End of Year Message from the Head of School
As we conclude this school year and navigate through the exams, ceremonies, and celebrations that mark this moment, I want to take the opportunity to reflect on the past year.
I am thrilled to be able to write this at the end of an incredibly rich and intense year in which Drew thrived.
I had heard a lot about the type of community Drew is—the concept of it being a second home for students—and it has been deeply rewarding to witness the countless examples of the compassion and care that guide all interactions at Drew every day; to have that most basic reason that drew me here reaffirmed constantly. That these relationships are then leveraged to push each student to be the best version of themselves is the most worthy of all educational purposes. I am affirmed by our school’s purpose and motivated on a daily basis by the deep and vibrant exchanges that guide student-teacher interactions on campus.
On a personal level, I will be forever grateful for the way this community accepted my family and me. Growing up internationally has made me quite sensitive to the ways in which communities bring in outsiders, and I have never been embraced with such warmth as I have this past year at Drew.
So, as we wind down the final days of this school year, I want to make sure that we take the time to pause and recognize the wonderful things that have happened at the school. As we prepare to congratulate the amazing class of 2017 on Thursday, I hope you will join me in reflecting on just a few of the many outstanding accomplishments of the Drew community this year. They include:
- We completed and implemented our new mission: Drew knows and believes in teenagers. We engage each student in a process of intellectual discovery to develop an individual voice, the confidence to express it, and the empathy to understand its impact.
- During The California Association of Independent Schools and Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation visit in the fall, Drew received the highest possible accreditation result.
- The new MakerSpace and Learning Commons, designed through a highly collaborative and student-driven process, were brought online and had an immediate impact on our program and our community.
- As of the Awards Assembly last week, Drew has a total of 60 National Merit Scholars.
- After two amazing seasons, both our Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer teams are champions. For the Boys team, it’s the first time in school history. For the girls team, it’s the second year in a row. The Girls Varsity Basketball team qualified for CIF NCS, and the Boys Baseball team qualified for the BCL-Central playoffs.
- A total of 26 of the 210 students who played on a team this year earned All-League honors. Sarah Starks ’17 placed in the top 5 in the long jump at the CIF NCS Track & Field Class A meet and was named MVP for soccer in BCL- Central League. Badminton players Ashlynn Cassil ’17, Lizzie Allen ’17, and Ben Schnieder ’19 qualified for CIF NCS, Jack Hunter ’17 qualified for CIF NCS in Cross Country, and Drew School earned the BCL-Central League NCS League Sportsmanship Award. Go Dragons!
- Reflecting the relevance of Drew’s student-centered culture in the Bay Area, we had another all-time high number of applications for admission.
- This has been another banner year for philanthropy at Drew. The commitment and generosity that our extended community shows to the school is remarkable and humbling. Our many supporters continue to make Drew a philanthropic priority. This year’s Spring Benefit, re-imagined as INSPIRE at Gallery 308, was a truly fun night where together we raised important funds for our faculty professional development program and financial aid partnerships. So many new-to-Drew families, as well as returning families, showed their enthusiastic support through ticket sales, donations, and paddles in the air. Every family’s giving to Drew is so appreciated and enables us to deliver on our vital mission every day. Thank you!
- Experiential education continues to thrive. DEALL week featured 14 no-cost options for students as well as experiences stretching from Baja to Panama to Oregon for a Shakespeare festival. Students took advantage of experiential electives and Senior Projects to deepen their passions, develops new skills, and further the exploration of their identity.
- The Performing Arts department produced two plays—The Disappearance of Daniel Hand and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee—along with Under Construction, two concerts, and countless other ways in which the arts are woven into daily life at Drew.
- The Visual Arts department presented two gallery walks, embarked upon many field trips to local museums, hosted a wide variety of visiting artists, and consistently rotated the captivating artwork hanging in our hallways that makes Drew feel even more like a second home.
- Community time featured meaningful and powerful discussions and presentations on topics including screen time, what it means to be an ally, women’s issues, honoring loved ones who have died, and, of course, Global Awareness.
- Alumnus Alex Massialas ’12 won two medals in fencing the Rio Olympics over the summer.
- The Class of 2017 is enrolling in more than 50 different colleges and universities across the U.S. and even Canada.
As you can see, there are many reasons take pride in being part of the Drew community. Congratulations and thank you to all of our students, faculty, staff, parents/guardians, trustees, coaches, tutors, and friends for making the 2016-2017 school year such a resounding success!
Warmly,
David Frankenberg
Head of School
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