Our Wildwood, Volume 51

Our

p18 Connecting Across Campuses

p12 Meet the Class of 2024

p22 Where SEL and DEIB Meet

SUMMER 2024/VOLUME 51

Mission Statement

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Mission Statement Wildwood School is a dynamic community of culturally and racially diverse families and educators. Wildwood honors individual differences and creates conditions where all can feel safe, accepted, and empowered. Our healthy exchange of perspectives and experiences cultivates compassionate, effective change makers.

Wildwood School cultivates reflective scholars, bold innovators and compassionate leaders equipped with the skills, ethics and inspiration to transform their world.

A year of friendship and bonding begins! Isla M. ‘35 and Wesley S. ‘35 greet Senior Siblings Alex Khan ‘24, Mia Rios ‘24, and Sam Snyder ‘24. Cover photo by Hunter Hackett, Director of Marketing and Communications

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DEAR FRIENDS A Letter from Landis

The class of 2024 was three times the size of Corey’s class and included many graduates who began their time at Wildwood as elementary students. Campus connections is the theme of this issue, and among this year’s impressive commencement speakers was Mia Rios ‘24. Seemingly effortlessly, Mia—a Wildwood “lifer”—likened her class to one of the playlists she loves to create. Of her peers, she said: “Each of us brings a unique perspective, emotion, and personality to the mix. Some of us may be similar to others, but there is always something that sets us apart. Our strength lies in our differences. We mesh together to become the comforting and cozy playlist for a rainy day, the uplifting and lighthearted one for summer, the quiet and motivating one for hard work, and the predictable one for every day listening.” Some of the relationships on which Mia reflected began in kindergarten, others in middle and upper school. She went on to say, “The beauty of our playlist is that it is diverse in a way that is forever changing.” Mia’s got it right. Things change, evolve, grow. People change, evolve, grow. That’s why it’s important to pause and reflect, to thoughtfully plan and incorporate new understandings, new people, and new ideas along the way. That’s what this wonderful endeavor called Wildwood School is all about.

Arriving at Wildwood School in 2007, it felt like I was joining a movement. It still feels that way. But any article— almost every article, really—about the future of education in the United States points to the work to which my colleagues and I have committed our professional lives. Wildwood School is the future of education. And yet, as we envision the future, we must stay grounded in the past, serving children and their families in the present. That’s what we do. We do it by reflecting on our work as professionals, exactly as we teach our children and young adults to reflect on their work as students. What went well? How could I have done better, or done something differently? What was my impact on others, and how does that match my intention? How are others impacting me, and what can I learn from them? Anyone who’s ever attended a student-involved or student-led conference, a Gateway or a Senior Exhibition, knows that in pursuit of our mission to, “cultivate reflective scholars, bold innovators, and compassionate leaders…” students are consistently guided to look back and plan forward based on feedback they’ve received and how they’ve come to understand themselves, how they learn, and what’s important to them—all with pride in what they do well and without shame for what they haven’t mastered yet. That’s consistent with how we approach our reflection and planning as an institution, as well. In a last act of refection that honors a 20-year tradition, some Wildwood seniors chose to speak at commencement. Included in the faculty seating area at this year’s ceremony was upper school teacher Corey Fetzer ‘04, a member of our first graduating class.

With warm regards,

Landis Green Head of School

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

features

p18 Connecting Across Campuses Two campuses, one Wildwood. From the Senior Siblings program to classroom initiatives, opportunities abound for K-12 connection.

p22 Where Social-Emotional

Learning and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Meet How the frameworks and tools for Social Emotional Learning and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging support and strengthen each other throughout the Wildwood experience.

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departments GIVING VOICE ......................................................... p4 Wildwood faculty (and mother and daughter) Becca Hedgepath and Rachel Hedgepath ‘13

STUDENT VOICE ............................................. p28 Behind the Lens by Autumn L. ‘27

BOOK SHELF ........................................................ p29 Recommendations from readers

GOOD TO KNOW ................................................... p6 Useful information about and for us

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES ................ p12 Class of 2024 college list

OH SNAP! ................................................................. p30 Photos from notable Wildwood events

WILDWOOD ATHLETICS . ....................... p34 The Year in Athletics By the Numbers

WOLVES MAKING WAVES ..................... p14 Students and faculty making us proud

DONOR PROFILE ................................................ p16 Wildwood School Announces New Fellowship Fund

ALUMNI ALUMNI REFLECTION ................................................. p36 Developing leadership through Wildwood Athletics ALUMNI EVENTS ............................................................. p37 Alumni Weekend 2024 ALUMNI NOTES ............................................................... p39 Tell us what you’re up to

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GIVING VOICE A conversation between community members

Becca Hedgepath, Middle School Humanities Rachel Hedgepath ‘13, 4th Grade Teacher

When it comes to campus connections, few are as close as that of Becca and Rachel Hedgepath ‘13, who have experienced Wildwood mother-to-daughter, teacher-to student, and now colleague-to-colleague.

OWW: Let’s start with the obvious question: what’s it like to work in the same place as your mother, and vice versa?

RACHEL: She was also my 6th grade teacher back in 2006, so I feel like we’re used to occupying the same space and working with each other. That said, since I’m on the elementary campus and she’s at the middle and upper campus, it’s nice to have our own ‘territories’ in a way. It’s a treat when we get to see each other. BECCA: For me, it’s amazing. I remember when I was working on the elementary campus, walking you to kindergarten, watching you be a 1st grader—and then I moved to the middle and upper campus where I suddenly had you in 6th grade. It’s kind of a homecoming for me. BECCA: So, there’s a story…I said to her, “You’re going to have to call me Ms. H,” and she said, “No.” I countered by suggesting, “Well, how about all the other kids call me mom?”—thinking that there’s no way she would go for that. To my surprise, she said “OK!” So, I made the mistake of telling all the 6th graders that year that they could call me mom, and that’s what they called me until the day they graduated! OWW: How was Rachel in class?

(Left to right) Middle School Humanities teacher Becca Hedgepath with daughter Rachel Hedgepath ‘13, 4th Grade teacher

OWW: Your turn—how was having your mother as a teacher?

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“” RACHEL IS WHO SHE IS BY NATURE, BUT THE NURTURING SHE RECEIVED HERE, THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO FIND AND USE HER VOICE, HER CONFIDENCE—THOSE I HONESTLY CREDIT TO WILDWOOD. —BECCA HEDGEPATH

RACHEL: It was really nice, actually. Before I came to Wildwood, she would teach me at home, so I was used to learning from her in an academic, as well as as a motherly way. I loved sharing that experience with my friends. Also, I think we hit the sweet spot with 6th grade — before you start to have feelings about your parents embarrassing you! OWW: Is there anything you’ve picked up from your mother’s teaching style that you find yourself implementing in your own classroom? RACHEL: A lot! I’ll often say things and realize halfway though that I sound just like her. It’s especially true with my approach as a “warm demander” — setting firm boundaries and expectations with students, but also meeting them where they are and above all, making sure they know they are loved and that I’m going to help them achieve their goals.

RACHEL: My mom is the ultimate planner, and she’s helped me so much when it comes to lesson planning. She also knows all the ins-and-outs of Wildwood, so it’s nice having a go-to resource at my fingertips. More directly though, I know exactly what her expectations are for when they reach 6th grade, so I’m able to look years ahead to ensure what I’m doing in the classroom will get them there. Having that direct line of communication is such a benefit and privilege. OWW: Becca, how has your dual role as a parent of an alumna and faculty member shaped your experience of Wildwood? BECCA: I’ve gotten to see exactly how the Wildwood experience plays out by observing who Rachel is today. Sure, Rachel is who she is by nature, but the nurturing she received here, the encouragement to find and use her voice, her confidence — those I honestly credit to Wildwood.

OWW: Becca, is there anything you’ve learned from Rachel that you’ve incorporated into your classroom?

OWW: Rachel, how has your experience of Wildwood changed now that you are back as a teacher?

BECCA: I have learned to be kinder. She’s so sweet with the students, and you can see the way they glow around her. I happen to have a few siblings of some of her students in my class, and so they will talk about her. It’s a reminder to be kind, generous, and forgiving.

RACHEL: Two of my colleagues used to be my teachers when I went here — Claudia Hatter as my 2nd grade associate teacher, and Leslie Troy as my 4th grade associate teacher. What’s really special about coming back as an adult is that everyone is exactly who I thought they were as a kid — it wasn’t a show. They truly are the wonderful, amazing, kind people that match my memories from childhood.

OWW: How else has this experience benefited your work?

BECCA: We’ve definitely grown from each other, sharing ideas of ways of working with children, and even ways of presenting work. She’s so great with technology and design — I’m so jealous.

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GOOD TO KNOW Useful information about and for us Multicultural Symposium Celebrates Excellence in Equity

activities related to Wildwood’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) mission. “It’s just been amazing to see kids being able to explore different aspects of our diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives— to look for things that speak to their identity and their lived experiences,” Karen said. “The days leading up to this event are some of my favorite of the year, and I’m so grateful for the engagement of everyone in our community, which allows us the opportunity to provide this for our students.” On that note, this year’s Symposium included presenters from a wide array of the Wildwood community, from faculty and staff to current parents, trustees, students, and cultural leaders from the greater Los Angeles community. In addition, a host of volunteers from Wildwood’s Parent Multicultural Collaborative (PMC) were on hand to assist with community time and activities, including providing an assortment of cultural snacks. “After all these years, there’s so much about the Symposium that I love,” said Head of School Landis Green. “One of the central things that comes through every year though is the pride and investment that our community has in creating this wonderful event.”

Inclusion Rasheda Carroll (P. ‘31) as a day-long event for middle and upper school students that focused on issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability through a series of workshops and guest speakers. Now under the direction of Director of Equity and Inclusion Karen Dye, this year’s rendition of the beloved program included approximately 30 workshops and

With the theme of “Excellence in Equity,” this year’s middle and upper school Multicultural Symposium was a thrilling opportunity to delve into the richness of our diverse community and reflect on what it truly means to be a part of it. The Multicultural Symposium at Wildwood was launched in 2005 by former Director of Equity and

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The Wildwood Outreach Center: Transforming Education Across Continents During the 2023-2024 school year, the Wildwood Outreach Center continued to expand Wildwood School’s influence well beyond Los Angeles. Educators from 55 schools across 9 states and 4 countries participated in in-person and online workshops led by Wildwood experts, focusing on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), the Wildwood Institute Model, Systems Thinking, and Advisory. In August, Steve Barrett, Director of the Outreach Center, traveled to Cambodia to lead a week-long professional development session at the International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP). Additionally, Steve conducted a one-day workshop on social-emotional learning (SEL) for local public, private, and Buddhist school educators in Cambodia. In October, Steve led another week of in-person professional development in Spain for the second consecutive year. Activities included assessing the progress of the middle school Advisory program at the American School of Madrid (ASM), which the Outreach Center helped develop, and enhancing the skills of its advisors. The week concluded with a two-day intensive workshop on fostering belonging and community through Advisory and school-wide initiatives. Participating schools included ASM, the American School of Valencia, the American School of Barcelona, and The Benjamin Franklin International School of Barcelona. In the spring, the Wildwood Outreach Center initiated a partnership with Tim Klein from Boston College’s Purpose Lab, resulting in a series of innovative online workshops for educators at Wildwood and schools nationwide. These workshops introduced cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) tools designed to help students develop a deeper sense of purpose in school and beyond. After a year of travel, the Outreach Center capped off the school year right here at home, hosting the 11th annual Multicultural Leadership Institute (MLI) at the middle and upper campus in June. Facilitated by Karen Dye, Wildwood’s Director of Equity and Inclusion, and Claudia Gonzalez, Director of Enterprise Software Systems, this four-day nationally recognized

This year’s Symposium began

with student-led roundtable discussions with Corey Smyth (P. ‘33), founder and CEO of Blacksmith Holdings. In his opening remarks, Corey advised students to forge their own paths as they pursue their passions at Wildwood and beyond. “One of the things that Corey said that really stuck out to me was, ‘Dream big – because no one is stopping you,’” said Gianna O.-S. ‘28. “You don’t have to stick to other people’s expectations.” Following the round-table with Corey, students headed off to their choice of workshops on topics ranging from DEIB in classic literature to science, healthcare, “The Multicultural Symposium is an opportunity to grow out of your comfort zone and try on a new lens of learning,” said Lulya A. ‘24 and Hanami W. ‘24, who helped organize the event as part of the Upper School BIPOC Student Affinity Group leadership team. “By acknowledging and appreciating our unique backgrounds, we honor our struggles and roads to triumph.” mindfulness, and emerging technologies, among others.

DEIB workshop showcases the evolution of Wildwood’s DEIB program and encourages participants to implement inclusive and equitable practices in their schools. Since 2013, the MLI has attracted over 400 participants from 85 schools across 14 states.

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GOOD TO KNOW Useful information about and for us

Delivering Joy through the Wildwood Post Office Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night can keep these 2nd graders from their Wildwood Post Office duties! As part of a year-long focus on community, and what it means to be part of and contribute to one, Wildwood’s 2nd grade class revived a tradition of days past—the Wildwood Post Office. After visiting a local post office for inspiration, 2nd graders set out to create a postal system of their own. Each day, they make the rounds of Wildwood’s elementary campus, picking up letters from each classroom, sorting them by intended grade and destination, and then setting forth to deliver them to their recipients. As these young students familiarize themselves with their campus and classmates, they’re also reinforcing key skills from the classroom. Letter writing provides great language arts practice, while math skills are put to the test by tracking data, such as how many letters they’ve delivered each week, and which grades give or receive the most mail, in order to tweak their process for efficiency. It’s also a great lesson in responsibility, initiative, and effort. It takes everyone

Global Education Benchmark Conference

“” THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE, THE WILDWOOD TEAM EXCHANGED IDEAS WITH OTHER EDUCATORS, GOT INSPIRED BY ELIN KELSEY’S KEYNOTE, AND BRAINSTORMED IDEAS ABOUT WHAT’S NEXT FOR GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP LEARNING AT OUR SCHOOL. —ALEX CUSSEN

From Southern California to the Great North! A cohort of Wildwood educators from all three divisions (elementary, middle, upper) recently attended the Global Educators Conference in Montreal, with fellow educators from across the globe. As part of the conference, Jaimi Boehm, associate head of school and director of middle school, and Alex Cussen, 8th grade Humanities teacher, presented on one of our signature middle school programs—Into the Wild. Through Into the Wild, students use a design thinking framework to create an invention or social action campaign to address specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goal(s).

working together for the postal system to function smoothly. “The students quickly learn that each role is crucial, from the letter collectors Katie Delly, 2nd grade teacher. “As the 2nd graders continue their rounds, they carry with them the knowledge that they are making a difference, one letter at a time.” to the sorters and deliverers,” says

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International Community Involvement Returns to Nepal As part of Wildwood’s International Community Involvement (ICI) program, upper school students spent spring break in Bhaktapur, deep in the heart of Nepal, where they volunteered at local schools and collaborated with our longtime local partner organization The Unatti Foundation. Along with providing support in the classroom with English instruction, music, reading, visual arts, and physical education, students bonded with their Nepal counterparts (and each other) over a series of roundtable discussions on culture, and of course, play!

“” THE BEST PART OF THE ICI EXPERIENCE IS STUDENTS

While Wildwood students have been visiting Nepal as part of our International Community Involvement since 2011, this year’s trip marks the first time back in the country since 2019. “I have been going to Nepal as part of ICI on-and-off for 10 years now, so it’s been great to see the growth of all of the kids that we work with over there,” said Reo Sorrentino, assistant athletics director. While there, students also visited towns in the Kathmandu Valley, participated in a 5-day trekking expedition of the Annapurna Circuit, and had the opportunity to celebrate the Hindu holiday of Holi. Through interaction, exploration, and reflection, students returned to Wildwood with a better understanding of their world—and their role within it. “The best part of the ICI experience is students leaning into discomfort by traveling away from their families for spring break,

LEANING INTO DISCOMFORT BY TRAVELING AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES FOR SPRING BREAK, AND COMING BACK HOME WITH NEW PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES ON LIFE AND HOW IT WILL MOLD THEM FOR YEARS TO COME. —SARAH SCHEMERHORN

and coming back home with new perspectives and experiences on life and how it will mold them for years to come,” said P.E. teacher and coach Sarah Schemerhorn, who chaperoned the trip. “It’s great to see our students gain an understanding and practice of specific life skills such as independence, empathy, problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork.”

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GOOD TO KNOW Useful information about and for us

Into the Wild Night Showcases Eighth Graders Global Citizenship and Design Thinking “What is one way that I can impact social, economic, and/or environmental justice issues as a global citizen?” That’s the question 8th grade students asked of themselves as they embarked on Into the Wild, a capstone humanities project that engages them in active and thoughtful inquiry on what it means to be a global citizen. While the resulting projects are as diverse and varied as the students that create them, they all have one thing in common: all Into the Wild projects must connect to at least one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as “No Poverty,” “No Hunger,” or “Affordable and Clean Energy.” According to Humanities teacher Alex Cussen, the process students undergo through Into the Wild is just as important as the final project. Students move through important key strategies while incorporating Design

Thinking steps (Prepare, Pitch, Perceive, Prototype, Produce, and Present) as they narrow their focus and arrive at their final destination—presenting their projects to family, friends, and teachers at Into the Wild Night. “Into the Wild is really meant to hone student skills in time management, giving and receiving feedback, reflecting on challenges, and adjusting their next steps,” Alex said. “All of these milestones help students build on successes and failures as they begin to see themselves as citizens seeking change.” Most projects take the final form of either an educational or social action campaign, meant to teach real audiences about a specific U.N. SDG goal and how to address it, or an invention or product aimed at tackling one of the SDGs head on. Some of this year’s student projects included a “Get Well Bear,” a stuffed animal with crucial first aid essentials stuffed inside for easy child access, a website with 3D renderings of tiny homes to help combat L.A.’s homelessness crisis, and a filtering device for removing trash from L.A. waterways. “Eighth grade is a time when students are becoming themselves and discovering their own agency and ability to change the world,” said Humanities teacher Sam Lyons. “Into the Wild Night is a celebration of all their hard work they’ve accomplished on their path toward becoming the reflective scholars, bold innovators, and compassionate leaders reflected in Wildwood’s mission.”

Henry C.-P. ‘28 brings his idea for affordable and clean energy (UN

Sustainable Development Goal #17) to light—literally!

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Transforming the Elementary Library into a Celebration for Reading

The library is the heart of the elementary campus, a haven for students, and the hub for a Wildwood education. Fittingly, it’s about to get a major update! Renovated this summer, the refreshed library space will include a multitude of features specifically designed to enhance and encourage reading and literacy in our youngest learners. Among the improvements include new shelving and flexible fixtures, meant to improve access to books for students in an intentional way, as well as specific task lighting and adaptable spaces. Plans also include a reading cave, where students can immerse themselves in the joy of reading, separate from the world around them. “Wildwood has always invested in enhancing its reading curriculum and specialist staff,” said Gabrielle Dalmasy, Director of Major Gifts and Strategic Partnerships. “With this exciting renovation, we’ve now invested in the space where students can practice and hone those skills learned in the classroom. We are grateful for the generosity of the Wildwood families and The Ahmanson Foundation whose contributions made this special project a reality.” Thank you to all the amazing donors who have made this renovation possible.”

Organized and functional spaces help children develop executive functioning skills, empowering them to navigate resources on their own.

A reading cave provides students with a special place to share a story, while flexible walls create separation, allowing for multiple grades to visit the library simultaneously.

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THE JOURNEY CONTINUES Class of 2024 college list

Monty Alexander Savannah College of Art and Design Lulya Araya University of California, Los Angeles

Keela Bond Washington University in St. Louis

Steven Castillo Troya University of Southern California

Matt Fisher Loyola Marymount University

John Breen, Jr . Georgetown University

Amit Cohen New York University

Stella Gehle Pratt Institute

Ani Brown University of Southern California Reiland Bruskotter Washington University in St. Louis

Oscar Cronk Northeastern University

Isaiah Herman Goucher College

Carys Armour University of California, Santa Barbara

Canada Cunningham University of California, Berkeley Olivia Delly University of California, Davis

Angelo Higgins Hampton University

Max Aronoff-Sher Brown University

Alessandra Kahn University of California, Los Angeles

Zyan Arthurs University of California, Santa Cruz

Milla Capelouto University of St. Andrews

Ella Kaman Art Center College of Design

London Evans Central Saint Martins

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Noe Schwartz Washington University in St. Louis

Sam Snyder Kenyon College

John Solmssen Washington University in St. Louis

Ridley Solmssen Wesleyan University

Luna Solomon University of Colorado Boulder

Jackson Walters Lowe New York University

Hanami Wexler Barnard College

Diego Wilbur Colorado College

Chloe Kunitz Cornell University

Roscoe Merjos The New School

MK Puig Mount Holyoke College

Max Wilbur Bowdoin College

Jake Lehmann University of Wisconsin, Madison

Miranda Meyer Scripps College

Ethan Reis Pepperdine University

Esmé Wilcha Barnard College

Luca Mitchell Pratt Institute

Mia Rios Northwestern University

Ryann Young University of California, Santa Barbara

Ozzie Looram Emerson College

Madison Mitchell Pratt Institute

Lucinda Rogers Barnard College

Cash McNeilage University of Oregon

Kezie Nwachuku Thompson Barnard College

Conner Rugley New York University

Holden McNeilage University of Washington

Milan Parker Gap Year

Julian Sachs University of Rochester

Ruth Mekuria Loyola Marymount University

Jordan Pinsky Bentley University

Theo Schenck Bowdoin College

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WOLVES MAKING WAVES Students, alumni, and faculty making us proud Our Latest Wave-Makers

Cast and Crew of “Urinetown” The middle and upper school production of Urinetown was nominated for best costume design for the Jerry Herman awards, the local award ceremony for the National High School Musical Theatre Awards. In a true nod to showbiz stardom, the event was hosted at the Pantages Theater, right in the heart of Hollywood.

Wildwood was among just six nominees in the category, out of an eligible 35 local high school productions.

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Do you know of a Wolf Making Waves? Let us know! Share your news with news@wildwood.org to be included in the next Wolves Making Waves!

Dr. Ann Marie Macara UPPER SCHOOL BIOLOGY TEACHER

Julian Sachs ‘24

Billy DuMone ATHLETICS DIRECTOR

Julian was honored by DownBeat, winning the magazine’s 2024 student awards in the audio engineering category for his work on his recently released album Locations, on which he collaborated with artist Isaiah Brody. Julian was previously honored by the magazine for his original composition “Gentle Bird,” a song he composed on the piano at Wildwood. Julian will be attending the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester next year, with a focus on Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media. He received the Eastman Artist Tuition Scholarship, the highest amount of merit-based scholarship that Eastman awards.

Wildwood School’s athletics program is regarded as a model for K-12 athletics for its focus on character development and sportsmanship. Building upon our partnership with Punahou School of Honolulu and nonprofit organization P/ATH, and funded by the E.E. Ford Foundation, Athletics Director Billy DuMone will begin taking Wildwood’s athletics ethos on the road, promoting Social Emotional Learning (SEL) via athletics in schools at conferences across the country.

Dr. Ann Marie Macara has just been awarded the Chevron FAB STEM Fellowship, created by the Chevron FAB Foundation. The fellowship recognizes Ann Marie’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and the advancement of STEM education. Ann Marie is one of just four fellows awarded the fellowship, out of 75 nominated educators from the United States, Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Over the course of the 2024-2025 school year, they will travel around the world, visiting multiple FAB Labs across its international network to collaborate on developing inclusive STEM practices and K-12 lesson content.

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DONOR PROFILE Thanks to our generous supporters

WILDWOOD SCHOOL IS THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE establishment of the Wildwood Outreach Center Fellowship Fund, a groundbreaking initiative made possible by a generous donation from The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation. This new fund is dedicated to advancing professional development and leadership in education, and honors the legacy of Cynthia Woods Mitchell, a passionate advocate for teachers and education. “Cynthia believed in the power of teachers to unlock the potential in young minds and admired innovation and creativity in education,” said C. Wildwood School Announces New Fellowship Fund

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Grant Mitchell, Board Chair. “This fund not only honors her memory, but will enable educators to spark curiosity and plant the seed for a lifelong learning in their students.” As a lab for the future of education, Wildwood will utilize this fund to address three key areas of educator professional development. First, it will allow the school to address current learning needs that are quickly emerging within the field of education. Secondly, it will develop a cadre of new professional learning facilitators out of Wildwood

INNOVATION IS CENTRAL TO WHO WE ARE. THE KIND OF TEACHERS WHO ARE DRAWN TO WILDWOOD ARE LEARNERS THEMSELVES, WHO RECOGNIZE THAT—BECAUSE THEY’RE AT WILDWOOD—THE IMPACT OF THEIR WORK GOES BEYOND THE EXPERIENCES OF THE STUDENTS WITH WHOM THEY WORK. —LANDIS GREEN

teachers, creating professional learning generalists in addition to content area specialists. Lastly, it addresses the fourth pillar of Wildwood’s Framework for the Future of Education, which is to advance the mission of the Wildwood Outreach Center by supporting public and independent schools in their efforts to create learner-centered schools. Shaping Education at Wildwood and Beyond Through the fellowship, Wildwood educators selected as fellows will spend two years immersed in professional development, research, and learning—all with the goal of developing programming for the Wildwood Outreach Center, which

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can then be shared with fellow Wildwood teachers, as well as educators at public and other independent schools. “The idea is that Outreach Center fellows will be at the forefront of shaping educational practices, both in their own classrooms and beyond,” said Steve Barrett, director of the Wildwood Outreach Center. “They are not just participants, but emerging leaders within the field of education.” Key topics for future fellows include Global Education, Technology and AI, Standards-Based Assessment, Systems Thinking, and themes of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), as well as Social Justice. “Innovation is central to who we are. The kind of teachers who are drawn to Wildwood are learners themselves, who recognize that—because they’re at Wildwood—the impact of their work goes beyond the experiences of the students with whom they work,” said Head of School Landis Green. “This kind of work—via the Outreach Center—was one of the foundational ideas when the school expanded to K-12 a quarter century ago. The Cynthia and George Mitchell Family Foundation gift is helping to secure that vision and take it to the next level, not just for our kids at Wildwood—but for children and teachers in other schools, both public and independent.”

workshop on her research before further honing it as an offering of the Wildwood Outreach Center to other independent and public schools. As she continues with the fellowship, her goal is to dive deeper into curriculum development and classroom instruction skills. “What makes this fellowship so gratifying is that not only has it been transformative for my own professional growth, but the fact that I can share it with the entire Wildwood community,” Melanie said. “It amplifies the impact we can make as teachers, and I can’t wait to see the effects as it ripples through Wildwood’s classrooms and beyond.”

huge part of how students acquire new skills,” Melanie said. “Nobody is born without the ability to learn something—it all boils down to how they are able to identify and integrate new knowledge into their existing cognitive framework.” A lifelong learner herself, Melanie has spent the 2023-2024 school year studying best practices around metacognition, executive functioning, and how to enhance classroom learning. Her research not only contributes toward her current pursuit of a doctorate at George Fox University (Newberg, Ore.), but serves as a primary focus of her Outreach Center fellowship. In November 2023, Melanie led a workshop for fellow Wildwood elementary educators on best uses and practices around Mood Meters, a key aspect of the RULER approach to social-emotional learning (see page 22 for more). For fall 2024, Melanie is planning another faculty

MEET Melanie Boonstra , Wildwood’s Inaugural Outreach Center Fellow For 5th grade teacher Melanie Boonstra, how students learn is just as exciting a subject as what students learn. “Metacognition is essentially ‘thinking about thinking,’ and it’s a

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FEATURE

Connecting Across Campuses

Wildwood’s Senior Siblings Program Bridges the Gap Between Wildwood’s Youngest and Oldest Learners M urphy L. ‘35 was having a rough day. The weather was gloomy, her friends were playing a game that she didn’t want to, and to put it in her own words, “I was down in the dumps.” Then, 1st grade teacher Bailee Goodman said the five magic words that changed everything: “Your senior siblings are here!”

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FEATURE Connecting Across Campuses

TWO CAMPUSES, BUT ONE WILDWOOD

and intentional—but it’s often the relational connections that students remember and cherish most,” Taylor said. In fact, Taylor’s fondest memories of her own experience as a student in a K-12 school were part of her inspiration for the program. “I’ll never forget being a brand new student in 3rd grade and going to an assembly where I was introduced to my senior sibling,” Taylor said. “I remember turning to her and thinking she was the absolute best, and I couldn’t wait to be just like her. At first, I thought she was just going to be my ‘sibling’ for the day, but when I learned it was for the whole year, I was overjoyed.”

Since the beginning of the school year, these monthly visits to the elementary campus by Wildwood seniors have been a highlight of campus life—both for elementary students and 12th graders alike. “I’ve been at Wildwood since kindergarten, and it’s been so much fun getting to come back to this campus and revisit all my classrooms and favorite teachers,” said Sam S. ‘24. “Senior year is a whirlwind, so it’s been a nice escape.”

Wildwood’s dual campuses means that students at elementary and middle and upper have their own learning spaces purposely designed for age-appropriate learning—but it also meant that Taylor and her elementary counterparts had to be much more intentional in designing Wildwood’s program. To overcome designated for Senior Siblings, with the Class of 2024 traveling to the elementary campus after dismissal. For Taylor, this added responsibility on the part of Wildwood seniors was part of the the separation of campuses, one afternoon per month was

It’s a common sentiment shared

by elementary “siblings” too.

“As a 4th grader, we’re usually among the oldest kids on campus, so it’s really cool to learn from the older students,” said Charley H.-D.

“The academic connections, as students build upon their learning each year, are the most obvious and intentional— but it’s often the relational connections that students remember and cherish most.” — TAYLOR STERN, UPPER SCHOOL DEAN OF STUDENTS

That feeling stayed with her through her eventual turn at being the senior sibling, and as a young alumna, it was one of the factors that helped maintain and strengthen her bond with her alma mater. “Depending on what year their elementary sibling is, this year’s seniors may have a ‘sibling’ connection for the next decade or more,” Taylor said. “Being able to come back to visit Wildwood and not only reconnect with teachers, but also current students, just adds to the richness of a K-12 experience. It’s a bond that doesn’t end at graduation.”

‘32. “It makes me look forward to upper school.” Classmate Arrow L. ‘32 agrees. “I’m the oldest in my family, and it’s just so much fun to have someone older around that you can look up to,” Arrow said. “My ‘sibling’ Max works really hard. He’s taught me so much.” These connections between grade levels are key benefits of a K-12 school, according to upper school dean of students Taylor Stern, who was integral in launching the program this year. “The academic connections, as students build upon their learning each year, are the most obvious

learning experience.

“The seniors learned quickly that the elementary students are counting on them and really look forward to spending time with them,” Taylor said. “Planning appropriately, arriving on time, and taking into account after school work schedules, etc., were all key skills that seniors developed over the course of the year—skills that will no doubt be useful as they head to college next year, too.” Wednesday afternoons are typically a free time for seniors, with many heading off to internships, jobs, or extracurricular activities after school, so the Senior Siblings

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Persuasive Pals WISL AND 2ND GRADERS TEAM UP FOR ANIMAL ADVOCACY Cross-campus collaboration also makes its way into the classroom, thanks to a unique partnership between the Wildwood Institute for Social Leadership (WISL) and 2nd-grade students. Throughout the year, upper school WISL members worked with 2nd graders on their persuasive writing skills, merging the younger students’ interests in animals with WISL’s own animal welfare initiative. After visiting the Annenberg PetSpace together, WISL coached the younger students on using their observations to draft persuasive writing pieces on the animals up for adoption. To cap off the program, 2nd graders made their own trip to the middle and upper campus to present their final pieces, which the PetSpace can use to promote their animals for adoption!

program involved a personal commitment and dedication on their part as well, Taylor said. Even so, senior Kezie N.T. ‘24 wouldn’t trade the experience. “There were certainly days when I didn’t really feel up to it, but that all changed the moment I would set foot on the elementary campus,” Kezie said. “Just being here [at elementary] boosts my spirits, and I’ve loved getting to know the elementary campus more.” Like several of her classmates, Kezie came to Wildwood in upper school and thus, has spent limited time on the elementary campus. As graduation approaches, this fact is something that Taylor weighed carefully when developing the program. “We have a beautiful graduation ceremony on elementary’s Big Yard, and for many seniors that started in elementary, it marks a special homecoming as they leave Wildwood for the world beyond,” Taylor said. “I want all seniors to feel a similar connection—that this place is very much theirs as well.” It’s that connection which makes the program such a full-circle moment for “lifer” Max A.-S. ‘24. “Coming back to elementary and getting to see my 4th grade ‘siblings’ go through many of the same experiences that I did at their age is one of the highlights of my month,” Max said. “It’s really shown me the value of giving back to the places that formed me. It’s not only fun, but exceptionally gratifying.” W

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FEATURE

Where Social Emotional Learning and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Meet

A t Wildwood, the idea that emotional intelligence is as necessary as academic knowledge is nothing new. Neither is the idea that a diverse and inclusive community enhances both social-emotional and academic learning. In fact, Wildwood’s commitment to those principles goes all the way back to its inception in 1971.

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FEATURE Where Social-Emotional Learning and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Meet

REGULATING EMOTIONS WITH HELPFUL STRATEGIES

Guided by a long history of progressive pedagogy—which emphasizes social skills, collaboration, community service, social responsibility, and democracy— Wildwood’s founders also found themselves moving forward in the wake of the civil rights movement. Along with social-emotional learning (SEL), they embraced multiculturalism, now called diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), as an essential aspect of SEL. More than a half century later, SEL and DEIB remain a hallmark of Wildwood’s education, woven throughout academics, athletics, Advisory, and beyond. “SEL and DEIB are part of the students’ everyday experience,” said Karen Dye, Wildwood’s director of equity and inclusion since 2019. “They are part of the education we provide for our students that makes them good citizens in the world. ” Recent years have brought new frameworks to the SEL and DEIB practices that have been an organic part of the way teachers teach and students learn at Wildwood over the past 53 years. One is Courageous Conversation About Race ® (CCAR), an award-winning protocol for effectively engaging in dialogue about race. The other is RULER, a systemic approach to SEL for PreK-12 schools developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Together, these two formalized approaches are helping to guide Wildwood School into the next era of SEL and DEIB efforts. This is the second year that Wildwood has been using RULER as a framework for SEL. After initial training for the school community, RULER was integrated into the classroom and Advisory in the 2023-2024 school year. “RULER is really targeting emotional regulation,” said Deb Christenson, upper school Modern U.S. history teacher and advisor. “It begins with recognizing an emotion as you are experiencing it and then regulating that emotion.” Specifically, RULER is an acronym for the five skills of emotional intelligence: ■ Recognizing emotions in oneself and others ■ Understanding the causes and consequences of emotions ■ Labeling emotions with a nuanced vocabulary ■ Expressing emotions in accordance with cultural norms and social context RULER — A FRAMEWORK FOR SEL

Four tools aid in the development of these five skills: Charter, Mood Meter, Meta-Moment, and Blueprint. The Charter builds and sustains positive emotional climates by creating agreed-upon norms for how people want to feel and how they can help each other to experience those feelings. The Mood Meter enhances self- and social awareness and supports the development of a nuanced emotion vocabulary and a range of strategies for regulating emotion. The Meta-Moment provides a process for responding to emotional situations with strategies that align with one’s best self and that support healthy relationships and personal well-being. The Blueprint supports the development of empathy and conflict resolution skills by serving as a guide for reflecting on conflict and restoring affected communities. Research shows that the benefits for students and adults who use RULER include greater academic performance, better social and leadership skills, and stronger relationships, as well as less stress, burnout, and aggression. “Social-emotional learning takes place all the time, but it’s really a centerpiece of Advisory,” Deb said, which begins in 5th grade. Advisory’s structured curriculum—one hour a day four times a week—integrates academic support, team building, DEIB programs, community involvement, and other activities developing higher-level thinking and communication. “Advisory is the class where you learn to become a person in the world,” said Sam Lyons, middle school humanities teacher and advisor. “It is about figuring out yourself and where you fit in, while being aware of everybody else.” Sam has noticed, in conversations and in Advisory, significant growth in his students since implementing RULER in August. “RULER encourages students to take a step back,” he said. “For instance, this idea in RULER of the Meta- Moment is when something happens that really activates us—I’m thinking about my students who are excited about a concert that they’re going to—or when there’s interpersonal conflict. The idea behind RULER is that we’re developing our emotional intelligence and we’re not just acting on autopilot. We have that moment where we can pause, acknowledge how we are feeling, think about who our best self is, and then respond.”

Regulating emotions with helpful strategies

■

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FRAMEWORKS FOR

COURAGEOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE ® (CCAR) DEIB DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, BELONGING

SEL SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING

RULER AN ACRONYM FOR THE FIVE SKILLS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE > Recognizing emotions in oneself and others > Understanding the causes and consequences of emotions > Labeling emotions with a nuanced vocabulary > Expressing emotions in accordance with cultural norms and social context > Regulating emotions with helpful strategies TOOLS USED FOR DEVELOPING RULER SKILLS CHARTER Builds and sustains positive emotional climates by creating agreed-upon norms for how people want to feel MOOD METER Enhances self- and social awareness and supports the development of a nuanced emotion vocabulary META-MOMENT Provides a process for responding to emotional situations with strategies that align with one’s best self BLUEPRINT Supports the development of empathy and conflict-resolution skills by serving as a guide for reflecting on conflict and restoring affected communities

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS

The Four Agreements are the things everyone agrees to do when they enter a difficult conversation 1) STAY ENGAGED 2) EXPERIENCE DISCOMFORT 3) SPEAK YOUR TRUTH 4) EXPECT/ACCEPT NON-CLOSURE COMPASS The Compass is a personal navigational tool for conversations. It begins with recognizing four ways of responding: 1) EMOTIONAL (FEELINGS) 2) INTELLECTUAL (THINKING) 3) MORAL (BELIEFS) 4) RELATIONAL (ACTIONS)

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FEATURE Where Social-Emotional Learning and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Meet

Deb spent three days on the Meta-Moment this year, asking students to talk and write about it with partners, then in small groups, and eventually with the whole class. “We build safety into those conversations,” she said. “Safety is really built into the pedagogy as well as the content of those lessons.” Middle School Counselor Matt Druyen has used RULER to help students experiencing stress due to school, conflict, or relationships. “We help to ground students so that they can consider a different state of being, see that they can get there themselves with some practice and adopt new ideas,” Matt said. Faculty and staff also benefit from RULER. “At the beginning of some of our middle school staff meetings, we check in using the Mood Meter, just to ground us, as administrators, in a RULER practice that’s happening at the student level,” Matt said. “I think it helps us to get a sense of where each other is and helps us to respond to one another’s needs, given where we are on the Mood Meter.” An integral part of SEL is diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). As director of equity and inclusion, Karen works with the K-12 community to create and implement policy, practices, and programming that help build a diverse and inclusive environment. She is a mentor, advocate, and resource who works on curriculum development, hiring, professional development, admissions, institutional goal setting, advising affinity groups, and more. “DEIB is part of every aspect of the school,” she said. “DEIB is an incredibly important factor of our lives, how we live and move in the world, what each student and community member brings to the table in creating a dynamic and multicultural community, and honoring people’s individual identities, backgrounds, and experiences.” “We live in a diverse world, where the people that we interact with are different from us, and that’s awesome,” Sam said. “Having students engage with tools that allow them to navigate that learning across difference, starting in Advisory but also in the classroom, is key to their success.” Wildwood’s formal DEIB program development began in 2008, when the school developed its DEIB FRAMEWORK AND EFFORTS

Multicultural Scope and Sequence for K-12, providing themes to guide curricular and Advisory programming on aspects of identity. Now called the DEIB Scope and Sequence, it offers an intentional path toward deepening understanding of identity, diversity, social justice, and action in developmentally appropriate ways for each grade level. For instance, the theme for kindergarteners focuses on family structure, while 5th grade covers race, a topic that comes up organically in the curriculum’s coverage of slavery in history and protagonists of color in literature. “The Scope and Sequence was built with intention, knowing that DEIB is not something that is separate from learning, but it’s something that needs to be integrated into the learning,” Sam said. “In 8th grade, when we are learning about the Civil War, understanding the ways in which racism still touches our lives today, it’s not a separate lesson. It’s part of the history. It’s part of the literature. In a math or science class, we think about honoring the diverse voices within that field and contributions from all over the world.” As another example, the 6th grade theme is geographic location. “One of the ways in which we touch on that theme is in learning about the history of Los Angeles, why our city looks the way it does, what measures have been put forward to make our city more equitable, and also how our city has been made less equitable,” Sam said. “We look at things like the destruction of the neighborhood in Chavez Ravine to build Dodger Stadium, and that is a world in which the kids go to Dodgers games and wear Dodgers caps. It’s looking at their city in a different way.” Deb has built lessons for her 11th graders around nationality and immigration, tackling topics such as Asian Americans as the “model minority” and how artists have depicted the immigrant experience. “Sometimes the DEIB work is around one of those very specific words, and other times we’re really trying to get at a variety of factors that all contribute to being an American in a pluralistic society,” Deb said. “Ultimately, that’s the goal. When Wildwood students graduate, they’re going out into a world that is very pluralistic, and we hope that no matter what their racial, socio-economic, ethnic, or gender backgrounds are, that they can identify the strength of what that identity has created in them as they go into that pluralistic world that’s much wider than the Wildwood.”

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