Letter from the Head of School
by Ilene Reinfeld
This past June, we were all deeply saddened to learn (on Father’s Day, no less) that our much-beloved friend and founding director of Los Encinos School, Mr. Chris Holabird, passed away at the age of 96. It was especially poignant, having just completed our 2022-2023 school year with the theme Culture, Connections & Community, because much of the LES culture that connects us today as a school community had been initiated by Chris. For instance, it’s hard to think of LES without thinking of iconic holiday celebrations that bring us all together, such as the Thanksgiving Feast, the Reel, and the Halloween Festival and Parade, to name just a few. Mr. Holabird valued joyful, inclusive celebrations, and we are all the beneficiaries.
Ilene Reinfeld, Head of School
One of the new traditions we started this past year — at least I hope it becomes tradition — is a wonderful thing we called, “Soup Mondays.” Each Monday morning, as winter set in, parents generously volunteered to bring in three types of soup that were kept warm in Crock-Pots and enjoyed by the faculty at lunch time. This seemingly small, yet beautiful gesture of comfort, literally warmed our hearts (and bellies), and we were so appreciative.
Another fairly recent weekly tradition relates to the Friday morning assembly. Of course, the Friday assembly itself goes back to the early days, but having two sixth-graders serve as “hosts” of the program is the innovation. Our sixth-graders are the leaders of the school, so the assemblies give us one more opportunity to strengthen and fine tune their levels of confidence, responsibility, and poise.
Speaking of leadership, I achieved a personal milestone this past year: 20 years as head of school! One of the main reasons I was originally drawn to this community was due to the culture Mr. Holabird had the vision to fashion. I’m doubly-thrilled that we’ve all been open and flexible enough to build on that foundation by developing new events — fun, functional, and meaningful — that align with our values and mission and help us grow even stronger together. Beautification Day, Poker Night, and the Art & Ecology Family Hike are just a few examples that come to mind.
Please enjoy this Annual Report as we look back on the year 2022-2023 while keeping in mind all the years prior that enabled us to get to this point. Being the acclaimed institution we are today is as much a testament to Mr. Holabird as it is to each one of you. I hope that Chris rests in peace, knowing that he’s left a deep and lasting legacy.
There is a tuition assistance fund established in Mr. Holabird’s name to honor his memory. If you would like to support this fund, click here.
In closing, I’d like to take this opportunity to give thanks to our Board of Trustees, faculty, families, and most of all, the children, for all actively engaging in our phenomenal program that values justice and belonging!
With appreciation & love,
(above) Video: “Remembering Mr. Holabird”
(above) Soup Mondays was a big hit!
(above) Sixth-graders stepped up
to host the Friday morning assemblies.
(above) The family hike in Malibu is a fairly new tradition. Tap the image above to enlarge, then use the arrows or click each picture to advance through the gallery.