Fall 2023 Periscope and Report on Philanthropy (Public)

PS1 gives children a space to be their true, authentic selves.

Love.

PS1 has had a profound impact on our family.

Why I Give…

I believe in PS1’s mission.

We want to support faculty in their professional development and give them the resources to innovate in the classroom.

The magic.

We had the most wonderful 7 years at PS1, a place to learn, grow and belong for the whole family!

We love PS1.

We love the school and the futures that are being built every day.

To support the community!!

Love you guys!!

We are willing to help in any way that we can even if it’s small.

To support an economically diverse community at PS1. Community.

PS1 is a special place that helps kids individualize & yet grow into community.

In This Issue

PAGE 1

Head’s Column

PAGE 2

Professional Development

PAGE 4

Class of 2023 Graduation

PAGE 19

Report on Philanthropy

THE PERISCOPE

Volume 33, Number3

Editor: Amanda Perla

Alan Ball

Designer: David Mellen Design

PS1 Pluralistic School

1225 Broadway

Santa Monica CA 90404

(310) 394-1313

(310) 395-1093 fax

Head’s Column

Our Shared Purpose at PS1

Below are opening remarks from this fall’s Curriculum Night, shared with current PS1 families and staff in September. I wanted to share these remarks with our wider community as well. This truly is a remarkable place, and I look forward to meeting many of you who have helped to make it so.

This has been such a fabulous start of the school year. I want to take a few minutes to tell you about my story of coming into PS1, with lots of experiences in other schools, bringing a set of fresh eyes and an open set of ears.

What I have learned:

Starting with the staff and teachers -

• This is a group of smart, talented, hardworking, intentional people

• They are committed to the growth and development of children

• They know a lot about what will bring success to PS1 and need opportunities to have their voices elevated

And the families -

• This truly is what all elementary schools are trying to be: a school for children and for families. It is unusual and amazing.

• Families are astute advocates for their children and themselves, and are willing to speak up for what feels good and where they need help in this hard work of raising humans, are willing to be honest about their hopes and dreams, and are willing to lean in and help us as an institution to work toward our potential.

That’s what I see us doing at PS1, in a way that is authentic and honorable.

I have a smart friend who reminds me all the time that the challenge of school communities is not about necessarily getting it right, whatever it is, right from the start. The challenge is about sticking with the process, working through the ups and downs, until we get to what is right. It is about listening and learning and growing—together.

That’s what I believe is possible at PS1. We truly want to hear people’s feedback, to listen to staff voices and family voices and children’s voices so that together we work toward being the best school we can be. Next month you will hear from me in writing with a response to the surveys that were put out last spring, both the climate survey and the general school feedback survey. I’ll write about what we have learned and how we intend to use that information to move us forward. And then I hope that you will join me at a community meeting to talk about that information and those plans.

How we started the year:

As a staff and faculty, we started off this school year by reading Ron Berger’s book A Culture of Quality. In an ode to a pedagogically Progressive approach to education, Ron identifies four elements that he sees as essential to a quality program:

• A shared purpose

• Respect for colleagues

• High standards

• Opportunities for self-directed work

Our staff and faculty spent our first week back sitting together in a circle to work together to define and refine our shared purpose and the common practices that help us move forward together. This shared purpose, still in draft form, impacts how we build community and a place of belonging, how we plan curriculum, how we think about social emotional learning and diversity and equity. Ultimately, it is our ode to Pluralism. I’d like to share it with you so you can hear how we are moving into this year.

Our Shared Purpose at PS1

A draft - August 28, 2023

PS1 is committed to building connections, both academic and personal. We help kids to understand their identity as people and as learners while building a community of belonging. Each child is known, seen, respected, and validated. The ways in which we are each different are noted, embraced, and appreciated so that each person can get what they need to learn and grow.

We work through a lens of respect for children. We know that they come into school with prior knowledge and experiences, with many strengths and talents already developed. We make space for, welcome,

and honor each other’s voices. We make it safe for children to be vulnerable as they learn to use their voices and to express themselves. We ask children to be metacognitive and reflective. We help kids see how to contribute to our learning community, how to become independent learners, how to develop a sense of agency for themselves and their learning. We help children see and value that failure is part of the learning process, that the struggle is valued, that discomfort is okay, that risk-taking and mistake-making are essential components of being curious life-long learners.

We value partnership, community, and collaboration over competition, process over product, engagement over performance. Our learning environment is designed with children in mind, is intended for their use, and fosters their passion and understanding for the world around them. We give children real-life learning experiences that help them develop a commitment to sustainability. We are committed to developing active, engaged, thoughtful citizens of a diverse, complex, and ever-changing world.

As you go off into classrooms tonight, and throughout this school year, I hope that you will carry this with you and look for the ways this shared purpose is guiding our practice:

• Increased collaboration and connection across the clusters

• Ways we are making learning visible and helping families find ways to connect to the learning

• The use of research-based practices to evaluate and elevate our academic expectations

• Differentiation and opportunities for appropriate levels of challenge for each child

• How we communicate our expectations and individual student progress

Thank you,

Susannah Wolf, Head of School

PS1 teachers engage in incredible professional development opportunities each summer and throughout the school year. Captured below are highlights from the conferences and workshops they attended over the recent months.

Professional Development

John Waldman

This summer, it was my good fortune to take Gender and Sexuality: Applications in Society, an online course through the University of British Columbia. I have been an elementary school teacher for forty years and the significance of this information and accompanying dialogue has never been greater. The course focused on educational, historical, cultural and societal implications of this topic. It delved into how many of our ideas are also shaped by race, ability and class and how already marginalized communities are impacted by our lack of information, empathy, and understanding. Although this was a college level course, it further opened my thinking to the concerns our students can carry with them each day and the need for all of the adults in their lives to provide support. My days were often spent working on my class early each morning and then thinking about what I had learned while refinishing my kitchen cabinets. It was time well-spent for my summer break!

In late June, we attended the “Teaching for Equity and Justice” summit sponsored by Facing History and Ourselves. As independent schools step further into the 21st century, it is imperative that educators commit to becoming more critically conscious of how power, privilege, and oppression continue to impact educational spaces across the nation. Embracing this work will hopefully create more justice and equity for each person in our community.

The week focused on a pedagogical triangle of intellectual scholarship, emotional engagement, and ethical reflection. Attendees grounded themselves in the history of America’s public and private educational systems and their evolutions over time which benefitted whiteness while excluding people of color. The training asked educators to be brave in acknowledging white supremacy at every turn, confronting colorblindness, and disrupting meritocracy. From guest speakers to reading activities to group dialogue with fellow educators from around the country, this was a valuable investment in the ongoing growth toward anti-bias/anti-racist teaching practices that can ultimately help to make each person feel as if they truly belong in educational spaces, regardless of any aspect of their unique identity (race, socio-economic status, gender, sexual orientation, ability and more).

LiAnne Hall and Angi Neff

We were thrilled to have the opportunity to go to the Lucy Calkins Reading Institute at Columbia University in New York City this summer. We were privileged to learn how to launch the updated program in our classroom—having a Grand Opening for our Class Libraries, and setting up classroom systems for children to ‘shop’ for their next book with an emphasis on decodable readers. It was fun to see how many story lines were connected, to draw our nascent readers on to the next story and then the next. We met teachers from all over the country and loved learning about their schools. We are energized and excited to share the updates with the Youngers Cluster.

This summer, we had the opportunity to attend the Institute for Imaginative Inquiry workshop in New York City This was a handson, immersive experience that brought social studies to life in the form of a drama. In Imaginative Inquiry, students aren’t asked to respond to literature or historical incidents as isolated events, but rather are introduced to these moments in a Drama. As such, students can imagine themselves not merely as passive observers of these events but as participants who are given glimpses of coherent, community-based struggle for social change.

Imaginative Inquiry is not a ‘simulation’ of events, but rather a creative process that allows students to purposefully explore a topic while cultivating their skills of geography, writing, reading, art, media literacy, and much more. It is also intentional and culturally competent in that no child is taking on the role of an oppressor(s) or of an oppressed person(s) in order to learn about any particular historical chapter in our complex past. We are excited to collaborate within and outside our clusters in order to bring the Imaginative Inquiry experience into the classroom this year.

Danielle Simantob, Maren Storvick, McKendree Yeager and Madeline Zardoya

Meghan Brtnik and Melva Thompson

Class of 2023

The Graduation Ceremony is a PS1 rite of passage. Each year, graduates stand in front of parents, teachers, and fellow students to address the crowd. Olders teachers read individual honorings of each child in the form of Moving Up Day words. We were thrilled to host our ceremony under the Oak Tree on June 8, 2023. This experience was incredibly moving as the graduates shared their words of wisdom before heading off to middle school. These are brief excerpts from their speeches.

graduation videos here… +

Class of 2023

Halina Anne Avery-Stead

When I think about my years at PS1, they play back like a movie. And every great movie needs a soundtrack. Kicking off this playlist is Starlight by Muse. It’s upbeat and optimistic. I picture walking into school on the first day of second grade. It was a new beginning, and an exciting time filled with hope.

Second is Dare by Gorillaz. The song has a super ALIVE, happy and somewhat relaxed feel. Second year of Blue, a time to be alive, but most importantly, it’s when my passion for writing began. My friendships grew, everything was going well. Near the end of 3rd grade however is when the pandemic started. You may have already predicted that the playlist is going to take a drastic change in mood.

The third song is Heart to Heart by Mac Demarco. If you know the song, you would know that this slow jazzy song has a very lonely and relatable feel. Even though it’s emotional it still ends in hope. Song four makes quite an entrance with an almost static blast waking me up from the slow moody song before. The song is Townie by Mitski. The message is about growing up and finding yourself.

Closing out my PS1 playlist is My Future by Billie Eilish. It’s a beautiful and powerful song about closing a chapter and moving on to another exciting adventure. Perhaps Billie Eilish says it best in these lyrics, “Cause I’m in love with my future. Can’t wait to meet her.”

Elijah Christopher Barrett

It has been a journey starting in 2016 when I first came to PS1. At first, I did not know anybody and didn’t even want to go to school. But one day after school in aftercare I made my first friend at PS1. And that carved a path for me to make more friends, and now here I am in Olders, graduating PS1 with people that have been in my life throughout my PS1 experience. I have so many memories of PS1.

I am going to Campbell Hall for middle school next year. It is an excellent school with a great campus and kids. When I go to Campbell I will not know anyone but I am confident I will make friends and do well in that environment. Thank you PS1 for preparing me for this new chapter in my life. I will never forget the teachers, staff, and people I have built friendships with that are so special to me. And for all my friends I will cherish the memories of whooping you in PE! Thank you

Philippa Frances Procter Bryan

When I walked through the brown gates of PS1 for the very first time, I started my painting. I knew what I needed to do as early as the first holographic bubble popped, disappearing in a fizz of soap. It was time to start making my canvas. Soon, I was led to a forest, my teachers guiding the way. One filled with many different trees. Some big, some small, some straight, and some weathered. As I looked up at their old bark, I felt their knowledge and experience washing over me. I could feel the imaginary hands of all those who had planted them, edging me on, to take a piece of their discoveries with me. The ground was covered in a thick layer of lush grass, and the birds sang their dulcet melodies. The forest glittered with light from the transparent leaves, showering the forest with a multicolored glow. As soon as I saw the trees, I knew what I needed to do. I began to start cutting. I chopped wood from so many different oaks, cedars, birches, and much more, just as the teachers had shown me. They held my hands as I sanded the wood as I slowly learned the motions myself. I soon started to smell the fresh scent of chopped wood leaving its final mark on the world, and I tasted the brittle but sweet taste of the forest. The whole time I continued to wonder, what would my painting be? I wanted to know and I kept on working.

Audrey Barbara Carpenter

Roses come in different colors each representing something new

Like each year that I have spent at this school always having something new for me to learn and experience

My years in Youngers remind me so much of a white rose

A rose that symbolizes innocence and purity

My years in Bridge and Middles remind me of a yellow rose

Representing friendship and cheerfulness

And my last years that a I have spent in Olders remind me of the red rose

The strongest of them all representing love, passion, and courage

I have learned so much over these seven years

Layers of knowledge have wrapped my brain

Like the layers of crimson red petals wrap the center of the rose

This graduation is the rose finally blooming

New gates have been opened revealing a strange and beautiful new world

That I am ready to explore

Julie-Alice Femmigje Priester Carriera

It all starts with an acorn, which represents my first year at PS1. Learning the alphabet, counting on my fingers, meeting my friends, and learning how to do the monkey bars. My second year, the sapling emerges from the soil. Making new friends again because some of my old friends had moved up to Bridge, adding and subtracting in my mathematical toolbelt, my spelling improving bit by bit.

The sapling becomes more mature … In fifth grade my passion for the Percy Jackson book series spread around the classroom like butter being spread on bread. I still clearly remember that I thought that my teachers taught us ancient Greek history

because half of the class was obsessed with Percy Jackson, which was in a sense, Greek mythology and Greek history. But this year I was in the closet looking for a broom. Instead I found a chart with a schedule of the clusters and on the chart said “Olders year 2 ANCIENT History.” It was planned all along! Shakespeare started to appear in the schedule. My last year at PS1 has been filled with writing poetry, writing biographies, learning about the colonial times, and learning the periodic table and performing Shakespeare.

Rocco Thomas DeGeorge

I came to PS1 in first grade after a year at Roosevelt. Red class is the place where I created friendships and had a whole lot of fun. Green Class was one of my favorite classes. I had an interesting experience on a camping trip. The day of the camping trip I was excited but scared. Me and my friends were hiking in the creek and had a great time. But after a few hours, I left. I was so scared, I was home sick. But the day everybody came back and told me what I missed out on I instantly regretted it. But now as I am writing this I realized you can’t live in regret.

Once the pandemic hit, we all went on Zoom. I kept up on my studies, so I could surf in the afternoon. Although a lot of people did not have fun during the pandemic, I did. I loved creating artwork and working on my pickle ball skills with my friends and family. I loved surfing and it taught me a lot about the ocean and the outdoors.

Starting sixth grade I met new people and started to feel more comfortable and had more fun. As I look back at my time at PS1 I have realized I have come a long way and grown a lot.

Elisa A. Egner

Being here, on the stage, under the Oak Tree, at this school that I’ve learned to call my own. It’s bittersweet, like the cold waves crashing against the sand only to be pulled back into the ocean. Forming in the middle of the sea and finding their way to the shore.

My wave began to form the moment I walked through the gates seeing the bubbles and feeling almost lost at sea. As the year went on, and we learned about shapes, my wave took shape. I was having lots of fun. I was moving forward with my wave.

Class of 2023

Now, this year. My wave saw the sand and I started to see the end. My wave was going strong and fast. It was amazing and one of my favorite years here. I have strengthened my friendships and made new ones that will last forever. I’m so happy that I got to spend this year with some of my best friends. And as this year ends, my wave drifts back to sea.

I’m so grateful for my entire family. I hope my brother, Sam, will have as amazing a time as I have had. I have had the best experience here and I will always remember and treasure every single detail. Even though my wave is floating back into the ocean, soon there will be another. And I cannot wait to see where it takes me.

Olivia Fite

A handstand. The feeling of being upside down. Your arms holding up your whole body. A way to learn balance.

I look at my journey at PS1 like a handstand. You start a handstand by preparing. Just like my first day of school. Getting ready to make friends and start a new journey. The second step is getting in position. Learning my way around campus and how to get to where I need to be, just like a handstand. You then go upside down feeling strong as you start the handstand. While upside down in a handstand it can sometimes feel hard when your arms slowly get weak from holding yourself up, but you know you’re almost done.

Lastly you are in the handstand struggling to stay up, but you know you are ready to come down and land your handstand, but don’t forget to pose. Going to Olders was when I realized PS1 was almost done. I spent my last two years getting ready to take my next steps and start a new journey.

Mays Solomon Galker

Life is like making art, unpredictable and fun but sometimes stressful. Both are filled with trial and error. I started off with a sketch. I didn’t quite know who I wanted to be but still had vague aspirations. In my first year I started from scratch, I had no friends nor did I know many teachers. However a year later I refined my sketch, building relationships with teachers and made friendships that have stuck with me all this time.

Finally this transformative period of my life ended. The moment I walked into school I was more confident than ever. I decided it was time to add a splash of color to my outline. I continued to expand on my newfound passion, refining my skills, and dove deeper into discovering who I was and who I wanted to be.

Just like any art piece there is always room for improvement. Nobody is perfect but if we try to be the best version of ourselves that’s enough.

Tessa Louise Hsieh-Schumacher

Rory Gilmore once said, “I live in two worlds, a world of books and a world of people.” I couldn’t agree more. PS1 has let me explore my love of books, from traveling through time with Annie and Jack to caretaking CivilWarLand with Mr. Alsuga, this school has expanded my horizons of literature and has made me a shameless and constant reader. I am an indefatigable believer that this school has led me to become the educated and empathetic person that I am today.

The second world I live in, is the world less magical but equally as fantastic. This world filled with people has also helped me become who I am today. My teachers are role models that I will look up to forever, they have pushed me, endlessly to achieve my best and I have created impenetrable bonds with them.

Dylan Harrison Hyun

My years at PS1 were like a soccer game when you have to face different obstacles and challenges in order to accomplish a goal. My game started with a ringing bell and bubbles as I walked through the gate, across the field, and to my first class that would start my journey. As a player in this game, I had to decide if I wanted to strike toward the goal alone or work with the team, and like a flash a friend came up to me and I passed him the ball. It was going to be my first step to the long journey.

So now I’m entering a new stage of the game. At the end of the year I learned to never give up, because facing challenges helps you have a better mindset and helps you grow. I’m looking forward to my new team and the next challenges I face.

Sloane Victoria Johnson

I am so glad I came to PS1 because PS1 has taught me so many things I will never forget.

It felt good to feel welcomed and not worried about what people would think of me. Given the little span of time I was here in my first year, you would have thought I would have not learned a lot, but I did. I learned about the school and how to play cool instruments and I also learned how creative I could be. PS1 really expanded my brain to think outside the box and to be myself.

My last and final year was the saddest because it was time for me to leave. But now that after all of the competitive P.E matches I think I am ready to be a professional athlete. I am excited to go to my next school and also sad I am leaving PS1. I am going to miss doing handstands with my friends and then falling on my back and crying-laughing because it was so funny. I swear I blinked because somehow the year has come to an end and I get to walk out that door knowing I had the time of my life here.

Derien Taiki Kanashige

One of my favorite musicians once said, “Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination.” My journey at PS1 was one I will never forget.

In the blink of an eye, we were going to Olders. We learn about Greek mythology, geography, history, and tests. We finally had field trips, our Shakespeare plays, and a grad trip. And here I am, at my destination and the 7-year journey has taught me so much. The journey has taught me that I am a team player. That people can count on me. I am up for a challenge and here to help. I am ready for the new journey that middle school will bring.

Frederick Kemp

When I walked into the gates of PS1 for the first time, I was blown away by the sheer size of the school. As I looked around, seeing all happy faces along with the bubbles blowing around, that’s an experience that you have to see to believe.

Finally I began Olders. The moment I stepped into my classroom, I felt like a leader, a role model, because all my years at PS1 had led up to this moment. And from that day on I was a different person, from the way I walked to the way I talked. But the one thing that didn’t change was my past, where memories are stored and now, where memories are made.

Class of 2023

Instead of writing a traditional speech I decided to write a poem about my time at PS1.

I hope you enjoy it.

In All My Years At PS1

Your final home

You can’t possibly imagine the joy of learning for real again

Your old and new friends

All come together to create your own unique community

You laugh you cry and you have fun

The tree starts to get smaller and farther away

And then you realize it’s almost over

You make the most of your friends

Make brand new ones old or young

You start to think of a brand-new home

A completely different one

One with close to none of your old friends

It comes towards you like a freight train  and the day finally arrives, this day

My last day at this home, my last day at PS1

Last day with the tree my teachers my friends and all the faculty

My time at this home ends today, right here right now  but a new home always comes around

Thank you, everyone

As I entered through the gate I knew that this was the school for me, it made me feel unique. As the ref blew the whistle for the game to begin, I got nervous. Luckily, there are the best coaches to help me win. After some shots on goal I went to Blue, and I saw so many new faces. Our coaches taught us to work as a team. When I was in Middles, we were about to score, but Covid hit. We were out for halftime. This year there was a new game plan, I didn’t know if I was ready.

After a year of not seeing each other we came back to school, we were on track to win because we stayed as a community, we finally had another shot. I didn’t know if I was ready for Olders, but I knew everyone would be there for me. I felt super accomplished that I had made it this far. That year went by faster than any other. I also made the most friends I’ve ever had and I didn’t want it to end. I couldn’t believe that I was a grad. The year ended. I will never know if the score is 2-2 or if we would win 3-2 because this is a happy, sad moment. But what I do know is it’s not over yet.

Marius Kumpata

My time at PS1 really changed me, it made me who I am. I remember the first day. Walking in, seeing all the staff blowing bubbles and the PS1 banner waving through the sky. I remember being in Yellow playing with blocks and learning the basics. Then in Green we improved on what we knew and made friends. On the camping trip we slept in tents, made our own food, and did fun activities. In Blue our year was cut short by Covid and I became known as the kid who always wore pajamas on Zoom. The next year in online Indigo, they said no pajamas. I can’t say it was because of me but I probably played a part in it. In Olders we mastered old skills and learned new ones. We did fun activities like book clubs, history, Shakespeare, and the Grad Trip. With specialists we played fun games like the parachute game in PE, painted and drew in Art, read and listened to stories in Library, made projects in Studio, and learned about music and acting in Music. I can’t think of it any other way. I can’t imagine going to any other school. PS1 we always hold a special place in my heart.

Judah Krauss

Mara Krauss

At this very moment I look back on my PS1 journey and I look at happy memories, including laughter, learning, kindness, and freedom.

My time at PS1 was like a dance routine. I expected that it would last forever, but it has gone by so fast. In seven years I have been in seven different classes. Each class was different in its own way. In Red there was imagination up in my head; going in Yellow I never felt so mellow; Green was a dance journey; in Blue I was halfway through; Violet Zoom and silent; Olders 5 was a surprise; and in Olders 4, the dance routine was ending.

So after seven years and seven classes I have gained confidence and leadership and become passionate, so thank you to the teachers and my parents for helping me through this dance routine.

Paige Blue Serra-Toynton

“A good friend is like a four-leaf clover - hard to find and lucky to have.”

-

Jenna Evans Welch

I have looked back on all the great memories I have shared with my classmates and teachers. When I was in Red class, I thought my PS1 journey would last forever, but now that I’m in Olders, I can’t believe that it is almost over. I can’t imagine who I would be now if I hadn’t met all of my close friends, and I’m certain that I will have these rare friends for the rest of my life. I never thought I would find so many four-leaf clovers at this school, but I did.

Everyone has been so welcoming here, from when I first started at PS1 and walked onto campus with the bubbles over my head, to now, when I’m graduating and standing under the Oak Tree giving my last speech at PS1. My journey at PS1 has now ended, and I will always keep my friends close to my heart.

Jade Simpson

I walk into PS1, the bubbles gently float past me, the bell rings. I tightly hold onto my dad’s hand and I line up next to the Yellow class. I am nervous, my teachers tell me it’s going to be alright. Each day it gets easier to let go of my dad’s hand. I make friends, play house, learn basic math, and start my adventure at PS1.

The next year I had a great time with my new best  friends. We went on a camping trip and stayed for two nights in a tent. It was so much fun - we made s’mores and hot cocoa. We went on hikes and found what we thought was quicksand. Unfortunately it wasn’t. It’s amazing how far I have come in a year.

In Violet, Covid was still going but we went back to school and had to distance ourselves. I tried being a soccer goalie at recess and got pretty good. I was getting even better at math: we learned multiplication and long division. We wrote creative writing stories.

In Olders 5 we  could take off our masks. We dissected brains and eyes. We performed Julius Caesar and did a great job.

This year I was once again in year Olders 5. As time passed I realized that I was going to have to leave my friends, teachers and PS1. In class I really enjoyed science like when we learned about atoms and the periodic table. It was lots of fun.

Thank you PS1 for these six years preparing me for a new school, I have learned so much.

Rhazes Emrys Spell

Walking in from the brown gate with bubbles flying in my face, I was nervous. I was scared to make friends, but everyone was welcoming. My sister introduced me to people. That was the start of the best 7 years of my life. In Youngers, I made friends playing structure tag, building with blocks, and playing soccer. In Bridge, we had the camping trip. We went on hikes, played tag, and climbed trees. My friends and I played rock, paper, scissors in our tent. In Violet, Covid came. We did everything on Zoom:

Valentina Nafas Melamed

Class of 2023

P.E., Library, Studio, Art, and so much more. In Olders things went back to normal. I met old and new friends. We did Shakespeare plays under the Oak Tree. We went on fun field trips to an aquarium, museum, and an amphitheater.

At the very end, as I am looking back on everything, I realized that my collection of happy memories all include my friends, and life is good. I’m sad that I’m leaving but I know that the friendships I have made here will last a lifetime. As I go on to have new experiences and make new friends at my new school, these memories will make me stronger.

Kyler Ogawa Sziraki

When I think of all my different years at PS1 it reminds me of a blooming dandelion. The first thought that comes to mind when I see a dandelion is it is an opportunity to make a new wish and working hard to make it come true. For me, that represents my life at PS1.

Finally, the day I have been waiting for since I was a Younger, I had entered the Olders cluster. My bud finally bloomed into the bright yellow flower! I was taught about the Greek gods and I performed Julius Caesar on the 12th street stage for the first time. Summer passed and I arrived at my last year at PS1. My dandelion started to poof up into its fluffy magical self. I had become a grad! We finally continued to go on field trips, we performed A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream and went on the grad camping trip.

Now, as I move on to middle school, my seeds are being blown away. Each one lands somewhere that leads to my future but one seed will always stay at PS1, reminding me of my wonderful time I had here!

Nylah Tehrani

People always tell me nothing lasts forever. I never want to believe that but unfortunately, it’s true, kindergarten through sixth grade will never last forever. PS1 will never last forever. But for the past seven years, I have tried to make the most of my time

here.

This year I have made sure that I was a good role model. I used all the knowledge that PS1 gave me: Kindness, thoughtfulness, curiosity, loyalty, being myself and so much more. Sixth grade was great but now it’s coming to an end. I will never forget all the memories and all my birthdays here and walking into the first day of school with the bubbles. I will never forget that, but nothing lasts forever. I’m not going to be here forever to make all the memories that I want to make, so while I’m still here, I will remember the ones I have and look forward to making more.

Jade Techentin

Three beautiful flowers representing my years at PS1. My time at PS1 was shorter than others, because I went to a different school. But I still had time to meet my best friends. I am now leaving the place where I have learned so much, had the best memories and ready for more flowers to bloom. When my first flower opened, I was on zoom in 4th grade. But I persevered and near the end of zoom I got to know more people.

My second year at school was my first full year in person. That year I met my best friends. I had so many memories of competitive P.E with all my classmates, and fun Fridays. This year was my favorite year. My last flower had bloomed. This year I got so close to my friends. I had so many great memories this year, doing handstands with my friends, playing soccer at recess, and playing tag with Youngers. I started to realize how important my memories and things I have learned were at PS1. PS1 has taught me to be myself, be grateful, and to always have fun. I want to keep those things I have learned for my next schools.

Montgomery Elizabeth Turner

My PS1 experience is represented by a grove of trees. I would imagine these trees to be in a part of the hundred acre wood that Winnie the Pooh lived in and the woods I actually explored once. The hundred acre wood was an important part of my childhood because I listened to many stories about them and Winnie the

Pooh is my favorite character. Seven trees with light green leaves and flowers. Each flower is a different color like the PS1 pins which were always the highlight of moving up day.

The year flew by so fast and here I am now standing under the oak tree. I have realized that though PS1 was not going to be my daily life anymore, it was always a part of me. PS1 has shaped me into who I am today and I am grateful for that. I would like to thank all my amazing teachers who have helped me be my best self and all my friends who always have my back. I would also like to thank my parents for giving me this amazing opportunity and who support me every step of the way. As poet and author A.A. Milne once wrote, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

Watson Turner

Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, discover.”

This passage is reflective of my time at PS1 and it’s my hope that PS1’s spirit of exploration lives on in me for my years to come. I will look back on my PS1 experience and, like Mark Twain, know that I tried my best to explore, dream and discover.

There are so many characteristics that PS1 has helped me develop such as empathy, communication, and confidence. Without these qualities I might not have the opportunity to throw off my bowlines and sail away from my safe harbor.

Ford Wilson

In my 7 years at PS1 I have experienced some of the best times of my life. I am going to miss all of my friends when we go our separate ways because some of us have been together for more than half of our lives. And even though we are leaving each other we will all remember our favorite things about the school like playing Everybody’s IT in PE or making ice cream and root beer in

Blue or going on our first overnight camping trip in Green. I guess what I’m trying to say is that we have made some really good memories here and I really hope that we will remember every one of them.

These school years have been like a soccer season … These past years. School and soccer have both become more challenging. My school work has become more difficult and soccer has become more competitive. But even though everything is becoming more difficult I am having twice as much fun. Every soccer game has to end and even though this game is almost over, a new game will begin soon.

Sarah Zabinski

The journey that I have had at PS1 has been one that I will value for many years to come. I have, as I’d like to put it, found myself. This means that I have discovered who I am, what my personal traits are.

I am confident. Back in kindergarten, I was a shy girl and rarely participated in class discussions. I remember in Bridge I had this one teacher who always encouraged me to participate in class. They made me feel comfortable during class conversations and it contributed so much to my confidence.

In addition to this, I am innately curious, and I will forever be an inquisitive person. At PS1, I have been taught that asking questions and wondering about the world is important, that voicing my thoughts is important.

Finally, I am prepared. PS1 has prepared me so much for middle school and many things afterwards.

My experience at PS1 has been such a gift to me, and great adventures have come from hiding within the wrapping paper. However, as Geoffrey Chaucer, an English poet, once said, “All good things must come to an end”. And although I don’t want to believe it, here I am at the end of one great thing, and yet, at the start of another.

Class of 2023 Graduates

will continue their educational journey at the following schools: The Archer School for Girls

Brentwood School

Campbell Hall

Crossroads School

Geffen Academy

Harvard-Westlake School

Lincoln Middle School

Marlborough School

Milken Community School

New Roads School

Paul Revere Charter Middle School

St. Paul the Apostle

Windward School

Portrait of a PS1 Pluralistic School Graduate

A PS1 graduate is:

SELF-AWARE

Demonstrates a strong sense of identity and resilience as an individual and a learner

RESPECTFUL

Exhibits kindness, consideration, and mindfulness of others

EXPRESSIVE

Confidently articulates thoughts, ideas, and emotions

INQUISITIVE

Eagerly satisfies curiosities and acquires new knowledge

COLLABORATIVE

Considers others’ ideas and points of view to deepen understanding

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Investigates problems, sets goals, and develops solutions encompassing multiple perspectives

CONNECTED

Balances needs of self and others; contributes meaningfully in community and society

PROACTIVE

Embraces responsibility to stand up to exclusion, prejudice, and injustice; advocates for change

PREPARED

Intrinsically motivated to meet the challenges of middle school and beyond

Our inaugural Alumni School Visits reunited PS1 alums and beloved PS1 teachers on their campuses! We visited Archer, Brentwood, Marlborough, New Roads and Wildwood. If you would like us to come visit your school, please reach out to Tisa!

Alumni

Year in Review

We had an exciting year of Alumni Events and were thrilled to be back in person for the 2022/23 school year with an array of events.

The Grad Alumni Party brought together current sixth grade students and seventh and eighth grade alums to celebrate an early Halloween! Click here to view more photos on SmugMug.

It

great to see our 7th

and

For the Grand Finale, we welcome our newest alums, the Class

Our Class of 2023 Class Representatives were selected via an application process and installed their Grad Leaf on the wall. Click here to view the SmugMug gallery.

Life After PS1 was a huge success and inspired our grads in their application journey. Click here to view more photos on SmugMug.

was

and 8th grade students

their parents at Bowlero for our Alumni Bowling Party Click here to view the SmugMug photos.

The Grad Bake Sale was an amazing two day event that raised funds for the Class of 2023 grad gift, a new refillable water bottle dispenser, on the 12th street side of campus. Click here to view the SmugMug gallery.

of 2023!

Class of 2017 Colleges and Universities:

Aiko Offner > Yale University

Ali Newman > Connecticut College

Ben Walker > Tufts University

Brody Gray > Parsons School of Design

Calvin Murray > University of Colorado, Boulder

Charlie Hayes > Will Graduate in 2024

Charlotte Tragos > Williams College

Gus Koven > University of Wisconsin, Madison

Hugo Miller > University of Southern California

Izabel Ortega > Woodbury University

Jackson Schur > Universal Technical Institute in Long Beach

Jameson Rose > Arizona State University

Jordan Schwab > University of Texas, Austin

Jack McGary > Will Graduate in 2024

Konrad Howard > University of Chicago

Lexy Greene > University of Colorado, Boulder

Lorenzo De Felitta > Lorenzo passed the CHSPE exam and received a high school diploma in 2021 after 10th grade. He worked on Kenneth Mejia’s winning campaign for City Controller for 18 months, and has been involved in various other outreach movements since the election last fall. In September he moved to Washington, DC to pursue a career in social justice advocacy.

Mary Rogers > Will Graduate in 2024

McKenzie Royo > Skidmore College

Minnie Jellinek > University of Puget Sound

Stela Estes > University of Colorado, Boulder

Zachary Sherman > Indiana University

TaLynn M Flonnoy > Washington University in St. Louis

Alex Hyman > Cornell University

Lucy Blake > Williams-Smith College

Erika Tinsley > Boston College

Luca De Lorenzo > University of Michigan

Mattea Sokolow > University of Michigan

Sogna Louie > Vassar College

Cay Weber-Small > Pratt Institute

Claire Asten > University of Michigan

Wyatt Peers > Berklee College of Music

The Class of 2017 Reunion offered an opportunity for students to revisit campus and reconnect with faculty and each other. Click here to view the SmugMug gallery.

Report on Philanthropy

Why I Give…

Message From Our Board Chair

Dear PS1 Community, As we look forward to the 2023-2024 school year with our new long-term Head of School Susannah Wolf, I am filled with gratitude for the many ways our community came together this past year. Our Interim Head of School Erik Carlson for the 2022-2023 school year guided us through a year of transition, following the retirement of our founding Head of School, Joel Pelcyger.

Our community continued to be actively engaged and supportive, and we had an incredibly vibrant year. In the fall, our community continued its support of our school programs by offering strong support for the Annual Fund. Philanthropy continues to grow at all giving levels, and as a result, this helps ensure that we have a meaningful and important impact on program, people, campus, and the daily experience of PS1’s students. In addition, many members of our community contributed their time, effort and wisdom to the Head of School search process. In the winter, our Board and Administration presented a re-imagined State of the School event to share with the community the goals and work for the year. In the spring, our community demonstrated its support of the PS1 Financial Aid program with a fun and successful Annual Financial Aid Gala.

As we look to the future, the Board of Directors is excited for Susannah to lead the school into its next chapter. We are launching a strategic planning process to identify strategic initiatives of the school in the coming years. PS1 recently purchased a property adjacent to the campus that we envision will be part of the school’s future plans.

I am deeply grateful for the Board of Directors for standing by, and standing up for, PS1’s mission and philosophy through this past year of transition. I am proud of our history and traditions, and I look forward to working with everyone in the community to build our future.

With appreciation,

Anna Reyna

Allison ’26, James ’22 and Hailey ’16

2022/23 Board of Directors

Nisreen Al-Bassam

Josh Berger

Jenefer Brown

Erik Carlson

Rosalia Ibarrola

Elizabeth Kendall

Tawnee Laskar

Jessica Reid

Anna Reyna

Jason Schwarz

Kerri Speck

Stacey Staples

Mike Tatum

Heather Turner

Bryan Wolff

Eric Zabinski

2022/23 Board Committee Members

Administration & Finance

Heather Turner, Chair

Bryan Wolff

Eric Zabinski

Budget Subcommittee

Anna Reyna

Heather Turner

Bryan Wolff

Eric Zabinski

Advancement

Stacey Staples, Chair

Nisreen Al-Bassam

Elizabeth Kendall

Kerri Speck

Annual Fund

Nisreen Albassam & Stacey Staples, Co-Chairs

Jenefer Brown

Rosalia Ibarrola

Elizabeth Kendall

Tawny Laskar

Kerri Speck

Bryan Wolff

Buildings & Grounds

Mike Tatum, Chair

Real Estate

Mike Tatum, Chair

Anna Reyna

Kerri Speck

Heather Turner

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice

Tawny Laskar, Chair

Josh Berger

Elizabeth Kendall

Anna Reyna

Executive

Anna Reyna, Chair

Jessica Reid

Jason Schwarz

Eric Zabinksi

Governance

Elizabeth Kendall, Chair

Josh Berger

Jenefer Brown

Rosalia Ibarrola

Jessica Reid

Anna Reyna

Task Forces

Enrollment Management

Jessica Reid & Eric Zabinksi, Co-Chairs

Nisreen Al-Bassam

Jenefer Brown

Tawny Laskar

Heather Turner

Bryan Wolff

HOS Search

Kerri Speck & Eric Zabinski, Co-Chairs

Nisreen Al-Bassam

Rosalia Ibarrola

Anna Reyna

Why I Give…

Welcome, new Board members!

Halina Avery joined the Board in 2023 and has one PS1 alumna (class of 2023). Halina serves as Treasurer of the Durfee Foundation, which is focused on investing in extraordinary people and organizations making a better Los Angeles. She also co-launched and serves on the Board of the Under the Sun Foundation, which celebrates art, community and the environment. Halina previously served in Development and Alumni Relations roles at UC Berkeley and Columbia University. Halina holds a Bachelor of Music degree from University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Music degree from Yale University, and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University.

Yehudi “Gaf” Gaffen joined the Board in 2023 and has one grandchild who attends PS1. Gaf is Chairman of the Board of Gafcon, a leader in construction and program management in California and around the world, where Gaf lends his experience and expertise to once in a lifetime projects like Seaport San Diego and Zizhu Hi-Tech Development in Shanghai, China. Gaf’s commitment to the local community extends to work supporting community capital programs like the City of Santa Monica and San Diego Unified School District and service on various boards, including the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and AltaSea Board of Trustees. Gaf holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Management from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Jeffrey Inaba joined the Board in 2023 and has two children who attend PS1. Jeffrey is the co-founder of Inaba Williams Architecture based in Los Angeles and Brooklyn with clients including Red Bull Music Academy, YouTube, Whitney Museum of American Art, BMW/MINI, New Museum, Van Alen Institute, and Public Art Norway. He is also an adjunct professor at UCLA Architecture and Urban Design and a published author. Jeffrey earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California, Berkeley and Masters Degrees in Architecture and Architectural History and Theory from Harvard University.

I believe in its mission.

Mychal Johnson joined the Board in 2023. Mychal is currently the Assistant Director of Middle School at Brentwood School. He previously served as the Assistant Director of Equity & Inclusion at Brentwood School, Director of Diversity at Chandler School, and Site Director of Partnership for Success! program. Mychal holds a B.S. Degree from the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, an M.A. in Educational Leadership from California State University, Northridge and is pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at California Lutheran University.

We had the most wonderful 7 years at PS1, a place to learn, grow and belong for the whole family!

Why I Give…

Thank you, departing Board Member and Alumni Parent

Jessica Reid (Julian ‘22 & Dylan ‘18)

PS1 is grateful to you for your dedicated service. Your tireless efforts were truly valued, and our community is all the stronger because of them.

Why I Give…

Annual Fund Co-Chair Letter

Dear PS1 Families, Alumni and Friends, As the 2022/23 Annual Fund Co-Chairs and current Board members, we congratulate the entire PS1 community on another successful Annual Fund campaign. We are so grateful to each of you for your enthusiastic participation and generous support.

In a year of transition for PS1, your steadfast commitment to the Annual Fund effort demonstrated the PS1 community’s unwavering dedication to our school and to each other. We remained true to our mission, with the Annual Fund enabling PS1 to continue helping each child develop the critical academic and interpersonal skills needed to become confident leaders in life and passionate contributors in the world. Moreover, the Annual Fund provided vital resources and a healthy base upon which the school can further grow and evolve in the future.

Each year, the Annual Fund is a critical part of PS1’s annual budget. Together, our collective philanthropy fills a budget line item that fuels the day-to-day operations of PS1. When everyone in the community does their best, then the school in turn can do its best to meet PS1’s needs and goals.

The impact your Annual Fund generosity had on PS1’s faculty and staff, program, campus and students was profound. As part of the school’s operational priorities for the year, the 2022-23 Annual Fund facilitated several key investments that will benefit PS1 now and in the future.

These included:

• Laying the groundwork for the addition of a full-time math specialist

• Enhancing outdoor learning spaces to allow flexibility in curricular planning

• Reinvigorating sustainable options, such as composting, recycling and energy awareness

• Continuing to invest in quality healthcare benefits for teachers and staff

In the fall of 2022, we asked you to join us in supporting Our Kids. Our School. Our Future. Each of you rose to the occasion, and for that we are truly grateful. As you read through this year’s Report on Philanthropy, we hope that you will continue to be inspired by the vibrancy and dedication of the PS1 community.

Why I Give…

Nisreen Al-Bassam Nader ’27 and Nabil ’24

Stacey Staples Damien ’27 and Noemi ’24

PS1 is a special place that helps kids individualize & yet grow into community.

We Endowment 10.8%

Finance & Development

Other 2.8% 26

Fundraising 10.5%

Annual Fund

Gala Party Book, Book Fair

Grad Gift

Contributions: omeInc Tuition & Fees 75.9%

2022/23 Operating Budget

Why I Give…

2022/23 PS1 Annual Fund

This past year’s Annual Fund volunteer team was led by Board members and current parents Nisreen Al-Bassam (P’27 & ’24) and Stacey Staples (P’27 & ’24). We are grateful to Nisreen and Stacey for their creative spirit, dedication to helping our Annual Fund reach new heights, and for their incredible attention to detail. Each member of the Annual Fund team served our community well, and raised awareness of the importance and impact of philanthropy in our school.

PS1 Annual Fund Solicitation Letter Authors:

Current Parents and Board of Trustees: Nisreen Al-Bassam and Stacey Staples

Grandparents, Alumni Parents, Former Board of Trustees & Special Friends: Alan Ball and Erik Carlson

Why I Give…

PS1 gives children a space to be their true, authentic selves.

Why I Give…

PS1 Annual Fund Committee:

Nisreen Al-Bassam

Jason Barrett

Emma Bing

Jen Brown

Jonathan Chu

Dominique Dawkins

Alex DeFeo

Brian Doolittle

Zoe & Adrian Fairbourn

Lauren Ferrari

Jenna Humphrey

Rosalia Ibarrola

Kelli Johnson

HK Kang

Jamie Keeton

Elizabeth Kendall

David Krauss

Tawny Laskar

Liz Leknickas

Elise Loehnen

Emily Procter

Ann Rogers

Gabrielle Rose

Hanna Shin

Elaine Shing

Kerri Speck

Stacey Staples

Wendy Sugarman

Plummy Tucker

Richard Turner

Spencer & Jennifer Tyler

Bryan Wolff

To support an economically diverse community at PS1.

To support the community!!

Love you guys!!

Why I Give…

Participation:

PS1 Board Members

The Al-Bassam Rasromani Family

Josh Berger & Lauren Fujiu

Jen & Tony Brown

Erik Carlson

Rosalia Ibarrola & Michael Egner

Elizabeth & Alexander Kendall

Tawny & Adam Laskar

The Reid Family

Anna & Jeffrey Reyna

Jason & Jessica Schwarz

Kerri Speck & Paul Marks

Stacey & Will Staples

The Tatum Family

Heather & Richard Turner

Bryan & Melanie Wolff

Eric Zabinski & Sharon Dai

Current Parents

Anonymous (7)

The Abbott Family

Melissa & Edward Akkaway

The Al-Bassam Rasromani Family

Emma & Simon Atik

Matthew & Megan Auron

Halina Avery & Kimberley Stead

Seth Baglin & Shayna Gaffen

Annalisa & Jason Barrett

Matthew Behr

Danielle & Aaron Benoit

Tracy & Adam Bromwich

Jen & Tony Brown

Vanessa Kirianoff-Brown & Corey Brown

The Buadu Family

Victor Cachoua & Maria Lopez

Jon Caligiuri & Melissa Cruise

Kim Campbell

Paul Carpenter & Beth Kahn

Marilyn & Chris Cazún

Lucia & Soufiane Chibane

Lynda & Jonathan Chu

Graeme Craven & Vanessa Chow

Sharon Dai & Eric Zabinski

Jennifer Daly & Shane Barach

Orissa & Jurgen Davila

Dominique Dawkins

Alex DeFeo & Courtney DeFeo-Gertler

Kim & Marco DeGeorge

Vincent DiMauro & Lisa Serra

Ebson Dixon & Ortavia Manning-Dixon

Susan & Brian Doolittle

Jade Duell

Joanna & Andy Edstrom

Nicole & Robert Eloff

Caroline & Marcos Escalante

The Estrada Family

Sophie & Christopher Evans

Zoe & Adrian Fairbourn

Sharif Farag & Rosita Medina-Farag

Emily & James Farrell

Leila & Tyler Fenelon

Lauren & Dominique Ferrari

Rob & Elise Fissmer

Taura Mizrahi-Fite & Scott Fite

Daijhanae Flonnoy

Oleg Fokov & Nadia Fokova

The Frazier Family

Dr. Tannaz Nikravesh-Galker & Andy Galker

Anna & Steven Gordon

Mitsu Hadeishi & Jungmin Nam

The Hicks Family

The Highley Family

Karalyn & Stuart Holden

Yvonne Hsieh & David Schumacher

Jennifer & Mark Humphrey

Phillip & Vivian Hyun

Rosalia Ibarrola & Michael Egner

Jeffrey Inaba

Chris & Michelle Johnson

Kelli & Tyler Johnson

Bridget Kanashige

Terry Kanashige

Hyosung Kang & Chloe Choi

Beth & Chris Kemp

Elizabeth & Alexander Kendall

Tobias & Breana Kennedy

The Kluft Family

Linn Koo & Annie Lee

Justine Kragen & Scott Bendar

David Krauss & Abbi Hertz

CL & Paul Kumpata

Naomi & Fred Kurata

Amanda & Steve Lane

The Larios Family

Adam & Tawny Laskar

Andrew Lavengood & Tania Sew Hoy

Lauren & Leonardo Leao

Liz & Po Leknickas

Anthony Lewis & Heidi Krilanovich

Caroline Lindqvist

Aurelian & Simone Lis

Tessa Lydic

David Mackenzie & Hazel Mall

The Malik-Syed Family

The Mann Family

Philip & Carmen Margaziotis

The Megna Family

Golnaz & Kourosh Melamed

Brad & Gina Meyers

Jerry Morrone & India Gentile

Stephanie & Mike Moustakas

Keith Muenze & Jamie Keeton

Chauncey Nichols & Jennifer Kane

Amelia & Jason Ning

Edward Nomoto & Jenica Ryu

Amber Ojuri

Shannon & Mike Parry

Devin Pitts & Teresa Lee

Janine Poreba & Paul Lieberstein

The Priester-Carreira Family

Emily Procter & Paul Bryan

Grace Qi & Eric Guo

Sharat Raju & Valarie Kaur

Nadia & Marc Ratner

Amanda Rawls

Nousha & Richard Raymond

The Redman Family

Anna & Jeffrey Reyna

Natasha & Ross Riege

Jessica & Daniel Rinsch

Andrea Robinson & Steen Strand

Jeremy Rogers & Ann Singhakowinta

Hellen & Paul Rollens

Gabrielle Rose

Lis & Kim Rozenfeld

Jessica & Jason Schwarz

Virginia & Robert Seaman

Emily & Chris Seet

The Serra-Toynton Family

Romy & David Sharafi

Hema & Larry Sher

Matt Sherman & Gina Kelly

Hanna Shin & David Shao

Elaine & Alex Shing

Tia Shung

The Silver Family

Kerri Speck & Paul Marks

DeAnn & Rhazes Spell

Salvatore & Kimberly Stabile

The Staples Family

Aaron & Amanda Stein

Brandon & Shaula Stephenson

Wendy & Matt Sugarman

Ke & Adam Swaab

Hana Ogawa Sziraki & Kyle Sziraki

The Techentin Family

Carolina & Norman Thompson

Emily & Cullen Thompson

Omar Torrez & Masha Tsiklauri

Teegen Trucksess & John Lima

The Truino Family

Jennifer & Jack Tsai

Plummy Tucker & Mario Ontal

Heather & Richard Turner

Laurel & BJ Turner

Jennifer & Spencer Tyler

Brittany & Colter Van Domelen

Nancy Wamai & Henry Giddings

Keith & Gelena Wasserman

The Wax Family

Donna Weiss & Lorin Vogel

Deneise Williams & Reuben Smiley

Melanie & Bryan Wolff

Julie Wu & Eugene Chu

Faculty and Staff

Anonymous (3)

Tina Andrews

Alan Ball

Meghan Brtnik

Erik Carlson

Evelyn Cazún

Lucia Alcantara-Chibane

Pete Dymock

Kayla Estrada

Holly Frazier

Christina García

Martha González

Carlos González

Kelly Gresalfi

Tisa Habas

LiAnne Hall

Nancy Harding PhD

TJ Harney

Billy Huynh

Gina Jang

Nicolina Karlsson

Beth Kemp

Bonnie Koo

Chris Kuzina

John Luke Lutz

Steven Mazur

Genevieve Mow

Eva Salamanca Ortega

PS1 is a wonderful place.

Why I Give…

Participation:

Pedro Ortega

Amanda Perla

David Ramos

Justin Rodriguez

Virginia Seaman

Brad Shimada

Danielle Simantob

Sunny Sterling

Holly Swope

Melva Thompson

Michael Tovar

Danielle Valadez

John Waldman

Esther Watkins

McKendree D. Yeager

Madeline Zardoya

Alumni Families

The Abraham Family, Sadie ’12 & Gavin ’10

Tina Andrews, Makai ’10

Raymond Bakaitis, Daniel ’97

Susan Baskin & Richard Gerwitz, William ’02 & Charlotte ’99

Josh Berger ’90 & Lauren Fujiu

Marné & Kurt Boulware, Jason ’21

Avery Hill Breuer ’06

Julie Cantor & Ken Baum, Eze ’20

Evelyn Cazún, Justin ’14

Alicia & Mike Cortrite, Michelle ’03 & Drew ’01

Laurie Ekstein, Jessica ’02

Emile Elzas, Stephanie ’93 & Sarah ’89

Lauren & Austin Fite, Aidan ’09 & Lexi ’05

Kay Seymour-Gabriel & Richard Gabriel, Griffin ’18, Lily ’13 & Emma ’07

Deirdre Gainor & Brenda Goodman, Brandon ’94

Samuel Gasster & Diane Waingrow, Emily ’09 & David ’04

LiAnne Hall & Keeth Hill, Keith ’10, Avery ’06 & Haley ’05

Buzz Harris, Griffin ’04 & Justin ’98

Hugh Harrison & Ann Haskins, Nicole ’99

Pauline & Bill Henry, Nicholas ’97 & Paul ’94

The Hevesy-Rodriguez Family, Jacinda ’18 & Marcus ’16

Andrea & Scott Holtzman, Madelyn ’09

Beryle Jackson, Eve ’14

Rob Jacobs & Ann Gentry, Walker ’15 & Halle ’11

Jeremiah Knight & Britt Johansson, Oliver ’22

Loren Kaplan & Scott Packer, Eli ’16

Paula & Fred Kuhns, Samuel ’11 & Abigail ’09

Robert Levine & Gili Meerovitch, Perry ’05

The Maya Family, Louly ’08 & Nick ’02

Linda & David Michaelson, Aidan ’18 & Delaney ’14

Nancy & Steve Mindel, Jake ’09 & Sam ’05

Tania Mooser, Zoe ’06

Priya & Sanjay Nambiar, Miya ’19 & Uma ’19

Eva Salamanca Ortega, Michelle ’14 & Matthew ’12

Pedro Ortega, Izabel ’17

Abbie & Howard Perttula, Eero ’27, Isla ’23, Allie ’22, Mia ’20, Anna ’18, Lukas ’18, Jonah ’16, Tavi ’89, Josh ’80 & Karine ’78

The Reid Family, Julian ’22 & Dylan ’18

Justin Rodriguez ’14

Judy Ross, Caitlin & Shelly

Roger & Gail Samuel, Frankie ’13, Scott ’78 & Marla ’76

Rae Sanchini & Bruce Tobey, Jack ’13, William ’10 & Dominique ’09

Ronald Schur, Jackson ’17

Bria & Evan Silbert, Graham ’96

Diane & Andy Solomon, Zander ’14 & Jamie ’12

Phil & Maria Starr, James ’92 & Nick ’91

We love the school and the futures that are being built every day.

Liam Stevens ‘08

Holly Swope & Phil Hayes, Charlie ’17 & Lucy ’15

Kevin M. Tamaki, Scott ’04

The Tatum Family, Violet ’21, William ’18 & Dylan ’16

John & Liz Waldman, Melina ’13 & Louis ’11

Maria & Jeffrey Wauer, Reanna ’10 & James ’07

Ian Williams & Tessa Blake, Lucy ’17

Grandparents and Special Friends

Patti Auron, Liana ’27 & Elliot ’30

Judge & Dolly Brar, Kavi ’27

John Y. Chu Esq. , Grayson ’24 & Maxwell ’24

Susan DeFeo, Olive ’28 & Georgica ’26

Gary & Nancy Freedman, Zadie ’22 & Finn ’20

Carleen Glasser, Scarlett ’24 & Nicholas ’23

Carol Ann & Gary Heath, Wiley ’2 8

Diane Heller, Rose ’27

JoAnn & Charles Kaplan, Eli ’16

Richard Kendall & Lisa See, Henry ’24

The Kluft Family, C hase ’29

Pg & Maria Lavengood, Evie ’28

Mike & Susan Mahoney, Keegan ’25

Francisco Medina, Salma ’29

Dorothy Megna, Rhodes ’26

Heidi & Erik Murkoff, Lennox ’25

Nancy & Ray Nakagama, Alana ’24

Carol & Gene Pantuck, Alex ’10 & Morgan ’07

Eleanor & Joel Pelcyger, Finn ’16 & Isabella ’13

Abbie & Howard Perttula, Eero ’27, Isla ’23, Allie ’22, Mia ’20, Anna ’18, Lukas ’18, Jonah ’16, Tavi ’89, Josh ’80 & Karine ’78

Jonathan Phillips, In honor of PS1 parent, Andy Galker

Chris & Ken Reinhard, Wyatt ’29

Linda & Bill Richardson, Ford ’27

Sarah Davie Riehl, In memory of David Garcia

Barbara & Kenneth Seplow, Daniel ’13 & Rachel ’11

Joseph & Marie Serra, Penelope ’28 & Conrad ’26

Betty & Andrew Sew Hoy, Evie ’28

Danone & Mark Simpson, Kaius ’28

Why I Give…

Kathy Speck, Severin ’24, Esme ’21 & Maggie ’14

Sadie Sugarman ’ 27

Priscilla Tucker, Diego ’24

Catharine & Jon Vogel, Connor ’26

Laura Wilson, Finn ’26, Ford ’23 & Joseph ’11

Tim & Quay Wolfe, Zeppelin ’28 & Westley ’25

Anthony & Anita Zaldivar, Gabriel ’29

Matching and Organizational Gifts

Angeleno Group LLC, Paula & Fred Kuhns

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Kelli & Tyler Johnson

Boston Scientific, Amelia & Jason Ning

ECOLAB, Francisco Medina

Good Box Organics

The Walt Disney Company, Josh Berger & Lauren Fujiu, Anna & Jeffrey Reyna

The Founders Fund for Educational Pluralism

Jared Carney & Deirdre Wallace Carney

Rachel Bank & Lance Robbins

Maggie & Mort Rosenfeld

Michael & Laurie Seplow

We want to help keep PS1 as magical as it is.

Why

2022/23 Parents Guild

Because PS1 is helping to raise amazing human beings.

The PS1 Pluralistic School Parents Guild is an inclusive group of dedicated volunteers who help to build and sustain community through parent involvement. The Parents Guild is governed by the Parents Guild Executive Board (PGEB). We strive for involvement by many members of our community to help in building connection and sustaining our vibrant, diverse and inclusive community. We welcome and encourage your involvement!

PS1

Why I Give…

with its commitment to community and child-centered education has been a gift to our family.

The magic.

Why I Give…

2022/23 Parents Guild

Hello PS1 families! As parents and guardians of PS1 students, you are automatically part of the Parents Guild. The Parents Guild offers many opportunities to get involved with the school, students and staff in support of PS1’s mission. Under the leadership of the PS1 PGEB, we organize and plan opportunities for parent involvement that help build community.

In the 2022-2023 school year, we experienced the return of many cherished traditions like a vibrant, high energy Family Festival on the Euclid yard, a bustling Book Fair filled with enthusiastic readers, and sold-out Party Book parties for parents and children. These combined with an abundance of Coffees on the Green, Parent Happy Hours, Book Breakfasts, the Fundraising Gala and other community-building activities, provided countless opportunities for the community to gather and enjoy each other’s company. Thanks to the help of our parent volunteers and the PS1 staff and administration for their hard work and dedication.

Our families continue to express and show the importance of volunteering at PS1. Our Volunteer Wrap Party and Volunteer Roundup both had record attendance, celebrating an amazing year together and eagerly anticipating the upcoming school year as well. As we look forward to the 2023-24 school year, we want to thank everyone for the volunteer interest you have expressed already. We look forward to supporting an incredible year of community building together!

If you are interested in learning more about opportunities for involvement, please reach out any time at PS1pgeb@gmail.com — we love hearing from you!

Warmly,

Laurel Turner & Sabina von Munk PS1 Parents Guild Executive Board Co-Chairs 2022-23

Laurel Turner & Sabina von Munk

Executive Board

Paul Carpenter

Melissa Cruise

Jade Duell

Lauren Ferrari

Vivian Hyun

Jamie Keeton

Tessa Lydic

Carmen Margaziotis

Keith Megna

Hana Ogawa

Mario Ontal

Shannon Parry

Ann Rogers

Hanna Shin

Laurel Turner, Co-Chair

Sabina von Munk, Co-Chair

Book Fair

Yvonne Hsieh, Vivian Hyun, Stephanie Moustakas, Janine Poreba

Communitee Coffees

Paul Carpenter, Jamie Keeton

Community Service

Jade Duell, Taura Mizrahi-Fite

Day-of Volunteer Coordinator

Courtney DeFeo-Gertler

Family Festival

Jamie Keeton, Amanda Rawls, Lis Rozenfeld

First Day Coffee

Susan and Brian Doolittle

Fundraising Gala

Emily Farrell, Lauren Ferrari, Shayna Gaffen, Wendy Sugarman

Library Support

Jenna Humphrey, Nadia Ratner

Networking Happy Hours

Chloe Choi, Gina Kelly, Soraya Kelly, Ann Rogers

New Parent Liaison

Vanessa Chow, Tannaz Nikravesh-Galker

One From the Heart

Jonathan Chu, Susan Doolittle

Party Book

Jenny Daly, Tessa Lydic, Shannon Parry

School Spirit

Kim DeGeorge, Amanda Rawls, Lis Rozenfeld

Staff Appreciation

Tessa Lydic, Sabina von Munk

Staff Birthdays

Kim Campbell, Amelia Ning

Yearbook

Vanessa Chow, Melissa Cruise, Hana Ogawa

Head Room Parents

Vanessa Chow

Emily Farrell

Taura Mizrahi-Fite

India Gentile

Anna Gordon

Michelle Johnson

Virginia Seaman

Hanna Shin

Elaine Shing

Soraya Kelly Wax

Class Social Coordinators

Julie Chu

Melissa Cruise

Sharon Dai

Kim DeGeorge

Susan Doolittle

Courtney DeFeo-Gertler

Leila Fenelon

Shayna Gaffen

India Gentile

Rosalia Ibarrola

Justine Kragen

CL Kumpata

Chauncey Nichols

Emily Procter

Elaine Shing

Melanie & Bryan Wolff

Party Book Hosts

Melissa & Edward Akkaway

Emma & Simon Atik

Annalisa & Jason Barrett

Matthew Behr

Jen & Tony Brown

Vanessa Kirianoff-Brown & Corey Brown

Paul Carpenter & Beth Kahn

Lucia & Soufiane Chibane

Vanessa Chow & Graeme Craven

Lynda & Jonathan Chu

Jenny Daly & Shane Barach

Kim & Marco DeGeorge

Nicole & Robert Eloff

Caroline & Marcos Escalante

Anna & Steven Gordon

Rosalia Ibarrola & Mike Egner

Kelli & Tyler Johnson

Michelle & Chris Johnson

Soraya Kelly & Jonathan Wax

Gina Kelly & Matt Sherman

Annie & Linn Koo

Caroline Lindqvist

Tessa Lydic

Chauncey Nichols

Victoria & Lawrence O’Flahavan

Hana Ogawa & Kyle Sziraki

Shannon & Mike Parry

Emily Procter & Paul Bryan

Amanda Rawls

Ann & Jeremy Rogers

Jessica & Jason Schwarz

Emily & Chris Seet

Wonder Serra & Adrian Toynton

Hanna Shin & David Shao

Saho & Mike Simpson

Kerri Speck & Paul Marks

Shaula & Brandon Stephenson

Wendy & Matt Sugarman

Katya & Nick Techetin

Stefanie Truino

Plummy Tucker & Mario Ontal

Heather & Richard Turner

Brittany & Colter Van Domelen

Gelena & Keith Wasserman

Sharon & Eric Zabinski

Gala!

2022/23 Parents Guild

The PS1 community had an unforgettable night at the Annual Fundraising Gala on April 22. Thanks to our amazing parent volunteers and generous donors, we were able to raise funds to support the tuition assistance endowment, which benefits the entire PS1 family. This year’s Monte Carlo theme brought together our incredible community for a night of excitement, friendship, and giving back. With over 250 Silent Auction items, fantastic LIVE Auction items, exuberant paddle raises, and lively casino games, the atmosphere was electrifying and the joy was flowing. But most of all, we were grateful to see our PS1 families, teachers, and staff come together and support each other. Thank you to everyone who collaborated to make this event possible.

Volunteers:

Seth Baglin

Danielle Benoit

Tracy Bromwich

Jen Brown

Benjamin Buadu

Kim Campbell

Chloe Choi

Vanessa Chow

Melissa Cordeiro

Melissa Cruise

Orissa Davila

Courtney & Alex DeFeo

Ortavia Dixon

Nicole Eloff

Zoe & Adrian Fairbourn

Dominique Ferrari

Elise Fissmer

Nadia Fokova

India Gentile

Anna & Steve Gordon

Abbi Hertz

Ally & James Hicks

Karalyn Holden

Jenna Humphrey

Vivian Hyun

Jenn Kane

Gina Kelly

Breanna Kennedy

Julie Kluft

Justine Kragen

Heidi Krilanovich

Michelle Kroes

Teresa Lee

The Lima Family

Hazel Mall

Gina Meyers

Chauncey Nichols

Gretchen Patch

Hema Patel

Nadia Ratner

Richard Raymond

Liz & Andy Redman

Helen Rollens

Lis Rozenfeld

Wonder Serra

Romy & David Sharafi

Elaine Shing

Tia Shung

Stacey & Will Staples

Amanda Stein

Shaula Stephenson

Matt Sugarman

Carolina Thompson

Stefanie Truino

Jen Tsai

Heather Turner

Laurel Turner

Brittany VanDomelen

Gelena Wasserman

Melanie & Bryan Wolff

Gabriel Zaldivar

Event Chairs: Lauren Ferrari, Shayna Gaffen, Emily Farrell, Wendy Sugarman

Auction Angels

Shane Barach & Jennifer Daly

Kim & Marco DeGeorge

Zoe & Adrian Fairbourn

Lauren & Dominique Ferrari

Michelle Todd-Flonnoy & Derek Flonnoy

Shayna Gaffen & Seth Baglin

Pam & Yehudi Gaffen

Mitsu Hadeishi & Jungmin Nam

Diane Heller & Matthew Behr

Karalyn & Stuart Holden

Rosalia Ibarrola & Michael Egner

Pamela Kluft

Michelle Kroes & Matthew Lennon

Ross Riege & Natasha Kukes

Andrew Lavengood & Tania Sew Hoy

Isabel & Duke Marcoccio

Francisco Medina

Emily Procter & Paul Bryan

Anna & Jeff Reyna

Gabrielle Rose

Kerri Speck & Paul Marks

Wendy & Matt Sugarman

Kyle Sziraki & Hana Ogawa Sziraki

Jennifer & Jack Tsai

Melanie & Bryan Wolff

Fund a Need

Michelle An & Keith Megna

Halina Avery & Kimberley Stead

Shane Barach & Jennifer Daly

Shannon Broyles-Beale & Lee Beale

Matthew Behr

Tracy & Adam Bromwich

Jen & Tony Brown

Paul Carpenter & Beth Kahn

Lucia & Soufiane Chibane

Kim & Marco DeGeorge

Ortavia Manning-Dixon & Ebson Dixon

Joanna & Andy Edstrom

Nicole & Robert Eloff

Sophie & Christopher Evans

Emily & James Farrell

Lauren & Dominique Ferrari

Elise & Rob Fissmer

Taura Mizrahi-Fite & Scott Fite

Shayna Gaffen & Seth Baglin

Allyson & James Hicks

Jennifer & Mark Humphrey

Rosalia Ibarrola & Michael Egner

Kelli & Tyler Johnson

Jamie Keeton & Keith Muenze

Beth & Chris Kemp

Elizabeth & Alexander Kendall

Justine Kragen & Scott Bendar

David Krauss & Abbi Hertz

Annie Lee & Linn Koo

Carmen & Philip Margaziotis

Francisco Medina

Sharif Farag & Rosita Medina-Farag

Stephanie & Michael Moustakas

Amelia & Jason Ning

+ more photos here…

Lawrence Sher & Hema Patel

Emily Procter & Paul Bryan

Grace Qi & Eric Guo

Nadia & Marc Ratner

Amanda Rawls

Elizabeth & Andrew Redman

Anna & Jeffrey Reyna

Emily & Christopher Seet

Elaine & Alex Shing

Kerri Speck & Paul Marks

Stacey & Will Staples

Emily & Cullen Thompson

Laurel & BJ Turner

Brittany & Colter Van Domelen

Melissa & Ben Wallfisch

Esther Watkins

Soraya Kelly Wax & Jonathan Wax

Melanie & Bryan Wolff

Eric Zabinski & Xiaorong Dai

Celebrate the Many; Build One

PS1 Mission Statement:

PS1 is a diverse community committed to an ever-evolving model of pluralistic elementary education. On a path to self-knowledge, students engage and become the best versions of themselves. They develop critical academic and interpersonal skills to be confident and passionate contributors to an increasingly connected world.

PS1 Philosophy Statement:

At PS1, we recognize that every child is unique, so we built a school that nurtures individual talents and learning styles. That’s how children become the best versions of themselves, in a school where fitting in is about being yourself.

1225 Broadway

Santa Monica CA 90404

To learn more about our school, visit our website: www.psone.org

2022/23 Advancement Team:

Alan Ball, Director of Advancement

Tina Andrews, Development Manager

Evelyn Cazún, Associate Director of Admissions

Tisa Habas, Advancement Associate for Alumni Relations & Events

Beth Kemp, Director of Admissions

Amanda Perla, Director of Communications and Marketing

David Ramos, I.T. Manager