Our Wildwood, Summer 2017, Volume 41

a l l s c h o o l f e a t u r e

Steve Barrett, DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH

18 and Counting: Wildwood Outreach Center Comes of Age

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When the founders of Wildwood’s middle and upper schools first formulated their plan for our K-12 school based on their ideals of education and community, they included what today is called the Wildwood Outreach Center. The founding idea for the Outreach Center was for Wildwood’s philosophy and practice to always be at the leading edge of what works in schools and that the Wildwood way needed to be available to others, to improve educational outcomes for students at schools everywhere. From the start, that . idea had traction, and now, 17 years later, . the Wildwood approach resonates around . the world. Today, significant research backs up the progressive thinking that is at the core of the Wildwood way. Ensuring that every student feels connected to and known by teachers is now integral to best educational practices everywhere. The data is clear that small groups, a focus on relationships, and social and emotional learning are critical to academic success. Head of School Landis Green’s vision for the Outreach Center has fostered enormous growth, reaching nearly 1,000 client schools with consulting, workshops, and visits to Wildwood’s campuses. Our clients include some of our closest neighbors along with most high-profile schools in Los Angeles and across three continents. The Wildwood Outreach Center was founded with a commitment to training teachers and administrators to examine and grow their craft and practice. That work thrives every day in the name of inspiring students in every classroom. To learn more about the Wildwood Outreach Center, visit wildwood.org/outreach

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Our Wildwood /Summer 2017 18/19

EARLY YEARS (2001-2006) The Outreach Center works closely with high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) seeking to personalize students’ school experiences with advisory programs and by splitting schools into small learning communities.

Wildwood begins its expansion as a K-12 school with the addition of 7th, 8th, and 9th grades.

Wildwood launches the Wildwood Outreach Center as the only independent school recipient of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (a) Deb Christenson, current upper school history teacher, is named the center’s first director.

(b) Wildwood receives the Leading Edge Award for Community Relations from the National Association of Independent Schools for the Outreach Center’s work with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools.