The Willows Voice Spring 2016

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action Math in Action

P.E. & Math: One Step at a Time Citizenship in Action:

Electing a School-wide Theme

www.thewillows.org

Students Taking Action Make it Happen!

On the Beat: Middle School Launches Student Newspaper TEDWillows Talks

Taking Action to Share Ideas

THE WILLOWS summer 2016

let's take action

ACTION

MESSAGE FROM LISA ROSENSTEIN, HEAD OF SCHOOL

Let's Take Action!

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action

he joy of action is the poetry of The Willows” –Lisa Rosenstein

table of contents 1

Message from Lisa Rosenstein Head of School Let's Take Action

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STEAM2

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Our School In Action INTERSESSION!

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Math in Action

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Reinventing Math Symposium

OUR PHILOSOPHY

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Taking Action Touchdown!

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Taking Action To Build Emotional Intelligence

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Students Taking Action Make it Happen On the Beat: Middle School Launches Student Newspaper

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Science In Action Kindergarten Crayon Initiative

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How Do You Stop Action in Photography?

Middle School Photography Class & Action

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Lifelong Learners Teachers Take Action

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Ideas@TheWillows Learning In Action

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AISL (Association of Independent School Librarians) See The Willows In Action

The Willows is committed to a balanced yet demanding progressive curriculum rooted in experiential learning and social values. We teach and model a zest for learning and the courage to take risks. We challenge children to challenge themselves and set high standards for academic excellence, which they pursue with energy and joy. We nurture a sense of compassion and community that begins at home, reinforcing what it means to be a respectful, involved citizen-of-the-world.

We believe that great minds grow in a near-infinite variety of ways. In the spirit of the willow tree itself, our “great minds” are flexible, resilient, and beautiful at every stage of development.

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Citizenship in Action Making Willows History–Electing a School-Wide Theme

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TEDWillowsTALKS

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Art In Action A Gallery Walk Through The Willows

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Forward Thinking Leads Back to Classroom Professional Development In Action

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Art In Action Learning from Artist-in-Residence Olga Ponomarenko

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Connections The Heart of The Willows Community

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Alumni Professional Panel

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Alumni Happenings

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Alumni Spotlight Stepping into Entrepreneurship

The Willows Online WEBSITE: www.thewillows.org TWITTER: @WillowsSchool INSTAGRAM: WillowsCommSchool FACEBOOK: The Willows Community School WISDOM OF THE WILLOWS BLOG: thewillowsblog.wordpress.com/

Lisa Rosenstein Head of School The Willows Community School

“Imagination means nothing without doing.”

–Charlie Chaplin English Actor & Filmmaker

Action–doing–is fundamental to learning. The beliefs of both John Dewey, American philosopher and educational reformer, and Jean Piaget, clinical psychologist and child development expert, regarding experiential learning emphasize that deep learning occurs when children are active participants in the learning process. This philosophy is the foundation of our curriculum and educational program. It is and always has been the heart of a Willows’ education.

It is vital to be able to do. Simply hearing about a subject is not enough. Direct hands-on experience cements learning and transforms education into a joyful experience.

The ancient Chinese proverb, ‘I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand,” resonates universally today as the essence of learning.

Action, our school-wide theme this year, is more than just a one-year theme: it’s a value that is embedded in everything we do. Learning at The Willows is active—our teachers create lessons and projects where students take ownership of their learning through the act of creation, whether it’s first graders developing mathematical thinking by solving complex puzzles with The Zoombinis, an ipad game; second graders collecting data as they conduct fresh water experiments to discover more about oceans; third graders practicing Reader’s Workshop strategies; eighth grade students creating innovative video essays; or Upper Elementary and Middle School students building, testing, and fine-tuning complicated Rube Goldberg machine-like inventions to send a marble around an entire classroom.

By taking action, students define themselves as learners. Students need the experience of generating ideas, turning those ideas into a plan, executing the plan, hitting roadblocks, and working through those roadblocks to find success. Our goal is for each student to develop a growth mindset, which, as defined by Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, “creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” Armed with experience and the knowledge that they can succeed, our students are unstoppable.

So how can we as educators support active learning for our students? The first and most important step: create an environment where students feel supported and safe enough to take intellectual risks and make mistakes–to take action.

The launch of our emotional intelligence program RULER into every classroom is actively helping our students develop an awareness of their own and others’ emotions.

This focus on emotional intelligence is creating a safe climate and increasing insight and empathy among our students. Through the RULER mood meter, even our youngest Developmental Kindergarten and Kindergarten children are learning to express their own feelings and to comfort a friend who is feeling blue. Our students are learning that we are at our best when we learn from and about each other. Willows’ students are discovering that as English author Oscar Wilde wrote, “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”

The most exciting thing about taking action is the sense of possibility and the joy you feel when you realize that the future is in your hands. When students learn that they can take action, they realize that the sky’s the limit.

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THE WILLOWS summer 2016

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ACTION

STEAM

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“ At The Willows, we regard STEAM as STEAM². The M stands for both Math and Maker,” says Head of School Lisa Rosenstein.

“All of these disciplines–science, technology, engineering, art, math–are seamlessly integrated in our curriculum, and our maker program allows students to fully engage in each discipline.”

We want all our students to realize their potential and see themselves as makers, designers, and doers–taking action to create. This type of thinking and hands-on teaching practices, coupled with the necessary tools and technology, lead to innovation, deep thinking, and the realization of dreams. A maker mindset enables our students to take ownership of their learning as they fully engage with the subject matter. Problem solving, doing, and making invigorates each discipline and brings learning to life.

Riding the Roller Coaster of Life & Learning! Newton’s Laws of Motion in Action Did you ever think that riding a roller coaster at the Santa Monica Pier could be a real-world science lesson?

Our fourth graders had a thrilling ride at our Annual Party at the Pier, but were well equipped with hands-on experience and knowledge to transform the ride into a real-life lesson in physics, engineering, and science.

As part of their Force and Motion Unit in Science, the fourth grade explored the concepts of friction, momentum, gravity, kinetic energy, potential energy, inertia, and centripedal force through hands-on activities. As a basis, they studied English physicist and mathematician Sir Isacc Newton’s three Laws of Motion. They also took a field trip to the California Science

Center where they participated in a workshop to design a roller coaster track on a gigantic pegboard.

Then, it was time for STEAM2 in action! In teams of three and four, students designed and created their own roller coasters using a marble to navigate the track.

They stabilized their tracks using dowels and popsicle sticks and made adjustments until the marble completed the track perfectly.

“Through trial and error, our students all worked toward the end goal of their marble successfully going

down the track,” relates fourth grade teacher Jen Chyi.

“This maker project enabled our students to better understand the scientific concepts of this unit. They worked through their problems adjusting the track to allow the amount of necessary force. For example, if the marble flew off the track, they realized there was too much kinetic energy and asked ‘how do we decrease it’. They posed and answered their own questions with hands-on adjustments. The unit came alive for them.”

The roller coaster project was an in-depth, collaborative effort integrating STEAM2 into the classroom curriculum. And beyond in this case when they headed to the amusement park at the Santa Sir Isaac Newton Monica Pier.

“The students asked me and the other teachers to ride on the roller coaster at the Pier with them,” explains Nicole Shamtoob, a fourth grade teacher. “As we went up the roller coaster students said, ‘Nicole, we are building potential energy’ and then, as we accelerated and headed down, they shouted, ‘It’s kinetic energy’.”

The joy of a community gathering and a shared experience with teachers became a real-world lesson of learning coming to life!

“ The proper method for inquiring after the properties of things is to deduce them from experiments.”

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“ My powers are ordinary.

Only my application brings me success.”

–Sir Isaac Newton // British Mathematician & Physicist

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games. Students worked in small groups to think about the elements that make an arcade game fun and determine how to incorporate those elements using the materials at hand, which included cardboard, paper, pipe cleaners, and other recyclables.

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the factors that go into making a good restaurant (such as math, budgets, décor, food, and service) as well as the many roles that people play in helping a restaurant run smoothly.

The students embraced the challenge with gusto, taking on a variety of different jobs, such as menu designer, maitre d', cook, and server. On the day of the grand opening, they opened their doors to faculty, staff, and other students, who enjoyed the friendly ambiance—which included printed menus and fresh flowers from The Willows’ garden—and delicious offerings.

“The students dedicated themselves to their restaurant jobs,” says Director of Teaching and Learning Terri Baird. “Their effort and focus was no different than any team of people trying to get a new restaurant off the ground.”

STEAM2-Powered Action: Robot Theater!

Our School in Action:

Intersession!

Action was the theme—and the result!—of this year’s Intersession, when students in Lower and Middle School met for three weeks in cross-age groups to participate in interdisciplinary explorations.

From math and science to arts and humanities, all of our students explored the meaning of action and its impact on our lives, from the “aha moment” that can change a life path to the kind of action that can change the world. Here are just a few of the ways our students took action during Intersession.

Critical thinking, problem solving, and creative collaboration were at the forefront throughout the exploration, as students tested their games, collected data about their process, and refined their structures. Students also applied their math knowledge and developed a hands-on understanding of simple machines as they built and refined the prototypes.

“Our students took their projects incredibly seriously,” says kindergarten teacher Brent Weiss, “and they gained so much satisfaction from building games that other people enjoyed playing!”

Third through fifth graders harnessed the power of STEAM2 (science, technology, engineering, arts, math and maker) for a robotics project with a twist. Inspired by Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room, students created their own interactive “rooms” that featured small robots with lights, motors, and sensors.

Be Our Guest! The Lower School Restaurants Everybody in Los Angeles is looking for the next hot restaurant— and for two weeks this winter, The Willows was the place to go.

Over the course of the project, the students in third through fifth grade came together to design, create, and open their own pop-up restaurants—one Italian, one Mexican—located in our STEAM2 Lab. Like any good restaurant, the project began as students discussed

Pinball Wizards: Action at the Arcade Video games may be absorbing and action-packed in their own way, but a classic, hands-on arcade game still has much to offer—as The Willows’ DK through second graders discovered.

Inspired by “Caine’s Arcade”—a short film about a young boy who built his own set of arcade games—teachers challenged their students to design and build their own three-dimensional action

Over six days, students worked in small groups to generate ideas and plans and then bring those plans to life. Jo Ben Whittenburg, one of the teachers coordinating the project, observed that in order to make their visions reality, students had to wrestle with unfamiliar tech tools, take intellectual risks, and manage frustration as they

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went through the cycle of building, troubleshooting, and revising.

Jo Ben notes that the students were energized—rather than defeated—by the challenge: “They often chose to stay inside for snack or recess to test a new light or motor or finish just one more block of code,” he says.

The students also built elaborate backdrops for their robot characters, and at the conclusion of the course, they presented their final products to amazed students and parents.

Action Makes a Difference: Public Service Announcements in Lower School How do you take action to inspire others to change their behavior?

That was the challenge for the third, fourth, and fifth graders who created public service announcements for The Willows community.

At the beginning of the course, the students explored public service announcements and discussed what makes a good announcement effective—from eye-catching design, to persuasive language, to a call for action.

Then, students identified important school issues and determined how they might inspire change. Some public service announcements focused on ameliorating the effects of the drought through simple behavioral changes—such as reducing paper towel use or repairing leaky faucets—while others called for people to consider bigger changes—such as greening the campus.

The public service announcements ranged from short videos to skits to poster campaigns, all reflecting the passion and commitment that the students felt for their causes.

While learning about the art of messaging, students came away with an even more important lesson—how to raise your voice to raise awareness about issues that matter.

let's take action

Together, they designed their own pop-up gallery to communicate personal messages to spur change in communities.

Action Through the Arts: How Music Powers Change Music can be a catalyst for change, as the middle schoolers participating in “Music Inspiring Action” discovered.

In this course, students investigated the relationship between action and the arts, and how people can harness music to power change in the world. Students learned about the history of protest music across hundreds of years, starting with the protest songs of American slaves in the 19th century, through the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War protests of the 1960s, up to the protest music of today that has focused on issues such as climate change and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Students had access to a database of over 100 protest songs, which they listened to and used as a starting point for questioning and discussion. Students explored the similarities and differences in theme, song structure, and chord patterns, and the elements that make a protest strong particularly memorable or noteworthy.

Then students wrote their own protest songs, involving issues that mattered to them. The topics reflected a wide range of interests and issues, including poverty, how women define beauty, terrorism, the Syrian immigrant crisis, and the inequity of standardized testing.

Liz Ganem, one of the teachers leading the course, notes that students benefitted from the challenge of writing and performing their own songs. “It was so empowering for students to create their own protest music,” she says. “It helped them understand that they all have the ability to use art to make their voices heard.”

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“Action” in Other Intersession Courses & Integrated into Curriculum

GONE WITH THE WIND: USING MATH SKILLS & PHYSICS TO MEASURE WIND SPEED, DIRECTION, DISTANCE & RATE

STUDENTS IN ACTION

PLANNED ACTION: LEARNING MILITARY STRATEGY

THE SCIENCE OF SPORTS

Modern Graffiti Street Art: Asphalt to Action ACTION/REACTION FASHION SHOW

Upper elementary students studied the cultural significance of street art on sidewalks, subways, and art galleries and how artists, such as Banksy, Keith Haring, Invader, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, bring attention to social issues through this form of expression. Then, students created “Street Art” reflecting issues of importance to them.

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RUBE GOLDBERG: CHAIN REACTION

ART INSPIRES ACTION

STOP ACTION FILM

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THE WILLOWS summer 2016

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“The project was a perfect way for students to apply math skills related to measurement, multiplication, and averages,” Paul says. “When these concepts are taught in isolation it can be difficult for students to see why they are relevant, but this experience helped students see how math could relate directly to their lives.”

The project also helped to expand students’ understanding of personal fitness and how making small daily changes can result in big changes over time. “The data helps students see the impact of their activity over the long term,” Paul says.

“Every step makes a difference!”

Tracking a Heat Wave to Build Data Literacy When the weather is hot at The Willows, students seek out places on campus to stay cool: the library patio, under a tree, and the classrooms, to name a few spots.

So when Southern California endured high temperatures this past fall, The Willows’ fifth grade teachers realized that this presented a unique learning opportunity. They launched their students on a study to explore student behavior during a heat wave.

As the students explained in their collective Research Summary, their goal was “to make a data-informed decision about what we should do the next time we go through a heat wave. We wanted to find out where kids tend to go at The Willows depending on the temperature.”

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Students began their study by collecting data, such as the number of students in various locations, temperature, wind speed, and humidity on the yard at different times of the day.

Then students interpreted their findings using InspireData, a computer program that allows users to draw axis plots, interpret information, and draw conclusions.

In the next phase of the project, students asked questions about the data and drew conclusions about where students tend to gravitate on campus depending on the weather. During this analysis and organizational phase of the project, students dug deeper to solve the problem, expanding their content knowledge and strengthening their critical

“Data analysis can be challenging for students when presented as an abstract concept... our students were so engaged in this project because it connected directly to their lives.”

—K enzo Bergeron, fifth grade teacher

Math is alive at The Willows! Our students are building foundational skills and critical thinking skills by putting math to work as they solve real-world problems.

Math & P.E.: One Step at a Time

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Maybe you’re one of the millions of people using a Fitbit to track the steps you take each day. Our Lower School students took a more mathematical approach to calculate their steps in P.E. The project was the brainchild of teacher Paul Casillas, who teaches middle school math and P.E. in the Lower School. His intention was to help students in kindergarten through fifth grade make the connection across disciplines and to see a real-world application of math to their everyday activities.

Every Lower School student starts each P.E. class by running a lap around the gym, and this routine offered a perfect starting point. Paul asked his students: how many steps do you take in one lap around the gym? Students made estimates and then measured actual steps with pedometers, combining results to calculate average steps per lap at each grade level.

“Through group discussion and analysis after each stage of the experiment, students gained a better understanding of why the results would vary,” Paul explains. “Our students concluded that not all students run at the same pace, and the length of each

student's stride is different based on their speed, height, and strength.”

Data collection continued as students estimated and calculated the number of steps an average student takes during a 40-minute class, and then the number of steps during an entire week of P.E. (or three 40-minute classes).

thinking skills. Then the students made recommendations about where teachers should station themselves to provide the best supervision, based on the distribution of students.

According to fifth grade teacher Kenzo Bergeron, the project was an effective real-world application of math concepts. “Data analysis can be challenging for students when presented as an abstract concept,” he says. “Our students were so engaged in this project because it connected directly to their lives—they were able to ask and answer meaningful questions by collecting, analyzing, and making sense of the data they encountered in real life.”

The project also helped students internalize another important concept—that data and analysis can be tools for inspiration and action!

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Reinventing Math Sypmposium

THE WILLOWS summer 2016

92 educators from across the U.S. and 4 countries + 3 acclaimed math experts + 80 Willows teachers = Reinventing Mathematics Education Symposium

Hosted by Gary Stager, Ph.D., author of Invent to Learn, The Reinventing Mathematics Education symposium featured keynotes, panel discussion, and hands-on workshops with international mathematics experts Conrad Wolfram, acclaimed physicist, mathematician, and Co-founder/CEO of the Wolfram companies; Dr. Ilana Horn, Associate Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning at Vanderbilt University; and Dr. Constance Kamii, professor of early childhood education at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

Educators from across the continental United States, Hawaii, India, Korea, and Australia convened to explore not just how to improve, or “reinvent,” math education, but also to inspire educators to consider what more is possible in our school communities– what is the bright future of math in our 21st century, technological world.

“The symposium was a fascinating day of learning that challenged many beliefs and assumptions about math education,” says Jo Ben Whittenburg, The Willows Professional Development Coordinator. “The sessions pushed all of us to envision what is needed to truly make math a connected, meaningful, and beautiful subject, engaging for all students going forward.”

is for all subjects” and necessary in our modern world for “logical mind training.”

Constance Kamii

“You can’t put numbers into children.”

“You can’t teach the concept of multiplication to children who haven’t invented the concept of multiplication yet,” emphatically stated Dr. Kamii. Mentored by Jean Piaget, the father of constructivism, Dr. Kamii simply feels that children need to build conceptual understanding on their own and at their individual pace. Kamii guided teachers through a variety of card games designed to build number sense in primary-aged children and suggested that children will construct numerical relationships by participating in these games free from formal math instruction.

Dr. Ilana Horn

“ Expectations do not simply reside in math teachers’ heads; they come to life in the experiences students have in mathematics classrooms–and in their cumulative math-related Conrad Wolfram “ Computers do the calculating to allow experiences in school.”

Horn expressed the idea that the classroom people to transform the world.”

Conrad Wolfram, who feels math should be more practical and conceptual and less mechanical, asserted that math is primarily a powerful tool for solving problems and that currently too much time in classrooms is devoted to teaching calculation by hand.

Wolfram led a demonstration of computerbased math activities that enable students to work with large data sets to solve problems.

He also highlighted the importance of computer programming, arguing that, “math

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should be a supportive environment conducive to exploring mathematical ideas, alleviating the “risk” associated with wrong answers. Her play-based approach to math and math class as a playground accentuated that “playful problems that truly engage” lead to greater learning and a positive classroom climate. She introduced the idea that concepts of status and smartness affect student participation in math and that playful problem solving is key to getting

students to embrace math without fear or reluctance.

Many of the mathematical concepts and ideas discussed during the symposium are already in practice at The Willows. Students from Developmental Kindergarten onward encounter the basics of programming as they work their way from BeeBots to robotics and into computer programming, first with Turtle Art and later more sophisticated programs such as MicroWorlds. This year’s hands-on math projects (see article on p. 6) incorporated data collection and analysis as students were challenged to draw conclusions about real-world math problems. Our Lower Elementary students play card games and board games to learn math concepts, and this year’s kindergarteners created their own games. (See Intersession article p. 4-7 ).

“The symposium was professional development of the highest level ‘where great minds grew’,” says Lisa Rosenstein.

“Our entire faculty shared the day with fellow educators and renowned mathematicians with the ultimate goal of enriching our math curriculum, and invigorating The Willows’ approach to math.”

1 Remarkable Day + Visionary Experts + Hands-On Workshops = Inspired Teachers & Greater Mathematical Learning in our Classrooms To read two in-depth articles on the Reinventing Mathematics Symposium and math in The Willows’ classroom by Jo Ben Whittenburg visit:

Wisdom of The Willows at thewillowsblog.wordpress.com On our blog, faculty, administrators, and members of our community share their knowledge and reflect on topics that inspire, motivate, and influence education and learning in our world. Please explore and join the conversation.

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ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

Taking Action: TOUCHDOWN! What was the first day of practice like?

The first day of practice was a lot of fun. We did three laps around the park and then did catching drills. We ran some of the plays with the seventh graders and then just with our team, and at the end we did conditioning. After the first day of practice, I realized that it really didn’t matter who was on the team, as long as we all loved the sport.

I have loved football ever since I was little, and I hadn’t realized that playing with boys could actually be so much fun.

What was the most memorable moment of the season?

The most memorable moment for me was the championship game.

A bunch of my friends came to watch me play and support me. Even though we didn’t win, I will probably remember that day for the rest of my life, from getting to school in my jersey to having lunch with my team, to going over plays, to stretching right before the game.

What was it like being the only girl on the team?

When I was in fourth and fifth grade, and even at the beginning of sixth grade, I didn’t have the courage to play, since I was the only girl. After playing this year, I have realized that what matters is that you love the sport and believe in yourself. You can do whatever you want, play whatever you want, and even be whatever you want. And no matter what you want to do or who tells you that you can’t do it, if you believe in yourself, you can do it!

Taking action can take many forms: sometimes it means speaking up, taking a stand, or opening your mind to new possibilities. For sixth grader Melise Bricault, it meant taking a step into a brand new world—the world of football.

What was it like being the only girl on The Willows’ football team?

Melise shares her thoughts on taking a risk and the importance of believing in yourself.

What sports did you play before joining The Willows’ football team?

I have been at The Willows since Developmental Kindergarten. In fourth grade, I began playing basketball and soccer for The Willows, and outside of school I’ve done soccer and gymnastics.

What led you to choose football this year?

My brother had football practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I had to wait there until his practice was over. One day I was waiting there, playing on my phone, when Bobby Hamm [Willows teacher and football coach] asked me if I wanted to practice with the boys. I said, why not? I played football with my brother and dad when I was little, and I wanted to join the football team for the past couple of years, but I didn't want to be the only girl. I had a lot of fun at practice that day. The next day, Bobby asked me if I wanted to join the team.

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

– Jackie Robinson American Major League Baseball Player

SECOND GRADE EMINENT PERSON TIME CAPSULES–PRESERVING HISTORY

During each school year, our second grade students study eminent people throughout history and select an eminent person to research in depth. As part of this year’s exploration, each student created a time capsule for his or her eminent person.

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Taking Action

to Build Emotional Intelligence Integrating RULER, the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence Evidence-Based Program

music, dance, and movement entitled “The Window of Emotions.”

This piece truly reflected our students’ work with RULER and their developing emotional intelligence.

T_h_e_ _w_i_n_d_o_w_ _o_f_ _e_m_o_t_i_o_n_s_ _o_p_e_n_s_… _a_n_d_ _t_h_e_ _c_o_l_o_r_ _g_r_e_e_n_ _b_u_r_s_t_s_ _o_u_t_!_ (GREEN) I have a tree in me that waves when the wind blows, That sits there calmly hoping to be found.

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“Lawrence was an astute observer and storyteller,” says Susannah Funnell, Head of the Art Department. “We hope our students will start to read one another’s facial expressions as clearly as Lawrence recorded them.”

In the Middle School, classes related the poster to current events involving terrorism and combined history, politics, and empathy as they answered the question: What would you do?

Halt the games or continue them?

Our parents are also benefiting from RULER. Marc Brackett, Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, returned

These emotions are the fuel for the engine of life.

We may not always think we need them, but without them, the world would have no color.

As this window of emotion closes tonight, somewhere else another window opens.

Visual arts teachers Susannah Funnell and Kristy Acero integrated the 2015-16 school-wide theme, ACTION, with RULER using a poster design, “Olympic Games Munich 1972,” by artist Jacob Lawrence as a starting point for reflection. Inspired by the faces of the athletes and the emotions portrayed in the poster, students created their own emotional portraits and plotted them on the mood meter.

Lisa Rosenstein, Head of School; Marc Brackett, Director, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence; and Christina Kim, Director of Student Life

“I’m in the yellow!” The terms “seeing red” and “feeling blue” took on new meaning for our faculty, staff, administrators, students, and parents this year as they adapted RULER’s versatile tools into the daily life of The Willows. Yellow, red, blue, and green are the four colors representing different moods on the RULER Mood Meter, a tool that has been implemented across our campus and in the home/school connection. Each color is associated with specific moods.

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Teachers and students use the mood meter to label a feeling, express it verbally, and respond to each other. In our lower elementary classes, the mood meters are felt boards with student photos attached so students can share their feelings by placing their photo in one of the four quadrants.

The Class Charter, a collaborative RULER tool, is a mission statement for each classroom, created by the students and teachers, that the entire class pledges to maintain. Mood meters and Class Charters are found in some creative form in all our classrooms.

Throughout the year, RULER-based creative projects and

artwork have been displayed in our hallways and integrated into our curriculum, especially through language arts and visual arts. For example, our eighth grade Core Class analyzed Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird in relation to the Mood Meter, plotting the emotions of the book’s characters on the quadrants of the mood meter.

Similarly, the second graders integrated the Mood Meter in a study of the Peanuts comic strips by Charles Schultz and placed the characters on the mood meter in relation to their emotions.

At Poetry Night this year, the Upper Elementary students presented an original work composed of poetry, instrumental

by popular demand to speak to our parents and extended community and conduct further faculty training. In addition, two parent RULER and emotional intelligence workshops were held during the year. At the spring workshop, Dr. Jennie Grammer and Dr. Patricia Tan from the UCLA Education and Psychology Department conducted an Emotion Regulation and Executive Functioning Parent Workshop on helping children regulate their emotions.

“The case can be made scientifically,” writes Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. “Helping children improve their self-awareness and confidence, manage their disturbing emotions and impulses, and increase their empathy pays off not just in improved behavior but in measurable academic achievement.”

“We are seeing results,” reports Lisa Rosenstein, Head of School.

“RULER expands student vocabulary and is offering our school a unified, sophisticated language and method to identify emotions and appropriately manage and communicate feelings. RULER is enhancing the academic performance and self-regulation of our students and building greater community connections.”

Additional RULER tools will be introduced in the 2016-2017 school year as we take more action to build an empathetic environment where all our students may thrive.

To learn more about RULER visit: www.ei.yale.edu/ruler/

“ Everyone needs emotional intelligence and opportunities to be brave and kind.” -Marc Brackett, Director , Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.”

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STUDENTS TAKING ACTION MAKE IT HAPPEN On the Beat: Middle School Launches Student Newspaper

Eighth grade student Anna Sophia Lotman had a dream of starting a student-run school newspaper. She took action and enlisted two other eighth grade students, Charlotte Furie and Maxime Gautier, and so The Howler, the official student-run newspaper

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for The Willows Community School, was born.

The three students pitched their idea, complete with a mock-up paper and article, to Head of School Lisa Rosenstein, and their idea became a reality.

After meeting with Middle School Dean Doug Klier, The Howler became a Middle School elective.

Middle School teachers Liz Ganem and Liz Stocksdale became sponsors, and the girls were given leadership roles in teaching the elective.

Anna Sophia is the editor-in-chief, and Charlotte Furie and Maxime Gautier are the co-editors.

The staff includes Julia Weinstock, Creative Digital Director; Aidan Osterman, Satirical Writer/ Photographer; Benjamin Osterman, Writer; Emily Citron, Writer; Hailey Adams, Writer/ Photographer; Joby Levit, Writer; Jordan Leaf/Writer; Julianne Hannon, Interviewer; Rafe Israel, Satirical Writer; and Tamsin Gestetner, Interviewer. Sixth grader Isabella Williams and seventh grader Donovan Coleman are also writing.

Lisa Rosenstein, Anna Sophia Lotman, Frank Bruni and Charlotte Furie

Anna Sophia, the founder and editor-inchief of The Howler, will be attending Crossroads School next year. She shares how The Howler came to be, her experience at The Willows, and what inspires her.

Have you always been interested in journalism and working on a newspaper?

I have been writing creatively ever since I was young—mostly stories about silly things like my horse traveling the world. I have also kept a diary since fifth grade.

What inspired you to start the newspaper?

I read Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, and The New York Times .

The Willows faculty encourages us to put our voice out there. Susannah Funnell (Head of the Art Department) and Deb Studebaker, (The Willows Poet-in-Residence), always say ‘make it your own.’ My dad (Jeff Lotman) is my inspiration. He posts articles on the Huffington Post and elsewhere. When I was young, he made up bedtime stories about anything and then said “What happens next?’ and my sister and I would finish the ending. We were always creating stories. He has inspired and helped me throughout my writing. So, in my writing there is a lot of Anna Sophia and a bit of Jeff Lotman.

Do, you feel that The Willows faculty and administration supported your idea and helped you achieve it?

We brainstormed together to decide how to go forward. Liz Ganem and Liz Stocksdale orchestrated the elective and encouraged kids to sign up. They have proofed and polished articles, adding small touches, but the writing is ours.

What has it been like collaborating on The Howler and teaching the elective?

I gained so much from leading the class.

Teaching the elective really helped me in applying to high schools, because I became more confident and sure of my abilities.

At first, I was nervous and felt uncomfortable in the front of the room. I wondered whether my classmates would take me seriously, but everyone was supportive. We all take each other seriously. It’s a real team effort. Being in a leadership role let me see another side of my classmates; I reasoned through other people’s issues and helped them find the answer without just telling them. I benefited from that responsibility, and it helped me understand the teacher role.

stronger through the admissions process as we worked together on applications.

You had the opportunity recently to interview Frank Bruni, author and op-ed columnist for The New York Times. What was that like?

Frank Bruni was amazing. I was starstruck and kept thinking, I am actually interviewing a New York Times columnist! Interviewing one-on-one and then listening to him speak was cool.

Any advice for the next Howler staff?

Always generate new, fresh ideas and don’t be afraid to put your opinions out there. Write about controversial issues. Push the boundaries. Don’t be discouraged; have patience. And have fun with it! If you’re not having fun, what’s the point?

“ ... everyone was very dedicated and serious.

The Howler wasn’t just a project; we hope students will continue it for years to come.”

Do you have a favorite article that you wrote?

For our last issue, I wrote a humorous article called “The High School Hamster,” which talks about the voice in my head that started when I thought about the secondary school admissions process.

I named the voice of worry, “the high school hamster.” In eighth grade we all go through this so I thought I would write an article on it. In a few years, I will write on the “college chipmunk.”

Going through the admissions process, forces you to look in the mirror as an eighth grader and ask the questions like: What is my brand? How do I want to present myself to schools and to my classmates? My relationship with my parents became even

The Howler staff at work

Charlotte Furie, co-editor, who will be attending Crossroads School next year. She also shared her thoughts on The Howler.

What was it like starting The Howler? Did you feel supported?

The teachers were very responsive and made The Howler an elective. Talking to teachers at The Willows is not an issue or awkward.

It’s as easy as talking to my friends. I look up to the faculty and respect them, but I also think of them as people that I have things in common with.

ACTION

When did you become interested in writing?

I have always been interested in any creative aspect, like writing or acting.

When something hits my brain that I have a passion about, I want to share it. I like getting my opinion out there!

Do you have a favorite article you wrote?

Yes, I wrote an article about the eighth grade admissions process. Writing the article helped me calm down. I thought hearing from someone fresh from the experience would be helpful to the current seventh grade students who will begin the process next year.

Do you feel The Willows prepared you for high school?

The Willows has well prepared me, but there will be changes ahead. Adapting to a new school will be a challenge.

What was it like interviewing Frank Bruni?

That was a great experience, but I don’t know if I agree with all his opinions.

“Where you go is not who you’ll be” is a good motto though.

What was it like teaching the elective?

Taking a leadership role at The Howler made me more comfortable with myself and made the teachers even more approachable. The Howler led to The Willows being even more of a community.

What was it like collaborating on The Howler?

It was a great collaboration. We all saw everyone’s progress. It was nice to meet together and bounce ideas off each other.

Coming up with the name was even a team effort. Originally, we were concerned that some friends that were signing up for The Howler might not take it seriously. But everyone was very dedicated and serious.

The Howler wasn’t just a project; we hope students will continue it for years to come.

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Science in Action

ACTION

NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) National Science Conference Inspires Curriculum Additions Head of School Lisa Rosenstein and Middle School Science Teacher Ann Istrin attended the NSTA National Science Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, where they networked with science professionals, attended inspiring workshops, and listened to knowledgeable speakers.

“The conference was an amazing opportunity to experience first-hand live presentations on programs and curriculum to cultivate our ever-evolving science program,” remarked Ann Istrin. “Scientific ideas were flowing. We are bringing many of the speakers and demonstrations we experienced to our campus.”

Kindergarten Water Absorption Science Experiment

Kindergarten Crayon Initiative

BACKYARD BRAINS (www.backyardbrains.com) conducted a hands-on neuroscience workshop with the sixth grade students, who study the brain as part of their science curriculum. Backyard Brains demonstrated their Neuron Spikerbox, a “bioamplifier” invention that allows students to hear and see spikes of real living neurons in insects and invertebrates to help students learn how the cells in the human brain work to communicate with the senses.

Taking Initiative to Color Their World– Kindergarten Science Experiment & Community Service Project

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or every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction,” states scientist Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion.

Kindergarten students recently saw proof of this law in science experiments and a community service project involving a simple tool that they use daily

the CRAYON.

In science class, the kindergarteners learned about states of matter. They explored how solids like crayons are solid until heat energy is added, at which point the crayons change to a liquid.

Then, as the crayons cool, another reaction occurs, and they return to their solid form.

The classes conducted an experiment to see this process in action. Students placed broken crayons onto a silicone baking sheet with soap bar shapes and carefully watched what happened to the solid crayon as heat was added and then removed.

The result: broken crayon pieces became new crayon bars, which students used to draw pictures.

After reading The Day The Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Haywalt, the kindergarteners collected crayons from home, restaurants, and other places for donation to The Crayon Initiative, (www.thecrayoninitiative.org) a non-profit organization that recycles and remanufactures crayons and donates them back to schools, hospitals, arts programs, and other organizations invested in children.

Kindergarten students sorted the crayons into containers by color and sent them to The Crayon Initiative for distribution. Students also learned that they were protecting the environment by recycling crayons, since crayon wax is non-biodegradable and will eventually clog landfills.

Our kindergarteners learned that they could indeed color their world. The action and reaction of the science experiment was mirrored by their own actions in the community service project, which had the result of helping other children.

NSTA Conference science workshops & speakers for the 2016-2017 school year include:

THE BUG CHICKS (www.thebugchicks.com), entomologists devoted to teaching the next generation of entomologists, will conduct an experiential presentation for the first grade to coordinate with their study of insects.

PEGGY ASHBROOK, inspiring early childhood educator and author of Science is Simple, focuses on encouraging children to wonder and look for answers themselves. She will hold an in-service workshop with the Lower School faculty to offer ideas for promoting science in their classrooms.

Inspirational ideas were also gathered from a neuroscience presentation from The Exploratorium, a hands-on museum of science, art and human perception in San Francisco; a featured maker presentation by Jean Kaneko, Chief-Tinkerer and Founder of The Exploratory, a Culver City maker space; and Jean Pennycook, who studies penguins in their Antarctic habitat. www.thecrayoninitiative.org

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ACTION

How Do You Stop ACTION in Photograhy?

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The work of Henri Cartier-Bresson is a driving inspiration in our middle school photography class, taught by faculty member Andrea Passarella.

Students have been studying the images depicting the “decisive moment,” when the photographer intuitively presses the button to record an image.

When shooting, students are learning to determine when and how to stop action while applying the rules of composition in their photographs.

Student assignments often integrate the school-wide theme (2015-2016 = ACTION) and challenge students to share their personal perspectives through digital imagery.

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“ Think about the photo before and after, never during.

The secret is to take your time. You mustn't go too fast. The subject must forget about you. Then, however, you must be very quick.”

- Master Photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson

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KYLE SMITH-LAIRD RECEIVES NATIONAL JUNIOR CLASSICAL LEAGUE AWARD

THE WILLOWS summer 2016

LIFELONG LEARNERS: Teachers Take Action What makes Willows teachers so great? They’re learners, too! Our dedicated faculty knows firsthand that they’re able to do their best work when they are constantly expanding their knowledge and improving their practice. Professional development expands our teachers’ “toolboxes” for meeting students’ needs—and by taking on the role of students, our teachers are also reminded what it’s like to be faced with a new challenge and to move beyond one’s comfort zone. Two Willows teachers took action to learn something new—and their students reaped the benefit.

Checkmate!

Art Education Gets a Boost from STEAM2 Art teacher Kristy Acero has always been passionate about the visual arts, but her path as an educator took an interesting turn when inspired by The Willows STEAM2 programs, she recently completed an intensive yearlong M.ED degree in Curriculum & Instruction: STEM education through Concordia University.

The program, which focused on integrating science, technology, engineering, and math with the arts, was not just an exciting intellectual stretch. It was also an inspiration to infuse her classes at The Willows with new ideas and approaches.

“The courses made me rethink the way I teach all of my art classes,” Kristy says. “I’ve started asking myself, how can I modify student projects to introduce engineering concepts? How can I pull in science curricula? How does math fit in?” The amazing thing, Kristy notes, is that math and science were already there, embedded in almost every

project—all that was needed was finding ways to highlight these disciplines and help students make the connections.

In fourth grade, for example, Kristy teamed up with Willows parent and automotive/product designer Harald Belker to engage the students in a product design project. Each class created a chess set, with the challenge of designing pieces that connected to their classroom study of California animals and habitats. Each student was responsible for researching and designing a chess piece that represented an animal. “The students drew their designs from multiple perspectives and applied math principles as they determined the size and scale of each piece relative to the others,” Kristy explains.

Engineering came into play as students sculpted their prototypes and then used those prototypes to create cut silicone molds. Kristy incorporated science concepts at this stage of the process, as students learned about chemical reactions and the properties of resin.

Over the course of the ten-week process, students created a true work of art but also deepened their understanding of how

art can be a point of convergence for a range of disciplines.

“Art connects with every subject,” Kristy says. “The exciting challenge is to discover the ways to weave them together.”

Discere is “To Learn”: Teachers and Students Learn Together Middle school Latin teacher Kyle Smith-Laird enrolled in an online class on Roman architecture this year, never expecting that two of his classmates would be his own students.

Seventh graders Elijah Smith and Addi Lee heard about Kyle’s plan to take the course and wanted to participate. “We often eat lunch in Kyle’s room,” Addi explains. “One day, we saw that Kyle had signed up for the class, and it looked really exciting. We decided that we wanted to take it, too.”

The course, taught by a teacher from Yale University, involved two hour-long recorded lectures each week, two writing assignments reviewed by other students in the class, a midterm, and a final exam. The capstone project was to design a new Roman city of 10,000 inhabitants including a featured piece of civic architecture, along with a written proposal for the city, addressed to a Roman official.

The students embraced the opportunity to share a learning experience with their teacher. “It was so interesting to learn along with Kyle instead of from him,” notes Elijah, while Addi adds, “It was awesome to be able to have in-depth conversations about the course with both Kyle and Elijah. I loved learning about Roman art and building techniques.”

Kyle also enjoyed sharing the virtual classroom with his students. “This experience broadened my perspective on the learning process,” he says. “I appreciated Addi and Elijah’s enthusiasm for the material; their ideas and creativity helped me to envision the final project in a completely different way.”

While the course provided all three students with a deeper understanding of Roman architecture, the seventh graders took with them an additional—and essential—life lesson: that learning doesn’t stop once you’re a grownup!

let's take action

At the 2015 National Junior Classical League Convention held at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, Willows faculty member Kyle Smith-Laird was awarded the Summa Cum Laude Sponsor Award for his service at the local, state, and national levels of the Junior Classical League (JCL). The JCL is a youth organization that sponsors competitions for students of Latin, Greek, and the Classics. Kyle currently serves as the California JCL co-chair in charge of academics and the California SCL Advisor in charge of the college students who attend state conventions.

ADDI LEE'S WRITTEN PROJECT FOR YALE ONLINE COURSE: The Tomb of the Baker and The Ara Pacis Augustae were achievements in Roman architecture commissioned to preserve the legacy of Eurysaces and Augustus.

Eurysaces created the tomb of the baker to illustrate to Rome his accomplishments. His chosen placement of the tomb and the magnificent frieze are examples of this. The tomb is located between two major Roman roads and was placed in a position where anyone heading into Rome would view it. The frieze that decorates the top part of the tomb showcases the working life of a baker including an image of Eurysaces’s bread being weighed. This also self-promotes Eurysaces by illustrating how he was an honest man and never cheated. Eurysaces was successful in promoting his achievements by creating a tomb with an ideal location and an impressive frieze that demonstrates the life of a baker.

The Ara Pacis Augustae was created to honor Augustus as a powerful leader through the artistic representations of his achievements.The frieze that decorates the north wall shows how people admired and supported him by showing Augustus, the senate, his family, and many citizens of Rome going with him to sacrifice to the gods. Augustus affiliated himself with Romulus, Remus and Aeneas by putting images of Aeneas and Romulus and Remus with the lupa; he is associating himself with the creation of Rome.

Both Augustus and Eurisceyes successfully promoted themselves by building these structures of their achievements and accomplishments and will be forever remembered because of their incredible genius.

ACTION

THE WILLOWS summer 2016

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IDEAS@ THE WILLOWS

Learning in Action

A network of shared ideas that leads back to the classroom, into the home, and out into the world.

Ideas@TheWillows is a collaborative community generating and exchanging ideas to enhance the knowledge of parents, expand the vision of educators, engage life-long learners, enlighten our community, and enrich the classroom experience.

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Our Diversity in Children’s Literature Author Panel featured Brandy Colbert, young adult fiction author of Pointe; Michelle Gagnon, author of Don’t Turn Around and currently writing a transgender book; Nicola Yoon, author of Everything, Everything, and Willows Director of Library and Media Resources Cathy Leverkus. Our panelists explored how to promote compassion and understanding for others through books and how to be more aware and inclusive in our expanding world of cultures, choices, lifestyles, rights, and differences.

At our parent workshops, Helping Children Regulate Their Emotions: Emotion Regulation and Executive Functioning Parent Workshop with Dr. Jennie Grammer and Dr. Patricia Tan, of UCLA's Education and Psychology Department methods and strategies were discussed for helping children express their feelings and harness emotions in constructive ways.

Parent/Faculty Learning Breakfasts This year, after certain community events, Willows faculty members led follow-up Faculty/Parent Learning Breakfasts to continue the discussion of the ideas.

Facing Fear: This 2014 Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Short Subject, which follows two men on a journey of forgiveness and reconciliation, was screened with a Q&A with the director and the two main subjects for both our extended Los Angeles community and our Middle School students.

Throughout the year at The Willows, we host speakers, events, workshops, film screenings, and panels, and we offer professional development and mentoring experiences to inspire ‘great minds to grow.’

2015-2016 ACCLAIMED SPEAKER SERIES, FILM SCREENINGS, WORKSHOPS, AND PARENT EDUCATION EVENTS:

“ I thought this was a wonderful program… it was such a great way for parents to hear not only what is going on in our children’s classrooms but about the larger, big-picture discussions that The Willows is fostering among educators. It was inspiring and enriching—and also highlighted what I love about the “community” in The Willows Community School.” —Willows Parent

Frank Bruni, op-ed columnist for The New York Times and bestselling author of Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania, spoke to our Willows and Los Angeles community, visited with the Middle School newspaper staff, and conducted a Q & A and book signing. His practical insight and recommendations to relieve admissions anxiety, all based on facts, data, and statistics, resonated with our parents and educators.

Marc Brackett, Ph.D., Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and co-creator of RULER, returned to The Willows to present “Emotions Matter Part 2: From Recognizing to Regulating Emotions” to our extended community and conduct further RULER training with our faculty.

“Most Likely to Succeed” This 2015 Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival award-winning film, which is currently shaping American ideas about education, was screened at The Willows to educators and parents from across Los Angeles.

Collaborating with our Colleagues at Common Sense Media Yalda T. Uhls, Ph.D. & Michele Borba, Ed.D. In Conversation focused on the subject “Empathy: Why It's Important and How to Grow it in Your Kids.”

“ Thank you Willows for another fascinating event.”

Pat Bassett, former President of the National Association of Independent Schools and independent school expert, spoke to our parents on “Schools of the Future: The Big Shifts.”

—Los Angeles School parent

“The Willows has the best scores I've seen on faculty engagement.”

A CELEBRATION OF FAMILY & CULTURE MULTICULTURAL HOLIDAY POTLUCK DINNER The annual evening of festivities celebrated the diversity of families at The Willows as parents and children, together, shared a meal and learned about each other’s family and heritage.

Nicholas Negroponte, internationally renowned tech visionary, first TEDTalk Speaker, founder of the acclaimed MIT Media Lab, and current Willows grandparent, joined us at Family Education Night to share his incredible insight and experience with Willows parents and students.

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“It was truly one of the best experiences we’ve had at a school thus far. The enthusiasm and thoughtfulness of the kids’ questions and comments was so impressive! You are all doing something special there to inspire this kind of critical thinking at a young age.” ­—Jason Cohen, Director, Facing Fear, on his experience at The Willows

Michael Thompson, Ph.D., acclaimed psychologist, parenting expert, and New York Times bestselling author, returned for his fourth year to build on the foundation of his work and offer astute, warm-hearted insight at our Dads’ Breakfast, Moms’ Luncheon, and fifth through eighth grade boys’ workshop.

-Pat Bassett

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THE WILLOWS summer 2016

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ACTION

AISL (ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL LIBRARIANS)

See The Willows in “The Willows School has model STEAM2 and library programs.”

Heard outside the library at The Willows–

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“IT IS A BUSTLING CENTER OF LEARNING AND ACTIVITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FACULTY. OUR CLASSROOM CURRICULUM IS RICHLY EXTENDED THROUGH THE INNOVATIVE, EVEREVOLVING RESOURCES OF OUR LIBRARY.“

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ids used STEAM principles to make an awesome chess set,” tweeted librarians from across the nation who toured The Willows Library/Media Center as part of the AISL (Association of Independent School Librarians) 2016 Conference. 140 librarians participated in a morning program created by our Director of Library and Media Resources Cathy Leverkus. Presentations included Cathy and young adult authors Nicola Yoon, Brandy Colbert, and Willows parent Michele Gagnon at a panel discussion entitled “We Need Diverse Books”; a Common Sense Media presentation by Sue Tholtz; a presentation by our architects, Dwight Long and Kami Kincaid from Pfau Long Architecture, on Learning Commons; and a hands-on presentation by our “STEAM2 Team” of faculty members, which included Doug Klier, Middle School Dean, science, and maker teacher; Kristy Acero, Lower Elementary art and STEAM2 teacher; and Jo Ben Whittenburg, Professional Development Coordinator. This team was recently formed to lead and enhance our maker and STEAM2 programs.

“Our library is the heart and soul of our campus,” says Lisa

Rosenstein. “It is a bustling center of learning and activity for our students and faculty. Our

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“Can I come to school here?”

classroom curriculum is richly extended through the innovative, ever-evolving resources of our library. We were so proud to to share our library with other schools!

CITIZENSHIP IN ACTION!

MAKING WILLOWS HISTORY–ELECTING A SCHOOL-WIDE THEME

“The Willows School has model STEAM2 and library programs, and everything they shared showed that theirs is a culture that fosters collaboration. You know you are in the right place when the headmaster starts the day by saying, “The library is the heart and soul of the school.”

AISL Blog Independent Ideas Read the entire article highlighting The Willows on AISL’s blog: http://aislnews.org/?p=3986V

In this election year, amid primary season frenzy, for the first time in Willowsˇ history, our entire community voted on the selection of the annual school-wide theme. This campus-wide election gave students hands-on, developmentally appropriate ways to learn about all phases of the election process. From voter registration to campaigning to casting ballots, students explored citizenship and leadership, and gained a deeper understanding of national events. Our eighth grade students assumed a leadership role and spearheaded every aspect of this all-school event.

“Having our students elect a school-wide theme was a compelling and personal way for them to learn about the election process,” explains Head of School Lisa Rosenstein. “It is vital to teach children the importance of taking action to vote. Voting is both a privilege and a responsibility in the United States.”

As the first step in the election process, ideas for themes were gathered from students and adults. The administration then narrowed the list to six themes: Explore, Harmony, Impact, Motion, Motivate, Power.

Then, voter registration began. In order to vote, everyone was required to sign up. Kindergarten students manned the registration tables during snack and lunch times. Teachers emphasized the importance of taking the initiative to register, not only in our election but across our country.

Next, campaigning began. Middle School students divided into teams representing the six themes and devised campaign strategies. Each team advocated for their theme by sharing their campaign slogans and platforms at an All School Meeting and by visiting Developmental Kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms. In classrooms, students and teachers discussed caucuses, town hall meetings, and the primary election process.

Voting preparations were underway, and problem solving and design thinking were also a part of the election process.

Using their maker skills, the eighth grade students constructed voting booths with PVC pipe and fabric, decorating them with creative banners and posters. And, of course, students also designed ballot boxes and ballots.

Finally, voting was close at hand, and all the registered voters cast their ballots. Post election, much like coverage on national news channels, the eighth graders counted ballots, analyzed data, and announced the winner!

The election process offered a dynamic way to engage with the curriculum and explore the concepts of leadership, the democratic process, and perhaps most importantly, making thoughtful choices and seeing the impact of your own voice.

“The election was also an opportunity to highlight The Willows’ core value of character,” says Director of Student Life Christina Kim. “Students discussed what makes a good theme, but they also learned what it means to be an active, informed citizen or responsible leader.”

Through these real-world connections to American history and government, the American electoral process, and the 2016 presidential election, students discovered more about what it means to be a good citizen, a good leader, and a good sport.

As a result of voting, the 2016-2017 school-wide theme will be , a valuable and relevant concept to explore during the next school year and the upcoming presidential election.

POWER

“ Words may show a man’s wit, but actions his meaning.”

– Benjamin Franklin

American Inventor and Statesman

SECOND GRADE EMINENT PERSON TIME CAPSULE

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TED Taking Action to Share Ideas

"Stir Your Curiosity"

TALKS

TED

TALKS

Inspiration

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Taking Action to Share Ideas to “stir your curiosity”

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“After attending the TED Talks in Vancouver last year, I realized how beneficial these would be in our Middle School curriculum. Our Middle School students have many ‘ideas worth spreading,’ which is TED’s mission,” explains Lisa. “I encourage students to continually voice their opinions and share their ideas. So what better way to accomplish this than creating an elective on just that: TED Talks.”

Nicholas Negroponte, who is called the “consummate predictor,” gave the first TED talk in 1984, as well as 14 since. He spoke to our students, parents, faculty, and alumni families at a special Family Education Night.

Excerpts from

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Seventh grade teacher Steve Futterman started the class with an exploration of current TED Talks in different genres focusing on ideas large, small, and inspirational. Students then paired or worked individually to create their own TED Talks following the TED format of short, powerful talks lasting 18 minutes or less.

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“I accentuated the personal element of TED Talks,” says Steve Futterman.

“I encouraged students to select an idea for their talk that was close to their world. They needed to feel a personal connection to the subject and believe that others would benefit from the knowledge and thoughts they shared.”

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The TEDWillows Talks covered a wide range of topics, including the importance of play, debunking the stereotypes associated with red hair, a Bar Mitzvah, and women in power. Students linked their personal topics to larger, universal ideas. For example, the talk on a Bar Mitzvah also featured research on certain rites of passage and ceremonies around the world.

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After brainstorming, researching, writing, and revising, students shared their talks with the class.

“These talks offered a real-world connection and a modern twist to research, creative writing, and public speaking,” says Lisa Rosenstein. “And the class encouraged our students to use their own voices, express their opinions, and build upon their passions.”

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The TEDWillows Talks also forwarded many of the curricular and developmental goals we have established for our students: deep thinking, confidence, creativity, presentational skills, engagement, and exchange of ideas.

ACTION

by Joby Levit

People are inspired every single day. Whether it’s through something big or small, everybody comes to a point in their life where they find that thing and say, “Wow, isn’t that incredible?”

Some people find that spark in something as simple as a video game, but for all I know, inspiration can be found anywhere.

Impressively, many of the inspirers around the world are fairly young. Although they were underestimated for their youth, nothing could stop them from achieving their aspirations.

Malala Yousafzai was only fifteen when she decided she wanted to make a change. This Pakistani teenager had limited learning opportunities, for she was living in a community in which women’s education was almost non-existent . . .With persistence and pride, Malala protested for her rights whenever she had the chance.

I spent a lot of time researching inspiration and how to accomplish it. To make it easier, I narrowed it down to five simple steps. Step one: care . . . Step two: take risks! No one has ever made a huge accomplishment without stepping outside of his or her comfort zone; it isn’t logical . . . Step three: be curious.

Ask questions! . . . Step four: be an active listener. This sounds easy, but it can be tricky at times; why do you think teachers give out “listening cards” in kindergarten? Step five: reach for the stars. Kids have no limits, and as an older sister, trust me, I would know. Some companies use children to come up with new campaign ideas for this very reason: nothing is impossible if you dream big and work hard.

Rites of Passage

by Rafe Israel

Here at The Willows Community School, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs are just as well known as how to add or subtract . . . I thought at the time that these parties were only for the Jewish Coming of Age Ceremony and maybe a 15th or 16th birthday party if you’re a female who’s Latina . . . but otherwise nothing else. I found that . . . around the world, with different religions and races, coming-ofage ceremonies are something beyond belief for a kid like me.

Several rites of passage consist of pain and danger . . . Most of the dangerous coming-of-age celebrations happen with boys.

Showing that you can be put in a dangerous situation and survive, it shows manliness, being okay after something that could break several bones in your body or give you a severe mental disability or illness. For instance, in the Brazilian Amazon, the Sateré-Mawé tribe has a rite of passage where you WEAR pain. After collecting the dangerous red bullet ants, whose sting is 30 TIMES WORSE THAN A BEE STING, and stuffing them stinger-side-in the gloves, they have a 13 year-old boy wear the gloves 20 different times in a span of months to complete the initiation.

Gingers and Why They Are Great.

by Ben Osterman Hi. My name’s Ben. I’m a ginger. Some people don’t like gingers, and I think that’s mean. There are many stereotypes about gingers.

For example, gingers have no souls. They have bad tempers. They can’t go outside. But I am here to argue that this is not true.

Most of us gingers can take it when people make fun of us a

bit because we know we’re awesome. But there is a serious subject here: stereotypes and their effect on people. Sometimes we expect too little from people because of the color of their skin or their gender. And sometimes we expect too much of people. The goal is to look at people as individuals. Try every day to catch yourself when you say, he’s cheap because he’s a _________, or she’s good at math cause she’s an __________, or he’s good at sports cause he’s ___________, or she’s dumb because she’s a ______________. Thanks for listening.

Women in Power

by Charlotte Furie

I am a girl, and one day I would like to be in a position of power.

How many girls in this room feel the same way? The problem is that too often in little ways and sometimes even in big ways, we’re taught to believe that power is for boys. I decided for my TED talk to find what it takes to be a woman in power . . .by talking with one of the most powerful women that we all know: Lisa Rosenstein.

I asked her questions to get the heart of how she became such an impressive woman. Let’s face it, if it weren’t for her, all of our lives would look very different. When I first asked her, “What traits do you think make you a leader, and what is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?”

I was expecting her to take a minute to think or ask me to repeat the question, but no, she immediately knew exactly what to say. She said (blushing of course!), “Being committed to the work I do, its part of a passion. I really believe in children, and I believe in bettering the world. There’s a way that the world can become a better place, and I believe that kids are the answer. I think being a leader requires creative problem solving. And I enjoy the challenge. I think every leader should have integrity.

You have leaders who abuse power, and I would hope that there are leaders who would use their strengths to contribute in a positive way.” The thought that this was the first thing that came to her mind, without even taking a minute to think, shows how well-spoken and how strong she is . . .

As someone who hopes to be in a position of power one day, I’ve learned a lot from Lisa . . . Just listen to your gut and don’t think about what could possibly stand in your way. As Lisa told me and now I’ll tell you, “Listen, and be true to yourself.”

Importance of Play

by Zachary Pollock

Play allows children to use their imagination, be creative, get their body stronger, helps their brain develop, and helps kids to learn how to play with each other. Play helps kids learn about the world around them. And playing is also very fun!! And what better way to play than to play on the most amazing playgrounds!

Cool playgrounds: One playground is about the story of Gullivers Travels, so the structure is made of Gulliver's body.

Woods of Net is located in the Open Air Museum in Japan.

This park is so cool because it is completely hand made out of yarn. The Clemyiontri Park playground is probably the best because anyone can go inside of this playground. It has many structures that you can go on even if you are handicapped. This park has many wheel chair accessible ramps and many things to do even for kids who cannot walk.

Playing is not just for kids, but for adults as well.

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ART IN ACTION: THE WILLOWS summer 2016

let's take action

A Gallery Walk Through The Willows

“ Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.” –Leonardo da Vinci

Strolling around The Willows´ campus is like taking a walk through an art gallery. Vibrant student art is proudly displayed in every building immersing our community in a creative environment that values student work.

The art displays are opportunities to share viewpoints, passions, and accomplishments. The student voice is paramount at The Willows, and students learn quickly that every voice is important. The visual perspective of others surrounds them. Our galleries enhance student self-confidence, build an appreciation of the arts, and unite our community in a shared experience steeped in creativity. Our campus displays are an active, daily

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SECOND GRADE EMINENT PERSON TIME CAPSULE

Italian Artist & Inventor

proof of our students’ abilities to impact the world around them.

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THE WILLOWS summer 2016

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Forward Thinking Leads Back to the Classroom

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION “ If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.”

—John Dewey, American Philosopher and Educator

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n order to provide the finest inquiry-based, experiential educational program, teachers themselves must “experience” more, and our program must be dynamic and evolving. So at The Willows, faculty professional development is paramount. We continually look to the future as we encourage the development and growth of our teachers and our program.

This year, our acclaimed, extensive professional development program has offered numerous opportunities for teachers to refresh, collaborate, and grow together and individually. To name a few: Doug Klier attended the FabLearn2015 Conference on Creativity and Fabrication in Education and integrated new ideas in our Tinker.Make.Innovate Lab. Lisa Rosenstein, Christina Kim, Andrea Passarella, Michael Lin, and Alex Wolfe trained at the Yale Center of Emotional Intelligence Emotional Intelligence Institute and returned as trainers for our faculty.

Middle School teacher Lil Mingail attended The Reading Institute and

Middle School teacher Steve Futterman, The Writing Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University (part of Lucy Calkins’ Reading and Writing Workshop) and brought back ideas to enhance current writing and language arts curricula.

Lil Mingail participated in an online course through Facing History and Ourselves entitled, Choices in Little Rock, which directly benefited the seventh grade curriculum and trip to Memphis, Tennessee, and Little Rock, Arkansas.

Director of Teaching and Learning Terri Baird, along with faculty members Amy Dugré, Erin Carter, Nicole Shamtoob, Lily Solomon, and Taylor Stacey attended Students Are Not Asking Questions: A Working Conference to Address a Fundamental Problem in Education to enhance our inquiry-based educational process.

Athletic Director Marc Weiss, along with P.E. faculty Rahim Muhammad, Amanda McGrew, and Paul Casillas attended physical education workshops to share ideas and best

practices with their Los Angeles area independent school colleagues.

Latin teachers Kyle Smith-Laird and J.R. Lebert attended the Cambridge Latin Course Workshop, learning new techniques to teach Latin.

They learned about a novel approach to help students read rather than translate Latin so they can approach Latin stories with more confidence and ease.

Eight faculty members attended workshops at CMK (Constructing Modern Knowledge) to enhance their technological and maker education skills. CMK is led by Gary Stager, author of Invent to Learn.

Dr. Rebecca Costantino, Founder and Executive Director of Access Books, a non-profit organization refurbishing inner-city school libraries, spoke to the faculty on how to inspire independent reading in children.

Faculty Learning Lunches, Willows Academy: Teachers Teaching Teachers, and our Reinventing Math Symposium offered learning and sharing opportunities throughout the year.

An Action Plan for a Collaborative Culture An intentional part of our professional development program includes opportunities to lead, mentor, and share with our community. With this in mind, Willows faculty members participated in leadership experiences throughout the year.

“The voice of our faculty, and their input on all our developments and strategic planning at the school, is of the utmost importance,” says Lisa Rosenstein, Head of School. “We listen carefully to faculty and include them in decisions. After all, they are on the front lines in the classroom. We often take groups of teachers to conferences so they can work together to distill what they are learning and integrate the material into the curriculum. They collaborate and lead.”

Lisa Rosenstein led a small group of faculty and administrators to the 2016 NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) Annual Conference in San Francisco.

The group included Christina Kim, Terri Baird, Doug Klier, Wendy Amster, Paul Casillas, Bobby Hamm, Brent Weiss, and Jean Rovegno.

While in San Francisco, members of the group also visited the Stanford University d.school: Institute of Design and the Nueva School to observe other maker and design thinking programs, with the goal of incorporating new ideas into our already robust curriculum.

“Touring the d.school allowed us to see innovative use of space and design thinking as a catalyst for our own program,” says Lisa Rosenstein, “while the tour of the Nueva School enabled us to observe a K-8 educational program in action similar to our own. Both of these visits, as well as the conference itself, sparked new ideas and conversations about how to enrich our own programs.”

The group also met with our architects at Pfau Long Architecture to consider both our short-term and long-term master planning and the future design of spaces in our school.

Everyone returned enthused by both the conference and school visits, and ready to share their new ideas with the rest of The Willows.

Sixth grade teacher Bobby Hamm expressed it perfectly: “Going to NAIS this year was a remarkable and inspirational experience. Our trip to Stanford's Design School further opened my eyes to the important work that we are currently doing with our STEAM2 and Maker curricula. I also loved collaborating with my colleagues about new and exciting ways to enrich my sixth grade Core and Math classes. All in all, I feel fully charged and passionate about the remainder of this school year and am already thinking about new ideas for next year!

Taking Action to Build Our Program: Educational Technology Assessment As The Willows continues to grow its program, we have hired Gabriel Lucas to conduct a technology assessment. Gabriel is co-founder of ATLIS, the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools, and a principal consultant with Educational Technology Recruiting, a firm that partners with schools to make lasting improvements to technology programs.

Gabe has met with our entire faculty and staff, and met individually with our technology department, tech education department, and administration. “We are always looking to the future and envisioning how we can improve and expand,” says Lisa Rosenstein. “Working with Gabe is helping us identify areas where we can grow and is assisting us in structuring the very best technological team of educators.”

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ACTION

Intellectually & Architecturally Open Learning Environment Maximize SpaceOptimize Learning

Thanks to our generous donors, we were able to “green and grow” our campus and transform the loading dock area into the flexible lawn space between Willows 4 and 6, which has already become a favorite spot for outdoor learning, play, collaboration, and quiet reflection. Others are noticing our vibrant campus design and the learning it generates. At the 2016 California Association of Independent School (CAIS) Trustee/Head of School Conference in San Francisco, Head of School Lisa Rosenstein presented “The Evolution of the Traditional Library into Learning Commons” in partnership with Dwight Long and Kami Kincaid of Pfau Long Architects, and Elizabeth DuPuis, Associate University Librarian at UC Berkeley.

To read a blog by Lisa Rosenstein entitled, “Learning Commons=Maximize Space=Optimize Learning”, visit The Willows blog: Wisdom of The Willows at thewillowsblog.wordpress.com

Strategic Planning 2016-2017 In September 2015, The Willows launched a strategic planning process, a community-wide endeavor that unites all our constituents in charting the course for our school’s future. Pat Bassett, former President of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and an independent school expert who works with independent schools across the country, facilitated this process, leading focus groups and speaking with members of our community. He commended The Willows on our position at the forefront of 21st century education and our integration of technology, maker programming, the arts, athletics, and sciences into the curriculum. The Willows’ strategic planning process will continue during the summer and throughout the 2016-17 school year.

THE WILLOWS spring summer2016 2016

what's let'sthe take big action idea

ACTION IDEAS

ART IN ACTION:

Learning from Artist-in-Residence

Olga Ponomarenko

This spring, a light-filled corner of the middle school hallway was transformed into a working artist’s studio as The Willows welcomed portrait artist Olga Ponomarenko for a weeklong residency.

Born in Russia, Olga studied at the Krasnodar School of Art & Design and Rostov-on-Don University City Architecture Institute. After moving to the United States in 2000, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the Otis School of Design and an MFA from Cal State LA. Olga often paints in the style of the Renaissance, creating modern portraits that reference well-known paintings such as Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine. Her expert techniques include the application of glazes, or many thin coats of oil paint, to build up naturalistic skin tones that result in highly realistic images.

Throughout Olga’s residency, students visited her pop-up studio—sometimes during their art periods, and sometimes during brief check-ins as they passed between classes. According to Susannah Funnell, Head of Visual Arts, Olga’s prominent hallway location was a huge factor in the success of the visit: “The students really viewed her process up close, over the course

of many days,” she explains. “As they watched Olga's progress they experienced how a piece evolves over time.”

The timing was perfect for The Willows students, who were studying portraiture and creating drawings and paintings of their own before they saw her in action.

Olga’s work provided a fertile common ground for questioning and discussion. “The students could really appreciate her skills and think about how they might incorporate her methods into their own portraiture projects,” Susannah notes, adding that the students were also fascinated to see how Olga harnessed technology to make art. "It was interesting to hear the students reflect on how Olga used photographs on her laptop for inspiration, as well as the world around her.”

Susannah was delighted to see how the students embraced Olga’s presence—and vice versa, so much so that Olga actually extended her stay at The Willows for three more days! “It is so inspiring for students to meet experts in every field,” says Susannah. “This was a unique opportunity for Willows students to see a master at work.”

Portraiture was a focus of our art program in a developmentally appropriate way across all grade levels this year, from

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“ This was a unique opportunity for Willows students to see a master at work.”

—Susannah Funnell, Head of Visual Arts

Developmental Kindergarten to eighth grade. Students applied art techniques and analyzed the emotions reflected on faces.

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Connections n

THE WILLOWS summer 2016

The

let's take action

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of The Willows Community

The Willows nurtures connections

that promote a feeling of belonging and an individual sense of wellbeing. Many meaningful connections happen across grade levels with programs like our Book Buddies, which pairs older and younger students in yearlong mentoring relationships and community service projects. Sometimes, these connections reach even further than we realize.

The 2016 fifth grade trip to Boston was an opportunity for The Willows to reach out to our alumni living in the Boston area who are working or attending college.

On this year’s trip, three of our alumni, Laura Edwards ‘09, Jeremy Fassler ’04, and Jordan Bryan ‘07, joined The Willows group for dinner to reconnect with teachers.

One of the fifth grade students, Dylan Messana, recognized and remembered her buddy Laura Edwards and reminisced

about what it meant to her to have a buddy.

“We are discovering that our buddy programs have a deep, long-reaching effect,” says Terri Baird, Director of Teaching and Learning. “The buddy system builds empathy, offers leadership opportunities, and forges strong bonds of friendship between our oldest and younger students.

It’s a crucial part of our community culture.”

This year, two first grade students, Eden and Esther, invited their seventh grade buddies, Parker and Billie Rose, to their joint birthday party. Eden’s mother, Tracey, writes, “Look at these middle schoolers who so enthusiastically came to celebrate with their former little book buddies!

I can't even put into words how over the moon Eden and Esther were today with Parker and Billie Rose. Not that more evidence was needed, but here it is in full color: The Willows is really a community school. Our family is so happy to be a part of it.”

5th Grade Boston trip: Faculty Connect with Local Alumni

Class Trips: An Opportunity to Reconnect with Alumni 8th Grade Washington D.C. Trip

I am beyond grateful for the education that I got [at The Willows], and I envy the young kids who get to go there today.” –Jeremy Fassler, Class of 2004 Jeremy Fassler ’04 Willows Class of 2004, is currently pursuing a degree in dramaturgy and theater at Harvard University and studied with the American Repertory Theatre and the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia.

Jeremy graduated from Crossroads School and Northwestern University.

Laura Edwards ’09 graduated from Harvard-Westlake School, and is currently attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Jordan Bryan ’07 is working in computational biology at The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

Faculty/Admin connect with local Alumni (Back row, l to r) Liz Ganem, Sami (Green) Hauser ’02, Sarah McNitt ’05, Nick Cohen ’04, Max Chilkov ’06, Quincy Tichenor ’11 and Brian Tousey. (Front row, l to r) Terri Baird, Nick Chilkov ’04, Steve Futterman and Erin Sullivan

Our Buddy Programs connect our youngest and oldest students, promoting empathy, understanding, and leadership.

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let's take action

Alumni Happenings

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Alumni Happenings

Alumni Professional Panel

Taking Action to Help Our Alumni Find their Career Paths

The First Annual Professional Panel for Alumni

Alumni Raise Your Paddle for Financial Assistance Video

Alumni parent Jerry Solomon created, produced, and directed a video for Raise Your Paddle for Financial Assistance at this year’s Auction. The video featured alumni and alumni parents: Adja Hudson ‘12 and Alecia Hudson, Louis Murray ‘07 and Shandra Murray, Manuel Ramos ’01, and Erik Vogt-Nilsen ‘08 and Gloria Vogt-Nilsen.

Thanks to Jerry and the video participants we had record-breaking donations to financial assistance this year.

Jerry Solomon, Shandra Murray and Louis Murray ‘07

Alecia Hudson and Adja Hudson ‘12

Manuel Ramos ’01, guest and Terri Baird

Erik Vogt-Nilsen ’08, Gloria Vogt-Nilsen and Phil Lee

Alumni Dinner & an Evening with Frank Bruni

The first alumni dinner was held prior to the ideas@TheWillows Speaker Series talk with Frank Bruni. Hosted by the Alumni Parent Committee, alumni and alumni parents dined with Willows faculty and staff prior to the Frank Bruni talk, “Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be.” The Alumni Dinner before our speaker series will be repeated in the 2016-2017 school year.

Sara Fischer, Leah Bishop, Lisa Rosenstein, Mirissa Kelly, Bill Wanger, David Goodman, Erwin More, Phil Ambrosino, Brent Smith and Julie Henderson (l to r)

Brent Smith and Bill Wanger

Approximately 100 alumni and alumni parents, returned to The Willows, to hear accomplished professionals share their stories of success in the inaugural Professional Panel for Alumni sponsored by our Board of Governors. The panel discussion was followed by an informal networking opportunity.

The panel, moderated by Erwin More, Co-chair of The Willows Board of Governors; former Chair, The Willows Board of Trustees; alumni parent, and Talent Manager at More/Medavoy Management, included current and alumni parents. Panelists were: Philip Ambrosino, Senior Vice President, Wealth Management, UBS Financial Services Inc.; Leah M. Bishop, Co-Chair, Trust and Estates, Loeb & Loeb LLP; Sara Fischer, Vice President, Productions, ABC Studios; David Goodman, TV Writer and Executive Producer, “The Family Guy”; Julie Henderson, Executive Vice President, Chief

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Communications Officer, 21st Century Fox; Max Kellerman, Sports Commentator, ESPN; Mirissa Kelly, Director of Corporate Partnerships, Condé Nast Media Group; Brent Smith, Partner, Contemporary Music: William Morris Endeavor Entertainment; and Bill Wanger, Executive Vice President of Programming, Research and Content Strategy, FOX Sports.

“The first annual professional panel was a unique opportunity for our Willows Alums, who are pondering life after college, to gather and hear from an incredible assortment of current and alum parents speak about their various fields. The members of the panel shared views and perspectives about their careers that many of the alumni students found invaluable,” says Erwin More. “The event culminated with a gathering in the new green space allowing alumni to connect one on one with many of the panelists.”

The event was a joint production of The Willows Alumni department, The Network, and The Willows Board of Governors.

Gail Benum and Frank Bruni

Veronica Taylor, Anita Amos, Lea Floden, Charlotte Schultz, Gloria Vogt-Nilsen & Marilyn Stern

Alan Weil, Lisa Rosenstein, Karen Weil, and Diane McDaniel

Sarah Fischer and her mother, Edith Fischer

To join The Network visit: http://www.thewillows.org-Alumni-Network

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THE WILLOWS summer 2016

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Alumni Happenings

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Alumni Connections

The Willows Class of 2012 Alumni Reunion Dinner

Alumni from the Class of 2012 and their parents gathered on The Willows campus this past May to reminisce and reconnect. This annual dinner with faculty and administration is a celebration of the accomplishments of our alumni and a chance to reunite before they head to college and beyond!

Alumni from the Class of 2015 return for Book Fair

Alumni vs. Faculty Basketball Game - Eliza Wilson ’12 and Brent Weiss

Evan Hasencamp ’12, Steve Futterman and John Amato’12

Alumni Day at The Willows, Fall 2015. Jennifer Cunningham, Cameron Robinson ’09, Fiona Robinson ’11, Terri Baird, Greg Blum ’99, Louis Murray ’07 and Lisa Rosenstein

Jane Lewine, Lynne Blumenfeld, Henry Craig’12, Sebastian Bristow ’12, Leo Adberg ’12, Elijah Walker ’12, Steph Vahedi and Terri Baird

Ben Duffin ’12, Lisa Rosenstein and Max Anstey ‘12

Party at the Pier - Jack Antholis’15, Sebastian Gatta’15, Sam Frank’15, Dexter Browning ’15, Jyan Horwitz’15, Nick Green ’15 and Oa Umansky ’15.

Sarah Pearl ’12, Jessica Brandon ’12 and Natalie Shaheen ‘12

ALUMNI IN ACTION ALUMNI INTERNSHIPS

Allison Kaminsky ’07 is interning at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center this summer and fall and will be working on their new exhibition about contemporary human rights activism.

Jack Bush ‘07 is interning at Jet Propulsion Lab Hallie Winant ’07 is a market research intern at Mattel Inc. Karis Lucas ’08 is a sales and marketing intern at Manhattan Modern Luxury James Wu ‘09 has a vehicle engineering internship at SpaceX Megan Lee ‘10 is interning at The Getty Museum

Abby Bergman ‘10 is interning at Swimming World Magazine

Alumni Dance Troupe performed at Celebration of Dance

Our Alumni Team at the Alumni vs. Faculty Basketball Game

ALUMNI CAREERS Erik Vogt-Nilson ’08 edited a music video, Unbroken Angels by Hannah McNeil, for the global organization Yes I Can http://yesican.org/ and is now working as an Assistant Editor at Work Sarah McNitt ‘05 is the Computer Forensic & eDiscovery Associate at Pricewaterhouse Cooper.

Marc Huberman ‘08 was an 18th round pick to play professional baseball with the Chicago Cubs.

Sarah Bush ‘10 is interning in research and development at Bard Medical

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Our high school alumni at Alumni Panel - Sarah Gueno’12, Jonah Feingold ’12, Michael Edwards ’12, Koorosh Hadavi ’13, Lisa Rosenstein, David Mendieta ’13, Adja Hudson ’12, Talia Goodman ’13 and Lily Kopp ‘13

Annie Schindel ’13 and Talia Goodman ‘13 are rising seniors at The Archer School.

Talia is the President of the Archer 2016-2017 Senior Class.

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Alumni Spotlight

Alumni In Brief

THE WILLOWS summer 2016

Q&A with Lauren Jacks ’00 Jenna Ruth '03 is in her last quarter of a three-year program at the Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Hollywood. Gnomon is affiliated with writer/director J.J. Abrams and trains students in the latest 3D technology and computer programs for the entertainment industry, including visual effects for feature films and game companies. All students receive a strong generalist foundation, but go on to specialize in visual effects, animation, or modeling/texturing for games or film, as a character or environment artist. Jenna has focused on real time /gaming environments with the belief that there are more employment opportunities and more stable companies in that career path. She is interning two days per week at Halon, a Santa Monica company that primarily makes pre-visualization animatics for film and games, such as the new Star Wars & a virtual reality (VR) ride based on the Mass Effect franchise. Her current responsibilities include modeling and texturing environment assets for a trailer for an upcoming triple A game release.

Q

Grace Fetterman ’08 graduated this spring from Reed College, where she majored in

Stepping Into Entrepreneurship,

With Socks

Entrepreneur Lauren Jacks ’00 is making a splash in the online subscription world with her new business, Say It With a Sock, a sock of the month club (http://sayitwithasock.com/). After graduating from The Willows, Lauren attended Windward School and graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in communications.

Lauren spent a few years in Northern California working for Yelp and Airbnb, and then in February 2015, she and her husband, Daniel Seeff, launched a new online business, Say It With a Sock, which provides top-quality socks to customers on a monthly subscription basis.

We caught up with Lauren this summer, and during our conversation she reflected on the joys and challenges of being an entrepreneur.

What led you to launch Say It With a Sock?

Lauren>>Daniel and I love to travel: it was seven days before we were to depart on a four-month trip, and we were trying to figure out a way to fund our travels. When I first met Daniel, he told me that he loves fun socks—so we thought that selling socks on a subscription basis could be a great way to make some revenue. Daniel is a programmer, so he put together our website; we launched right before we left for our trip, and the business picked up steam as we traveled around the world.

What makes Say It With a Sock different from similar online ventures?

Lauren>>I’m the one in charge of sock selection, and we made the decision early on to work with third party vendors instead of manufacturing the socks ourselves. A lot of similar companies make their own socks, but the quality isn’t always so great. We wanted to find the best socks out there, and get customers excited about new vendors. We find these tiny, hole-in-the-wall companies that make great socks, and it’s exciting to introduce them to a wider market.

How does your experience at The Willows relate to what you’re doing now?

Lauren>> My dad [Scott Jacks] was one of the founders of The Willows. He was always open to trying something new, and his mindset was always, “It can’t hurt to try it.” That’s what led him to help open The Willows back in 1994, and that mindset was also a huge part of my educational experience at The Willows.

I was so fortunate to go to a school where the act of creation was encouraged. Our teachers wanted us to explore and try new things instead of focusing on being perfect.

What’s next for you?

Lauren>>Now that we’re off to a great start with Say It With a Sock, I’m launching a few more new online businesses. I find myself looking at products out there in the world and thinking, “I could do that better.”

It’s a very exciting time.

Check out Lauren’s business at www.sayitwithasock.com. If you decide to place an order, type WILLOWS in the promo code window for a special Willows discount!

Evie Antholis '12 graduated this year from Marymount High School in the cum laude society with distinction in Math and Science. Evie also won The Marian Award, the second highest honor Marymount bestows. The Marian Award is presented to a senior whose devotion to the pursuit of excellence is complemented by a sincere dedication to the highest standards of character and integrity.

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English and completed her senior thesis on the work of Irish playwright Martin Mcdonagh.

Grace, who is pursuing a writing career with a focus on humor and creative nonfiction, recently won first prize in the Big Brick Review’s 2015 Essay Contest, with a piece called “The Turn of the Century,” based on an experience she had as a student at The Willows. Grace is headed to Dublin, Ireland, this summer, where she will participate in the University of Iowa Irish Writing Program.

To read Grace’s essay visit: contesthttp://www.bigbrickreview.com/essays/fetterman_turn.html

Alex Feldman ’14, currently a rising junior at Archer School for girls, was part of a team of students this year that received a $7,000 InvenTeam grant from MIT’s Lemelson Foundation.

The Lemelson-MIT Program's 2015-2016 InvenTeam initiative inspires young people to solve real-world problems through invention, and Alex’s team was one of only 14 teams in the country to receive the grant. Alex’s group designed and built a prototype for an adjustable aerator that can be attached to a standard faucet; the aerator tracks water use and features adjustable settings to account for different tasks, such as watering plants or washing hands.

Alex reports that her team was delighted to receive the grant—not just as validation for the strength of their invention, but also to know that their innovation could make a difference in the world: “Even though it’s only a little bit, you’re helping to change behavior as people make decisions about water use,” says Alex.

Adam Ruth ’09 is a rising senior at Wesleyan College majoring in physics. This summer, he is is working as the Guidance, Navigation, and Control Simulations intern at Draper Laboratories in Boston, where he will be working on programming for a shuttle to launch in 2020.

Laura Schkolnick '12 was accepted early action at University of Oregon, her first choice.

She is a Summit Scholar, which is a partial academic scholarship offered to incoming students based on exemplary academic achievement in high school. She plans to major in business, concentrating on sports management. Laura graduated from Vistamar School, where she lettered in basketball all three years.

For more alumni news visit Willows Alumni Online www.thewillows.org/Alumni-News Facebook: www.facebook.com/willows.alum Instagram: willowsalumni

The Willows Class ACTION of 2012 College Acceptances let's take action

Congratulations to the alumni from the Class of 2012 on their college acceptances. Our alumni will be attending the following colleges and universities:

Colorado College Dartmouth College Denison University Harvey Mudd College Indiana University Loyola Marymount University New York University Northeastern University Oberlin College Royal Conservatoire of Scotland San Diego State University Skidmore College The University of Oregon University of Colorado, Boulder University of California, Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles University of Kansas University of Miami University of Michigan University of Redlands University of San Diego University of Southern California University of Virginia University of Washington Washington University Wesleyan University Yale University

The Willows Class of 2016 Secondary School Acceptances Congratulations to our newest alumni, the Class of 2016, on their acceptances to the following schools:

Archer School for Girls Brentwood School Buckley School Campbell Hall Crossroads School Hamilton Music Academy Holy Family School Immaculate Heart High School Loyola High School Marymount High School Milken Community School New Roads School Notre Dame School Pacifica Christian High School Providence High School Rolling Hills Prep Sequoya School Viewpoint School Vistamar School Waverly School Wildwood School Windward School

–Vaclav Havel, Czechoslovakian writer and statesman

Vision is not enough, it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.”

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Celebrating 22 Years of Innovation & Excellence

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