MESSAGE FROM David Zebrack, Board Chair

As I look back on the 2022-2023 school year, having just completed my first year as Board Chair,

I want to express my gratitude, first and foremost, to the Executive Committee and my fellow trustees. I think the role we play on the Board is possibly the most misunderstood element of a non-profit organization.

Board of Trustees 2022-2023
(Top, L-R) Jill Namm, John Rubeli, Angie Adinamis, Joe Schneier, Ryan Glenn, (Middle) Stewart Bloom, Ilene Reinfeld, Caitlin Foito-Bleiweiss
(Bottom) David ZeBrack, Meena White, Tara Piper, Jamie Urman, Nick Rich

To put it simply, we meet once each month (unless urgent circumstances require greater frequency, which is rare), and we discuss the state of the school with an emphasis on the finances, building maintenance, safety, and overall adherence to the school’s mission.  Each member of the Board serves in a voluntary capacity, and I believe our strength comes from the diversity of our perspectives. The one thing we definitely share is our motivation to make sure the students at Los Encinos School receive the best education possible in a safe and comfortable environment that is both sustainable and forward-thinking.

As an example, this past year we worked on fashioning the new seven-year Strategic Plan for the school that will take us through the year 2030. “2030” sounds like something from a Ray Bradbury novel, doesn’t it? Well, the plan doesn’t address how we might adapt the drop-off tunnel to accommodate flying cars, but we did look at some best practices to implement when it comes to retaining our amazing faculty and attracting new families aligned with our school philosophy. I look forward to the entire community helping to implement the plan. Our bright future is only possible when we all work together.

Given the fact that board membership is both voluntary and a time commitment, we expect to see some turnover from year to year. We say goodbye to Nick Rich and congratulate his son, Hunter ’23, who just graduated from LES; and farewell to Stewart Bloom, a talented accountant who was so generous with his time despite not having any children attend the school!  Nick and Stewart, if you are reading this, thank you for your service to the Board and the students of Los Encinos School.