Fall 2021 Surgere Magazine

Fall 2021

How a year of remote teaching and learning will change inperson programs Page 2

STUDENT SUPPORT

Expansion through the Strategic Plan Page 6

LOOK INSIDE School news, alumnae news, and more

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CLASS OF 2021

Table of

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Pandemic Response Propels Innovation at Westridge

01 02 06 08 11 16 20 24 28 30 36 39

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SURROUNDING STUDENTS WITH SUPPORT

contents

Head’s Note Pandemic Response Propels Innovation at Westridge Student Support Class of 2021 Around Campus Q&As with our Newest Directors Student Work School News Alumnae Board Update Alumnae News Class Notes In Memoriam

COVER PHOTO: Recess (and free dress!) after Lower School students returned to campus in February.

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From the

HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Friends, I write this note to you as we prepare for Convocation, our opening school event that begins a series of “lasts” for me in this, my final year at Westridge. The year is, in many ways, different than I had anticipated while looking ahead to the end of my tenure, but the school is very much where I had hoped it would be.

It is different in that we continue to face uncertainty with the pandemic. The situation is much improved from the darkest days of the winter, but safety protocols remain in place and continue to shift with the course of the virus. But I had hoped to leave Westridge strong and in a period of innovation and progress, and we are indeed there. Despite the pandemic—and in some ways because of our experiences during remote learning—we are thinking deeply about what constitutes truly meaningful learning in today’s world.

We are taking significant steps to evolve our curriculum and expand our work in social emotional wellness and diversity, equity, and inclusion. This work started with our 2020 Strategic Plan, but you will see in this edition of Surgere that the pandemic advanced it in unexpected ways.

While I am not ready to leave Westridge, and always believe that one commits fully until the very last moment which thankfully won’t be until next July, I am ready and eager to continue the conversations we are having around curriculum, pedagogy, anti-racism, and so many topics that make real differences in the education and lives of Westridge students. I wrote in the Winter 2021 edition of Surgere of how we were surviving the pandemic and retained the essence of Westridge while remote due to the care and perseverance of our community. It is that care and support that allows and, in fact demands, that Westridge progress and evolve, so that each generation of students will have an equally powerful personal and educational experience at Westridge—one that is relevant to their future.

And so, I say—bring on my “lasts!” Because that means we are moving forward together.

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Elizabeth J. McGregor Head of School

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Pandemic Response Propels

INNOVATION AT WESTRIDGE

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Nothing you have gone through will be wasted.

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ith these words at 6th and 8th grade recognition ceremonies in the spring, Director of Lower and Middle School Dr. Zanita Kelly encouraged students to reflect on the experiences and hardships of the pandemic and think about all life experiences as either blessings or lessons.

What, as an institution, has Westridge learned from this difficult and unprecedented period of remote learning—a “forced experiment in pedagogy,” as History Department Chair Melissa Kelley described the past year and a half in schools? A great deal. And while our review is not yet complete, change is afoot

on campus.

“One of the key strengths of independent schools is our agility, our ability to innovate without some of the restrictions which come with being part of a larger system,” said Elizabeth J. McGregor, head of school.

“Through our strategic plan, we have been focused for some time on curriculum innovation and the role of student social emotional wellness in academics.

The crisis pushed social emotional wellness to the forefront of our work and it also forced us to try things academically that would have taken significantly longer under normal circumstances. This learning will not be wasted. ”

FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE INSIGHTS GAINED INTO TEACHING, LEARNING, AND COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS.

Curriculum Faced with a reduction of class time and students experiencing significant stress, distractions, and screen fatigue, Westridge faculty focused on identifying what is truly essential to their curricula and to student learning. “Rethinking my classes for remote learning forced me to identify the major takeaways I want students to get from my classes more precisely

than ever before,” said Upper School Science Teacher Laura Hatchman.

“I had to streamline and tailor content and I focused more on skills. Of course, content will always be important, but skills are transferable to other disciplines and are critical for further education. I asked myself, if a student never takes bio(logy) again, will they be scientifically literate after this course?”

For 7th grade English Teacher John Cross, focus on essentials translated into deeper analysis of fewer books or writings. When asked what he hopes to bring to in-person curriculum this year, among other thoughts he said, “I look forward to more quality time spent with fewer texts.”

“The fact that we have been focused on the essential goals and needs of curriculum puts us in a strong place to begin our school-wide curriculum review this year,” said Dr. Kelly. “Schools are always evolving curricula, but I don’t think we would have achieved this degree of clarity without the extreme

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and immediate need we were addressing last year.”

ocial Emotional S Space in School Days Many teachers plan to maintain expanded and more intentional check-ins at the beginning of class. While check-ins were already part of normal class days, they became a lifeline during the pandemic. In addition to providing social emotional benefits, the practice can provide teachers with more nuanced insight into extraneous factors that may be impacting student learning, and many found the heightened sense of community had a positive impact on learning.

“Community allows for more vulnerability and humanity, which is always good for learning,” said History Department Chair Melissa Kelley. Kelley also plans to incorporate stretching breaks during her classes. “They started as quick breaks to shift our eyes away from our screens every 20 minutes. But I am going to be more deliberate about the breaks in person. Standing and stretching for a few minutes pushes you into another (mental) place.”

Pedagogy THE METHOD OR PRACTICE OF TEACHING While Westridge classes are far from the “stand and deliver” lecture model of traditional teaching, remote learning led to trials of many new pedagogical approaches including integration of educational technologies at unprecedented levels.

Dozens of tools, programs, and apps will cross the virtual moat from remote to on-campus learning this year.

Many were used by teachers in the past and others were totally new to us at “Westridge Without Walls.”

Microsoft Teams and OneNote digital class notebooks will continue to play a major role for content libraries, collaboration, and communication. Students will continue to engage with science simulations, Flipgrids (a video discussion platform), and virtual field trips, like the amazing Lower School museum hops of last year.

Many other tools and applications will be thoughtfully assessed by faculty for use in the new school year.

“Teachers will be reflecting on which technologies will continue to help meet specific educational goals including making student learning more accessible, efficient, and authentic,” said Sally Miller, director 04

of technology.

Teachers are also thinking anew of the balance of synchronous and asynchronous work. (Best practices for remote learning call for a balance of asynchronous and synchronous learning.) “The notion of synchronous/ asynchronous is something that will stay with me… synchronous meetings have value, but they don’t have to be our default setting for what defines school,” said Upper School English Teacher Katie Wei '94.

Flipped classrooms have been used selectively by Westridge faculty for years but won many additional converts after being recommended in the Westridge remote learning model. In flipped classrooms students receive direct instruction on their own time (e.g., teacher-created interactive presentations or video demonstrations). This allows students to work at their own pace and for class time to be focused on dynamic, interactive learning where the teacher guides students in applying concepts and engaging in the subject matter.

Student feedback on “flipping” was positive. They liked being able to digest information at their own pace and to stop and rewind to review a topic that wasn’t clear.

Math Department Chair Leah Dahl intends to continue a practice called time stretching, which she introduced during the pandemic. In time stretching, a single topic is spread out over multiple weeks and homework is put into a longer timeframe as well. “I had read about this before as a powerful tool for differentiated teaching and covering a good deal of material without leaving so many students behind,” said Dahl. “It fits with research on learning and memory, and I was impressed with

Fall 2021 / the impact on both retention levels and student confidence with the covered topics.”

Teachers also gained insight into the benefits of more intentional structuring of group work.

During remote learning, teachers tried many different approaches to address two challenges: the heightened need to build community and connect students who were physically isolated from each other, and a need to engage students within the confines of remote, tiny screens which stripped away most of the tactile and social elements of class that help capture students’ attention. “Community building is more natural in person but being more deliberate (last year) had academic benefits that I will work to keep in our traditional classes. If I can get students talking to each other about math, it is good for both the student explaining and the student learning,” said Dahl.

ssessment A Like curriculum, assessment practices are up for review as part of the school’s Strategic Plan and the unique needs of the pandemic provided a body of real-world research to kickstart the formal review.

Midterms and finals were eliminated altogether, and teachers worked to find assessment options to reduce the stakes of individual assessments and provide students with diverse options to demonstrate their understanding. These factors were especially important last year while students dealt with significant worry, anxiety, and stress unrelated to school, but they are central to the school’s desire to evolve assessment more generally.

“Traditional testing provides a window into a very specific skillset that often is not the best measure of student growth and can be easily thrown off by test anxiety or some issue in their personal life on the day of a test,” said Gary Baldwin, director of Upper School.

“What we learned during the pandemic was how to be more creative and thoughtful about assessment. This year we are going to spend a lot of time as a faculty thinking about the ongoing shifts we want to make in our approach so we get a more accurate and nuanced understanding of student growth and achievement.”

chedule S While remote, the weekly “Westridge Wednesday” schedule concentrated co-curricular activities, student-teacher meetings, and independent and collaborative student work time into a single day

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without classes. Its benefits were palpable during the pandemic and lauded by many parents and students, and both teachers and administrators think a version of it could have merit for on-campus learning as well.

“We went into this schedule thinking about the social emotional needs of students last year; the need to prioritize community, take a break from screens, and have time to work on homework during the day so they would have more time to restore in the evenings from the exhaustions of being online all day,” said McGregor.

“Those benefits were stronger than we anticipated, and there were also some outcomes we hadn’t thought about.” Among them, teachers reported that students were more rested and engaged in their classes on Thursdays and Fridays than during the traditional schedule, in which class energy wanes as the week progresses. Structured time for meeting with teachers and collaborating on school projects with peers increased participation in both. And the day provided more time for social emotional learning and DEI programming, both integral to student personal wellness and development and academic success.

“Westridge Wednesdays had academic and social emotional benefits that we want to recapture, as did other aspects of our remote schedule, including a later start,” said McGregor. “We are undertaking a formal review of our schedule this year based on our remote schedule. In the meantime, I am glad that we have shifted the Upper School start time to 8:40 am this year.

It’s an important first step.”

arent and Alumnae P Communities Moving community meetings and events online was revelatory as well. Work and commutes can make it difficult to get to campus for evening meetings, which may be why attendance at parent meetings and education events spiked during COVID-19. And alumnae from around the globe were able to attend reunions, committee meetings, and last year’s listening and education sessions focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

One thing will definitely be happening even after a full return to campus events: remote student parent conferences. Parents reported that not having to drive to Westridge in the middle of the workday for a 20-minute conference was a boon for their schedule and didn’t impact the quality of the conversation.

“We will have to find the right mix because we don’t want to lose the benefits of in-person events, but we will find a balance so we can continue to offer wider access to our05 programming and community,” said McGregor.

Surrounding Students with Support: for personal and academic success

With growing bodies of research regarding the connection between social emotional wellness and academic achievement and the troubling increase in student stress in the U.S., Westridge placed a goal to provide a comprehensive system of support for students at the foundation of its 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. During the past two years, we have expanded our team of support specialists and reorganized these disciplines into a collaborative unit focused on integrated student care.

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THE DEPARTMENT INCLUDES: Two learning support specialists Last year the team expanded with the addition of Susie Murdock, M.Ed., so the lower and middle divisions and the Upper School both have dedicated support.

Two licensed counselors Recognizing the growing need for oncampus counseling and support, as well as a counselor with training and experience in working with BIPOC students, Westridge hired Sheri Johnson, MFT, last fall.

L to R: Vicki Trinh, Sheri Johnson, Tami Millard, Lisa Carruthers, Katie Dockter, Sarah Simon, and Susie Murdock

Two Health Office professionals This formerly independent office is now part of the larger student wellness team, bridging the frequent connections between physical and emotional well-being.

We’ve built a program with a strong arc from grades 4 through 12 and a group of highly trained professionals who bring different perspectives to look at student wellness, and that’s important,” said Director of Counseling and Student Support Lisa Carruthers, Psy.D. “Through relationships, curriculum, and other educational programming, we help students develop social and emotional skills so they are better equipped to handle the many challenges and problems that are a regular and often healthy part of being a growing young person. But just as important as the proactive work we do is the support we provide students and teachers when they encounter challenges.

Two full-time Human Development (HD) faculty members This curriculum centers on identity, relationships, and community and is intended to develop lifelong skills for wellness, resilience, and empowerment. HD moved into the Student Support Department this year.

Peer-to-Peer Program Student support staff work collaboratively to teach Peer-to-Peer—a series of classes that train students to be active listeners and provide peer support on campus for students in need.

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Congratulations

CLASS of 2021 The 75 newest Westridge alumnae earned 423 acceptances to 167 colleges and universities, and this fall will attend 52 colleges and universities across 19 states, the district of Columbia, England, and Ireland. Described as a class of old souls who look out for each other and the greater good through speaking out and activism oncampus and off, the Class of 2021 demonstrated levels of grace, caring, and leadership beyond their years. We wish them lives of purpose and happiness.

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Class of 2021

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COLLEGE MATRICULATION MAP 49

4, 47

WA

33

OR

MN

25, 27

SD

ID

WI

26

51

MI

WY IA

8, 38, 39, 41 11

13, 18

NV UT CA

10, 14, 22, 24, 40, 50

MO

KS

OK

RI

MA

15, 52 NJ

5, 19, 30, 31

DE MD

KY NC

2

37

SC

AR

NM

44

MS

AL

GA

3

LA

43

Ireland

20

WV

VA

48

TX

45

DC

17

7

CT

34

OH

IN

32

TN AZ

9, 12

IL CO

NY

PA

NE

NH

16

27

1, 29

6

21, 42

ND

MT

23, 35

ME

VT

46

England

FL

36

1.

Amherst College Amherst, MA 2.

Arizona State University Tempe, AZ 3.

Auburn University Auburn, AL 4.

Bard College Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 5.

Barnard College New York, NY 6.

Bennington College (2) Bennington, VT 7.

Butler University Indianapolis, IN University of California: 8. Berkeley (7) Berkeley, CA 9. Irvine Irvine, CA 10. Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 11. Santa Cruz (2) Santa Cruz, CA 12. Chapman University Orange, CA 13. University of Chicago (5) Chicago, IL 14. Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA 15. Connecticut College New London, CT 16. Cornell University (2) Ithaca, NY 17. Denison University Granville, OH 18. DePaul University Chicago, IL 19. Fordham University Bronx, NY 20. Georgetown University Washington, DC 21. Hamilton College Clinton, NY 22. Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA 23. Lewis & Clark College Portland, OR 24. Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA 25. Macalester College Saint Paul, MN 26. Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 27. University of Michigan (3) Ann Arbor, MI

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29.

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University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, MA The New School New York, NY New York University New York, NY Northeastern University (3) Boston, MA University of Oregon Eugene, OR University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Reed College Portland, OR Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance London, England San Diego State University San Diego, CA University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA Santa Clara University (2) Santa Clara, CA University of Southern California (4)

41.

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Stanford University (2) Stanford, CA Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Texas A&M University College Station, TX Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX Trinity College Dublin (3) Dublin, Ireland Tulane University of Louisiana New Orleans, LA Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY Washington University Saint Louis, MO University of Washington Seattle, WA Whittier College Whittier, CA University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Yale University New Haven, CT

Los Angeles, CA

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Class of 2021, here we are on the train. Together.

Remember that there is only the journey, only the present,

Senior Retreat

here and now, and that the journey and the destinations are the same. Please enjoy the ride.

- STELLA BALDWIN (f rom Salutatorian remarks)

Senior Tea

Chalk Day

High school is all about finding the thing that makes you tick, finding the thing that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning.

- CLAIRE DENAULT

Everything you learn about yourself [during the college process] isn’t just for the colleges, it’s also for you.

Keep sitting with them and keep thinking about it. It’s a process that you’re never really going to stop.

- COCO GORAN 10 Vespers

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CAMPUS Class of 2027

Class of 2025

Raven-Symoné Shares Wisdom with the Class of 2021 This year’s commencement speaker, director and entertainer Raven-Symoné, gave a spirited and thoughtful address on the theme of cultivating and honoring your internal voice. In telling the story of her own evolution from feeling on autopilot in her career to being aware and honoring her own thoughts, Raven told the graduates that by “asking big questions and pushing boundaries set by others we are able to change our circumstances.” Raven-Symoné is a fourtime NAACP Image Award-winning and Emmy-nominated actor and producer, currently reprising her role of Raven Baxter from “That’s So Raven” in the Disney Channel series “Raven’s Home.”

Love Your Body Week: Effects of the Pandemic on Body Image

Congratulations to the Classes of 2027 and 2025!

Last spring's 6th and 8th grade recognition ceremonies moved back to campus after a year hiatus! Students and families gathered on Herrick Quad (a location shift made to meet distancing requirements) for remarks from Head of School Elizabeth J. McGregor, Director of Lower and Middle School Dr. Zanita Kelly, and their class presidents, Alice L. ’27, Ella B. ’25, and Tanvi C. ’25, before receiving certificates.

The student support group Peer-to-Peer hosted its annual Love Your Body Week in February, with a special focus on how the pandemic and remote learning impacted students' body image. The week’s virtual events included an Upper School Town Meeting, an all-school Big & Little Sister self-portrait activity, and optional lunchtime meetups. Among the questions posed by Peer-to-Peer student leaders were: “How have coronavirus and online learning impacted your relationship with your body?,” “What strategies do you use to feel comfortable and confident with your body?,” and “How do you take care of your physical health while isolated?”

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CAMPUS Tiger Week: At-Home, Experiential Learning in Lieu of Interim

Two Students Awarded 2021 National Merit Scholarships

Westridge hosted “Tiger Week” the week before spring break, offering students nearly 60 virtual workshops exploring a wildly diverse range of non-academic topics. Tiger Week took the place of the traditional Interim, Discovery, and Experiential Weeks, which were not possible this spring due to the pandemic. Westridge faculty and staff members proposed workshops for Tiger Week based on their personal interests, resulting in workshops that ran the gamut from dog photography, woodworking, web game design, and music journalism to sewing, creating Dutch still lifes and “The Politics of Self-Care: Learning from Audre Lorde.”

Congratulations to Jennifer Spinoglio ’21 and Simone Kang ’21, who were among just 7,500 students across the nation to receive 2021 National Merit Scholarships funded by the colleges and universities that they will attend. To qualify as semifinalists for the scholarship, these students scored among the top 16,000 out of 1.5 million juniors who took the PSAT. Finalists were later selected based on applications that detailed their academic excellence and demonstrated participation and leadership in school and community activities. Congratulations to our other semifinalists from the Class of 2021: Mirelle Lindquist, Maya Melnik, Katherine Mrozek, and Jiatong Zhang.

PfS! Mentorship Program Launches with 50 Westridge Mentors

Photo courtesy of the Partnership for Success!

Facebook page

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The first Partnership for Success!

(PfS!) Westridge student mentorship program launched in the summer of 2020, with more than 50 Westridge Upper School students serving as mentors to 5th and 6th grade PfS! students throughout the school year.

Westridge students formed connections with their mentees by meeting virtually up to once a week to provide tutoring and social emotional activities like virtual book clubs, Mad Libs, science experiments, baking, and more.

This program added a year-round component to PfS!, a collaboration between four Pasadena independent schools and the city’s public school district to support students from local elementary schools who would otherwise have limited access to summer academic enrichment.

Jennifer Spinoglio

Simone Kang

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Spring Play Created through New Student-Led Collaboration The Westridge Theatre Department’s spring production Eden Experiments was created wholly by students in a “devised theatre” process that began with no script and no auditions—just a signup sheet. All Upper School students could choose to help write the script, compose music, perform, or design scenery, costumes, makeup, sound, or lighting. The student creators embraced their virtual platform and wrote a play about a reality TV show, entitled Eden Experiments, that follows six teenagers who were raised in isolation as part of a social experiment to scientifically resolve the question “are humans innately good or bad?”

KWST Student-Run Radio Station Launched In January, the new student-run Westridge radio station KWST officially launched! Gigi T. ’22 was the force behind KWST and hosted the station’s first show, Sound in Space —a radio show that places a music playlist in a particular space, time, and weather condition, such as “89° in LA.” KWST is broadcast on Mixlr, an app that offers a chat box that enables students to interact with each other (and the host) during live broadcasts. By the end of the school year, KWST had grown to include four weekly radio shows including talk shows and music shows. Check it out at mixlr.com/kwst.

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ASB Launches Studentto-Student Pen Pal Program During the past year, student leaders were invaluable in bringing forth ideas to address the changing needs of their peers throughout the pandemic. Among the most creative was the Associated Student Body’s (ASB) school-wide pen pal program, designed to give students a chance to make meaningful connections with peers in other grades while getting a much-needed break f rom their computer screens. More than 40 students from all divisions signed up to be paired with a random pen pal, providing an opportunity for inter-divisional connection that was hard to come by in the remote learning setting last year.

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Around

CAMPUS

Congratulations!

Congratulations to the varsity golf and tennis teams, which were both undefeated this season and won the Prep League Championships. Varsity golf went on to place 6th at CIF-SS Division 3 Team Championships in June—the first time in Westridge history that the team has placed in the top 10 in the division!

Coding & Game Design Students Study Gender and Racial Bias in AI and STEM Fields In a brand-new Coding & Game Design unit, 7th and 8th graders discussed “algorithmic bias,” or the ways in which computer algorithms can lead to unfair outcomes and give privileges to one group of users over another. The class was rooted in the work of the Gender Shades project, created

by M.I.T. Media Lab computer scientist Joy Buolamwini, a Black woman, when she discovered that her face was going repeatedly undetected by facial recognition software—until she put on a white mask. Students discussed the “coded gaze,” a term for algorithmic bias coined by Buolamwini, and how it might appear in technology they use daily such as social media apps, AI such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa, and more.

To help students understand the real-world implications of this issue, a panel of female computer scientists led by Westridge alumna Taylor Daughtery ’08 (pictured top left), a senior iOS software engineer at Headspace, visited the class to discuss their experiences working in technology.

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Four Students Graduate with New Global Initiative Program Distinctions Four members of the Class of 2021 became the first alumnae to graduate with distinctions from the Westridge Global Initiative program.

Congratulations to the following students who earned the Global Initiative Distinction by creating their own independent interdisciplinary study of a modern-day global issue:

How Did Science Labs Work While Remote?

At Westridge, Remarkably Well!

Through a combination of serious supply pickups, materials commonly found at home, and impressive online lab simulations, Westridge teachers kept science learning an active endeavor for students last year.

In Lower School classes, teachers sent home a full semester of supplies for lab activities. Sixth graders created air trolleys that sailed across fishing line in their engineering unit and built solar ovens to cook s’mores when studying heat transfer, and 5th graders grew wheat seeds to learn about

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photosynthesis and modeled the phases of the moon using Oreo cookies.

In Middle School classes, students completed hands-on labs using items found at home to extract DNA from a strawberry, culture bacteria in Petri dishes, and model osmosis using an egg.

In addition to hands-on labs, Upper School chemistry, biology, and anatomy classes made the most of simulated labs that provided interactive animations of what students would traditionally do in the lab. For example, chemistry students used their cursors to fill pipettes, while 9th grade biology students were able to dissect frogs virtually.

NATALIE CHEN for her work on immigration along the MexicoAmerica border SOSI DAY for her work on the repercussions of low-quality childcare in the United States LEILY ROSSI for her work on the modern pollical landscape of the Dominican Republic and Haiti QUINTYNN VAUGHN for her work on death penalty laws and crime rates in countries around the globe.

Chamber Orchestra Podcast Spotlights the Music History of the Underrepresented The Upper School Chamber Orchestra created a music history podcast this spring entitled “Crescendo: Amplifying Global Voices.” Each student created an episode exploring the musical contributions of an underrepresented group, such as female composers and minority people, communities, and cultures. Subjects explored included: how female composer Maddalena Casulana challenged social norms and influenced the Renaissance, LGBTQ+ composers in the Classical Era, the impact, meanings, and misinterpretations of the American Indian Ghost Dance of 1890, and how new girl groups are redefining womanhood in KPop. You can listen to all the podcasts online at https://westridgecrescendopodcast.weebly.com/.

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Q& A with

IAN TATUM

Director of Equity

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estridge welcomed Ian Tatum in August to lead school-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Tatum relocated from Illinois where he was a restorative practices facilitator

and educational consultant. His more than 20 years in education include tenures as an assistant principal, a mentor to teachers and administrators in elementary and middle schools, and a teacher-leader in family and community engagement. Last year, he served as a consultant to Westridge, leading educational sessions related to DEI for faculty and staff, students, and parents.

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What drew you to this position and to Westridge?

I believe Westridge is a community that has made a commitment to DEI practices, recognizes this work requires the collective work of its members, and is willing to work toward understanding and change. There is a momentum and an excitement here, even around a difficult topic. [Westridge] students really responded to our assembly

What drew you to diversity, equity, and inclusion work?

I have been committed to the

and Dr. Kelly last year), and I was impressed by how they showed up with an authentic curiosity, as well

Due to the seriousness of my work,

entered a classroom. As a teacher

most people would be surprised

and administrator, I found myself

to know that I love to have fun

examining practices, policies, and

and laugh. I want to work in a

behaviors that limited access for all

space where we have fun and I

learners and practitioners. Even as

want school to be engaging for

a high school student, I was often

everyone who walks through the

examining bias and bringing issues

door. I have also been told that

to the surface to talk about them.

I am a great cook, and I enjoy creating fusion cuisine. I think the

Why do you think this position is critical for schools today?

as a braveness and a vulnerability

DEI is critical in education because

to share their life experiences, and

it helps students and adults feel

connect it to their community, and

seen and affirmed, and challenges

their peers.

all of us to lean in to provide justice

Why did you become an educator?

I became a teacher after being a tutor, a mentor, and a teacher’s aide.

I was always very careful around education–I didn’t want to go into it just because it was something that I could do. I spent a year as a teaching assistant to make sure that I was called to this work, and it really helped me develop a passion for serving and helping students grow. I want to be the adult that I needed when I was young, by really listening to students, and creating

What do you want the Westridge community to know about you?

work of equity long before I

(editor’s note: an assembly on microaggressions led by Tatum

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areas I borrow from most are soul food (because I have southern roots), Caribbean, and many kinds of Asian cuisines.

If you weren’t an educator, what would you be?

and fairness. It helps illuminate

Singing is my first love. I have

our similarities and differences,

been told by students and

which can transform our thinking

colleagues that I should audition

and behavior. I believe exposure

for the television show “The Voice.”

to DEI provides all students access to a range of cultural and learning experiences, and creates a vibrant academic space through the exchange of diverse thoughts, perspectives, and experiences.

What is the best advice you ever received?

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

This position communicates a commitment and readiness for this difficult and collective work and provides space for individuals to create pathways of understanding that lead to changes in thinking and practices.

space for them.

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Q& A with

JAMES EVANS

Director of Teaching & Learning

J

ames Evans joined Westridge in July as the director of teaching & learning, a new position created in response to the goals outlined in our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. Originally from Britain, James worked at The Buckley School

in Sherman Oaks for nearly 20 years, serving as English department chair since 2016, Mastery Transcript Consortium site director since 2017, and social studies department chair since 2020. In his new role, he will work with Westridge faculty and administration to plan, direct, implement, and evaluate the functions of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. We sat down with James, whose daughter Lorelei '28 also joined Westridge this year, to talk more about his vision for this position, what excites him in education today, and how he sees schools developing in the future.

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Fall 2021 /

What drew you to Westridge?

I’m fascinated by how whole schools run and how we can teach the whole

in the changes that the school

their education as a whole and

might be going through in terms of

not as f ragments. And finally, I

pedagogical choices, assessment,

think it’s important to make sure

and more.

that the students who graduate f rom any independent school are

child. At Westridge, I know that there is a great emphasis on the whole child and educating not just for the sake of academics but also to ensure

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What are you most excited about in education today?

global citizens and civic-minded people, so we're producing critical thinkers who can interpret the world without being

social emotional wellbeing. On top

I’m very excited about the call to

of that, I want to empower girls and

diversity, equity, inclusion, and

to do so at a school like Westridge

justice work. I’m looking forward

that allows for girls to really live to

to having conversations that

their full potential and explore every

challenge and positively disrupt

aspect of what they're interested

older, more established traditions of

in, is really exciting. A lot of what I

knowledge, and questioning their

knew about Westridge before I even

impact on students. I am excited by

applied was that this is a place where

movements that seek to make the

I play guitar badly (though my wife

students thrive because of the caring

classroom a more democratic place,

says I should not add the “badly”),

they give to each other and that they

where learning and knowledge

I read a lot, and I follow Aston Villa

get from the faculty and staff.

is shared and not turned into an

football club in England—this

opportunity for competition. I think

season is the first season they’ve

the classroom should be about true

been good for years. I also hang

collaboration and cooperation to

out with my wife Jenny, my

advance discussions, rather than just

daughter Lorelei, and my three

demonstrating ability or establishing

cats and rabbit. We adopted a

a hierarchy of knowledge.

kitten during the lockdown and

How do you think this role will position you to make a meaningful impact on the school?

best help, while also coming in with a sense of how to help redesign curriculum to be more inclusive,

with the world in a constructive and meaningful way.

What are your outlets for fun?

she was so tiny that she fit in my

I am excited to learn a new community and find out how I can

misled, and who can engage

What do you see as the challenges facing schools in the next few years?

to be more responsive to student

One challenge after a year of

needs, student awareness, and

remote learning will be how we are

cultural phenomena. I believe there

going to recreate and reaffirm our

is opportunity for me to dedicate

connections with the community,

time to helping teachers be the best

both in and around our school.

versions of themselves in their work

Another challenge is breaking

with students, and to find ways to

down the barriers between the

make sure that faculty feel included

disciplines so that students can see

hand, but now she’s a year old and giant!

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Claire H. ’28

Lilian, from a friend To a parent To a sister To America And to me For me, art has never been the portrayal of pretty things In a pretty manner It is the transformation of the unexceptional Into the extraordinary I've never known Yeuk On The label of my Hong Kong identity Born there and raised elsewhere I've never pronounced it right Lillian L. ’25

Izzy S. ’24

Grace N. ’23

Kelly C. ’27

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Jena G. ’28

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Arden R. ’25

MG N. ’25

Reed D. ’25

Eva K. ’24

Kimberly C. ’25

Tekle S.-J. ’27 Julia W. ’24

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Isabell H. ’23

Our Polluted Roots

Max Endieveri ’21

Cindy C. ’25, Kristen D. ’25, and Reagan V. ’25 based their final group project on the issue of pollution. “We hope that with our project, we can inspire others and spread awareness. Our plan was to use a tree as our base, representing the green land that we are living on. We wanted to place ‘trash’ around and on the tree to showcase pollution. This way, it would seem like the trash is climbing upwards. Our project demonstrates that the roots of our land is polluted and there is still more growing. Lastly, we decided to add a few paper cranes that symbolize hope for a change.”

Natalie M. ’25

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Kaitlyn N. ’29

Adelaide C. ’26

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To everyone who thinks too much, and listens too little Can any of us resist placing ourselves and our own perception directly as the center of every situation?

We claim to be disgusted by narcissism, but who’s to say we’re all not content with hiding in our own world of self-absorption?

Why are we all addicted to our own lens in which we perceive, our tiny pinhole view through which we cast judgement, our individual perception that is only a drop of water in an ocean of experiences?

How many of us can truly see reality, see the world, see other human beings without fixating on our own role, our own self?

Orla I.-H. ’22

Or is self-obsession and the excessive conflation of individual perception with reality, necessary in mitigating our compulsive, haunting desire to have our own existence validated?

Evelyn Chi ’21, Propoganda and Genocide Ceramics

Yoko P. ’24

Grace F. ’27, Codex from Spanish 6 class

Rainbow Celebration Theadora H. ’25, Camille O. ’25, and Sydney S. ’25 wanted to express “the happiness of finally being able to leave our houses with smiles” for their final project. “As we worked, we recognized that our project gave others joy. People would smile at it and come up and touch it. They would compliment our work. Our project was trying to show coming back to school, and this is exactly what it is showing: happiness and joy.”

Frances M. ’22

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SCHOOL News Andrea Kassar Appointed 12th Westridge Head of School Effective July 2022 In May, Andrea Kassar, current head of Upper School at The NightingaleBamford School in Manhattan, was named the next head of school. She will join Westridge in July 2022, succeeding Elizabeth J. McGregor upon her retirement.

“During our search process there was remarkable alignment across our community on the priorities we sought in our next head of school: a visionary thought leader with the ability to sustain academic excellence while promoting social-emotional wellbeing and a committed advocate for DEI and anti-racism work,” said Richard Fung, 2020-2021 chair of the Westridge Board of Trustees.

Kassar has more than 20 years’ experience as an administrator and faculty member at girls’ schools in New York. As head of Upper School at The Nightingale-Bamford School, she has led the division through significant enrollment growth and the transition to an Advanced Courses program and worked to implement new and expanded student programs in the areas of diversity and equity, and health and wellness. Prior to NightingaleBamford, Kassar was with The Chapin School, an all-girls school for grades K-12.

She earned her undergraduate degree in English and psychology at the University of Chicago and holds an M.A. in English and comparative literature from Columbia University and an M.A. in psychology from the New School for Social Research. Kassar spent part of her childhood in the Middle East (Bahrain and United Arab Emirates) and is a graduate of Brearley, a K-12 girls’ school in Manhattan. She and her husband, Tim McKenna, have three children, Lucy (13), Billy (8), and Cecily (5).

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Fall 2021/ /Surgere Surgere Fall 2021

Celebration Planning Underway for Elizabeth J. McGregor’s Retirement As announced last November, Elizabeth J. McGregor is calling Westridge her final academic home as she will retire in June 2022 after more than four decades in education. Planning for a schedule of events honoring McGregor throughout the second semester of the school year is underway, including during Homecoming, Alumnae Weekend, and a dinner in April 2022.

Information will be sent to all community members when details are finalized.

New Research in History Course

Alumnae Garden to Open This Fall Construction of the Alumnae Garden, an outdoor gathering space that will connect the school’s two treasured Greene and Greene buildings—Pitcairn House and Merwin House—got underway in July. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall, providing a new, welcoming space for students, faculty, and staff by day, and for alumnae and community gatherings in the evenings. The garden will feature an installation to recognize alumnae donors to the Endowment Campaign.

While the school’s history curriculum has long emphasized thinking like a historian and analyzing sources and history to draw one’s own inclusion, the new Research in History course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to step into the shoes of historians. The class combines instruction on historiography (the study of the methods of historians in developing history as an academic discipline) and research methodologies, lectures from visiting historians, and workshopping of the significant individual research projects the students will take on with the guidance of their teacher, mentors in the field, and Westridge library staff.

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SCHOOL News

Westridge Welcomes New Trustees

Please join us in thanking three long-time Westridge Trustees who retired from our board in June― Christine McCarthy, Linda Tolbert, and Laurie Stanford Turner ’82.

DANIEL PRINCE

KIRSTEN HANSEN ’83 Most recently practice development manager at O’Melveny & Myers LLP where her focus was on labor & employment and healthcare. Former director of legal affairs at Earthlink Network, Inc. Actively involved with the Angeleno Gold Chapter of Young Presidents Organization, Five Acres, the Huntington Library Governors Art Collectors’ council and education committees, the Geffen Theatre advisory board, and Cuisine et Roulette supporting St. Vincent’s Meals on Wheels. J.D. from Glendale University College of Law and B.A. in English from Loma Linda University.

Partner and vice chair of the Los Angeles Litigation Department of Paul Hasting LLP with a practice focused on complex commercial cases, cross-border disputes, corporate and government investigations, and class actions.

Serves on boards for the USC Alumni Association, USC Gould School of Law, John M. Langston Bar Association, and YMCA of the Foothills. J.D. from University of Chicago Law School. M.A. and B.A. from USC. Father of Marley ’27, Vivienne ’30, and Graham.

JOSEPH YBARRA Founding partner of Halper, May, Ybarra, and Gelberg with a practice in commercial litigation.

Past board service includes the Liberty Hill Foundation, Homeboy Industries, and the Mexican American Bar Foundation. J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, M.A. in American history from the University of Texas at Austin, and B.A. from Dartmouth College.

Father of Marysa ’25 and Soleil ’23.

Remembering Ms. V. A memorial bench for Lower and Middle School Dean of Students Carol van Zalingen, Ms. V., will be installed this fall on Ranney Court near the spot where she greeted students each morning.

Special thanks to the Spence family for providing funds for this 26

on-campus memorial.

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Juanita Jimenez Retires, Honored with Alumna Status and Arts Endowment During an Alumnae Weekend reception fêting her 50 years at Westridge, retiring Ceramics Teacher Juanita Jimenez was named the school’s third-ever honorary alumna and was surprised with news of the Juanita Jimenez Endowed Fund for the Arts. This new $144,000 fund supporting the Westridge Art Department was launched by the Frank Family (Susan Frank ’71, Laurie Frank Wilson ’68, and their brother Richard R. Frank) continuing the legacy of their late father, who funded construction of the ceramics studio. Other gifts to the fund came from the Erskine family (Giorgianna Bray Erskine ’50, Eugenia Erskine Jesberg ’77, Martha Erskine ’81, and Hannah Erskine ’12.)

Contributions to the fund in Juanita’s name can be made at www.westridge.org/give.

Computer Science and Engineering Department Formed As the school continues its expansion of STEM programming this year, faculty working in computer science, robotics, rocketry, and the STEAMWork Design Studio have been brought together under the auspices of a formal Computer Science and Engineering department. “Over the past several years we have invested in faculty with deep backgrounds in these fields and this move will foster collaboration on the current curriculum and especially as we plan the trajectory of course offerings for coming years,” said Elizabeth J. McGregor. Last year, Upper School teacher Autumn Rogers brought extensive experience in robotics to Westridge and this year, particle physicist and rocketry expert Dan Perahya joined the team. In addition to engineering options, the expansion of the computer science program is part of the school’s current strategic plan.

Parent Association Events Line-up After a year where Westridge Parent Association (WPA) volunteers, led by 2020-2021 WPA President Edie Tyebkhan ’86, pulled countless rabbits out of their hats to foster community, shower the class of 2021 with love, celebrate faculty and staff, and successfully translate the Summer Opportunities Fair to an online information hub and successful fundraiser for the school, new leadership is ready to take the reins. Our deepest thanks to the executive committee for their tireless efforts.

The WPA supports a variety of programs at Westridge, including back-to-school parties, guest speakers, the Genna Rae McNeil ’65 Endowed Scholarship for AfricanAmerican Students, and annual special projects, including a specialized bench for the lower level plaza of the Science Building last year. If you would like to join a committee, please reach out to President Ellen Tsang at ellenjchi@gmail.com and President-elect Lisa Burke at lyhburke@sbcglobal.net. You can look for information on upcoming events on the WPA page of the Parent Portal and in the all-school weekly email.

PA Meetings: September 29, W November 9, January 25, March 8, and May 24 Book Fair: November at Vroman’s: (date to come) Yam Fest: November 19 S ummer Opportunities Fair: February 5 Night Market: April 23 L to R: Lisa Burke, Ellen Tsang, Edie Tyebkhan ’86

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Alumnae BOARD FROM THE ALUMNAE BOARD CHAIR TERI WILDE ’69 AND CO-CHAIR JESSICA YANG ’10

ALUMNAE BOARD

During the past year, the alumnae board drafted a new mission statement and solidified the Alumnae Ambassadors program to further support the school’s DEI work and connect with student affinity groups.

Jessica Yang ’10, Co-chair

The Alumnae Board Mission Statement:

Elizabeth (Liz) Carlton ’03

Recognizing that a Westridge education provides a transformative experience that has impacted the lives of young women for more than 100 years, and with diversity, equity, and inclusion at the forefront of our mission, the Alumnae Board aims to foster lifelong alumnae engagement by: Planning, attending, and encouraging alumnae participation in events to promote Westridge’s vision to educate intellectually adventurous thinkers, and courageous, compassionate leaders.

Teri Wilde ’69, Chair

Taylor Callobre ’08 Eliza (Ellie) Diop ’10 Veronica Escobedo ’08 Alicia Henry ’01 Ann Hazeltine Hyde ’66 Julia Tyson La Grua ’71 Thembisa Mshaka ’88 Shahbano Nawaz ’98 Cassandra Nufable ’12

roviding an inclusive network of support and professional development P opportunities for the alumnae community and connecting current students with alumnae.

Monica Oller ’91

Making Annual Fund or Endowment contributions that help ensure young women receive the benefit of a Westridge education for years to come.

Katie Rothenberg Wei ’94

Nicole Rabaudi ’90 Marianne Van Vorst Ryan ’79 Melissa Wu ’94

PLEASE JOIN US IN WELCOMING NEW ALUMNAE BOARD MEMBERS: ELIZABETH (LIZ) CARLTON ’03 is the corporate communications manager for Panda Restaurant Group and is responsible for bringing the Panda Lunar New Year program to Westridge Lower School. She serves on the board of Family Forward Learning Center and in her free time enjoys cooking and continuing Juanita’s legacy by playing with clay whenever she gets the chance.

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TAYLOR CALLOBRE ’08 is a scripted television development executive at Amazon Studios.

She received her B.A. in English, markets and management and women's studies from Duke University. At Westridge, she participates in the Alumnae Book Club. Taylor enjoys fostering dogs, baking, and refurbishing furniture in her spare time.

THEMBISA MSHAKA ’88 is an award-winning creative, voiceover artist, author, and the first copy director in the 41-year history of BET (Black Entertainment Television). A 30-year entertainment industry veteran, she has shared her knowledge with Westridge theater students, and in her free time, enjoys travel, spa days, and roller coasters.

DEI Ambassadors include Cassandra Nufable ’12 and Jessica Yang ’10, Asian American Alumnae; Alicia Henry ’01 and Karen Huante ’79, Black Alumnae; Veronica Escobedo ’08 and Nicole Rabaudi ’90, Latinx Alumnae.

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Despite, or perhaps because of the pandemic, Alumnae Weekend 2021 brought together a record number of attendees. The online event format eliminated many challenges to getting to Madeline Drive, allowing alumnae from around the U.S. and the globe, including France, Germany, and Wales, to participate in the March events.

The weekend kicked-off with a lively and emotional cocktail reception to celebrate Juanita Jimenez’s retirement and 50 years at Westridge. The event began with remembrances and tributes from Joni Moisant Weyl ’72 and Sarah Vernallis ’15, followed by a special announcement from Head of School Elizabeth J. McGregor, who presented Juanita with a certificate naming her an honorary alumna.

To further honor Juanita, the Frank Family, including siblings Laurie Frank Wilson ’68, Susan Frank ’71, and Richard R. Frank, established the Juanita Jimenez Endowment for the Arts. The Erskine Family and numerous alumnae and community members have also supported the fund.

On Saturday, alumnae snacked from a specially delivered reunion package of Westridge-themed cookies and tea during the virtual brunch and watched video presentations and live acceptance speeches from the 2021 Distinguished Young Alumna Award recipient Jade McKnight ’09 (pictured below left) and the 2021 Mary Lowther Ranney Award recipient Jossalyn Turner Emslie ’83 (pictured below right).

Julia Long ’02, founder of Pasadena Walking Tours, capped the day off with an online virtual tour featuring the Women Who Shaped Pasadena, including Pancho Barnes, a renowned female aviator who graduated from Westridge in 1919.

ALUMNAE WEEKEND 2022 All Westridge alumnae are invited to attend March 11-12, 2022 campus events, with reunions for classes ending in 7 or 2. We will also include classes ending in 6 or 1 that did not hold reunions last year due to the pandemic.

Kate Wallace ’70 (above) performed her song "Brave New World" for Alumnae Weekend, in recognition of her Class of 1970’s 50th reunion.

Email alumnae@westridge.org if you are interested in reunion planning.

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CALLING ALL ALUMNAE! We’re looking for alumnae to join the following Alumnae Board committees: DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) Co-chaired by Veronica Escobedo ’08 and Nicole Rabaudi '89 Grow the Asian American, Black, Latinx, and other affinity groups and recruit guests for alumnae and student events.

ENGAGEMENT Co-chaired by Julia Tyson La Grua ’71 and Marianne Van Vorst Ryan ’79 Help boost attendance for alumnae events, including the Community Picnic, Homecoming January 7, Alumnae Weekend March 11-12, and the College Connections Fair May 20.

PHILANTHROPY Co-chaired by Alicia Henry ’01 and Shahbano Nawaz ’98 Work with fellow alumnae to support the Annual Fund or the Forever Fund.

YOUNG ALUMNAE CIRCLE (YAC) Co-chaired by Ellie Diop ’10 and Cassandra Nufable ’12 Create opportunities that appeal to young alumnae (2010-2021), both in person and online.

Email alumnae@westridge.org if you are interested in working with the Alumnae Board on any of these committees.

Alumnae Readers Book Club Last year’s Zoom format expanded the number of readers regularly joining discussions and allowed for a special guest. On May 26, author Hilary Whelan Reyl ’85 joined the club from New York and stayed up late to discuss her novel Lessons in French. “I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer,” said Hilary, “but it was Westridge that gave me the courage of my convictions. The school always made me feel I could do whatever I wanted if I worked hard enough.”

For more information about the book club, contact Barbara Davis Reynolds ’72 at bwdr@pacbell.net.

Alumnae Readers Book Club 2021-2022 Book club discussions will continue to be accessible to all alumnae via Zoom this year. Please join us to discuss selections for 2021-2022, including: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 The Dutch House by Ann Patchett WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 Magic and Mystery in Tibet

by Alexandra David WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12 The Long and Short of It by Jodi Taylor WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23 Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions

by Gloria Steinem WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 The Dictionary of Lost Words: A Novel

by Pip Williams WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Suzanne Simard

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Collegiate Alumnae to the Rescue When the Class of 2021 was faced with having to navigate the college decision process entirely online during the pandemic, the College Counseling department called on collegiate alumnae to come to the rescue. More than 50 young alumnae made themselves available to talk to seniors about their college experience, sharing valuable, first-hand information that helped the Class of 2021 make informed decisions about where to spend the next four years. Feedback from the seniors was extremely positive, such as:

Westridge connect Available now on a cellphone near you!

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“No website, admissions rep, or video could have provided the alum’s insight and ability to compare and contrast the university with Westridge.”

“I think it was super helpful hearing about the school from the perspective of someone who grew up in L.A. and moved to a smaller town for college. It really helped me think about location more and how important it is!”

Finally, one alum shared, “College is not the end goal, but a steppingstone to your future!”

The resources of the Westridge alumnae network are now at your fingertips with the new Westridge Connect app!

Have you ever wondered if there are Westridge alumnae nearby while traveling?

With the Westridge Connect app, it is easy to find and connect with other members of our community by searching through our directory of Westridge alumnae, parents, faculty, and staff by keywords, names, professions, or whatever sparks your curiosity!

TO DOWNLOAD THE APP: 1 P lease visit westridgeconnect.peoplegrove.com on your mobile device browser 2 Follow the prompts to “Add to Home Screen” (Use Safari on your iOS device) 31

ALUMNAE PROFILE

Lynne Tsuboi Saito ’63 Madeline Society’s Newest Member

Special thanks to Jessica Yang ’10 (above right), Alumnae Board co-chair and Asian American alumnae ambassador, who interviewed Lynne for this story.

L

ynne Tsuboi’s life in education was only just getting started when she entered Westridge in the 6th grade in 1957. The life-long educator went on to earn a doctorate in education, taught general and special education for 21 years, and served in various administrative roles before her retirement as director of special education for the Garden Grove Unified School District. Even now, Lynne continues to volunteer at her former school district as an educational surrogate advocating for foster children.

She attributes her educational and professional opportunities and her enduring love of learning to Westridge. "How lucky we were to have had the experience of Westridge. [It was] beyond an

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educational experience, with the high expectation that you have every right to question and follow whatever interests or profession you wanted."

Lynne was the first Asian American and first minority student to graduate from Westridge in 1963. Although the only minority student in her class for her first year, she described her experience throughout her seven years at Westridge as incredibly positive, inclusive, and formative.

Last summer, Lynne followed the discussions with current students, alumnae, and school leadership regarding the Black Lives Matter movement and the stories that alumnae of color have since shared about their experience at Westridge. Recognizing that her experience may differ from those of

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current students, the conversations sparked her curiosity to learn more about antiracism. "It requires hard thinking, looking inward, and questioning my biases and perception of reality," said Lynne. She was impressed with the school's actions to improve the experiences of students of color and commends ongoing coalition building within the Westridge community. “I have always loved the word ‘goodness’ in the school's vision statement; it is a true guide for the school and the Westridge community.”

Considering Westridge to be a significant experience in her life, Lynne credits the conscious community outreach and generous financial support spearheaded by Elizabeth Edmundson Herrick, former headmistress, as the twin forces behind her opportunity to attend Westridge. She recounted how her late mother first heard about Westridge from the Japanese American church her family attended.

Because of the school’s determined interest in enrolling Japanese American students in the 1950s, the school reached out to her church about the opportunity to attend Westridge with financial support. With encouragement from her mother, Lynne enrolled at Westridge in 1956. A few years later,

1963

Miss Edmundson recruited the first Black and Hispanic students to Westridge.

Grateful for the financial support she received at Westridge, Lynne recently joined the Madeline Society and named Westridge as a beneficiary in her estate plans to give back to students. Receiving financial assistance was crucial for Lynne, and part of what motivated her to support the Forever Fund for financial aid.

Lynne believes that she and her classmates give back because of the school's significance in their lives and the powerful bond that continues decades after graduating. She describes her class as diverse in personalities, interests, and accomplishments but linked by a shared Westridge experience. Keeping the Class of 1963 close, she often quotes a late classmate who said, "Relationships are our wealth."

To learn more about leaving Westridge in your will, please contact Lisa Vandergriff at lvandergriff@westridge.org.

1963

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Forever FUND I

n 2019 the Class of 1969 introduced the Forever Fund—an endowed fund to provide financial aid to students who would not otherwise have the means to attend Westridge.

The Forever Fund has since grown significantly to more than $500,000—meaning it is now halfway to its goal of $1 million by 2024! Westridge would like to recognize the following class representatives and reunion organizers who have inspired their classmates to join them in showing their appreciation for their Westridge education by donating to the Forever Fund.

Class Class Class Class Class Class

of of of of of of

1956: Julie Patton Barker, Patty Gooch Capps, Karen Schirm Irwin 1963: Lynne Tsuboi Saito 1967: Julie Frantz, Pam Ellis Simons 1969: Sigrid Burton, Elizabeth Russell, Teri Wilde 1970: Brooke Larsen Garlock, Tracy Gamble Hirrel 1976: Brynne Montgomery Staley

We are pleased to announce a new award, the Elizabeth J. McGregor Forever Fund Award, to recognize an outstanding class for its fundraising success. The inaugural award—a ceramic art piece created by Juanita Jimenez—will be presented at Alumnae Weekend 2022.

Mary Anderson ’69 Anonymous (5) Darrell Chulay Banta ’77 & Bert Banta Laurie Barlow ’70 Susana Smith Bautista ’84 & Juan Felipe Vallejo Barbara Beckham ’71 Amanda Reynolds Boesche ’69 Kristan Browne ’86 Pamela Carter Bryant ’80 Alice Esbenshade Burke ’69 Betye Burton Sigrid Burton ’69 & Max Brennan Tod Burton Virginia Callaway ’67 Janet Ellis Calvo ’70 Patricia Gooch Capps ’56 & C. Byron Capps Nancy Engel Carroll ’70 & P. Thomas Carroll Carol Cartwright ’63 (d) Julie Cates ’69 & Frederick A. Ware Sabra McCay Clark ’48 (d) Marty Morse Coffey ’60 and Bruce Coffey Carole Fortin Conger ’60 & C. L. Conger Elaine Evans Constantz ’69

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Paula Roberts Cook ’66 & James Cook Constance Crawford ’48 Lynn Morgan Cutter ’70 Nancy Davis ’70 Shelley Ingram deButts ’76 & W. H. deButts III Catherine Terry Dees ’54 Melissa Harriman DeShazer ’69 Victoria Odriozola Dillingham ’61 Cecile Mandigo Donath ’63 Darian Marvin Dragge ’69 Sally Ellis ’69 Georgianna Bray Erskine ’50 Patricia Donoghue Evans ’63 Theresa Wilson Flynn ’70 Julie Frantz ’67 & Craig Murphy Marjorie Earl Fryer ’69 Judith K. Gain Brooke Larsen Garlock ’70 & Edward Garlock Elizabeth Wilson Gates ’55 Kate Godfrey ’69 Jessica Gray ’92 Nan Elliot Hale ’69 Katharine Harrington ’71 Jo Whitehouse Heffernan ’63 & E. Michael Heffernan

Karen Hillenburg Teresa Omori Holden ’63 (d) Wendy Holden ’69 Cindy Crockett Hollis ’69 Ann Hazeltine Hyde ’66 Patricia Mullin Jakle ’65 Janet Jobe ’69 Lisa Cobey Kelland ’70 Taffia Kennedy ’67 Cynthia Howes Kepner ’70 & Raymond Kepner Krista Kokjohn-Poehler ’93 Carol Watson Kunert ’69 & Gregory Kunert Julia Tyson La Grua ’71 Jennifer Zoff Lamb ’70 Debbie Lawrence ’71 Valerie Rubio Lemmon ’92 & Frank Lemmon Linda LeMoncheck ’71 & Jed Shafer Terry LeMoncheck ’69 Judith Kemper Lewis ’69 Mary Good Lindgren ’71 & Kenneth Lindgren Sara Campbell Lindgren ’69 Nicole Lomas ’92 & Nils Van Otterloo Anne Dorsey Long ’76 & William Long Lisa Mann and John Endieveri

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Gudrun Wilcke Margetti ’69 (d) Mary E. Marshall (d) Valerie Marshall ’69 Alice Martineau ’63 Lizabeth Maynard ’75 Ann Tudor McCook ’63 Maryl McCullough ’70 Mary McGilvray ’75 Lauren Bishop McMillen ’82 Lauri Hendrickson Mendenhall ’71 Barbara Hall Millar ’70 Kate Moore ’69 Shahbano Nawaz ’98 Rebecca Blalock Nelson ’69 Eszter Lengyel Neuman ’00 & Ariel Neuman Devon Geiger Nielsen ’70 Cassandra Nufable ’12 Monica Oller ’91 & Tomislav Pejic Susan Warfield Page ’70 Caroline Wheeler Perkins ’79 Jane Case Petering ’69 Heather Pidcoke ’83 Mary McCarty Regimbal ’69 Barbara Davis Reynolds ’72 & Brad Reynolds Smooch Repovich Reynolds ’75 Anne Robertson ’63

Karen Robinson ’63 (d) Andi Dorn Rohrer ’61 Cynthia Perry Rosedale ’69 (d) Elizabeth Russell ’69 Kirsty Russell ’63 (d) Mary Russell ’71 Marianne Van Vorst Ryan ’79 & Daniel Ryan Lynne Tsuboi Saito ’63 & Thomas Saito Sherrill Sampsell-Miller ’69 & John Miller Alison Webster Sansone ’65 Sarah Schoentgen ’63 Catherine Christian Schultz ’71 & Stanley Schultz Dorothy McCay Scully ’54 Susan Patigalia Shoff ’69 & Philip Shoff Irene Stewart Sinclair ’56 Candace Caldwell Smith ’70 & Clifton Smith, Jr. Lisa Giuntini Spahn ’92 Brynne Montgomery Staley ’76 & David Staley Beverly Stein & Gregory Dubois-Felsmann Katherine Sterling ’71 Erika Tapp ’96

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Sarah Tenaglia Taverner ’76 Clare and Chris Tayback Laurie Stanford Turner ’82 & David Turner Lisa Vandergriff Robin Morse Ver Eecke ’71 & Thomas Ver Eecke Emily Ko Wang ’93 & Michael Wang Carol Warner ’71 & Edward S. Cooke Jr Nina Warner ’73 Katie Rothenberg Wei ’94 Joy Weissman Laurie Bennett Wenzel ’69 Jan Wesley ’68 Joni Moisant Weyl ’72 & Sidney B. Felsen Leslie Wheeler ’63 Teri Wilde ’69 Christine Boothe Wilkinson ’67 Wendy Wilson-Bugbee ’63 (d) Charlotte Holmes Woods ’69 Catherine Hauser Woodson ’70 & Gregory Woodson Vipula Yalamanchili Cunningham ’01 Jessica Yang ’10 Keonan Farmer Yardley ’63 Molly Yurchak Jill Zimmerman ’63 (d)

Class of 1969 members who presented their Forever Fund check for $100,000 to Westridge School during Alumnae Weekend 2019 include (front row, from left) Alice Esbenshade Burke, Jane Case Petering, Valerie Marshall, Kate Godfrey, Wendy Holden, Sara Campbell Lindgren, Elizabeth Russell, Carol Watson Kunert, Teri Wilde, Margie Earl Fryer, Crocker Hollis, Janet Jobe, Molly McCarty Regimbal, Mary Farris Anderson, Sherrill Sampsell Miller, and Sigrid Burton.

Back row: Judy Kemper Lewis, Darian Marvin Dragge, Charlotte Holmes Woods, Mandy Reynolds Boesche, Elaine Evans Constantz, Kate Moore, Julie Cates, and Nancy Keatinge.

If you are interested in the Forever Fund, email alumnae@westridge.org.

35 (d) = deceased

1951 Ann “Susie” Davies Martin

Cynthia Nash Hummel

IL) cruised the Colombia and Snake Rivers on a small paddle-wheel boat with her two sons and their families this summer. She is grateful for the nurturing at Westridge, which gave her time to develop and to think. Ann looks forward to attending a reunion soon.

(Billings, MT) took time during the pandemic to start a quilting project to make matching quilts for twin beds that have been in their family for more than 100 years, and plans to give a set to each of her granddaughters, currently ages three and nine. She enjoys playing tennis several times a week, spending time with her granddaughters, and visiting her son Eric, who is a judge in Kalispell, MT. She and her husband Dave have visited 183 countries as of March 2020, but decided to end their quest to visit the last 14.

Instead, they’ve signed up for a 50-day cruise in January that will take them from Chile to Miami. They look forward to spending Thanksgiving with family in a house near Kona, Hawaii.

Cynthia sends her best wishes to class rep Izzy Pulvers and classmates.

Carol Barnum Hill (San

Carol Fisher Minelli

(San Marino, CA) and her husband Tom still live in their home in San Marino.

They celebrated 70 years of marriage in December.

1959 Cecily Wilde Bishop

(Cedarburg, WI) Both of Cecily’s east coast grandchildren are getting married, two others are still in school. Cecily hopes to do some travelling with her husband of 59 years.

Ann Callaway (Gurnee,

Mateo, CA) With her husband, Tom, in memory care facility for over a year, Carol is learning how to take over the family finances and to use his computer. She’s found that exercising a lot helps everything.

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(Longmont, CO) Carol’s husband Mike sadly passed away in July 2020 from COVID-19. She later visited her daughter, Kim, in Pacifica, CA, and took a long road trip from Colorado to California in December and January.

Carol serves as president of Longmont Symphony, which has been offering virtual concerts under the direction

of a creative conductor.

Isabel Travis Pulvers

(Pasadena, CA) has been volunteering at the Pasadena Humane Society and reports that “All is fine, no complaints, no trips scheduled.”

Margaret Pohlman Schweizer (Aurora, CO) has

been dodging snowstorms in Colorado and thinks of her classmates often. “Westridge is the most wonderful place,” said Margaret, who hopes it will thrive for a very long time.

Jean Farrand Smith

(Austin, TX) During a bad storm in Texas, Jean was without water and electricity for three days, but was thankful for a very large fireplace and many warm blankets.

Susan Sumner Sullivan

(Lexington, KY) and her husband John moved to Lexington in October and experienced a cold winter.

All of their children live there, including Michael, who loves skiing; Timothy, an archaeologist; and Christopher, who is in a band and teaches classical guitar.

Janet Norwood Trotter

(Little Rock, AR) has decorated the windows of thrift shops for many years and continues to volunteer at Live Thoughtfully, a resale store in her area with proceeds benefiting local teens.

1965 Martha McCook (Bend,

OR): “Life is good in Bend, Oregon. My daughter, Hillary, and family, live in Portland.

Grandson Henry is 16 years and Benjamin is 13 years.

I continue to care for my daughter, Tudor, and assist her in her tasks of daily living. I am still making ‘Mrs. Greenbalm,’ an organic first-aid salve. Hope everyone is well!”

Heu'ionalani Wyeth

(Anahola, HI) The Pacific Traditions Society’s production of “We, the Voyagers” parts 1 and 2, co-written by Heu'ionalani, received grand prizes in the feature film category from the 2020 International Maritime Film Festival in Bucksport, ME, and the Arkhaios Film Festival in Pittsburgh. In addition, the films have been shown at festivals in New Zealand, India, Cyprus, and Chile. The Society for American Archaeology also included them in the program for its annual meeting in San Francisco in April. Both films are accessible online, as is a six-minute introductory trailer. To see them, to learn more about the

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project they represent, please visit www.vaka.org or find Vaka Taumako on Facebook.

1973

Lisa Fiedler Fryman

forward to traveling again.”

1984

(Lexington, KY) is enjoying her job as executive director of the nonprofit International Book Project, which partners with organizations in 167 countries to provide books to those who have no access to them. “The silver lining to this pandemic has been the weekly Sunday evening Zoom calls with classmates Nina Warner (whose notes after each call should be compiled into a record of how we all coped and held each other up), Terry Gamble Boyer, Sarah Weller King, Sarah Wheeler Cobb, Katie Clark, Diane Egelston, Tina Oldknow, Cathleen Chandler Eckhardt, Lindsay Morse Bennett, Cole Rowan, Poodie Newton, Rosemary Howley, Alison Buell, and Judith Schonbach,” writes Lisa. “We have navigated politics, pandemic avoidance, and milestones such as becoming grandparents and appreciating how our kids have managed in a world so different, and far more difficult, than the one we grew up in. Somehow, I think the next reunion will be a BIG one since we could all use that big, REAL hug!”

Anna Pehoushek (Orange,

1976

MacKenzie Moser (Los

Margaret Wells Bentley

(Spokane, WA): “I'm living in Spokane, WA now! We moved here three years ago for my husband's job. Our oldest son and his family have also relocated here so we get to see our 2½ yearold grandson often. I'm still playing golf and looking

CA): “My family and I continue to live in Old Towne Orange.

My son, John, is a freshman at Servite High School. He is getting to experience and enjoy the special high school experience that a single-sex school offers, and is loving school despite his hybrid on-campus schedule. He can't get enough of playing soccer, and will wrap up 2020 by undertaking an Eagle Scout project for our local farmer's market education farm. John is also a musical kid, keeping our house filled with piano, guitar, and singing. I continue to work as the assistant community development director for the City of Orange, where the development projects and dynamics of the city are always interesting. My husband, Al, is the city manager for the City of Riverside. Between our jobs, son, and pets, we stay busy.

I have the good fortune of crossing paths with fellow Westrige alumna, Maya Alvarez-Galzan ’88, as our sons became friends in grade school.”

patrons. In 2020, MacKenzie launched Bloom & Boards, delivering artfully curated grazing boards and beautiful blooms across the Los Angeles area.

2011 Taelor Bakewell (Los

Angeles, CA): “Being called Commissioner Bakewell the past several days has been

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surreal. I am beyond excited to serve on the Housing Authority Commission for the city of Los Angeles and I look forward trying to help solve the homeless and housing crisis in our city. Thank you, Mayor Eric Garcetti for entrusting me with this duty, and I am BEYOND humbled to serve the city of LA,” Taelor shared in May. 1

Caitlyn Cheleden Rogowski (Larchmont, NY):

“I’m moving to Chicago in the summer with my husband Robby and our new little dog,

Sara Khan ’12 bumped into Elizabeth Kim ’11 at Seattle Children’s Hospital where Elizabeth is an anesthesia resident and Sara is a pediatrics resident. “So crazy!!!” said Sara via Instagram.

1

2006 Angeles, CA) is founder and COO of Urban Radish, a full-service grocery store and eatery in Downtown Los Angeles. As a nexus of community, culture, and great food, Urban Radish prides itself on bringing local and delicious fare to

A mix of (fully vaccinated) alumnae gathered in Long Beach to celebrate Erin Golden’s 25th birthday, including (front row, from left) Cassidy Golden ’13, Claire Votava ’14, and Cameron Marsh ’14.

Back (L to R): Carmen Costa ’14, Sophia Moritz ’14, Jackie Pai ’14, Erin Golden ’14, and Hannah Maltzan ’16.

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CLASS Notes Spritz.”

support.

2012

2018

Elinor Haddad (Los

Kamryn Green (Delaware,

Angeles, CA): “In early 2020, I had the privilege of joining the team at HEAL Trafficking, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building the capacity of health care systems to respond to human trafficking. And despite the immense challenges brought by the last year, I was blessed to marry my wonderful husband Cristopher Swain in May.”

2016 Anna Billy (Pasadena, CA)

graduated from Grinnell College in May 2020 with degrees in English and gender, women, and sexuality studies. Still an avid swimmer, Anna recently connected with the alumnae office at Westridge regarding an opportunity to coach at Gerrish Swim Club.

She accepted their offer to be head coach for their summer swim team and reported back to say, “I just completed my first week and I love it!" In the fall, Anna will work for College Possible Minnesota alongside Westridge classmate Carson Becker. College Possible is a nonprofit AmeriCorps organization making college admission and success possible for low-income students in the United States through an intensive curriculum of coaching and

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OH) Ohio Wesleyan University presented its Golden Bishop Awards during a virtual ceremony on May 12 to recognize students for outstanding achievements in leadership and community service during the 2020-2021 academic year. At the event, Kamryn was honored with a Residential Life Award, recognizing Ohio Wesleyan's outstanding resident assistants or moderators, and the best of the best on campus. 2

2

2019 Kimi Adler (Glendale,

CA): “I just finished up a podcast series on the international politics of artifact repatriation, sponsored by the Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies at CMC. This summer, I'm interning at the Getty Villa for the Public Programs department. I'm having so much fun, as I'm helping to plan the Villa's College Week! On top of the Getty work, I'm also doing some research for the Salvatori Center at CMC, coaching gymnastics, and diving. I love staying busy!” 3

Chloe Daniel (Sierra Madre, CA) earned the title of Women's Epee Individual Champion at the 2019-2020 Ivy League Championships, Penn's first since 2016. She was First-team All-Ivy, and just the 10th epee fencer in program history with this honor after she went 18-5 against Ivy League

3 opponents as a freshman, with a 56-22 overall record.

2021

Quintynn Vaughn

(Pasadena, CA) is one of two Pasadena Water & Power 2021 Educational Scholarship winners, and was recognized as a second place winner for her essay, which highlighted the importance of reliable water for health and hygiene, as well as the impacts of a community largely working and learning from home on

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Fall Fall 2021 2021 //

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THE SCHOOL HAS LEARNED OF THE DEATHS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY

NANCY JAYNES COULTON ’45

Westridge recently learned of Nancy’s passing in Asheville, North Carolina, on May 30, 2018. At Westridge, Nancy was involved in volleyball, tennis, and was on the Welfare Committee. Following Westridge, she attended Finch College in New York City. She married John Frederick Coulton in 1948 and they lived in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and Cashiers, NC before moving to Asheville in 2008. They had two daughters, a son, four grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren.

PATRICIA BOOTHE MACLAREN ’46

Patricia passed away at her home in Laguna Woods on March 16, 2018. She was predeceased by her sister Gretchen Boothe Daily '47, and husband Stuart Pounder MacLaren. Married for 64 years, Stuart and Pat lived in San Marino for 38 years before relocating to Dana Point in 1995. Patricia attended Westridge for a short time before she graduated high school from The Bishop’s School in La Jolla and attended Gardner College in Boston. She is survived by four children and five grandchildren, including Arden ’23.

MARY SKILLEN ANDREWS ’47

Mary, a resident of Redmond, WA, passed away on February 10.

Her stories about her Westridge classmates during the WWII years were said to be legendary, worthy of a Hollywood coming-ofage blockbuster. Mary valued the education she received, adored her teachers, and loved her many lifelong friends, who called her Skilly.

She was on the volleyball team and served as business manager on the Inlook staff. Following Westridge, she graduated from Stanford University in 1951, then received her Occupational Therapy Certificate from the University of Pennsylvania and Physical Therapy Certificate from USC. Her career as a Pediatric PT/OT spanned more than 40 years, including work as a lecturer and published researcher.

Mary moved to the Pacific Northwest in the early 1970s and married Wilbur "Bill" Andrews in 1972. Together, they enjoyed fishing, hiking, and skiing.

She will be remembered as a friend, role model, advisor, and confidante to many friends and family members, including nieces Maggie Skillen Vilott ’73, Heather Skillen Simon ’81, and

two nephews. Her obituary suggests remembering Mary by saying “yes” to adventure, appreciating the beauty in the world, being kind, and having a grateful heart; all lessons she was said to have taught daily by example.

VIRGINIA DESURVILLE MULLER ’47

Virginia, known as Ginny, passed in her sleep on March 18, with her husband of 67 years, George, by her side. At Westridge, she was president of the Glee Club and perfomed in Mask and Brush Club plays. She attended Mount Vernon College in Washington, DC, then married in 1954. She spent her married life in Pasadena and Santa Barbara, raising a family and remaning active with the Pasadena Junior League, Pasadena Guild of Children’s Hospital, and Villa Esperanza, as well as working the polls during many presidentail elections.

Ginny is survived by her husband, sister Mary de Surville McDuffie ’41, three daughters, and six grandchildren.

ELIZABETH SIMONDS GRINDLE ’49

Elizabeth’s daughter, Becky, informed Westridge that her mother, known as

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Betsy, passed away at Mt. San Antonio Gardens in Claremont on August 21, 2020. Becky said her mother was a lifelong Southern California resident who was always a Westridge gal, staying in touch with her classmates throughout the years. “Mom lived a full life, traveled extensively, and was always volunteering and helping others,” said Becky. Betsy’s late mother, Elizabeth Colby Simonds, Class of 1922, attended Westridge, as did her sister Sally Simonds White ’57, cousin Cheri Colby Langdell ’62, and nieces Pae White ’81, Melissa Campbell-Langdell ’99, and grand-nieces Sarah, Class of 2020, and Emerson, Class of 2022.

such a valuable education.”

MARGO JENSEN BOETTICHER ’61

Susan died on January 20 at a retirement community in Oakland with her daughters, Elizabeth and Sarah, at her bedside. Sue, as she was known, will be remembered by her classmates for her ever-present smile, twinkle in her eyes, great sense of fun and adventure, humor, and many talents. In spite of battling Parkinson’s disease for more than 20 years, she delighted her classmates while bravely attending their 50th reunion, never losing her positive energy, kindness, or courage. Sue came to Westridge in 6th grade from Linda Vista, and became a vibrant member of the class, with the Romans benefitting from her athletic prowess. She competed on many athetic teams, was head of swimming in her senior year, and was a dedicated student, enthusiastic member of Glee Club, and was a stately and beautiful model in the Inlook tea fashion show. Sue attended USC, where she met husband Lynn Rehm, whose work as a clinical psychologist took them many places, including the University of Houston. Sue worked as a Montessori School teacher and administrator.

Retirement brought them back to Santa Rosa, CA to be near their daughters and three grandchildren.

Margo passed away at her home in Canyon Country on May 3. At Westridge, she was vice president of Mask and Brush. She was known as the class shutterbug, and was said to be a serious student with hidden talent as a humorist, and to have a friendly smile and charming quietness. After Westridge, Margo studied history at the University of Washington with a minor in English. She worked for Capitol Records as a personal recuriter followed by several years in the film industry.

In 1976 Margo had a change of heart, following her passion to pursue a career as a marriage and family therapist.

She discovered a second passion while working with a biophysicist who taught her about body chemistry analysis and diet. She worked as a dietary consultant while earning her master’s degree, and explored her interest in natural healing while maintaining a private practice as an MFT, in addition to teaching several classes at Phillips Graduate Institute.

In 1979, Margo met her husband Ali Abu-Bekr from Ghana, and while they did not have children together, she enjoyed having four boys and three grandchildren. In her 50th reunion memory book, Margo said “The 50th reunion was wonderful, both for the pleasure of reconnecting with so many special classmates, the pleasure of observing the growth of Westridge over the years and a deepened appreciation of the incredible gift from my parents of

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YVONNE NUNN HOUSSELS ’61

Yvonne’s daughter, Elaine, reached out to Class Rep Vicki Dillingham to share that Yvonne passed away on June 19, 2019 after a two-year stuggle with sarcoma cancer. “She often spoke of her days at Westridge with fondness,” said Elaine. Vicki said, “Yvonne dazzled us always, with her incredible talent that she so generously shared with the school. We were in awe.” Yvonne will be remembered for her gentle spirit, kindness, beauty, and dancing.

SUSAN HIGGINBOTHAM REHM ’61

CAROLINE GREY GANZ ’63

Caroline’s husband, Frank, shared the news of her passing on April 11 in Tucson, AZ. Classmate Tudor McCook said Caroline was surprisingly alert and upbeat during an April 3rd call on her birthday, and several classmates talked to her that day as well. Tucson had become a gathering point for the Class

of 1963’s Western Arizona contingent, and they often met in Apirl, near Caroline’s birthday for food, fun, and to enrich their friendship.

DEBORAH SILL SANGER ’65

Westridge recently learned that Deborah passed away December 18, 2019 in Beaverton, OR. She attended Westridge for 6th and 7th grades.

Deborah was predeceased by her father and mother, Sally Cameron Sill ’23, and sister Sally Sill Lewis ’60. She is survived by husband John Sanger, sister Janet Sill Fitzgerald ’63, and nieces Hilary Fitzgerald Henderson ’81 and Courtney Fitzgerald Mumford ’88.

ALISON MARSHALL ’76

Alison Joy Marshall passed away on February 12 in San Rafael, CA and was remembered fondly during an online memorial on February 27. She was known for her hearty laugh, vibrant spirit, and colorful attire, especially pink, and many of the Zoom participants wore bright colors to honor Alison.

Alison was joy personified, living the joy she wanted to share with everyone, including her close friends and family who often received two or three birthday cards each year. Deeply spiritual, Christmas for Alison was October through March. Authentic, quirky, and unabashedly herself were words to describe Alison, whose creative spirit was exhibited through her purposefully mismatched earrings and her work as a writer and member of the California Writer’s Association. Devoted to personal and spiritual growth, Alison was an adventurer who showed amazing strength and maintained her sense of humor throughout her stem cell treatments.

Alison attended Westridge until 7th grade, but remained close as an alumna who attended Bay Area alumnae gatherings, Alumnae Weekend, and other campus events. Following Westridge, Alison attended USC and studied communications.

She was predeceased by her parents, Elisabeth and Gordon Marshall, and husand Michael, whom she married in 2019. She is survived by sisters Karen Marshall Houser ’67 and Valerie Marshall ’69.

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DONATING Stock or an IRA Saves Taxes

B

y design, investment portfolios fluctuate throughout the years.

If you opt to sell investments that are worth more than what you originally paid for them, you will be faced with paying capital gains tax. Consider donating stock directly to Westridge School

to eliminate paying long-term capital gains tax.

Similarly, making a qualified charitable distribution (IRA charitable rollover) can offer significant tax advantages.

If you are 70½ or older, you can make a gift from your individual retirement account (IRA or Roth IRA) and receive tax benefits in return.

A gift of stock or from your IRA can pay dividends for you and for Westridge.

Contact Lisa Vandergriff at lvandergriff@westridge.org to learn more about making a gift today.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Pasadena, CA Permit No. 1986

Westridge Heads of School A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP

Mary Lowther Ranney

1941-1945

Elizabeth "Libby" Edmundson Herrick

1913

1913-1938

Louise Wood

1959-1973

Ann Parker 1938-1941

Nancy Owen

Fran Norris Scoble

Elizabeth J. McGregor

1977-1986

1990-2008

2009-present

Gladys Peterson

Katherine Trower

Elsa "Midge" Bowman

Rosemary Evans '71

Andrea Kassar

1945-1959

1973-1977

1986-1990

2008-2009

2022