Our Blog & Resources for Parents

I write to add my voice to the chorus calling for an end to violence and racism against people of Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander descent following this week’s horrific murders in Atlanta. I use the word “chorus” intentionally because it takes many voices together to fight racism and Americans have been silent too long on racism directed at those of Asian heritage. This is true of us at Westridge as well.

Although we know parts of the search for a new school can feel overwhelming (we try our best to minimize those!), touring a new campus, seeing classes in action, having coffee with current parents or having impromptu conversations with students can also be exhilarating. Even brief immersions into the life of a prospective school can provide a vision of the future for your child as well as visceral feelings about the school and a glimpse into the life of the community beyond classroom doors. While these in-person opportunities are missing this year, there are some unexpected benefits of our current situation for those researching schools this fall.

We are grateful for your urgent calls for comprehensive, institutional change at Westridge. Through your Instagram posts on BlackatWestridge, emails and letters, and a series of conversations we have had individually and with groups of Black and African American community members, we have heard of the scarring effects of racism on our campus. 

Our annual Convocation ceremony was held on August 26, 2020, marking the beginning of the new school year. Although the ceremony took place online, students joined their classmates in Teams meetings to watch the traditional remarks from ASB President Sosi D. ’21 and Head of School Elizabeth J. McGregor, introductions of our new faculty members, and a performance by the Madrigals.