In response to nationwide protests against racial injustice, alumni sent two letters to the administration this week asking the school to more directly address racism within the school community and play a greater part in the movement toward racial equality. Though both letters recognized the school’s attempts to establish a diverse and inclusive environment, they […]
This is a copy of a letter addressed to President Rick Commons, published with permission of Sophie Mancall-Bitel. Dear Mr. Commons: We are Harvard-Westlake alumni and current students. We write to respectfully insist that Harvard-Westlake (i) craft a comprehensive Middle and Upper School curricula plan addressing systemic racism and police brutality; (ii) release that plan […]
This is a copy of a letter addressed to the school administration, published with permission of Keren Johnson. We don’t know how to open this letter. We have so much to say and yet so few words to express the range of emotions that we are feeling right now as a community of Harvard Westlake […]
Once we come back to school, I imagine that we’ll all passionately embrace. As we grip each other tightly, our cheeks will be tomato-red not just because our computer cameras no longer hide our small blemishes of acne, but because we are excited to see each other. Just like the chaos that ensued at the […]
Theme: Freedom Due to this period of confinement, the theme of this watch list will be the liberty we have all seemed to have lost. Freedom is not only the ability to move physically, but also encapsulates the individualism and peace of mind all people deserve. Though it is just a glimpse of possible movies, […]
In an email to her junior students, soon-to-be Head of Upper School Beth Slattery said Director of Admission at Brandeis University Sara Brookshire will replace her as an Upper School Dean next year. Brookshire was graduated from Emerson College with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Marketing Communication and later attended Lesley University, where she […]
The Latin American and Hispanic Student Organization held its third Unity Banquet to start conversations about diversity on campus Feb. 24 in Feldman Horn Art Gallery. LAHSO worked with other affinity groups such as the Black Leadership Awareness and Culture Club and Gender and Sexuality Awareness club to advertise the event, and invited the entire […]
As I scrolled through YouTube in one last attempt to productively procrastinate my homework due the next day, I came across a tune that reminded me of my childhood. According to the comments section underneath the “Upside Down” music video, individuals who were born between 1998 and 2003 must keep the song alive. The iconic […]
It’s the closing banquet after my tenth-grade basketball season. Baby-back ribs from Wood Ranch litter linen-clothed tables in the Feldman Horn Art Gallery, and as I look around, the past and present are colliding. I’m eating food from my former favorite restaurant, which I used to call “The Woody,” and when my coach reaches me […]
Beginning next year, the school will eliminate the mandatory mid-year assessment testing week and will allow teachers of specific Advanced Placement courses to decide whether their students must take the AP exam at the end of the year. President Rick Commons said the changes will coincide with next year’s new schedule as a part of […]