Issuu

SUMMER EDITION

20 26

CLEAR SPACE

Headwaters School Magazine

“

25 years rooted,

forever rising

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

From the Editor Alex Penry, Editor HEAD OF SCHOOL Ted Graf EDITORS Alexandra Penry, Senior Director of Finance and Advancement Cait Taylor, Director of Communications CONTRIBUTORS Lei Alor, River Humanities Guide Shauna Curtis, Early Elementary Guide Lisa Dubuque Wood, Founder, Director of College Counseling Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch, Director of Development Ted Graf, Head of School David Heroy, River Science Guide and Outdoor Leadership Instructor Paul Lambert, Project Week Coordinator Julia Murray, River Events Coordinator

Twenty-five years is a long time, and somehow, putting together this issue made it feel both longer and shorter than that. Longer, because when you start pulling threads from our history - the founding vision, the first graduating class, the faces that have made our community - you realize just how much living has happened here. Shorter, because it all went so fast, and the joy in these pages is a reminder of why. Think of this issue as a yearbook for a quarter century: part history, part love letter, part proof of something rare. We hope you find yourself in it.

In this Edition From the Head of School

From our Founders

Jennifer Phillips, Founder, K/1 Guide

Inspired from the Start

Stephanie Roach, River Campus Director

Influential Voices from the First 25 Years

A Quarter Century of Smiles

709 Rio Grande: Building for the Next Generation of Headwaters Students

Shari Stoker, Early Elementary Guide

Promavera Lovers, Mark Your Calendars!

Natalie Turner, River Spanish Guide

Fall Fest is Back!

Elizabeth Vickers, Primary Guide

Our Unique Graduation Ceremony, Gates of Life

Madicyn Villalobos, YCC Guide

Learning Unleashed Snapshots of Headwaters in Action

Jasmine Patterson, Upper Elementary Guide

Jeslyn Schuh, Assistant Director of Development Natalie Snowden, Primary Guide Earnie Solomon, Athletics Director

LAYOUT AND DESIGN Kellene Urbaniak

A New Chapter for Middle School Introducing the IB Middle Years Programme

Be Loud, Wear Blue, Go Hawks!

Welcome to the Chickadee Casita

Greats and Grands A Celebration Across Every Campus

From Headwaters to the Forests of the World Paloma Doyle is making a difference

Class Notes

Roots and Branches: Two Generations on the Power of Giving

Thank You, Donors

Summer 2026

Celebrate 25 Years with Us 709 Rio Grande Groundbreaking Ceremony Friday, September 18, 2026

25th Anniversary

HEADWATERS SCHOOL Twenty-five years is worth celebrating, and we plan to do exactly that, all year long. From Fall Fest to Prom: Reimagined, from our groundbreaking at 709 Rio Grande to the everyday moments that make this place what it is, this is a year to gather, reflect, and look ahead together. Headwaters has always been built by its community, and this anniversary belongs to all of25th us: the families who chose us, the Anniversary guides who shaped us, the alumni who carry us with them, and the students who remind us every single day why we do this work. We hope you'll join us for every moment you can. The best of Headwaters is always the people in the room.

HEADWATERS SCHOOL

Fall Fest

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Alumni Mixer and Winter Concert Tuesday, December 15, 2026

Alumni Networking Event Tuesday, January 12, 2027 (21+ event)

Prom Reimagined Gala

Friday, February 19, 2026 (21+ event)

Sip and Swap

Thursday, March 4, 2027 (21+ event)

Greats and Grands Celebration Wednesday, April 7 through Friday, April 9

High School Commencement Friday, May 21, 2027

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

From the Head of School Ted Graf, Head of School

Dear Headwaters Community, Twelve years ago, a student walked into a project week presentation session and made a case for something the school didn’t yet offer. He had done the research, prepared the argument, and stood in front of the adults who could make it happen. They listened. The IB program was born, not from the top down, but from a student who believed Headwaters could do more. That story, more than any other, tells you who we are. I have been lucky enough to spend years watching this school do exactly that, over and over again. A middle schooler who chose a building she loved, measured every wall, painted every brick, and built it in LEGO at two feet by three feet, not because a guide assigned it, but because she assigned it to herself. High schoolers who met with trustees to describe their love of the downtown campus which spurred a “peacemaking lunch” with one of the school’s founders and a campaign to become owners of the River Campus. Students who lead their own centering, design their own projects, and ask harder questions than the adults in the room. This is what twenty-five years of Headwaters looks like. What we have built here, and I mean we,, is a school that makes education with students, not for them. That distinction is everything. It is harder. It is slower. It asks more of our guides, our families, and our kids. And it produces young people who know how to advocate, create, wonder, and lead, because they have been doing it since they were three years old. Twenty-five years in, I am more curious than certain about what comes next. I know we will keep listening hard to student ideas. I know the students will keep showing us the way. I am confident, as history has shown, that the next great idea for our school is currently in the mind of a student who has yet to propose it. I can’t wait to hear it. Respectfully,

Ted Graf Head of School

Summer 2026

From our Founders Jennifer Phillips & Lisa Dubuque Wood In the fall of 2001, the world felt like it had cracked open. Like a lot of people, we were asking hard questions about what mattered, what we believed, and what kind of future we wanted to help build. We were educators. That meant the answer, for us, had to start with children. We came to Headwaters from different paths, and for most of a decade, we walked them separately. Jennifer was building a Montessori community where children moved freely, followed their curiosity, and were trusted to know something about what they needed. Lisa was helping found a school where relationships came first, where every child was known by name and by heart, and where the adults around them took that responsibility seriously. We weren’t collaborating. We didn’t even know each other yet. But we were, it turns out, building the same thing. Primavera founder Jen says, “Our hope, when first creating Primavera Montessori, was to provide a warm, heart-centered early school experience in the Montessori tradition that had deep focus on Peace Education. The tagline on our very first sign was “A Community for a Peaceful World.” Being a Peace School means that we view the child’s social and emotional growth and development as just as important as their academic growth.” What we each wanted was a place where children could be seen, fully and without condition, for exactly who they are. Not who we needed them to be. Not who would be easiest to teach. Who they actually are, with all the complexity and wonder that comes with that. We believed then, and we believe now, that a child who is truly seen becomes a person who can truly see others. That felt urgent in 2001. It feels urgent today. When Lisa reflects on the culture that brought us here, she notes that, “Headwaters is a community of co-founders. We have a music program thanks to the first person we hired to teach math, Marshall Escamilla. We have a film program thanks to Alex Chew who started at the front desk, and transitioned into teaching English before developing our film program. We have an Outdoor Leadership Program thanks to science guide, David Heroy. Our Senior Colloquium exists thanks to our previous Head of High School, Dan Cummings. I love that I can look around knowing that the fingerprints of so many people are an integral part of Headwaters.” When Primavera and Khabele came together in 2011, and when Headwaters was born in 2016, something clarified. Two schools founded in the same season of grief and hope, by people who never compared notes, had arrived at the same place. That is not a coincidence. That is conviction. Twenty-five years later, we are still here, still on our campuses, still watching children become themselves in real time. What started as two parallel leaps of faith has become something neither of us could have fully imagined. A community. A culture. A school that has now shaped thousands of lives. We are so proud. We are so grateful. And we are still, every single day, learning from the children in front of us. With love and twenty-five years of wonder, Jennifer Phillips and Lisa Dubuque Wood Founding Faculty, Headwaters School

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Inspired from The Start Headwaters School was founded by visionary educators who were inspired by young people and had exciting ideas for how school could be a better place for them. Over the past 25 years, we’ve built our culture around student-led exploration, inquiry, and discovery. Because when students are propelled by curiosity and grounded in empathy, they are ready for every opportunity that life will bring.

Our Heritage: The Headwaters School of today arose from the 2011 merger of the Khabele School and Primavera Montessori School, two institutions both founded in 2001-2002. Even as our school has evolved to meet the challenges of the future, we are proud that several of the original founders and guides are still at Headwaters. The merger created a fully-integrated school to serve children 18 months old through 12th grade, and in 2016 all three campuses were unified under the name Headwaters School, symbolizing the journey of discovery and growth that takes place at our school.

2004 – 2005

The Khabele School in 2005, including our first graduating seniors.

The founders of both predecessor schools were profoundly influenced by the events and aftermath of 9/11. These thoughtful educators shared a common bond in wanting to create learning communities that would contribute to a more peaceful world.

2011 – 2012

2007 – 2008

The Forward is born.

The schools merge.

Summer 2026

2019-2020

June 2020 Headwaters receives its first accreditation from the Independent School Association. of the Southwest.

2026-2027

Headwaters launches MYP curriculum starting with grade 6 Celebrates our 25th anniversary.

2016 - 2017

We opened the school year under our new name, Headwaters School! Roots campaign establishes Rio Grande as the permanent home for the MS and HS.

2013 – 2014

Our Elementary School moves to our new Brodie Lane property in August 2013.

2014 – 2015

High school launches the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Influential Voices from the first 25 YEARS of

Amy Nylund, Former Staff, Alumni Parent Headwaters School is a place of belonging not just for our students, but for all community members. It’s a place where people care for each other. I love that our students experience that and take it into the world with them.

Moya McIntyre Founder, Alumni Parent This school was founded 25 years ago by a small group of young, idealistic dreamers who believed deeply in the power of education to change lives. From the very beginning, love, attention, and community were at the heart of everything we did. The school felt more like a family than an institution, and for so many children, that sense of belonging made all the difference. It has been incredibly meaningful to watch Headwaters grow into the vibrant school it is today while staying true to those founding values. Knowing that the hard work, care, and vision of those early years continue to positively shape the lives of young people is one of the greatest rewards imaginable.

Gentry Hunter Class of 2014 A Headwaters education makes it possible to discover who you are before the world tells you who you should be.

Lara Schmidl Simandi Alumni Parent I had my kids just so they could be Headwaters kids!

Summer 2026

Magdalena Vial Board Chair Headwaters School reignited my confidence in our next generation of leaders. This community continuously reinforces the power of leading with curiosity and I feel compelled to ensure that legacy endures and Austin continues to reap the benefits.

Rebecca Merino YCC Guide You will find family here. It sounds so cliché, I know, but the relationships that form here only strengthen over time and to be a part of such an empathetic community fills my cup over and over.

Bliss Arizola Jensen Class of 2029 Wonde Pawlose Class of 2015 There’s a place for anyone to be a part of the Headwaters community and its faculty and staff go above and beyond to support the students’ success.

Headwaters has taught me that students are meant to be curious, and showed me how that curiosity can be honored.

Yvonne Solario Former Guide A Headwaters education provides a safe environment where ideas and emotions are cultivated, fostering a foundation rich in empathy, self-awareness, and a deep understanding of academic concepts. This makes it possible for students to be wholly and genuinely engaged in life.

Chris Larson K/1 Guide A Headwaters education makes it possible for children to become fully themselves and the authors of their own lives. Our job isn’t simply to fill students with knowledge, but to help them develop the confidence, curiosity, and sense of purpose needed to navigate.

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Susie Demarest Early Childhood Director Headwaters taught me that Montessori is a living current — a relationship flowing like water through every moment, where the true magic is felt in how we greet children, hold space for their unfolding, and tend them with the respect, curiosity, and compassion we hope they will one day carry into the world.

Elizabeth Vickers Headwaters Guide You have found a place that will see your child for who they are, embrace them and take them to their full potential.

Ekin Ugurel Class of 2017 Gaining early independence and confidence to make increasingly consequential decisions. The most important lesson I learned at Headwaters is that one’s time is what they make with it. I believe the earlier we teach students this lesson, the more they benefit.

Roberto German Former Staff There’s a place for anyone to be a part of the Headwaters community and its faculty and staff go above and beyond to support the students’ success. Headwaters taught me about whole child education in a way I never experienced before. It was different, eyeopening, and inspiring.

Chloe Bloor Class of 2029

Eli Jones Class of 2024 Co-founder of the Headwaters Endowment Headwaters taught me that the right combination of creativity and determination can take you anywhere.

An education at Headwaters allows students to become independent agents of their learning by giving them confidence to explore topics of interest both inside and outside the classroom. Through student-led projects and supportive guides, I have been able to harness my curiosity and critical thinking to become an advocate for my own learning.

Summer 2026

Leslie Hirsch, Parent, Staff Member A Headwaters education makes possible, through the encouragement and guidance of knowledgeable teachers, that students can engage deeply and meaningfully with subjects that light them up. Headwaters is where students pursue learning through research and thoughtful conversation amongst peers and teachers that respect individuality and foster meaningful relationships.

Jennifer Giroux Headwaters Guide Headwaters taught me that school can be a transformative place in the lives of the community members it touches. It taught me that schools really do have the power to be a force for good in the world.

Alex Chew Former Guide, Founder of Film Program

Mike Franz Former Guide

Because Headwaters creates space for student-led classrooms and self exploration, our students are unlikely to be cogs in someone else’s machine. Headwaters graduates are more likely to speak their minds, innovate, and build new machines.

While I don’t think Hemingway was talking about Headwaters School, if you have been a part of this community, you know that it does stay with you like a moveable feast. It is not merely a place you pass through, but a community that permanently weaves itself into who you are.

Chalimar Chieza Former Guide Teaching at Headwaters/The Khabele School was one of the most formative chapters of my life. Beyond the classroom, I had the opportunity to travel with students to South Africa and France— experiences that reinforced something I have always believed: the best education happens when curiosity meets the world. Experiencing students engage with different cultures, histories, and perspectives reminded me that learning isn’t confined to textbooks; it’s built through connection, empathy, and shared experiences.

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

A Quarter Century of Smiles 1 Judah S., Class of 2033, and Jeslyn Schuh, Assistant Director of Development Some of these faces you’ll recognize immediately. Some will make you say “wait, is that...?” and lean in closer. A few might even be you. This is twenty-five years of Headwaters, told the way it actually happened: in snapshots and candids, in blurry action shots and perfectly timed moments, in the faces of kids who are now adults and guides who have watched generations grow up in front of them. We know we’re missing some good ones. The photo on someone’s phone. The one buried in an old album. The class picture from a year we somehow don’t have on file.

Share your photos with us by emailing them to development@headwaters.org 1. 23-24 highschoolers in their “natural” habitat” 2. Students jumping for joy in 2019 3. The Bioneers students in 2023 4. Mila M in her tire tower era. She was unstoppable then too! 5. Every great musician started somewhere. This is somewhere. 6. Chickadees guide Madicyn Villalobos and YCC students observing the parts of a squash 7. Nothing like curling up with a good book! Jojo at the Creek Library 8. Jesse and Aayan showing off their creativity in YCC 9. Work study, River Campus style 10. 2018 Photography students playing with stickwork 11. Old school Khabele crew

Summer 2026

8 4

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

12 14

15 12. Heroes of the Past. Creek students celebrate historic figures in 2019 13. Sekou Sylla and the Khabele Lion 14. Getting ready to yarn bomb! 15. 6th graders in the 2016-2017 school year 16. 2017 HS Boys Basketball - Go Hawks! 17. Willow Egerton, Arden Egerton, Berkely Nylund, and Vera Nylund in the 2009-2010 school year 18. HS Prom 2018 19. MS Dance in 2017 20. Really excited to tinkle those ivories 21. MS Girls Basketball celebrate the season in 2018-2019 22. Young primavera students smiling for the camera 23. Primavera dads (Jerry, Eric, Mike, and Kenny) built the racetrack at the current Springs campus in 2009 24. Elizabeth Vickers with Primavera Students 25. Advisory fun in the Khabele days

Summer 2026

24 23

If you have a Headwaters photo worth sharing, we want it. Send your favorites to development@ headwaters.org and help us keep telling this story all anniversary year long. 25

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

709 Rio Grande:

Building for the Next Generation of Headwaters Students Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch, Director of Development

When viewed from a broad perspective, the transformation of Headwater’s future home of Arts & Design has moved remarkably far in a short amount of time. There are permits under review, utility coordination meetings with the City of Austin, and countless details being worked through behind the scenes.

“

internet services—to ensure the building's connections align with city infrastructure requirements. While the process has added time to the schedule, the project remains on track for occupancy before the start of the 2027-28 school year. Headwaters is one school, and this investment is being made for students across our community. The children currently exploring, creating, building, and imagining in Montessori classrooms today are the same students who will one day walk through the doors of 709 Rio Grande, eager to bring their vision to life in the Creator Lab, or looking forward to directing their first documentary film with Stephen Beatty’s guidance. The building is being designed not simply for who our students are now, but for who they are becoming.

It is about creating a space worthy of the curiosity, creativity, and ambition of the students who will shape its future.

Over the past year, Headwaters has secured two major approvals from the city. The first was approval of the building's change of use from residential to educational, a critical milestone that officially opened the door for design and permitting. More recently, the City Historic Commission approved plans for the project, allowing Headwaters to honor the history of the 1905 building while preparing it to become the future home of Art & Design.

"Being involved in the project week to week feels like the pace is moving very slowly," said Chief Financial and Operating Officer Alex Penry. "But when you pick your head up and look at the big picture, we've actually accomplished a lot in the last year. We've gone from a design concept to full construction documents and permitting with the city." Today, much of the work is happening behind the scenes. The city has required additional coordination among utility providers—including water, gas, sewer, telecommunications, and

Several major milestones remain ahead, including final building permit approval, site plan approval, and a groundbreaking ceremony planned for later this year. Each step brings the project closer to becoming a place where future generations of Headwaters students can create, design, film, build, and lead for generations to come. The transformation of 709 Rio Grande is about more than preserving a historic Austin landmark. It is about creating a space worthy of the curiosity, creativity, and ambition of the students who will shape its future.

Summer 2026

Hard hat tours are available Monday–Friday from 9 am–3:30 pm.

Scan here to make an appointment!

Promavera Lovers, Mark Your Calendars!

Prom, Reimagined will be a night to remember Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch, Director of Development An adults-only evening of celebration and community for a good cause, Prom, Reimagined invites the entire Headwaters community to come together for a lively night of music, themed attire, auctions, and giving. Inspired by Promavera, the original Primavera Montessori Fundraising Gala, guests are encouraged to dress in their favorite prom era (whether it’s yours or one you love) and embrace the evening’s playful spirit. For longtime members of the community, Promavera carries a special legacy. The beloved event first made its mark with an unforgettable 80s-themed celebration complete with taffeta, teased hair, dance-offs, and a now-legendary teacher flash mob. That inaugural event raised tens of thousands of dollars in support of the school and set the tone for what would become one of our most joyful traditions.

Scan to help us make this the best prom night ever.

Now, Prom, Reimagined channels that spirit for a new generation of Headwaters families, alumni, and supporters. More than just a party, Prom, Reimagined plays an important role in supporting the programs, people, and experiences that make a Headwaters education possible. Every ticket purchased, auction bid placed, and paddle raised helps invest in the future of our students. Location, ticketing, and additional details will be announced soon—but for now, consider this your official invitation to start planning your outfit and brushing up on your dance moves. Trust us: you won’t want to miss it.

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Fall Fest, Headwaters’ biggest community gathering of the year, returns on Saturday, October 17. Join us for a fun-filled day for all ages: live music, a beer garden, photo ops, and fall themed activities for kids of every age. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, this beloved fundraiser is free and open to the entire community. Register today!

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Our Unique Graduation Ceremony

Gates of Life

At Headwaters, every great transition is marked the same way: with a gate, a gathering, and words that have been spoken at every graduation since the beginning.

“An ending is but another beginning, Rejoice all ye who pass through these gates” From the moment a toddler moves up from YCC to Primary, through every division crossing, to the final walk across the stage at high school graduation, students pass through the Gates of Life. The ceremony grows with them, but the spirit never changes. A Headwaters graduation is unlike almost any other because of who runs it. Student musicians play. Student speakers take the podium. The faculty speaker is chosen by the graduating class itself, not appointed by administration. There is no outside keynote, no borrowed wisdom from a stranger. Just the people who showed up every day, celebrating the students who did the same. It is, in the truest sense, a ceremony built by the community it honors.

Summer 2026

Class of 2026: Go Find Your World Alexandra Penry, Senior Director of Finance and Advancement They came to us as toddlers and teenagers, as artists and engineers, as kids who didn’t yet know what they loved and kids who already knew exactly who they were. And now, after years of centering, Pitsos, Project Weeks, and a thousand ordinary days that turned out to spark curiosity, they are ready. The Class of 2026 will scatter across ten states, one ocean, and more majors than we can count. They are headed off to study aerospace engineering and cinema studies, finance and linguistics, medicine and theatre. They will spend their college years in Austin and Vermont, in the UK and the midwest, in New York and Washington state, in places some of them have never been and places that will change everything. Twenty graduates earned more than $4.8 million in scholarship offers to get there. Four of them started this journey in diapers. They were here for all of it, from the very beginning, and they will carry Headwaters in a way that is hard to put into words. They know what this place is at its roots, because they were here when the roots were being laid. What this class leaves behind is harder to quantify than any scholarship number. They led. They asked hard questions in board meetings and at Pitso and in every classroom that was lucky enough to have them. They created work that surprised us. They made this community more curious, more creative, and more itself. We could not be prouder. We can’t wait to see what comes next. Go find your world, Class of 2026. You are so ready.

Honors & Recognitions Aran Tumu, Honors School in the UK Blaise Barry, Honors Trinity University (after a gap year) History, English, Philosphy

Ceci Abshire, Honors Austin Community College Radio, Television, Film

Cullen McNeal, Honors Lawrence University Lingustics and Music

Elliot Schneider, High Honors Trinity University Theatre, Sociology, English

Flora Tversky Whitman College Psychology

Jackson Poulsen, Honors University of Vermont Mechanical Engineering

Jericho Senko Austin Community College Art

Lily Schneider, High Honors Prescott College (after a gap year) Field Ecology and Conservation

Logan Poulsen, Honors University of Texas Austin Mechanical Engineering

Luca Muñoz, High Honors Colorado School of Mines Mechanical Engineering

Mason Seaquist, High Honors Indiana University - Bloomington Finance and Financial Management Services

Maxi Mendez University of Oregon Cinema Studies

Nico Georg, Honors Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Aviation/Airway Management and Operations, Uncrewed & Autonomous Systems

Noah Doan, Honors Austin Community College Will attend ACC Fall '26 while training for the International Federation of Sport Climbing World Cup Circuit in Innsbruck, Austria in the spring. After competing, Noah's goal is to study kinesiology in the Netherlands or Germany.

Noah Luna Colorado State University Exploratory Studies

Orion Moore, High Honors Northeastern University Business Administration

Phillip Hunermund, High Honors New York University Liberal Studies Core Program

Toby Bunn, Honors Trinity University Pre-med/Health Professions

Zachary Frederick, High Honors Austin Community College Audio Technology and Industry

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

$4,726,900.00 in scholarships offered to 14/20 seniors sharing data.

122 total years enrolled at Headwaters School

62 unique universities accepted our students

Over 2,000 hours of service

Summer 2026

Every Student’s Path is Unique At Headwaters, college counseling has never been about a list of prestigious names or a one-size-fits-all strategy. It starts with a belief the school has held since day one: every student’s path is unique, and worth celebrating. Whether a student is headed to a four-year university, a community college, a gap year, or straight into a career, the process is guided by values-driven conversations about academic fit, social environment, cost, location, and real opportunity. Students meet regularly with Lisa Dubuque Wood, one of Headwaters’ founding faculty members and now its Director of College Counseling, who brings the same spirit to this work that she has brought to everything else: see the student in front of you, support them fully, and trust them to find their way. The Class of 2026 is proof of what that looks like in practice.

4 “lifers” - started their Headwaters journey as young children

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Learning Unleashed Snapshots of Headwaters in Action The Path to Abstraction in the Primary Classroom Natalie Snowden, Primary Guide In the Robins Classroom, the garden is not a project, it is a practice. Students scoop soil, plant seeds, and check on their plants every day, building the kind of direct, sensory experience that Montessori calls the path to abstraction: real understanding that begins not with a lesson, but with dirt on your hands. Over time, something shifts. Children who started as planters become observers and questioners. They notice roots forming, explain what plants need to survive, and begin drawing what they see or sequencing stages of growth. The garden provides the soil in which the childrens’ curiosity grows.

Early Elementary National Parks Project Shari Stoker and Shauna Curtis, Early Elementary Owls As the children explored geography, regions, maps, landforms, and the incredible diversity of environments across the United States, they became increasingly curious about the National Parks and the stories they hold. What began as a study of states and landscapes soon blossomed into a meaningful, cross-curricular project rooted in wonder, creativity, and connection. Throughout the process, the children researched ecosystems, animals, landmarks, conservation, indigenous history, tourism, and geography while also strengthening important academic skills such as note-taking, organizing research, editing and revising writing, public speaking, mapmaking, engineering, and art. Their hard work came to life through thoughtful research papers, detailed trifold presentations, 3D models, and salt dough maps. More than anything, this project encouraged the children to slow down and appreciate the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Watching the children become so invested in protecting, understanding, and celebrating these special places was truly one of the highlights of our year together.

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

UE Camping Trip Jasmine Patterson, Upper Elementary Guide Our recent trip to Nature’s Classroom Institute was designed to give students the opportunity to step outside of their traditional classroom and take ownership of their learning in a real-world environment. Rooted in our “let students lead” value, the experience encouraged independence, collaboration, and problem-solving as students engaged in hands-on outdoor learning. From building dams and outdoor structures to participating in a predator-prey simulation game, students actively explored ecological concepts while working together, sharing laughs, and thinking critically. One of the highlights of the trip was a night hike, where students experienced the outdoors in a completely new way. During the hike, one of the guides, Javier, was able to call in barn owls, creating an unforgettable and immersive moment for the group. Throughout the trip, students also learned about the impact of food and water waste, gaining a deeper understanding of sustainability and personal responsibility. These experiences not only reinforced academic concepts but also built confidence, leadership, and lasting memories.

Costa Rica Trip Natalie Turner, River Spanish Guide This past spring, middle school students traveled to Costa Rica for seven days with Guide Natalie Turner. They stayed with local families in the mountain village of Herradura de Rivas. In the mornings, students had breakfast with their host families, then walked with them to the local elementary school for their community service. Our students built a greenhouse and planted vegetables. During breaks, our students formed bonds with the local children. On our last day in the village, our students and the local children worked together to fertilize the soil, fill the new greenhouse planters, and plant the vegetables. Through this cross-cultural connection and collaboration, our students formed new perspectives and lasting memories. In the afternoons, students took an interactive Spanish class to strengthen their language skills. They practiced using phrases they used during activities and interactions on the trip. The classes helped them express themselves and make connections. Students also experienced Costa Rica’s natural beauty by visiting a waterfall, a hot spring, and a beach on the Pacific coast.

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Civil Rights Day Julia Murray, River Events Coordinator This year’s Civil Rights Day showcased the power of experiential learning at Headwaters. Following a screening of The Inquisitor, students engaged with filmmaker Trevite Willis, the film’s producer. Our middle school students were especially eager participants, asking thoughtful and courageous questions about both the film and the filmmaking process. Throughout the day, students expanded their learning beyond the classroom through off-campus experiences across Austin and peer-led breakout sessions, with high school students leading many of the afternoon offerings. The day reflected what makes Headwaters distinct: students learning by doing, engaging deeply, and stepping confidently into meaningful dialogue.

Project Week Paul Lambert, City as Classroom Coordinator Each spring, Project Week invites Headwaters Middle and High School students to step beyond traditional coursework and immerse themselves in self-directed, passion-driven learning. Over the course of the week, students pursue independent projects rooted in personal curiosity—researching, building, creating, and experimenting as they explore subjects that matter to them. The experience culminates in formal presentations to peers, where students share not only what they learned, but how they learned it. This year’s projects reflected the remarkable breadth of student interests and the power of curiosity to drive deep engagement. For eighth grader Bee Stanton, inspiration struck during a seventh-grade science lesson on chemical reactions in food. After tasting Gouda cheese in class, Bee knew exactly where her next Project Week journey would lead: artisan cheesemaking. Through hands-on research and fieldwork, including a visit to Pure Luck Farms, Bee explored the science and craft behind one of her favorite foods—an example of the kind of authentic, interdisciplinary learning that makes Project Week a signature Headwaters experience.

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Outdoor Leadership Trip to Gila National Forest David Heroy, Outdoor Leadership Guide A week backpacking in the wilderness can be the most meaningful and impactful week of a student’s life. It provides lessons in how to take care of each other, how to push yourself physically and emotionally, and how and when to ask for help. With ~20 stream crossings with full backpacks hiking up the mini “Grand Canyon” of the Gila, the cold snow-melt water does more than slow you down. It makes you feel alive, like you are doing something. The kids plan, prepare, and carry all their own food, they organize and carry all the gear, and they participate in a 24-hour solo, sleeping without a tent, alone in the woods. It’s hard, intense, and incredibly rewarding. Mostly, the kids remember their friends and the bonds they make, the laughter that goes deep into the night, and a profound sense of peace from spending that much time in nature.

Vietnam/Cambodia Trip Lei Alor, River Humanities Guide History doesn’t just live in a textbook. Sometimes it lives in Phnom Penh. This spring, Headwaters seniors traded the classroom for Cambodia and Vietnam, traveling as part of our international field study program and bringing their IB History work somewhere it could breathe. They walked the ground they had been reading about. They asked questions with no clean answers. They documented what they saw, what they learned, and what they are still turning over in their minds weeks later. This is what the IB looks like at Headwaters.

➡ Scan to learn about all of our

international travel opportunities

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

A New Chapter for Middle School: Introducing the IB Middle Years Programme Stephanie Roach, River Program Director

At Headwaters, we are always asking how we can do more for our students, not by adding more to their plates, but by deepening the quality and intention of what we offer. The introduction of the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) is exactly that kind of step. starting with this fall’s 6th grade class, Headwaters will roll out the MYP across five years, so that by 2030, every student in grades six through ten will be learning within this internationally recognized framework. It is a significant commitment, and one we do not take lightly. What excites us most is how naturally the MYP fits who we already are. The framework is built around inquiry, interdisciplinary thinking, and the development of the whole student. It asks students to make connections across subjects, engage with real-world challenges, and reflect on their own growth and identity. These are not new ideas at Headwaters. They are the ideas we have always built around. The MYP also creates meaningful new opportunities for student leadership and agency. In their final MYP year, students complete a Personal Project, a fully self-directed body of work in which they choose the topic, drive the process, and present their learning to the community. It is one of the most powerful expressions of what we mean when we say we let students lead. We are proud to take this step, and we are grateful for the trust this community places in us as we grow. The students walking through our doors this fall will be the first to experience what is possible. We cannot wait to welcome them into it.

Summer 2026

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

, E U L B R A E W , D U O BE L Earnie Solomon, Athletics Coordinator What a year it has been for Headwaters Hawks athletics! From the opening kickoff of Hawk Football to the final whistle on the soccer pitch, our student-athletes showed up with heart, hustle, and Hawk pride every single step of the way. This year, our programs spanned the full athletic calendar. Football and volleyball igniting the fall, basketball taking center court through the winter, and soccer carrying that momentum into the spring. Each season brought its own highlights, growth, and unforgettable moments that reminded us why we love competition. This year delivered some truly standout achievements worth celebrating. Hawk Volleyball has quietly built something special. Our high school volleyball team advanced to the playoffs for the second consecutive year, proving that their postseason success is no fluke. And in an even bigger moment, our middle school volleyball team won the league championship, a milestone that speaks volumes about the culture and competitiveness we’re developing at every level. On the gridiron, Hawk Flag Football has now advanced to state regionals twice in the last three years, a remarkable run that has put Headwaters on the map as a program to watch. These wins belong to every athlete, every coach, and every family who believed in what this program could be. An exciting development this year was the launch of Hawk Cross Country, a brand new addition. What started as a new opportunity quickly became a passionate program, with student-athletes hitting the trails and pushing their limits in ways that exemplify everything we stand for at Headwaters. We couldn’t be prouder to welcome cross country into the Hawks family, and we can’t wait to see where this program goes.

Summer 2026

Beyond the games and meets, Hawk Athletics came alive in the hallways and the stands too. Our pep rallies brought the entire school community together in the best way. Loud, energetic, and full of that unmistakable Hawk spirit. And speaking of spirit, this year we introduced the Spirit Stick. A friendly competition recognizing the grade level that brings the most enthusiasm and school pride throughout the semester. We’re thrilled to announce that our 6th graders took home the inaugural Spirit Stick not once but twice, sweeping both semesters in their very first year! That kind of energy sets the tone for the entire school, and we couldn’t be prouder of them. Whether you’re a longtime Hawk family, a prospective family exploring what Headwaters has to offer, an alumnus cheering from afar, or a supporter who believes in what we’re building here, this year was for you too. Hawk Athletics is more than wins and losses. It’s about developing young people who compete with character, support one another, and represent their school with pride. The best is still ahead, and we are just getting started.

oun Developing y

o compete g people wh

with characte

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Welcome to the Chickadee Casita Madicyn Villalobos, YCC Guide

Summer 2026

There is a question I hear often from families who are new to our community, and I love it every time: “But what do they actually do in there?” It is a fair question. When you peek into the Chickadees Casita and see a two-year-old carefully pouring water from one small pitcher to a bowl, or crouching low to roll a watermelon across the floor, it can look like simple play. And it is, in the most beautiful sense of the word. But it is also work—real, purposeful, and carefully designed work. These youngest children are doing far more than most people realize.

“

What looks like a simple snack is actually an immersive introduction to biology, early mathematics, sensory development, and the kind of patient, sequential thinking that will serve these children for the rest of their lives. Flower arranging is another favorite in our Casita, and it is an activity I return to often when I want to show families what we mean by purposeful work. The children select their stems, practice cutting with real, child-sized scissors, and carefully pour water into a glass vase using two hands. Every intentional step builds foundational skills: fine motor control, hand-eye coordination, deep concentration, and confidence.

But what do they actually do in there?

The Casita is a “prepared environment,” meaning every material on every shelf has been chosen with meticulous intention for exactly where children between eighteen months and three years are in their development. Nothing is here by accident. The size of the pitchers, the weight of the tools, the height of the shelves—all of it is designed for small hands and growing minds that learn by touching, doing, and repeating. Take the watermelon, for example. Each year, we bring one into the Casita and simply let the children be with it for a while. They roll it. They sit on it. They run their hands along its smooth surface and notice the stripes. Together, we talk about where it came from, what it needs to grow, and how something so large can start from a seed so small. After a week or so of exploration, we cut it open. We count the seeds, trace the life cycle from seed to vine to fruit, and discuss what is inside and why. And then, of course, we eat it—which is always the best part.

When the arrangement is complete, its purpose expands. Rather than placing it on a shelf, the children choose to extend this offering. They carry their vase down the hall to the front desk or a guide’s office, navigating the world outside the Casita with immense pride and purpose. For a twoyear-old, that short walk is a grand field trip. It is also, quietly, a profound lesson in care, contribution, and belonging to a larger community. People sometimes call what we do here “daycare,” and I understand why. But spend just one morning with us, and you will see something entirely different. These children are building themselves through meaningful effort—and they know it.

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

A Celebration Across Every Campus Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch, Director of Development More than 400 grandparents and special guests visited Headwaters this spring for one of the school’s most cherished traditions, spanning three beautiful days and all three of our campuses. Guests traveled from across Texas and from states including Colorado, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, and beyond. Across Springs, Creek, and River, grandparents enjoyed breakfast and snacks, chatted with guides and leadership, asked questions, and stepped into the daily life of the school. One community, one celebration, three campuses bringing it to life at the same time. In Montessori classrooms, students eagerly shared their work, introduced favorite learning materials, and proudly guided grandparents through the spaces they call their own. In Middle School, visitors engaged with students as they explained their projects and their thinking, demonstrating not only what they know, but how they approach learning. At the River Campus, guests also toured 709 Rio Grande, gaining a glimpse of the school’s vision for the future of arts education and the IB program. One of the highlights was a reflection from parent Rob Hammett, who spoke about the qualities he sees Headwaters nurturing in his son Bodhi, class of 2028 and a Headwaters Lifer: strong values, confidence, and even something as simple and increasingly rare as a firm handshake. What makes Greats and Grands so special is the chance for grandparents to see the everyday moments that shape a child’s experience here. Beyond grades and achievements, they witness the relationships, independence, curiosity, and character that define life at Headwaters. Mark your calendars: Greats and Grands 2027 will take place April 7, 8, and 9. We hope to see you and yours there.

“My grandchild loved showing me his classroom, introducing me to his teachers, and sharing the spaces where he learns and grows each day. What stands out most to me about Headwaters is the individualized attention and genuine care given to each child. It is clear that the teachers truly know and value their students. Thank you for a great event. I can’t wait to come back next year!” — Deborah LeBoeuf, Grandparent to Patrick D, Class of 2034

Summer 2026

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

From Headwaters to the Forests of the World Paloma Doyle is Making a Difference

Alexandra Penry, Senior Director of Finance and Advancement

If you spent any time at Headwaters between 2006 and 2022, there is a good chance you know Paloma Doyle. A diapers to diploma graduate and member of the Class of 2022, Paloma grew up in these classrooms, and it turns out she was paying very close attention to the world around her the whole time. This spring, Paloma graduated from Connecticut College as a botany major and art minor, and she is not slowing down for a minute. She has been awarded the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, one of the most prestigious post-graduate honors in the country, which will send her around the world for a year with $40,000 to pursue an independent research project of her own design. She is Connecticut College's tenth Watson Fellow in five years. Paloma's project centers on urban forestry and the question she has found herself returning to again and again: how do we get people to truly value trees? Over the next year, she will travel to Mexico City, Johannesburg, Paris, Sydney, Melbourne, and Tokyo, exploring how different cultures invest in and relate to the urban forests that shape their cities and communities. "Trees offer a solution to many problems faced in an urban environment," Paloma says. "But these benefits don't happen on their own. Communities need to invest in urban forests for them to thrive." It is hard not to read that and think of everything Headwaters planted in her along the way. Paloma plans to pursue a graduate degree following her Watson year, with a long-term vision of becoming a college professor who teaches urban forestry through hands-on community engagement. She wants to design a curriculum that builds both botanical literacy and student leadership, educating future generations to care for the living world around them. We could not be prouder. Go find your forests, Paloma.

“

Trees offer a solution to many problems faced in an urban environment

Summer 2026

’13

Class Notes

Yadi Meng “I am currently in Tokyo working as a data analyst. I also got married about two years ago. Long story short, my husband loves Japan, so we moved here”!

’20 Luke Spence is the Director of Shop & Mentorship at the Austin Stem Center - a nonprofit innovation hub where makers, engineers, and problem-solvers work on real-world challenges.

’21 Isabella Prescott, Class of 2021, recently graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. She spent the winter supporting fundraising and events for Wasatch Adaptive Sports before landing on the events team at Red Butte Gardens, where she now helps bring weddings to life. When she is not working, you will find her on the slopes or hunting down Salt Lake City’s best new restaurants. Isabella credits the IB program and project-based learning at Headwaters with preparing her well for everything that has come next.

’22 Rebecca Alter “I’m incredibly grateful to be named this year’s recipient of the Todd Lewis Friedman Memorial Prize from Wasington University’s Department of Political Science, awarded annually to a graduating student for outstanding work in comparative and/or international politics. This recognition reflects a year spent researching and writing my senior thesis, where I examined how women’s political and economic rights relate to patterns of recorded gender based violence.

’24 Ramsey Winowiak and Max Moody-Wood entered an entrepreneurship competition at Trinity University and were selected for a summer incubator lab. They’ll spend Summer 2026 further developing their business with the support of professional mentors. The final competition is later this summer, so wish them luck!

Where are you now? We love hearing from our alumni. Whether you are two years out or twenty, we want to know what you are up to, where life has taken you, and how Headwaters shaped the path. Send your update to development@headwaters.org and you might just find yourself in the next issue..

HEADWATERS SCHOOL MAGAZINE

ROOTS AND BRANCHES:

Two Generations on the Power of Giving Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch, Director of Development Talia Bennick is a current Headwaters parent. Her mother, Kristina Goldstein, is a grandparent. Together, they represent something we see often at Headwaters: a school that becomes part of a family’s story across generations. We sat down with both of them to talk about community, generosity, and what it means to invest in a place you love.

What has the Headwaters experience meant to your family?

Talia: Community has been the most meaningful part for us. For Townes, it has been the Doves community inside the classroom and across the Creek campus. Watching Townes participate so fully and build relationships has brought us so much joy. And for us as parents, we feel lucky to go through these years alongside a group of families who are so thoughtful and kind. The amount of genuine warmth and good nature in this community is remarkable. Kristina: Jacob and I have attended Greats and Grands since our grandchild began at Headwaters. Spending time in the classroom and watching our grandchild explain their work brings us such joy. The atmosphere is warm, and the students seem so comfortable and motivated to learn, both independently and together.

What qualities do you feel Headwaters nurtures in young people?

Talia: Observation, curiosity, and stewardship. These kids are so aware of the world around them. They have the scaffolding to nurture their curiosity and the care to act as stewards of the world they find themselves in. Kristina: We hope for a lifelong love of learning: exploring, discovering, creating. We hope each student trusts that their voice and their questions are heard. And we believe cultivating teamwork matters deeply too.

Why is philanthropic giving important to you, personally?

Kristina: Independent schools need support from the entire community: families, faculty, staff. Tuition alone often does not cover total operating expenses. The ultimate goal is to cover those expenses and to grow an endowment that sustains the school for generations. Talia: It is not obvious that tuition does not cover an independent school’s full operating budget, especially when tuition is already a significant financial commitment for families. But I think it is that last fifteen percent of expenses, the part not covered by tuition and made possible by philanthropic giving, that allows for the magic that sets Headwaters apart. I saw that ninety-nine percent of Headwaters guides donated to the Annual Fund, which speaks volumes to their commitment to our children. As parents, while it may feel like a stretch to give on top of tuition, I know it pays dividends in shaping our children’s education in a fundamental way.

What makes a Headwaters education distinctive?

Talia: I think the guides nurture Townes’ curiosity in a way that I believe will motivate learning for the joy of learning, not solely to get the grade or earn some external accolade. That internal flame will serve Townes well into the future. Kristina: Each student is seen. Their individual interests are encouraged, their goals supported. That is not something you find everywhere, and it is worth protecting.

➡ To learn more about supporting Headwaters through the Annual Fund or the Rooted and Rising capital campaign, please reach out to development@headwaters.org.

Abby Carruth • Abhi Karthikeyan • Abigail Rosenthal and Sean Taylor • Abigayle Rosser • Adam Annen and Mairin Heard Annen • Adrian and Ariel Alonso • Adrianne and Said Tabet • Aileen Yu • Akeem and Tiffany Rose Smith • Alan Glass and Hannah Hinman • Alex and Jason Deifik • Alex Bilodeau • Alex Tapper • Alexandra and Josh Penry • Alexandra Gantley and Micah Perry • Alexis Bledel • Alicia and Lawrence Kennedy • Alina Poulsen-Berkowitz and John Berkowitz • Alison McMillin • Allen and Leena Brisch • Alli and Matt Schukar • Allison and Jay Angell • Allison Orr and Blake Trabulsi • Amanda Johnson and Leah Cochran • Amber Anderson • Amy and Kelly Kading • Amy and Ryan Rostvold • Amy and Ryan Wilson • Amy Estes and Tobin Scroggins • Anand and Maggie Anbalagan • Andrea and Anna Vaccari • Andrea Barsk-Roberts and Sean Roberts • Andrew and Nikki Karr • Andrew Medina • Angela and Ashlyn Gentry Yue • Angela and Ronald Ben Beach • Anna Stewart • Annette and Marco Vergara • Anu and Chak Raghunathan • AR El-Husseini • Areyah and Heidi Picker • Ash Hall • Ashley and Matthew Smith • Ashley Wood • Barbara Britton • Barbara Grant Boneta and Simon Hernandez-Arthur • Barbara Maloney • Ben and Sara Thomas • Benjamin and Ellen Fencl • Benjamin Appl and Deborah Lykins • Bentley Hatchett II • Bethany and Omar Fadel • Betty and Steve Barraco • Bradley Fueling and Andrea Huang • Brandon and Dayoliz Drews • Brannon Via and Eric Ortmann • Brendan and Mindy Maloney • Brenna Forsyth • Brenna Randolph and Eman Sojoodi • Brent and Hailey Linz • Brian and Karen Barry • Brian and Sarah Rock • Brian and Shannon Szymczak • Brian Elliot and Scottie Elliott • Brian Pitre and Sara Braun Pitre • Brian Yager • Bridget and Daniel Brown • Brittney and Andy O’Connell • Bryan and Kelsey Ryan • Bryce Masthay • Burak Calderon • Cait Taylor • Caitlin McDermott and Dane Depinho • Caleb Davis • Candy Porter • Carina Alderete • Carl Hunermund and Kara Murphy • Carla Wade • Carmen Brown and William Olmsted • Caroline and Rob Dixon • Caroline Nichols • Caroline Simpson • Cassandra Abate and Nicholas Lawson • Cat and Abdul Sulieman • Catharine and John Sonnenberg • Cayla Cecil • Cesar Mendez and Karina Rascon • Charles and Katie Cunningham • Charlie Faye • Chelsea and Dustin Woodhead • Chelsea and Joshua Scott • Chelsea Davidson • Chris and Arielle Larson • Chris and Sara Kocek • Chris Houston and Anne Bingham • Chris Xavier • Christa and Ezequiel Martell • Christina Caramanis and Alex Tapper • Christina Keller • Christine Edwards and John Weidler • Christopher and Jennifer Juge • Chuma and Oluwadara Chike-Obi • Cierra Samaripa • Cindy and Andy Brummer • Claire and Jared McHaffie • Claire Campbell • Clay McMillan • Clint Dickson and Stephanie Gantos Dickson • Consuela and Donald Wright • Corey and Jordan Maynard • Corey and Mavis Klemcke • Cori and Oded Doron • Cristina Coleman • Cynthia and Harry Pagels • Dale and Lisa Evert • Dan Floyd and Tracy Manier • Daniel and Jessica Ramirez • Dasha White • Dave and Kristie Annen • Dave Cortez and Rachael Neal • David and Dana Jencks • David and Erica Heroy • David and Lauren Stat • Dean and Peggy Byrom • Debbie Dunn • Deborah McLean • Deborah Price • Dennis Testa and Keryn Pasch • Desiree Williams • Devang and Arpy Kothari • Diana Ascarrunz and Mark Luffel • Dianni Ortegon and Haley Harris • Donna and Jim Hardesty • Douglas Rauls • Duncan and Laine Montgomery • Durel and Heather Bernard • Earnie Solomon • Edward Muzio • Eihab Alwawi and Noha Khalifa • Elaine King and Peter Fitzgibbon • Elena de la Torre • Elizabeth and Cody Vickers • Ellen and Mike Schukar • Elliot Tucker-Drob and Barbara Wendelberger Drob • Emilie Stacy and Pierce Stacy IV • Emily and Zach Obront • Eric Holden • Erica Parfit • Erika Dewalt • Erin and Brett Busby • Erin Fassnacht • Erin Fonken and Brandon Mathis • Ernie and Nicole Aguilar • Estella and Joshua Adair • Ethan and Renee Gage • Eva and David Pollack • Eyal Freund and Shiri Freund Koren • Gabriela and Tim O’Connor • Gabriela Hernandez and Anthony Stanton • Gabriela Morales and Eduardo Camarena • Gezim Drenova and Tanya Kennel • Gianna Gallegos • Gordon Falk • Grace Hocking • Grady Eglin • Griffin and Kathy Lord • Gudrun Opperman • Guido and Leslie Porto • Guillermo Leal-Collazo and Vodga Hernandez • Hanna and

With deep gratitude, we thank the families, alumni, and friends whose generosity makes Headwaters possible. James Fuentes • Harry and Caroline Olmsted • Heidi Yohe and Sam Brodnax • Heikki Korhonen • Hilda Reilly • Holly and David Schneider • Holly DohertyLemoine • Hung Yam Chan and Wing Shek Wong • Hyon-Hee and Marc Georg • India and Andrew Gallagher • Ingrid Borborema and Gabriel Levasseur • Inten Utari and Dana Lindahl • Irena and Evan Schmidt • Irene and Randy Chard • Isaac and Kate Lewis • Iskra and Philip Payne • Jaclyn and Eric Mann • Jacob and Kristina Goldstein • Jake Friedman • James and Jennifer Austin • James Elias and Lynn Liu • Jane Szymczak • Jason and Regan Parks • Jason Lewiss • Jayne Kading and Jeff Karhohs • Jean Yang • Jeffrey Gross and Jessica Wandelt • Jen and Noah Masterson • Jenna Martin and Tal Tversky • Jennie Glass • Jennifer Clifford and Blake Mikol • Jennifer Giroux • Jennifer Maas • Jennifer Phillips • Jennifer Skiffington and Rudye McGlothlin • Jenny and Jeremy Remington • Jeremy and Talia Bennick • Jeslyn Schuh and Lee Chavez • Jessica Assomull • Jessica Hargest and Lou Marchetti III • Jessica Rio • Jewel Natarajan • Jiaqi Cheng and Qiao Kang • Jimena Houle • John and Amy Hall • John and Angela Lively • John Mazcko and Erin Ryan • John Smolik • Jon and Emily Payne • Jonathon Wilson and Jaclyn Anderson • Joseph and Laura Michael • Jote Khalsa and Matt Clawson • Julia Murray • Julie Allred • Julie and Neathery Falchuk • Juniper and Lucas Lesak • Justin and Angela Aaron • Justine AbuHaidar and John Silva • Kami McLaughlin • Karen Smith • Karolina and Michael Russo • Kassi Hormuth • Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch and Joshua Meyer • Katherine Jones and Don Pitts • Kathi Yoshii and Phil Boyd • Katie and Amador Riojas • Katie Creel and Tyson Schritter • Katrina Bekessy and Dan Provost • Katy Nail and James Swift • Katy Oliveira-Lambert and Paul Lambert • Kayla Sands • Kaylin King and Alison West • Keegan and Stacey Archer • Keith Martin and Jennifer DiZio • Kelli Considine and Shauna Curtis • Kelly and Richard Edwards • Kelly Bonsall and Sean Headden • Kelly Medina • Ken Stein and Kenneth Lambrecht • Kirin and Marcelo Vieira • Kristy and Adam Battani • Kyle Bilhorn and Kate Remick • Lara Schmidl-Simandi and Nadine Doyle • Laura and Joe Valenti • Laura and Paul Detke • Laura Escalante • Lauran Janes and Evan Lambert • Lauren Gonzalez • Laurence Prodel • Lawren and Scott Askinosie • Leanna and John Hammett • Leanne Wong • Lesley Regan • Leslie Wearb Hirsch • Libby Bryans • Lidia Galarza • Lina Chagoya and Christopher Lozano • Lindsay Doleshal • Lindsay McHugh • Lisa and Doroteo Perez • Lisa and Michael Furrh • Lisa Dubuque-Wood and William Wood • Lisa Munoz and Erin Lawder • Lisa Olstein and David Goodrich • Lisa Tillinghast and Richard Erhardt • Liz Alfaro and Cody Travis • Liza Davydova and Eric Luke • Lori and Brett Strong • Lucille and Oscar Berrones • Luke Jacobs and Carrie Rodriguez • Lupy Cepeda • Lydia Pyne and Stanley Seibert • Lyren Brown and Clarice Laires • Maddeline Whitehead • Madeline Newchurch • Madhu Natarajan • Madicyn Villalobos • Magdalena Vial • Magdeline and William Maddox • Maia Lambert • Manda Smith and Michael Poe • Mandy Levy • Margery and Mike McAlister • Maria Morales • Marie Muzio • Mark Gaston and Jennifer Fenton-Gaston • Martha Jane Cates • Mary and Eric Shuman • Mary and Matt Heerwald • Mary Irreno • Mary Sue Marmion • Mathieu and Michelle Flamant • Matthew and Heather Galvano • Matthew and Teresa Dreise • Matthew and Vanessa Vance • Matthew Minyard • Mei Hu • Melissa and Michael Stavitz • Melissa Petrich • Michael Maloney • Michael Postel • Michel Landman • Michelle Nezambadi • Michelle Schmitz • Michelle Smolik • Mike and Sara Largent • Misty Mathis and Justin Poag • Mona and Andrew Nafziger • Mona Solis • Monica Shah and Brian Dunigan • Monique and John Mulvany • Monique Champagne • Nanette Bledel • Natalie Snowden • Natalie Turner and Erin McNeely • Neil and Kate Raats • Nelson Depinho • Nick Hileman and Kerry Hugins • Nicole and Joe Miller • Nirav and Sapna Bhagat • Nora and Ryan Ciampi • Oliver Ponce and Erin Shotwell • Omar Kass-Hout and Nora Wadi • Paige Haber-Curran • Pam Cottam • Paola Cortes Reyna and Mark Manthey • Papa and Christine Rivera • Patricia Abate • Patricia and Joshua Luber • Paul and Sarah Armendariz • Paul Robalino • Paula Sanchez and Gilbert Fabian • Phillip Martin and Kaiba White • Pradip and Rebecca Hari • Preston and Elsa Wilson • Price and Sally Manford • Priya Garg and Scott Lee • Rachael and William Biggs • Raghav Goel • Ramya Ramaswamy and Srinath Rajen • Reagan Flores • Rebecca Merino • Rebecca Ostrander • Regan Parks • Renee Gage • Richard Henwood and Jessamine Dana • Richard Bitz and Genevieve Okpara • Richard Downs and Tonya Trybula • Richard Esselstyn and Jill Kolasinski • Rishma Patel • Rob LaCroix and Ana Molina • Robert Howell and Kate Robinson • Robin Scott and Rob Hammett • Robyn and Tom Flaherty • Rosa and Jorge Chapa • Rosabel Noblitt • Rosie and Tony Chavez • Ruth Anne and Daniel Bloor • Ryan Keller-Manning • Ryan Montgomery and Kathryn Garland Montgomery • Sam Hooten • Samantha Papadakis and Robert Richardson • Sana and Asim Malik • Sandi Russom • Sara Headden • Sarah and Chris Lord • Sarah and Jim Gagliardi • Sarah and Tommy Vinyard • Sarah and Troy Doney • Sarah Bolin • Sarah McCracken and Andrew Merrill • Scott Gray and Lynelle Keil-Gray • Scott Marks and Lucy Wood • Scott Nguyen and Jana Leon Guerrero • Sean McConnell and Cynthia Ramirez-McConnell • Seth Glass and Jasmine Patterson • Shamaa Lakshmanan and David Gulley • Shaneitra Cockrell • Shari Stoker and Avinash Lakshminarayana • Sheridan Hewson-Smith • Simon Boyce and Meg Merritt • Siobhan Boyle • Skylar Gaston • Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch and Mark Miller • Staci Lammering and Bryan Ray • Stephanie Barraco and Ruby Stout • Stephanie Klinect • Stephanie Roach and Hannah Osborn • Stephanie Saldivar • Stephen Beatty • Steven and Teresa Lee • Steven Carter and Marsi Puente-Carter • Sujal Rangwalla and Amy Shah • Sumati Morris • Susan Sloan • Susie Demarest • Susie Henderson and Michael Manco-Johnson • Suzanna Choffel • Sydney Dunn-Valadez and Brandon Valadez • T.J. and Kelly Palvino • Tamara and Katrina Yarborough • Tanya and Michael Johns • Tarrence and Tera Van As • Tasha Tennant • Ted and Amy Graf • Terra Lynch and Aric Cheston • Thomas Sellstrom • Tia Butler and James Mussman • Tiffany and Nate Wooten • Tiffany Goodman Bilbe and Mitchell Bilbe • Tiffany Promise • Timothy and Shelley Riedel • Tina Grube • Todd and Courtney Erickson • Tom and Lori Provost • Tom Gagliardi • Tommi and Chris Collard • Tracy and Bryan Barksdale • Tyeshia and Christopher Aguilar • Tyler and Lesley N Blessing • Tyler Mosley • Vanessa Stewart • Vanessa Troncoso • Wency Martinez and Brandon Watts • Wes and Katrina Sparks • Will Simpson and Avé Luke-Simpson • William VanWart and Buff Strickland • Zinthia Flores and Rodrigo Becerril

Headwaters School 801 Rio Grande Street Austin, TX 78701

Support the Next 25 Years at Headwaters

Your gift helps nurture creativity, curiosity, and connection in every classroom. From Montessori to IB, your support fuels a transformative education—one student at a time.

headwaters.org/give