iv i

See what we care about.This book shows just a glimpse of what it’s like to be a student at Head-Royce.

Come visit and see for yourself what we care about here. Sit in on some

classes. Talk to a student or two. Check out the food in the Jayhawk Café. Meet

with one of our admissions officers.

For more information or to

schedule a visit, please contact us.

510.531.1300

www.headroyce.org

Admission is open to all students

regardless of race, color, religion,

gender, disability, sexual orientation,

nationality or ethnic origin.

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Office of Admissions & Financial Aid

4315 Lincoln Avenue

Oakland, CA 94602

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scholarship, diversity, citizenship

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ii 1

Wha t do you care about?

The sky is the limit

View of San Francisco Bay from our

brand new upper school building

At Head-Royce, we care about five core themes

that form the basis of our educational program

We’ve got it at Head-Royce.

Do you care about three-dimensional geometry or the

compatibility of democracy with socialism in modern

governments? Reading The Aeneid the way it was intended—

in the original Latin? Have you ever served meals to the

homeless in downtown Berkeley? How about taking up

the steel drums or mastering the butterfly stroke?

Head-Royce will help you get there.

Can you see yourself sitting on a sunny patio eating an

organic salad made with vegetables that you started from

seed in the campus garden? Meeting interesting people

and making friendships that last for years beyond high

school? Discovering the college that’s the perfect fit for you?

Whatever it is, you can find it at Head-Royce.

Music, learning Chinese, saving the planet, friends, clubs, calculus, Charlotte’s Web, politics, Shakespeare, molecular genetics, finger paint, tomatoes, technology, swimming, basketball . . .

scholarship, diversity, citizenship, green, global

2

The Head-Royce

student body is close

to 50% students of

color and 33% of

the employees are

people of color.

“ This was by far the most diverse community I

saw when I was considering schools for my child.

Socioeconomic, racial, religious diversity—it’s not

just a goal here, it’s a reality.” lower school parent

care about . . . attitudes toward diversity.

During my junior year, I at-

tended the People of Color

Conference. I had been strug-

gling with my identity, trying

to find a balance between

my two different heritages

(my mother is French and my

father is Chinese American).

I went, hoping the confer-

ence would help me in my

struggle and open my eyes

to views on diversity from

around the country. The con-

ference did that and more.

Olivia, senior

Head-Royce is committed to creating a welcoming,

open and diverse community that values the dignity

and worth of each individual member. The “What

Are You” project stands out as an impressive ex-

ample of how serious our students are about these

values.

Every year, a small group of upper school stu-

dent leaders attends the national People of Color

Conference: a multiracial, multicultural gathering

of students from around the country that focuses

on self-reflection, forming allies and building com-

munity. Following one recent conference, the kids

returned to school inspired and energized with a

plan to create their own version of an exhibit they

had heard about at the conference.

The “What Are You” project invited everyone in

the school community to snap a self-portrait with

a Polaroid and post it on a wall of the school’s art

gallery; then use pencil and paper to answer the

question “What Are You?” and post the statement

on the gallery’s opposite wall. The overall effect of

the exhibit was striking, provoking a lot of thought

and discussion about identity, acceptance and the

importance of an open mind.

A student described it like this: “Our main mes-

sage? You determine your own identity, and the

only person who can label you is you.”

Learning how to learn. Mastering new skills and testing new

ways of thinking. Acquiring and expanding knowledge. Refining research

and analytic techniques. Becoming a persuasive speaker and writer. Build-

ing an arsenal of strong problem-solving approaches.

These are the tools of scholarship. They are the

underpinnings of our academic program at Head-

Royce, because they are lifelong requirements for

achievement in any field.

With more than 100 years of experience in in-

dependent education, we have created and shaped

our mission-driven curriculum to cultivate these

tools in our students. We know, for instance, that

the best way to engage kids intellectually is to

make each lesson relevant, to design projects that

are as experiential and hands-on as possible and

to present current issues for examination and dis-

cussion. Each year, kindergarten through twelfth

grade, we introduce learning techniques and

strands of knowledge that are deliberately built

upon across subjects and in subsequent grades.

Whether they are first graders applying for

the jobs needed to run an imaginary “Kid City”

smoothly, eighth graders constructing a hot air bal-

loon or twelfth graders setting off on their senior

projects—monthlong apprenticeships with local

professional organizations—they are eager to get

to work. They can’t wait to conquer the challenge,

because they find the work genuinely meaningful.

We know that kids learn best when they really care

about what they’re learning.

So many ways to be smart

Our curriculum, kindergarten through twelfth grade,

reflects renowned psychologist Howard Gardner’s

“Theory of Multiple Intelligences,” which asserts that

intelligence goes way beyond traditional academics to

encompass a whole range of “smarts”—from verbal

and mathematical to musical, interpersonal and

kinesthetic—and beyond. The entire academic and

co-curricular program has been carefully designed to

ensure that the whole range of intelligences is nurtured

and celebrated in every Head-Royce student.

care about . . . watching our mission come alive every

school day. As I visit classes, walk the

hallways, and attend games and per-

formances, I am amazed by how the

students show our philosophy in action.

Head-Royce kids express themselves so

well, whether participating in “literature

circles” in lower school, discussing

safeguarding the rainforests in middle

school history or debating human rights

in History 9. Math and science are

definitely cool at our school; one day a

student presented his unique proof of the

Pythagorean theorem in an upper school

assembly, accompanied by music and en-

thusiastic applause. Head-Royce kids love

sports, and it is great fun to watch our

teams in sports from soccer to baseball.

The school is decorated with beautiful

student artwork, and the frequent con-

certs and drama performances are inspir-

ing. Our leaders take responsibility early

in the Lower School Leadership Council

and make a difference through service

projects like Habitat for Humanity®. I see

kids become more self-confident and

respectful, in advising groups and divi-

sion meetings. And I love watching our

students work in the garden as part of our

effort to green the school. I care about all

of our students developing their full range

of talents every day!

Paul Chapman, Head of School

We believe that all people have a right to be who they want to be

. . . and most important, we believe that the only one who can define you is you. Be proud of who you are. Don’t

be afraid to tell the world. mission statement written by head-royce students for the “what are you” project

Diversity in action

3

4

Every six weeks, on a Friday morning, sixteen different

Families gather to catch up, have some fun and discuss im-

portant issues. The “parent” of each Family is a lower school

teacher; the children are a dozen students—two or three from

every grade, kindergarten through fifth.

Kindergartners look up to their new big “brothers and sis-

ters” (what could be more thrilling than having a really big

kid—an 11-year-old—take a special interest in you?), and the

older kids enjoy being the leaders and role models, showing

the ropes to the younger ones.

Families are the perfect setting for character education.

Teachers introduce values like respect, kindness, courage,

honesty and justice through books, games and discussion.

The range of ages and backgrounds allows for many different

perspectives and opinions.

Children remain in the same Families throughout their

lower school careers. Their teachers watch them mature and

change as they strengthen their sense of belonging to their

Families and their school. It’s all part of creating a caring com-

munity at Head-Royce.

A caring community is the most

important ingredient to a successful school. A

network of support is key. There must be enough

safety nets around. Here, every child and every

family is known. carl thiermann, upper school head

The environment at Head-Royce is warm and ac-

cepting. Kids feel comfortable being themselves

here. Adults look out for every student, and each

student knows that there is at least one caring

adult to turn to with a question or a problem.

At Head-Royce, students feel valued and re-

spected. They take it for granted that their ideas

will be considered with the same seriousness as

those that come from a member of the board of

trustees or the head of school. And when students

are treated with concern and respect, they natu-

rally develop the habit of treating others the same

way.

How does Head-Royce create this community

culture? It’s a combination of adults who model

caring behavior for students and traditions that

develop understanding, close bonds and empathy.

Head-Royce teaches kids what it means to be responsible citizens of their local

and global communities, providing experiences that show what it feels like to be

in someone else’s shoes—whether it’s the student at the next desk, a child at an

Oakland inner-city school or a Buddhist grandmother at an assisted living center

in Thailand. Head-Royce champions open minds.

Take Fallout.

Each year, on the second day of school, all middle and upper school students head out

of town with their classes for a camping trip to one of California’s spectacular outdoor

destinations—it might be the rapids of the American River or Mountain Camp in Placerville.

For two or three days, they hike, climb and white-water raft. But even more important, they

hang out together, face different challenges from those they’ll have in the classroom, pad-

dle or set up a tent with kids they’ve never had the chance to get to know.

One senior says, “It’s a fresh start at Fallout each year. Socially, people

don’t go right into the same old groups.” When they return to school from

a demanding outdoors experience to begin the year with new friends,

students feel a strong sense of shared community.

The lower school knits its community together in Families

Bumping into friends after lunch outdoors on the patio.

5

Community service is so integral

to the middle school experience at

Head-Royce that four full days are

carved out of the regular aca-

demic schedule each year to allow

students to participate together

in significant, off-campus service

learning projects.

Each grade level concentrates on

a specific service need. Sixth grad-

ers focus on food. They tour and

volunteer at a local organic farm

and help organize and support a

food bank for the needy. Environ-

mental preservation is the topic

for seventh graders, who put their

sweat into cleaning up sections

of the shoreline, a local creek and

area parks. They learn to remove

invasive plants and replace them

with healthy, native species. Eighth

graders hone their mentoring skills

by tutoring second graders from

local public schools.

A sixth grade teacher describes

the Head-Royce approach to

community service this way: “We

strive to be thoughtful about how

we teach service learning. It’s a

process, not a product. We want

the kids to experience how good it

feels to take care of our community.”

Citizens for change

LUKE cares about friends

and family. They are always

number one. “I also care about

academics and athletics and

having a successful future.”

6

Mr. von Kugelgen

loves physics because it

explains how the world

works. (upper school

science, Robotics)

Mr. Clark is crazy about his trumpet,

algebra and burritos. (8th grade math,

middle school jazz ensemble and

beginning band director)

Ms. Sparks appreciates the great student–teacher

ratio. “We’re so lucky to have such small class sizes. We

really can give every kid what he or she needs. No one

falls between the cracks.” (6th grade)

Dr. Enelow cares about

hip hop. Ever year, he raps

The Canterbury Tales in

Middle English for his West-

ern Classical Lit class. (11th

grade English)

Ms. Dunlap “There’s nothing better than

taking my students outdoors to experience

the wonders of our local Sausal Creek and

then integrating that into the core curriculum

of the second grade. Another thing I really

care about is continuing my own education.

Head-Royce provides many ways for faculty

to keep current on educational and global

issues.” (2nd grade)

Mr. Bernard cares about the anti-hate

and anti-bias curriculum. “The second grade

Families Unit educates students about a range

of family types, such as gay/lesbian families,

single parent families, divorced families,

adoptive families and mixed race families.

(2nd grade)

Ms. Diaz cares about “making sure my

students have immediate feedback, even

if I have to spend hours working at home.

If they take a test today, they’ll have their

grade tomorrow. It really helps them to stay

on track.” (upper school Spanish)

Mr. Reinke “cares deeply about our republic and the need

to encourage active citizenship on the part of our faculty and

students.” (upper school history)

They’re the backbone. They’re what make this school. I love them.

Ms. Van Ness cares about reaching the next level…

and the one after that. “The school doesn’t rest on its

laurels. Each year we try to do even better than the year

before and that brings us up to a different caliber.”

(4th grade, assistant to the head of the lower school)

Ask any student—lower, middle or upper school—what they

like best about Head-Royce and it’s a good bet the answer will be: “the

teachers.” They are experts in their fields, eager to share their enthusi-

asm for their subjects—and it’s obvious that they love their jobs. They

take the extra time to discover the ideal approach for each child. They

inspire students to reach way beyond the mainstream. Students say it’s

because the teachers really care about them.

7

8 9

Our lower school teachers appreciate the motivated kids at Head-Royce:

“These are the kids who really want to learn.” “It’s so great to have

students who think it’s cool to be smart.” “They love coming to school.”

Cultivating creativity

Visual arts instruction at Head-Royce

stretches the imagination, teaches tech-

nique and results in some stunning cre-

ations. More often than not, it is tied to

the academic curriculum—social studies,

language or science, for example. Here

are some examples of art projects with

multi-disciplinary connections recently

completed by our lower school students.

Fourth grade students enriched their

study of the Navajo Indians when they

viewed a documentary on the cultural

significance of Navajo weaving through

history and the meaning of many of the

symbols used in traditional blankets.

Each student then created his or her own

blanket design on a piece of canvas. The

paintings were entered in a local art

show and displayed in shop windows

in Oakland.

First and second grade students stud-

ied the life and work of environmentalist

and artist Andy Goldsworthy, renowned

for his site-specific sculptures created

from natural and found objects. The kids

scouted the campus to find locations for

their own sculptures and hunted outside

for natural sculpture elements such as

twigs, feathers and stones. Working in

small groups, they installed their cre-

ations all over campus.

In first grade social studies, students

learned about the Ndebele people of

Zimbabwe. Ndebele women have long

been known for their decorative arts,

especially murals that feature eclectic

combinations of designs including letters

of the alphabet, numerals, representa-

tions of urban buildings, windmills and

airplanes. The kids tried their own hands

at this traditional art using tagboard and

acrylic paints.

And for all the kids who don’t want to

leave at the end of the school day

Here is a sampling of our After School

Program enrichment classes and activities:

chess, with Berkeley Chess School•

stitchery•

gardening•

math games•

guitar with Kenan Guitar School•

open science lab•

taekwondo with UC Berkeley Martial Arts•

kids’ carpentry•

steel drums•

swim lessons•

after school band•

There’s a tremendous amount of

choice and dynamism. But there’s

also a lot of structure. You really feel

like your kids are known. It makes

them feel comfortable, important

and valued. lower school parent

Children form lifelong attitudes about school and

learning during their earliest school years, and we

are committed to making sure they feel enthusias-

tic, capable and successful. Head-Royce students

take it for granted that their questions will be val-

ued just as much as their answers. They assume

that their thoughts and comments will be sought

out and respected. They thrive on a steady stream

of carefully planned, mind-stretching challenges.

And they expect to have a great time.

Lower school academics provide a strong foun-

dation of knowledge and skills in reading, writing,

mathematics, social studies, science, world language,

library and technology. Concepts are introduced at

the concrete level and become more complex and

detailed as each child’s knowledge and reason-

ing abilities grow. By the time they complete fifth

grade, Head-Royce students are well prepared to

tackle the more rigorous academic demands of

middle school.

The lower school program reflects our strong

belief that creative arts and music, healthy eat-

ing and exercise habits, character values, a love

of nature and a great sense of humor are just as

important as academics in preparing our children

to grow into happy, successful adults. In the words

of Ms. Van Ness, our fourth grade teacher, “We’re

always looking to the future. We know that this is

a group of leaders we’re helping to create.”

After lunch on any typical Tuesday children crowd

around tables or spread out on the floor, spilling

out of the classroom into the hallway. Several

groups of four students, each with a teacher, are

gathered around activities that are generating fur-

rowed brows and smiles of accomplishment.

Each week for over an hour, our second, third

and fourth graders participate in Math Lab. It’s

more than practicing the skills they learn in the

core curriculum—computation, fractions, place

value. This is a chance for kids to enjoy the math

skills they’re learning in class every day, using

them as tools to solve sophisticated problems.

They might play games with dice, for example,

and in the process, learn about probability theory

and bell curves. Or develop their spatial reasoning

abilities as they make true-to-scale models of the

classroom out of Legos® and graph paper. Math

Labs give kids a whole new attitude about math.

Math-loving students have a great time playing

in the world of quantitative puzzles and kids for

whom math is not a favorite subject discover new

talents that are, amazingly enough, math-based!

Not coincidentally, Math Labs provide an early op-

portunity for children to learn what may be the

most valuable skill of all—working collaboratively

in groups.

Math Labs: (almost) as much fun as recess

Alia cares about

being in band

“because we get

to learn new songs

and I am excited to

play the flute.”

[Grades k–5]

Ms. Nilsson

cares about teaching

children to make a

connection with the

natural world, to

savor the beauty of

nature and to learn

to be good stewards

of the environment.

(kindergarten)

lower school

At Head-Royce, recess is always fun, there are so many possible friends.

I’m interested in all subjects and there’s a happy feeling in the air. marcus, 5th Grade

10 11English translation: really interesting

Eighth grade science students look forward to

the big end-of-the-year assignment: the sludge

project. It’s a lot like Harry Potter’s Advanced

Potions class.

Each small group of students receives a

flask containing a concoction that they refer

to as SLUDGE. It’s a combination of liquids

that the kids have been working with all year,

with a couple of soluble and insoluble solids

thrown in. The challenge? To use the knowl-

edge and research techniques they’ve learned

in class to separate and identify the various

substances in the flask. Then they document

their findings in a lab report and post them to

a website.

The teacher remains in the background,

allowing the students to take the lead in their

own learning and discovery. It’s a great way

to end the middle school science program—

giving the kids an opportunity to take on the

role of real lab chemists.

What can you learn by mucking around with sludge?

We’re all middle schoolers at heart.

We love the kids, we love our subjects, we love the grade levels.ciara coleman, 6th Grade math teacher

Middle schoolers are reaching out into an adult

world of ideas and experiences, yet they hang

on to the comfortable and familiar. They long for

independence, but they still need structure and

guidance. They want to develop new relationships

and make different kinds of social connections,

but they feel more self-conscious than ever be-

fore. They are just beginning to find their talents

and passions. Teachers at Head-Royce understand

middle schoolers and they know how to create an

environment where they will grow, thrive and de-

velop self-confidence.

Our integrated middle school program includes

literature, music, language, history, math and sci-

ence labs and hands-on arts activities. As they

progress through the program, students master

the analytical, problem solving and writing skills

they’ll need to succeed in a rigorous college-prep

upper school program.

But we make sure they enjoy the process. As

Andrew von Mayrhauser, sixth grade English and

history teacher says: “The moment of middle school should be joyful and happy for what it is right now, not just what it leads to.”

In the spotlight In sixth

grade, the middle school

fine arts program includes

a rotation of art, drama,

music and chorus. Seventh

and eighth grade offer

choices: chorus, Concert

Band, art, drama and

Musical Theater. Here,

students are rehearsing

for a performance of the

musical comedy Grease.

You choose Twice a week, there is time built into the schedule

for activities courses, where students can choose from an array of

teacher-supervised clubs, art projects, games or just hang-out-with-

buddies time. Choices have included Readers’ Café, Boot Camp,

Chillaxing, German, Knitting, Ceramics, Chess, Yoga, Flag Football,

Speech and Debate, Ultimate Frisbee, Photography, Yearbook…

What do middle schoolers need?

[Grades 6–8]

Mr. Taylor cares most about learning

and interacting with lots of different people.

“I tell students that they can’t understand

the morning paper or even talk to their

neighbor unless they know something

about the collective history of people.”

(middle school history)

…can be heard every day in the classrooms of

the middle school at Head-Royce—usually inter-

spersed with the sound of enthusiastic laughter.

As early as sixth grade, students can opt for

Mandarin Chinese to fulfill their world language

requirement (the other choices are Spanish,

French and Latin). Amy Shen, middle school Chi-

nese teacher, says, “A lot of people think it’s hard

for kids to learn Chinese. That’s a myth. The kids

don’t think it’s hard—not if we’re having fun.”

The curriculum in Chinese class is designed to

appeal to middle schoolers’ innate desire to talk

(and talk and talk) with each other. So exercises

include hard-to-pass-up activities like passing

notes in class—in Chinese. Or writing and sharing

make-believe ads for an online dating service—

what better way is there to learn crucial words like

freckles, curly, or skateboarder?

Make the conversation irresistible, and the kids

memorize the vocabulary without even knowing

it. It’s just the happy by-product of their eagerness

to get their point across.

The world’s most widely spoken language…

At Head-Royce, we are very clear about exactly what middle schoolers need. They are not overgrown elemen-

tary school kids or miniature high schoolers. The middle school years constitute a distinctive period of rapid

growth and development—intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally.

12 13

[Grades 9–12]

One of the best things about becoming an upper

school student is that you have the flexibility and

freedom to sample some of the fascinating, out-of-

the-box advanced classes offered. These courses

are opportunities for faculty to create the most

compelling and engaging curricula they can imag-

ine, based on topics about which they are truly

passionate.

Here are a few examples of upper school advanced

courses, in which as physics teacher Owen von

Kugelgen puts it, “We make the kids’ experience

absolutely real.”

Robotics To little kids, LEGO® Mindstorms NXT

is a toy, but to robotics experts and professional

engineers it is a tool that enables them to proto-

type their inventions. Robotics students at Head-

Royce use the technology to design, build and pro-

gram autonomous, intelligent robots. Thanks to a

computer “brain” and sensors, these robots can be

“trained” to do complex tasks.

Imagine creating a robot that can maneuver in-

dependently through a slalom course. Master that,

and the students are on to competitive “sumo bot

wars,” where the champion robot uses light sen-

sors to resist being pushed off the edge of a table. A

robot track meet? Absolutely. The robots learn to do

sprints, shot-put and the high hurdle.

Sounds like playing games, but students are

learning engineering design principles, soldering

and programming techniques and creative prob-

lem solving.

Advanced Placement BC Calculus At Head-

Royce, BC Calculus provides a solid, satisfying an-

swer to the age-old question, “What use is all this

math ever going to be?”

After years of studying arithmetic, algebra and

geometry, in this class students get to apply all

they’ve learned in math—as well as much of what

they’ve covered in science—to fascinating, signifi-

cant, real world problems.

Why, for example, did the twin towers of the

World Trade Center collapse, despite being de-

signed to withstand a jet’s impact? You need to

use calculus to understand how a combination of

pressure, force, heat and volume resulted in such

a catastrophe.

Or, what is the maximum population the earth

can expect to hold without damaging the ecosys-

tem? In BC Calculus, students learn to apply a

model rooted in both mathematics and biology to

study the limits of population growth. Timely topics

in today’s world.

Comparative Politics Why is the U.S. unique

in its type of democracy—and is it any better? How

have new communication technologies changed

the aspirations of citizens of less developed coun-

tries? How can the globe’s limited resources be shared

fairly among nations when consumption continues

to increase exponentially? When students learn

to set aside their American preconceptions about

politics to view the governments of other countries

around the world with fresh eyes, the resulting

questions and discussions can become very com-

plex and thorny.

One student describes Comparative Politics this

way: “It’s a self-selecting group of people interested

in arguing and discussing politics. I learned a lot

by debating with very smart people. And I became

much more interested and informed about global

politics within a few weeks. I would take this class

again in a heartbeat.”

Dr. Brakeman

cares about making

her Neurobiology

class as real world

as possible. She de-

scribes some of the

simulation activities

involving real cases

and actual brain

and spinal cord

scans: “It’s playing

medical school at a

very high level.”

Upper school electives: freedom of adventure

High school—the big kids, the rigorous but riveting course work, the incredible extracurriculars, the leader-

ship, travel and service opportunities, and best of all, the independence and trust conferred by the faculty.

The next few pages take you on a tour through some of the courses, projects and activities that make the

upper school such a stimulating place.

Female disc jockeys, the growth of lacrosse on the

West Coast, the meaning of art, the juvenile jus-

tice system in California, palm reading, analysis

of whether teachers or students have more home-

work, body image and plastic surgery, Internet

dating. What can these things possibly have in

common? They are all topics recently chosen by

students upon which to base their I-Search projects

for freshman English.

Each spring, ninth graders complete a research

assignment in which they investigate a contem-

porary subject, primarily through personal inter-

views, but also using data culled from the library

and the Internet. The project takes advantage of

the motivating power of students’ special interests

to propel them through high level research, inter-

viewing and writing challenges.

Many students discover a field of study or a

passion that they want to pursue in greater depth

through I-Search. Three years later, when it’s time

to plan their senior project—a four-week intensive

apprenticeship in the “real world”—many students

find themselves seeking out internships that expand

upon their I-Search experiences. As Andy Spear,

English department chair says, “There are often

amazing correlations between I-Search, senior

projects and professional career choices.”

from the journal of Natali, senior

Monday Night, January 19, 2009

11:00 PM Lights out. Fourteen students

stretch out in sleeping bags and

try to get some sleep before the

early wakeup and the big day,

but many are too excited to fall

asleep.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009, Inauguration Day

2:30 AM Wake up. Bleary eyed, don many

layers of warm clothing, grab

sleeping bags, head out on foot

in sub-zero darkness.

3:30 AM Arrive at Metro stop, and join line

of 40 already waiting.

4:00 AM Metro doors open. Race down

to the platform with hundreds of

others, to board the first subway

train heading to the mall.

5:00 AM Run at top speed for what seems

like miles behind Mr. Schneider

and Mr. Barankin, who desper-

ately want to find a good viewing

spot for the group. Approaching

the Capitol, Mr. Schneider leaps

into the air, yelling, “Here we

come, Barack!”

5:25 AM Claim a fantastic patch of ground

with great views of the ceremoni-

al platform and a nearby Jumbo-

tron. Snuggle into sleeping bags

and try to catch a few more Z’s.

7:23 AM Sunrise over the mall. Temps

warm up to a balmy 13°F.

7:30–10 AM Hugs, jumping up and down to

keep numbness at bay, chatting

with people from all over the

country, snacks, waiting…

10:00 AM Preliminary festivities begin,

including music by the San

Francisco Girls Chorus, whose

members include two Head-

Royce juniors! Waves, cheers,

shouted greetings.

11:30 AM Senator Dianne Feinstein issues

the Call to Order.

12 noon Barack Obama takes the oath of

office and becomes President

#44. Wave flags! Shed tears!

Lots more hugs. Students are

overwhelmed with the knowl-

edge that they are in the midst of

a historic event.

1:00 PM 16 members of the Head-Royce

community, frozen to the bone

but ecstatically happy, head back

to their lodgings, full of the emo-

tion of an utterly amazing, once-

in-a-lifetime shared experience.

Head-Royce students don’t just learn about history— they make history!One characteristic common to the adults at

Head-Royce is that they listen to ideas and take

them seriously. When two sophomores came up

with a suggestion that Head-Royce send a con-

tingent to the Obama inauguration, the school

didn’t hesitate. They know a great idea when

they hear one.

Administrators, parents and teachers mobi-

lized to make it happen. Lodgings were located

(a sister school in Washington, DC, allowed stu-

dents to camp out on the floor of their lounge),

financial aid money was set aside, and an essay

competition was set up to choose the lucky stu-

dents who would get to go on the trip. Sixty kids

applied for 14 spots. The rest was…history!

Ms. Yee cares about the wide variety of

talents, interests and passions that each person

on campus has. “I’m constantly in awe of what

my students and my colleagues have accom-

plished.” (upper school English and history)

My passion for my I-Search topic—I wanted

to write about breast cancer because I have

friends whose mothers are fighting the disease

—allowed me to excel on this project. And the

results gave me the drive to put all my passion

into future projects. sasha, sophomore

I-Search

14 15

Where do our alumni go? The sky’s the limit.

Head-Royce alumni have made their mark in all professional arenas, including service, the

arts, journalism, law, sports, medicine, technology, and business. Here is a sampling of what a

few of our alumni have been doing since graduating from Anna Head and Head-Royce.

Helen Wills Moody Roark ’23—Eight-time Wimbledon champion

Cynthia Holcomb Hall ’46—Federal judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Mari Lyons ’53—Visual artist with paintings in more than 100 private and corporate collections

Suki Schorer ’57—World famous ballerina and principal dancer, New York City Ballet

Christine Johnston Laddish ’61—Longtime Head-Royce Lower School teacher

Jocelyn Larkin ’76—Director of litigation and training for the Impact Fund

Shelby Tupper ’80—Entrepreneur and graphic designer

Adam Duritz ’82—Lead singer, Counting Crows

Will Glaser ’83—Digital music pioneer, co-founder of Pandora music website

Corwin Booth ’84—Ph.D. in condensed matter physics and P.I., Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

Persis Berlekamp ’86—Assistant professor of art history, University of Chicago

Sara Buckelew ’88—Assistant professor of adolescent medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Rachel Fine ’88—Executive director, Los Angeles Children’s Chorus

Rick Arney ’88—Managing director, Barclays Global Investors

Daniel Wu ’92—International film star, based in Hong Kong

Anna Lappé ’91—Kellogg Fellow; author; and founding principal, Small Planet Institute

Zac Unger ’91—Firefighter and author

Peter Alexander ’94—NBC News correspondent

Andrew Lau ’97—Co-founder and chief technology officer, Bankfox

Alison Epstein ’97—Spanish teacher at San Francisco independent school

David Gilbert ’00—Fulbright Scholar and international environmental photographer

Trevor Parham ’01—Artist, educator, creative director, and founder of Eklectyk Creative Media

We want our students to choose wisely for the moment as

well as for the future. That is the delicate balance we strive to help each student find.

crystal land, assistant head of school, academic dean

Academic and college advisingStudents receive individualized academic coun-

seling throughout their Head-Royce careers. As

freshmen, all students meet with the academic

dean to draft their “four year plan.” Advisors and

grade level deans follow up with students to guide

them as they think about their course choices, and

to encourage them to balance academics with ex-

tracurricular activities such as community service,

athletics, performing arts, debate or student pub-

lications.

As students progress through high school, the

college counseling staff gets involved as well, add-

ing the college perspective as students consider

Advanced Placement and other rigorous courses.

This leads smoothly into advising students on

their college application process.

College counselors customize each student’s

advising plan based on individual needs. Some stu-

dents choose to schedule planning meetings with

their counselors once or twice a week; others less

frequently. But one thing is for sure: students have

someone to guide them every step of the way.

The college counseling staff, the head of school,

the academic dean, and the dean of the upper

school get together every other week to participate

in “college cabinet” meetings, when they review

every student’s planning and progress through the

college admission process. The goal is to ensure

that the experience is positive and productive, result-

ing in matching every student with a college that

will be a great fit.

Upper school athletic teams

• baseball,boysJV&V

• basketball,frosh/soph,boysJV&V,

girls JV & V

• crosscountry,boys&girls

• golf,boys&girlsV

• lacrosse,boysV

• soccer,boysJV&V,girlsV

• softball,girlsV

• swimming,boysV&girlsV

• tennis,boysJV&V,girlsJV&V

• volleyball,boysV,girlsJV&V

• track,girls&boys

care about . . . our student-athletes putting forth their best effort

every day. “Win or lose, succeed or fail, one of the

best lessons kids can get out of the high school

athletic experience is learning how to give their all

on a daily basis. If the effort is there, then success

will follow. This will translate to all endeavors in

which they participate for the rest of their lives…

Oh, and I also care about beating the competition.”

Coach Blakeley, athletic director

care about . . . the Head-Royce Jazz Combo. It was unbelievable to play at Yoshi’s

(one of the most prestigious jazz clubs around) with topnotch sound

equipment, great acoustics, and tables full of friends and family. But

the sound check, now that was something. I climbed up the same worn

stairs as some great jazz legends, stepped out onto the stage, and

looked out into the empty club. That was the moment that took your

breath away and loosened your jaw. That was the moment that made

you feel like a professional, like a somebody, like a rock star.

Martin, senior, drummer, Caravan Jazz Ensemble

and student-run Jazz Combo

Valerie, senior, co-president/ choreog-

rapher of FADE

Head-Royce students are pretty unique-

ly motivated. FADE (Fine Arts Dance

Ensemble) clearly exemplifies this:

we are a student-run production, from

beginning to end. FADE was started by

a student in 1999, and has grown from

about 10 to over 30 members. Not only

are students in charge of choreograph-

ing; our lighting and tech crew are all

students. Our “FADE moms”—three

great friends of the ensemble—come

to every rehearsal, bearing food, water

and moral support.

I’ve learned SO much from participat-

ing in FADE. As a freshman, I learned

that hard work pays off. I tried to be as

reliable as possible, and to show the

choreographers that I was available to

work whenever they needed me. My

junior year, I became the co-president/

choreographer. I learned most how

to lead by example. It took time, but

I learned how to strike a balance be-

tween being a “fun” leader and setting

a standard for success.

Being in creative control of the show

is a unique experience. It’s incredible

to see our ideas put to life in front of

hundreds of people.

Matt, senior, varsity basketball, varsity soccer,

varsity volleyball

Basketball has always been a significant part of my

life and it has shaped my high school career as well.

My head coach has really influenced who I am on and

off the court. As a member of the basketball team you

become really connected to the coaches and your

teammates because you spend so much time with

them. I learned valuable leadership and communica-

tion skills that are vital in all areas of life, not just

sports.

I chose Head-Royce because I wanted a place

where I could have top level academics and high level

athletics. Here, that combination is offered. It amazes

me how talented and well-rounded so many kids are

at Head-Royce.

Next year I will be playing basketball at Claremont

McKenna College, but I’ll always remember Head-

Royce as a great and special place.

16 17

That’s a relatively new definition of the word “greening”—many

dictionaries still define it only as a particular apple variety—but it’s

not a new idea at Head-Royce. From the head of school to the littlest

kindergartner, we are proud to be leading the way in teaching and

living to protect the environment and sustain our planet.

Taking out the trashStudents have a live encounter with garbage once

each year during the annual Trash Audit.

Twenty-four hours’ worth of trash is collected

and bagged up for sorting, weighing and analysis—

every bottle, candy wrapper, apple core and damp

paper towel. Three volunteer groups of students

and faculty—one “Green Team” each from the low-

er, middle and upper schools—sort the smelly stuff

into categories: food waste (destined for compost),

recyclables, and landfill (that’s old-fashioned gar-

bage, the stuff that can’t be repurposed).

Next, the kids meticulously weigh each category

and compare it to the previous year’s results. The

Growing greenerThe favorite classroom of many Head-Royce stu-

dents is located outside on the hillside next to the

pool. It’s our “edible garden,” 9,000 square feet of

fertile, sunny landscape dedicated to the produc-

tion of organic fruits and vegetables.

Every other week, each student in the lower

school heads outside for gardening class where

Josh Deutsch ’99, Head-Royce alum and owner of

Backyard Food Gardens landscaping, puts them to

work planting, mulching, tilling, digging irrigation

trenches and harvesting. Josh says, “No matter how

hard the work is, you get loads of volunteers.

green•ing Head-Royce eco-stats

• 100%: Our goal for faculty participation in

incorporating ecology and sustainability

concepts into the curriculum

• 50% (and better) reduction in overall

waste since we began our waste reduc-

tion initiative

• 75% (and growing) of lower and middle

school students walk, bus, bike or carpool

to school on monthly Green Scene Days

• 412 solar panels are installed on the roof-

tops of our upper school and gymnasium

buildings

• 35% of the energy used by Head-Royce’s

new buildings is produced by our own

solar panel array

• 9,000 square feet are dedicated to our

organic, edible garden/classroom right

on campus

• OurnewLEED-Certifiedupperschool

building sourced 13% of its building mate-

rials with recycled content and features

efficient plumbing fixtures that reduce

water consumption by 36%

• Head-Royceisone of only 3 schools

certified as an Alameda County Green

Business

• Approximately400 healthy, organic

(whenever possible) meals are served in

our café each day

• HUNDREDS of Head-Royce students

have discovered that vegetables taste

really great!

They’ve developed a positive association with

working in the garden.” The garden is managed

completely by students in the course of their classes.

Along the way, the kids learn about plant biol-

ogy, ecology, nutrition, sun, rain, ancient history,

worms, insects and where their food really comes

from. They gain some insight into the agricultur-

al lifestyle lived in so many countries around the

world. They develop respect for the earth, its needs

and its potential.

goal is to evaluate our effort to reduce the school’s

landfill output by properly sorting our waste. In

the three years since we began auditing our habits,

we’ve reduced overall waste by almost half!

Debra Harper, lower school science teacher and

co-chair of the Green Council, says, “the kids usu-

ally react by saying ‘EEUUWW’ when they realize

how gross it is. And they become indignant over

the wrongs they discover. They cannot believe

someone would contaminate the recycling bin.

They take it personally—it really makes an impres-

sion on them.”

Yes, it’s a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it.

[gree-ning]–noun

when a person or organization starts to think and know more

about environmental problems

If it rots, we’ll compost it. warren fernandes, upper school math teacher

Talking trash Students from the lower

school (above) and upper school (right)

participate in the annual trash audit.

Extras from the garden

go home for dinner:

apricots

tomatoes

broccoli

pears

leeks

garlic

onions

spinach

herbs

kale

carrots

potatoes

cabbages

cauliflower

strawberries

brussels sprouts

chard

[committed to sustainability]

This means that our buildings use super-effi-

cient energy systems and renewable technolo-

gies, our school café is dedicated to providing

nutritious and delicious local food, our lower

school students have hands-on learning in the

school’s organic garden, and we make a deliber-

ate effort to keep our environment free from

harmful chemicals.

Maybe even more important are the many

ways we’ve embedded the concepts of greening

and sustainability into activities and courses

across all grades. It can be as simple as teach-

ing first graders that they make a choice each

time they discard a piece of trash or as complex

as studying the co-evolution of the atmosphere

with life on earth in upper school science. But

whatever the age of the child or the sophisti-

cation of the lesson, it’s always about instilling

a fundamental awareness in every Head-Royce

student of the urgent need to care for our en-

vironment.

18 19

OAKLAND

From planetary geology to Japanese literature

to global population studies, our curriculum is full of pathways to take kids

beyond the world of Oakland, CA. We are proud to be the only independent

school in the Bay Area to offer four languages: Spanish, French, Latin and

Chinese. Head-Royce families have hosted students from China, Spain, India

and Vietnam. We seek out the best study-abroad programs and organize op-

portunities for students to travel internationally, try out their world language

skills and engage in community service projects. Grants and financial aid are

available so that any Head-Royce student with a desire to explore can do it.

Beginners lessonsEven our youngest students begin to develop a gen-

uine, in-depth understanding of other world cul-

tures. For example, they start their studies of the

language and culture of Spanish and French speak-

ing countries in second grade. In third and fourth

grades, they create traditional Mexican-style masks

and learn about the paintings of Frida Kahlo. This

introduction to Mexican culture culminates in a

summer travel opportunity in which faculty lead a

group of fifth and sixth graders on a tour through

Cuernavaca and Mexico City. Each experience ex-

pands and builds upon the previous one.

Exchanging viewpointsThe partnerships that we have developed with

schools in Asia enable our students to make mean-

ingful connections with kids and teachers from

other cultures—to see things from a completely

different perspective.

The summer after Abigail’s freshman year, she

traveled with the Head-Royce contingent to China

and Thailand. In China, she says, “We were lucky

enough to have a buddy to show us around. This

was my favorite part of the trip because you got to

live the life of someone your age in another coun-

try. I realized that we were much more similar than

I could have imagined.”

That fall, Head-Royce welcomed a group of

students from the same Chinese school Abigail

had visited. She decided to be a host and give the

students an experience that was “just as great as

mine.” One conversation stands out in her mind

as the moment where she gained a flash of insight

into the Chinese way of seeing the world.

“At dinner, one of the girls turned to my mother

and asked, ‘If your parents and your children were

both in the water drowning, who would you try to

save first?’ My mother thought for a long time and

finally answered, ‘My children—they are the future

and they have their whole lives ahead of them.’

Our visitors looked at each other with surprise, and

then told us that their own parents would choose to

save their parents—not their children. Now it was

my turn to be surprised. I realized that the sense of

duty one feels for one’s parents is very different in

the Chinese culture.

“The question caught us all off guard and made us think about the differences in lifestyles, cultures and perspectives around the world.” And that’s exactly what global educa-

tion at Head-Royce is all about.

France, Spain,

Italy, China

Through the

School Year Abroad

Consortium, Head-

Royce high school

juniors can spend

a full year living

and studying in

another country

while earning

graduation credits.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Another of Head-

Royce’s partnerships is

with the Prince Royal

College. We host teach-

ers and students from

Chiang Mai during the

school year, and our

kids visit there during

the summer.

Agra, India

Location of the Taj Mahal,

a stopping point on the

tour of upper school

students who initiated an

exchange program with

girls from the Pardada

Pardadi girls school. A few

months later, students

from Pardada visited

Head-Royce.

Pucará, Ecuador

A village visited by middle schoolers

who engaged in construction work on a

summer cultural exchange and service

learning trip. Adventures included

hiking at high altitudes, bargaining in

Spanish at an open air market and

touring the capital city of Quito.

Bangkok, Thailand

Thailand’s capital city, where students saw

the Grand Palace and met the monks of

Wat Pho Buddhist temple.

Abigail with

her Chinese

host family

Corsica

One of the 26 regions of France, and a

destination for middle school students on a

summer travel and study program.

Cuernavaca, Mexico

Lower school students

stayed with host fami-

lies here as part of their

Mexican expedition.

Oakland, CA

Stateside launching pad

for global education at

Head-Royce.

Beijing, China

Upper school students at-

tended the Peking Opera

and visited the Forbidden

City during their travel/

study program to China

and Thailand. While in

China, they also visited

the Great Wall and the

natural panda preserve

at Wolong.

Shanghai, China

Head-Royce has estab-

lished a partnership and

exchange program with

the Shanghai Children’s

Palace.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Location of the

Amagar Children’s

Home where upper

school students

can volunteer when

they’re not canoe-

ing, riding elephants

or trying to spot

rhinoceros at Chitwan

National Park.

Global education is a lot more than a trendy “add-on” at Head-Royce. It’s integral to

what we teach and how we teach it, whom we invite to visit our campus and where

we send our students to experience new perspectives. It’s a realization that each of

us is a full-fledged member of a global network, and that how we choose to partici-

pate as individuals, groups and nations affects all of the other members. It requires

a deep appreciation and acceptance of cultures and people around the globe.

care about . . .

Travel! Last summer I traveled to Thailand and had the trip

of a lifetime. I loved learning the language, volunteering at a

home for the elderly, participating in a monk chat and getting

the awesome Thai massage. I absolutely loved every part of

the trip, and in the end, I didn’t want to leave! 11th grader