2023 Echo Horizon Roots and Wings Magazine

Our Authentic Selves

Magazine 2022–2023

CONTENTS 1

Letter from the Head of School

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2022–2023 Happenings

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Congratulations to the Class of 2023

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Congratulations to the Class of 2017

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Mr. Jose Figueroa — Honoring 30 Years of Service

10 A Kaleidoscope of Colors: Path to a Student-led Holi Celebration 12 The Future of Farming: Exploring Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Solutions through Aquaponics 14 Pre-K on the Move!

16 Social Media Highlights 20 Student Voice and Choice 24 Alumni Highlights/Alumni Day: Save the Date 26 FLOURISHing Minds: Nurturing Mindful, Social and Emotional Learning through Books 28 Letter from the Board Chair 29 2022–2023 Report on Philanthropy 30 Board of Trustees 31 Parent Association 32 Why We Give: A Gift of Time and Treasure 34 Letter from the Development Director 35 2022–2023 Financial Report 36 2022–2023 Annual Giving 40 Grandparents and Special Friends Day 2022 41 Spring Affaire: Moonlight in the Garden 42 Ways to Give 43 Administration 44 Echo Horizon At-A-Glance

Letter from the Head of School Peggy Procter

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ear Echo Horizon Community, It is such an honor to invite you to enjoy our 2023 Roots and Wings Magazine: Our Authentic Selves. Whether you are a present or past student or parent/guardian; a grandparent or special friend; a prospective family; or a faculty/staff member, I hope you feel joy and pride as you flip through these pages and feel the power and beauty of the Echo Horizon community. I am blessed to feel Echo’s authenticity each and every day, and for that, I am so grateful.

Authenticity means living your life according to your own values and goals, rather than those imposed upon you by others; it means being honest, true and genuine. There are so many benefits to living one’s life authentically, including higher confidence and self-esteem; lower stress; the ability to deal with problems; the ability to gain trust and respect; and the ability to realize one’s full potential. In the words of one of my favorite educators and authors, Dr. Brene Brown, from her book The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You’re Supposed to Be and Be Who You Are: “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are. Choosing authenticity means cultivating the courage to be imperfect, to set boundaries and to allow ourselves to be vulnerable; exercising the compassion that comes from knowing that we are all made of strength and struggle; and nurturing the connection and sense of belonging that can only happen when we believe that we are enough.”

Aren’t these all things that we wish for our children and grandchildren, for our future generations? To be courageous and compassionate, to feel a sense of connection and belonging?

Sincerely yours,

Peggy Procter Head of School

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May these stories of our authentic selves help you, too, to smile a little wider, laugh a little louder, and to pull that old neon pink t-shirt with your favorite saying on it out of the back of the closet! Enjoy!

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Each day that I spend at Echo Horizon makes me better and stronger, as I am surrounded by our community’s genuine and authentic young people, who remind me that being me is beautiful and that being me is exactly what I’m meant to be and exactly what the world needs. It is the gift of Echo Horizon that keeps on giving and giving, allowing me to spend my days growing and learning, being challenged and inspired, and being a lifelong learner.

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Each morning, when I greet our young scholars at carpool and the back gate, I am amazed with the display of authentic personalities that I see. Pre-K and Kindergarten students in fairy wings, tutus, rainbow socks, Pokemon onesies and Lakers jerseys. Older scholars in t-shirts inviting us to save the whales or displaying quotations by Martin Luther King. Even I often don a different vibrant headband or pair of sunglasses, my choice of accessory depending on my mood: Am I feeling like it’s a sunflower or unicorn day? Is it an awesome Pie ’N Burger Friday, when my burger hat is a must? Our students and faculty enter the building each day proud of who they are and what unique qualities they bring to the community. Their values, spirit, actions and ideals align, bringing joy and meaning to their daily lives and allowing them to take risks and try new things as they strive to reach their fullest potential.

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Mission Statement The mission of Echo Horizon School and its Echo Center is to educate children in a collaborative environment that is academically challenging and developmentally appropriate. We actively promote mutual respect, individual responsibility, and ethical action. The Echo Horizon graduate is an inquisitive and critical thinker who brings creativity, kindness, and self-reliance to the life long journey of learning.

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2022–2023 HAPPENINGS

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CONGRATU to the Classes of 2023

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Isaac Bursey Dario de los Reyes Eleanor Degen Hadley Iorillo Penelope James Ethan Kashefi Jayden Lane Jeremy LoPrete Shrey Maniar Juliana Oppenheimer Leon Pollack Phylicia Quansah Dylan Robinson Roger Scott Elysa Shapiro Kevin Urrutia Shiah Usher Axel Van Leeuween Anna Wang Elliott Wasser

We are proud of the achievements of our graduating 6th grade scholars.

The traits of an Echo Horizon graduate include resilience, kindness, confidence, having an appreciation of differences, and being a critical thinker and lifelong learner. Our graduates have been accepted at the following exceptional Los Angeles-area schools:

The Archer School for Girls The Buckley School Chadwick School Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences Harvard-Westlake School Marlborough School Milken Community School Turning Point School Wildwood School Windward School

ULATIONS We have two gifts to give our children.

One is roots, the other wings.

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The class of 2017 are spreading their wings and flying to colleges all over the United States. We are so proud of your achievements and can’t wait to see what’s next!

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*This list was accurate as of August 1, 2023 and was self-reported. If your college isn’t listed, please email updates to alumni@echohorizon.org.

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American University Barnard College Chapman University Colgate University George Washington University New York University Rhode Island School of Design Sonoma State University Spelman College University of Chicago UC Santa Cruz University of Michigan University of Southern California University of Wisconsin-Madison Vanderbilt University WashU Wesleyan University

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Madeline Altman Penelope Avildsen Rasak Ayeni Max Baker Ethan Beane Archer Berenson Sasha Bernthal Nika Breiter Lane Bynum Antonio Caballero Ava Davis-King Molly Dworkin Aerin Glaser Anabel Goode Ella Goldberg Eden Hirsch Will Junger Tanner Mahon Noah Nakayama Eli Pearl Logan Penn Skye Rawles Zachary Rosenberg Jack Samet Mason Stucker Evan Szentgyorgi Thayer Vinton

Honoring

Mr. Jose Figueroa

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Mr. Fig has been his best self for a long, long time. He is a caring, loving supporter of us and our children.

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Mr. Figueroa and his family celebrate at the 2023 Spring Affaire

Years of Service Echo Horizon knows that a school is not a school without the people in the building: students, teachers, families and staff. When we’re lucky, people come in, leave a mark and become unforgettable. In March, we had the honor of celebrating Jose Figueroa’s 30+ years of unforgettable service as school custodian in an intimate retirement ceremony.

Attendees had the opportunity to speak, share stories, and to give Mr. Fig — as he’s affectionately known around campus — their thank yous. He was surprised by his lovely wife Graciela, daughter and grandson. There were laughs, tears and cheers of celebration for this man that has meant so much to the Echo Horizon community over the years.

Watch clips from Mr. Figueroa’s retirement party

“From my start at Echo, it was very apparent how respected and admired Mr. Figueroa is.

It didn’t take me long to figure out why,” shares Alicia Camacho, Director of Marketing and Communications & Creative Strategy. Ms. Camacho has herself been with Echo Horizon for 17 years. “You built relationships. You were a calming force in manic times and reminded all of us that everything would get done. And you were a positive role model to your fellow Latinos about the passion and strong work ethic that we bring to Echo each day.”

Mr. Figueroa was also honored at our annual Spring Affaire held in April. His wonderful family, including Graciela, Natalia, Erika, Roman and Alejandra, were in attendance as our esteemed guests. Once again, Mr. Figueroa was recognized for his supreme work ethic, loyalty and dedication to the Echo Horizon community. Head of School Peggy Procter spoke to the strength of Mr. Figueroa’s service, noting, “Mr. Fig has been his best self for a long, long time. He is a caring, loving supporter of us and our children, and I imagine he has been a caring, loving supporter of his family.”

Through each year of his service and in his every interaction, Mr. Figueroa has demonstrated by example that the way we treat each other matters. Mr. Figueroa, in fact, embodies character traits that Echo Horizon School aspires to instill in each of our scholars — being kind, honest, genuine and empathetic. As Ms. Camacho notes, “He is and always will be woven into the fabric of this school.” For that, Echo Horizon couldn’t feel more grateful.

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A KALEIDOSCOPE of Colors: Path to a Student-led Holi Celebration

Watch a video about Echo’s Holi celebration on Instagram

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In the span of only two academic years, Holi celebration has become one of the most highly anticipated events of the school year. The vibrant festival was brought to Echo Horizon in 2022 by Shivani M. and Sahana D-R., two Upper Elementary School scholars. Their motivation was simple: to offer a glimpse into their cultural heritage and share the exhilaration of Holi with their friends.

Holi Festival has been celebrated since ancient times in India to welcome the start of spring, and for many it is seen as a chance to start anew. During the festivities, participants throw powder dye into the air, covering attendees in a rich array of colors, each carrying a symbolic meaning. Music, dancing and delicious traditional food accompany the colorful event. Sahana shares, “It’s a big wave of color, and all you can see is powder, and you hear people running around — it’s chaotic, but it’s special.”

“People normally wear white clothing, and it makes a pretty stain. Some people use water colors instead of powder; it’s celebrated differently,” Shivani describes.

Celebrating differences is one of the defining traits of Holi. Our scholars explain that though Holi is primarily rooted in Hindu tradition, the festival is considered inclusive, and — as is the case at Echo Horizon — has the theme of unity at its core. “There’s a whole Indian story behind Holi. Other religions in India have variations of the story, so they come and celebrate too,” says Shivani.

A conversation between Sahana and Shivani about how they each planned to celebrate Holi with their families initially sparked the idea to bring a Holi celebration to school.

Their aim was to teach about Holi through recreating it for their classmates. Sahana initially spoke to her mom about their plan, who recommended the pair talk to Head of School, Peggy Procter. Ms. Procter advised them to meet with Dr. Julia Blount, Director of Upper Elementary and Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and then 3rd grade teacher and JEDI Coordinator Liza Dewitt. Dr. Blount and Ms. DeWitt were able to provide guidance and direction to give the idea wings. Sahana and Shivani soon created educational slides and sent off their first survey to families. “[The survey] had options for food so we could get an estimate of how much and what types of food we would need. We had samosas, mango lassis and jalebi,” shares Shivani.

Parent participation also proved invaluable to organizing the event. Dr. Blount notes, “The parents of both of these amazing students helped a lot for our first year getting our food organized. This [past] year, our AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) parent affinity group also helped a lot with the food.”

In its first year, Holi celebration included 3rd–6th grade scholars and, due to its success, expanded in its second year to incorporate 1st–6th grades. “Because we had done it already, we were able to get more grades involved [in the second year] and have help from more parents.

A huge shoutout to all four of their parents who made sure we had everything we needed in the first year, as well as [4th grade student] Inka S. and her mom, who taught dance lessons both years,”says Dr. Blount.

Shivani reflects that the process of bringing Holi to Echo Horizon has helped her learn more about how to collaborate and, furthermore, reminded her why sharing Holi was important to her personally. “Holi means a lot because I grew up celebrating with my family and friends.

It’s important to see how other people and their famil[ies] celebrate their culture and who they are: the food, the dances, the languages.”

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You get the chance to put your beliefs aside and learn about another culture in a non-judgemental way. And that’s the best way to learn because you can take everything in.

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“It’s kind of like traveling,“ adds Sahana. “You get the chance to put your beliefs aside and learn about another culture in a non-judgemental way. And that’s the best way to learn because you can take everything in.”

So what does the future of Holi celebration look like at Echo Horizon School? As they enter their last year as 6th grade scholars, Sahana and Shivani are excited to see how Holi will evolve in the coming years and look forward to including ideas from others. They also invite their classmates to share holidays from their own culture with the wider Echo Horizon community. Sahana concludes, “We want to learn your culture, your religion; things we might never have gotten to learn. You would be doing us a favor to give us a glimpse into your world.”

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THE FUTURE OF FARMING: Exploring Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Solutions through Aquaponics

What is the future of farming? With dwindling resources and a growing population, how do we find an eco-friendly, sustainable solution? These are the questions presented to Ryan Young’s 5th grade science class in their Future of Farming Project, and they are up to the task of answering.

What started as a typical textbook science class lesson — growing a lima bean in a paper towel — has evolved into a real-world mission for scholars. This student-led, multifaceted unit incorporates engineering, research, experiments and labs, and it continues to expand each year.

Mr. Young describes the evolution of the project: “We started with a problem. We’re running out of water on Earth — especially fresh water — and we’re running out of space.

We started to look for better solutions using a smaller amount of space and fewer materials.” With this problem in mind, scholars set out to find solutions.

In the first iteration of the project, students worked in partner groups to brainstorm ideas for a hydroponics system. Hydroponics is the technique of growing plants using a waterbased nutrient solution instead of soil. As Mr. Young recounts, “We presented our different projects and designs and voted on the aspects that we liked. Everyone’s ideas made it into the final project.”

The Future of Farming project presented multiple opportunities for students to work together and problem-solve. Mr. Young and his students reflect on some of the challenges of the project and how they worked together to solve them. At one point, the students’ plants became infected with a fungus. As a team, they used research to identify the fungus and how to get rid of it. Once the culprit was identified, they went to work on saving their plants. “We used H202, so hydrogen peroxide. You can put it in, and it doesn’t damage the plants; it actually enhances the plants because it adds more oxygen to the water and it kills the fungus,” explains Mr. Young.

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Sixth grade scholar Roger S. shares the process and obstacles he and his partner faced: “We made our own vertical hydroponic systems. My partner and I had misters and little pots of soil, and we’d mist them throughout the day and retain all the water in a little container. And then we realized sprinklers were very expensive.” Discoveries like these would continue to guide the direction of the project. Putting their critical-thinking skills to the test, Grade 5 scholar Bella T. explains, “We came back as a class and made one big pros and cons list.” It was this analysis that led to the continuous evolution of the project.

The project’s progression doesn’t end there. After experimenting with hydroponics, the second year’s iteration used a different technique: aquaponics. When asked how the plants get their nutrients with this method, Bella explains, “Fish poop! It’s all organic nutrients that we were putting in. Basically, we had a fish tank at the bottom, and we had a device that pumped the fish poop and the water onto the plants, so that’s how it got its water and nutrients.”

Mr. Young continues, “So the first year’s design, we had to add artificial nutrients (MaxiGro) into the water so it got to the plants.

And the second year’s design used fish poop.”

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So what does the future hold for this already robust and varied learning experience? Mr. Young explains the next steps: “Phase three, we want to team up with Dr. Patterson (Echo Horizon’s Maker/STEAM Coordinator) and see if we can get some 300 gallon fish tanks and actually raise tilapia which are edible. So the next phase is not only edible plants but edible animals as well. The final step is to have a self-sustaining system: Fish, veggies, so… you’ll have lunch!”

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The next phase of the project allowed students to dive deeper and share their learning through various student jobs. Mr. Young shares: “We had a journalist group that went around and interviewed different teams in the process. We had researchers who did further research and investigation, and we had teachers that designed a Pre-K lesson teaching about

The project is ever-growing, intricate and rigorous, but for Mr. Young’s students, it’s worth it. “We’re all working toward one common goal, and that helps motivation,” Roger says.

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With the aquaponic procedure in place, students were divided into groups to conduct a range of experiments. Variables included lighting, quantities of fish and types of soil to determine the best growth conditions for their plants. “Each group was in charge of one variable of the entire mechanism. They collected the data,” says Mr. Young.

aquaponics systems.” Other groups included scientists, engineers, graphic designers and ‘DIY’ers, whose task was to describe the step-by-step process of building hydroponics and aquaponics systems at home.

A Pre-K unit on transportation is getting students on the move in more ways than one! This student-centered unit presents our youngest scholars with real-world, hands-on opportunities to relate their learning to their own lives while expanding their knowledge and understanding of transportation through history, spatial awareness, and language and literacy.

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Founding Pre-K Teacher and Mindfulness Mentor Ellis Enlow says that a key facet of engaging Pre-K students is building on what they know to help guide their learning. “The overall objective is to offer them something that is inherently interesting in their own lives — a hook — and relate their learning to something that most of them care about.”

Every year, scholars are encouraged to bring in photos, videos, stories and experiences of unique transportation they have come across. “Sometimes a child will share a photo that generates interest and further learning, such as the year a child shared a photo of a gondola ferrying them in the air across a ravine. That year, children created various pulleys to carry materials. Every year is different, as the unit reflects the interests and experiences of a given class.” Giving students this opportunity to share encourages engagement, while giving both scholars and educators the chance to learn more about each student and their family. “Connecting their classroom learning with their real-world experiences, and being able to share that learning with their families, is a beautiful jumping off point for what we specialize in at Echo Horizon — joyful, engaged learning.”

While student experiences help engage learners, another area of focus is the history of transportation, including important historical figures. “We’re looking at Black inventors or key people historically [involved] in transportation. We learn about Garrett Morgan, the inventor of the first mechanical traffic signal and how he adapted the traffic light and got a patent for the yellow light.”

“Scholars also learn about changes in transportation over time. One example is Bessie Coleman, who had to [leave] the US in the 1920s to get her pilot license as both a woman

“ and a woman of color.” The history of Bessie Coleman and her piloting of biplanes guides students to learn more about shapes and configurations as scholars practice drawing their own biplanes. Learning about Bessie Coleman and biplanes presents yet another entry point into learning about students’ families. One scholar and their family shared that a relative of theirs was also a famous biplane pilot and explorer and even brought in artifacts to share with the class!

Connecting their classroom learning with their real-world experiences, and being able to share that learning with their families, is a beautiful jumping off point for what we specialize in at Echo Horizon — joyful, engaged learning.

Another focus of this cross-curricular unit is visual and spatial awareness. Once again, children are encouraged to use their own experiences to guide and build upon their learning. “We introduce maps first by examining maps of places that hold interest for children, such as Legoland or the zoo.” Students also map out familiar areas at school, such as the play yard, their classroom, and their bedrooms, using photos of those spaces. The photos are put onto the classroom rug for students to arrange into the formations that they know. This gives students the opportunity to explore their spatial awareness of areas they are familiar with.

Next, students draw the area as they arranged it, creating their own maps.

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A particularly engaging component of this unit is the introduction of traffic signs.

“The children love learning to recognize and read the signs they see on their way to school, and parents report that their children are often excited to call out the signs they see. We also have fun using our bodies in class to act out certain traffic directions, such as what the yield sign means.”

To further engage learners and provide a true holistic experience, scholars are given opportunities to further explore through STEAM and the arts. In performing arts, students “draw movement maps, which they then dance out, moving their bodies.” In STEAM, students look at toy cars and draw their own designs, which many then build. In visual art, scholars take a field trip to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to see Metropolis II, a room-sized kinetic sculpture of vehicles and a city built in part with kids’ play materials, adding to the overall immersive learning experience. Children then come back to school and build their own version of Metropolis II, gluing and painting wood pieces and creating details, such as tracks.

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Personal experiences, family engagement and cross-curricular learning are just some of the aspects that make the transportation unit so impactful. “So much of our learning in Pre-K is integrated, weaving together multiple disciplines and domains, such as social studies, science, math and literacy; connection to home and lived experience; visual-spatial skills; body awareness; and creativity, imagination and exploration,” says Ms. Enlow.

“This holistic approach reflects the way young children experience their world. [...] It’s also very representative of the way we seamlessly meld cross-topic learning at Echo Horizon.

It’s exciting to watch the children extend their learning and initiate experiences that build on what we’ve learned, whether it’s in our dramatic play center, using drawing or writing tools to make signs in our writing center, or creating constructions with our building materials — it’s a rich and integrated unit.”

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SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS Social media is just one of the many ways we engage with the Echo Horizon community. We’ve rounded up some of our highest performing and favorite posts of 2022–2023 that demonstrate the authentic stories of our scholars and teachers.

Remember, it’s never too late to comment, like, share or repost! Follow us on social media and never miss a post! @echohorizonschool Top Performing Post

@echohorizonschool @echohorizon

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GRADUATION

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deelightful_productions Congrats to all the graduates!! jakewillens7480 great work and amazing speeches! tamaraumansky Congratulations !!!

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We congratulate our dear #Classof2023 on their #graduation day. Your speeches made us laugh, cry and brought us together as a community. As you spread your wings and fly to middle school, always remember how much we love you. You are officially #EchoHorizonAlumni! #rootsandwings

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TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

This week, we extended our deepest gratitude to every #EchoHorizonSchool teacher and staff member for all they do to support our students and families. There is no doubt that Echo Horizon has the kindest, most caring, engaging and inspiring faculty and staff around!

Faculty and staff enjoyed a variety of treats all week long to celebrate #TeacherAppreciationWeek from coffee and treats from @cafecalle to delicious #zoeysyogurt to an assortment of all things health and wellness courtesy of the Advancement Team to smoothie creations by @PulpPours2. We capped off the week with yummy tacos served by the cutest taco truck around town (shoutout to @tacodelvalle) brought to us by our wonderful Parent Association!

PRIDE DAY

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Happy #PrideMonth! The #EchoHorizonSchool #StudentAdvisoryBoard celebrated its final Special Spirit Day of the year by taking our annual #PrideDay photo. The students also organized a #rainbow lemonade sale to support a local organization that supports #LGBTQIA+ youth and their families. #justice #equity #diversity #inclusion

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johnsonjr.evelyn So cool Echo Horizon stooshy So so beautiful

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BUDDIES PROGRAM

Yesterday, Kindergarten and 6th grade Buddies read together in the library. Meaningful relationships, like the ones cultivated between some of our youngest #community members and our eldest #scholars, create a greater sense of belonging and shared responsibility for one another. #echohorizonschool

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lynn.sons So proud of my Kindergarten granddaughter aportnof The buddy program is so special!!! The little

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echohorizonschool @aportnof Thank you! We think

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Happy #InternationalCochlearImplantDay. Listen to some of our #EchoHorizon #EchoCenter #scholars discuss their #cochlearimplants. We are so proud of John for his bravery in filming this video. #joyful #engaged #learning johnsonjr.evelyn staceyvincent14

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🖤🖤🖤thank you!!!

Well done boys!!! 👏👏 😘♥

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mrs1garcia Wow amazing John we are so blessed to have you as parents ️

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learned a lot and want to wish you and all our friends a Happy #internationalcochlearimplantday

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getempowered Goooo John! Thank you for this video. We

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sharonschin Great job, John and Rhys!!!

COCHLEAR IMPLANT DAY

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lilia24g Felicidades Sobrino John eres un niño muy inteligente, muy amado y muy bendecido Felicidades ️

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EDUCATOR’S BLOG

If you haven’t checked out our new Educators’ Blog, it is now LIVE on our website! This blog allows our educators to share their educational philosophies and passion for their work at Echo Horizon.

Julia Blount, Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and Upper Elementary, has written the first entry. In her article, Julia reflects on Echo Horizon students, her own research and experiences, and the benefits of engaging in conversations about difference.

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FIELD DAY

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Field Day 2023 at Syd Kronenthal Park was one for the books! All grades had the chance to engage in physical activity, practice sportsmanship and bond with their peers, all while having a great time outdoors as a whole school community! Our fun-filled day included sack races, obstacle courses, cup stacking, water relays and a variety of other games. Older #scholars participated in a multigrade obstacle course collaboration, while our younger students were paired with partners in another grade level throughout their activities.

Take a look at this quick video to get a glimpse of the work being done in our JEDI Program. Click the link below to view the full video and read Julia’s article, “When You Know Better, You Do Better” on our Educators’ Blog! https://www.echohorizon.org/educatorsblog #echohorizonschool #JEDI #DEI #community #inclusion #diversity #blogpost #educators #culvercity

Shoutout to our Parent Association, who sponsored today’s Festive Food Truck , and thank you to all involved for making it a memorable day! #echohorizonschool

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EARTH DAY

Last Friday was #EarthDay2023! We celebrated at recess with themed games highlighting ways to protect and celebrate our planet, such as the recycling relay and sticks and stones tic-tac-toe! #scholars also documented our community’s choices for ecofriendly transportation on our special Earth Day bulletin board.

Grades 3–6 scholars enjoyed a read-aloud with visiting author Brian Selznick, who discussed his upcoming book Big Tree, which tells the story about a kind of hope that can be found in nature.

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COASTAL CLEANUP DAY

This past Saturday, we participated in #CoastalCleanupDay and, in partnership with #CulverCity, hosted a #BallonaCreek #cleanup site at Syd Kronenthal Park. Thank you to all of our #families, #faculty, #staff and #community members that showed up to #volunteer and made this project an absolute success. Scroll through to the last photo to see just how much trash we collected, and check out our Instagram and Twitter for more photos! #EchoHorizonSchool #coastalcleanupday2022 #coastalcleanup Culver City Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department

Our 4th-grader, Julian, has spearheaded an appreciation project for our Facilities team with his classmates. He conducted interviews with our Facilities team (Jose, Mayra and Miguel) to learn what they do and what they love most about working at Echo.

He then took his findings and shared them with his classmates.

This photo was taken at an appreciation lunch where Julian presented Jose, Mayra and Miguel with thank-you cards and certificates for chores the 4th graders have all agreed to do to show their support and appreciation for our Facilities team.

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Wow, what a wonderful project!!!

And So great seeing you Jose!!!!!!!

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What a thoughtful project!

It’s great to see Jose! ️

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Anita Melnick

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APPRECIATION PROJECT

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We’re #grateful for our #amazing students, faculty and staff. #echohorizonschool #grateful #gratitude #appreciation #community

STUDENT VOICE

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At Echo Horizon School, student agency lies at the core of our identity. Our teachers collaborate closely with students, helping them transform their ideas into meaningful actions that not only enrich our school community but also contribute to a better world. We recently had the privilege of speaking with three remarkable scholars, each of whom shared their inspiring journey of turning their individual passions into tangible realities.

AND CHOICE JAI

LEMONADE STAND

Sometimes the best ideas come to us during our unstructured downtime. Such was the case for aspiring entrepreneur Jai W. when he came up with the idea of starting the AfterSchool Lemonade Stand class in the spring of 2021. Then a fourth grader, Jai wanted to start a lemonade stand outside his house but lacked the ingredients and manpower he needed to get started. He decided then and there to pitch his idea to Head of School Peggy Procter.

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There hadn’t been a real war in my lifetime, and I was wondering what it was about and what people do to help.

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“I asked my mom how to pitch it, and she said to make a slide deck. She helped me with my grammar and [helped] to make it more intriguing. I worked on my plan every day after school,” Jai shares.

After speaking with Ms. Procter, Jai presented his revised outline to Dr. Julia Blount (Director of Upper Elementary) and Michaela Summers, who runs Echo Horizon School’s AfterSchool Enrichment Program. Jai’s slides were sent out to teachers, and 5th grade teacher Kevin Sundin and then 4th grade DHH teacher Laura Rojas volunteered to help support the class.

With buy-in from key adult players, the Lemonade Stand Club was officially born!

Learn more about Echo’s Lemonade Stand class

After recruiting his fellow classmates to join in, the Lemonade Stand class’s first official task was marketing and advertising. “We made posters [and] decks on Canva and hung those up around the school. Ms. Rojas helped a lot,“ Jai shares. The scholars also explored budgeting and product development, handed out samples and created research questions to gauge feedback.

For Jai, who comes from an international family, it was important that the money the class raised go to charity. “My mom made me think more globally instead of just inside LA or the country. On the way to school, my dad puts on NPR, and the only thing that was on was about Covid or the war [in Ukraine]. I got interested because there hadn’t been a real war in my lifetime, and I was wondering what it was about and what people do to help.”

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Jai feels determination is key when starting up a new project and reminds fellow scholars to look to family for guidance. “Work on it every day, don’t lose your focus and just keep going. And talk to your parents because they can help a lot,” he says.

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More than a year since starting the ASEC class at the time of this interview, Jai reflects that through developing the Lemonade Stand class from the ground up, he is learning to lead. “With my classmates and people younger than me, I am working on learning to take charge a bit more and how to communicate my ideas to others,” he says.

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Mr. Sundin asked scholars to consider which charity they wanted to support and how they planned to fund it. Jai quickly realized that one of the best ways to help Ukraine and others in need was to fund charities. “My dad told me UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) was an all-around charity that helped a lot of communities. I looked on their website and saw they actually did help in Ukraine. We donated $250 to Syria and $250 to UNIFEF for the Ukrainian war in total.”

Read more about Echo’s Women’s Rights Group

LUCERNE

WOMEN’S RIGHTS GROUP

“If not me, then who? If not now, then when?” This famous quote attributed to Jewish religious leader Hillel the Elder springs to mind when imagining the thoughts swirling around scholar Lucerne C.’s head when we asked what made her want to found Echo Horizon School’s first Women’s Rights Group (WRG).

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“There are many things I had seen before [that made me want to form the group]. One of them is that at Target, I don’t see any cards for girls that are blue, and it makes me really angry because blue is my favorite color.”

After talking with her mom about how to proceed, Lucerne — then in 2nd grade — connected with Lower Elementary School Director Jennie Willens. The aspiring activist and Ms. Willens created a plan including when the Women’s Rights Group would meet, how they would invite others to join, how they would share their work with others and, of course, why the work of taking action against social injustice was important.

In its second year, the WRG met every other week and while, according to Lucerne, they “mostly talk about raising awareness and putting ourselves in other people’s shoes,” the group also focuses on community engagement. In its founding year, the WRG group researched organizations that support women in Los Angeles and connected with the Downtown Women’s

Center, an organization that helps unhoused women transitioning out of homelessness. Lucerne pitched to 3rd grade to get involved, and with the help of her classmates, she was able to pack 100 lunches for the Downtown Women’s Center!

During Women’s History Month 2023, Lucerne saw an opportunity to share WRG initiatives with Echo’s wider community of scholars and teachers during the weekly Friday assembly.

The group decided to create and share a video about lesser-known women from history, inspired by the theme of storytelling. Lucerne also organized a panel of Echo women to answer questions from the audience. “I was thinking, everybody who has a fun thing to share has an assembly, so why don’t I share my idea? I remembered all the amazing women at Echo Horizon and thought that we could have other kids ask questions.”

Ms. Willens shares that the 2023–2024 schedule will incorporate a Club block in grades 3–6, which means that the Echo WRG can expand. Club block will allow dedicated time for scholars to explore their interests and to be supported.

“Ms. Blount and I wanted to see [Club block] on the schedule because of what Lucerne has started,” Ms. WIllens says.

“She’s inspired other people to take the things they’re interested in and get others involved.”

“I think it’ll be really good for sixth graders because they’re the top grade. I want everyone to be [able to be] a part of it,” adds Lucerne.

SAGE

CREATIVE THEATER CLASS

Sage S. was only in 2nd grade when the lightbulb went off to pen a script about a young girl and her magical cat. The following spring, Sage — then a 3rd grade scholar — established her directorial debut in the Echo Horizon Auditorium with her original play: “Goldie and Sunshine’s Big Adventure in Cat Paradise.”

Sage is known around Echo Horizon School for her bold and unique point of view. It didn’t come as a surprise to Ms. Willens when Sage approached her with an idea for a play. “The thing that helped her get started writing was her love for acting and theater,” shares Ms. Willens, who was instrumental in brainstorming how to push Sage’s vision forward. “But Sage is a brilliant storyteller — she has a lot of ideas.”

“I knew I wanted [the play to be about] a girl and her cat, and I wanted there to be a fairytale part of it,” Sage shares. The plot follows a young girl named Goldie and her cat Sunshine as they journey from the human world to a place where cats are in charge and dogs bring big trouble. Goldie and Sunshine meet many characters along the way as they protect Cat Paradise from the evil dogs and their leader!

Sage and Ms. Willens landed on proposing to bring a creative theater class to Echo Horizon’s AfterSchool Enrichment Program. As was the case with the Lemonade Stand class, in addition to logistics, they had to consider how to promote the class to other scholars. They decided on shooting a creative promotional video with Sage introducing the play. The video was shared at a Friday assembly and online for others to register. The response was overwhelmingly positive. “It went Echo viral!” says Ms. Willens.

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Ms. Willens reflects that the experience was truly memorable for her, capturing the authentic experience we hope to provide all Echo Horizon scholars: “There are these moments in your career as an educator where you get to be a part of something with a student. I’ve been doing this for over 20 years, and I will never forget this. Sage took a huge risk — we’re all about that here at Echo Horizon — this is a safe place where we say, ‘take a risk and we’ve got you.’”

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As a director, Sage had the opportunity to practice creative problem solving, adaptability and, ultimately, resilience. Although the young artist in the making can’t name one favorite thing about the process, Sage enjoyed being in the position to run the show and felt grateful to the group of performers. “I loved actually being on stage and being able to say, ‘Ok, I like this — we are doing this. We can change this part, but we can’t change this part.’ I also want to say thank you to all the kids who were involved.”

Find out more about “Goldie and Sunshine’s Big Adventure in Cat Paradise”

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A group of 10 joined the AfterSchool class and met once per week to practice with Ms. Willens — a former theater teacher herself — between January and March of 2023, with the performance held in the spring. One student served as the dedicated lighting technician, with help from Ms. Summers. The group also designed their own props and set.

Alumni Highlights

Haley Brooks Class of 2006

Haley Brooks came to Echo Horizon School as a student first.

After attending Windward School and Washington University — and collecting some unique experiences along the way — Haley came back to Echo Horizon as the 5th and 6th grade math teacher. Now five years later, in addition to teaching 6th grade math, Haley is switching gears and is joining the Admissions team — helping new young scholars begin their own journey of lifelong learning.

The Brooks family did not take the traditional route to join the Echo Horizon community. “After looking at all the [school] options [including Echo Horizon], my parents decided on a public school originally, but there was a roadblock. My parents came back to Echo to see if there was any chance I could join the incoming class. From the beginning, they had loved that Echo was a warm and welcoming community that stood out from other private schools. Echo made room for me, even though it was already a full class. Three years later, my sister joined the Echo Horizon family.”

Haley found a lot in her time at Echo Horizon that inspired her to become a teacher. In particular, she fondly recalls her 4th grade teacher, Mr. Call. “He had his own way of doing things that got us excited about learning. He would dress up in different outfits depending on what we were learning about, and we would play games and participate in different simulations.

One of my favorites was when we went to the park to pretend we were explorers during the Gold Rush. I had always loved school and learn[ing], but was still working on being comfortable thinking outside of the box. Mr. Call not only taught me how to dip my toes into this way of thinking but, in fact, encouraged it.”

Also leading Haley down the path toward becoming an educator were experiences she had during her college years — and she believes her days at Echo Horizon played a part in her perspective. Haley explains, “I wrote an honor’s thesis in the education department inspired by my time studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa, as well as by my work in St. Louis public schools. While my research and work in these environments definitely kickstarted this project, my time at Echo set the stage. As I worked and researched, I couldn’t help but think about my own educational roots and how lucky I was to have had such a strong foundation.”

Haley loves being a teacher at Echo Horizon, but felt ready for a new challenge within the community. “Having gone to Echo as a student and having taught here [too], I feel like I am in a great position to tell Echo’s story because I’ve lived it in multiple ways. The Echo experience is one that sticks with a kid for the rest of their life. Ages 5–12 are incredibly formative years, so Echo has a huge responsibility in terms of shaping its students. I truly feel like I am the woman I am today because of the lessons in compassion, diligence, effort and kindness that I learned as a child at Echo, and I am so excited to share that with prospective families.”

Save the Date!

Echo-chella Alumni Day June 3, 2024

Raquel Wolens Class of 2011

Echo Horizon’s own 1st grade teacher Raquel Wolens studied education and social activism at the University of Michigan.

However, when she was younger — not much older than her students, in fact — she was a scholar herself at Echo Horizon, just as two of her older siblings had been. The experience her siblings had at Echo prepared her for the warm, welcoming environment she entered when she joined the school community at age eight.

Though she has countless fond memories of her time at Echo Horizon, one memory stands out to Raquel in particular. “A favorite memory that comes to mind is from a 5th grade science unit our class was doing on kinetic and potential energy.

Our project was building roller coasters, and we were told we were going to a museum on a field trip to learn more about how roller coasters are made. Halfway through the bus ride to the ‘museum,’ our teachers told us we were going to Six Flags! This is such a clear memory of making learning fun and exciting, and it has always stuck with me.”

Not only did her time at Echo as a student leave her with many memorable and advantageous experiences, it also inspired her to seek a career in education — in hopes of one day returning to Echo Horizon in a new role. “I always knew I wanted to work with kids and be in the classroom. When I went into education, I always felt like I would one day end up at Echo Horizon.

Our mission and values have always aligned so strongly with my personal and professional philosophies.”

More than anything else, Raquel looks back on her time as a student at Echo Horizon as truly special. She was delighted to have friends from Echo join her at Windward. And the connections didn’t stop at middle school or high school. Raquel states, “What I did not expect was reconnecting with so many Echo friends later in life when I moved back to LA. It is so special spending time around my Echo friends getting to share memories and stories.”

The legacy of Echo Horizon for all its graduates is clear and meaningful to Raquel — and it’s a legacy she hopes to pass on to her students. “An Echo Horizon graduate knows what it means to value and respect others, to see and hear various opinions, and to lead with kindness.”

Echo Horizon also prepared her for her middle and high school years at Windward School. Raquel remembers, “I loved how in 5th and 6th grade, you start to switch classes and have different teachers for different subjects. I remember this really prepared me for middle school, as I had always been used to having one homeroom teacher prior to that!”

Calling all talented alumni!

Are you in a band, DJ, sing, or play an instrument and want to be considered to perform at Echo-chella? Contact us!

To receive information for alumni events, update your contact information, or to share your stories, contact alumni@echohorizon.org or visit www.echohorizon.org/alumni.

FLOURISHing Minds: Nurturing Mindful, Social, and Emotional Learning through Books At Echo Horizon School, our FLOURISH Program is an integral part of our school curriculum, fostering harmonious interaction among students and promoting the values of Leading to Wise Effort, Ethical Action and Community Well-Being. We take pride in integrating books in our curriculum that celebrate justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. These books serve as powerful tools to nurture mindful, social and emotional learning in our school community. We hope our scholars look forward to reading these titles in the coming years.

A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington

The Colors of Us

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By Karen Katz (Pre-K)

Echo Horizon’s youngest scholars — our Pre-K students — truly enjoy reading The Colors of Us by Karen Katz. In this story, 7-year-old Lena believes that “brown is brown.” When she goes on a walk around the neighborhood with her mother, however, she notices that brown is not just one shade — it’s many. In the end, she is able to blend colors together to paint portraits of all her neighborhood friends, representing all their beautiful skin colors.

by Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders (1st grade)

Change Sings

by Amanda Gorman (Kindergarten) Amanda Gorman captured the nation’s attention when she read a poem at President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021. Echo Horizon’s Kindergarten scholars read the book Change Sings as part of their Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration. Illustrated by Loren Lang, Change Sings is an anthem written for children about the changes they can make in the world around them — regardless of their age, gender or race.

In A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington by Carol Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders, collage-style illustrations by Byron McCray accompany the story about Bayard Rustin, the gay Black man who organized the famous March on Washington in 1963. This was the March where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.

I Am Enough

by Grace Byers (2nd grade)

For Echo Horizon’s second graders, I am Enough by Grace Byers, with illustrations

by Keturah A. Bobo, opens up conversations about race and ethnicity and how we treat each other. Using lyrical rhymes, readers are reminded that they are enough exactly how they are. The text urges readers to treat each other with respect and kindness, just how they’d expect others to treat them.

A Handful of Stars

by Cynthia Lord (3rd grade)

Know Your Rights!: A Modern Kid’s Guide to the American Constitution

by Laura Barcella

& From the Desk of Zoe Washington

by Janae Marks (5th Grade)

Our 5th grade scholars work with a pair of texts as they begin to study and understand the US legal system and government.

First up is Know Your Rights! A Modern Kid’s Guide to the American Constitution

by Laura Barcella, in which students learn about the history of the US Constitution and how it’s relevant in today’s world.

Alongside Know Your Rights!, students also read From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks. Zoe is a 12-year-old who has never met her father. He’s in prison for a serious crime. When he writes to her and declares his innocence, Zoe learns about the inequality of the criminal justice system and works to prove her father’s innocence.

El Deafo by CeCe Bell (4th grade)

Front Desk

by Kelly Yang (6th Grade)

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Immigration is an important topic in Los Angeles and in our country. Sixth grade scholars learn more about this issue when reading Front Desk by Kelly Yang. Based on Yang’s own experience as an immigrant in the 1980s and 1990s, this book introduces Mia Tang. Mia’s family has moved to the US from China, and life is a struggle. With determination, however, Mia’s family perseveres. Though it deals with issues such as hardship, poverty and racism, Yang infuses her story with humor and hope, inspiring young readers as they identify and see themselves in Mia and her friends.

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Fourth grade Echo Center scholars love reading El Deafo by CeCe Bell, a graphic memoir in which the author recalls starting at a new school as a student who uses a “Phonic Ear” to hear her teacher.

At her old school, everyone was deaf, but at her new school, CeCe’s classmates are hearing — and CeCe feels different. She soon discovers, however, that her Phonic Ear helps her hear her teacher everywhere, not just in the classroom. CeCe becomes El Deafo, Listener for All. She learns, though, that she must use her powers in the right way to gain what she truly wants — a friend.

A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord is a powerful novel about prejudice, friendship, loss and love. When Lily Dumont’s blind dog, Lucky, runs away, Salma Santiago is the one who catches him. Salma is the daughter of migrant workers who are in town for the blueberry-picking season.

Lily and Salma become fast friends, but when Salma decides to run in the Blueberry Queen pageant, the girls have to face tough truths about friendship and belonging.

Letter from the Board Chair Peter Scott

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ne of the joys of being a member of Echo Horizon’s Board of Trustees is that it

provides the opportunity to see in detail how truly fortunate our school community is.

We are lucky to have a Head of School and leadership team who pour their intellect and energy into every detail of running Echo Horizon. We are privileged to have teachers and staff who connect so deeply with our students, helping them realize their full potential both academically and personally. And we are humbled to have a community of parents, grandparents and friends who donate their time and money so generously (including, I should point out, our faculty and staff, who year after year choose to take some of their own salary and donate it back to the school as part of the Echo Horizon Fund).

We’re able to invest these gifts into the school in a myriad of ways. Sometimes the benefits are immediately apparent, like when we get new equipment for our playground or laptop computers for our classrooms. Other times the benefits are part of longer term investments, like upgrades we’ll be making to our facilities over the next several years or new curricular programs our teachers will be inspired to introduce after attending a conference or educational workshops. Like many of the best things in life, these opportunities for our school and our students exist because of the collective effort and generosity of our community.

As Echo Horizon gets ready to celebrate its 40th Anniversary, I find myself thinking ahead to the next generation of kids that will roam our hallways, explore our maker-space or dress up as a famous historical figure in 3rd grade. Those kids — many of whom are not even born yet — will also be the beneficiaries of your generosity. Years after your own children have graduated, the effects of your philanthropy will endure. The parents, students and teachers who were part of Echo Horizon over these past 40 years helped create the school we all know and love today. On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, thank you for ensuring that the next 40 years will continue to see our school soar to new heights.

With Gratitude,

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Peter Scott Board Chair

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Like many of the best things in life, these opportunities for our school and our students exist because of the collective effort and generosity of our community.

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2022–2023 Report on Philanthropy With the continuous support of the Echo Horizon community, educators are able to nurture their journey of lifelong learning and attend these professional development opportunities — vital to staying up to date on best practices to equip our faculty and staff with the tools they need to bring Echo Horizon students an innovative and engaging educational experience.

LETRS​ — Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling Training and Certification (online) AISAP​ — Association of Independent School Admission Professionals Annual Institute, La Jolla, CA ISEEN​ — Summer Classroom Teacher’s Institute, Boulder, CO AG Bell Global Listening and Spoken Language Virtual Symposium (online) Responsive Classroom​— Elementary Core Four Day Course, online, Seattle, New York, Los Angeles CAPE — California Athletics Physical Education Workshop, San Luis Obispo, CA Buck Institution for Education PBL — Project Based Learning World Conference, Napa Valley, CA Singapore Math Teaching Institute, Chatsworth, CA Mindful Schools​— Mindful Fundamentals (online) Exec Functioning and Social-Emotional Learning, Los Angeles, CA PILAglobal​ — Canyon Nest or Nest Norte School Summer Community Building, Tijuana, MX NAIS/PoCC​ — People of Color Conference, Student Diversity Leadership Conference, San Antonio, TX The Reading and Writing Project​— An Institute on Poetry, Columbia University, NY Teaching Artist Training at the Music Center, Los Angeles, CA Luna Dance Institute​— Early Childhood Dance and Science (online) Luna Dance Institute​— Early Childhood Dance and Social-Emotional Learning (online) TAB​ — Teaching Artistic Behavior Summer Institute (online)

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CITE​ — Google Accreditation and Certification, Long Beach, CA

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NAIS/CASE Independent Schools Conference, New York City, NY

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Fearless Communicators Public Speaking Coaching Company (online)

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Board of Trustees

Top row: Tom Chang, Jason Kaplan, Jeena Quansah, David Stone, Ziad Toubassy Middle row: Gillian Nalibotsky, Maria Pathria, Eric Lorenzini, Michelle Martinez Bottom row: Ken Nakayama, Peter Scott, Peggy Procter, Josh Oppenheimer Not pictured: Sharon Tal Yguado, Dawn Barrett, Anne Enna, Bruno Lambertini, John P. Roberts, Robert Thun

Chair

Peter Scott

Gillian Nalibotsky

Dawn Barrett Tom Chang Anne Enna Bruno Lambertini Eric Lorenzini Maria Pathria Jeena Quansah John P. Roberts David Stone Robert Thun

Vice Presidents

Parent Association President

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Vice Chair

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Trustees

Ken Nakayama

Treasurer

Jason Kaplan

Secretary

Josh Oppenheimer Ziad Toubassy Sharon Tal Yguado

Michelle Martinez

Trustee Emeritus William Luxford M.D.

Parent Association PARENT ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP Presidents

Michelle Martinez Kerri Stoughton-Jackson

Vice-Presidents

Kristin McDuffie Karina Patel Angie Winslow (Echo Center)

Secretary

Leslie Wootton

Treasurer Jay Carson

COMMITTEE CHAIRS All School Fun Day

Chair: Sara Adelman Jr. Chair: Karen Hutchison

Art Committee

Chair: Nathalie Talango

Athletics Committee

Chair: Kerry Green Jr. Chairs: Philip and Jeena Quansah

Book Fair Committee

Chairs: Johanna Appel and Tamara Umansky Jr. Chairs: Kerry Green and Valerie Washburn

Festive Food Truck Committee Chairs: Karina Patel and Liz Marks Jr. Chair: Natalie Moreland

Community Outreach Committee Chairs: Heather Kun and Sharon Lee Jr. Chair: Annie Armstrong Miyao

Grandparents and Special Friends Day Committee

Chairs: Elisha Levin and Melissa Robertson Jr. Chair: Valerie Washburn

Popsicles on the Yard Committee Chair: Kerry Green Jr. Chair: Karina Patel

School Photo Committee Chair: Nancy Shapiro Jr. Chair: Samantha Lombardo

Special Events Committee Chair: Kerry Green Jr. Chairs: Sharon Chin Lee and Angela Arnold

Spirit Wear Committee Chair: Samantha Lombardo Jr. Chair: Valerie Washburn

Parent Players Committee

Chairs: Johanna Appel and LeShay Boyce

Kindergarten Callie Bloem Sharon Chin Lee Megan Cozad

First Grade

Mary Beth Bray Jay Carson Ashlee Lynn Hansen Felicia Zigman

Second Grade Rachel Liu Rachael Rosales Tamara Umansky

Third Grade

Annie Armstrong Miyao Buzzy Cohen Melissa Robertson

Fourth Grade

Allison Cobar Samantha Lombardo Valerie Washburn

Fifth Grade

Johanna Appel Natalie Moreland Ziad Toubassy

Sixth Grade

Emily Fox Kerry Green Liz Marks Jeena Quansah

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Chairs: Jonathan and Wendy Lane Jr. Chairs: Chris Ewing and Meg Cozad

Lost and Found Committee

Diana Diller Ryann Karp

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Halloween Carnival Committee

Chairs: Philip and Jeena Quansah Jr. Chairs: Elisha Levin and Jeni Stone

Pre-K

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Chair: Sharon Chin Lee Jr. Chair: Diana Diller

JEDI Committee

ROOM PARENTS

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Green Committee:

Chair: Valerie Washburn Jr. Chair: Emily Nichols

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Chairs: Kerri Stoughton-Jackson and Sharon Chin Lee

Hot Lunch Committee

WHY WE Two Echo Horizon families reflect on what giving means to them and share how they hope their giving will inspire future generations of Echo Horizon families.

The Appel Family

Why did you choose Echo Horizon for your family?

After we toured Echo Horizon, we knew it was the perfect school for our family. We were drawn in by the warmth we felt from school leadership, the parent volunteers and impressed by the confidence of the students who greeted us. As a family with a deaf daughter who wears cochlear implants to listen and communicate, we couldn’t think of a better place for her or her hearing sister to be than Echo Horizon. We knew that a school with inclusion and empathy at its heart would help shape our daughters into kind, thoughtful and insightful young individuals.

What motivated you to get more involved?

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The parent community was so inviting; we wanted to be a part of it. Once you volunteer and you get to know the families, students, faculty and staff, you see why the school is so special. Once you work a burger truck day and experience the delight you’ve brought to the kids, it’s impossible to not want to do more.

What is your family’s favorite Echo Horizon tradition and why?

This is a hard one! As a family, one of our favorite traditions has to be the buddy program. For the new Pre-K and K kids, there is nothing better than having a 5th or 6th grader to look out for you. They connect with reading time, crafting, playing games and sharing their interests. For the 5th and 6th graders, it’s exciting for them to be leaders and role models for the younger students. My rising 6th grader spoke so much about the experience and loved getting to connect with the youngest Echo scholars.

A Gift of

At Echo, we strive to foster healthy empathetic leaders who will make a lasting impact on the world. What do you hope the lasting impact of Echo will be on your children?

From the beginning of their journey, Echo scholars learn to be great advocates for themselves and others. We especially attribute this to the Echo Center and the way it seamlessly builds in understanding and empathy while communicating with others. We believe these communication and advocacy skills will help our daughters become active, confident decision makers in their communities who make sure all voices are heard.

Your family has done everything from DJing the Halloween Carnival to volunteering as the PA president. What motivates you to continue to give your time?

We believe in Echo and its educational mission and know certain events, traditions and even hot lunch can’t happen without parent volunteers. We feel so fortunate we are able to give our time to make sure there’s fun, food and connection with our fellow Echo families. It’s also a delight seeing your kids at school while they are still excited to see you! We know with middle school right around the corner for our eldest, that won’t always be the case!

How does the act of giving to Echo Horizon benefit both the donor and the community?

When we give to Echo Horizon, we know it goes to supporting top-notch teachers and leadership in training and workshops that bring innovative teaching strategies to all students.

What would you share with families who are thinking of joining Echo Horizon?

When you join Echo Horizon, you’re joining more than just a school. It’s a community where you will learn and grow as parents as your child learns and grows as a student. Our daughters are thriving thanks to amazing teachers and passionate leadership, and we have made lifelong friends with other Echo Horizon parents.

GIVE

Time and Treasure Why did you choose Echo Horizon School for your family?

We chose Echo because we were looking for a small school that would be supportive and a loving “home away from home” for our son. Jordan needed a school that was small and structured that would provide him with a traditional education but could also cater to his creative side. We were looking for a school that would be flexible with their teaching approach based on each student’s individual learning style and personality traits. A bonus has been the rich diversity in faculty, student body and curriculum, which provides Jordan with a cultural education that is very advanced for his age.

Your family has been so involved during your time at Echo Horizon from hosting donor events to performing in the annual parent performance for our Spring Affaire to taking the major step of sitting on the Board of Trustees.

What motivates you to continue to give your time, treasure and talent to Echo Horizon?

When you see your child excited to go to school every morning, feeling confident in who they are as a student and as an individual, this makes us so happy. It inspires us to give back, which gives so much back to every student. It takes a village to raise a child, and Echo Horizon has done an incredible job in helping us build a strong foundation in our son’s sense of self. We try to enhance the parent community by participating in the parent performance during the Spring Affaire, which is such a fun creative outlet, and planning off-campus events. Jason serves on the Board of Trustees so he can contribute his finance skills to serve Echo.

How would you like your time at Echo Horizon to be remembered?

The Kaplan Family

We would like to be remembered as contributing to the continued growth of the school.

Sometimes, we feel Echo is a little hidden secret, and we would like more people to know about this amazing school in our community.

How does the act of giving to Echo Horizon benefit both the donor and the community?

We want to pay it forward for future Echo Horizon generations. Providing more resources to the school and teachers is a win for everyone.

What is your family’s favorite Echo Horizon tradition and why?

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Jordan will stay a confident, thoughtful, sensitive, empathetic and open-minded leader. Hopefully, the magic dust will continue to surround him long after Echo Horizon, throughout high school and beyond.

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At Echo Horizon, we strive to foster healthy empathetic leaders who will make a lasting impact on the world.

What do you hope the lasting impact of Echo Horizon will be on your children?

Scan here to pay it forward

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We love the School Halloween Carnival because it’s such a fun way to celebrate Halloween with the community. Also, Echo Horizon’s makerspace and STEAM space projects led

by Dr. Patterson are such a special time for Jordan to build and use his creative tools.

Letter from the Development Director Lisa Sorrentino

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lthough I find it hard to believe, the 2022–23 school year marks my eighth year as a member of the Echo Horizon community. As my son started kindergarten in 2015, I started volunteering as a room parent and library helper. The next year, I joined the Strategic Planning team and, the following, the Parent Association leadership. By the time he started 4th grade, I had “officially” joined the Advancement Team, leading the Development office. I often joke that I fell in deeper with every step I took, but it’s true. As a touring prospective parent, I immediately noticed Echo Horizon’s authentic and dedicated school community, and throughout my time here, I’ve watched that community’s commitment grow. When I look around every day and see so many people sharing their time, talent and treasure so generously, I know my family made the right choice in choosing Echo Horizon School.

2022–2023 felt particularly special, starting with the First Day of School Welcome Social hosted by the Parents Association. A feeling of joy and anticipation radiated across the front lawn. We toasted the new school year with coffee cups and croissants.

And it was a great year.

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Advancement Mission Statement

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• Our Parent Association Leadership and team of Room Parents worked tirelessly to preserve beloved school and classroom traditions and build and support new ones.

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• Our community of parents chaired over 20 committees supporting school events, admissions, athletics, our library and many other day-to-day activities (special thanks to the Hot Lunch and Lost and Found committees, whose work is never done!).

The mission of the Echo Horizon School Advancement team is founded upon the idea that our best work is done together. Working collaboratively, the Advancement team is in service to the mission of the school and the strategic plan. We help each family find a place at Echo Horizon and build a lasting culture of inclusion, engagement and generosity. Through our storytelling we celebrate the joy, success and journey of our Echo Horizon community.

• Our Board of Trustees — with 60 cumulative years of service and on top of the leadership and service they give our school every year — saw us through both a neighborhood Community Use and a California Association of Independent Schools Accreditation process.

• Our entire community has helped our Echo Horizon Fund grow each year in total donations and participation. Impressively, this year, three classes achieved 100 percent giving, showcasing the unwavering support of our families. To the Classes of 2023, 2025 and 2026, thank you!

• Our ever-growing team of grandparents supported us like never before, including record-breaking giving levels and a sold-out Grandparents and Special Friends Day. • Our Annual Spring Affaire was another sell-out event featuring a spirited Art Auction, an amazing parent performance and a Fund A Need dedicated to faculty and staff professional development that easily cleared our goal!

• Our inaugural Rockin’ BBQ, hosted and organized by trustee Jason Kaplan, his wife Alison, and their son Jordan (Class of 2026) in their beautiful backyard, was another soldout event, and we all got to dance and sing along with Jennie Willens, our Director of Lower Elementary, and her band.

• But perhaps my favorite moment was our annual Movie Night, hosted by our 6th graders.

Not only was this another sold-out event, but our 6th grade class raised a record amount of money for displaced Ukrainian families, proving that they are committed to authenticity, generosity and dedication.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to each one of you for your unwavering support this year, instrumental in our growth and success. Thank you for everything you do for our community.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Lisa Sorrentino Development Director and Parent Engagement Coordinator

2022–2023 FINANCIAL REPORT

TOTAL INCOME

87.89% TUITION AND FEES 7.94% FUNDRAISING 4.17% INVESTMENTS

FACILITY 9.5% FINANCIAL AID 11.40% PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS 18.19% R O O T S

COMPENSATION 60.91%

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TOTAL EXPENDITURES

2022–2023 ANNUAL GIVING

Hero

Guardian

Angel

Thomas Gallagher GP

Christopher and Krystal Abernethy Elizabeth Metzger and Daniel Attanasio Richard and Jessica Bina Elisha Levin and Buzzy Cohen 5 Anne Enna Heather Kun and Christopher Iorillo 5 Angela Arnold and D.J. Jacobs Andre and Laura James Peggy Procter and John Johnston 5 A F/S Patricia Fajer Camus and Bruno Lambertini 5 A Michelle Martinez and Corey LoPrete 5 Varun and Maria Thelma Pathria Lara Azzopardi and Chase Robinson 5 Emily Fox and Peter Scott 5 Aron and Judy Shapiro GP David and Jennifer Stone Robert and Jola Thun 5 A Ian and Valerie Washburn Joshua and Sharon Yguado 5

Eric and Johanna Appel 5 Akeem and Tracey Ayeni 5 A Amy Cooper and Samuel Baum 5 Leslie Wootton and Alycia Degen 5 Lynn Marsh and Sparky Campanella Mireille Jacobson and Tom Chang 5 Larry and Allison Cobar 5 Samuel and Stephanie Dekin Joanne Yoon and Heriberto Diaz Manami Ae and Abraham Fischer Jane Yen and George Ho 5 Tamara Umansky and Boaz Lev-Ari 5 Greg and Samantha Lombardo 5 George and Vera Nazzal 5 Philip and Allison Strina 5 Simon and Irene Thrush Ziad Toubassy 5 Hyeon-Ju Rho and Alex Wang Kerry Green and Chad Wasser 5

$50,000 and up

Visionary

$25,000–$49,000 Morris and Shila Hazan GP

Benefactor

$15,000–$24,999

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Jason and Alison Kaplan Rachel Liu and Ryan Lu

Champion

$10,000–$14,999 Charlotte Hughes and Christopher Combs 5 A Howard and Nancy Shapiro

SYMBOL KEY:

GP = grandparent A = Alumni 5 = 5 or more years of giving F/S = Faculty/Staff

$5,000–$9,999

$2,500–$4,999

Friend

$500–$999

Believer

Patron

Dawn Barrett Ram and Vani Dandillaya 5 Nancy Dunbar GP Pauline Wu and Carlos Fua 5 Oliver Hajdu A Matthew and Ashlee Lynn Hansen Stephanie Northen and Michael Harbour Paul and Pat Juarez GP Stephanie Jackson and Carter Lassy Michelle Dean and Eric Lorenzini Liz Marks Nehal and Karina Patel Matt and Aliana Segal Cody Dashiell-Earp and Alexander Schwed Cynthia Park and Brian Young Natalie Moreland and Kyle Zanocco

Roger Bridges and Caroline Hong-Bridges Harvey and Claudette Brown 5 FS Maria Padua and Eduardo Garcia Talia and Avrom Gart Paras and Payal Maniar Madhuri Inamdar and Ramana Muthyala Joshua and Lucy Oppenheimer 5 Arika Portnof Jane Hwangbo and Craig Rosenblatt A Megha Sata and Nihar Shah 5 Saundra Sparks 5 FS Sarah Treem 5

$1,500–$2,499

$1,000–$1,499

Sarah Brody and Seth Barney Esther Aronson and Michael Blackburn Joseph and Alison Bonn Chris and Mary Beth Bray Kendall Woolridge Brooks and Louis Brooks 5 Ruth Milway and James Bursey 5 Jay and Carly Carson Jennifer Blum and Adam Cotsen 5 A Ana Cruz and Raul De la Barrera Julia Mosel and Matthew Dente Jeremy and Diana Diller Karen Hutchison and Nigel Dookhoo Nathalie Talango and Jesus Garcia Grant and Lise Goeckner Jon and Suzie Hiller Kelly Ku and Jeffrey Hwang 5 Tim and Ryann Karp Mehran and Marjan Kashefi 5 Rittu Kumar 5 Jonathan and Wendy Lane 5 Jason and Leah Lehmbeck 5 David and Meghan Licata Tejas and Tehran Mehta Allyson Pimentel and Pedro Noguera Paul and Cecil Slye Jeron and Jessica Smith Sarah Ball and Kerri Stoughton-Jackson Kristin Juarez and Rafael Tapias Robert Wasserman Michael and Jennifer Young Felicia Zigman

ANNUAL GIVING (CONT.)

Supporter up to $499

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Joan Abrams Rachael Rosales and Carlos Alvarez 5 Paolina Amadio FS Meg Baltazar 5 FS Julia Blount FS Haley Brooks 5 FS A Alicia Camacho 5 FS Silvia Barcellos and Leandro Carvalho Miguel and Mayra Castellanos FS Amanda Salangsang and Meg Cozad Farah Chery and John Davenport RaShaan Davis FS Mary Leigh Cherry and Tony de los Reyes Liza DeWitt FS David and Bijal Desai-Ramirez Lindsay Dunn and Tony Dodds Cam Do and Viet Duong Brian and Amanda Egan 5 Dana Season and Adam Ellison Ellis Enlow 5 FS Callie Bloem and Chris Ewing Francisco Felix 5 FS Brenda Gonzalez 5 Christine Kim and Kevin Gruenberg 5 Julie Hall Angie Winslow and Danny Klein 5 Courtney Abrams Lee and Faizi Lee Sharon Chin Lee and Harrison Lee 5 Vince and Ann Lee Natalie Levy FS Yuan Liu and Dechen Lin

SYMBOL KEY:

GP = grandparent A = Alumni 5 = 5 or more years of giving F/S = Faculty/Staff

Sandra Martinez 5 Jennifer Mascolo 5 FS A Gretchen Mars Mingo and Josh Mingo Andre and Annie Miyao Kirstin McDuffie Jason and Betsy Nolte Casey and Jennifer O’Brien 5 Yuezhou Hou and Jonathan Ouyang Philip and Jeena Quansah 5 Carmie Rehor Kristen Reyna 5 FS

Jake and Rachel Robards A 5 Dee and Melissa Robertson Laura Rojas FS Adrien Rabago Schmidt and Jonathan Schmidt Benjamin and Hellena Shahrabani David and Lisa Shmayevich Krishan Singh Jaymi Smith Maya Smith 5 Lisa Sorrentino 5 FS A Alex Sowa 5 FS Sara Adelman and Jeremy Stoller 5 Lori Zukerman and Tom Strouse 5 A Michaela Summers 5 FS Annie DiMascio and Adam Tessitore 5 Katherine Don and Daniel Touff Jennifer Chi and David Tran Sheryl Udell 5 FS Minal Patel and Omi Vaidya Sara and Damon Van Leeuwen Jake and Jennie Willens FS Jason and Tichuan Williams Lindsay Wilson FS Pooja Bhagat and Hugh Wright 5

Foundations and Corporations Capital Group Chiqui Social Joseph Drown Foundation Dunbar Giving Fund Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation The Morris and Shila Hazan Charitable Fund A.H. and Helen L. Weiss Foundation

LIFETIME OF GIVING CUMULATIVE GIVING FROM 2009–PRESENT We would also like to recognize donors who have made Echo Horizon School a philanthropic priority over an extended period of time. Sustained giving is the bedrock of our continued growth. Our heartfelt thanks goes to the following:

$400,000 and up:

Anonymous Charlotte Hughes and Christopher Combs The Garland Foundation Nancy and Jonathan Glaser Pamela and Peter Kelly

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Capital Group Companies, Inc. Leslye Schwartz and Robert Goldberg Deirdre Roffoni and Anthony Graham Michelle Weiss and Zak Penn Shonda Rhimes

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$100,000 to $199,999

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Thomas Gallagher Carol Landsberg Jeffrey and Madeleine Moskowitz Lori Shiotani and Ken Nakayama

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$200,000 to $399,999

Grandparents and Special Friends Day 2022 We were incredibly grateful to open our doors again and welcome our students’ Grandparents and Special Friends onto our campus to celebrate our joyful, engaged learning community. The day included classroom activities, presentations from the Lower School and Upper School Directors, Jennie Willens and Julia Blount, and student-led campus tours. We left for Fall Break with our hearts full of gratitude!

Thank you so much to everyone who attended the event, our dedicated faculty and staff, and our hardworking planning committee.

Grandparents and Special Friends Day Committee Sharon Chin Lee Ryann Karp Michelle Martinez Karina Patel Jeni Stone Kerri Stoughton-Jackson

And special thanks to our Echo Horizon School Map Designer, fourth grader Isabelle S.

Save the Date!

Grandparents and Special Friends Day 2023!

Friday, November 17th

Feel free to contact Development Director, Lisa Sorrentino, at lsorretino@echohorizon.org.

Scan QR code to view highlights from Grandparents and Special Friends Day

Spring Affaire: Moonlight in the Garden Nearly our entire Echo Horizon community came out to celebrate this year’s Spring Affaire: Moonlight in the Garden at Tiato Kitchen + Cafe in Santa Monica. It was an evening to remember, filled with singing, dancing, laughter, a thrilling student art auction, a goodbye tribute to our retiring custodian, Mr. Jose Figueroa, and a dance floor that wouldn’t quit… all the magic that happens when our community comes together! Thank you so much to all of the event’s sponsors, the Echo Horizon Parent Players and our amazing Event Planning Committee.

Sponsors:

Greg and Samantha Lombardo Sarah Treem Mireille Jacobson and Tom Chang Michelle Martinez and Corey LoPrete Lori Shiotani and Ken Nakayama Varun and Maria Pathria Matt and Aliana Segal Ian and Valerie Washburn Avrom and Talia Gart Emily Fox and Peter Scott Michael and Jennifer Young Richard and Jessica Bina Larry and Allison Cobar Leslie Wootton and Alycia Degen Anne Enna Heather Kun and Chris Iorillo Tim and Ryann Karp Meghan and David Licata Michelle Dean and Eric Lorenzini George and Vera Nazzal Josh and Lucy Oppenheimer Ziad Toubassy

Event Planning Committee: Angela Arnold Jay Carson Megan Cozad Emily Fox Kerry Green Sharon Lee Rachel Liu Michelle Martinez Kirstin McDuffie Ruth Milway Aluna Mingo Karina Patel Kerri Stoughton-Jackson

Echo Horizon Parent Players: Johanna Appel LeShay Boyce Kendall Brooks Meg Cozad Bijal Desai-Ramirez Diana Diller Allison Kaplan Sharon Lee Boaz Lev-Ari Rachel Liu Gretchen Mingo Jennifer O’Brien Casey O’Brien Ama Thomas Aaron Thomas Rochelle Thrush Ziad Toubassy Jennifer Young

And DJ Josh Mingo

Save the Date!

Spring Affaire 2024!

Saturday, April 20th

Feel free to contact Development Director, Lisa Sorrentino, at lsorretino@echohorizon.org.

WAYS TO GIVE Attend Events

Matching Gifts

Volunteer Your Time

Make a Pledge or Recurring Gift

Donate Online

Come In Person

Make a plan to attend our annual Spring Affaire, All School Fun Day, Grandparents and Special Friends Day, and other events throughout the year — it’s a great way to build community and make new friends!

View the school calendar in the Echo Horizon Parent Portal, as well as check out event details in the weekly Tuesday Bulletin.

Visit www.echohorizon.org/giving to make your annual contribution to our Echo Horizon Fund.

Via Snail Mail

In addition, there are many ways to share your time and talent with our Echo Horizon community! Email our Parent Association leadership at pa@echohorizon.org for more information.

Drop by the Development Office and share your thoughts and ideas with our Development Director, Lisa Sorrentino.

Mail your check or correspondence to Echo Horizon School, attention Development Office.

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Visit www.echohorizon.org/pledge to make your plan to give online.

Many employers offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple your donation to Echo Horizon School! Contact your HR department to see if your company participates. Reach out to our Development Office if you need guidance with this process.

If you are interested in learning more about any of these ways to give, please contact Development Director Lisa Sorrentino at lsorrentino@echohorizon.org or call the Development Office at (310) 838-2442.

ADMINISTRATION

Back Row L–R: Jennifer Mascolo, RaShaan M. Davis, Alicia Camacho Front Row L–R: Saundra Sparks, Dr. Julia Blount, Meg Baltazar, Peggy Procter, Jennie Willens

Director of Teaching and Learning Meg Baltazar

Director of Upper Elementary and Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Dr. Julia Blount

Director of Marketing and Communications & Creative Strategy Alicia Camacho

Director of Admissions and Community Engagement RaShaan M. Davis

Director of the Echo Center Head of School

Saundra Sparks Jennie Willens

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Director of Lower Elementary

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Chief Financial Officer

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For the 2022 Halloween Carnival, our authentic leadership team dressed as our Burger Truck pals for their annual group costume.

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Peggy Procter

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Jennifer Mascolo

ECHO HORIZON AT A GLANCE Enrollment:

180 Grades:

us an cM M 30 : 34 tion Loca

Pre-K–6 School Hours: 8:30 AM–3:00 PM (Mon-Thurs) 8:30 AM–2:00 PM (Friday) Morning care and AfterSchool Program available

Founded in

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City , CA

90232

Our students come from different zip codes within Los Angeles County

15%

of our students are deaf or hard-of-hearing

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1983

Accreditation: California Association of Independent Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Av en u

Student-to-Teacher Ratio:

Pre-K: 8:1 K: 10:1 1–6: 12:1

40%

of our students identify as people of color

Written and edited by Yvette Ferrari, Alicia Camacho and Ruth Calkins Contributors The Appel Family Julia Blount Haley Brooks Alicia Camacho The Kaplan Family Peggy Procter Lisa Sorrentino Peter Scott Jennie Willens Raquel Wolens Cover Art Photography by Shlomit Bard — Studio SLB Photography These photos were taken at our graduation ceremony that took place at Echo Horizon School on June 8, 2023, to celebrate the academic achievements of our Class of 2023.

This pursuit prepares scholars for matriculation to top independent schools and graduates healthy, empathetic leaders who positively impact the world.

The authenticity of our students’ emotions and character shines on stage as their friends, families and educators applaud their heartfelt speeches. Class of 2023 graduate Phylicia Quansah and Echo Horizon teacher — as well as Class of 2006 alumni — Haley Brooks are celebrating Phylicia’s journey from an Echo Horizon Pre-K scholar to Marlborough’s newest student this fall.

Photography Shlomit Bard — Studio SLB Photography Alicia Camacho Yvette Ferrari Eduardo Lainez — Lainez Photography Echo Horizon community Design and Printing Ryan Corey Colornet Press

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The Annual Report reflects gifts made to Echo Horizon School between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information contained in this report. If you find a discrepancy, we sincerely apologize and ask that you bring it to our attention. Please email communications@echohorizon.org.

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Annual Giving Lisa Sorrentino

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Financials Saunda Sparks

3430 McManus Avenue Culver City, CA 90232-7407 T: 310-838-2442 TTY: 310-202-7201 echohorizon.org