FALL 2021
View THE
NEWSLETTER FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS, ALUMNI FAMILIES, GRANDPARENTS AND FRIENDS
2020-2021
ANNUAL REPORT
Dear Open Window community, Welcome to 2021-22! In this edition of The View, you will find two themes: gratitude and building towards the future. First, gratitude. Thank you to every single person who donated to Open Window last year. Because of your generosity, we were able to not only weather the challenges the Covid-19 pandemic handed us, but respond, revise, innovate, and commit to our mission in both familiar and brand-new ways. Thanks to your contributions, we supported all our faculty and students with the technology they needed, provided professional development to the teachers, upgraded the ventilation throughout the school, and provided weekly PCR Covid testing to every person in the school. At the same time, we distributed over a million dollars in financial aid and continued to make progress in our diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Tuition does not cover the full cost of each student’s experience at our school, especially in a pandemic year. Your contributions make the difference and we are grateful. Second, Open Window School is emerging from the pandemic stronger than ever. Our enrollment is the highest it has ever been, we have 40 students in the eighth-grade class, we just took the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders on fall overnight trips, and, as of writing this letter, we have had zero instances of Covid since school started thanks to our mitigation strategies. In this View, you will read about our innovative initiatives: task forces on visual and performing arts and student support, a virtual speaker series which is the result of collaborations with other local and national independent schools, the inspiring eighth grade mural titled “A Compassionate Planet”, and the new approach to the 2021 graduation ceremony which takes advantage of our beautiful location on Cougar Mountain and the wonderful relationship between eighth graders and their teachers. We continue to nurture and inspire our students in 2021-2022. Let me end by saying, once again, that every one of you is important to us. From current parents and guardians, to current and former faculty and staff, to alumni and alumni parents from the early days up until now, we are proud that you are part of the Open Window School story. Our connection to you matters, and we are grateful. All my best to all of you—
Elaine Christensen Head of School
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On Elaine’s Bookshelf by Elaine Christensen
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker, PhD This book will change your life. It’s a compelling articulation of what sleep is, how it happens, and why it is critically important to our physical and emotional health. He explains, in layman’s terms based on years of dedicated scientific research, what happens to your brain when it falls asleep, when it’s in REM or NREM sleep, when sleep is interrupted, and when you get too little of it. Sleep is an absolute necessity for living creatures. Did you know that “migrating birds grab remarkably brief periods of sleep” while in flight? Or that dolphins and whales can sleep with one half of the brain at a time? “Deep, powerful, rhythmic and slow brainwaves will drench the entirety of one cerebral hemisphere, yet the other half of the cerebrum will be bristling with frenetic, fast brainwaves activity,
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Letter from the Head of School
12 Graduation
2 Elaine’s Bookshelf
14 Alumni Spotlight
3 Around Campus
15 Annual Report
8 Meet our New Faculty and Staff
22 Open Window Fund 2021-2022
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fully awake.” The relationship between sleep and a student’s capacity to learn is especially relevant to our work as parents and teachers of young children. What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey This book was recommended to me by a former board member of SENG (the Social Emotional Needs of the Gifted) and current Advisory Board Member for the BelinBlank International Center for Gifted and Talented Education. Dr. Bruce Perry has devoted his life’s work to examining the way that trauma of any kind early in life affects how people function as adults. Humans are relational creatures; we exist in community and the capacity to be connected in meaningful and healthy ways is a fundamental need. “Like clockwork, whether it’s the President of the United States, Beyonce in all her Beyonce-ness, a mother sharing a painful secret, or a convicted criminal in search of forgiveness, at the end of any interview, the person sitting across from me asks, ‘How did I do?’ as they scan my face for a reaction. ‘Was I okay?’ they always ask. The longing to be accepted and affirmed in their truth is the same for everyone. And beyond science, I know it boils down to this: how you were loved.” For me, this book reinforced the importance of Open Window’s emphasis on social and emotional learning as a core element of our program.
ABOUT THE COVER The cover image is our newest campus art designed and installed by the Class of 2021. Find out more about this mural on page 3 Read about the Class of 2021 graduation on page 12.
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Around CAMPUS “A COMPASSIONATE PLANET” A MURAL BY THE CLASS OF 2021 The Open Window School graduating class of 2021 left behind an inspiring message for future Bobcats. These students were kindergartners in 2012 and moved their way across campus over the years from Heckerman to Robinson Hall, with students merging into the group seamlessly along the way. During the period from 2012 to 2021, they had two heads of school, three presidents of the United States, and over 55 teachers. They experienced a global pandemic; the tangible effects of climate change; a global upstanding and demand for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; all while being student leaders in the reimagining of “school” from 2019 to 2021.
The mural project started with pen and paper designs created in the art studio followed by a democratic vote for a single design to represent the group. Students zoomed into a Board of Trustees Facilities Committee meeting to professionally pitch their concept and ask for funding for the project. After gaining approval, Art Teacher Katya Palladina organized the materials, and helped develop a plan for installing “A Compassionate Planet” by Sophia Sekits.
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This special mural is on the east wall of the music room and its beautiful presence is the background for students playing at recess, and a daily reminder by the Class of 2021 that is rooted in our school’s Bobcat Virtues: be kind, inclusive, respectful, and responsible.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION EVENTS 2021-2022 Virtual Equity and Inclusion Speaker Series In collaboration with over 25 local area independent schools, Open Window introduces the Virtual
Equity and Inclusion Speaker Series offering an opportunity to connect, learn, and engage in topics in equity, inclusion, and antiracist education and action.
You are invited to register for these events here: https://bit.ly/VirtualEquityInclusionSpeakers
Please see the information below for upcoming guests and save the dates. One of the speakers, Erika Lee, is the author of our Fall Community Book Read, The Making of Asian America, a History (see below for details).
Please join Open Window for our Fall Community Book Read. We will be reading The Making of Asian America: A History by Erika Lee Our fall book discussion will take place on Thursday December 16, 4:15-5:15PM via Zoom. Please reach out to our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director Rajeswari Sachdeva (rajeswaris@ows.org) if you would like to join the discussion.
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Around CAMPUS ARTS TASK FORCE Joe Renzulli, renowned researcher of gifted education, defines giftedness as having three critical components: above average ability, task commitment, and creativity (Renzulli 2016). Zooming in on one component, Sir Ken Robinson defines creativity as “the process of having original ideas that have value” (Robinson 2010). Open Window School aspires to be a leader in gifted education, and a well-developed, mission-aligned arts program is an intrinsic element of the program we aspire to be. The positive benefits of a strong arts program for gifted students
are well known; arts provide a mechanism to communicate complex ideas through nonverbal or mathematical means and demonstrate connections between unrelated ideas. The arts allow gifted students to explore and express their ideas across disciplines and domains. Head of School Elaine Christensen convened the Arts at OWS 2030 Task Force. The group was asked to articulate a mission statement and strategic vision for the OWS arts in the future. A team of administrators, teachers, trustees, and parent/guardians came together last winter to research the connection between arts and
giftedness, the arts offerings at competitor schools, and best practices in the arts at leading K-8 schools for gifted students around the nation. Their final recommendation, proposed to the Board of Trustees in June 2021, has two ambitious goals. By the year 2030, OWS aspires to: 1) deepen and broaden our instruction in the fundamentals of the arts and, 2) more explicitly integrate the arts into all facets of the K-8 curriculum and program. By achieving these goals, our program will be enriched, and our students will be better equipped to channel their creativity into making positive change in the world.
STUDENT SUPPORT TASK FORCE Most students attend Open Window School for nine years and every single student will experience intellectual, social, or emotional challenges during that time, including (but not limited to) the diagnosis of a specific learning issue, anxiety or depression,
divorce, death in the family, executive function difficulty, friendship ups and downs, and/or academic challenges. The Student Support Task Force, composed of Open Window counselors, teachers, and administrators, parents/guardians, trustees, and experts in the field of gifted education, will research best practices with regard to strategy and support for gifted students in leading K-8 independent schools.
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They will identify and outline current and future OWS student support mechanisms including dedicated mechanisms for the identification of learning issues, clear and consistent systems for accommodation, and the staffing to support students’ academic and social-emotional growth. The Task Force will present their findings and proposal to the Board of Trustees this spring and will begin implementation in fall 2022.
FAMILIES VISIT COUGAR MOUNTAIN TO CONNECT, RECHARGE FOR NEW SCHOOL YEAR Bubbles waft past parents as they talk about family hikes and picnics; children laugh and yell as they run to kick a soccer ball. These are just a few sights and sounds of the Parents & Guardians Association’s Summer Gatherings, held every weekend throughout August. “The theme for this year is connect, connect, connect,” said Head of School Elaine Christensen, as she welcomed parents onto campus, seeing some of them, in person, for the first time. “I’m so excited to see you all in person, and to start the new year with joy and anticipation.” Despite signs of the pandemic in the masks and social distancing, the families who arrived on the Open Window School campus were focused on typical start-of-school things — the kids’ new teachers, what afterschool classes their students would like, greeting old friends and chatting with new ones, and a hope for a happy, successful year as Bobcats. “It was wonderful reconnecting with families and meeting new friends,” said PGA co-president Jackie Dodge. “We are looking forward to the school year!”
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SUMMER PROGRAM AT OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL Open Window School opens its doors (and windows) to the wider community for Summer Program for 5 weeks each year from July to August. All rising kindergarten through seventh graders are invited to register for camps such as Minecraft, Bookmaking, Debate, Writers’ Workshops, Outdoor Exploration, Parkour, Web Design, Robotics, and more. We went virtual during the summer of 2020 and had to reimagine our program this past summer of 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. Please enjoy a few data points on this summer of fun. Look for registration for 2022 in February on our website, openwindowschool.org/Summer.
SUMMER BY THE NUMBERS
Around CAMPUS Number of campers
313
Number of unique offerings
35
Number of OWS Alumni as Teacher Assistants
7
+1 INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT!
Number of non-OWS students
174
Number of robots built
20
Number of debate topics
12
Number of smiles
Unlimited!
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Welcome OUR New Faculty AND Staff We are thrilled to introduce our newest faculty and staff members to Open Window. We are also including new faces who began in the Spring 2021.
MICHELLE BOWERS Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Middle School Humanities Associate Teacher Michelle’s favorite after school activity involves walking her very cute, but very lazy, old, yellow lab named Taxi. Her theme song is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” performed by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. RYAN BROWN Pronouns: he/ him/ his Sixth Grade Humanities Teacher Ryan loves to travel, has been to many places around the world, and admits to being a skilled eater, as well. His theme song could be any song by Journey, Chicago, or the Eagles.
GAYATHRI CUNNATHUR RAJAGOPAL Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: Gaa-ye-three Raj-a-go-paul Middle School Innovation and Technology Associate Teacher Outside of the tech lab, Gayathri enjoys painting, embroidery, and jewelry making. Her theme song is “Believer” by Imagine Dragons.
STEPHANIE DOBLER Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: Dough-blur Third Grade Lead Teacher Stephanie is skilled in rallying people to do stuff, like the 80’s Zumba lesson in an empty lot she organized for her block last summer. Her theme song is “Nothing’s Going to Stop Us Now” by Starship. MICHELLE DOIRON Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: Door-un Lower School Auxiliary Programs Administrative Assistant and Summer Program Assistant Director Michelle is a musician and studied classical piano and traditional Indonesian Gamelan in college. She is currently studying the performance of Ghanian drumming. Her theme song is “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley. NICOLAAS (NICO) DONS-BORREGUERO Pronouns: he/ him/ his Name pronunciation: Don-s Borr-e-gue-ro Fourth Grade Associate Teacher Nico is fluent in Spanish and has worked at the high school level in Spain and in other schools in the area in a Spanish teacher associate role. His theme song is “Requiem for a Dream” by Clint Mansell.
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Welcome OUR New Faculty AND Staff ANITA ERSKINE Pronouns: she/ her/ hers First Grade Associate Teacher Anita’s theme song is “Me Too” by Meghan Trainor and she is known to make a mean pie.
MARY JORGENSEN Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Bookkeeper Mary is an avid reader, loves animals (especially her oneyear-old Labrador, “Iris”) and collects anything “Hello Kitty”. Her theme song is “Winds of Change” by Scorpions.
KYLE HICKS Pronouns: he/ him/ his Second Grade Associate Teacher In his free time, Kyle snowboards, climbs, hikes, and runs. His theme song is “Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO.
ERIK KOSKI Pronouns: he/ him/ his Name pronunciation: KAW-ski Lead Music Teacher Piano is Erik’s main instrument, plus he has sung in many church choirs when he was younger, including at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral Choir in Seattle. His theme song would be “Disneyland”, from the Broadway musical Smile.
ROBBY HOLMES Pronouns: he/ him/ his Middle School Science Associate Teacher A lifetime learner, Robby loves nature, walking around Seattle’s parks, taking bird photos, and identifying plants, animals, tracks, and insects, and watching the change of seasons. Robby’s theme song is the intro song for the Chicago Bulls.
ALY MIRASOL Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Middle School Humanities Associate Teacher Aly plays a bunch of instruments and loves water sports. Her theme song is “Weekend in Monaco” by The Rippingtons from the album Live in L.A.
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TIFFANI MURPHY Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Middle School Administrative Assistant Tiffani has two pets, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Molly and a tortoiseshell cat named Tiana. If she had a theme song, it would be “A Soft Place to Land” from the musical Waitress by Sara Bareilles. CARRIE PENCEK Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: PEN-sek Fourth Grade Lead Teacher As Carrie explains her inspiration for teaching, “I believe that a rich life is one filled with curiosity and endless opportunity for growth. I love learning alongside my students and guiding them to be inquisitive, empathetic, and courageous citizens who see the value in learning not just for school, but for life itself.” Her theme song is “If I Had a Hammer” by Pete Seeger. BRIAN PLASTER Pronouns: he/ they ICT Support Technician In addition to being a teacher by trade, Brian also is a hairstylist, woodworker, music maker, parent, and husband. Their theme song is “Sun in Your Eyes” by Above and Beyond.
OME
CYNTHIA RAMOS Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: RAW-mohs Middle School Science Associate Teacher Cynthia enjoys water coloring and organizing materials, spaces, creating schedules, and planning events. Her theme song is “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors. DEBBIE RYNHOUD Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: Rain-Note (like the rain in Seattle and a music note) Executive Assistant to the Head of School Debbie also works as a freelance life coach, loves to cook with friends, and especially enjoys feeding people with farm-totable salads. Her theme song would be the soundtrack to the movie Chocolat (2000) by Django Reinhardt. NICKIE SCHMITZ Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: sh-mits Middle School Math Teacher Running and hiking are two things you might find Nickie doing outside of work. If you see her running, you may hear the faint sound of her theme song “Ragged Wood” by Fleet Foxes playing coming from her ear buds IZZY SCHONFELD Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: shone-feld Middle School Humanities Associate Teacher Other passions of Izzy’s include theatre, hiking, crocheting, and baking. Her theme song is “Make Them Gold” by Chvrches.
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Welcome OUR New Faculty AND Staff MCKENNA SEVRUK Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Kindergarten Associate Teacher McKenna performs and teaches ballet. Her theme song is “City of Stars” from the movie soundtrack for La La Land.
AMANDA VAISH Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: V-eh-sh First Grade Lead Teacher Amanda loves to sing…in the car, in the class, on stage, and at karaoke. Her theme song “Midnight City” by M83 gets her energized on her commute.
ABBY SMALLEY Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Kindergarten Associate Teacher If you find yourself needing to start a campfire without an ignition source, Abby can start a friction fire using a bow drill set that she MADE. Her theme song is “Dancing Queen” by ABBA.
MARGARET WARD Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Middle School Math Teacher Margaret is also a freelance illustrator and designer, and her theme song is “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and the Heart.
KAREY STOLTZ Pronouns: she/ her/ hers Name pronunciation: Care-y Middle School Math Teacher Karey loves to bake and cook and has created many of her own recipes for cookies. Karey’s theme song is “It’s Not Easy Being Green” by Kermit the Frog.
TERRENCE WILLIAMS Pronouns: he/ him/ his Director of Technology Outside of work, he is a tinkerer and likes DIY projects at home. Terrence’s theme song is “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee.
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GRADUATION 2021:
Reimagining AND Rebuilding Traditions
Graduation has always been a special day at Open Window. After a student journey through an Open Window experience for anywhere from one to nine years, it is a time to reflect and celebrate while it also marks the transition to the next adventure as high school awaits. This year, due to the COVID pandemic, we took an opportunity to reimagine what this tradition could look like, while also finding a safe way to come together and celebrate this momentous day. We moved the ceremony to the field, and earlier in the day, with an afternoon rather than evening event. Family pods were set up on the field. We brought in a top-notch sound system. And most importantly, deeply thought about what elements of the program were both essential and the heart
of this occasion. With a clear focus on celebrating the work and contributions of our graduates, we began the afternoon with students gathering for photos capturing this special event and moment in time. Faculty and staff aligned our walkways and surrounded the group with cheers as students made their walk from the staging area in the gym, across the playground, and down to the field. Student chosen
teachers were invited to say a few words and reflections for each graduate. They also shared hopes and dreams for the students for their futures. We had graduate speakers including Allie Tay, Student Council President, and Yash Karki and Olena Khetan representing their class voice and marking what has become a unique new memory and the blossoming creation of new traditions for the future.
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Congratulations
TO THE CLASS OF 2021
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Congratulations to William Murray ‘17 who was named a 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of 161 seniors recognized nationally for outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to school and community. Drew Thompson ‘15 spent the summer in St. Augustine, FL to participate in the Whitney Laboratory Research Experience for Undergraduate program (REU), funded by the National Science Foundation, which offers an exceptional opportunity for motivated undergraduates to participate in scientific research. Specifically, Drew worked with the Duffy Lab using genomics to investigate environmentally and virally induced genetic changes driving sea turtle fibropapillomatosis, an epidemic form of cancer
hampering sea turtle conservation, with the aim of identifying disease mechanisms and novel therapeutic treatments. At the end of the program, Drew won the award for best poster presentation and will be granted an all-expenses paid trip to a national conference to present their research! Drew is returning to UC-Santa Cruz this fall to continue their dual-major Marine Biology/ Bioinformatics studies. The past 18 months, former Head of School Wilder Dominick Witt ‘97 to ‘12, took a break from traveling the world to spend several months in Denver with her new grandchild, Caeden! It was wonderful to have so many rising eighth grade students and alumni back on campus this summer helping with our Summer Program — both as Teaching Assistants and as Instructors! Working at Open Window Summer Program is a wonderful way to reconnect with the campus, and some of our teachers. It is also a wonderful leadership opportunity for rising eighth graders and young alumni. Meyher, a member of the OWS Class of 2023 shared that she “wanted to be a Teacher Assistant was because my final year at Open Window is right around the corner, and I’m going to
miss the fun community when I’m off to high school. I’ve always had a great time at OWS, and I was hoping I could pass that on to the campers.” A huge shout out to all of our alumni and rising eighth graders who helped out: Julia Barnett ‘22, Sarah Benmalek ‘16, Jiaxing Brisbois ‘20, Nara Chen ‘21, Meyher Dhesi ‘22, Ryder Gwinn ‘18, Sophie Hollinger ‘20, Bess Hurlock ‘20, TJ Kaplan ‘22, Catherine Penner ‘22, Roya Prow ‘22, Ethan Scheel ‘22, and Siddarth Suri ‘22. At the date we published the summer issue of The View we had not heard from all our amazing Class of 2017. We are thrilled to share one more. Adam Gilani Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business
Please reach out to alumni@ows.org with your updates! Stay connected to your Bobcat Community by following us on Instagram @OWSBobcat, join our closed Facebook alumni group: Open Window School Alumni Group
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Photos are from the end of year K-8 Buddy Ceremony where students exchange letters of encouragement and gratitude and celebrate a year getting to know one another.
Annual Report
2020-2021
Thank you for your contribution to The Open Window Fund for during the unusual 2020-2021 school year. Thanks to you, more than $616,560 was donated from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021. Your gifts were directed to the four key areas within our Family of Funds, which are: Faculty & Staff Professional Development, Financial Aid, Technology, and Where Needed Most. The school extends our deepest gratitude to the many families, alumni, friends, and teachers and staff for their tremendous generosity. 15 | OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL | THE VIEW | FALL 2021
An Open Window education teaches students kindness, inclusion, responsibility, and respect. It instills intellectual curiosity and a commitment to community. Whether our students soak up these ideas during morning meeting in Lower School, explore them in Middle School’s advisories, or experience them through projects or performances, Open Window values define our students’ experience. These principles remain vibrant because our faculty and staff, generous donors, and volunteers invest deeply in our school and our students.
Join us today in supporting The Open Window Fund.
openwindowschool.org/donate OPEN WINDOW SCHOOL | THE VIEW | FALL 2021 | 22
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THE VIEW FALL 2021 EDITOR
Carolyn Lucas COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
CONTRIBUTORS
Elaine Christensen HEAD OF SCHOOL
Katya Palladina K-8 ART TEACHER
Zoe Wilson K-8 DRAMA TEACHER
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Angie Hurlock
PHOTO CREDITS
DIRECTOR OF PARENT RELATIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
Vidigami photo community contributors
Euan Oswald
Sheila Addelman
DIRECTOR OF AUXILIARY PROGRAMS AND SUMMER PROGRAM
DESIGN
Christa Fleming
Erin Wallace HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
Development Office Marja Ziuzin CFO
@OWSBobcat
facebook.com/OpenWindowSchool
@OWSBobcat