Winter 2023 Periscope: Sharing Our Planet

Winter 2023

Sharing Our Planet

In This Issue PAGE 1

Head’s Column PAGE 2

Traditions Old and New PAGE 4

Curriculum Connections PAGE 12

Alumni and Community News BACK COVER

Welcome Susannah Wolf Avocado Baby

THE PERISCOPE Volume 33, Number 1 Editor: Amanda Perla Designer: David Mellen Design PS1 Pluralistic School 1225 Broadway Santa Monica CA 90404 (310) 394-1313 (310) 395-1093 fax To learn more about our school, visit our website www.psone.org

HEAD’S COLUMN

Sharing Our Planet

Each year the PS1 faculty chooses a theme that shapes our curriculum and connects students to big ideas. Our teachers and specialists design lessons and experiences for the students to explore our theme in developmentally appropriate ways. They read stories, make artwork, sing songs, go on field trips, and conduct research to access the theme from multiple vantage points. Since all classes focus on the theme, students can connect with one another about their learnings and perspectives. In 2022-2023, the school-wide theme is Sharing Our Planet. This theme links us to both social and environmental sustainability. It encourages us to seek ways to coexist harmoniously with one another and our natural resources.

Sharing Our Planet is a natural outgrowth of our school’s commitment to pluralism. It recognizes a multiplicity of needs and interests in our global community, and our grand work is to build a respectful, interconnected environment. Concern for others is a simplified way to think about why we should share our planet. PS1 parent and author of See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, Valarie Kaur, reminds us that “You are a part of me, I do not yet know.”

PS1 can offer a microcosm of this effort to share our humanity, and we develop the inclinations among the members of our community to extend our culture of care.

Essentially, we begin with social-emotional learning about sharing.

What does it look like, sound like, and feel like to share what we have? How do we come to understand our differences and commit to bridging them? We seek genuine reciprocity and mutual respect as we take an interest in others, learn from them, and offer our own experiences and understandings. We will share our planet not only because we have to but also because we want to.

Sharing Our Planet reminds us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. It elevates the meaning and relevance of our studies.

When we talk about climate change, we know that our crisis needs a global response, requiring each of us individually and as a school to do our part. PS1 is proud to maintain its Green Business Certification with the City of Santa Monica. Our learning philosophy connects students with ever-expanding communities with the goal of making a positive change at every level. We monitor our energy usage and carbon footprint because we understand it as a finite resource, and we want to help ensure that people we do not know and may never meet have access to the energy they need.

There are so many possible threads woven into our theme. Sharing Our Planet can shape science experiments, geography and government studies, DEIJ discussions, and community initiatives, among so many topics. The PS1 teachers select topics and design lessons that are ageappropriate and connected to the class’s learning objectives. In each activity, a lingering reverberation of the lesson may be that sharing our planet is urgent and that our students understand that they have the agency to promote social and environmental sustainability.

I invite you to learn more about our exploration of Sharing Our Planet through the Curriculum Connections section in this issue of Periscope, in addition to many of the events and celebrations highlighted in Traditions Old and New. In Community,

Erik Carlson, Interim Head of School 1

Book Fair & Family Festival’s Harvest Carnival Students, parents, faculty, staff, and friends browsed through books to their hearts’ content and shared in a literary tradition at PS1. Curated for the first time

by Westchester independent bookstore, The Book Jewel, our Book Fair was also featured prominently during our Family Festival’s Harvest Carnival.

The Family Festival’s Harvest Carnival took place on Sunday, Nov. 13.

It showcased our school’s family and community-oriented culture as we came together to celebrate the fall season and the joy of connecting with one another on campus.

PS Serves Coordinated by parents, PS Serves supports PS1’s values and long-standing commitment to volunteer service. Parents join their children in various projects that support charitable efforts in the greater Santa Monica community. This year kicked off with an annual sock and underwear drive for a local organization.

Traditions Old & New Community Circle Time / Circle Time Reporters The tradition of Circle Time has taken on a new spin this year as we showcase classroom learning through our weekly Classroom Reporter role. Under the Oak Tree, each student takes a turn in front of the whole school to present an aspect of what they have been learning in their class.

Groups of students also rotate to lead activities, songs, and dances that embody the spirit of community at PS1. Another exciting aspect of Community Circle Time is an open invitation to families to share how they celebrate cultural and religious holidays throughout the year.

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International Human Rights Day

Holiday Gift Exchange

Nancy Harding, PhD Assistant Head for Teaching and Learning

Every year PS1 hosts a Holiday Gift Exchange where each student makes one gift to give to another (pre-assigned) student. The purpose of the Holiday Gift Exchange is to help children appreciate a thoughtful, homemade gift over a storebought one, which we open together on campus. Students had so much fun creating (and receiving!) crafts, lego designs, hand-sewn pillows, pottery, and much more.

On Dec. 9, we honored International Human Rights Day with a special Community Circle Time. We celebrate this day at PS1 because it signifies our aspirations for all of the students and adults in our community. Moreover, this school year, our school-wide theme of Sharing Our Planet supports the goals and objectives that International Human Rights Day sets forth.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a document that provides a global road map for freedom and equality for the whole world - protecting the rights of every individual, everywhere. This declaration was the first-time countries agreed on the freedoms and rights that deserve universal protection in order for every individual to live their lives freely, equally, and in dignity.

The principles are as relevant today as in 1948, reminding us that we can take action in our daily lives to uphold the rights that protect us all and promote the connection of all human beings.

To honor this day at school, we first listened to the sound of our heartbeats!

The heartbeat is the most human of all rhythms. After that, each class shared its Human Rights Day curriculum, and then we participated in a school-wide drum circle to create the heartbeat of our community.

“Rhythm is at the center of humanity.

One who knows rhythm knows the world.”

- Mickey Hart

https://www.unesco.org

Winter Concert The Winter Concert featured the theme, Sharing Our Planet, which students have been exploring all year (see the Curriculum Connections section for highlights). Students performed songs, instrumental music, and poetry that accentuated this theme, our connections to one another and the earth.

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Curriculum Connections

Sharing Our Planet

Red LUCIA | GINA Being stewards of our planet and our environment is one of our core values in the Red class. While taking walks around our neighborhoods, students often notice the plants, cars, sounds, and trash that can litter the sidewalks.

As part of our work learning how to share and take care of our planet, the Red class took a field trip to clean up trash in our community. Students walked to nearby Memorial Park, put on gloves, and explored the area, collecting any garbage they could find. Our young environmentalists found tiny pieces of plastic, cigarettes, and recyclable items like soda cans. Students then sorted all the trash and learned what could be recycled and what would end up in a landfill.

We learned that trash in our community often ends up in the ocean, is consumed by fish, and can end up as microplastics in the food we eat.

Students were eager to share how much they already knew about caring for our local oceans and how they could support sustainability every day by using reusable lunch bags and refillable water bottles.

As part of our work learning how to share and take care of our planet, the Red class took a field trip to clean up trash in our community.

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YOUNGERS CLUSTER

Orange

HOLLY S. | MEGHAN

We took a deep dive into our physical identities and looked closer at what we look like on the outside. We noticed that while we have many similarities, we are also different.

Thinking about our school-wide theme, Sharing Our Planet, the Orange Ducks thought more about the people who share it. We took a deep dive into our physical identities and looked closer at what we look like on the outside. We noticed that while we have many similarities, we are also different. After reading the book, The Colors of Us, the Ducks examined their skin tones and came up with foods and objects that reminded them of their skin color. Some examples were milk chocolate, salted caramel, and our classroom’s wooden dollhouse. The Ducks drew self-portraits and blended peoplecolored crayons to create their skin tone.

Next, we talked about everything hair!

Hair textures, hair colors, hair lengths, and hairstyles. We experimented with unraveling and cutting yarn and folding and curling paper. We then added hair to complete our portraits. These portraits helped us learn more about ourselves, our classmates, our connections, and what makes us distinctive and unique.

Yellow BONNIE | MELVA The Yellow class has been exploring the theme of Sharing Our Planet by reading literature, talking about feelings, and spreading kindness. Students learned to recognize and name their feelings by creating Feelings Faces. Then they used the emotional thermometer to assess various situations and the feelings they may provoke. Students began to understand how our actions and emotions impact our ability to live harmoniously with others in this world. Our exploration of feelings led us to consider how we want to coexist as global citizens sharing one planet. The answer was simple, spreading kindness! We created a Kindness Chain to represent how one act of kindness could lead to another creating a chain effect. Each student wrote about an act of kindness they wish to implement in the classroom and school community on paper strips and stapled them together to form a beautiful chain of kind thoughts and intentions. This activity embodies our goals as a classroom community and supports our continued theme of taking care of ourselves and others.

Our exploration of feelings led us to consider how we want to coexist as global citizens sharing one planet. The answer was simple, spreading kindness!

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BRIDGE CLUSTER

Green BILLY | DANIELLE Students in the Green class have been exploring the school-wide theme, Sharing Our Planet, by first learning about their personal and social identities. We read books, interviewed family members, and had class discussions to glean pertinent information. Students recognized that their family structure, traditions, hobbies, and pet peeves are vital components that make them unique. Students used these aspects of themselves as inspiration to encourage their personal Growth Mindsets. For example, when things get challenging, we share an affirmation each day, such as, “I can be anything I want to be!” or, “My voice matters!”

In this identity unit, our goals follow the Learning for Justice standard: “Students will express pride, confidence, and healthy selfesteem without denying the value and dignity of other people.” When students embrace their identities, it encourages them to celebrate diversity. Learning for Justice, an organization that provides school resources, finds that “Students will respond to diversity by building empathy, respect, understanding, and connection.”

Next, students will learn to recognize stereotypes to relate to people as individuals rather than as representatives of groups. We also encourage families to explore and engage in culturally diverse neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles to support our classroom learning.

Students recognized that their family structure, traditions, hobbies, and pet peeves are vital components that make them unique. Students used these aspects of themselves as inspiration to encourage their personal Growth Mindsets.

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Blue MCKENDREE | STEPHEN | BHAVNA

The underlying concept is to help each student understand different facets of ourselves and how they come together to make you, you.

To understand communities and the relationships within them, we need to understand ourselves. To build on this, we began the year with an Identity study. The underlying concept is to help each student understand different facets of ourselves and how they come together to make you, you. Students reflected on personal identities, defined by Tiffany Jewell in This Book is Anti-Racist Journal, as “parts of you that you define, create, name, and frame” (p. 16). As a class, we learned about different categories of social identities, “parts of you that relate to other people in society, these categories–and the way you define yourself within them–are based on creations that have been named, framed, and defined by society over the course of a long time”(p. 15), and defined ourselves within in them.

MIDDLES CLUSTER

Indigo KAYLA | PETE

Violet KELLY | ANGI

Curriculum Connections Students are now collaborating in small groups to reimagine the pier in a way that restores the balance of human and natural systems, and is more inclusive and accessible to the community’s diverse needs.

The two classes in the Middles cluster are collaborating for social studies this term. Students explored the theme of Sharing Our Planet most prominently through our “Save the Pier” mantle — a transdisciplinary study of climate change and its impact on the local community.

In the Imaginative Inquiry framework, which utilizes the conventions of drama (point of view, tension, and narrative) to explore real world problems and spark imagination, students learned that sea level rise was threatening the longevity of the Santa Monica Pier.

After an in depth interview process, students were hired as a team of “expert engineers” with the California Coastal Commission, and learned about the impact the pier has had on the Santa Monica community in the past, present and foreseeable future. Students discovered that historically, the pier had prioritized the needs of certain human systems over natural systems, which led to pollution and the degradation of the health of Santa Monica Bay. Students are now collaborating in small groups to reimagine the pier in a way that restores the balance of human and natural systems, and is more inclusive and accessible to the community’s diverse needs. Each small group will create blueprints and later models of their reimagined piers, including agreed-upon structural and community components.

When the context for learning is framed around a problem worth solving, the classroom itself undergoes a transformation as students and teachers share in the possibilities of collaboration, empathy, and hands-on learning.

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OLDERS CLUSTER

Olders 4

LIANNE | HOLLY F.

There are 16 different languages spoken by the members of our class or by their loved ones (some of the languages are not pictured) In the Olders cluster, we have been investigating our school theme of Sharing Our Planet through our essential question, “What are the benefits and challenges when sharing resources?” We began unpacking the question and defining key terms for the fifth and sixth-grade students in Olders 4.

Next, we applied this question to our various areas of focus, from identifying the “benefits and challenges” of a group of learners with different needs sharing a classroom to thinking about elements of the periodic table and how they are the primary resources that are shared to make everything around us. The question has prompted discussion around the “benefits and challenges” of reading a mystery series in a book club (No spoilers, please!), made us wonder about the diverse voices and languages spoken in our classroom, our community, and around the United States, and is guiding us in our study of history and the “benefits and challenges” of sharing (or not sharing) resources among the groups of people in early America. Our essential question has encouraged us to take and discuss different perspectives, express our values, and adopt actions that reflect our responsibilities to one another and the planet.

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Olders 5

JOHN | MADELINE | STEPHEN

In social studies, we considered the challenges faced by the indigenous people who settled around the Finger Lakes in what is now northern New York approximately a thousand years ago. Because each separate group needed access to the resources in the region, tension grew, and conflict ensued. Our students were tasked with creating a solution to the problem. In every case, each of the student groups proposed a system whereby the people established a single nation where responsibilities were thoughtfully delineated, where children were mentored and resources could be more easily obtained and shared.

Without initially knowing it, the students were replicating the Iroquois Confederacy, which not only put an end to the inter-group conflict but also solidified the distribution of resources. The students were then introduced to the Iroquois prayer of thanks, a portion of which we recited at a school circle. The foundation of the prayer is in sharing the earth, we honor and respect the earth. As we now study the foundation of the United States Constitution, we will continuously reflect on how the Iroquois celebrated the concept of sharing resources.

As we now study the foundation of the United States Constitution, we will continuously reflect on how the Iroquois celebrated the concept of sharing resources.

SPECIALISTS

Art LINA

Library CHRISTINA During November, Library Time for PS1 students focused on Native American Heritage, as designated by the Library of Congress.

As explained on the Library of Congress website: This is a month to “pay tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. Traditional stories about animals and hero/tricksters that provide a clearer understanding of the values and cultures of the diverse First Nations of North America.”

And with using this lens to explore the school-wide theme Sharing Our Planet, PS1 students have heard many kinds of stories and poetry by Indigenous authors, illustrators, poets, and artists. Some of the ideas we have all found in these wonderful works have been:

In Olders, the students learned about the important role birds have in our environment. They were surprised to find out how many ecosystem services birds provide for the earth. Pollinating our favorite fruits and vegetables, fertilizing the soil with essential nutrients, and being excellent environmentally-friendly insect exterminators are just a few examples of why birds are significant in our daily lives.

During our extensive ceramics study, each student built a birdhouse made with clay.

Before sculpting their birdhouses, students shared ideas and discussed how to make safe birdhouses. They made sure the size of the birdhouse was accurate, were careful that there was enough ventilation, and contemplated how to make sure predators could not enter the houses. The students are very excited to bring their birdhouses home and see if a bird will make their unique creation into a cozy home.

Contemporary poets writing about community needs. Not personal needs but community needs.

Avoiding overexploitation of natural resources and developing more sustainable solutions.

…the students learned where clay (used to create ceramics) comes from, and discussed the importance of valuing the earth’s precious natural resources and conservation.

In Middles, the students learned where clay (used to create ceramics) comes from, and discussed the importance of valuing the earth’s precious natural resources and conservation. After each student had an opportunity to create a functional vessel such as a bowl or a plate, they considered the benefits of using clay for making pots and containers. Since clay vessels will eventually decompose, they are an ecofriendly alternative to steel and aluminum cookware. Furthermore, students discussed the environmental challenges of creating clay pots. For example, how much energy is used in each firing, and what type of energy is used? During this clay study, students used their critical thinking skills and analyzed both the benefits and drawbacks of using clay to create vessels.

Celebrating the Living Earth and our kinship with all the plants, and animals— even with the stars in the sky.

As Paul Goble writes in The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, “We are still glad to remember that we have relatives among the Horse People. And it gives us joy to see the wild horses running free. Our thoughts fly with them.”

…using this lens to explore the school-wide theme Sharing Our Planet, PS1 students have heard many kinds of stories and poetry

by Indigenous authors, illustrators, poets, and artists.

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SPECIALISTS

Music VIRGINIA

Curriculum Connections

Music is informed by the sounds and rhythms of planet earth; music is a way of honoring planet earth. Music is how we connect across continents in a common language that all of humanity can understand. In the Music room, we are listening to, watching, discussing, and performing music from cultures around the world in appreciation of the diversity of the earth and human relationships expressed through the arts.

In Youngers, the students enjoyed moving to, singing, and playing instruments to music from Central and South America, Europe, and Africa. In Bridge, the students learned about the origins of the xylophone and learned about music inspired by nature. In Middles, the students learned to play the recorder.

The recorder is the oldest instrument discovered by archaeologists. In Olders, the students are preparing Passion Projects. They are using Sharing Our Planet as inspiration to compose a piece of music, skit, dance, or presentation.

The PS1 musicians co-wrote a song with me called Share The Earth, which was performed by the Bridge Cluster at the Winter Concert on Friday, December 16. All the music performed at the Winter Concert this year was inspired by the theme Sharing Our Planet.

Music is how we connect across continents in a common language that all of humanity can understand.

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SPECIALISTS

The Studio CHRIS

“Education, physical activity, and sport have the potential to contribute to the visions set out for a sustainable future.”

UN; 2015: Agenda 2030, 17 sustainable development goals (SDG)

PE PEDRO The Physical Education curriculum at PS1 provides many opportunities for highlighting the environment, sustainability, and a connection to the school-wide theme of Sharing Our Planet.

During PE classes, we utilize our natural outdoor environment under the giant oak tree. Capture the Flag is a school favorite PE game at PS1. It offers players a fast-paced, exhilarating mix of fitness, teamwork, and lots of fun. The game is played using the whole yard while students try hiding behind the trees, rocks, bamboo, and bushes that our natural setting provides.

In our Physical Education classes, we also explore and encourage activities such as hiking, bicycling, walking, climbing, yoga, and running. These activities offer opportunities for students and their families to stay fit, and they provide incentives to be stewards of the natural world.

Physical Education at PS1 emphasizes meeting each student’s physical, social, and emotional needs in a fun and caring environment. The objective is to develop each student’s confidence and connection with others through fitness, fun, challenges, teamwork, and leadership.

The geodesic dome is a structure comprised of geodesics, a series of straight lines on a curved space that intersects to form triangles.

One of the most significant benefits of this design is that structural stress is distributed evenly throughout, making buildings extremely strong despite using very few materials.

The Olders students built domes to house the plants they are growing. Using cellophane to trap heat from the Sun to create a greenhouse effect, and recycled straws formed the struts of their designs.

The students worked in partnership to measure 66 struts of two different lengths, joined together by connectors made from pipe cleaners and tape to create the shape and structure.

They also researched and explored why dome structures solve the housing challenges of an ever-increasing population. The geodesic design is a perfect marriage of the sturdy arch and the rigid triangle, which enables dome homes to be extremely strong. They can withstand high winds, earthquakes, and heavy snow, making them ideal structures for any environment, especially in an increasingly volatile climate. Additionally, dome homes require far fewer building materials than traditional homes and can be made of various eco-friendly building materials.

The geodesic design is a perfect marriage of the sturdy arch and the rigid triangle, which enables dome homes to be extremely strong.

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Jim Starr, Class of 1992

Clara Lieberstein, Class of 2022

Alumni Corner Marla Samuel, Class of 1976 Marla earned her undergraduate degree from UC Santa Cruz in Fine Art, and an MSW degree from Portland State University in 2011. Marla’s parents are still enjoying their participation in PS1’s Memoir group (now called Grandparents, Live!).

Jopanky (Joe) Cantor, Class of 1983 Joe moved back to LA in August after being based in NYC for the past 20 years. He is excited to be closer to his family.

Nick Starr, Class of 1991 and Jim Starr, Class of 1992 Jim has been busy with many restaurant ventures including Golden State, which had a thirteen-year run. He has now combined with Cofax Coffee Shop, run by his brother, PS1 alum Nick Starr, class of ‘91, of Prime Pizza and Bludso’s BBQ. Nick has run approximately one dozen restaurants over the last fifteen years.

Frances (Fofy) Perkins, Class of 1995 After PS1, Fofy attended the Archer School for Girls (co-founded by her mother Victoria Shorr) and then attended Canford School, a boarding school in the UK. She then graduated from Brown University in 2005.

In May 2022, Fofy graduated from Belmont College of Law and had a baby just one week later!

Zach Statler, Class of 2002 Zach is a professional artist and is currently applying to graduate school for counseling.

Reece Sutton, Class of 2006 Reece graduated from San Francisco State University, taking breaks to work and travel - including a three-month trip to India and three and a half months working and living in Nepal. He credits PS1 for instilling in him his

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appreciation of world cultures.

After graduating (right at the start of the Pandemic), his plans to join the Peace Corps and travel to Morocco were disrupted when all of the service members were called back.

He moved back to Santa Barbara, where he met his fiancee at a dog park. They were married in October and now live in Mammoth Lakes where they enjoy rock climbing, trail running and more recently, snowboarding.

Elijah Kirkland-Cuffee, Class of 2007 Elijah, known by Prophetboy, recently performed at a community event in West LA promoting his new EP, which is available now!

Charlotte Siegel, Class of 2016 Charlotte recently graduated from Windward School and now attends New York University (along with fellow Class of 2016 PS1/Windward alumnus Angus Ebeling). In her final year at Windward she was the Stage Manager for the spring performance of Peter and the Starcatcher.

Hugo Miller, Class of 2017 Hugo was spotlighted in Windward School’s Magazine for his performance in Windward’s Spring Dance Concert. His mom, Laura, was also highlighted for her choreography. Laura is a professional choreographer whose work has been featured on the stage and in film.

Mattea Sokolow, Class of 2017 Mattea attends Santa Monica High School and has committed to swim at the University of Michigan for fall 2023. She visited other schools and fell in love with Ann Arbor on a recruiting trip. She is excited that Santa Monica High School (SAMO) has finally built a new outdoor pool to replace the indoor pool that has been there since her parents

Elijah Cuffee, Class of 2007

attended! She sees other PS1 alumni who also attend SAMO. She has also been busy recently with her new pet cat!

Lukas Perttula, Class of 2018 Lukas participates in WISRD (Wildwood Institute for Stem Research and Development), and just finished a poster presentation. He has an internship in particle physics and radial astronomy with a professor at UC, Irvine.

Luisa DeLorenzo, Class of 2019 Luisa is currently a sophomore at Santa Monica High School. She stays in touch with her best friend from PS1, Alejandra. During a recent visit to PS1, they were able to visit with aftercare staff as well as Olders teacher, Holly Frazier. Luisa is currently challenging herself with her first AP class, World History.

Mia Perttula, Class of 2020 Mia is enjoying Choir at Wildwood School and performed in the Wildwood Cabaret concert in November.

Jaeden Johnson, Class of 2022 Jaeden attends Wildwood school and is keeping busy participating in athletics, specifically Track and Field.

Clara Lieberstein, Class of 2022 Clara attends The Archer School for Girls and keeps in touch with many classmates from PS1 (as eight students chose to attend Archer last year). Clara’s passion for music was instilled at PS1 and she is part of the Archer orchestra, now learning to play the guitar and bass guitar. She also plays the flute and piano. Clara serves as a PS1 Class Rep.

Reece Sutton, Class of 2006

Luisa DeLorenzo, Class of 2019

Mattea Sokolow, Class of 2017

Click or scan the QR Code to give us an update!

Grad/Alumni party October 28, 2022

Current sixth-grade students and seventh and eighth-grade alums had a great time celebrating Halloween, dancing to the sounds of the DJ, decorating cookies and taking pics in our photo booth.

Click here to view the photos on SmugMug.

Life After PS1

October 18, 2022

This year’s Life After PS1 event was a huge success! Thank you to our alumni panelists in 9-12 grade who together represented nine different schools! They returned to field questions and discuss how PS1 helped set the foundation for later life.

Click here to watch the recording.

PS1 Archives We are so excited to present our new virtual tour of The PS1 Archives here. You can Zoom in on photographs from the last 50 years as well as yearbooks and mementos. To arrange a visit in person, please contact Tisa, tisa@psone.org

Our panelists: Sierra Abronson, Maya Acutt, Claire Asten, Noah Brandy, Thea Chamberlin, Samantha Gardner, Josephine Gelinas, Sonia Hsieh Schumacher, Jack McGary, Hugo Miller, Esme Roberts, Jordan Schwab, Alejandra Torrez, and Lauren Weiskopf

Wildwood Alumni Visit

Class Rep Zoom

Tisa and teacher Holly F. visited alumni students at Wildwood School during middle and upper school lunches. It was great to hear about athletic accomplishments, and how much the upper school students are enjoying advisory and participating in activities such as Cabaret, Choir, and STEM Research, as well as the internship program. If you would like to arrange for an alumni visit at your school, email Tisa, tisa@psone.org.

The class reps came together for a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, September 28th.

It was wonderful to catch up with class reps near and far! Stay tuned for class rep meeting news to come.

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Avocado Baby Read by Librarian Christina Garcia

I am eager to join with the community in holding fast to such a strong history, while imagining and bringing to life the PS1 of the future.

PS1 welcomes Susannah Wolf as next Head of School

Do you remember when you first heard Avocado Baby? Our new PS1 friends are hearing it for the first time. We have a special treat for you. Are you ready to be transported back to your first year at PS1?

The PS1 Board of Directors announced on Nov. 17 the appointment of Susannah Wolf as its next Head of School. She was selected from an impressive pool of candidates following an extensive nationwide search and will succeed the Interim Head of School, Erik Carlson, on July 1, 2023.

With three decades of experience as an administrative leader and teacher, Susannah comes to PS1 with an exemplary record of creating innovative educational programs and fostering collaboration throughout her career. Currently, she is the Head of School at The Miquon School, an Nursery-6th Grade progressive School, in Conshohocken, PA, which she attended as a child.

Susannah brings highly relevant experience from her eight-year tenure at Miquon, including child-centered multi-age classrooms, supporting matriculation to secondary schools, diversity, equity, inclusion and justice initiatives, and long-range strategic planning.

Watch our Librarian, Christina Garcia, read Avocado Baby to you.

In response to the announcement, Susannah said, “PS1’s mission, vision, and philosophy align so closely with my own. I look forward to joining and leading a team of educators and a community that trusts children, holds positive expectations for potential, creates spaces that encourage belonging, and centers joy in the daily living for children and adults.”

CLICK HERE to read the full statement from the Board of Directors, as well as Susannah’s letter to the PS1 community.

Independent K–6 education in Santa Monica 1225 Broadway Santa Monica CA 90404 www.psone.org

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