Eton School Connect: Journeying Along

Journeying Through the Pandemic and Beyond

The COVID pandemic changed everything.

In 2019, everyone and every organization had plans for the future. All those plans were grounded on our previous experiences and our assumptions about what the future holds in store. In early 2020, the rapid spread of a new coronavirus upended all those assumptions and the plans based on them. How we went about our work, how we lived our personal lives, and how we interacted with others all changed. Challenges we didn’t know existed became important factors in making decisions. We all learned terms new to most of us, such as supply chain, social distancing, contact tracing, and self-quarantine. There were also opportunities that presented themselves during the pandemic. Some learned new skills or produced amazing works of art, literature, music, or scientific thought.

For some organizations, such as Eton School, the pandemic challenged us to rethink and adapt the way in which we deliver on our mission. As a group, we worked very hard to ensure an Eton education would still provide real value for the tuition dollars spent by families. Overall, it appears we were successful. The number of inquiries from prospective families increased each year, and our applications are at an all-time high.

Now, in the aftermath of the pandemic, we take the time to celebrate the ways in which we were successful and challenge ourselves to improve what we do. No matter how well we confronted the challenges of the pandemic, there are undoubtedly opportunities for us to improve. In some cases, the pandemic gave us an opportunity to reconsider our day-to-day work and the systems and procedures we had taken for granted as an accepted practice. In other cases, the pandemic gave us an opportunity to discover new—and sometimes more effective—ways to approach our work.

In this issue of Connect, you will discover some of the ways in which we are transitioning out of the COVID pandemic. In some instances, we are eagerly returning to traditions and the opportunities for interpersonal connections. In others, we are embracing new and innovative approaches in an effort to constantly improve as an educational institution and community. I hope you enjoy the journey!

Russell Smith, Head of School

Journeying Along

2 Journeying Out of the Pandemic: A Reflection by Sonja

6 IslandWood: A Pathway to New Experiences

8 NatureBridge: The Students' Classroom

26 Congratulations Eton Alum: 2022 High School Graduates!

IBC College Essay: Encouragement that Stuck by Anna Rowell, Alum 2019

IBC Calling All Alums and Alum Families

Journeying Out of the Pandemic: A Reflection

by Sonja Everson, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management

This past September, I had an interesting conversation with a prospective family during my first campus tour of the school year. It started with them asking, “What would you say have been the major takeaways from the school’s experiences during the pandemic?” To be honest, the question threw me a little. As we emerge from the dizzying pace of pandemic lockdowns and pivots, it feels like such a luxury to have the space and time to reflect on the past few years, what was challenging and how we’ve grown. I thought for a second about how to answer.

When thinking back to the early days of the pandemic, the tumult is easy to identify by simply looking at the drop in enrollment from 2019 to 2020. Our admissions office was peppered with terms like homeschooling and pandemic pods during the first year. The fear and uncertainty people felt were real and justified; all families did the best they could. To support the families who stayed enrolled for the 2020 school year, we leaned into what we know most, deep in our Montessori roots: choice

is an empowering force. Teachers worked tirelessly to offer families the choice between in-person and remote learning. Upon reflection, to say it was challenging for our staff is a major understatement. Despite the stress felt by everyone, we didn’t suffer from the same level of turnover that other schools and industries experienced. In a crisis, it can be grounding to have a common purpose. We all rallied around supporting each other and, most importantly, supporting our students.

As time moved on and local schools continued with remote-only schooling, word spread about our program and the choice being given to families. The admissions office began to field an unusually large number of inquiries. Most of my conversations with families fell into a similar pattern; for the first time, families were given a front-row seat to their child’s education, and the one-size-fits-all approach made them wonder, “Is there a different way?” We still were not hosting visitors on campus, so families patiently attended virtual tours and

information sessions. While it was incredibly difficult to translate “that feeling” you get when you observe our classrooms in action, our program that focuses so strongly on balancing academic, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth really resonated with families. In addition, an unintended benefit of meeting in a virtual space was that I could meet with families across the globe, from Japan to California, to Uganda.

Despite the strong demand and new global reach, we made the important decision to slowly increase enrollment back to our regular level. Even during this 2022-2023 school year, as things start to feel more “normal,” we have purposely reduced the capacity of our Pre-elementary classrooms. We recognize the pandemic will have lasting effects on children and families, and their need for support will remain increased for an unknown amount of time. Again, we are guided by Montessori philosophy, recognizing that each child has unique needs that change over time

depending on their unique development and circumstances. Our program is designed to adapt, which is exactly what we did, and will always do, to support our students and families.

I turned to the family who posed the pandemic question and answered: the main takeaway from our experiences these past two years is how powerful and unifying it is to be able to fully lean into a mission that is rooted in the philosophy of Montessori education and centered around and adaptable to the needs of each child. We have emerged from this pandemic stronger as an institution and more firmly dedicated to our program that so thoughtfully blends joy and excellence in an environment that raises curious, confident, and empathetic human beings, something this world will need when we face the next global crisis. ❧

“Our program is designed to adapt, which is exactly what we did, and will always do, to support our students and families.”

Journeying Forward

by Kris Meyer Gaskins, Assistant Head of School

Life is a series of many journeys. Some are long, taking place over many months, years, or decades, and some are short, taking place over a couple of hours, days, or weeks. At Eton School, as many schools experienced, COVID created a different type of journey. The COVID Journey for schools was one where faculty, staff, and administrators had to pivot quickly to reach students and families. Many yearly traditions and activities had to be put on hold or reinvented for a virtual platform. Isolation ruled the day as students, faculty, staff, and administrators did not mix even in our small school.

Moving into the 2022-2023 Academic Year, it felt important to start revisiting the Eton School yearly journeys that focus on community. Students in Grades 4–8 participated in Fall Outdoor Education Camps at NatureBridge, IslandWood, and Mount Rainier Institute. At these camps, not only did they experience science education out in nature, but more importantly, they began to build their communities as they bonded over shared adventures.

We are happy to bring back the Una Voce all-school choir concert, the school musicals in Grades 1-3 and 4-6, and the play in Grades 7- 8 this year. All these activities are essential to a student’s journey through Eton School. Virtual presentations, although the only option for the last few years, are nothing like the real thing. Performing in a venue on stage in front of family, friends, and peers is often a turning point in students’ developmental journeys. Students find confidence not seen before. They experience collaboration in its truest sense as every single part adds to the experience.

Community celebrations are also on the menu as we journey forth. The World of Eton was a lovely experience in September. On November 17, families

“We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are part of the universe and are connected with each other to form one whole unity.”

gathered for the all-school Una Voce (One Voice) choir concert. Montessori Moments in Pre-elementary and Lower Elementary happened in November and December. Many of you have already attended the scheduled PAGES Coffees and we hope more will attend the ones still ahead. Classrooms at the different grade levels are going on Field Trips or hosting assemblies. The faculty is also excited to participate in cross-grade level activities once again. A bit of this collaboration started last spring, but now, everyone feels more comfortable bringing more students together. The Eton School Board of Trustees are back for their annual tour of the school as well. They love visiting classrooms to get a feel for daily life at Eton.

Throughout every journey, we learn new things about ourselves, others, and the world. Over the past few years, we realized how much we missed building community through meaningful, in-person events. We look forward to seeing our entire community gather back on campus as we journey forward. ❧

–Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential

Upper Elementary: Grades 4-5

IslandWood: A Pathway to New Experiences

This year, our overnight outdoor education program resumed after a hiatus due to the pandemic. Our fourthand fifth-grade students went to beautiful IslandWood: A School in the Woods on Bainbridge Island. For some students, this was their first overnight experience away from home and for all, it was a first time at IslandWood.

During their stay, the days were filled with science experiments, hiking, team-building courses, and connecting with each other and the natural world around them. The natural setting of IslandWood inspired them to try new experiences and sometimes even new foods. As they followed courses led by instructors, they learned, developed, and enhanced their team and leadership skills. Respect naturally flowed as they bonded with each other and the nature around them.

When it became time to leave the natural beauty of IslandWood, they had bittersweet feelings. They were sad to leave behind their wonderful experiences, but also joyful to return home and back to class. They now

felt a little more grown-up than when they started and recognized that they were an essential part of their peer community. Most of all, the students realized they had successfully navigated their time away from home and were open to new experiences.

Back home and in the classroom, the students were ready to face new challenges, as they had successfully done during their IslandWood stay. They developed the skills to be stewards at school and in their communities. They share the role of leader and collaborator—for themselves, each other, and the greater community. ❧

Follow the child, they will show you what they need to do, what they need to develop in themselves and what area they need to be challenged in.

–Maria Montessori

Middle School: Grade 6

NatureBridge: The Students' Classroom

Eton School embraces the opportunities for learning in and about the natural world in which each of us is a part. Each fall, our sixth-grade students usually travel to NatureBridge, an outdoor education program in the Olympic Peninsula. Usually the trip would be their third outdoor education experience, but the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the trips.

Fortunately, this year, the rainforests, mountains, and lakes of NatureBridge were once again our students' classroom. The week provided many experiments, team-building exercises, and discussions of environmental issues and regional history. The teachers who accompanied the students and camp staff had their specialties, bringing another layer to their experiences and learning. The students showed and shared their passion and energy to help shape new experiences and explorations for everyone.

Day 1: Excitement and Exploration

The air was charged with excitement and nervousness as our sixth-grade students boarded a chartered bus heading to NatureBridge. They spent the first day playing new games, exploring the camp and lakeshore, and developing their own rules and expectations. Eventually, they returned to their cabin excited for what the next day would bring and quickly fell asleep.

Day 2: Introduction to Water and Skits

Everyone headed to the beach where they learned about river ecology, the water cycle, the Lake Crescent watershed, and the communication of pollution in bodies of water. They practiced water safety just before getting into a beautiful Klallam Tribe-style canoe to explore Lake Crescent and to operate echo depth sounders to measure the underwater topography. The evening brought a Klallam folk tale and time to reflect upon the role of stories in building a sense of belonging to a community. They then applied their knowledge and talents to writing and producing skits.

Day 3: Power of Water

The students played a few games and then moved to a classroom to explore the "Power of Water" and erosion. Everyone enjoyed creating villages, dams, culverts, and more along the rivers drawn in the sand. Once the rivers started flowing, they witnessed what erosion does, how villages flooded, and changes in the river beds. Next, they used several science instruments to study the pH, turbidity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen of Lake Crescent. After lunch, the group started the traditional hike to Marymere Falls while looking at the plant life along the way. The day ended with a night hike where students learned about the Grey-Horned Owl. Before heading to bed, they went to the lakeshore and practiced mindfulness with a much-anticipated rock concert.

Day 4: Beach Day and Night Dance

On their last full day at camp, the students participated in team-building challenges before getting into a van for an hour's drive to Second Beach on the Olympic Peninsula's coast. The students hiked through the breathtaking old-growth rainforest, stopping many times for hands-on experiences identifying flora, fauna, and fungi. Arriving at the beach, each one went off to explore the edge of the surf and tidal pools for discoveries of sea anemones, barnacles, small mussels, sand fleas, and more. Back at camp for the last evening, everyone gathered around a campfire to create and perform skits about their experiences at NatureBridge. The day closed with a dance party and sleep.

Day 5: Returning Home

On the last day at camp, students went on one final short adventure before loading up. As they boarded the bus back to school, they said goodbye to the staff. For five days, nature had been their classroom, and they loved it, but now on the road, their minds quickly turned to seeing their families again and sleeping in their own beds. ❧

Mt. Rainier Institute: Hiking, Pikas and More, Oh My!

Middle School: Grades 7-8

The tradition of having seventh- and eighth-grade students attend the Mount Rainier Institute in Eatonville, Washington, returned this year. The Pack Forest is a working forest, with science and research being constant endeavors, along with the sustainable planting and harvesting of trees and many opportunities for recreation and learning. During their stay, learning revolved around the forest with flora, fauna, carbon sequestration, fire science and more.

After arriving on their first day at camp, the students headed out for their first (of which would become many) hikes in Pack Forest before enjoying dinner and heading to the cabins for a much-needed sleep.

The second day took the students back to the old-growth forest. One group started examining how much carbon can be captured by trees. They took tree core samples during the day and then began analyzing and processing the data in the evening. The other group explored how vulnerable a given section of forest is to fires. They measured duff and other debris on the forest floor and recorded the kinds, number, and health of the trees, along with a few additional factors. They also began compiling and debriefing their results in the evening before heading to the cabins for some sleep.

On their third day, the students went to Bench Lake and Snow Lake on Mt. Rainier. This trip was special as it was the first time any Eton students had gone there and also a first for Mount Rainier Institute, as they had not taken any groups there before. The students had just the right amount of hiking (demonstrated by

the ratio of smiles to grumbles to despair to awestruck eyes). They took in the varied colors of plant life, the glacial water, the hot sun tempered by cool shade, the beautiful vistas, and the peak of Mt. Rainier that sprung above in the background. They were also on the lookout for pikas, half mouse, half rabbit, half hidden, and all cute mammals living among the taluses.

They started their fourth day with a small hike at Narada Falls and then rose in elevation to Paradise, with views upon views of Mt. Rainier. Back at camp that night, the students had a reflection and affirmation circle where most students sat with their eyes closed while three students wandered anonymously among their friends. Then, one of the Mount Rainier Institute educators read off various questions such as: Who is a quiet leader? Who has integrity? Who helped you, yet you did not get a chance to say thanks? Whom do you want to spend more time with? Whom would you pick to ride a dinosaur with into the heat of battle? In response, the three students would gently touch the backs of any friends whom they felt answered the questions. After a bit, those three rotated out, so everyone had a chance to participate in both roles. By the end, the room was filled with delight, surprise, joyous tears, and positive energy.

Then their last night at Mt. Rainier Institute closed as they brought the house down with a dance party. They invited the other school in attendance to join in. Music, jumping, singing, and unbridled dancing took the stage. An incredible ending to an outstanding outdoor education experience that will remain in their hearts and minds long after they graduate from Eton School. ❧

Eton School’s Statement on Diversity

We believe in the worth and dignity of all people.

We learn, reflect, grow, and effect change through dialogue, education, and action.

We foster a community that acts with compassion, embraces discomfort, thinks critically, questions norms, and welcomes the world’s multiple perspectives. We use our voices, challenge ourselves and others, and stand up for ourselves and others against injustice. We champion, cultivate, and celebrate all members of our community so that we all participate as our full authentic selves, and thereby become stronger in our shared diversity.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging: Paving an Intentional Path

by Laurren Chase, Director of Diversity

I have heard our Head of School, Dr. Russell Smith, describe Eton School's success in being diverse, equitable, and inclusive in years past as a happy accident. That is no big surprise. Our Montessori and Montessori-inspired classrooms and curriculum are designed to see, honor, and value every child as an individual. Our educators are highly trained professionals that meet Eton students where they are socially, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and academically, nurturing each child on their unique journey with care and compassion. I have also heard Dr. Smith say that it is now important to move forward with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives with intentionality.

In the fall of 2020, Dr. Smith established the Eton School Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Committee. Founding members included volunteer staff (myself included), faculty, administrators, and board members. One of the first orders of business— Investigating our own implicit biases (unconscious and unintentional attitudes or stereotypes that can affect a person's actions). Learning about our biases and participating in self-reflection was a powerful way to begin investigating the systems at work in our country, community, and organization.

The DEIB Committee spent the 2020-2021 school year in discussions. What DEI issues impact the Eton community the most? How do we call members of our community into this work without calling them out? How do we communicate that DEIB is integral to our value system as an organization? How best do we support our faculty? How do we purposefully ensure that our students see themselves represented in lessons, books, and classroom materials? It's probably safe to say that we ended the school year with more questions than answers.

When we reconvened for the 2021-2022 school year, the DEIB Committee hit the ground running. The first order of business was crafting a diversity statement that would articulate Eton School's commitment to championing the worth and dignity of all people. Creating a diversity statement that complimented the mission statement and bolstered the intentional DEIB work we wanted to introduce to our community was essential.

The rest of the year was dedicated to education. A monthly e-newsletter focused on DEIB topics that included educator-specific resources was delivered to all Eton employees. Staff and faculty participated in DEIB-based professional development throughout the school year, designed and provided by A Queer Endeavor. Leaders in equity work, Jen Cort, Aidan Key, and Ijeoma Oluo presented to our parent/guardian community, faculty and staff and encouraged meaningful dialogue. It was a year of growth and forward momentum.

Eton is riding that wave of momentum in the 2022–2023 school year and beyond. As the inaugural Director of Diversity, I am able to give DEIB my full attention. My job is to chair the DEIB Committee and to support and empower every member of the Eton community to embrace DEIB work and initiatives with careful thought and intentionality. Five new volunteer staff members have joined the DEIB Committee this year, and several subcommittees have been formed.

While the DEIB Committee determines decisions about DEIB work during the monthly meetings, subcommittees work to actualize those decisions, goals, and initiatives efficiently. With groups dedicated to classroom support, communication, community, and processes and growth measurement, the vital work of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging will continue to expand with compassionate purpose and determination as Eton progresses further down the path of intentionality. ❧

“The first order of business was crafting a diversity statement that would articulate Eton School's commitment to championing the worth and dignity of all people.”

2022 Una All-School

Una Voce:

Concert

World of Eton

Celebrating Our Community

Incredibly Grateful!

by Monica Maling, Director of Development

Last year, as we entered the second year of educating children during a global pandemic, the Eton community once again showed how resilient, supportive, and strong it is. Teachers and staff demonstrated their ability to embrace a growth mindset as we all worked together to do what needed to be done to continue to deliver an amazing educational experience for our students. Generous contributions made by the Eton community to the Annual Fund supported these herculean efforts as we navigated through an unpredictable world. Even through all the uncertainty, our teachers and staff continued to bring their creativity and positivity to the classroom. They found new ways to give their students meaningful and enriching learning opportunities. Even during those challenging times, joyful learning was abundant.

The Annual Fund is one of the many ways the community comes together to show their commitment to the school; last year was no exception. Parents

and guardians were vital partners in students’ learning and success. We are incredibly grateful to them and the rest of the Eton School community for raising a record $198,232. Money raised supported every part of the school program, benefitting students at every grade level.

Last year, 74% of current Eton parents and guardians donated to the Annual Fund, and 100% of the faculty and staff and the Board of Trustees all generously donated. We are thankful for the alums, families of alums, and friends of Eton School who recognized the powerful work that Eton does and support this important work through donations to the Annual Fund! ❧

Thank You 2021–2022 Fiscal Year Annual Fund Donors

Anonymous (9)

Arvind Arasu and Janani Arvind

Prakash Balasubramanian and Lakxmi Gurumurthy

Vidhya Balasubramanian and Karthick Sundararaman

Sumit Bhangdiya and Priyanka Pawde

Ramkishore and Aditi Bhattacharyya

Costas Boulis and Zefi Athanasiou

Caerulean and Sorasmey Brillante

Ilya Bukshteyn and Meredith Atkins

Lenox and Trudy Brassell

Suzana Canuto and Mario Guimaraes

Jonathan and Kathryn Carlson

Shani and Lidor Carmel

Patricia Carlos and Gustavo Rubio

Yessenia Castillo and Roy Wells

Arindam Chakraborty and Saheli Datta

David Charter

Julia Charter

Laurren Chase

Jimmy Chen and Maggie Wang

Xuanyi Chen and Jing Ren

Beibei Cheng and Renzhong Wang

JC Chin and Lixia Liu

Anya and Muntaquim Chowdhury

Eddy and Xiangyu Chu

Mark and Kit Craig

Rinku Dalwani and Harish Sachidanandan

David DellaFave

Yu Deng and Junqing Shang

Arpitha Dhanapathi and Shankar Bharadwaj

Sunny and Sonia Dhillon

The Dixit Family

The Donelson Family

Maribel and Robert Doss IV

Toby Du and Juan Kou

Alina Duan and Allan Duan

Ibrahim Eden and Ece Kamar

Stephen and Lin Farmer

Omid Fatemieh and Parya Moinzadeh

Jianmian Feng and Jia Li

Zhengzhu Feng and Yu Zeng

Erwin Gao and Coral Zhu

Le Gao and Yingying Chen

Hui Geng and Jianming Liu

Shoubhik and Nivedita Ghosh

Boris and Mitchelle Gonsalves

Nana Gu and Jim Zhang

Xinze Guan and Mei Jin

Zhijie Guan and Yin Liu

Edgar Guo and Kaiyun Zhang

Shijun Guo and Melissa Yang

Ben Hansen and Sara Standish

Anica and Rick Harris

Jocelyn and Derek Harris

Laura Harris and Charles Potter

Abhijeet Hatekar and Vibhuti Mudholkar

Rebecca and Phillip Heckinger

Bruce and Bridget Horne

Leo Hu and Christine Han

Gordon Jiang and Cheryl Wang

The Johanssons

Jerry Ju and Yan Gao

Varun Kakkar and Harpreet Kaur Kapur

Katy Kao and Kun-Tai Chiang

Hamza Kalache and Hiba Jameel

Ajay Kalhan and Sushma Verma

The Keeney Family

Parents of Whitney and Henri Kim

Stella Kim and Neil Obremiski

Jeff Kizner and Allison Hastings

Hayley Kleeman Jung and Gavin Jung

Nick Kramer and Elaine Hayes

Vishwas and Anasuya Kulkarni

Eduardo Leal Tostado and Magali Guerrero

Larry Li and Yueli Lu

TianJiao Li and William Bowes

Zhe Li and Zhe Wang

Monica Limaye and Nikhil Karkarey

Ian and Poppy Louthan

John Lu and Miao Meng

Kimble and Cuong Luu

Dan Ma and Wei Li

Amy Liu and Han Wang

Jason and Jamie Mallon

Mao and Ella

Scott Margerum and Jing Chen

Ian and Betsy McIntyre

Nicole McLean

Nok Mohprasit and Joaquin Bolbrugge Chavolla

Drs. Daniel and Meredith Morris

Risong Na and Haoting Zhuang

Aravind Narasimhan and Subha Krishnan

New Friend of Eton School

Newton Smith Family

Florence Pan

Deepak and Radha Patel

Priyanka Pathak and Hari Srinivasan

Aruna and Rahul Patil

Hannah and Joel Pelley

Peggy Peng and Paul Kromann

Pedro Perez and Katie Stone Perez

The Persson Family

Pokorzynski Family

Gaurav Poothia and Varsha Khanna

Pritchard Bonham Family

Sean and Elizabeth Prendergast

Xin Qian and Jie Yang

Ying Qian and Wenlei He

Sanjay Ramaswamy and Shanjuan Feng

Krishna Rangan and Sonali Bhargava

Raja Ravipati and Kalpana Atluru

Nikki Rehman

Sushant Rewaskar and Uttara Korad

David and Erica Rickard

Ted Roberts

Michelle Sadeh

Shree Sahasrabudhe and Maithili Dandige

Vaishnavi Sannidhanam and Muthu Annamalai

Anita and Premal Shah

Min Shao and Jeffrey Talada

Nan Shao and Min He

Jennifer and Yale Song

Alisha St. Clair Family

Maya Subramanian and Ranjit Varkey

Tao Sun and Xinying Song

Evoë Thorne and Harold Henry

Tian En Jayden Tok Family

Andy Tong and Meng Tian

Simone Valadares

Olga Veselova and Jason Morrill

Virdi Family

Bo Wang and Kai Li

Carrie Wang and Leo Luo

Chi Wang and Pei Wu

Feipeng Wang and Xiaomei Zhu

Haidong Wang and Andrea Hu

Jinghui Wang and Yiman Huang

Mengyang Wang and Yumeng Su

Yang Wang and Elise Li

Jiaping Wang and You Dan

Renzhong Wang and Beibei Cheng

Genevieve and Daniel Warren

Sam Webb and Darren Firth

Ning Wei and Ningxing Zhang

William's Family

Aaron Woo and Alice Li

Wood Family

Wyatt Family

Li Xia and Lin Yang

(continued on the next page)

Qin Xiao and Zhuang Gao

Tianqi Xiao and Tao Zhang

Stephanie Yang's Family

Jing Yen

Grace Yu and Warren Lee

Meng Yu and Tzu-yu Liu

Ning Yu and Yuxiao Hu

Fenghua Yuan and Ian Cheung

Lu Yuan and Zhu Cheng

James Zang and Jessie Fu

Kim Zhang and Wilbur Wong

Lei Zhang and Wei Zang

Shu Zhang and Mengyang Sun

Ying Zhang and Yang Zhang

Ding Zhao and Richard Ma

Jun Zhao and Yun LI

Cecilia Zheng and Haodong Wang

Jiandan Zheng and Hao Li

Peter Zheng and Lingxia Hou

Yingying Zheng and Yunfan Zhang

Zhaoyu Zheng and Yingying Meng

Jinhui Zhong and David Marlow

Yiding Zhou and Ying Cai

Gillian and Qi Zhu

Eton School Faculty & Staff

100% Donated to the Annual Fund

Eton School Board of Trustees

Bazley Family

Karl and Michele Dehmer

Viki and Chris Dragich

Mohan and Minnu Kotha

Anica and Rick Harris

Bruce and Bridget Horne

Judi Hoskins and Joe Suty

Peter Roppo and Berengaria Winkler Roppo

Shams and Nasreen Shamsuddin

Alums and Alum Families

Karen Bunney

Alison Houng

Neel and Smita Jain

Bhavani Kotha

Mary Murfey

Nadejda Poliakova and Maxim Mazeev

Philip and Rosalyn Rourke

Svetlana Rowell

Jinbai Yan and Lan Tang

Sue and Steve Petitpas

Friends of Eton School

John and Carol Griffin

Yu Liu

Cindy Merritt

Vikram Nagaraj

Companies

Amazon Smile

Apple

Boeing

Coding Bunnies

eBay

Expedia

f5 Networks

Gartner

Google

Microsoft

Nordstrom

Nvidia

Oracle

Salesforce

Starbucks

T-Mobile

Watermark Estate Management Services

Annual Report: 2022 Fiscal Year Financial Update

by Jason Mallon, Acting Chief Financial Officer

Support and Revenue

Expenses

$7,302,400 Net Tuition

$190,610 Annual Fund

$288.281 Clubhouse

$127,060 * Other Income

$64,275 Rental Income

* Includes After-School Classes, Summer Program, and Miscellaneous Revenue

$5,061,095 Payroll Expenses

$934,670 Facilities

$281,268 Genral and Adminstration

$201,274 Deprecation

$187,004 Interest

$304,438 † Other

$152,847 Education Materials and Program Activities

† IT, Fundraising, Employee Training, and Miscellaneous Expenses

Deep Gratitude

by Subha Krishnan, PAGES President

Parents and Guardians of Eton School

Hello Eton families,

I am an Eton School parent and this year's President of Parents and Guardians of Eton School (PAGES). My younger daughter is in first grade (Room 6, Ms. Farmer's class), and my older daughter went through third grade at Eton. I have had the opportunity to meet some of you during past Eton events. I would like to express my deepest gratitude for all the volunteer work of our parent/guardian community which enriches the learning experiences of Eton students and creates deeper connections among us.

When my older daughter joined Eton School for Kindergarten in 2017-2018, I was getting acquainted with Eton as much as my daughter was and mostly remained clueless and detached from what went on in Eton Parent Council (now PAGES). The following year, I volunteered as a chaperone for one of the field trips in my daughter's class. The first-hand feeling for my daughter's learning environment, her class, and her friends was enlightening and satisfying all at the same time. Over the years, at each Eton event I attended, I saw the commitment and involvement of the parents/ guardians. I continue to see it. You make time out of your busy schedule to help in any way possible, contributing to the growth of not just your child(ren) but the entire student community. You bring an element of fun and exposure to your culture, which enriches the growth of our students. As a recipient of your services and as a parent, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It's my pleasure to have the opportunity this year to serve as the President and give back to our amazing student and parent/guardian community.

PAGES has had a very strong start this year! The official name changed from Eton Parent Council (EPC) to the more inclusive, Parents and Guardians of Eton School (PAGES). This new name resonates with what Eton School stands for. The most important job for the Executive Committee members of PAGES this year, as I see it, is to unite and kindle parent/guardian involvement through volunteerism. The last two or three years taught us about safety and gave us the skill to navigate through a pandemic. With that tool under our belts, we are excited to march forward and hopefully bring back normalcy where everyone feels safe to come together and participate.

During the first week of the school year, we welcomed new parents and guardians at our Welcome Coffee, where we met some of our Administration and Staff who are ever so hard-working, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and seems effortless. World of Eton this year was a massive hit! It took a village. The brains behind the flawless arrangements, from parking to the food and entertainment, were our volunteer coordinator, Nina Helms; Director of Development and PAGES Liaison, Monica Maling; Board Liaison, Anica Harris; Teacher Librarian, Poppy Louthan; Director of Diversity, Laurren Chase; Director of Communications and Marketing, Alice McNeer; and parents/guardians on the planning team! The event's grand success would have been impossible without the 82-plus volunteers. They brought innovation and creativity in sharing their traditions and cultures, helping by taking part in set up and tear down, monitoring hallways, ushering participants to designated locations, and many other small but essential activities!

We had our first general meeting with pizza and learned about the school governance and finances from our Head of School, Dr. Russell Smith, in his informative State of the School address. Eton School's Annual Fund kick-off had amazing energy this year, with some of our students joining the volunteer squad who waved flags during morning drop-off times! The Family Game Time on Veteran's Day in November brought people back together in the Main Building to play games and spend time with one another. Then in January, we had a high turnout and lots of fun at our All-School Ice Skating at the Kraken Community Iceplex in Seattle. PAGES has more events planned throughout the year.

There is more than one way to show interest in being part of Eton community events. Please email our volunteer coordinator, Nina Helms, at volunteer@etonschool.org or stop by one of the

monthly PAGES Executive Committee meetings. Drop by a PAGES Coffee to meet Executive Committee members and other parents/guardians and to find out how you can be involved. Your child's classroom has a designated PAGES Room Representative who works closely with the teacher and PAGES team to communicate school activities as well as those specific to your child's classroom. The Eton Community Connection and PAGES newsletters are also great ways to stay connected!

With a heart full of gratitude, I would like to end my letter with a quote that deeply inspires me.

"Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much" ~ Helen Keller. Hope

PAGES Mission

The Parents and Guardians of Eton School supports Eton School's philosophy, programs and activities for the benefit of all Eton School students. The Parents and Guardians of Eton School facilitates communication and parent education as well as encourages and coordinates volunteerism. The Parents and Guardians of Eton School fosters a spirit of inclusion, partnership and cooperation among the entire school community.

PAGES Membership

All parents or guardians of Eton School students shall be members of Parents and Guardians of Eton School. All members shall have equal voting privileges.

Ways to be Involved

There are many ways for members to be involved including:

• Attend Learning Events on relevant parenting topics.

• Participate and volunteer in Eton School and PAGES events.

• Attend PAGES Executive Committee Meetings.

• Read the Monthly PAGES Newsletter.

PAGES: Executive Committee Officers

Vice-President: Maggie Wang

Maggie works as a health care professional and has a child in first grade this year. She joined the Eton community two years ago and loves the supportive environment Eton offers. She believes our children’s bright future is built by the joint efforts of families, schools, and communities working hand in hand. She looks forward to helping build and support the positive atmosphere at Eton School in this ever-changing world.

Secretary: Nikki Rehman

Nikki has had four children pass through Eton school. One is now in college, two are in high school, and her youngest will be graduating as a member of Eton School’s eighth grade class of 2023. She has been a part of the Eton community since 2009, working and volunteering in various roles in the school. She served as Eton Parent Council (now PAGES) Secretary during the 2013-2014 school year and is returning to the role for her final year as an Eton parent.

Treasurer: Kristin Wyatt

Kristin’s youngest child is in sixth grade at Eton School, and other three children are Eton alum. Her oldest is a college freshman at University of Washington and the other two are a Junior and Freshman at Bellevue High School. All of her children started at Eton School in grade P3 (age 3), and she is grateful to have shared in the amazing journey from a tentative first day to a self-assured graduation speech. Kristin works as a Biostatistician for the Department of Veterans Affairs with a focus on cancer prevention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her role has shifted to developing models for vaccine prioritization and identifying those at risk for adverse outcomes. When not at work or school, Kristin and her family enjoy spending time outside hiking, camping, paddle boarding, and skiing.

Volunteer Coordinator: Nina Helms

Nina’s son is in first grade (Room 1, Mr. Music). She is excited to be part of the PAGES Executive Committee to meet members of this community and give back to the school. Nina and her family are very grateful for Eton. They moved to the area during a very difficult time and the entire school community has welcomed them with open arms and offered them a safe place to land.

PAGES: Grade Level Coordinators

Pre-elementary Coordinator: Kimble Luu

Kimble is the Pre-elementary Coordinator and has three of her four children attending Eton School (Casa 3, Room 4, and Mezzo C). She holds a Master of Science in Public Policy and worked in the public and government sectors focusing on harnessing the power of convening people and advancing innovative methods for creating social change. She has worked for former Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, former First Lady Michelle Obama, the Obama Campaign, and was a Presidential Appointee for the Obama White House. She volunteers at Hopelink, Pike Place Foundation, and is a Girl Scout Troop Leader.

Lower Elementary Coordinator: Alice Li

Alice’s son attends third grade at Eton and she has a 2-year-old daughter. She loves what Eton represents and is excited to be a part of PAGES so she can connect and give back to the community. She hopes to get to know more families and continue to be involved at events. In her free time, Alice enjoys doing arts and crafts with her children, going on long walks with her family, and tending to houseplants or the garden.

Upper Elementary Coordinator: Tiffany Sparks-Keeney

Tiffany has three children at Eton (fifth grade, first grade, and P3). She and her family love being part of the Eton community and are thankful for everything done to support families through the pandemic. Currently she leads workshops on leadership development and emotional intelligence, teaches occupational therapy as an adjunct professor, and consults about sensory-friendly performances and activities for a variety of arts organizations. On occasion, she also teaches tap dance! She is excited to be back again, having previously served as Eton Parent Council (now PAGES) President.

Middle School Coordinator: David Charter

David has a son in eighth grade who has been at Eton since second grade with a hiatus for the pandemic year. His twin sons who are now in seventh grade, attended Eton through fourth grade. David is employed as a crisis call specialist at crisis connections on the 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline. In his free time David enjoys attending Mariners and Kraken games. He also volunteers at Homeward Pet Adoption Center in Woodinville where he recently adopted three very energetic kittens.

Congratulations Eton Alum: 2022 High School Graduates!

Aman

graduated from Eastside Preparatory School and is now attending the University of Washington where he is studying computer science. His favorite memories of Eton are the outdoor overnight experiences that they did in Middle School—the Salish Seas Expedition and the Mt.

Gupta

Rainier Institute.

Back Row (l to r): Ben Horne, Janik Zender, Philip Roppo, and Aman Gupta. Front Row (l to r): Merek Weed, Anna Hera, Gray Barta, Nicholas Wyatt, Northern Brown.

Ana Hera attended Eastside Preparatory School for high school and is now studying politics and history at New York University. Her favorite experiences at Eton were going to Washington, DC in sixth grade and doing fundraisers as part of the student council.

Ben Horne is attending Central Washington University after graduating from Interlake High School. He is thinking of studying business and graphic arts. He wants to run his own business someday and is interested in writing and illustrating video games (but not programming). His favorite memories at Eton are the theater productions that he participated in and Ms. Mary, the Performing Arts teacher at the time. During his eighth-grade year, Eton School did some remodeling and he received a chair that was no longer wanted. He loves that chair and still uses it every day!

Philip Roppo graduated from Annie Wright in Tacoma, and is attending Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California.

Merek Weed graduated from the Northwest School in Seattle and is now at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts (just outside Boston) where he is studying business and finance.

Nicholas Wyatt graduated from Bellevue High School and is currently attending the University of Washington, where he is planning on majoring in Computer Science or Informatics. His favorite memory from Eton was hiking on Mount Rainier during the seventh- and eighth-grade trip to Mt. Rainier Institute.

Janik Zender graduated from Interlake High School. Currently, he is in the School of Engineering pursuing studies in aeronautical engineering at the University of Washington.

College Essay: Encouragement that Stuck

by Anna Rowell, Alum 2019

In first grade, I made the shocking discovery that people don’t tattoo on their eyeliner. Ms. Kim, my teacher, always arrived at school with perfectly sharp eyeliner, and I was convinced it was permanently drawn onto her eyelids. But when I asked, she explained that no, she reapplied her eyeliner every morning. This astounded me.

Ms. Kim is also the person who encouraged me to nurture a budding passion of mine: writing. She read all my stories with delight and abundant praise, and I’ll always remember her words: “Remember me when you’re a famous author.”

Since then, I’ve poured my creative soul into every writing assignment. Even mundane and fact-driven reports I make interesting to read, and I’m praised for having a

natural talent. I even tried my hand at becoming a famous author and wrote a self-published book between 8th-10th grade. It took prolonged and vigorous effort, and while the result didn’t bring me international fame, the pride of having a physical copy of my work and giving a book talk at Ms. Kim’s school made it all worth it.

Ms. Kim’s words of encouragement, spoken to an enthusiastic seven-year-old, have stuck with me. Having a strong supporter outside of my family at a young age has forever touched me. Ms. Kim, who made her eyeliner look so effortless I thought it was tattooed on, taught me that effort and grit, even if appearing effortless or stemming from natural talent, will lead me to great accomplishments in life.

Calling All Alums and Alum Families

Although you have moved beyond the walls of Eton School, you are still part of our community!

For some of you, the memories of your days at Eton School are still fresh, and you want to maintain the connections and friendships you made while you were here. For others, a bit of time has passed, and you may want to reach out to reconnect with your friends and teachers or to catch up on how Eton School has developed since you left. Either way, you are essential to us, and we want to encourage and build your connection with Eton and the alum community.

Have some news to share? We love hearing about what you have been doing since you left Eton School. If you have alum news or want to stay in touch, please email your current contact information to our alum liaison at mmaling@etonschool.org.

In addition, connect with us on Social Media to stay in the know about news and events! Our social media channels are on the back cover, including one for alums!

Above: 2014 Room 3 Class Photo: Anna Rowell is the 4th student from the left in the back row. Right: Anna posing with her books in Spring 2021 after speaking with our Middle School students.