Our Wildwood, Volume 48

“I think the strong female teachers I have had the pleasure of working with at Wildwood have helped me pursue my interests in a way not many other people have. I always feel that they are available to talk to me and help me further my learning, especially the ones I had early on in the math and science departments who helped me discover the interest in science that I am pursuing today.” — ESMÉ W. ‘24

on her Wildwood experience, Lori offered, “Landis is asked to serve on and chair many boards. His active choice and commitment to serving on the board of the Head’s Network [whose mission is to promote the growth and development of women leaders] was a powerful statement. When you look at Landis’s legacy and the sheer number of school leaders who have successfully moved on to serve as heads of school, the leadership pipeline he mentored and shaped is staggering. That demonstrated belief in me, and more importantly the belief I saw him demonstrate in others, allowed me to flourish.” Trust. Faith. Belief. Gratitude. The legacy of these women and so many others at Wildwood is a culture of appreciation, of being specific in naming our thanks for someone else’s contributions, gifts, and positive impact. As a leader in this community, and as a parent to two students in this most special school, I am profoundly grateful to the women who have come before me. It is because of them that I feel trusted to share my own gifts and empowered to grow with the school.

individual. When Landis came to Wildwood, he brought things together and connected so many of the individual dots. I was given these new K-12 systems and structures to help me take my skills, knowledge, and good reputation and really deepen them, former Director of Equity and Inclusion and current parent, Rasheda Carroll was also someone to look to and learn from. She facilitated a lot of in-house training that gave me a real sense of what it means to be a female leader of color and of my ability to deal with conflict.” Former teacher and administrator, as well as current Wildwood parent, Melinda Tsapatsaris, reflected on her earliest years at Wildwood: “I was 23 and the main teacher-leader for the 7th and 8th grade teaching team. Many of the teachers on this team had decades of experience on me.” It was a trusted colleague who pushed Melinda out of her discomfort, saying, “You are who you are. Be you and be in your power.” Melinda found the advice comforting, as it invited her to find her footing as a leader in a way that felt right. With the confidence and support instilled in her from her colleagues at Wildwood, Melinda felt empowered to take on even higher levels of leadership within education, and now serves as Head of School for Westland School. “So often I experienced a cooperative learning environment, not a competitive one,” Melinda said. “While working, teaching, and growing at Wildwood, I was supported to be my best self. My colleagues and I were motivated to bring out each other’s excellence. I experienced overwhelming support and an honoring of who I was and where I was at.” This track—from Wildwood administration to Head of School—isn’t unique to Melinda. Like Melinda, former Associate Head of School Lori Strauss credits the opportunities at Wildwood for preparing her for her current role as Head of School at The Field School in Washington, D.C. In reflecting

RASHEDA CARROLL &

MELINDA TSAPATSARIS

OWW WINTER 2023

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