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BEHIND THE MASK
Table of Contents
Editors
Welcome from Head of School
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WNS Online Learning 2.0
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Graduation 2020
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Early Childhood Center Returns!
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
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Alumni Highlights
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Alumni Spotlight: Class of 2016
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WNS Gala: Hopeful & Heartfelt
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Philanthropy Report Highlights
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Annual Fund
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Alicia O’Connor Marketing and Creative Manager Amy Woropay Director of Communications and Webmaster Alice Wyman Assistant Director of Admission and Enrollment Management
Printing Ed Su, Studio Printing
Photography WNS Community Members
TheJetway is published two times per year by Westside Neighborhood School for parents, alumni, and friends. For more information or questions, please contact: WNS Office of Communications 5401 Beethoven Street Los Angeles, CA 90066 communications@wns-la.org © Westside Neighborhood School
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Behind the Mask: U n p r e c e d e n t e d Ti m e s M a k e f o r G r e a t O p p o r t u n i t i e s At WNS, we teach our students about resilience,
perseverance,
maintaining
a
mindset,
the
growth
and
sense
of possibility even when faced with challenges. We stress the importance of searching for truth, validating information,
and healing arts, human resources, and buildings and grounds. We gathered together ever-evolving information, sifting fact from fiction, and coalescing information and a range of opinions into multiple plans to guide us through a myriad of conditions come fall. Our commitment was to courageously chart a course that put the health and safety of our faculty and students first, while providing our students with a top tier education.
and collaborating with others even if they hold a different point of view. We ask them to apply these life lessons throughout everything they do in and out of the classroom and implore them to stick with it even when it seems daunting. When the world turned upside down last March, all of us suddenly had to practice what we’d been preaching. All of those lessons about resilience and perseverance certainly came in handy as we had to swiftly adjust to a new way of teaching and learning, continue to make improvements on the fly, and ultimately arrive at a place where some of our students can return to campus. Now, nine months later, we continue to navigate new and uncharted waters. As an educational institution, we have a critical role to play in the development of young children, and we take that responsibility even more seriously in these times. It has not always been easy trying to operate a school during a pandemic, but we’ve made great strides toward a “new normal” that we are proud of and excited about. Many of us on the administrative team and faculty collaborated all summer on a Reopening Taskforce. We’ve been supported and guided by a number of parents in our WNS community with expertise in public health, medical
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We’ve invested nearly limitless time and resources to prepare the campus for student return including full PPE for our teachers and staff, upgrades to our HVAC filtration system with HEPA 14 filters and Bipolar Ionization system, additional sinks to support frequent hand washing, plexiglass shields for desks, new outdoor learning tents, additional staff to meet cohorting requirements when we were allowed to bring students back on campus, and a comprehensive array of protocols, guidelines, and resources to guide our community during this pandemic. All of this preparation has led us to a great place, one where we have a very successful online learning program for our oldest students and a safe and thriving on-campus learning program for our youngest. Our Early Childhood Center (ECC) was the first to reopen its doors in midSeptember with full approval from Community Care
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Licensing, LA Department of Public Health, and California Health Department. I don’t think I’ve seen a more joyful moment than the day we opened the ECC doors for the first time in its history four years ago. Just as we have come to be, our students are equally resilient. The worries and wonders of whether preschool-aged children can handle mask-wearing and hand washing quickly faded away. What remains is a safe, active, and engaging learning environment for our youngest learners, who are excited to come to school each morning and connect with
be more excited at the opportunity this provides. Middle school students come to campus on alternating Fridays for two-hour sessions for social-emotional learning activities. Sure, classes look and feel a bit different, and there is a lot more hand washing throughout the day, but it is absolutely worth it to have our students safely back on campus. With all of the new COVID-19 mitigation systems and additional processes in place, students are able to return to some sense of normalcy. WNS has been a pioneer in safe and responsible on-campus programs
their peers in person.
as well as being leaders among independent and public schools in implementing a student and faculty COVID-19 testing program. It is my goal to continue to be a leader in this area and offer as much support and guidance to our peers as possible. To read more about our return to campus plans, visit https://wns-la.org/return-to-school-plan.
Shortly thereafter, under the new provisions from the LA County Department of Public Health (LADPH), WNS helped pioneer the return of kindergarten and first grade students to campus for half days for academic foundations and social-emotional skills classes. Even with their masks on, you could see their enormous grins our kids and teachers were delighted to be back! As part of the approval process, LADPH officials toured WNS and reviewed our protocols. They gave WNS a glowing review, noting what we have done in preparation and now put into practice is, to quote the LADPH officials, “state of the art” for school-based pandemic mitigations. Following this great milestone, another arose with the approval of the LADPH K-2 Waiver. All of our preparations to this point enabled WNS to immediately apply for the waiver. Given the glowing reviews from their campus visit, we received a relatively quick approval. As I write this, our kindergarten through second grade students are entering the campus for full-day instruction and third through fifth grade for half days, Monday through Thursday. We couldn’t
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Life deals us with setbacks at times, and it’s for us to decide how we are going to manage them. I am thankful for the incredible WNS community of faculty, staff, students, and parents who continue to weather this storm together, always persevering and looking for that rainbow. Perhaps, a silver lining in all of this is that all of us have the opportunity to put into practice and hone some of the core elements of what makes a WNS education so valuable in real-life situations: resilience, perseverance, growth mindset, and an unwavering sense of possibility.
Brad Zacuto Brad Zacuto Head of School
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Online Learning
WNS ONLINE LEARNING 2.0 Lori Getz, Director of Online Education; Rebecca Russell, Director of Curriculum; Amy Woropay, Director of Communications On March 12, 2020, when WNS made the decision to close down the campus due to COVID-19 concerns, we embarked on a new journey of online learning. Like for so many others, this uncharted territory posed a great challenge to a style of education that is reliant upon the close, personal connections among students and teachers. Thankfully, we were equipped with the resources and technology to transition our classrooms online for the remainder of the school year. Our students relied on the connections made up until that point, and our faculty quickly pivoted to adapting their lessons for online learning. Students could still get creative with projects involving in-home roller coasters and swimming pool physical education. It was certainly a quick, tough transition, but our community was up for the task. We closed out the 2019-20 school year in a way like never before and looked forward to what the future could hold for in-person classes again. Little did we know that over nine months later, we would still find ourselves in this virtual classroom setting.
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Over the summer, WNS spent a great deal of time and resources to increase the quality of our online learning experience, really creating a sense of Online Learning 2.0. With time on our hands, our faculty worked to develop new and exciting lesson plans for the virtual classroom. Educational Technologist and Cyber Safety Specialist, Lori Getz, was hired on as our first ever Director of Online Learning. She, along with a team of faculty and staff, put together a comprehensive online learning plan for all WNS students. Faculty engaged in professional development, led by external experts, as well as newly identified WNS experts. They collaborated and shared their experiences from March to June, and they discussed how best to make a new school year that starts online feel as welcoming as possible. It was not an easy feat, but our faculty and staff rose to the challenge. Now as we turn the page on over nine months of K-8 online learning, we still look forward to the days when our youngest students, if not all, have the chance to return to campus. We have learned new and exciting ways of teaching and learning and can integrate some of these techniques, even when on campus. Our whole WNS community has risen to the many challenges that have come our way since March. We’re thankful for the time and energy that our faculty and staff have devoted to our students and to our families for their flexibility and patience amidst the change. WNS continues to be a special community that comes together in times of adversity, even virtually.
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Under the Mask Project Hannah Reinmund, 5th Grade Teacher Our faculty recognized that wearing a mask all day can make students feel hidden and unseen. In 5th grade, the teachers wanted students to know that they are much more than their hidden faces! In their virtual social emotional learning activity, students explored words that helped describe who they were as people. They talked about internal and external traits as they related to them as individuals. What makes us unique? What do we want our friends to know about us? were questions used to help guide the students as they created mask portraits. At first, the portrait looks like it is just an image of a person wearing a mask. However, once the paper is unfolded and the mask is taken off, the viewer is able to see all of the amazing things under the mask.
The Pocket Document Camera John Umekubo, Director of Social Entrepreneurship Solving problems and printing solutions, WNS Director of Social Entrepreneurship, John Umekubo, introduced The Pocket Document Camera to our school! It’s a mirror to project the computer’s camera down to see the keyboard and view anything you place on it. Our math department needed a way for students and teachers to show hand-written work while learning remotely. The Pocket Document Camera allows students and teachers a simple method for showing work and demonstrating concepts over Zoom.
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Welcome to Online Learning! Lori Getz, Director of Online Learning As the Director of Online Learning, my goal is to provide our students with a rich learning experience that focuses on growth mindset, social-emotional learning, academic rigor, and the ability to apply their learning experiences in order to become change agents and global thinkers. My belief is that all students can learn no matter the environment; sometimes it just takes some creative thinking in the approach. And this is where WNS thrives. Our incredible faculty are experts in differentiated instruction and their ability to support diverse learning styles. We have increased our staff to include specialists in online learning and have hired a number of new faculty to support online instruction. In a collaborative effort, we want children to thrive in all ways possible. My hope is that all children will LOVE school as we create a new type of learning environment that is positive, safe, warm, caring, as well as a fun place to learn and grow.
“My hope is that all children will LOVE school as we create a new type of learning environment that is positive, safe, warm, caring, as well as a fun place to learn and grow.�
Student success is attributed to the partnership and the relationships we build within our community. It truly does take a village, and at WNS we greatly appreciate the support you provide for your children at home and at school to help them meet their learning goals. Although this year looks different than any other year, we are dedicated to providing your child(ren) a memorable, interactive, engaging online learning experience. In the WNS spirit, we pride ourselves on community. Now more than ever, it is so important to support one another, and that includes us at WNS supporting YOU, our families. On wns-la.org/online-learning you will find answers to frequently asked questions, sample schedules, supply lists, and a list of fun and helpful activities you can do in order to begin getting ready for online learning and ways to connect with others. Thank you for your hard work and dedication, thank you for your positivity, and thank you for being a part of WNS.
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Graduation 2020
WNS Class of 2020 Max Nhuch Abrahamson Kate Allen Zoe S. Anaya Chaz Austin Marley Barrow-Bell Illan Borin Tyler Bosco Grace Charles Austen Connors Alli Custer Alex Dreyer Joyabella Fehily Sammie Freeman Jett Friesen Simone Furst Judah Gardner Clementine Herold Guinevere Hesse Lany Hill Cameron Holiday Jared Huidor Oak Jarvis Sidney Jones Emily Kaplan
Seela Kapoor Valerie Keating Akina Khan Zachary Killip Kenzie Kimball Paige Kun Addison Emma Lee Emmick Liu Devyn Murphy Ethan Peña Marlee Porter Nils Reierson India Milen Richmond Mary Elizabeth Seal Sienna Anoop Shah Allison Sison Oliver Sowers Gabriel Sullivan Mia Szabo Maya Thompson Jared Wilkins Alden Wong Emi Yanai
Dubbed the “COVID Class,” the graduates of the Class of 2020 finished out their eighth grade year like never before. They handled every obstacle and challenge that came their way and are leaving behind an incredible legacy. We celebrated our students with a firstever virtual graduation ceremony, followed by a drive through diploma pickup! While it was not what anyone would have expected, the day turned out to be more special than any year before. Congratulations, Class of 2020! We’re so proud of you!
WNS is proud of our Class of 2020! Take a look at where this class is making their mark this year:
Archer School Crossroads School El Segundo High School Geffen Academy Harvard-Westlake School Hood River Valley High School
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Loyola High School Marlborough School Marymount High School Mira Costa High School New West Charter School Pacifica Christian High School
Redondo Union High School Santa Monica High School St. John Bosco High School Venice High School Vistamar School Windward School
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Early Childhood
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER RETURNS! Kelly Massey, Director of Early Childhood
It’s a Tuesday morning at the Early Childhood Center (ECC), and children are digging in the sandbox, creating a painting together at the easel, and speeding around the blacktop on tricycles. It looks almost like any other day in any other school year... just a little different. This year, children are all wearing masks which cover their faces, from button noses to round chins, as they climb and run. In addition, we are reminding them to spread out and try not to share each other’s air. The children have surprised us with their adaptability and wisdom in how they respond to these new requirements. Because we’ve framed wearing masks and distancing as a way to protect and show love for our community, they’ve been willing to make this leap. When a friend’s mask has slipped below their nose, a peer will oftentimes gently remind them to pull it up.
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Navigating the many conflicting and ever changing regulations by Community Care Licensing, LA Department of Public Health, and California Health Department hasn’t been easy. The numbers of children allowed in a class changed several times as did the question of whether or not children needed to wear masks. Guidance would be issued from the State of California and then contradicted by local health officials. To add to the complexity, we were always looking at this guidance through the lens of our own culture and community, wondering how best to serve our specific children. Community has been essential in getting schools and preschools open safely. We’ve all connected more than ever before, we’re sharing advice and asking each other lots of questions. Over the summer, I spoke to other preschool directors at facilities that had already opened their doors, and I heard that it was all okay. They said that regulations were doable and that the teachers and kids were so happy to be back together. In addition, I connected the ECC teachers to preschool teachers at other facilities to hear how they’ve been doing it and how it’s been going for them. They were both reassured and learned some helpful tips such as bringing an extra shirt in case a child needed a little extra comfort. After many hours of anxious summer planning, we are finally open, armed with a new schedule to keep groups of children as spread out as possible and plans for handwashing, cleaning, drop-off and pick-up times. On the first day of school, children and families waited in line for their turn getting their temperature taken, showed us their completed screening questionnaire, and checked in with our new touchless sign in. We were all the most curious about children and parents saying goodbye at the gate. In past years, parents would walk their children in and say goodbye with many hugs and sometimes tears. Many parents would chat on the play yard as children played on the play structure waiting for class to start and exchange a few words with a teacher about how their child was doing that day. To our surprise, our new ritual seemed to result in an easier transition to school for most children. We all miss the friendliness and warmth of having parents and caregivers on campus, but the children seem more relaxed and ready for school this way. The teachers at the ECC have been heroic in their flexibility and resilience. Both the teachers in our on-campus program and the online cohort have shown their willingness to do whatever it takes to take care of the children. I see teachers every day navigating the tightrope of keeping kids safe and
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allowing them to do what they need to as children. This has challenged all of us, but it has been so rewarding to see the children playing, pretending, and painting at school again.
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
A Continued Commitment t o D i v e r s i t y, E q u i t y, and Inclusion D r. M a r t i n i q u e S t a r n e s , D i r e c t o r o f D i v e r s i t y, E q u i t y, a n d I n c l u s i o n Westside Neighborhood School is committed to maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community – one where every member of our school community feels seen, heard, and their contributions valued. Our goal is to create leaders who are grounded in the understanding of how diversity and inclusion improve the way we experience the world and those who are dedicated to promoting equity and justice. At WNS, it is our moral imperative to be courageous and intentional in promoting understanding and addressing bias, identifying and honoring qualities of justice, respecting multiple perspectives and contributions, and valuing the dignity of all. (Cont.) .
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Working from this moral imperative, WNS has taken steps toward enacting real change in our local and extended areas. Starting internally over the last couple of years, we’ve established DEI committees of the Board of Trustees, faculty/staff, and parents. Our faculty has now all been trained in the Anti-Defamation League’s antibias education and adopted their anti-bias curriculum for all grade levels. We continue to review the curriculum to ensure that content is inclusive and culturally responsible. Faculty/staff and parents/caregivers attend virtual workshops and seminars on various diversity, equity, and inclusion related initiatives. WNS students have begun to harness their ability to lead student-centered DEI work. Two years ago, the eighth grade students saw a need for more meaningful connections within the student body and helped launch middle school affinity groups. These groups provide a safe space for students to share experiences amongst peers with a common identity including race, gender, sexual orientation, language, nationality, physical/mental ability, socio-economic class, family structure, and religion, among others. The successful outcomes from the student affinity groups inspired the development of
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faculty/staff affinity groups last year which has helped strengthen bonds and enhance the sense of community among the adults on campus. This has proven to be extremely beneficial during distance learning when physical connections were no longer an option. This year, we will introduce affinity groups to the parent/caregiver community to encourage a stronger bond, a deeper sense of community, and a source of support among our parents and caregivers. Additionally, our middle school students have turned to their elective classes to create platforms for advancing DEI work within the student community. These students have demonstrated immeasurable leadership skills and are passionate about communicating the importance of inclusion and equity in an educational environment. In March, I was hired as the first Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at WNS. I hold a Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from LMU and a Master of Arts in Communication Management from the Annenberg School at USC. I have dedicated over 20 years of my career working within educational institutions including roles with the California Charter
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Schools Association, Verbum Dei High School, Long Beach City College, and LMU. In my short time thus far at WNS, I have worked to make indelible impression in my role as a leader by developing strategic and impactful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This year, our community was deeply impacted by the horrific murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Abery, and Breonna Taylor, and the subsequent protests sparked across our nation and our world. The WNS community stood in solidarity with the response and even organized two protests of our own. Our Black families organized two very powerful, positive, and impactful demonstrations in our WNS neighborhood: the first led by our second grade students, which drew over 50 students, teachers, friends, and the attention of hundreds of people driving by. The following day, our middle school students put together a very moving rally and memorial to George Floyd and all of the many before him who have died as a result of racial violence. Hundreds of WNS students, parents, faculty, and friends attended Sunday’s event in support of our Black community and the #blacklivesmatter movement. Additionally, both the Board of Trustees and Senior Administration reaffirmed their commitment to and support of the Black community at WNS and beyond by making a community call to action and the issuance of a statement and resolution in support of Black lives. These events, set against the backdrop of the worst pandemic in 100 years which has disproportionately affected people of color, reaffirmed for our community the immense work that is needed to achieve true equity for all. This summer, our community engaged in a series of conversations designed to build community and to better understand the racial reckoning with which our nation grappled through conversations titled Why We Need to Talk about Race and Systemic Racism. We also had the unique honor of conversing virtually with a renowned civil rights attorney, Ben Crump, who represents the families of Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor, among others. He imparted his wisdom, sense of justice, and answered questions from families and students. Mr. Crump’s talk inspired our community to continue important conversations around systemic racism and work toward a just America for all Americans. WNS continues to do this important work. As we know, there is much that can and should be done. We are committed as a school community to educating ourselves and to guiding our students to the work needed to be actively anti-racist. We recognize that racism in our country is systemic. It will take great time and effort to dismantle it. We commit to working hard to make sure our community reflects the world we believe will ultimately exist.
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ECC: NURTURING INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS THROUGH LITERATURE Valeria Flores-Carrillo Early Childhood Education Teacher
In one of our Early Childhood Center classes, students read a book from their library called Daddy, Papa, and Me by Leslea Newman. As they read the first page and talked about the characters in the story, one of the children asked, “Where is the mom?” Students offered suggestions as to where the mom could be. The teacher responded, “There are lots of ideas of where a mom could be. Let’s keep reading and see if there is a mom in this story.” When they finished the book, the class reflected back on the characters in the story. There was a daddy, a papa, and a child. “Was there a mom character in the story?” asked the teacher. Students thought about where they thought the mom could be, or that there wasn’t a mom in the story at all. They reflected on their own family structures and shared them with their classmates. The children’s responses to this book demonstrate two things: children’s understanding of the world comes from their own lived experiences, and children seek to make connections with others based on their lived experiences. It also illustrates the importance of books that feature a diversity of characters, events, and even family structures to help broaden their understanding of all that is possible.
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While this conversation didn’t have a conclusion to the question of Where is the
mom?, it was an opportunity for the class to revisit and learn about different kinds of family structures. As students continue to share about their own unique families and read more books about different family dynamics, the teachers continue to expand on this topic with them. Learning about others in our community whose family life and experiences may be different than our own will help expand our children’s schemas.
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ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS
Riley Morris ‘18 Riley began a passion project in May 2020 while in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has turned into an art business called On Canvas By Riley. Her paintings are meant to inspire everyone who sees them. She especially loves creating paintings about black girl empowerment in the hopes that her passion will encourage young women that look like her to follow their dreams. Her works of art are displayed on her Instagram account @on_canvas_by_riley as well as on her new website https://on-canvas-by-riley.square.site/.
Simone F ‘20 Simone is a part of the a cappella group Squad Harmonix who, over the last few months, collaborated with InToneNation from Georgia and produced a cover of “Stand Up” by Cynthia Erivo. They are eager to share their moving and powerful message. It is so inspiring to see young people use their voice to spread a message of love and solidarity! To check out their amazing work, visit https://youtu.be/dwxiiQB0hZ4.
Hareena Johnson ‘14 Hareena is featured in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Fall Spotlight for her work on and off the volleyball court at Trinity College. In the article, it is notated that she is majoring in biology and has found her way into several different executive board positions on campus, including co-founding the Athletes of Color Coalition (ACC) and is a part of the Imani Black Student Union. Hareena serves as the social media chair for both organizations and is involved in many different community service activities around the Greater Hartford Area. On the court she was ranked third in kills with 107, scored 138 points and ranked second on the team in aces with 26. Go, Hareena!
Grace Rector ‘13 Grace is a senior at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service studying Culture and Politics with a minor in Education, Inquiry and Justice. She currently works at the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation as a Student Analyst and plans to pursue a career in international service. She will graduate in May 2021 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Foreign Service. Grace has been writing since she was six years old and now, as a young adult, Grace decided to hone in on her passion for writing by publishing her first book, The Rector Girls! The book honors her mom through a story on her life and legacy. Grace hopes that this book will not only show the beauty of a non-traditional family but that readers will feel called to love each other more deeply and to take charge of their lives and make their dreams happen. To pre-order the book, visit bit.ly/BuyTheRectorGirls. It is set to be published in April 2021.
Miranda (Randi) Rosa ‘14 Miranda is now a junior and a psychology major minoring in criminology and sociology at Millersville University. She is an honor student and loving life in college. Miranda has taken her love of animals and found a way to help people. Miranda is helping to train service dogs for a non-profit program called Phoenix Assistance Dogs of Central PA that helps to place fully-trained service dogs with people in need. She is currently raising her second dog who lives on campus with her and he attends all her classes. Once he is 18 months to 2 years old, he will be placed with someone in need. She has devoted so much time to this and it is so special that she is able to provide someone such a gift of freedom with the support of a service dog. She is very grateful for the values WNS has instilled in her to be kind and caring to both humans and animals. Miranda still looks back to the social and educational lessons she learned back at WNS to guide her through her college journey and beyond.
Ceyair Wright ‘17 Ceyair is currently a senior at Loyola High School and has over 30 scholarship offers to play college football from schools like USC, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Stanford. He has also been cast and is playing Lebron James’s son in Space Jam 2. The movie is now in post-production and will be released soon! We are so proud of him!
Nate Mohler ‘11 Nate was commissioned to create a dynamic, temporary artwork for the Dale Jones City Hall Courtyard in Culver City. The work of art, Culver Current, is a groundbreaking digital kinetic sculpture that for the first time combines diverse materials, including projected videos and customsculpted Corian®. Fellow WNS alumni and classmate, Jackson Kurtz ‘11, helped with the coding and programmed the interactive elements for the artwork. Taken from the Press Release, “This sculpture is a reflection of the past, a moment in the present, and a discussion for the future of public art,” said Mohler, who investigates connectivity and audience participation through unconventional space and immersive art. He is intrigued by projects that compel an observer’s emotional reaction and eagerness to touch. Having grown up near Culver City, Mohler wanted to mirror the Culver City community and tap into the inspiration the city gave him professionally. The sculpture continues to light up every night and reflects internet activity from geotagged posts within the Culver City limits. Nate also built the CulverCurrent.art website and shares updates to his own website at NateMohler.com.
Nia Marshall ‘15 Nia was interviewed for a local paper on her help organizing a peaceful protest in Manhattan Beach over the summer in support of Black Lives Matter. Nia was quoted in the article describing the days since Floyd’s death as “the most stressful week I’ve endured in a long time.” As she took in the news from around the country, she began to suspect that others felt the same. “You see this man who is clearly innocent, and he’s killed in cold blood. It literally brought me to tears.” As a black American, watching the suffering of her community on the news became overwhelming for her, and she suspected others felt similarly. “And then I saw the reaction that America had, and it kind of just heightened the reaction that I had. You were seeing more needless pain caused to people...Honestly, that’s what moved me to want to protest: to bring sort of the spirit of healing to our country...” The organizers’ experience with the protest reflected an expansive notion of community -- one that is not dictated by zip codes or county lines. “Even though I’m not from Manhattan Beach, I spent a good deal of my formative years down there. I was a Junior Lifeguard, I went to high school there, I was a Girl Scout there. But I did always feel separate from the community, even though I had spent a good deal of time there, and that was because of my race. I felt a connection to it but at the same time felt alienated from it. I thought that it would be a good idea to open up a conversation about it,” said Marshall. “Now is a time when race relations in America really have people’s attention. And so I figured it would be good to take the plunge down there, just try to use it to unify us, rather than make it something divisive.” The protest culminated at the Hermosa Pier plaza with everyone taking a knee in solidarity. We are so proud of the work Nia did to help bring about positive change in a peaceful way.
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Zoe Anaya ‘20 Zoe won first place in the 13-18 category of the Fly Your Flag contest held by Kidizenship! Zoe says, “I’ve drawn an ear of blue corn to honor the indigenous peoples of North America. The color of the kernels is a mix of the red, white, and blue that we see on our current flag. The colors represent the hardiness, valor, innocence, purity, vigilance, perseverance, and justice of our country. The green of the husk signifies the earth and all that came before us, and on the ribbon it says, ‘in radices speramus nobis,’ which means, ‘in our roots we trust,’ in Latin.” Kidizenship is a non-partisan, non-profit media platform for tweens and teens that reaches beyond the classroom, merging civics education with creative self-expression and community action. Kidizenship will convene respectful conversations and publish powerful content by and for young people about building a brighter future and an inclusive, just, and sustainable democracy. Kidizenship is where citizens come of age.
Rachel Greenberg ‘13 Rachel and her father Richard Greenberg wrote and performed the music video “Let Me Touch The World” as a tribute to George Floyd, peaceful protests, AND a call to protest all bigotry, antisemitism, and hate. Jackson Theuer ‘10 engineered the composition in his studio and plays the synth pad. You can find the video which now has over 20,000 views on YouTube at https://youtu.be/trbOrpsWyUs, and the music is also available on SoundCloud.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: CLASS OF 2016 WNS hosted its annual 12th Grade Alumni Assembly for our graduating high school seniors back in June 2020. Due to the pandemic, we pivoted and quickly turned the event virtual. Although we were all saddened by the fact that we couldn’t be together and have our Class of 2016 return to campus, we had an amazing event regardless! Typically at this event, our alumni would address the community at the assembly. They would reflect on their high school experiences, give advice to WNS students, and share their plans for the future, including where they will be attending college. This year, we had each student send us a recording instead, and we compiled them into one video to share with our community. It was special to see the Class of 2016 and hear what they had to say! Then, we had our virtual event where the class got to spend time with one another along with some of their past teachers. This was a highlight for them as with most years, these teachers are busy teaching their classes, but because we were virtual they were able to stop in and say “hi.” We were also able to invite this class’s kindergarten buddies, who are now in fourth grade to join. These extra touches made the event more personal, and it turned out to be one of our most memorable Alumni Assemblies to date. We are so proud of our Class of 2016, and we wish you all the best in your new endeavors!
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The Class of 2016 is attending the following colleges and universities: American Musical and Dramatic Academy Arts Educational Schools London Boston University Brandeis University Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Cal State Monterey Bay Colby College College of William & Mary Colorado College Denison University Duke University El Camino College Elon University Emerson College George Washington University Harvard University James Cook University Muhlenberg College New York University Northwestern University Rice University Santa Clara University Syracuse University Tulane University University of Arizona University of California, Los Angeles University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of Denver University of Hawaii University of New England University of Oregon University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of Utah University of Washington Valparaiso University Vanderbilt University Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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WNS GALA: HOPEFUL & HEARTFELT In May, our WNS community came together with our first-ever Heartfelt & Hopeful virtual gala. We were able to celebrate the very best of WNS and our community during this event. We had our very own Ricky “DJ Rick” Ruiz serving up hits on the-ones-and-twos, while our 500+ guests danced the night away. The WNS Dance Cam was rocking! There was so much fun and joy beaming “online,” and we did it all for an amazing cause, supporting this wonderful WNS community. The auction this year directly supported Financial Assistance, and it was a huge success. On top of the auction, we also raised our virtual paddles to support the Financial Assistance Emergency Fund. It was a beautiful moment seeing our community support each other in a time of need. Thank you to everyone who gave from their heart to help this special fund. We are very appreciative of our donors and bidders!
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The expenses and revenue charts shown in our philanthropy report represent the annual budget that WNS thoughtfully creates and maintains every year. Every year, our singlebiggest expense continues to be faculty and staff compensation. WNS proudly sits above the median amongst peer schools in this area and is key to attaining and retaining our top-tier teachers. Our largest area for revenue is tuition and fees which is common to all independent schools. What is not as common in an independent school budget is the commitment WNS makes to financial assistance. Last year, WNS invested over $2.4 million in financial assistance to 25% of our community. Financial assistance is key to making WNS the special place it is, a place that truly represents the world we live in. Another commonality for independent schools is fundraising. As a 501c3 nonprofit, independent schools like WNS must fundraise a portion of the budget through voluntary giving.
Revenue
Expenses
To view the full 2019-20 Philanthropy Report, visit wns-la.org/philanthropyreport19. Please contact development@wns-la.org for the access code.
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STRONGER TOGETHER The Financial Assistance Emergency Fund
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty to our world. It has been quite the journey together, and we have all had to make tremendous adjustments in our lives. These unprecedented times have not only caused a health crisis, but they have caused economic challenges for many. Last spring, the WNS community rallied together for our families who were hit the hardest by this pandemic. Some of our families have been faced with serious financial challenges as a result of job loss or work reduction with little or no financial resources to cushion them during this time and many needed and continue to need emergency financial assistance. What happened next was an inspirational opportunity for our school. One of our families who recognized this dire need contacted us with a generous challenge
gift to help us raise the funds for our community. They asked those in our community who could rise to the challenge to join them to help WNS support our families in need. This began the Financial Assistance Emergency Fund. We then pivoted our Gala & Auction proceeds which included our annual Raise the Paddle to benefit this important fund as well. Together, our community stepped up to the challenge and supported our families in need! We have learned through this pandemic that as a community, we can support one another and we are stronger together!
Thank you for your support!
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Annual Fund BELIEVING WE CAN
What is the Annual Fund? The Annual Fund is WNS’s most vital fundraiser each year and is essential to the school’s sustainability and success. Gifts to the WNS Annual Fund bridge the gap between what tuition covers and the actual cost of a WNS education. It supports the school’s greatest needs, such as financial assistance, classroom technology, activities, and professional development opportunities for our teachers. This year’s fund will also cover the costs and investments related to COVID-19. We are so appreciative of the support we have received from our community of parents, alumni, grandparents, and friends of the school.
Visit wns-la.org/annualfund to make an impact on our teachers and students today!
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Why I Give?
“Thank you for the ways in which you bring the children and parents together. We are so grateful for all of the measures you take on so many fronts--financial assistance, COVID response, teacher compensation, diversity, future planning, building community...and on and on. We are very grateful to be a part of this community.” - Bowyer-Greene Family, 1st year at WNS.
“As grandparents, WNS means peace of mind. We know our grandchildren are in a safe place that cares about their students. We are very happy they are in a school that prepares its students socially, emotionally, and academically. It’s a place where we know our grandchildren are thriving, and it is our pleasure to contribute to the Annual Fund.” - Walter and Shirley Maye, grandparents of the Frelix Family, 9 years at WNS.
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“We feel it is important to support the educational foundation in any way possible so the school can focus on what it does best – providing a sound, safe, creative, diverse, and innovative environment for our children to learn and grow. The Annual Fund allows us to provide support in a way that gives the school the resources it needs to continue operating at a level of true excellence. From my own experience and that of my daughter Jaeli, I truly believe that WNS facilitates and fosters positive growth for Jaeli by instilling the core values of community, equity/diversity/ inclusion, character, and academic excellence. WNS continues to impress me with the foundational educational guidance, support, and innovation that has nurtured Jaeli’s academic and individual development. Jaeli’s intuitive, thoughtful, and questioning nature is a testament to the experience she has had at WNS.” - Ryan Landis, Alumni Class of ‘82 and WNS Parent for 9 years.
“The Annual Fund is critically important and we give because WNS is educating, nurturing and developing our children, who are in turn, going to change the world!” Anderson Family, 6 years at WNS.
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