Private Schools

My Family’s Independent School Experience

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published as the introduction to Beacon Media’s Education Guide which appeared in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly on 27 October 2016

Having children is a lifelong commitment that brings with it tremendous joy as it begets vast responsibilities. One of every parent’s primary concerns when raising kids is ensuring them an education that not only teaches reading, writing, math, and science but also prepares them for life beyond school.

My husband and I decided to give our daughter a private school education and that journey began when she was only two years old. I enrolled her in a co-op where parents are expected to work alongside a teacher and an assistant teacher in class.

It turned out to be a really fun experience for both of us. My daughter and I enjoyed being at school two mornings during the week. She learned to draw and sing; I handed out snacks and drinks, cleaned after the little kids and took them to the potty.

My daughter stayed at the co-op for only one year. The following school year, she attended a Montessori school. It was there that she learned reading, writing, and math. Having helped out in the classroom the previous year, I had become adept at assisting so I helped the teacher and her aide. 

By the time my daughter was four years old, she had outgrown the Montessori system. She was ready for traditional education and our quest for the right independent school commenced.  

Pasadena has several outstanding private schools but the competition to get accepted to one of them is fierce. We went on countless campus tours and applied to six schools; she was waitlisted on all but one, and it was in La Canada. Like in her previous two schools, she did extremely well in class, was adored by teachers, and was well-liked by her classmates.  

Private schools are completely funded by parents and tuition only covers a portion of what’s needed to run them; it falls on the parents’ association to raise funds for enrichment programs.  To fill the library or add books to its current offering, for instance, the association holds book fairs. So in addition to driving kids on field trips, I also volunteered for the book fair. I got braver and chaired the spring auction the following year. This benefit gala is usually a school’s largest fundraiser and proceeds from it are used for field trips, or to buy computers for the classrooms.  

Image taken from Pasadena Now

The drive from Pasadena to La Canada, though, got too tiring for both of us after two years.  Fortunately, I had kept in touch with the admissions director at one of the private schools where she had been waitlisted. My daughter reapplied and got accepted when a family had to relocate and leave the school. I was ecstatic – the school is a mile away from our house! 

My daughter excelled in class, even played the piano for the entire school during morning assembly. I was again involved in the parent association. One year I managed the school store which carried snacks and drinks for after-school sports, provided pizza and drinks for dances, and even sold school uniforms, sports clothing and gym bags. 

I was immersed in school activities, found friends, and felt comfortable there. I had found a community where I belonged. My daughter, however, felt quite the opposite so we decided to find another school. 

    

St Mary’s College, University of St Andrews, Scotland (UK) | Photo by May S. Ruiz

In the first ten years of my daughter’s life, she had attended four different schools. In all of them students were expected to excel in academics, have a passion for artistic expression, and possess an athletic ability.  Besides raising funds, parents were counted on to be partners in their children’s education – making certain that the kids came to school prepared to do the work.      

In middle and high school, my daughter attended THE school of all schools in Pasadena. Every student and parent for miles around want to be there, and applying to it is sport. I found out that its culture is vastly different from all the ones she previously attended when I signed up for the book fair. I was very excited to sit in the very first meeting and had a lot of ideas, only to be told it wasn’t a fund-raising event. In fact, this school had no other fund-raising activity besides the annual fund and parents weren’t needed on campus

My daughter was there for seven years, the longest she had ever stayed in one school, and had the best time. She found like-minded friends, was challenged by the vigorous curriculum, and earned the admiration of teachers. 

While my experience hadn’t been pleasant, my daughter spent several happy years there and received an outstanding education. And, at end of the day, that was what mattered.    

Two years ago, my daughter graduated from high school. Today she is a third-year student at the third-ranked university in the United Kingdom. She’s thriving in a very active campus life and enjoying being self-reliant – skills she has successfully learned. Her private school education is certainly serving her well.    

Saint Mark’s School Welcomes New Headmaster

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment
A residential neighborhood along Mendocino Lane in Altadena, with the San Gabriel Mountains in the background.

Originally published on 16 July 2015 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

There is a little known enclave north of Pasadena where life is serene, neighbors still greet each other, and one can practically touch the mountain. This small community is Altadena, a name derived from a combination of the Spanish word “alta”, meaning upper, and “dena” from Pasadena. 

It is a quaint community with horse properties and homes’ backyards open onto trails. There are very few multi-storied establishments and whatever landmarks had stood before, remain to this day – St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, the Zane Grey Estate, the Balian Mansion. It is where one can find Christmas Tree Lane, a California Historical Landmark. 

Another stalwart of the community is Saint Mark’s School, founded in 1960 by a group of dedicated parents who saw a need for quality education in a racially integrated setting. It has since grown into a well-respected preK-6th grade school that provides a strong academic curriculum that fosters critical thinking and creativity while instilling in its students a strong sense of moral and ethical responsibility. Dr. Doreen Oleson, who last month retired as its Head of School for 25 years, started her term when there were only a hundred students. While the school’s enrollment has increased to 350, each year it sees applications continue to rise and its geographic area widen with families from not only Pasadena, Sierra Madre, and La Canada, but also neighborhoods such as Silver Lake, Highland Park, and Los Feliz.  

For a while they had contemplated extending the school to reach 8th grade, but they realized that  they are best at their niche and scrapped that plan. According to Oleson, “We consciously decided not to go all the way to 8th grade. We built our reputation as a strong, independent school where kids stay with us for ten years and then they go on to middle school, equipped with a strong foundation.”

Photo taken from Saint Mark’s brochure

Oleson believes a small class size ensures that children get all the attention and support they need to prepare them for middle school. There are 34 faculty members who teach the core subjects, and supplemental studies in the arts, music, languages and physical education. Saint Mark’s also has a librarian, information service technician, counselor and education specialist. 

It was Oleson who was instrumental in putting in place all of Saint Mark’s successful programs and garnering national recognition for the school. She leaves the school with a legacy of turning out students who are not just academically accomplished but who are self-confident, self-reliant, and responsible to themselves, their families, their school, and the world community.

These very qualities in Saint Mark’s graduates were what impressed Jennifer Foley Tolbert while she was middle school director at Pasadena’s prestigious Polytechnic School. When Oleson announced her retirement and the school’s search for its next Head of School, Tolbert didn’t hesitate to toss her hat in the ring. The ensuing national search attracted the most respected names in academia but her qualifications (a Master’s degree in Educational Administration  from Columbia University, a Bachelor’s degree in English from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont) combined with a network of local contacts and experience made her a standout among the applicants.

And so on the 1st of July this year, Tolbert officially took over as Head of School. Asked what attracted her to this school, she replies, “ I know that Saint Mark’s takes seriously its charge to serve as a critical and strong foundation for young children. There is great pride in a Saint Mark’s education. I’m impressed by its founders and the teachers, its strong reputation in the community and the character education that comes with it. The school teaches about what it means to be a good person and a good citizen. As an Episcopal school, Saint Mark’s values a culture of inquiry; it’s a place where we encourage children to ask questions.”

As to what she brings to this job, Tolbert’s says “… my experience in a variety of roles and schools; a lot of energy, a love for children, and new ideas. I come with a network of great mentors and relationships within our local and national school community. I also bring a personal and professional commitment to the same values and belief in diversity and putting children first.”

According to Tolbert “… the first order of business when the staff, administrators, and students arrive in the Fall, will be for me to observe, ask questions and listen. This approach will be important in figuring out priorities and areas that I need to focus on. I plan to get a sense of what’s working well and what needs to be improved upon as a way of informing next steps.”

One important aspect of private school education that Tolbert will be there to oversee is the accreditation process that will be coming up in two years. The results of this process will serve  as the road map for Saint Mark’s future plans.

As Oleson prepared to leave Saint Marks at the end of June, she said, “While I enjoyed the 25 years I spent here, I am happy to go on to the next phase of my life. I am very confident that I am leaving Saint Mark’s in Jenn’s competent hands.” For her part, Tolbert says, “I am honored to be following the footsteps of a warm and beloved presence. I will take very good care of her legacy.”