Asa school operating in a residential neighborhood, we strive to do our part in remaining a good neighbor. We hope this ongoing commitment to road safety and campus etiquette will further the positive relationship we have with our neighbors. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns regarding traffic, parking, or security.
Please contact us with any questions:
Dawn Barrett, Associate Head of School for Advancement, Finance, & Operations
dbarrett@windwardschool.org
Direct Line (424) 289-1015
Lindsay Gonzales, Director of Infrastructure and Risk Management
Hiliana Gomez, Community Engagement and Advancement Liaison
hgomez@windwardschool.org
Direct Line (424) 289-1000 Stay Involved!
Interested in staying up to date with all of Windward’s events? Follow us on Instagram for all Windward news and updates!
A dynamic, engaging education. A nurturing, inclusive community.
MAR VISTA COMMUNITY COUNCIL AT WINDWARD (ROOM 410)
Windward is proud to host the Mar Vista Community Council Meetings. Providing accessible spaces is just one of the many ways we can benefit our local community, and we enjoy having the committees utilize our facilities.
OUTREACH COMMITTEE (10-15 ppl)
1st Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
ELECTIONS AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE (10-15 ppl
1st Tuesday from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE (10-15 ppl)
1st Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
PLUM COMMITTEE (10-15 ppl)
1st Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
EDUCATION ART & CULTURE COMMITTEE (10-15 ppl 2nd Tuesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY & HOMELESS COMMITTEE (10-15 ppl)
For questions please contact Hiliana Gomez at hgomez@windwardschool.org.
NOVEMBER 2024
1 Faculty In-Service (No School/Office Open)
4 Open House, 6
SERVICE LEARNING IN THE FALL
Our Commitment to the Mar Vista Community!
The 24-25 school year is off to a great start for Windward Service Learning! Our students have had the opportunity to participate in many different service learning activities and projects, with more planned throughout the Fall, strengthening our existing partnerships and forming new ones in the community.
SERVICE RETREATS
Back for the second year in a row, we are giving our Upper School students the opportunity to take part in service retreats by giving them hands-on experience during the school day. Twice a month, small groups of students, led by faculty and staff chaperones, go off-campus to take part in additional service learning work. Examples include serving hot meals to unhoused individuals at St. Joseph’s Centers Bread & Roses Cafe, cooking meals at the PATH West LA site for veterans, and taking part in beach clean-ups with the Surfrider organization. We look forward to expanding our trip with Hope in a Suitcase and SPY (Safe Place for Youth) during the school year.
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ANNUAL NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 | 6 - 7 P.M.
KEY POINTS OF CONTACT
If you encounter an issue with one of our community members at any time, we encourage you to contact us immediately so we can take corrective action. Below are the best points of contact. Please be assured that we intend to be a valued community member and expect the same of all our stakeholders.
Parking/Security
Greg Moreno & Uriel Aguirre
Facilities Related Questions Raul Villa
City of Santa Monica Well Work Questions
Lindsay Gonzales
Construction Information
Lindsay Gonzales & Dawn Barrett
Turner Construction Project Supervisor
Kevin Golder, kgolder@tcco.com
Community Engagement and Advancement Liaison
Hiliana Gomez
Windward School will host the Mar Vista Neighborhood Meeting on Thursday, December 12, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. via Zoom. RSVPs are required for this event by December 2; please contact Hiliana Gomez at hgomez@windwardschool.org to confirm your attendance.
SERVICE LEARNING (
PATH “SPOOKTACULAR” HALLOWEEN EVENT
In October, Windward hosted its first Service Learning event of the Fall, the “PATH Spook-tacular Halloween.” In the weeks leading up to the event, the School ran a costume drive looking for new or gently used costumes. Middle School students and families gathered on the Bridge to sort through the costumes and package them all up individually. Families also decorated trick-or-treat bags, made Halloween picture frames, and put together treat bags filled with candy and other goodies. All of the costumes, decorations, and treats went to one of the PATH family locations located here in Los Angeles for their annual Halloween Family party.
UPCOMING SERVICE EVENTS FALL/WINTER
The Windward Girls Soccer team will volunteer at Mar Vista Elementary School’s Beautification Days on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Allies for Every Child Fall Baskets and Festival will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 20. We will be donating 100 Thanksgiving Baskets and hosting an arts and crafts and games fair for the students and their families.
Giving Tuesday drives this year will support the organizations the Pad Project and Hope in a Suitcase.
In the PATH holiday family match event, Windward families will be matched with a PATH site and will be providing holiday gifts for all the families currently living there.
2024-25 EXPANDED TRAFFIC MITIGATION EFFORTS
The School’s commitment to traffic mitigation efforts for the Mar Vista community is well underway for the 2024-25 School Year. The School’s bus program has terrific enrollment numbers and maintains four distinct bus routes throughout the greater Los Angeles area. The School also continues to provide a local Shuttle Bus, which, in conjunction with the increased passenger requirements for both parent and student-driven carpools, has significantly lessened the amount of cars coming to and from the School.
Additionally, our “airport style drop-off and pick-up” continues to aid in mitigating vehicle back-ups onto the local streets during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Plus, we have communicated to parents and guardians clear timing guidelines for afternoon pick-up to avoid long waits and queuing of vehicles at the end of classes. The School’s Security Team has even been monitoring the local neighborhoods, morning and afternoon, to ensure our community stays accountable.
Windward School will continue to strive for improvement to be the best neighbor we can to the Mar Vista Community. If you have any questions, please contact Lindsay Gonzales.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: INNOVATION & ARTS CENTER
We are pleased to share that the project is scheduled to be completed by early May 2025.
As you have likely noticed, construction is progressing rapidly on the Innovation & Arts Center. As neighbors, you will encounter far less noise at this stage of construction, as the bulk of the steel work has been completed. We thank you for your patience and understanding over the last few months.
Significant milestone efforts through December include:
• New retaining wall footing at the utility corridor
• MEP rough-in complete in electrical & mechanical rooms
• Storefronts and windows installed
• Roofing complete
• Onsite storm drain and sewer installation complete
• DWP domestic and fire water offsite complete
• MEP rough-in at Recital Hall complete
• Elevators started
• Priority rooms framed / MEP rough-in complete
Please note—the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will close some lanes on Sawtelle Blvd. on Nov. 25, Nov. 26, and Nov. 27 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Southbound Sawtelle will be shutdown south of the School, and Northbound Sawtelle will only have one lane of traffic. The LADWP will be managing traffic flow to minimize its impact on the neighborhood. There will be no construction work on Thanksgiving (Nov. 28) or Friday, Nov. 29.
Additionally, Turner Construction will be doing sewer work on Sawtelle Blvd. beginning Monday, Dec. 9. During this work, which is expected to last a week, both northbound and southbound sides of Sawtelle will be reduced to a single lane during construction hours (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.).
Turner Construction remains committed to supporting our local community by:
• Timing truck arrivals and departures during the quieter hours, minimizing the impact on our traffic on the surrounding streets.
• Monitoring the air quality throughout the day to ensure it is safe for all.
• Managing noise (when possible) to minimize the noise experienced by the local apartment community.
• Staging of materials and personnel all on campus.
• Utilizing designated offsite parking for the contractor and their subcontractors. Windward’s Security Team monitors parking, ensuring that individuals only park in approved areas.
• Traffic Control flaggers and spotters.
• Maintaining good housekeeping (street sweeping and dust control) outside the fencing.
• Robust “Active Caring Program” (which rewards exceptional efforts by the Turner team and subs) - Building Life Award, Water Bottle Recycling Program, Respectful & Inclusive Workshop Training, and Safety Incentive Program.
If you have any questions regarding the project, please contact Dawn Barrett or Lindsay Gonzales.
