Heads Letter Journal Spr 16

From the Head’s Desk The theme of our recent 40th anniversary gala was “Back for the Future,” which, when we first coined it, didn’t have the kind of resonance it has today as we prepare to share our strategic direction with the UHS community. But more on our future later; for now, indulge me a bit as I revisit just a few of the many extraordinary moments from our 40th anniversary year.

The 40th Anniversary Committee (clockwise from left: Holly Johnson ’82, Julia Russell Eells, Bruce Lamott, Shaundra Bason, Diane Schroeder, Thelma Garza, Alissa Kinney Moe, Sam Lesser ’17, and Sarah Ancheta ’17) raised their Martinelli's to a wonderful commemorative year at UHS during their last meeting on March 22, 2016.

UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL SPRING 2016

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“ Turning 40 provides an important moment to stand and reflect in the balance between where we have traveled and our future destinations.”

We began festivities in September with UHS Day, when special guests, including founding Head of School Dennis Collins; dozens of founding faculty, staff, and alumni; and spoken word artist, musician, and activist Hollis Wong Wear ’05, converged on campus to pay homage to our school’s first days and remarkable history. Throughout the fall and winter months, we welcomed alumni artists back for three successive exhibitions in the Jackson Street galleries. Ceramicists, painters, and photographers from various decades and regions represented the stunning talent our UHS Arts program helps to inspire and develop.

In March, our 40th Anniversary Celebration Weekend kicked off with a special assembly for students, faculty, and staff on Friday afternoon, featuring rapper and spoken word artist George Watsky ’05 and puppeteer and MacArthur Fellowship winner Basil Twist ’87. We then enjoyed an Alumni Open Campus on Saturday, which brought graduates and their families back to UHS to engage in a mural project, a discussion with UHS students and our Families Multicultural Committee, a Western Civ Jeopardy! session, an admissions seminar, an a cappella rehearsal, an authors’ book signing, and a coding class.

Banners with the new UHS logo, conceived by renowned Bay Area artist and designer Michael Schwab (and the cover of last fall’s Journal!), hung on poles throughout the city as the weekend approached. The culminating 40th Gala at the Palace of the Fine Arts saw over 700 UHS community members gather for a night of entertainment and nostalgia.

It was bittersweet but fitting that Bruce “Doc” Lamott would give us an opportunity to establish a faculty professional development endowment in his name (see page 9), which was announced that evening.

The great benefit of completing our strategic design work during such a momentous year is that we have benefitted from the historical lens it has provided, as well as the opportunity to reflect on what aspects of the UHS experience have been most pivotal and enduring for the students, faculty, parents, and staff who have been a part of our teaching and learning community since its founding. As we conclude the final stages of our planning, it is no surprise that some of the basic values and principles that were set forth during our early years have even more significance in 2016: a strong belief in the power of diversity and unwavering commitment to the city in which we live; that strong relationships are at the center of learning and well-being; that risk-taking and collaboration remain central skills in preparing for college and a life committed to the greater good; and that challenging academics and a strong, engaging, and supportive community are not mutually exclusive.

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It is within this context that we will be revealing our strategic vision and direction this coming summer. However, there has been so much careful thought, research, examination, and inquiry that a number of exciting initiatives have already been put into action. A partial list includes: • Launching a new science sequence, which will position a unique ninth-grade physics course as our students’ introduction to the UHS science experience (see page 4) • Hiring a new executive director of Summerbridge (see page 16), who brings strategic skills to the table as we continue to weave together the narratives of UHS and the Summerbridge program • Breaking ground on Paul Goode Field in the Presidio (see page 14), which will provide a much-needed home field for UHS and an additional athletic venue for the children of San Francisco • Securing permits for the construction of an idea and fabrication lab in South Campus, scheduled to open in August • Advancing our work in social and emotional development through the collaboration of our Human Development Department and our nationally recognized Mentoring Program Turning 40 provides an important moment to stand and reflect in the balance between where we have traveled and our future destinations.

I believe that University High School is at such a moment. There is a palpable sense of excitement and possibility on campus as we look to a future filled with lively, continued dialog and engagement within our community, setting our course for the next 40 years and beyond.

Julia Russell Eells head of school

UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL SPRING 2016