Substitute teachers are an essential part of a school’s operation. The reality is that sometimes teachers need to step away from the classroom, sometimes for a class, sometimes for a day, and sometimes...
Advocating for and creating change—whether for society, yourself, or a handful of individuals—is in no way an easy task. How does anyone committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) find...
On October 5, Frances Haugen, the Facebook whistle-blower, testified to Congress, in which she provided information regarding the social media giant’s negative impacts on society and democracy. Haugen,...
As the year begins, Spyglass would like to welcome all those new to the Westridge Community. We hope you will join us in welcoming them to our community and get to know them better through these brief...
My stomach twisted itself into knots when Joe Busch, Upper School Math teacher, told me about the grinding sound of the tower collapsing, watching it burn, and seeing people jump from the buildings. Here...
For roughly the past eight months, Westridge seniors have endured the seemingly endless process of applying to colleges across and beyond the United States. Finally, past the May 1 deadline by which most...
A large part of the DEI effort involves student input — receiving student feedback, checking in with students’ sense of belonging, and having ongoing conversations with students about changes they...
DEI initiatives and efforts to increase student diversity are not new to Westridge’s admission process. “There are some strategies we have expanded upon and some newer initiatives that are underway to spread the word about Westridge to families that may not hear about us through traditional marketing and outreach efforts,” explained Margaret Shoemaker, Director of Admission.
Westridge published their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) planning strategies in January 2020, located in the Westridge Strategic Plan. Among other initiatives, the DEI plan includes: increasing DEI training for all Westridge constituencies, identifying biases in curriculum, and creating a plan to increase student body and faculty & staff diversity.
When I first sat down to interview Jade McKnight for an Alumnae Weekend website video on a Tuesday afternoon, I was immediately drawn to her charismatic and bubbly personality. She spoke to me almost as...
![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)
![Lacrosse had an incredible season, making it to the semifinals. Jeff Searock, the father of player Sophie S. '28 has gone to most games and said, "[The season has] been great. Great coaching, great players, kids have great attitude. You can't ask for much more."](https://westridgespyglass.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_3652-1200x900.jpeg)
