WINTER 2020-21
Neighborhood Newsletter A dynamic, engaging education. A nurturing, inclusive community.
W www.windwardschool.org
11350 Palms Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90066
PERMIT NO.32365
LOS ANGELES, CA
U.S. POSTAGE PAID ORGANIZATION NON-PROFIT
Windward Academic Hub Construction Update
NEIGHBORHOOD SECURITY UPDATE
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s a school operating in a residential neighborhood, even while we are conducting all classes online we strive to do our part in remaining a good neighbor. Continuing our long-standing partnership with the Los Angeles Police Department, the School will work with the LAPD to ensure that all parking notices and street safety measures—such as illegal turns and parking violations— are enforced. Please contact us with any security questions: Lindsay Flacks, Director of Infrastructure and Risk Management lflacks@windwardschool.org Uriel Aguirre, Head of Security uaguirre@windwardschool.org
Dawn Barrett, Chief Operating Officer dbarrett@windwardschool.org Noura Bermudez, Plant Manager nbermudez@windwardschool.org
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Annual Neighborhood Meeting postponed until Spring Please note—in adherence to current Los Angeles county guidelines, the annual Neighborhood Meeting has been postponed. Please reach out to Lindsay Flacks if you have any questions or needs. lflacks@windwardschool.org | 310-289-1004
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f you’ve driven on Palms Boulevard recently, you may have noticed that our old Administration Building has been torn down and a new building is being erected in its place. The new Academic Hub will soon be home for all student support and engagement at Windward School. The new building will feature active learning studios, drawing and painting studio, graphic design lab, division suites, departmental offices, and our Head of School and Admissions Office. The Irene Kleinberg Theater will remain on the northwest side of campus, and will be renovated to feature a new rehearsal studio, dance studio, and technical upgrades to the Black Box Theater. During this process, safety has been of the utmost priority and both Windward and our contractors have taken all the necessary steps to ensure the safety of everyone on campus during the renovation process. This includes proper face coverings, personal protective equipment, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, and a designated Site Safety Representative to make certain that all safety measures are followed at all times. Construction of the new building is well underway and is expected to be completed in Summer of 2021.
CAMPUS ACTIVITIES
SERVICE LEARNING GOES
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ur Athletics programs have been able to condition outdoorsonly on campus, following strict L.A. County guidelines. While they cannot take part in group activities or play team sports at this time, they are able to get in a good sweat maintaining proper social distancing. Windward’s Athletic Department and the Operations Department have teamed together to ensure the utmost safety of our students, implementing a gradual, phased approach. All coaches and scholar athletes wear a 3-ply face covering at all times throughout the practices, and every individual is screened prior to entering campus. We also added outdoor co-curricular retreats at up to 10% of our total student population, per L.A County guidelines. These retreats operate in small cohorts of no more than 12 students and 2 supervising adults. The purpose of the retreats is to foster connections within our community. Participation in on-campus retreats is completely voluntary for students, faculty, and staff. Again, all constituents wear face coverings throughout the duration of the retreats and maintain 6 or more feet of social distancing.
HOLIDAY CYBERSECURITY TIPS
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ersonal security always tops our Holiday Wish List! From cybercriminals stealing our data, to porch thieves stealing our deliveries, let’s keep the spirit of security with these tips during the busy holiday season.
Shopping Online
Only buy products from reputable sellers and websites. Before entering credit card information, double check that the URL correlates to the website. Remember, scammers impersonate legitimate sites with imposters that steal credit card data. Avoid using debit cards or payments that connect directly to your bank. Keep tabs on your financials by routinely logging into your accounts to check for fraudulent transactions.
Preventing Porch Theft
If you know you won’t be home, arrange for your package to be delivered elsewhere. Require a signature for expensive items so you receive them directly or rent a locker or delivery box if you won’t be home. Some major online retailers offer delivery hubs with secure lockers.
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VIRTUAL
his Fall, beginning in mid-October, we partnered with local elementary schools - Mar Vista Elementary, Richland Elementary, Walgrove Elementary, and Grandview Elementary - to have virtual afterschool enrichment programs. Programs included: Girls in STEM (a program to empower young girls to foster their passion and self-confidence in STEM fields); Space Kids (a program designed to focus on the solar system); Math Adventures (a program focusing on math enrichment topics, normally not found in the standard school curriculum); Let’s Get Movin’ (a program offering a variety of physical education activities); Enrichment at Home (a program for elementary school students that need specific tutoring support). We had over 80 students sign-up to be a part of the programs, and all students in the Girls in STEM, Space Kids and Math Adventures programs received supply kits to complete lessons at home. In November, in place of our annual Fall Festival Dinner, in partnership with Allies for Every Child, 85 Windward families contributed Festival dinner gift baskets and another 25 Windward Families sent over $1,000 in gift cards. In early December, Windward hosted a Book Drive and virtual event in partnership with the organization Generation Her.