EB 2021–2022 Annual Report_011723

Magazine & Annual Report UNITY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OUR MISSION

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley nurtures creative, multilingual learners, equipped to confidently embrace the delights and challenges of an interconnected world.

NOTRE PHILOSOPHIE

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley forme des élèves créatifs et multilingues, prêts à se saisir avec confiance des bienfaits et des défis d’un monde interconnecté.

Message from the Head of School 4 Message from the Co-Chairs of the Board 6 Board of Trustees 8

Highlights from the Year 10 Learning Beyond the Classroom 18 A Message from the Finance Team 22

A Development Message 25

EB Gala Chic, Alors ! 26

Thank You to Our Fund Donors 28

Citizenship Award 32

The EB Endowment 33

EB Says Goodbye! 34

Parent Volunteers 35 Congratulations to Our Graduates! 38 Alumni News 40

In Memoriam 50

EB By the Numbers 2021–2022 51

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: Mei-Lin Ha Byers, Gaëlle Feliz, Véronique Jordan, Sara Nicklès, Manon Johnson, and Antonette Goroch.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Véronique Jordan, and many others

LAYOUT: Véronique Jordan

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear EB Community,

When I reflect on the 2021–2022 academic year, I feel a great sense of pride in our accomplishments. Last school year was one of transition, on many fronts. Leading the school, even during uncertain times, is a fulfilling job and I cannot thank you enough for your trust in choosing EB to educate your children. Our Annual Report is a testament to the tremendous achievements of our students, faculty, staff, Board of Trustees, parents, and alumni in the 2021-2022 school year.

Last year, our top priority remained the health, safety, and emotional well-being of our students. I was inspired by the exceptional efforts of our faculty and staff to continue cultivating a dynamic learning environment and make meaningful connections, all while maintaining a safe and healthy environment. The return of our experiential learning and overnight field trips was instrumental in the return to normalcy.

Your generosity towards our programs helps our students thrive and learn in an exceptional environment. Whether it’s assisting families through tuition assistance or supporting the Endowment, EB’s philanthropy is at the core of our mission. Each gift helps to build a more connected and sustainable school and ensures that future generations will have access to the remarkable programs and exceptional teaching that current students enjoy. I am grateful for our strong giving community: it is what makes EB not only a good school, but a great one.

In 2021-2022, we finalized our DEIJ Strategic Plan and engaged in a self-assessment to continue a

practice of intentional inclusion, celebrating our diverse community. We now have clear goals for improvement over the next three years. Our commitment to a world beyond borders or barriers sets us apart. The benefits of a bilingual education at EB manifest in students who are open-minded, articulate, multiculturally fluent, flexible learners.

We made strong progress on our Strategic Plan, created in 2018, by launching a new track at the Lower School, enhancing our facilities over the summer, and reviewing our curriculum to be more inclusive. We worked on increasing student engagement through student-centered training, created adaptable health and safety measures for inperson instruction, and recentered the core curriculum to focus on the joy of learning.

This report captures what we strive for: providing an outstanding, equitable educational experience rooted in both a strong social-emotional program and rigorous bilingual academics. As a member of our community and as a donor, you have played a key role in this successful past year. I am grateful to be part of a community that cares for others and I look forward to engaging in the work to ensure EB remains a strong and successful school for years to come. On behalf of EB, my sincere thanks to each and every one of you for your contributions and support. It is with great confidence that I invite you to read on and delight in the successes of our school.

Sébastien Robert Head of School

MESSAGE DU CHEF D’ÉTABLISSEMENT

Chère communauté d’EB,

En me remémorant l’année scolaire 2021–2022, je suis extrêmement fier de tout ce que nous avons accompli. L’année dernière a été une année de transition sur de nombreux fronts. Même en période d’incertitude, assurer la direction d’EB est une tâche gratifiante et je ne saurais trop vous remercier de la confiance que vous m’accordez en choisissant EB pour l’enseignement de vos enfants. Notre rapport annuel témoigne des réalisations extraordinaires de nos élèves, de notre corps enseignant, de notre personnel, du Conseil d’administration, des parents et des anciens élèves au cours de l’année scolaire 2021–2022.

L’année dernière, la santé, la sécurité et le bienêtre émotionnel de nos élèves sont demeurés notre plus grande priorité. Les efforts exceptionnels de notre corps enseignant et de notre personnel pour continuer à cultiver un environnement d’apprentissage dynamique et créer des liens significatifs, en mettant tout en œuvre pour préserver un environnement sûr et sain, ont été pour moi une grande source d’inspiration. La reprise de l’apprentissage par l’expérience et des sorties pédagogiques sur plusieurs jours a contribué au retour à la normale.

Votre générosité à l’égard de nos programmes permet à nos élèves de s’épanouir et d’apprendre dans un environnement unique. Qu’il s’agisse d’aider nos familles à couvrir les frais de scolarité ou de soutenir le Fonds de dotation, la philanthropie d’EB se trouve au cœur de notre mission. Chacun de vos dons contribue à la construction d’une école connectée et durable et garantit que, dans les générations futures, davantage d’élèves pourront accéder aux programmes remarquables et à l’enseignement exceptionnel dont bénéficient actuellement nos élèves. Je tiens à exprimer ma reconnaissance envers notre solide communauté de donateurs, qui nous distingue et fait d’EB l’établissement d’exception qu’il est aujourd’hui.

Au cours de l’année 2021–2022, nous avons parachevé notre plan stratégique DEIJ et nous nous sommes engagés dans une auto-évaluation afin de continuer à mettre l’accent sur l’inclusion, en valorisant la diversité de notre communauté. Nous avons maintenant de clairs objectifs d’amélioration au cours des trois prochaines années. Nous nous distinguons par notre engagement en faveur d’un monde sans frontières ni barrières. Grâce à l’enseignement bilingue prodigué à EB, les élèves sont des apprenants ouverts d’esprit, multiculturels, adaptables et capables de s’exprimer, écrire et penser dans deux langues.

Nous avons fait de nouveaux progrès dans la mise en œuvre de notre plan stratégique, créé en 2018, en lançant un nouveau programme d’apprentissage du français accéléré à l’école primaire, en améliorant nos installations pendant l’été et en révisant notre cursus de façon à le rendre plus inclusif. Nous avons formé nos enseignants afin qu’ils développent l’engagement des élèves en classe ; nous avons créé de nouvelles mesures en matière de santé et de sécurité pour l’enseignement en présentiel et recentré le programme de base pour qu’apprendre soit un plaisir.

Le présent rapport reflète ce que nous nous efforçons d’apporter à nos élèves : une expérience éducative exceptionnelle et équitable, enracinée à la fois dans un programme socio-émotionnel solide et dans un enseignement bilingue rigoureux. En tant que membres de notre communauté et donateurs, vous avez joué un rôle essentiel dans la réussite de l’année qui vient de s’écouler. Je suis heureux de faire partie d’une communauté altruiste et c’est avec beaucoup d’enthousiasme que je m’engage dans le travail qui permettra à EB de demeurer un établissement solide et prospère pour les années à venir. Au nom d’EB, je remercie sincèrement chacun d’entre vous pour vos contributions et votre soutien. Je me réjouis à l’avance des réussites d’EB et vous invite à découvrir plus précisement notre beau projet d’école.

MESSAGE FROM THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE BOARD

Dear EB Community,

The 2021-2022 school year saw a strong semblance of normalcy return to EB while the school adapted to living with Covid. Throughout the year, EB steadfastly remained open to hold in-person classes for all students. Of course, there were precautions—masks, distancing, weekly testing, use of outdoor spaces, and even working with Covid-sniffing Labradors. As before, through its innovative policies and programs, EB continued to be a beacon of how a school could adapt and thrive during the pandemic.

It was the first full year under Sébastien Robert’s superb leadership and it was exciting to watch him lead many important programmatic innovations. In the winter of 2022, the Board of Trustees approved the creation of an Accelerated French Program (AFP) as a new entry point into EB. With its launch this fall, the AFP will provide an opportunity for students who missed out on second language immersion in their early years with the chance to become bilingual by joining EB in first or second grade. Supported by a dedicated French teacher, small group instruction and additional resources, students will spend two to three years in intensive French lessons, with the goal of joining their bilingual cohorts by fourth grade. The Board is delighted to see this program take off and grow in the coming years, allowing us to share our offering with more of the Bay Area community.

Along with the Board, our families were inspired by Sébastien’s vision and leadership and demonstrated their support of EB through tremendous contributions to our Annual Fund. With a historic $500,001 raised and 91% of parents joining in, the success of the campaign allows us to continue providing a safe learning environment

through safety equipment and test kits, support more families through our tuition assistance program, and update our facilities at both campuses for an engaging learning environment. We sincerely thank you—parents, alumni parents, faculty, staff, grandparents—for your support of this critical effort. Your contributions help to sustain the richness of the EB experience.

The spring of 2022 provided some much needed connection through the return of several beloved EB traditions. Highlights included our Chic, alors ! Gala in April where our community came together to let loose and celebrate, our return to First Friday Coffees to reconnect and chat, and the wonderful end-of-year Place du Marché where kids and adults delighted in games, live music and food: it was a wonderful return to community. Celebrating our brilliant and persevering eighth graders with a full dinner and graduation ceremony was the perfect ending to the year.

As we look back on the year, a heartfelt thank you goes out to the Board members whose service came to an end: Emma Gimon, Nick Waugh, JeanPhilippe Kouakou-Zebouah, Alexandra Erman and Mark McPherson. We would especially like to acknowledge Emma Gimon, who served as Board Chair for four years and Nick Waugh who was EB’s treasurer for the last five years. Their drive and dedication to EB are much admired, and the influence of their innumerable contributions will be long-lasting.

Pria Hidisyan Mark Westover Board Co-Chairs

MESSAGE DES CO-PRÉSIDENTS DU CONSEIL D’ADMINISTRATION

Chère communauté d’EB, À mesure que l’École Bilingue s’est adaptée à la vie avec le COVID, l’année scolaire 2021–2022 a repris le chemin de la normalité. EB est restée ouverte toute l’année afin d’assurer des cours en présentiel pour tous les élèves. Nous avons bien sûr pris des précautions : masques, respect des distances, tests hebdomadaires et utilisation des espaces extérieurs. Nous avons même travaillé avec des labradors renifleurs de COVID. Une fois de plus, grâce à ses politiques et programmes innovants, EB a continué d’être un modèle d’adaptation et de réussite pendant la pandémie.

C’était la première année complète sous la direction de Sébastien Robert, qui a introduit avec brio quantité d’innovations importantes aux programmes. Au cours de l’hiver 2022, le Conseil d’administration a approuvé la création d’un programme accéléré de français (AFP), qui constituera un nouveau point d’entrée à EB. Dès son lancement cet automne, l’AFP a offert aux élèves qui n’ont pas pu bénéficier d’une immersion dans une deuxième langue au cours de leurs premières années d’école la possibilité de devenir bilingues en rejoignant EB en CP ou en CE1. Avec l’aide d’un professeur de français dédié, d’un enseignement en petits groupes et de ressources supplémentaires, les élèves suivront des cours de français intensifs pendant deux à trois ans, afin de rejoindre le programme bilingue classique en CM1. Le Conseil d’administration se réjouit de voir ce programme naître et se développer dans les années à venir, nous permettant ainsi de partager nos programmes d’éducation avec une plus grande partie de la communauté de la région de la baie de San Francisco.

À l’instar du Conseil d’administration, nos familles ont été inspirées par la vision et le leadership de Sébastien et ont matérialisé leur soutien à EB en versant d’importantes contributions à notre Fonds annuel. Avec une collecte historique de 500 001

dollars et 91 % de parents participants, le succès de la campagne nous a permis de continuer d’offrir un environnement d’apprentissage sûr grâce à des équipements de sécurité et des kits de test, de soutenir davantage de familles par le biais de notre programme d’aide aux frais de scolarité et de moderniser nos installations sur les deux campus pour proposer un milieu éducatif attrayant. Nous vous remercions sincèrement — parents, parents d’anciens élèves, enseignants, personnel, grandsparents — pour votre aide dans cet effort essentiel. Vos contributions permettent de soutenir la richesse de l’expérience scolaire à EB.

Le printemps 2022 a été l’occasion de rétablir du lien social grâce au retour salutaire des traditions les plus chères à EB. Nous citerons parmi les faits marquants notre Gala Chic, alors !, qui s’est tenu en avril et qui a réuni notre communauté pour une soirée de fête, le retour des cafés First Friday pour faire connaissance et bavarder, et La Place du Marché, notre incontournable événement de fin d’année, où parents et enfants ont pu profiter de jeux et de musique et se restaurer ; autant de merveilleuses occasions qui ont rassemblé notre communauté. L’année scolaire s’est clôturée en beauté par un dîner et la cérémonie de remise des diplômes célébrant le talent et la persévérance de nos élèves de 4ème.

Alors que nous dressons le bilan de l’année, nous tenons à remercier chaleureusement les membres du Conseil d’administration dont le mandat s’est achevé : Emma Gimon, Nick Waugh, Jean-Philippe Kouakou-Zebouah, Alexandra Erman et Mark McPherson. Nous adressons tout particulièrement notre gratitude à Emma Gimon qui a présidé le Conseil d’administration pendant quatre ans, et à Nick Waugh, trésorier d’EB au cours des cinq dernières années. Leur dynamisme et leur dévouement envers EB suscitent une grande admiration et leurs innombrables contributions ne manqueront pas d’exercer une influence pérenne.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2021–2022

From left to right:

David Abernathy

Aimee Aikin

Alexandre Bayen

Christine Beliveau

Antoine Carrière

Alexandra Erman

Emma Gimon

Rhonda Goldstein

Gaëlle Gordon

Pria Hidisyan Jean-Philippe KouakouZebouah

Chloe Le Marchand

Steve Levine

Mark McPherson

Sébastien Robert

Hannah Stott-Bumsted

Nick Waugh

Mark Westover

Anne Kuhry

Heather McWhinney

Frédéric Jung, Consul Général de France

Olivier-Antoine Reynes, Consul Général Adjoint Juliette Donadieu, Attachée Culturelle

Pria Hidisyan, Co-Chair

Mark Westover, Co-Chair

Antoine Carrière, Member at Large of ExComm

Nick Waugh, Treasurer; Finance Chair

David Abernathy

Aimee Aikin, PA Anglophone Co-President

Alexandre Bayen

Christine Beliveau

Alexandra Erman

Emma Gimon

Rhonda Golstein

Gaëlle Gordon

Jean-Philippe Kouakou-Zebouah

Chloe Le Marchand

Steve Levine

Mark McPherson

Sébastien Robert, Head of School

Kristen Sidell

Hannah Stott-Bumsted

Anne Kuhry, Faculty Participant

Heather McWhinney, Faculty Participant

Florence Zakharov, PA Francophone Co-President (joined the Board mid-year)

Kristen Sidell

INCOMING TRUSTEES

2022–2023

Thierry Durandard retired as Lower School Head in 2018 after working for 30 years at the school, first as a teacher and Director of Admissions, and then as Lower School Head from 2001 to 2018. Thierry is passionate about education, and firmly believes in educating the whole child in their academic, physical, social and emotional dimensions to become a well-rounded and balanced individual who can adapt to any environment. Education is a journey with its joys and at times its struggles, which are actually learning opportunities with proper support and encouragement. Thierry lives with his partner Rick, two dogs and three horses. He spends most of his time caring for the animals and experimenting with permaculture on his property in the Oakland Hills. He is the godfather to two EB students.

Brooke Howell is a litigation attorney, working in the housing sector for more than a decade. She earned her

Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law where she was recognized as a Merit Fellow and Dean’s Public Interest Law Fellow. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts from Howard University, where she was on the Dean’s List and was a Howard University Trustee Scholarship awardee. Brooke and her husband have one child at EB.

Valla Vakili is a digital executive and entrepreneur with a career spanning financial services, digital media, and technology. He currently leads the Venture Innovation team at Citi, developing products and services that meet the changing needs of people and communities in 21 st century economies. Valla is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and conducted doctoral research at St Antony’s College at the University of Oxford. He and his wife, Sheida, have one child at EB.

for the 2022–2023 school year.

Originally from French Polynesia, Flo came to the US in 2001 to pursue a Ph.D in Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Purdue University, IN. She moved west to California in 2006 and was a professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis for 15 years, where she researched the inner workings of flavor development in fruits. More recently, Flo decided to rekindle her lifelong passion for flowers and follow her artistic aspirations as a floral designer and ikebana practitioner. She is regularly invited to showcase collaborative work with fellow ikebana artists at the DeYoung Museum Bouquets to Art annual exhibit. Flo and her husband Valera have two children at EB.

Florence Zakharov joins the Board of Trustees as the EB Parents Association’s Francophone Co-President

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR

NEURODIVERSITY AT EB

At EB, we talk a lot about neurodiversity. But what is neurodiversity? According to the Oxford Dictionary, it’s “the range of differences in individual brain function and behavioral traits, regarded as part of normal variation in the human population.” We know that at EB everyone has their own individualized learning style—and we strive to honor our children’s learning needs however we can!

In Spring 2022, six EB teachers attended a comprehensive workshop in Walnut Creek in the “responsive classroom” methodology. This evidence-based framework hones in on research and knowledge of students’ social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development in order to create learner-based lesson plans. The core belief in creating a responsive classroom is that in order for students to succeed beyond high school, they need to learn a set of social and emotional competencies, such as cooperation, responsibility, and self-control—and a set of academic competencies, such as perseverance and learning strategies. This methodology compliments our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice (DEIJ), and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives, which EB has been developing for several years now.

In addition, this summer, our educators were tasked with reading and reviewing Neurodiversity in the Classroom by Thomas Armstrong, who argues that we should embrace the strengths of such neurodiverse students to help them and their neurotypical peers thrive in school and beyond.

We also celebrated Neurodiversity Week in March 2022! Neurodiversity Celebration Week aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organizations with the opportunity to recognize the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent. The goal is to create a more inclusive and equitable culture that celebrates differences and empowers every individual. Furthermore, the Learning Differences Support Group, one of the PA’s DEIJ affinity groups, with support from the Lower School academic team, invited Bay Area activist and founder of Unitopia, Aaryan Shah, for a workshop on “How to Be an Ally” to talk about how best to support our neurodiverse community.

Learning styles vary among students, and cultivating the right kind of teaching environment is instrumental in creating a productive and positive educational space. Not only do our instructors need to continue to evolve their teaching practices, but our families and staff also need to continue educating themselves on neurodiversity so that collectively, the EB community can provide the best possible education for our children.

PLURILINGUALISM IN ACTION

At EB, our mission is to nurture creative, multilingual learners. We want our students to leave with the vision to positively impact their diverse communities, and the local and international spaces in which we all belong. Unlocking the power of multilingualism for our students is what drives our educators.

One of the major milestones for EB students is taking the DELF. The DELF is short for Diplôme d’études en langue française (French language studies diploma). It is an international standardized test of French language proficiency, where test takers are awarded an official diploma demonstrating their level of fluency by the French Ministry of Education.

Passing the DELF is crucial for students who plan to continue their studies abroad or can envision themselves living and working in France one day. It gives them the flexibility to consider all opportunities, including perhaps acquiring French citizenship, for which the DELF B1 is a requirement.

This year, our eighth grade students studied diligently for this exam in their French classes with Madame Bishop and Monsieur Labadie. They underwent a mock exam proctored by Elodie Resurreccion, Corinne Pluche, Nordine Boulhais, Marion Tobie, Bénédicte CambonRitter, Emmanuel Labadie and Valérie Bishop, all certified trained examiners. The same team of teachers proctored and corrected the real exam, on March 23 and 24, 2022.

We were once again very proud of the class of 2022’ results in this year’s DELF. Our students all passed the B1 level of the exam with high scores, meaning that they are able to carry on a smooth and easy discussion and to share their opinions in French. They are also capable of dealing with situations likely to arise in daily life.

In addition to the DELF, a few of our teachers participated in a workshop coordinated by the Mission laïque française, a reputable organization that works to promote the French language, instruction and culture. Specifically catered to educators in North America, this course was designed to deepen our educators’ understanding of harmonizing a multilingual curriculum, bilingual co-teaching, and supporting student language skill transference.

We continue to deepen our programs through a better understanding of the value of multiculturalism and multilingualism, for the sake of future EB global citizens.

“

Our students… are also capable of dealing with situations likely to arise in daily life.”

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM

This year, we were thrilled to resume our Artistin-Residence program which welcomes authors and artists from France and francophone countries directly into the classroom. As part of the Litt. Jeunesse 2022 (Youth Literature 2022) event, organized by Made in France, Orianne Lallemand visited our Kindergarten and G1 classes to introduce books about diversity and inclusion, such as Le Loup qui avait un nouvel ami (The Wolf Who Made a New Friend) et Le petit monsieur (The Little Gentleman).

Litt. jeunesse Made in France, a non-profit organization, held its second consecutive Frenchspeaking book festival in March 2022. This event was specially organized around the United States to bring author Orianne Lallemand to different schools.

Orianne Lallemand is a French children’s author

who loves words and splits her time between writing and leading workshops in schools and libraries. She is best-known for her “loup” series, which tell stories, sometimes with lessons couched within, of a wolf on his many adventures.

At EB, we felt lucky to have Orianne Lallemand visiting with us for a day and a half. She came into the three Kindergarten classrooms and two first-grade classrooms. During her visit, she introduced herself and “Loup” to the students, who were thrilled to finally meet the author of “Loup”! Students prepared for her visit by reading her books, creating wolf masks, and had questions ready for her. It was wonderful to see our students interacting with Orianne and teachers were excited to have the author-in-residence program back. Thanks to the generous donations of our community for supporting this program!

Orianne lives with her husband and four children near Dinard, in Brittany, France.

BE A BUDDY… NOT A BULLY

Preschool is the time in a student’s school career where they begin to understand and develop healthy relationships with others. Last year, our preschool team began implementing the “Be a Buddy… Not a Bully” program developed by Laurie Gaunt, as a means for strengthening core values including respect towards others, and teaching children not only how to listen, but also the words to engage in conversation with others in their everyday lives. Throughout the curriculum, children learn that while others may look or act different, we are all valued members of society. Furthermore, they are empowered to build healthy relationships with others and expand their understanding of the world around them.

“Be a Buddy... Not a Bully” curriculum presents young children with the opportunity to explore differences, discuss the stages of developing friendships, and understand the impact of teasing and bullying. The organization of the curriculum remains consistent with each lesson; the topic is introduced through age-appropriate literature and followed by class discussion. An activity follows, presenting students with hands-on experience. Lastly, whenever possible, guests are invited to relate their experiences with teasing and/or bullying and how special friends made a difference in their lives. “Be a Buddy... Not a Bully” demonstrates to the students respect for individuals while encouraging inclusiveness, providing tools for children to live in—and create—caring communities where they become role models not merely for acceptance, but for inclusion.

The curriculum is divided into three units: Embracing Differences, Building Friendships and Buddies Not Bullies. During the fall, our preschoolers started with the Embracing Differences unit of study. They were taught the importance of being yourself, promoting acceptance, understanding and confidence; the importance of friendships and the mutual dependence within friendships; and the acceptance of differences and respecting the value of choice. Working as a class, they interacted with the text and discussed what they had read. The teachers then led the students through an activity that highlighted the lessons presented in the literature. Lastly, the class came back together to reinforce the message of acceptance and finish the lesson.

A sample lesson from the Embracing Differences unit:

Presentation: Read the fable, The Lion and the Mouse, from

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR

Eric Carle’s book, The Rabbit and the Turtle.

Discussion:

1. Did the lion think the mouse could be a friend? Why or why not?

2. Can you have a friend who is bigger or smaller?

3. Does it matter what our friends look like?

4. Can friends come in all sizes and shapes?

Activity: Illustration of Student and Friend

After the book is read and the discussion is finished, students were asked to draw a picture of themselves with a good friend. They were reminded to show how they are alike and how they are different. Their name and the name of the friend were written under the pictures.

Conclusion: As a whole class, the students recited “Remember that friends come in all sizes and each of us can help one another in many ways.”

Many schools offer diversity programs to their students, but we believe what makes “Be a Buddy… Not a Bully” unique is its range and depth. One-week or even one-month programs can provide awareness, but they can only scratch the surface. The benefit of spreading a program over an entire year, with possible components in succeeding years, is the ability to integrate it into other educational activities and make the teaching of tolerance a natural part of the whole curriculum.

ECO STUDENTS IN ACTION

At EB, we believe that students need to be equipped to confidently embrace the delights and challenges of an interconnected world. Yet in our rapidly changing lives, the planet continues to face numerous environmental challenges. EB students are determined to have a say in their own future and have engaged in several different actions to work on making EB a greener school.

Eco-School (Eco-Ecole) Program

EB is following the Eco-Schools USA Program to educate our younger generations on natural science and the environment while supporting the development of a lasting conservation ethic and connection to nature and the outdoors. This program was created to help students better understand the world surrounding them

so they can actively participate in its future. It involves many constituents in the academic setting including students, teachers, parents, and administrators. Since its launch, the Eco-Ecole program has been supported by the Ministry of National Education in France.

At the beginning of the year, our students elected eco-delegates from Grade 3 to Grade 5, who have since been meeting regularly to decide on initiatives, communicate with their peers, and stand as ambassadors for a greener EB.

Partnering with an Eco-School

Last spring, the Eco-School (Eco-Ecole) Council, composed of our eco-delegates, started the process to have EB become recognized as an official green school. On January 27, 2022, four Eco-Ecole delegates, from G3 to G5, established a key partnership with a school in Vancouver that has been recognized as an official “Eco-Ecole” for the last several years.

In a small conference with our Vancouver partner school, students from EB learned important tips and tricks to help EB become an official EcoEcole. For instance, EB students learned that some schools participate in “Meatless Mondays” where students don’t eat meat once a week. Eco Schools also participate in zero-waste lunch challenges, where students are encouraged to bring lunches without any packaging. The philosophy behind these Eco-Ecole initiatives is to stay positive about becoming “green” and being forgiving of the community making mistakes along the way.

Eco-Action Team & Bronze Award

In the Eco-Schools USA Program, there are three award levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. EB’s ecodelegates have been working towards the Bronze Award, the first symbol of success for many in the

program. To be eligible, EB must follow a sevenstep process focused around a specific initiative or pathway. For their initiative, the LS eco-delegates chose an audit on waste and consumption. The aim of the waste audit is to measure the weight and types of waste produced by EB in one day. It is an integral part of a school’s waste reduction campaign. Throughout the year, waste was collected, sorted, and weighed by students, teachers, and other helpers. The data collected helped to measure the effectiveness of their recycling and waste-limiting campaign. The team has already made great progress towards their Bronze Award, completing steps 1-6 in the process.

Step 1: Form an Eco-Action Team. Composed of a diverse group of students, teachers, and administrators, the Eco-Action Team meets monthly, and informal minutes are kept at each meeting. The council informs the whole school of team actions and events.

Step 2: Conduct an Environmental Audit. With help from teachers, our eco-delegates gathered, sorted and measured EB’s waste to form the basis of the plan for reduction.

Step 3: Create an Eco-Action Plan. A first draft of the plan was created and will be revisited as our progress continues.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR

Step 4: Monitor and Evaluate Progress. This is an ongoing process that will continue as our students assess and reassess how we are doing!

Step 5: Link to Existing Curriculum. Topics like waste and recycling have been part of the curriculum starting in preschool, where students learn about sorting trash, while the EB gardening teacher uses his class to talk about waste, recycling and consumption. The Eco-Schools Program will build off of this solid foundation.

Step 6: Involve the Community. Our parents have joined in the efforts with the creation of the new EcoTeam Elders affinity group which supports the Eco-Council’s work and invites in parent participation.

Step 7: Create an Eco pledge. This last step in the award process includes creating a pledge for other members to take up, as well as coming up with a song or banner.

The Eco-School Council has plans to work on Step 7 and are very excited to continue to take the lead on this process. It’s encouraging to watch our students take initiative, make decisions, and work towards what they believe in!

Learning About the Life Cycle of a Tree

Learning about the nature that’s all around us is an important part of becoming a greener school. Our G4 students stepped right outside EB’s gates to learn about the life cycle of a tree. Thanks to the expertise of an EB parent and EcoTeam member, our G4 Eco-Ecole delegates and their classmates learned how to collect seeds from

a Chinese Flame Tree (Koelreuteria bipinnata) in EB’s neighborhood and properly plant them in pots. The soil and pots used in the project were also recycled and reused, continuing the sustainability focus.

Students also learned how to save and replant small saplings with the help of a screwdriver to avoid damaging the roots. “Today’s seeds are tomorrow’s fruits,” said our parent volunteer.

Thanks to the guidance of our wonderful EB parents, our students gained a new perspective on a place and a tree that they thought they knew by heart.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR

Since the start of the pandemic, EB has been at the forefront of data collection and scientific testing measures. We were one of the first schools to pilot the antigen testing program through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), which is now widely used in different settings. The pilot helped gather important data to expand to other schools and was critical in allowing our students to return to campus safely.

We also partnered with the CDPH as part of a year-long pilot program to help train dogs to be able to detect Covid-19. We subsequently participated in an air surveillance study with Primary Health and Poppy Health to monitor the air on our campuses for Covid-19 pathogens, as an additional warning tool to identify a possible outbreak of Covid.

Our partnership with the CDPH in these important programs are examples of how we worked together to keep students safe as Covid restrictions were eased in the broader community, while also providing important data for Covid research, tracking and mitigation efforts.

Rizzo and Scarlett, Covid-detection dogs in training

LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Experiential learning and overnight trips are some of the most impactful and memorable experiences for our students. This year brought back many opportunities for our students to learn and bond outside the classroom.

PS to G5

Students from PS to G5 got an up close and hands-on look at wacky and wild science experiments, courtesy of Mad Science. Thanks to our Fund for the Future donors for making this possible.

G4: Redwoods in Occidental

The G4 class went on an adventure into the Redwoods in Occidental!

Between bonding and exploring the natural world around them, they learned about the skeletal structure and the unique fur of a coyote.

G5: Exploring Northern California

Our G5 students had a blast visiting redwoods in Mendocino county and Pigeon Point last year, exploring the shoreline and the forest!

LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

G6: Science in Catalina

G6 students snorkeled and kayaked their way around Catalina Island, getting to know the flora and fauna better. They participated in some living lab sessions with on-site guides and instructors.

G7: History in Our Nation’s Capital

Our students visited Washington DC, walking and living through U.S. history! They visited major landmarks near Capitol Hill, and visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

G8: Discovering New Orleans

Our G8 students enjoyed one of their last experiential learning trips at EB in New Orleans. They explored the Bayou, walked around the Vieux Carré (French District), and learned the historical significance of Mardi Gras.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR FINANCE TEAM

While the 2020–2021 year had been an atypical fiscal year because of the impact of COVID on operations and enrollment (at the Maternelle level), the 2021–2022 was a more “normal” year financially for EB.

Enrollment increased by twenty one students year over year, mostly at the Maternelle level (plus nineteen students). The school still weathered a few expenses linked to COVID, such as the portable classrooms, but these expenses were thankfully much lower than in the previous year. Once again, we were able to offer our Extended Day Care program and enrichment classes and had a strong Summer Camp offering, providing important ancillary funds.

During the year, we applied for and received a subsidy of $419,000 through the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) Program. This is in addition to the PPP loan forgiven the year prior ($1.5M).

The Annual Fund contributions totaled just over $500,000 during the year and we are very grateful for these significant contributions from our EB community and their support in helping cultivate a sustainable future.

All in all, we ended the year with a surplus of just over $90,000 (including our annual loan principal payment) which represents 0.59% of EB’s $15.3M budget. The surplus contributed to financing the numerous summer 2022 facilities improvements, including the replacement and upgrade of the HVAC system at the Lower School, the completion of a bathroom and storage building for Preschool and Lower School students, a new play structure at the Preschool and many more upgrades. We want to take this opportunity to give a special shoutout to our Facilities Team led by Alfonso de la Torre Jr. Alfonso

managed and coordinated numerous projects during the summer and brought them all to a successful completion under significant time constraints.

EB’s financial position is healthy as evidenced by a current ratio of 1.53 as of June 30, 2022. In other words, EB’s current assets (mainly cash) were 1.53 times higher than its current liabilities (mostly tuition prepayments and vacation compensation owed to faculty and staff). Translated into dollars, EB’s current assets surpassed its current liabilities by $3.5M, which corresponds to close to three months of expenses.

The Board remains confident about EB’s financial future, and we are excited as we launch the Accelerated French Program to attract more students at multiple entry points. Thank you for choosing to be a part of this vibrant school and community.

Sincerely,

David Abernathy Antoine Portales Treasurer Director of Business & Finance

A DEVELOPMENT MESSAGE

While the start of the 2021–2022 year was a bit uncertain, the zeal for community carried us through the year with joy. Thanks to generous contributions from our families, alumni parents, grandparents, faculty, and staff, $623,140 in total fundraising revenues directly supported our students and teachers throughout the year.

The Annual Fund, EB’s largest fundraiser of the year, proved to be the most successful campaign ever recorded, with our community contributing an incredible $500,001! We’re so grateful for the exceptional generosity and commitment of our families who helped ensure we had the means to keep our doors open, programs thriving, and families connected. Special thanks to our fantastic co-chairs and volunteers who worked tirelessly to encourage 91% of parents and 100% of faculty and staff to participate in this critical endeavor.

Although fall saw minimal gatherings on campus, by the new year, we were thrilled to bring back in-person events and give our families a chance to come together. We celebrated unity and individual stories through our first ever Lantern Festival, and felt our parents’ gratitude via a wonderful Teacher and Staff Appreciation event. Additionally, our students were thrilled to welcome back French artists for our Artist in Residence program. We closed out the year with a beautiful display of student achievement in our Spring Student Showcase and had a blast with the return of our beloved Place du Marché festival.

Our first in person Gala since 2019 was everything Chic, alors ! and provided a wonderful opportunity for our families and friends to mingle, dance and enjoy a great night in support of EB. Guests contributed $72,800 total, with $32,950 devoted to our Fund for the

Future, dedicated to Belonging in the World: Bringing Equity to Experiential Learning, a fund to provide hands-on learning and immersive experiences both inside and outside the classroom to all. To date, students have already benefited through interactive science experiments with Mad Science and the Lawrence Hall of Science, trips to the Redwoods, the Festival de la BD where French comic book authors spent a full day on campus, field trips to the Chabot Space & Science Center and a dramatic rendition of The Velveteen Rabbit, and more! Many thanks to our generous donors for making these experiences possible.

Donations of time and talent are equally valued and we are deeply grateful to our dedicated parent volunteers, led by a wonderful Parents’ Association, who made all of these events possible. Through virtual workshops for families, parent affinity meet-ups in the park, and a whirlwind return to in-person events, our volunteers played a huge role in bringing our community together and reigniting that special EB spark. We feel so fortunate to work with such generous and committed individuals—thank you for making EB shine!

It’s true what they say: it takes a village to raise a child, and in our case, a community. It’s thanks to each of you that our community has remained strong, unwavering, kind, and connected. We are honored to work side by side with you and look forward to what the future holds.

Mei-Lin Ha Byers Director of Development and Communications

EB GALA “CHIC, ALORS !”

Our first in-person gala since 2019, Chic, Alors ! event was a hit among our parents, alumni parents, faculty, staff and friends of EB. The evening was hosted by EB parent Aaron Ross and EB alumni parent Pierre-François Choquet on April 30, 2022. Through the live auction, silent auction and cocktail games, the community generously contributed $72,800, including $32,950 for the Fund for the Future, in support of diverse educational experiential learning programs for our EB students.

Thank you to our wonderful Gala lead team, Stéphanie Ross, Cécile Cottus, Katie Crepeau, and Lynn Bentley, for their amazing efforts in putting on a spectacular soirée, our first community fundraising event back in person! They worked tirelessly to secure auction lots, select the theme, design the imagery, decorating, and so much more! Merci !

LIVE AUCTION DONORS

EB Board of Trustees

Chase-Spiekerman Family Emma and Eric Gimon Adriana Parcero and Rodrigo Castaneda

Marjorie and Sébastien Robert Aaron Ross Maria Ross

Marie-Elise Sallat and José-Luis Villasante Kristen Sidell and Paul-André Abboud

SILENT AUCTION DONORS

L’Acajou Bakery, Matthew Roder Zaid Ahmed, G3 student BeautyCounter, Lynn Bentley Camille Design Tina Chen-Chardonnet Cécile Cottus Tamara Daney Nathalie Dubois-Stringfellow Esmée, Stéphanie Ross Family Laundry, Laura Guevara and David Macquart-Moulin Flo’s Friendly Foods, Florence Eriksson

France Channel

Patricia Hanaway and Bryon Sutherland Devyani Jain

Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

La crêpe à moi, Djamel and Rebecca Dahmani Anthony Lynch Muriel Paul

Peps Aquarel, Tiphaine Lamolinerie

PS/MS-C and Andrea Cavallo PS/MS-D and Andrea Cavallo

The Radioactives: Christopher Colebourn, Will Hammond, Jr, Adam Johnson, Anne Kuhry, and Mike Roberts Stéphanie Ross

SkinScience Wellness + Beauty Nasi White Wild Things Wine Co. Florence Zakharov

SPECIAL THANKS

Charles and Karmela Richey Paul-André Abboud and Kristen Sidell

Mario and Sarah Assadi, GreenerPrinter

DJ Aykut, Aykut Akcaoglu Family Laundry, Laura Guevara and David Macquart-Moulin

The Radioactives

FUND FOR THE FUTURE: EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Our Fund for the Future is a unique part of the Gala & Auction Spring fundraiser every year. Last year’s Fund for the Future focused on equitable experiential learning for every EB student, regardless of circumstance. The community generously contributed $32,950 for our students!

At EB, we believe that, like students, learning comes in many different forms. Every interaction and space our kids occupy provides an opportunity for learning. While the classroom remains the core of the educational experience for an EB student, experiential learning or “learning by doing” vastly enriches their journey by engaging students in hands-on experiences and reflection, opening them up to the diverse and interconnected world around them.

Through this fund, students will venture into the world to see art, learn about science, explore nature, experience theater, and much more. To date, our students have:

• Discovered science experiments designed by Mad Science and the LHS

• Explored the Redwoods in Occidental and Medocino

• Visited the Chabot Space and Science Center

• Welcomed comic book authors for Le Festival de la BD

DONORS

Greg and Roxanna Ahlbach Apple Matching Gifts Program Richard and Lynn Bentley Bénédicte Cambon-Ritter and Mark Ritter Alexandre and Cécile Cottus Emilie Crofton and Bawaya Elisee Sare Karine Delambily Emmanuel Delorme and Claire Readhead Samir Dzankic and Golriz Ghassem-Ardebili Alexandra Erman

Miguel and Mayra Garcia Emma and Eric Gimon Rhonda and Jacob Goldstein Jason Harm and Kathryn Crepeau-Harm Pria Hidisyan and Benjamin Gold Justin and Brooke Howell Jeff and Annie Iden Alexandra LaGatta Vivian and Alfredo Lopez Robert Madison and Alexis Tjian Kamran and Anosha Misaghi Adam Noily and Maia Beyler-Noily Magali Noth and Micheline Bogey Matthew Pech and Marie-Eve Savard Kiran and Sara Philipponnat Sébastien and Marjorie Robert Aaron Ross

Stéphanie Ross Marie-Elise Sallat and José-Luis Villasante David and Laura Schummers

Kristen Sidell and Paul-André Abboud Charlie and Meredith Speight Bryon Sutherland and Patricia Hanaway Edouard Swiac and Lauren Gruber Sylvie Thomas-Droz and Pierre-Yves Droz

Alexandra Thusy-Privat and Guillaume Privat Valla and Sheida Vakili David and Heather Way Mark Westover and Barbara Galligan

THANK YOU TO OUR 2021–2022 DONORS

A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN

Each year, the Annual Fund takes a true community effort and last year, that was especially true. With positive encouragement from our amazing volunteers and the dedication of our fantastic co-chairs, Maria Reyes and Yvette Hatton, our community contributed a recordbreaking $500,001 for the Annual Fund! A sincere thank you to the 91% of parents, 100% of faculty and staff, and numerous community members who made EB their giving priority for the 2021–2022 school year.

Your contributions directly support programmatic experiences, tuition assistance, experiential learning opportunities, benefits and continuing education for our faculty, and more. Thanks to the surplus in the budget from this Annual Fund, our campuses received some wonderful improvements and the professional development budget for faculty was doubled. Thank you for making EB shine!

DONORS

Président ($10,000+)

Jessica Bylo Chacon

Emma and Eric Gimon

Mark David and Claire McPherson

Sébastien and Marjorie Robert (MG)

Anonymous (2)

Ambassadeur ($4,000–$9,999)

Greg and Roxanna Ahlbach

Alex Bayen and Zoe Abrams (MG)

Rene Bilodeau and Naomi Black (MG)

Antoine Carrière and Irina Wolf Carrière (MG)

Ted and Tania Davis

Katherine Dawson and Jeremy Bled

Rhonda and Jacob Goldstein (MG)

David Grewal and Daniela Cammack

Yvette and David Hatton (MG)

Gabrielle and Marc Hedlund

Mindy Longinotti and Michael Roberts

Musa Mawanda and Digne Nahimana (MG)

Anton and Kate Mikhailov (MG)

Myles and Stephanie Battle

Matthew Potts and Celine Pallud

Xavier and Evelyn Quan (MG)

James Robertson and Daniela Strijleva (MG)

Aaron and Stéphanie Ross

David and Laura Schummers

Victor Shnayder and Anne Collins (MG)

Mike and Katie Slemmer (MG)

Charlie and Meredith Speight (MG)

Bryon Sutherland and Patricia Hanaway (MG)

Panayiotis Thomakos and Susan Collier Thomakos

Donald Thompson and Laura Kuhlemann

Robert Tjian and Claudia Belcher

Anthony and Ilke Ventre

Jonathan Whitney and Rachel Stern

Florence and Valeriy Zakharov (MG)

Anonymous (4)

Consul ($2,200–3,999)

Aimee Aikin and Dan Widmaier

Rimas Avizienis and Kathryn Gies

Keith Beattie and Shelli Strand (MG)

Christine Beliveau and Neill Knox

Richard and Lynn Bentley

Freddy and Lisa Corbin

Jessika Croizat and Ty Shemin

Peter Dillon and Deidra Moss

MARIA REYES

YVETTE HATTON

John Fricke and Andrea Issod

Christopher Harrelson and Sara Rahimian

Pria Hidisyan and Benjamin Gold

Joshua and Kelley Hinds (MG)

Aaron Hirsh and Veronica Volny Justin and Brooke Howell

Jeff and Annie Iden (MG)

Lowry Kirkby and Tenzing Joshi

Maxim Kozlov and Tatiana Pavlova (MG)

Ronald Lebofsky and Anne Guillemet John MacFarlane and Colleen Boyle

Robert Madison and Alexis Tjian Dave Margulius and Anna Kelly

Kirill Mazin and Gwen Coyne (MG)

Michael, Tina, and Joshua Meyer

Alain Montiel

Steven Moore and Carla Vasques dos Santos-Moore

Gregory Nemitz and Sarah Sawyer

Matthew Pech and Marie-Eve Savard

Marc Piette and Arum Kang

Antoine and Melissa Portales

Stephanie Profitt and Serge Kogan

Ogi Radic and Melissa Maquilan Radic

Ed Rogers and Julie Shackleton (MG)

Joseph and Susannah Rose

Vincent Salimi and Monika Hix

Matthew Schriock and Margaux Bennett

Kristen Sidell and Paul-André Abboud (MG)

Nicholas Szeto and Gordon Runnels (MG)

Alexandra Thusy-Privat and Guillaume Privat (MG)

Léo Vacher and Julie Jin Valla and Sheida Vakili Rafael and Yani Vargas Hongguo Wang and Xiang Chen

Nick Waugh and Riley Bove David and Heather Way Anonymous (3)

Attaché ($1,000–$2,199)

Bassem Al-Sady and Hana El-Samad

Jonathon Angell and Suna YalazAngell (MG)

Carol Battle

Linda Bentley

Maxime Boulet-Audet and Fujia Chen

Patrick and Hannah Brown-Lopes

Edric and Ethelwynne Cane

Jason Cohn and Camille ServanSchreiber

David and Fiordalissa Cooper

Thiago Da Costa and Suzy Lord

Peter Demarest and Kim Klaus (MG)

Ivo Dimitrov and Bistra Baharova

Lawrence and Downey Drouin (MG)

Samir Dzankic and Golriz GhassemArdebili

Alexandra Erman

Christopher Evans and Naomi Edelson

Jeremy Fanucchi and Paola Meta (MG)

Yann Fischer and Bonnie Chan Setenay and Kenneth Frucht

Reginald and Sherryl Hairston Alan and Allison Hampton Jason Harm and Kathryn CrepeauHarm (MG)

Amanda Jacobsen (MG)

Ashley and Anneliese Jameson (MG)

Charis Kaskiris and Vanessa ArceKaskiris (MG)

John and Janice Kirk

Jesse Kulp and Vasa Kuzmanovska Alexandra LaGatta

Isabelle Le Blanc and Voytek Okreglak Chloe Le Marchand and David Pruess James Levine and Angela Jacobson Jack and Kathie Longinotti John McCarthy and Sodabeh Fazlollahi Laurent and Kate Menut Magali Noth and Micheline Bogey Yousef Nouri and Ann Winterman Ilya Oparin and Nadège OparinThorez (MG)

Kiran and Sara Philipponnat

Phil Purdom and Jennifer Dawson Erik and Lauren Rainey

Maria del Pilar Reyes and Aykut Akcaoglu (MG)

Charles and Karmela Richey (MG) Orville Schell

Jan Smidek and Cristina Hernandez Timothy and Micah Stilwell

Amee Tsai

Brian Watt and Daisy Nguyen

Suna Yalaz-Angell and Jonathon

Angell

Ari Yampolsky and Emmanuelle Soichet

Artur Zawadzki and Anna Zawadzka (MG)

Anonymous (6)

Diplomate ($500 to $999)

Anthony Barker

Maer and JoAnna Ben-Yisrael

Jérôme Bouvard and Stéphanie Poulain

Erica Chan (MG)

Jean-Gaël Collomb and Maria DiGiano Wilfried and Lorena Eisinger

Samuel and Elise Gipe Hilary Goldman and Manning Sutton

Julian Andres Gonzalez Holguin and Lizbeth Viviana Urdaneta Melo Mei-Lin Ha Byers and Wayne Byers

Ramin and Amy Hedayatpour

Jonathan and Anne-Karen Hunt

Siamak Jafari and Christina DanielJafari

Paul Johnson and Joan Steele

Phil Kaminsky and Lisa Materson

Angela Karran

Ndiaye and Timothy Keding

Bruce Kuhlemann

Thibaut Lassalle and Mariel Chatman

Vivian and Alfredo Lopez Thomas and Lea Lurquin

David Macquart-Moulin and Laura Mitchel Guevara

Norman and Margaret Madison Sylvestre and Angela Marlaud

Chudi Ndubaku and Nicole Blaquière Brent and Nezha Nickerson

Jodi Nishimura

Thomas Odermatt and Yumi Nakao

André and Solange Parris

Emma and Xavier Ragot

Matthew Roder and Ange Evelyne Kouakou

Catherine Ronneberg

Jason Shiga and Alina Collier

Kapil Shrikhande and Sylvia Ratnasamy Peter and Mary Kay Sidell

Lindsey Smith and Michael Cohen

Vincent and Rita Szeto

Mihai Toader and Ana Sirbu Karine and Jean Tripier

Nadia Zaks and Aaron Rust Anonymous (9)

Membre (Up to $499)

Ben Abadi and Christina Coleman Abadi

Fisseha Alemayehu and Selamawit Tarekegn

Marie-Anne Allain

Jeffrey Appell

Robert Badame

Sacha Badame

Fiona Barriac and Karen Lind

Taraneh Bastani and Gregor Nazarian

Brigitte Bastrenta and Rudolph Walter

Abass Bella

Ludovic Bellier and Tania Tinoco Espinoza

Valérie Bishop

Barbara Blomer Chatman

Tarak and Christine Borchani

Nordine Boulhais

Emmanuel Bouquillion

Robert and Lillian Brewer

Kendall and Cheryl Brown

Hervé Bruckert and Emari Dimagiba

Patty Brunn and Fred Womack

Chauncey Burnett

Patricia Camacho

Bénédicte Cambon-Ritter and Mark Ritter

Susan Campbell and Doug Oakley

Bianca Cano Nakamura and Shizen Nakamura

Andrea Cavallo and Kyle Jeffers

Nicole and Jean-Mathieu Chabas (MG)

Yvette Chalom and Paul Fogel

Damien and Holly Charléty

Martha Chase

Pierre Chew and Kristin Nolan

Hélène Choquet and Tino Andretti

Benjamin and Jessica Cislowski

Heather Clague

Sally Cohen

Christopher Colebourn

Stephanie Colker and Charles Andrew Thomas

Matthieu Couturier and Katherine Gora

Emilie Crofton and Bawaya Elisee Sare

Charles and Amanda Dahan (MG)

Luc and Leah De Armey

Alfonso de la Torre

Victoria de la Torre

Jean-Pierre De Oliveira

Karine Delambily

Ramata Diakho

Nathan Dison and Heather Hardwick

Amanda Douglas and John Colin Douglas

Jean Drapp and Jena Parson

Julie Elie

Stephen and Therese Englehart

Fabiola and Jacques Etienne

Gabriel Evanno

Fatima Fall

Virginie Falquerho

Safieh Farshadnia

Howard Feight

Gaëlle Feliz

Jean-Philippe Filhol Dao Fousseni

Florian Franceschini

Bernice Frucht

Miguel and Mayra Garcia

Michael Geddes and Mmakgantsi

Mafojane

Marlène Germain

Gregory Germe and Emi Fujita

Anne-Sophie Giordani Annibali

Mathew Glaser and Maureen Cane

Nicholas and Dawn Gleiter

Sabine Goldberg-Rudnik

Jazmin Gonzales Flores

Gabriela Gonzalez Pineda

Gaëlle Gordon

Olivia Graff

Rich Graff

Christine Greer and Nathan Rockwell

Patricia Grob

Brian and Lauren Gzowski

Will and Jennifer Hammond

Joyce Hemmer

Bela and Shikiri Hightower-Gaskin

William and Mijo Horwich

Nilufar Hossain and Serban Nacu

Virginia and Phil Hoyt

Sara Hunegnaw

Nghi Huynh

Joseph Imwalle and Bridget Dolfi Jesse Jablonski and Sarah Rae Wannier Véronique and Sean Jordan

Charlie Kahle

Donald Kelley and Susan Getman Hana and Naji Khabbaz

Florence and Jules Kragen

Randy Kreidt and Jenai Kreidt

Anne Kuhry

Richard and Marie-Paule Laden

Dominique Lallement

David and Kimberly Langer

Raina Lawler

Hannah Lê and Edmund Lee

Raphael and Jennifer Le Thery Hayne and Kit Leland

Odile Leland-Arizmendi and Javier Arizmendi

Jean-Marie Letellier

Steve Levine

Brigitte Little

Nicolas Loncle and Amy Pooler

Fred Lonsdale

Michael Lukan and Laura Pantaleo Richard and Blanca Lyon

Virgile and Véronique Machenaud

Nasi Maghsoudnia White

Carla Maia

Erik Marinovich and Dana Johnston Marinovich (MG)

Karen Marinovich

Antoine and Chase Martin

Lloyd and Elmas Martin

Kevin Matthews and Géraldine Le Roux

Sources of Giving for the 2021–2022 Annual Fund

n 62% Parents ($308,387)

n 16% Board ($80,561)

n 15% Corporations, grandparents, friends ($76,545)

n 5% Faculty/Staff ($23,266)

n 2% Alumni, Alumni parents ($11,242)

Anais Mazzoleni and Saqueo

Hernandez Sherri McMullen

Heather McWhinney

Michelle Mebine Jeffrey Miles (MG) Béatrice Morand Janetta Morgan

Ian Mountjoy and Emma Uwodukunda Matthew and Joséphine Nadler

Theresa Nelson and Bernard Smits Jane Newhard-Parks

Sara Nicklès

Samuel and Daphne Noily

Sean Nolan and Kristen Koblik

Luigi Oldani Coretta Ondongo Albert Pappalardo

Joe Parreira

Natasha Penseyres

Marc-Antoine Pignon and Camille Rossi

Mateusz and Agnieszka Ploskon Corinne Pluche

Olga Popova and David Gay

Jano and Troy Porter

Céline Poux and Dimitra Gkika

DeAndre Ragland

Marion Rassinoux

Laurent Rigobert and Ethel Brennan

Alfred and Pam Roberts

Danielle Roberts Helen Roder

Jeffrey Rodriguez Roberte Rountree

David Rust and Joy Smith

Benjamin Safdi and Cynthia GerleinSafdi

Marie-Elise Sallat and José-Luis Villasante

James and Carol Scherrer

Alexander Schopff and Emma Pollack

Lynn Schwaebe and Luc Fecteau

Daniel Shawel and Saba Kassu

Noelle Simmaly

Alison Skubic

Gary Smith and Coline David June Smith and Pierre Tecca

Chinzalée Sonami and Andrew Turner

George Speckman

Phil Stanhope

Paul Sullivan

Stephanie Sullivan

Jean-Luc Szpakowski and Gloria Polanski

Nicolas Tackett and Kan Liu

Lorelei Tarricone

Virginie Téjéro

Chad and Sarah Thompson

Misikir Tilahun and Misgana Bogale

Michael Ting and Stéphane de la Rue du Can

Marion Tobie

Behzad Torabifar and Samira Safaie

Laura Truffaut and Stephen Wong

Caroline Vantighem

Gisèle Villiger

Susan Vinluan-Morrison and Frank Morrison

Lynne Wander and Pamela Waxman

Priscilla Wanerus and Eric Hughes

Steven Weinberg and Georganne Ferrier

Russ Whismore

Steven Wilkinson

Dirk and Amanda Williams

Jamie Williams and Nancy Dinh

Camille Winet and Randall Elarco

Arlena Winn and Andre Dixon

Azadeh Yazdi

Corporations & Foundations

Adobe Systems Inc. Apple Inc.

Autodesk Bank of America Chevron Cisco Coinbase David E. Quan Agency

Delta Dental Disney Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Gap Foundation

Genentech

Google Intuit Foundation

John Hancock

Jones Lang Lasalle

Kaiser Permanente KeyBank Foundation

Matson Navigation Company, Inc. McKinsey & Company Microsoft National Instruments OSIsoft, LLC PlayStation Qatalyst Partners Roblox SalesForce.com Foundation Stryker TIAA Wells Fargo Bank Workday, Inc. Yahoo!

Annual Fund Volunteers

Paul-André Abboud

Stephanie Battle

Lynn Bentley

Jeremy Bled

Maureen Cane

Susan Collier Thomakos

Emari Dimagiba

Michael Elie

Golriz Ghassem-Ardebili

Yvette Hatton, Co-Chair

Pria Hidisyan, Board Chair Max Kozlov

Laura Kuhlemann

Isabelle Le Blanc

Angela Marlaud Mark McPherson

Paola Meta Greg Nemitz Lauren Rainey

Maria Reyes, Co-Chair Sarah Sawyer

Stephanie Sullivan

Suna Yalaz-Angell Ann Winterman

MG: Matching gifts

Please Note: Every effort has been made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, your name was in some way listed incorrectly or omitted, please accept our sincere apologies. At a convenient time, please notify Véronique Jordan at the EB Development Office at vjordan@eb.org, so that our records can be corrected.

Milan Zydow Anonymous (32)

CITIZENSHIP AWARD

At EB, we strive to honor students who seek to uphold the school’s values and who aspire to be a force of good in their community. The Middle School Citizenship Award was created in 2011 to honor a student or group of students for acts of leadership small or large, for inspiring others to higher levels of civic engagement, and for their commitment to building community.

Juniper Hedlund was the recipient of the Middle School Citizenship Award in 2022 due to her ongoing and passionate participation in her community. She served all three years on the Student Council and last year served as CoPresident. She organized Spirit Days and helped promote the Ukraine Dollar Drive during her time. She played an important role in raising money for the G8 Endowment, selling items at the Gala, and making herself available for other Endowment activities. She gave a TEDxYouth@EB talk on the use of Representation of Non-Binary Characters in works of youth fiction. She served as a role model to other students by consistently exemplifying EB values, by advocating for inclusion and cooperation and by always being an enthusiastic and positive presence in the classroom. Congratulations Juniper!

SPECIAL GIFTS

Alex Mills Memorial Fund Additional Donors

Kenneth Dunphy Philip and DaLee Mills Barbara Stone and Arturo Peres-Reyes

Mary Havemann Library Fund

Additional Donors

Richard and Heidi Hintz

Gifts in honor of…

• Florence Bacon Matthew Pech

• Abdel Hakim Bennouna-Zhar Nezha Nickerson

• Sara and Sofia Borchani Tarak and Christine Borchani

• Philippa Maya BrownLopes Kendall and Cheryl Brown

• Daisy and Hardy Cooper David Cooper

• Daniel Fisher Bonnie Chan

• Colin Hasse Ann Hasse

• Mary Havemann Roberte Rountree

• Ruhella “Rina” Hossain Nilufar Hossain

• Shahab Laal Safieh Farshadnia

• Leah Mallet Camille Winet

• Luka and Zara Marinovich Dominik and Karen Marinovich

• Glenn Parks Jane Newhard-Parks

• Ed Rogers and Julie Shackleton Jodi Nishimura

• Nikita and Chauncey Rose Angela Karran

• Ella and Siena Zaks Rust Joy Smith and David Rust

THE EB ENDOWMENT

In 2008, the graduating class and their parents created an EB tradition of presenting the school with their legacy gifts to the EB Endowment. After a challenging few years, this year’s class stepped up to the plate to make a real impact.

With Aoife Westover as the student Co-Chair of the Endowment campaign (shout out to Aoife!), our students contributed personal gifts and worked multiple events to sell cards and bags made from their own artistic photos for a grand total of $1,745! Together with gifts from their parents and grandparents, the Class of 2022 contributed an incredible $46,644 for their class gift to the EB Endowment—a new record!

A huge thank you to Emma Gimon and Pria Hidisyan for your leadership and encouragement in this record-breaking campaign. We are grateful for our community’s continued support of the EB Endowment.

Current Value of Endowment Funds*:

Silver Jubilee Endowment Fund $212,583

EB Class Gift Endowment Fund $189,162

EB Fund for Excellence $74,365

TOTAL $476,110

*As of June 30, 2022

Endowment Donors

Gaëlle Feliz Richard and Gretchen Grant

Mei-Lin Ha Byers and Wayne Byers Tanny Keeler and Kent Hodgetts

G8 Class Gift Student Donors

Divya BenDavid Nicolas Carrière Kylie Chew Hugo Despret Jules Droz Yasmin Dzankic Luc Gimon Juniper Hedlund Joshua Kaminsky Madeleine Kelly Constance Lebofsky Lucia Nakamura Zacharie SchreiberCohn Cameron Smith Henry Sullivan Echo Sutherland Luca Vargas Delphine Wadlund Aoife Westover Elliot Williams

G8 Class Gift Grandparent Donors

Eleanor Gimon Michael and Tina Meyer

G8 Class Gift Parent Donors

Antoine Carrière and Irina Wolf Carrière Jason Cohn and Camille Servan-Schreiber Setenay and Kenneth Frucht

Emma and Eric Gimon Christopher Harrelson and Sara Rahimian Gabrielle and Marc Hedlund

Pria Hidisyan and Benjamin Gold Philip Kaminsky and Lisa Materson Cécile Laurent Ronald Lebofsky and Anne Guille Yael and Yahel Perez Stephanie Profitt and Serge Kogan Gary Smith and Coline David Paul Sullivan

Stephanie Sullivan Bryon Sutherland and Patricia Hanaway Sylvie Thomas-Droz and Pierre-Yves Droz Karine and Jean-Yves Tripier Rafael and Yani Vargas Mark Westover and Barbara Galligan

EB SAYS GOODBYE!

VALERIE BISHOP

Valerie has been part of the Middle School team since 1998, educating students in the French language and in drama. She shared her passion for art at our Maker Fairs by hosting “small book” workshops, and she’s been instrumental in leading many trips to Paris. Her two children, Victoria and Adrien, both attended EB.

We don’t know what’s next for Valérie, but we are sure much of it will include spending time with her grandchild. Thank you Valérie for all these years of teaching at EB.

PATRICIA CAMACHO

We are grateful for Patricia’s dedication to her students. For 20 years, Patricia has worked to build the Middle School’s Spanish program, infusing the class with cultural connections beyond the language. Student designs were wild in her popular piñata club class, and our annual visit to the Oakland Museum for Dia de los Muertos was an important part of the 8th grade experience. Patricia, we wish you a wonderful retirement!

Brigitte started as a part-time administrative assistant at the Ecole Bilingue’s Lower School in 1991, then took on a full time position the following year. In 1997, she became interim Lower School receptionist, and subsequently was the Middle School receptionist. After approaching Andrée McGiffin, Head of School at the time, to express her interest in becoming a Teacher’s Assistant, she started working in Kindergarten in 1998. Over the years, Brigitte has fulfilled the duties of a teacher on two occasions—in 2003, she taught a kindergarten class for a full year, and more recently, during the pandemic, she was entrusted with the online teaching of two groups of preschool and kindergarten students.

Brigitte has worked under seven directors, with 18 different teachers, and hundreds of children! She is also known for her fantastic stand of antiques at the Marché and her talent for painting in her time. Lastly, Brigitte’s daughter, Chloé, attended EB starting in preschool and graduated from the 8th grade in 2004. Chère Brigitte, we wish you a great retirement! Bonne retraite !

BRIGITTE LITTLE

RENEE “COLEY” CLYDE AWARD RECIPIENTS

The Renee “Coley” Clyde Inspirational Volunteer Award was created in 2018 in memory of a special member of EB’s community, and an incredible parent volunteer.

There are so many volunteers that help bring our community together, from our amazing Room Representatives, to Annual Fund volunteers, our parent affinity group chairs, our community event organizers, and of course, all of those that dedicate time in small and big ways to EB. This year, we wanted to recognize two special parents with the Renee Coley Clyde Inspirational Volunteer Award for their incredible work supporting the EB community.

GOLRIZ GHASSEMARDEBILI joined EB in 2007 and jumped into volunteering right away. From early days as a Room Rep, Golriz brought wonderful energy to all she did at EB, including chairing World Celebrations for three years and chairing the popular First Friday Coffees for three years as well. She spent many years as an Annual Fund volunteer raising critical funds for the school and offered her home for fabulous parties auctioned at the Gala. Golriz’s warmth and welcoming nature have touched many families and we will miss her as she joins the alumni community!

CECILE COTTUS was a well-known face on campus, always ready with an easy smile. As Gala and Gourmet Week Co-Chair, she brought passion and fun to two favorite community events and served as an amazing EB ambassador on the Welcome Committee. While juggling room rep duties, offering cooking classes for kids and subbing at school, Cécile’s ever-helpful nature was a boon to our community and she never failed to bring kindness, levity and joy wherever she went. Bon retour en France Cécile !

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

At the heart of EB, you’ll find a group of dedicated parents: EB volunteers. While the first half of the school year was light on opportunities to come together, the second semester packed it in! Our PA and parent volunteers were committed to bringing our community back together this year and celebrating what we love most: our people!

Between Room Reps, the PA Board and our committee chairs, we were humbled by the efforts and hard work put forth to ensure our teachers and staff were appreciated, our Gala and Marché events were a success, our students were showcased, carpool was manned, birthdays celebrated, graduations were beautiful, and so much more.

A huge thank you to the PA Board for their leadership, commitment and dedication to the school and the community. We are grateful to have such marvelous members of the community taking on these important roles for the school!

And finally, thank you to all of our parents for a wonderful year—the level of community participation at EB is truly touching.

2021–2022 Parents’ Association

PA Officers

Anglophone Co-President Aimee Aikin

Francophone Co-President Jeremy Bled Anglophone Co-Vice President Yousef Nouri Francophone Co-Vice President Florence Zakharov

Secretary Naomi Black

Treasurer Elmas Martin

Communications Secretary Laura Schummers

Volunteer Coordinator Robin Brewer

Room Rep Coordinators: (TPS–G1) Lauren Barcelon (G2–G5) Colleen Boyle (G6–G8) Gaby Barker

Committee Chairs

Annual Fund

Yvette Hatton, Maria Reyes Gala

Stéphanie Ross, Katie Crepeau, Cécile Cottus Lynn Bentley

World Celebrations Golriz Ardebili, Amy Glaze

Diversity Chair Seyyida Saterfield Teacher/Staff Gifts

Alex LaGatta, Lauren Barcelon, Maureen Cane, Elise Gipe

First Friday Coffee Elise Gipe La Boum

Laura Guevara, Bridget Dolfi, Maria DiGiano, Alexis Tjian Teachers’ Gifts Colleen Boyle

End-of-the-Year Party Naomi Edelson, Rae Wannier, Meliza Mokrani, Robin Brewer

Volunteers at the Marché (above) and World Celebrations (right)

ROOM REPRESENTATIVES

Thank you to our numerous Room Reps who enrich our students’ experience every day!

When we imagine a day at EB, we might think of the laughter of children in the hallways, or teachers giving a lesson, but what you might not realize is the important role Room Representatives play in the classroom—helping create a sense of belonging and community. Our Room Reps do a lot of volunteer work by sending emails, helping coordinate field

trips, planning birthday celebrations, and so much more! We want to say a heartfelt thank you to our Room Reps—who even include brand new parents! We appreciate each of you, and we wouldn’t be able to connect with our families without you playing an integral role in our community. Merci !

Room Rep Coordinators

Lauren Barcelon (TPS–G1)

Colleen Boyle (G2–G5)

Gabriela Gonzalez Piñeda (G6–G8)

Stephanie Battle

Tomas Bayou

Lynn Bentley

Robin Brewer

Holly Charléty

Susan Collier Thomakos

Cécile Cottus

Jessi Croizat

Christina Daniel-Jafari

Bridget Dolfi

Julie Elie

Emma Gimon

Elise Gipe

Lieu Gorelzky

Gabrielle Hedlund

Enjay Keding

Laura Kuhlemann

Dana Marinovich

Kate Menut

Paola Meta

Kate Mikhailov

Meliza Mokrani

Celine Pallud

Adriana Parcero

André Parris

Emma Pollack

Rachel Poulain

Stephanie Profitt

Eric Rainey

Lauren Rainey

Maria del Pilar Reyes

Camille Rossi

Samira Safaie

Sarah Sawyer

Laura Schummers

Victor Shnayder

Dinara Seitova

Katie Slemmer

Emma Soichet

Caroline Steele

Amee Tsai

Annie Wolfson

Florence Zakharov

Faculty and Staff Appreciation organizers with the Head of School

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES!

Grade 8B

Grade 8E

Congratulations to our Class of 2022 heading off to high school!

Grayson Appell

Claire Beattie

Divya Ben-David

Benjamin Blair

Nicolas Carrière

Kylie Chew

Antoine Cotté

Satine Courtade-Pappalardo

Katia Davis

Hugo Despret

Jules Droz

Yasmin Dzankic

Neris Frucht

Samy Ghozael

Luc Gimon

Arek Gold

Cyrus Harrelson

Juniper Hedlund

Alexandra Jameson

Joshua Kaminsky

Madeleine Kelly

Samantha Kirk

Sasha Kogan

Constance Lebofsky

Andreas Lukan

Elliot Lurquin

Theodore Meyer

Lucia Nakamura

William Bodie Oakley

Olani Rabiu

Sufyaan Safi-Eddine

Zacharie Schreiber-Cohn

Adam Slemmer

Cameron Smith Henry Sullivan

Echo Sutherland

Emma Tripier

Luca Vargas

Aoife Westover

Elliot Williams

CHOSEN HIGH SCHOOLS

Albany High School (3)

Bentley High School (2)

Berkeley High School (15)

Bishop O’Dowd High School (3) International High School (2)

Marin Academy (1)

Maybeck High School (1)

Oakland Tech (2)

Saint Mary’s College High School (8)

France schools (3)

Class of 2018 students at an EB-sponsored dinner hosted by the Bacigalupo Lee Family.

Dorotea Bartlett

Lisette Choo

Raquel Clydesdale

Koceyla Dahmani

Evan Dastous

Elliot Deléger

Lorenzo Drilleau-Craft

Diana Garcia-Becerra

Charlotte Gaultier

Sarah Jonath

Cameron Jordan

Fuad Khabbaz

Theodore Lee Cody Levine

Marco Levine

Joaquin Maxey

Mahogany Morris

Kyler Oakley-Gibbs

Alexsander Ramirez

Anaïs Reiss

Abigale Richter

Bahia Rozan

Aceeyah Safi-Eddine

Annika Salamon

Samuel Strich

Chloé Tripier

Thomas Triponez

Natasha Wadlund

Jess Walton

CHOSEN UNIVERSITIES

Butler/IUPUI

Cal Poly Pomona

Cornish College of the Arts

CU Boulder

George Washington University

Humboldt State University

Kenyon College

Michigan Technological University

Montpellier Business School, France

New York University

Northeastern Northeastern/France

Northwestern

Pratt Film Institute

Rhode Island School of Design

San Francisco State

Santa Clara University

Tufts University

UC Berkeley

UC Davis

UC Irvine (2)

UC Los Angeles

UC San Diego

UC Santa Cruz

UH Manoa Williams College

Congratulations to our Class of 2018 heading off to college!

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT AWARDEE LAURA SPIEKERMAN

CLASS OF 2000

EB seeks to recognize and honor alumni who have distinguished themselves through significant contributions in their work and life, and who have positively impacted their communities through professional, public service and/or civic activities.

EB is pleased to award the 2022 Alumni Spotlight Award to Laura Spiekerman, class of 2000. Laura embodies EB values as she continues to build financial services and products with a sense of zeal, integrity and endeavor.

1. What did you enjoy most about your time at EB and why?

First and foremost, the teachers. I will always think fondly of people like Thierry and Odile, among many others, who gave me confidence and encouraged my learning and growth over the years. Second, growing up in a bi-cultural community gave me an early appreciation for travel and learning about other people, places, languages, cultures, and cuisines. That has shaped who I am, what I care about, and how I view the world.

2. Please describe your current work.

I’m an entrepreneur in the financial services technology space, having started my company seven years ago after several years at other startups and investing in private equity & venture capital funds. My company, Alloy, helps enable fintech (financial technology) companies and financial institutions to better manage user onboarding and identity/ compliance requirements.

3. How do you feel EB has influenced you or led you towards your choice of profession?

EB made me interested in other cultures, and that background was part of what drove me to move to Kenya a few years after college, which was when I discovered my love for building next-generation mass-market financial services and products, first in East Africa and now in the United States. I became interested in that by studying microfinance in Senegal (during college), a country I chose to spend time in because I could use my French!

4. What would you say to parents just starting out at EB?

Exposing your kids to as many cultural experiences— whether local or global—has long-lasting, positive effects. Let them access education and new experiences through something tangible and exciting (e.g. cooking) because there are many years ahead (high school and college) where your kids will mostly be head-down in books worried about their grades.

5. Describe your favorite memory from EB.

One of my favorite memories was our 7th grade Yosemite trip, visiting pitch-black caves and learning to rely on each other and our senses to get through them. It was such a fun trip!

6. Do you feel that EB adequately prepared you for life after EB? Do you feel you are a citizen of the world?

It certainly made me feel like a citizen of the world, and even now I travel to new places and feel more at home than I would without my EB experiences. I’m more

comfortable talking to new people from completely different backgrounds, as well as navigating new cities, languages, and cultures.

7. Would you consider sending your children to EB? Why?

Yes! I now have a 19-monthold son, Nico, who I am hoping goes to EB starting in 2023. I hope he loves learning languages, exploring other cultures, and develops a lifelong curiosity about the world around him. For now, I’ll settle for learning the French names of trucks! (I never thought I’d so frequently have to talk about camions de poubelles, tractopelles, etc… !)

8. Anything else you’d like to add?

Decades later, EB still feels like home to me. I will never forget so many people— administrators, teachers, and students alike—who shaped my worldview and helped raise me.

“ Exposing your kids to as many cultural experiences— whether local or global— has long-lasting, positive effects.”

BABACAR SY

CLASS OF 2020

1. What did you enjoy most about your time at EB and why?

I had some great friends at EB, and I really enjoyed the kind of diversity I experienced. There were a lot of different people, from different places in the world. Especially as I got older, I met people from Colombia and Egypt— it was just really fun to be exposed in that way. The field trips were very engaging—and got to go to places like France and Catalina Island, which was just breathtaking.

2. Please describe your current studies.

I’m currently at Alameda High School and I feel that I really lucked out on the classes. I’m able to take a few interesting classes— like Biotech and Sports Medicine. It’s great that I’m able to have fun and learn really interesting topics at the same time. I think I will be able to learn a lot this year, and who knows, I might want to become an engineer in the future!

3. What would you say to parents just starting out at EB?

The teachers are excellent. If you have younger children, I would definitely recommend the Lower School with some great teachers over there. Some of my favorite teachers of all time, like Luc De Armey, Fanny Labadie, MarieAnne Allain, Marc De Armey made school so fun. And I also loved Emmanuel Labadie at the Middle School.

4. Describe your favorite memory from EB.

One of my favorite memories from EB was running for Treasurer for Student Council in the seventh grade. I wrote my speech the night before, and I presented it to my mom and stepdad. When I spoke in front of my class, they cheered for me. It was just a very good memory and I was super happy when I won. I was also Treasurer in the eighth grade. The school didn’t give me access to the bank account, of course, since I was only 13! However, I had access to numbers, money raised and parts of the budget for the Middle School, which was very interesting as a young student. And after any important event or dance, I was responsible for counting the money, and put a note for the principal to be transferred into a bank account. Let’s say the Student Council wanted to run an event, I would have the numbers to share with the group, and let them know what was possible.

5. Do you feel that EB adequately prepared you for life after EB? Do you feel you are a citizen of the world?

We did a lot of work at EB—we had a lot of classes and had to be very organized, and in that way, it did adequately prepare me for life outside of EB. If I had gone to St. Mary’s, I would’ve been a very good student. But I learned a lot of things that I wouldn’t have learned at other schools, I believe.

I do feel like I’m a citizen of the world—because at EB you learn so much about other cultures and languages. In Middle School, not only do you learn French or English, but you also have a choice to learn Spanish or Mandarin—whichever you want to choose. I feel like I can go to any Asian, African, European, South American country, and hold my own in those spaces. Of course, I don’t know everything about every culture or country, but EB has taught me a lot about the world.

“

I do feel like I’m a citizen of the world— because at EB you learn so much about other cultures and languages.”

CÉLINE VEGA

CLASS OF 2001

What did you enjoy most about your time at EB and why?

I really enjoyed the close student-teacher relationships and one on one attention and support that the teachers give to their students. I also enjoyed the close friendships I made over the years.

2. Please describe your current work/studies.

I work in Clinical Research as a Trial Master File Specialist. The Trial Master File is a repository where all documents from a clinical trial are filed. My job is to review all documents that are submitted and ensure all documentation is present and filed in accordance to regulatory requirements and Good Clinical Practice (GCP).

3. How do you feel EB has influenced you or led you towards your choice of profession?

I’m not sure that EB has influenced my choice of profession, but it has played in important role in helping me to obtain the skillset that I have now. For example, some of my strengths—which are key to my current role—include being very organized and meticulous and also being able to meet deadlines, all of which I learned from an early age at EB.

4. What would you say to parents just starting out at EB?

The dual immersion environment is a unique experience. It may feel daunting at the beginning, especially if French is not spoken in the home, but children are resilient and will be learning all they need to in the classroom. It is also a great place to form long-lasting relations with peers and teachers.

5. Describe your favorite memory from EB.

I loved the field trip to Washington D.C. as well as the French exchange program. These are great experiences that are unique to EB and have left an impression on me.

6. Do you feel that EB adequately prepared you for life after EB? Do you feel you are a citizen of the world?

I do feel that EB adequately prepared me for life. When I transitioned to the Berkeley public school system in high school, I realized I was more prepared than my peers in many ways academically and had acquired the skills I needed to do well in any setting.

7. Would you consider sending your children to EB? Why?

I would consider sending my children to EB because I know that they will have a solid foundation which will help them in all aspects of their life and they will make solid friendships and relationships that will stay with them for many years.

“ I realized I was more prepared than my peers in many ways academically and had acquired the skills I needed to do well in any setting.”

ISABEL ROSS

CLASS OF 2017

What did you enjoy most about your time at EB and why?

One of the things that I enjoyed most about my time at EB is being a part of a tight-knit community of not only students, but of teachers, faculty, and parents as well. Having attended EB from MK all the way through 8th grade, I got the opportunity to experience firsthand the bond that students are guaranteed to form with the rest of the EB community. Having essentially grown up with my peers and having shared so many experiences with them fostered a sense of family and community that was, in so many ways, unique to EB.

Please describe your current work/ studies.

Today, I am a rising sophomore at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana studying neuroscience and political science.

How do you feel EB has influenced you or led you towards your choice of profession?

I believe that attending a bilingual school has inherently pushed me to be curious about other cultures and places, which has led me to approach all my studies with an open mind and a global perspective. Further, I plan to study abroad in France my junior year, a decision which has been heavily influenced by the fact that I went to EB.

What would you say to parents just starting out at EB?

I would tell parents whose kids are just starting out at EB to encourage their children to expose themselves to French books, movies, music, or any kind of French media. If French is not the language spoken at home, the switch from home to school can be a little jarring and having exposure to both languages outside of an academic context is important.

Describe your favorite memory from EB.

The Marché was like a wonderland for us and we were always so excited to eat crêpes, test our skill at the games, dance around to the music performances, and count our tickets in hopes of bringing home a souvenir from the craft vendors. When I got a little older, my classmates and I got to work together to organize and run the booths. The Marché created an even wider community for me to be a part of because it was not just for current students or parents or faculty; it was for anyone, which allowed me to continue going years after I graduated.

Do you feel that EB adequately prepared you for life after EB? Do you feel you are acitizen of the world?

In many ways, I believe that EB adequately prepared me for life after EB. While the education

I received at EB was still eurocentric, I am grateful that I grew up at a school that did not have a US-centric curriculum. I believe that

this bilingual education offered me so much more than just the ability to speak French; it also encouraged an open mindedness to other cultures that has been extremely vital in my current world view. In many ways I do feel like a citizen of the world, partly due to my EB education, but more so due to the timing of the political climate my generation has grown up in.

Would you consider sending your children to EB? Why?

Yes, I would consider sending my children to EB! My mom and uncle went to EB, and they both made the decision to send their children there. Though I didn’t fully understand it at the time, attending EB is such a unique and special experience, and it’s one that I would want my children to have as well. Above all, EB provided me with unmatched support from teachers and faculty and that is something that I believe sets it apart from other schools.

NIRANJAN ‘NIJI’ SABHARWAL

CLASS OF 1999

What did you enjoy most about your time at EB and why?

The diversity of the student body was something that has been really important to me. My wife and I currently live in Denver, and have a two-year-old daughter who just started school. Looking back, having exposure to such a broad diversity, including socioeconomic diversity, had an impact on my life and career choices.

Please describe your current work.

My work situation is very niche. With my wife, I co-founded AgentSync, a brokerage compliance company with the mission to help medical insurance companies ensure that they follow licensing requirements and regulatory compliance across fifty states.

I joined LinkedIn in 2010, preIPO, where I met my wife. I was managing the SalesOp team, and she was the system architect. We started (secretly) dating right away and started to work on a ton of fun projects together. My wife and I parted ways for a year, and I started working at Zenefits, a SFbased HR benefits payroll startup, and very quickly, the organization got into a ton of issues around regulatory compliance. As part of the SalesOp team, I realized that there was no real modern software that supported this unique problem and was ubiquitous to every insurance company. So, my wife and I left our companies, and used

all of our funding to help launch AgentSync. Our idea got traction, and now we are a full-blown company!

How do you feel EB has influenced you or led you towards your choice of profession?

Honestly, I feel like I didn’t choose this profession, but EB was the best possible place for me to go to school. I truly believe that your childhood education is where you cultivate your values. My EB education gave me the best opportunities possible at the end of the day. I graduated from UC Santa Barbara with an Economics Degree in 2009, which was a horrible time to find a job. Right out of college, I worked at Berkeley Stamp & Engraving Co., making $9 an hour. After a couple of months, I was recruited to work at LinkedIn through a friend of a friend—and he happened to be French!

Describe your favorite memory from EB.

The most memorable moment was that I pulled the fire alarm once. They had to march everyone out and sit everyone down.

I used to feel more like a citizen of the world, but my life is so focused on work right now. My company is U.S. based and we are going to stay that way. Before launching my company, I felt more like a citizen of the world—getting a job at LinkedIn and working out of Ireland, working on a bunch of French teams, and so on. I even had a French roommate, and from Dublin, I would take flights for 50 euros, traveling all over Europe. Had I not gone to EB, I wouldn’t have as deep of understanding of the French language and culture. My family is planning to move to France eventually, and we figured out that Nice would be a wonderful place to live!

Do you feel that EB adequately prepared you for life after EB? Do you feel you are a citizen of the world?

Would you consider sending your children to EB? Why?

If I lived in the Bay Area, I would enroll my daughter in a heartbeat.

CLARA BARTLETT

CLASS OF 2021

1. What did you enjoy most about your time at EB and why?

I was there from Preschool to Grade 8. Every section was very different. I really enjoyed Lower School—I had my best friend and one of my favorite teachers, Sylvie Le Meur for 1st and 2nd grade. Actually, in that class with Sylvie, she had an incubator with chicken eggs that we ended up raising in pairs. I still remember my partner was Maxence and my best friend’s partner was Oscar. As the eggs started to hatch, each group got to choose the chicks they wanted. I remember I had a gray one. We were able to take them outside sometimes, and we played with them! When our parents picked us up, we got to show them off too! When they got bigger, they moved to the garden. Most of them actually went to live with the gardening teacher, Jean-Marie.

Middle School was a little tough academically, but everyone was very close—we were like a small family. Even if we didn’t talk to each other or were friends all the time, we could still hold a conversation with one another. At the end of Grade 8, we were extremely close. Also, I loved the fact that we learned French, and I thought it was a pretty cool skill to know and speak French.

2. Please describe your current studies.

I’m a sophomore at College Prep currently, and most of the classes are mandatory. So this upcoming year, I’m taking Chemistry, Atlantic

Worlds, Math, and English.

I chose Dance and French as my electives. I struggled with Physics last year, since it’s pretty theoretical, so I’m looking forward to Chemistry since it feels more concrete—and maybe it will help me understand Physics better! I really love English as a year-long class, where we sit at a Harkness Table, which is a large, oval table, and we get to have some really great in-class discussions.

I’m still looking but I’m interested in some colleges, like Pratt Institute and Cornell University—which I know is a lot of work, but would love to apply! I’m still figuring out what I want to do.

3. How do you feel EB has influenced you in school?

When I arrived at College Prep, I realized that my Middle School experience was incredibly different from my friends at my new school.

I think coming from a small school and small class-size made me miss EB a little bit more when I left— since a lot of the other students went to larger public schools and private schools. I did the Counselor in Training (CIT) program for summer camp this year, and visited the Middle School not too long ago, and it was nice to revisit and feel nostalgic!

I think EB really helped me academically, but, of course, in French and in Math. At the Middle School, we had two Math classes in English and French for Geometry and Algebra. Not that I’m good at

math, but I was able to understand the introductory classes at College Prep because of the math we learned in Middle School, so that was very helpful. Of course, high school math is much more difficult than middle school math!

4. What would you say to parents just starting out at EB?

The teachers are really good and students are in very good hands!

5. Describe your favorite memory from EB.

I really loved all the trips we took at school, and especially the Catalina Island trip. The Coloma Trip was my first overnight field trip in the fourth grade, with my friends and to pan for gold was extremely fun. France was great as well—and to connect with the correspondents was an experience of its own! We spent such a long time there, and every student was paired with a correspondent too. I was actually paired with a friend at EB and a correspondent—and because of this experience, that person at EB and I became really close, and we’re still in touch.

Catalina Island was very different from the other trips, because we got to explore the beach, go kayaking with my friends and stay in cabins together.

ALUMNI NOTES

Stellios Arseniyadis (1986) has been running the Arseniyadis Lab at Queen Mary University of London. Their group is principally interested in developing new synthetic tools to attain high structural and functional complexity.

Alexis Brandon (2007) started a new job at Versace this year. Félicitations !

Clara MacLeod (2009) currently works as a Research Assistant in the Environmental Health Group at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, supporting trials evaluating the effectiveness of adding a WASH kit to standard outpatient treatment of severe acute malnutrition on recovery rates among children under five. She is also currently supporting research activities for the development of the upcoming guidelines for hand hygiene in community settings with the Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Health unit at WHO.

Johnelle Mancha (1994) owner of Mignonne Decor (now in Oakland on College Ave.), co-opened a French-inspired restaurant and bar, RendezVous, over the summer in Oakland as well!

Tommaso Mancini-Griffoli (1985) has been working as a Deputy Division Chief in the

Monetary and Capital Markets Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a number of years. His role is focused on monetary policy, central banking, fintech, and he is considered a top expert in the world of cryptocurrency.

Joshua Meyer (1984) moved to France with his family and children, Theodore (2022), Chloé (2024), and Océane (2024) over the summer!

at EB and and works at his family’s insurance brokerage firm.

Chinzalée Sonami (1999) enrolled her two children, Samten and Nyima at EB.

Adeke Obbanya (1994) has been working at the Bay Area Academy, supporting the workforce learning and organizational improvement needs of public social service agencies. She transitioned to the nonprofit world in 2013, following a 13-year career in corporate retail. During her spare time, Adeke sits on two boards working with one group to run a school in rural Tanzania and the other to organize medical and missionary trips to parts of Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Xavier Quan (1996) has two children, Mathilde and Chloe,

Lauren Schumb (2008) had her baby in Germany in 2022!

Bret Turner (1995) currently works for Lovevery, a company that creates stage-based play kits for children of all ages. Coming from a strong educational and musical background, he writes content and curriculum for the company, with a focus on early childhood development. He also has been making children’s music under the pseudonym “The Tallest Kid in the Room”—check out his music on Spotify.

Natalie Uomini (1987) is currently a Senior Scientist at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History in Jena, Germany. She is trained in cognitive science, linguistics, archaeology, and anthropology. Her latest project is Teaching in wild New Caledonian crows.

ALUMNI STAY IN TOUCH

EB ALUMNI RECONNECT

TEDxYouth: two inspiring alumni return!

Laura Spiekerman (1996), cofounder and CRO at Alloy, came back to EB for our TEDxYouth Event to speak about the imbalance of women tasked to shepherd inclusion and reform in the fintech (financial technology) sector and in the U.S. Alloy’s API enables financial services companies to better manage their digital onboarding and identity requirements, increasing conversion and reducing fraud for banks and fintechs alike.

EB

Alumni Help Out for the Summer!

Several EB alumni like Clara Bartlett (2021), Babacar Sy (2020), and Rahul Kapila (2020), came back to EB over the summer—not as learners, but as counselors! Our former students were tasked with leading our younger ones in group activities, such as art workshops, cooking projects, and guiding them on field trips. Thanks to all of you—you were a huge help!

A New Generation of EB Alumni (as Parents!)

Anna Boser (2007) a Ph.D student in data science at UC Santa Barbara shares her story of how working in Niger and on the Paradise Fire in California inspired her passion for using quantitative methods, specifically satellite data, to understand ecosystem services that humans rely on for health and wellbeing.

Dao Fousseni Jr. (2012) joins the EB Middle School Staff!

Dao joined the EB Enrichment & Athletics Department in August 2021! Dao is such a great asset to the team and knows how to engage with the Middle School kids, facilitating lively afterschool and camp programs. We are so happy to have him back, not only as a role model to our current students, but as our colleague. Merci Dao !

Though EB was founded in 1977, we have a new generation of former EB students who have their own children enrolled at EB! Are any of them your former classmates

Emily Crofton, 1999 Jessika Croizat, 1994 Hannah Lê, 1994 Mindy Longinotti, 1992 Laurent Menut, 1996 Matthew Pech, 1999 David Pruess, 1995 Xavier Quan, 1996 Raphael Rehbock, 1994 Chinzalee Sonami, 1999 Camille Winet, 1993 Nadia Zaks, 1991

Emily Crofton and Hannah Lê are also teachers at EB!

Emilie Crofton, left, teaches English in G3. Hannah Lê, right, teaches English in PS–MS and G2

ALUMNI COMMITTEE

Alumni Committee Members

Becky Andersen

Golriz Ardebili

Andrea BacigalupoLee

Julianne Balmain

Brigitte Bastrenta

Anne Brandon, Co-Chair

Pat Burns

Christine Chapon

Tina ChenChardonnet

Awatif Chirar

Danielle Clements

Steve Cook

Tamara Daney Clélia Donovan

Thierry Durandard

Luz de la Riva Fériel El Ghaoui

Fabiola Etienne Daniela Fal Marcella Fasso

Joan Finnie

Ladan Gehring

Hilary Goldman

Amy Gordon-Risz

Hülya Gürtuna

Ann Hasse

Brooke Hauch

Joyce Hemmer

Elizabeth Herzberg

Virginia Hoyt Devyani Jain

Florence Kragen Steve Levine

Vivian Lopez Nasi Maghsoudnia White Michelle Maguire

Tina Meyer Michael Morris Susan Nehme Kim Nogay Brenda Ogburn Fatima Osman

Gloria Polanski

Natalie Powell

Ritu Rai

Rick Richetta

Karma Roberts

Cottie Rood

Roberte Rountree

Marie-José Sat Vicki Schumb, CoChair Caroline Steel Joan Steele

Nathalie DuboisStringfellow Nathalie Valette Jacqueline Van Lang

Susan VinluanMorrison Priscilla Wanerus Demir Worthington Azadeh Yazdi, CoChair

Would you like to be a part of the Alumni Committee? Please reach out to alumni@eb.org.

Do you have a new email address? New school or job?

New exciting project? Visit the Alumni tab at eb.org and let us know via our “Stay in Touch” page. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, @eb_alumni, and LinkedIn!

Our Alumni Committee is a special group of people —just talk to some of them, and they’ll tell you why they love EB so much, and why they still take time to support the school.

Last year, we were able to return to some in-person events in the spring. Our Alumni Committee rallied together to continue the tradition of serving food at the G8 Graduation Dinner in the Multipurpose Room in June, where our G8 families were able to connect with one another, reminisce about their children’s journey, and reflect on their history at EB. We were also grateful to host our annual 8th Grade Parent Tribute event in person with our Alumni Committee, as a way to thank graduating G8 parents and invite them into the alumni community. In addition, because we weren’t able to properly celebrate the Class of 2020 two years ago, the Alumni Committee and EB administration organized a special reunion at the Lower School campus at the end of May. Many former EB students from this class hadn’t been back since the onset of COVID. It was a beautiful reunion, where parents, faculty, staff, and alumni laughed and connected, and we were able to properly recognize this unique alumni class as well as their recent accomplishments in high school!

Thank you to our Alumni Committee Co-chairs, Anne Brandon, Vicki Schumb and Azadeh Yzadi, for all of their guidance and support, and for continuing to lead us in 2022–2023! Thank you to Alumni Committee member, Andrea Bacigalup-Lee, for organizing the special high school reunion for the Class of 2018 in the Spring.

Alumni are great role models for current students and show a glimpse of our students’ futures. We are truly honored to have such a dedicated group of alumni parents and alumni that make our school truly a wonderful place.

IN MEMORIAM

Bernard Avril, father of Emily Avril (’96) and Julia Avril (’00), passed away in January 2022 in France, where he and his wife lived. Bernard came to the US from France when he was in his early 20s, excited to start an internship and a year abroad with his then girlfriend, Martine. Fast forward a few years, they had settled in Berkeley, with their kids attending EB, and Bernard had become an active and beloved member of the EB community. He was very involved with his daughters’ education and could be seen daily at drop off and pick up. He loved reading, theater and playing the guitar, but more than anything, he loved sharing these passions: he performed at numerous Kitchen Tours, and spent many hours building the decor for the annual auction (back in its multi-purpose-room era!). He co-created Café Tomate, which hosted many events for EB and served as a gathering spot for EB parents after drop-off. He will be remembered for his dry, sarcastic humor that spared no one. His wit, Jeopardy-style memory, and playful spirit will be missed by all those who knew him.

Bernard Avril

1009 Heinz Ave Berkeley, CA 94710

ALUMNI UPDATES

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