![Dr. Zanita Kelly, Director of Lower and Middle School, pictured above, and the rest of Westridge Administration were instrumental to providing Westridge faculty and staff the support they needed after the Eaton fire. "[Teachers] are part of the community," said Dr. Kelly. "Just like our families and students."](https://westridgespyglass.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dr.-kellyyy-1-e1748143600809.png)
It was the first day of school after the Eaton fire. I trudged across Madeline Court, feeling absolutely drained, but I had hope for my next period. This class had one of my favorite teachers who always brought positivity to every situation. But my hope fizzled out. The environment felt hollow and empty, similar to my other classes. Teachers and staff, who often act as a means of support for students, looked like they needed some support themselves. So, what did support for faculty and staff look like in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire?
When the entire community returned to school on January 14, Director of Upper School Dr. Melanie Arias and administration allowed additional days off for faculty upon request. “If they needed to take time off, we could have a sub for them, or if [there were] any other ways that we could support somebody when they’re going through a challenging time,” said Dr. Arias.
Normally, the faculty’s contracted hours are from 7:55-3:30 pm. However, many teachers were allowed to leave campus early after fulfilling their teaching duties. Upper School Science Teacher Dr. Ryan Skophammer’s children go to schools within the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) and had to stay at home when he was supposed to return to teaching. With this new policy, he was able to see his kids more often during this time of crisis.
Not only did the administration provide days of rest and recovery to teachers, they also extended the student report card release days. Lower and Middle School report cards were extended to February 10, and Upper School report cards were extended to January 27 to prioritize faculty well-being. In addition, benefitting both faculty and students, all tests, projects, and homework assignments due during or immediately after the fires were either postponed or cancelled across classes.
After Westridge returned to school, administration reached out to faculty and staff to discover who had been displaced or lost their homes due to the fire. In a previous Spyglass article, five Westridge faculty members reported losing their homes to the fire, according to data collected by Ms. Sarah Jallo, Assistant Head of School For Strategic Priorities and Enrollment Management. However, administration in both Upper and Lower/Middle School found some difficulty pinpointing exactly who was affected, as some teachers were reluctant to respond. “I understand that this is deeply traumatizing and also very personal. [We didn’t want to] bombard [anyone] with inquiries,” said Dr. Zanita Kelly, Director of Lower and Middle School.
Moving forward, the fires brought the community closer than ever before, bringing out trust and compassion within the workplace. Dr. Arias wanted to bridge the differing circumstances between the faculty and offer equitable support to all of them. “I’m still working to support individual circumstances and needs because everyone’s situation after the fire has been really different,” she said. “[We want] to make sure that we can offer support and help them be the best teachers that we can have in the community.”
Overall, the faculty and staff felt satisfied with the support provided by the administration. Dr. Skophammer appreciated the admin’s lenience and understanding for teachers. “[Administration did] a good job of letting teachers decide the terms of what they’re capable of doing while still meeting the basic responsibilities of their jobs,” he said.
Similarly, Middle School history teacher Ms. Jennifer Irish expressed gratitude for the support that Dr. Kelly and the rest of the Lower/Middle School Administration were able to provide for her as someone who was displaced. “Dr. Kelly said to myself and a few others, this [situation] might require you to be home or to be doing other things, so [they told me to] let us know what [you] need,” said Ms. Irish.
Teachers are essential to providing the support that students need during this time, so it is essential that we support them as well. “We did everything we could to fill teachers up and to offer them support. [Teachers] are part of the community, just like our families and students,” said Dr. Kelly. “We know that we have a commitment to serving our students and our families, but we also want to make sure that our teachers are cared for.”
