Honoring Employees

HONORING EMPLOYEES

20 YEARS

MIKE ELLINGTON

Twenty years ago, Mike Ellington began working at the Elementary School as a security guard through an outside contractor. Consistently warm and gracious to students, parents and visitors, Mike quickly endeared himself to the entire community. Everyone, including Mike himself, wanted him to work directly for the School, and Crossroads soon hired Mike to work at the Elementary School gate.

It wasn’t long before Sports Center Coordinator Frankie Gladden realized Mike’s strengths. Frankie asked Mike to work as support staff on the night shift at the Sports Center, where Mike prepared setups for events in the Community Room, on the field and in the gym. At one point, when the School was in the need of a lifeguard, Mike even stepped up to fill that role for a brief time as well. Mike next worked on the 21st Street Campus as an event staff coordinator and ultimately became the facilities crew lead in charge of the physical setting for all events.

Mike has moved from one position to the next with his signature good nature and bright smile. He has juggled multiple events with ever-changing needs simul- taneously and seems to do so effortlessly, despite the challenges. Whether faced with a finnicky coffeepot or too few chairs, Mike has always come to the rescue.

Outside of work, Mike is an avid fan of LeBron James, following him from team to team, and a big Raiders fan, regardless of their locale. And Crossroads is a huge fan of Mike!

JENNIFER NELSON

Jennifer “Jenn” Nelson heard about an opening for a receptionist at Crossroads’ Elementary School from a friend who worked in the Facilities Department. At the time, Jenn was employed at Starbucks and wanted a fulltime job with “normal hours” and benefits. Plus, she would love working with children! Jenn became a reception superstar in no time. She not only deftly managed the front desk, but also served as a de facto school nurse. She remembers responding to frightening incidents of head wounds and broken limbs—and tending to the largest splinter she has ever seen! During her first year at Crossroads, the administrative assistant at the time left, and Jenn was encouraged to apply for the open position.

Over the past 19 years, Jenn’s job has greatly increased in scope to include every aspect of office manager and assistant to the Elementary School administrative team. Jenn was also the safety coordinator and the substitute teacher coordinator for 17 years. To all of these roles, she has brought her efficiency, detail-orientedness, timeliness, warmth and good humor with spectacular success. She is also the most generous, thoughtful person we know. If she senses you are having a bad or busy day, she’ll be at your elbow with a cup of tea, a piece of chocolate and a hug. A truly special person, Jenn embodies everything we love about the Elementary School. In fact, if you need to know anything about any aspect of the division, ask Jenn!

HONORING EMPLOYEES

BARBARA KAHN

Y EAR 30

EMPLOYEE

LESLIE KING

Born in Encino, Barbara Kahn left for Northern California and vowed never to return. But when she was teaching in a progressive public middle school near Oakland, a friend told her about Crossroads. Barbara had never heard of the school before, but her friend thought it might be a good fit for Barbara’s teaching style. When she visited for the interview, she was surprised that the children looked so happy and the energy was so positive. Barbara took the job teaching seventh- and eighthgrade math with the intention of only staying in Southern California for a short while.

Thirty years later, Barbara is amazed that she is still teaching at Crossroads. She attributes her longevity to the autonomy she is given as a teacher and the challenges each school year brings, even though she primarily teaches the same courses, Algebra 2 and Trigonometry. Barbara served as chair of the Math Department for 10 years and also sponsored the Animal Rights Club and the UNICEF Club. She was once roped into a reluctant performance in Cabaret, despite protesting that she didn’t sing and dance at all.

Barbara is proud of her ability to make concepts accessible to students who lack confidence in math, and she values her relationships with her students. Her own experience in an eighth-grade math class of 40 students with a teacher with whom she couldn’t connect made her understand the importance of empathic, careful teaching. Barbara, we are so grateful for your 30 years at Crossroads. When Leslie King was a teenager, she heard Eleanor Roosevelt speak in person and decided what she wanted to do: invest herself in community service. Years later, she earned her master’s degree in social work from UCLA. Before coming to Crossroads, Leslie worked as a fifth-grade teacher in Brooklyn; acted as a pupil services and attendance counselor for the Los Angeles Unified School District; and later served at Maryvale, a residential treatment center in Rosemead.

Thirty years ago, Leslie applied for a part-time school counselor position at Crossroads. At that time, she was the sole counselor for both the Middle and Upper School. Now she is one of three full-time school counselors for those divisions. The team works together in what she calls “the Crossroads way”— lovingly serving each student and always asking, “What can we do? How can we help?” She notes that the ethos of the entire school community is to do things “with an open heart.” Some-times the counseling work is demanding, but Leslie finds enormous joy in helping others and in the laughter she shares with her colleagues, students and parents.

Crossroads has become Leslie’s family and community. And anyone who has interacted with Leslie knows that they will feel seen, heard, supported and loved. Leslie is enormously grateful for the love and support she enjoys daily at Crossroads, and we are equally grateful for all that she has given us.

Read the profile of 30-year honoree HYACINTH YOUNG on page 40 in the Retiring Employees section!

seventh grade

C MACCABEE COHEN, MAC DAVIDA WILLS HURWIN

Forty years ago, Davida Wills noticed Crossroads School while driving down 20th Street. She was new to the area and teaching one drama class at Santa Monica High School. On a whim, Davida decided to send her resume to Crossroads, along with letters of recommendation from her students. And it worked!

During her interview, Davida fell “head over heels” in love with the energy, trust and freedom of Crossroads. She worked part-time at first, teaching seventh and eighth grade before moving to the Upper School a year later. Davida started a movement class in the Drama Majors program, choreographed “Oh What a Lovely War” and directed the first Cabaret in 1985, the year she became a full-time employee. In 1988, Davida became chair of the Drama Department—a position she has held since, except for a short hiatus when her

daughter, Frasier ’07, was a student in the program. Davida loves the fact that Crossroads says “yes”! She started the annual touring program, the Dance Company, the Dance Department and the Drama Conservatory. Unafraid to take the same type of risks that she asks of her students, Davida has staged many productions considered cutting-edge for high schoolers, including “Rent,” “Spring Awakening” and “Godspell,” the latter of which was produced outdoors with real police cars in the Alley. Davida remains thrilled that no two students or years are ever the same. Vivacious, energetic program, and dynamic, Davida changes What a L right along with the culture directed and the children. 1985, the full-tim Davida Drama she ha a shor

40 YEARS