Annual Report 2021-2022

FROM THE DESK OF

Ilene Reinfeld

I am excited to share this 2021-2022 annual report. Last year was truly one that reflected our school-wide theme, the natural world. From the dramatic vistas and breath-taking gorges formed by earthquakes and erosion in the Malibu Creek State Park that we were privileged to witness on our family hike in April, to an invisible virus that has continued to keep us on our toes, we persevered with strength and dignity. The challenges we faced, however, were easily outpaced by the number of successes we were able to claim, and I have a theory as to why that was possible.

You see, the theme for 2021-2022 references something very important in addition to the natural world, and that, of course, is “you.”  You in the Natural World. Every one of us, working together, has been the secret to the LES success story for as long as I can remember. Just as we were ready to defeat COVID, we were knocked back with a more virulent “variant,” yet we held firm and managed to navigate through it. Admittedly, it wasn’t always easy. The masks, the weekly testing… we were all inconvenienced, to say the least.

Despite the many hurdles we had to overcome, I think that we actually accomplished nearly everything we would set out to do in a normal year. We maintained the high level of learning that we’re used to, we hosted wonderful guest speakers on campus, and we even held some incredible field trips. The one thing I missed was the many events with parents on campus and other special all-school gatherings, but, thankfully, we were able to reinstate Friday assemblies near the end of the school year. On the bright side, not having those traditions makes me appreciate their return even more!

After this year, I can honestly say I won’t be easily surprised by anything else that comes our way. Whatever it is, I am confident we will be able to handle it. Together.

As the school year ended, there was an exciting changing of the guard within our Board of Trustees. Angie Platt (Jonathan ’16, Clarence ’26, Shawn ’26), who completed her three-year term as Board Chair, handed the reins over to David ZeBrack. The extent of my gratitude to Angie for devoting her time and talents to the school is impossible to put into words. Plus, her term overlapped with COVID, and she weathered that storm flawlessly. She is stepping down from the Board, but I will continue to call on her for her wisdom!

I am also grateful to every faculty member, parent, grandparent, special friend, and supporter of Los Encinos School for giving us the means to cultivate our precious students’ strong minds and characters within the red gates and beyond… Here’s to 2022-2023!