Our Wildwood, Summer 2018, Volume 43

DEAR FRIENDS A Letter from Landis

that was new in every sense of the word. The structure, the pedagogy, the staff, and the investment of time and resources were all unlike anything that Wildwood, or even LA, had seen before. Former trustee and parent of two graduates, Lisa Robinson, wrote of Hope, “As a leader, she saw the school through so many important moments—especially the founding of the Secondary School. Through good times and bad, she always stood as a strong core, advocating for what she believed would best guide us in the future.” and our shared home state of Pennsylvania. Wisely recognizing that she needed to let the new guy—me— settle in, she made herself scarce at Wildwood after her retirement. She did, however, finally accept my annual invitation to join us at commencement in 2014, as we celebrated the 10th graduating class. Hope received a standing ovation when I acknowledged her presence, sitting with my faculty and staff colleagues under the tent. Nothing new at Wildwood School would be, or will ever be, possible without the foundations laid by Hope Boyd and all the colleagues, parents, trustees, and students who preceded those of us who are here now. With that sentiment in mind, and with so much gratitude to Hope, I invite you to read about what’s new in this issue of Our Wildwood. Hope was an incredible support to me as I began my time at Wildwood. We talked of kids and teachers and schools

Hope Boyd’s Prius was the first in which I ever rode. A dozen years ago, visiting Los Angeles as an applicant for the position from which Hope would soon retire, she drove me to lunch. In 2006, the Prius still felt like a bit of a novelty, especially in Maine, where I lived at the time. Mentioning my lack of familiarity with the car, Hope waved her hand in an inimitable Hope gesture, smiled, and said, “I love gadgets! All sorts of gadgets. Can’t wait to try the new thing.” That was Hope to me, or at least a part of who Hope was. She was grounded—in culture, history, literature, and in what she believed—but she was also open and engaged and curious. She relished the new. Among her beliefs, of course, was a belief in the deep respect we owe to each and every child. When people who knew her think of Hope, they think of a woman who listened when children talked. She heard them. “New,” the theme of this issue of Our Wildwood, couldn’t be better timed considering the loss we all suffered when Hope died in February. She was a trailblazer. A well-educated, gifted, and beloved teacher, Hope was also among the firsts with regard to women of color in leadership roles in independent schools, both as a teacher and an administrator. Hope believed that schools should evolve and grow to serve the needs of all students, preparing them for futures we can’t envision. She was one of five founders of the Independent School Alliance, an organization that works to place and support underrepresented students and families in Southern California independent schools— and one in which Wildwood School remains active.

With warm regards,

Landis Green Head of School

Serving as head of school when Wildwood expanded from K-6 to K-12 was yet another legacy Hope left, one

1

OWW SUMMER 2018