Our Blog & Resources for Parents

Over the last month, I have had a terrific time hosting Cookies and Conversation with students by grade. It takes place in the beautiful Alumnae Courtyard outside of our campus's historic Pitcairn House; it is an optional drop-in time for students to munch on cookies and chat with their classmates and me about anything that is on their minds. No agenda, simply an opportunity for them to ask questions or tell me anything they want me to know. We cover a lot of ground—everything from, “Ms. Kassar, how do you feel about Taylor Swift?” or “Ms. Kassar, do you think a hot dog is a sandwich?” to their thoughts about homework, campus activities, the environment, social justice, ethical dilemmas, and the polarized state of the world today.

One of the core pillars of Westridge’s strategic plan is an increased focus on student wellbeing and social and emotional development, and part of that is social and emotional learning (SEL). SEL is an evidence-based approach that incorporates principles of childhood development into the academic setting. SEL has also become a bit of a buzzword, which means that it’s not always clear what exactly is being discussed.

To get a better understanding of what SEL is and how it takes shape at Westridge, we spoke with Dr. Lisa LaFave, Westridge’s director of counseling and student support.

When it comes to financial aid at Westridge, many families have questions about who is eligible to receive financial aid, and how that eligibility is determined. To shed some light on the financial aid application process, we spoke with Margaret Shoemaker, Ed.D., director of admission at Westridge.

“Our priority is access,” Shoemaker explained, noting that Westridge allocates over $3 million annually, and roughly 25% of the student body receives some form of financial support. That support covers a percentage of tuition and other costs associated with being a student at Westridge.