Westridge School (Pasadena)

Westridge School is a private, independent day school for college-bound girls located in Pasadena, California, United States. As of July 1, 2008, Interim Head of School is Rosemary C. Evans '71, the first alumna to lead Westridge. [ [http://www.pasadenastarnews.com Stepping Down] by Cortney Fielding, Pasadena Star News, November 13, 2007] Infobox Private School
name=Westridge School
motto="Surgere Tentamus"
established=1913
ratio=9:1
type= Independent Day School for College-Bound Girls
interim head of school=Rosemary C. Evans '71
city=Pasadena
state=California
country=United States
enrollment=502 Girls, grades 4-12
faculty=Westridge employs 84 faculty and administrators, all of whom hold a bachelor's degree
athletics=12 sports [http://www.westridge.org/athletics.html]
mascot=Tiger
homepage= [http://www.westridge.org/ www.westridge.org]

Campus Highlights

The Westridge campus provides an idyllic park-like setting in a residential neighborhood. The campus is distinguished not only by its welcoming beauty, but also by an unusually rich architectural heritage. The main building, designed by Marston, VanPelt & Maybury and built in 1923 on the site of the original school, houses classrooms, administrative offices, and one of the school's four state-of-the-art technology centers. The Burgess Exhibition Gallery in the main hall features student art exhibits throughout the year.

Herrick Quadrangle, behind the main building, is bordered with both historic and contemporary architecture. Adjoining the main building are the Joan Irvine Smith '36 Academic Research Center and Braun Music Center, which is home to the Howard S. Swan Choral Hall.

The Braun Music Center was designed in 1909 by architect Frederick L. Roehrig, also known for designing the Green Hotel and the Tournament of Roses House in Pasadena, as a private gymnasium and theatre for a family living on Orange Grove Boulevard. In 1958, Westridge parent Henry Dreyfuss added a larger and more functional stage to Braun Music Center.

Three other significant buildings on the Quad were designed by Pasadena architect Whitney R. Smith: the Seeley G. Mudd Science Building, with three fully-equipped Upper School laboratories and a computer technology center, the Laurie and Susan Frank Art Studio and the Hoffman Gymnasium. The Richard N. Frank Athletic Field and Ranney Lawn provide recreational spaces for all grades.

In 1997, the school began a building program to enable the campus to better serve the needs of Westridge students and the space demands of an expanded, modern curriculum. Pica & Sullivan Architects designed the Marjorie May Braun '36 Science Building and the Karsh Family Science Garden that contain science classrooms and outdoor study spaces specifically designed for Lower and Middle School students. In April 2000, Westridge dedicated the Anne F. and James F. Rothenberg Humanities Center. The three-building complex also designed by Pica & Sullivan Architects, contains humanities classrooms and faculty offices, Upper School art studios and photography labs, art and photography exhibition space, the school's largest technology lab, and the Herrick Commons dining room.

In 2004, Westridge unified the north and south campuses with the creation of Madeline Court. The following year brought the addition of the Rokus Athletic Complex where Tiger soccer and softball teams host games on new regulation fields. Dance is taught in Brown Studio and athletes take advantage of the Studenmund weight-training room. In 2005, the Fran Norris Scoble Performing Arts Center opened. The world-class facility includes a 600-seat auditorium, the Wagener Black Box Theater and the Seiter Family Amphitheater.

The oldest and most architecturally significant building sits on the southeast corner of the campus. Pitcairn House, built in 1906 by the architectural firm of Greene and Greene, is a classic example of the California Bungalow style and is often pictured in books on the architecture of that period. Pitcairn House is the location of the school's business and development offices.

In early spring/late winter, Westridge offers a Summer Opportunities Fair, open to the community, listing summer camps, volunteer programs, and day camps. Options are available for girls and boys, pre-K through 12th grade through local, national, and international programs. [ [http://www.westridge.org/sof.html Summer Opportunities Fair,] Westridge School]

chool Traditions

Westridge has a long-standing rivalvry within the school of two factions, one called the "Greeks" and the other the "Romans." Girls are placed in one or the other when they enter the school; however if a relation of theirs attended the school earlier they are placed in whichever group their relation was in. It is a lighthearted rivalry with fun and games at the beginning of the each year in a sorting ceremony. Points are awarded throughout the year through various ways and a trophy is presented at the end of the school year to whichever side has garnered the most points.

There is an annual Ring Ceremony.

Right before school gets out for Christmas break, Westridge holds a Holiday Concert in which girls from the lower school, middle school, and upper school Glee Club and orchestra perform holiday music. The fourth graders always have a special cute song to perform; they keep it a secret until the day of the concert.

Notable alumnae

Florence Lowe "Pancho" Barnes '19, early aviator, proprietor of The Happy Bottom Riding Club in Mojave, California and friend of America's best known test pilots

Harriet Doerr '27, author of the American Book Award winning novel, "Stones for Ibarra"

Jae Giddings Carmichael '42, multimedia artist [ [http://www.pasadenasocietyofartists.org/mf/JaeCarmichael/index.htm Pasadena Society Of Artists: Former Artist Member: Jae Carmichael ] ]

Joan Montgomery Hotchkis '45, author, playwright, and actress

Joan Irvine Smith '51, founder of the Irvine Museum, author, acitvist, and philanthropist in the fields of the arts, education, health, and the environment

Dorothy Hughes Matthiessen '52, internationally ranked tennis player

Joan Lamb Ullyot, M.D. '57, long distance runner, author of the best-selling book, "Women's Running"

Elizabeth Weyland Barber '58, scholar on ancient textiles, author of "Women's Work: the first 20,000 Years and The Mummies of Urumchi."

Erika Oller '60, artist

Palmer Robinson '68, Superior Court Judge

Sigrid Burton '69, painter

Kate Moore '69, Assistant Secretary of Transportation under President George H. W. Bush

Joni Moisant Weyl '72, owner of Gemini G.E.L gallery, New York City [ [http://www.joniweyl.com/index.htm Gemini G.E.L. Gallery homepage] ]

Allyn Stewart '74, movie producer, "I Dreamed of Africa, Madeline, Bliss"

Anne Kursinski '76, world champion rider and member of four Olympic Equestrian Teams

Kate Colmery Firestone '80, wine maker, Firestone Vineyard, Curtis Winery

Susan Gulkis '84, principal violist with the Seattle Symphony

Alicia Dwyer '88, documentary film maker, Academy Award winning ""

Charmaine Shryock '89, 71st Rose Queen for the 100th Tournament of Roses Parade in 1989

Inger Miller '90, runner, Olympic gold medalist

Vicki Vlachakis '90, automobile designer, worked on Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky [Success Magazine, [http://www.successmagazine.com/article.php?article_id=11 Driven] ]

Megan McGinnis '96, Broadway actress, singer

Purdy Tran '98, 80th Rose Queen for the 109th Tournament of Roses Parade in 1998

Sophia Bush '00, actress, 82nd Rose Queen for the 111th Tournament of Roses Parade in 2000

Organizations and Affiliations

Westridge is a member of the following organizations:

* National Association of Independent Schools
* National Coalition of Girls' Schools
* The College Board
* The National Association for College Admission Counseling
* The National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls
* A Better Chance, Inc.
* The Cum Laude Society
* Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education
* The Independent School Alliance for Minority Affairs.

References

External links

* [http://www.westridge.org/ Official website]