A Message from the Head of School
Throughout nearly 100 years of evolution and growth, Westridge has provided a haven for its students. Within its classrooms, studios, labs and courtyards, lifelong friendships and networks have formed alongside intellect, curiosity, and confidence. It is no wonder, then, that students possess a profound sense of belonging; it is that sense of community that brings them back to us – to connect with each other as alumnae, to share their talents with current students, and to check on and contribute to our evolution as a school.
Every spring, Westridge alumnae from as far away as London and as nearby as Orange Grove Boulevard reconnect through class reunions and return to campus to celebrate Alumnae Day and honor one of their own. This year, Westridge is proud to present Elizabeth “Betchen” Wayland Barber ’58 with the 2010 Mary Lowther Ranney Distinguished Alumna Award, given annually by the school to an alumna whose life embodies the spirit of the Westridge motto, Surgere Tentamus. Also a time of recollection and renewal, these events reunite alumnae with one another and with Westridge. As an institution, we honor alumnae as Westridge’s most valuable legacy – not merely as a part of the school’s past, but as the cornerstone of its future. On March 19, we will welcome them home to a place where they began their journey, and where the tools needed to find and explore their interests were honed. It will be fascinating to catch up on where those journeys and tools have taken them.
In addition to the many alumnae who mentor and work with students each year in various settings and programs, we are proud and honored to welcome back three alumnae who will work collaboratively with students this spring. On April 8, special guests Valerie Marshall ’69 and Susan Gulkis Assadi ’84 will perform with Leo Kitajima, Upper School Orchestra teacher, and the Westridge Chamber Orchestra. Valerie, a cellist who studied with the legendary Gregor Piatigorsky at USC, and Susan, Principal Violist of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, will join our student musicians for a special concert for the entire Westridge community in the Fran Norris Scoble Performing Arts Center. During the week of April 19, world-renowned artist Pae White ’81 will visit campus and work with students as Westridge’s 2010 Cynthia Clark Maxwell ’71 Artist-in-Residence. An internationally acclaimed artist, Pae’s work has shown in galleries and museums around the world. While here, she will lead 8th through 12th grade art classes in a special project that will culminate in an exciting visual display on Frank Field. At the end of that week, the product of this display will be presented in an art installation in the Sigrid Burton ’69 Gallery, followed by a reception for the general community.
Events such as these are tremendous opportunities for our girls to connect with alumnae and glimpse the infinite possibilities that lie ahead. We hope that, along with inspiration, our students will gain an understanding in the importance of giving back to the community and a gentle nudge toward realizing that each student plays a role in the future of the school. Many benefit from this reality on a daily basis with alumnae who work at Westridge – Rosemary Evans ’71, Dana Wopshall Laugharn ’97, Sara Cline Tammen ’92, and Katie Rothenberg Wei ’94.
The lifetime connections that we are so fortunate to have with our alumnae are built by the experiences and connections forged during and after the school day. Our campus and facilities play a significant role in providing opportunities for students to learn and gather with each other and faculty in small groups and as a community.
In the coming school year, the Middle School experience will evolve greatly as the division transitions to a new academic and community space. As the progress of the Upper School science building continues at a rapid pace, plans for the transformation of the Seeley G. Mudd Science Building into a Middle School Building Center are simultaneously underway. In the design to repurpose Mudd, we are establishing an area dedicated to the social and academic development of our 7th and 8th grade girls, further defining the crucial role of the Middle School in the community and in the continuum of our three-division school. Formerly housing Upper School science classes, Mudd next fall will bring together various 7th and 8th grade math, science, and humanities classes, and will house faculty and technology offices, a student resource center with computers, and a large study space purposed entirely for the Middle School division.
A sense of place is something that beckons to our basic need to belong, that evokes warmth and welcome – a sense of home. In addition to its academic excellence, one of the ways in which Westridge is exceptional is in its embodiment of “home” for so many – past, present, and future – who have and will come through these doors, walk through these halls, and dream big dreams on these grounds.