Westridge's community blog featuring Head of School Andrea Kassar,
Leadership & faculty members, & special guests
![Hamlet, AI, & Existential Regression: Thoughts on AI in the Humanities]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1760462875/westridge/fu8ojrwpdy7csja3oxj4/AIblogimagefinallistennow.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1760462875/westridge/fu8ojrwpdy7csja3oxj4/AIblogimagefinallistennow.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1760462875/westridge/fu8ojrwpdy7csja3oxj4/AIblogimagefinallistennow.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1760462875/westridge/fu8ojrwpdy7csja3oxj4/AIblogimagefinallistennow.jpg","width":1200}])
- All-Girls Education
- Head of School
Andrea Kassar
A girl who “just” wants to have fun/fundamental rights, a Duchess with a heart “too soon made glad,” girls and women insisting on the full human experience—these have been threats to power structures that lack humility throughout history. Maybe that “perfect day” suffragists “marched on” for—and that we at Westridge continue to strive for today—can only be reached through all of us championing our mission in the broadest sense: to send courageous and compassionate leaders, leaders with humility, into the future world.
![Faculty Profile: Susi Pettersson Sets Lower School Students Up for Success]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1759282722/westridge/iev6sueye4x5rn5tklbm/susi-p-9.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1759282722/westridge/iev6sueye4x5rn5tklbm/susi-p-9.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1759282722/westridge/iev6sueye4x5rn5tklbm/susi-p-9.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1759282722/westridge/iev6sueye4x5rn5tklbm/susi-p-9.jpg","width":1200}])
Westridge School
A familiar face to many in the Lower School, Pettersson has been at Westridge since 2007, when she started as a fourth grade language arts and social studies teacher. This past year, Pettersson stepped into a new position as a learning resource support for fourth and fifth grade students and teachers.
![ASB President Micaela R. ’25 On Community at Westridge (Remarks from Convocation 2025)]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1757614954/westridge/i4bqj9qwaw0i8olakglj/MicaelaSpeechConvocation2025.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1757614954/westridge/i4bqj9qwaw0i8olakglj/MicaelaSpeechConvocation2025.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1757614954/westridge/i4bqj9qwaw0i8olakglj/MicaelaSpeechConvocation2025.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1757614954/westridge/i4bqj9qwaw0i8olakglj/MicaelaSpeechConvocation2025.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1757614954/westridge/i4bqj9qwaw0i8olakglj/MicaelaSpeechConvocation2025.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1757614954/westridge/i4bqj9qwaw0i8olakglj/MicaelaSpeechConvocation2025.jpg","width":1800}])
- All-Girls Education
- Students
Westridge School
This school has taught me the importance of community. People assume that you should go through life with your head high, but I've learned that togetherness is what's important. Holding hands and having each other's backs is what makes the world go round.
![Head of School Andrea Kassar on Embracing Empathy, Community, & Becoming in Tune With Our Aliveness (Remarks from Convocation 2025)]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1756851905/westridge/ughfpgati0yuua9gr7hn/convocation25-03.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1756851905/westridge/ughfpgati0yuua9gr7hn/convocation25-03.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1756851905/westridge/ughfpgati0yuua9gr7hn/convocation25-03.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1756851905/westridge/ughfpgati0yuua9gr7hn/convocation25-03.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1756851905/westridge/ughfpgati0yuua9gr7hn/convocation25-03.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1756851905/westridge/ughfpgati0yuua9gr7hn/convocation25-03.jpg","width":1637}])
- Head of School
Westridge School
The Westridge campus came alive as students, families, and employees gathered during Convocation to celebrate the start of the 2024-2025 school year on August 28. Convocation, held on Herrick Quad, included remarks from ASB President Kayla A. '25 and Ms. Kassar and introductions of new faculty and staff joining our community this fall. Ms. Kassar discussed Westridge's focus on deep listening—to and from both students and faculty—and how it shows caring, encourages a culture of participation, and affirms our humanity.
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Resources for Parents
Here are some of the resources we draw from as educators, which may also be helpful for you and your daughters!
Please note: Some of the resources, particularly the websites, update continuously and we are in no way encouraging or endorsing their content in its entirety. Some may contain material or subject matter not suitable for younger children. Please use your discretion when viewing.