Weird. How else can you describe the feeling of stepping onto campus after seven days of absolute devastation just beyond Westridge’s gates?
Strange? Surreal? It’s hard to capture the transition back to school. Was it back to school? Not exactly. Backpacks hung lower than usual, sagging off tired shoulders. Feet dragged across the cold concrete. Sure, on January 14, when school reopened, students went back—but it wasn’t school they went back to. Gathering in clusters fanned across Madeline Court, students exchanged lengthy hugs and hushed “are you okays?” and even quieter “I don’t knows” before heading to meet in their advisories.
Many students were wary of the seemingly rushed return to school, some more eager than others to see their friends and return to a familiar reality.
“It felt like I was reconnecting with the world that I had been distant from during the week…I’m glad we’re back together,” said Ramona N. ’28.
Although spending time with friends provided some relief, the allotted 45 minutes to gather and talk in advisories were inescapably awkward. Some groups talked exclusively about the fires while others opted to not mention them at all.
Advisors pulled students aside one by one to check in until the Main Hall was teeming with two-person conversations. Teachers continued to maintain eye contact, and each advisee seemed desperate to escape. The nervous tapping of feet was softened by carpeted floors as the silence was hushed by concerned murmurs.
Some students felt supported by advisory meetings and check-ins with teachers, but there was no hiding from the collective discomfort and pain. “It just felt like it was all a little awkward,” Chloe S. ’27 said.
Every student had different experiences with the fires, and every student needed different support. “All of us have been affected in some way, large or small…the way people want to deal with that is so different,” said Librarian Mx. Bolton.
On Wednesday, each grade gathered for a class meeting led by their respective class deans. Instead of discussion, the sophomore class was offered a variety of board and card games to play and time to connect with their friends.
“I appreciate the thought they put in. I just thought that advisory was better, [it was] much more comforting than our whole grade,” said Noelle S. ’27.
“[We’re] tired, and we don’t want to keep talking about [the fires],” Chloe said.
On the other hand, some students thought that teachers were really “beating around the bush,” by not talking about it, said Noelle.
Not talking about the fires made some think the school was trying to move on too quickly without time to process. “[Teachers are] trying to go back to normal so quickly even though the fire’s not even over,” said Chloe.
What is normal? That’s the question no one feels comfortable answering. Regarding her decision to reopen school, Head of School Ms. Andrea Kassar said, “If we were going to open, we had to do it in a way that was not going to assume a normalcy that is not real.”
Striking a balance between reopening to be in community and a full return to normal has been challenging for administration, teachers, and students. The administration aimed to address the anxiety by assigning no homework or assessments and reducing classwork. Easier said than done as inconsistent expectations inside and outside the classroom were noted by students. “It’s been a little overwhelming in terms of homework,” Ramona said.
In addition to class meetings, students convened on Thursday when a town meeting was held in the late morning. Shania W. ’27, who helped plan the town meeting along with the rest of the Student Life team, said, “It was a lot about volunteering options and making sure that the volunteering we were doing [was] sustainable and actually helpful to not only the organizations but to the people impacted.”
Despite the helpful message, the town meeting was more somber and quiet than most. “I understand why a lot of people didn’t want to share because it almost felt like an overload…but I think it did a good job of covering how to help and how to be there for the people,” Shania said.
Navigating the abnormal has been one of the many jobs of teachers and faculty alike these past few weeks. “There’s no road map for something like this. So the truth is, we were figuring it out about what felt right and certainly what was safe,” Ms. Kassar said.
“Right” ended up being togetherness. “It just felt really important for [Westridge] to have a community connection,” said Ms. Kassar. It’s a sentiment echoed by Lower Schooler Ella E. “It was really nice to see my friends again. I was really happy to know that my friends were all okay,” Ella said.
Dr. Zanita Kelly, Director of Lower and Middle School, assisted in leading a thoughtful discussion for middle school. “It was so beautiful…it was really quite emotional. And [the middle schoolers] were so thoughtful,” said Ms. Kassar.
Nothing felt normal about returning to lockers filled with ash and a school filled with sorrow, but in the end, being together in the best way at the worst of times is the help needed most.