be present for each other in new ways.

Warmly,