Cal-ISBOA News

September 5, 2025

I hope this message finds you well and that the return to campus has been a smooth and uplifting transition as you welcome students, families, and colleagues into a new school year.

This time of year, I’m often asked, “Did you enjoy your summer break?” I always smile at the question, knowing that for those of us in Business, Operations, Facilities, and Human Resources, summer looks a little different. While many are wrapping up vacations, we’ve been deep in audits, campus improvements, summer programs, and the ever-important work of hiring and onboarding.

Back-to-school brings a special kind of reward: we finally get to see the “why” behind our efforts. The joy and energy that students bring back to campus is a powerful reminder of our purpose. Watching teachers ignite curiosity and creativity in their classrooms fills me with renewed appreciation. I hope it fills you with the same sense of pride and purpose.

As we all settle into the rhythm of the year, I encourage you to take a moment to walk your campus. Look around at the vibrant programs, bustling classrooms, and meaningful experiences that your work makes possible. While you're taking care of your school, remember to take care of yourself, too. What brings you joy? What would make your day just a bit easier? What goals—personal or professional—are you holding space for this year? If you haven’t had time to reflect, I encourage you to begin.

At Cal-ISBOA, the Board and staff are excited to continue serving our Independent School community this year. Whether it’s through regional meetups, our mentor program, Zoom groups, or informal connections, we hope you’ll find opportunities to engage, grow, and feel supported.

Thank you for the dedication, care, and heart you bring to your school, and thank you for being a valued part of the Cal-ISBOA community.

Wishing you a joyful and meaningful start to the school year,

Nicole Pennington
Cal-ISBOA Board President
Business and Development Officer, Los Encinos School

September 2, 2025

Visiting our unique member schools in person is essential to our continued learning about your needs as Cal-ISBOA members. Executive Director Scarlett Vanyi was graciously hosted by Rich Harper (Business Manager) for a tour of The Country School (TCS) in Los Angeles last month. Offering progressive education from PK to 8th grade, TCS puts holistic learning and an inclusive culture center stage, equipping their students to make a positive, lasting impact. Boldly departing from traditional paradigms, all TCS students practice daily meditation, and TCS has a No Homework Policy for PK through 4th grade, emphasizing the importance of play, exploration, and multisensory learning to early development.

Thanks again to Rich for sharing his school with us!

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August 25, 2025

Right: Scarlett Vanyi (Cal-ISBOA), left, with Ann Grimmett (Saint Mark's School).

When wildfire struck Los Angeles this past January, the impacts on our independent school community were devastating, especially for Saint Mark’s School. Earlier this month, Executive Director Scarlett Vanyi had the opportunity to visit Saint Mark’s School’s temporary campus, where CFO Ann Grimmett showed her around and shared how they have navigated this challenging time. Saint Mark’s School’s staff and faculty quickly sprung into action, and in just eight weeks, they partnered with another local school to erect a temporary campus with spaces to accommodate all of their classrooms, each program, and a play structure.

Saint Mark’s School demonstrated incredible leadership and resilience, ensuring students could return to their classes as soon as possible. We stand with all our schools in celebrating the tenacity of Saint Mark’s and other schools affected by wildfires and other disasters, and in honoring our shared commitment to the students of California!

August 19, 2025

A huge thank you to Buckley School CFO and 2025 MACI Award Recipient Lisa Turchan for hosting a So Long Summer Soirée in Los Angeles last week to bring Cal-ISBOA colleagues together! Executive Director Scarlett Vanyi was delighted to be able to join the many members who were in attendance to welcome NBOA President & CEO Jeff Shields and Executive Vice President James Palmieri, who were visiting from the East Coast.

Guests were transported into an enchanted garden when they passed through the tall doors to Lisa’s beautiful patio where our gracious hostess offered delicious homemade refreshments. The Soirée was the perfect opportunity for SoCal members to reconnect and share stories of their summer vacations and projects. Thank you to Lisa for her kind hospitality!

Regional gatherings like this provide casual and memorable opportunities to connect in person and nurture our special Cal-ISBOA community spirit throughout the year. Please let us know if you’d like to host a regional gathering in your city!

August 12, 2025

We are pleased to present our first-ever Back-to-School Service Provider Directory for Indy School professionals in California, just in time for any vendor decisions you need to make as the school year starts this fall.

These Cal-ISBOA sponsors and partners can be counted upon to provide top-notch service, and many offer discounts or other special deals to Cal-ISBOA members. They understand the independent school industry and the California reality, and some of your friends and colleagues are already doing business with them.

Check out the Back-to-School Service Provider Directory, and see what our trusted service providers can do for you! Be sure to tell them you are a Cal-ISBOA member.

July 29, 2025

Earlier this month, Emily Hilldore (DOFO) gave the Cal-ISBOA staff a wonderful tour of the San Francisco Waldorf School, where every inch of class space is used every hour of the day during the academic year. A lushly forested respite just steps away from the concrete landscape of the big city, the High School campus features gardening spaces and its own small hive of bees for hands-on student learning with nature. Integrating art, math, and science at every opportunity, the Waldorf School has its own weaving studio full of looms and partially finished student textile projects, whose patterns were devised using the geometric patterns and formulas students learn in their math classes.

We thank Emily and the San Francisco Waldorf School for hosting us at your beautiful campus! 

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July 24, 2025

A couple weeks ago, the Cal-ISBOA board and staff was graciously hosted at the Silicon Valley International School (INTL) in Palo Alto, which generously lent its quadra-lingual Media Hub to our Board Orientation. Erik Paxman (CFO at INTL and a VP of the Cal-ISBOA Board) treated Board members and staff to a fantastic tour of the K-5 campus, where we were all impressed by the modern classrooms full of natural light and the interactive signage and art to engage students. Offering immersive bilingual programs in French, German, and Chinese (PK-12), INTL is an International Baccalaureate World School authorized to provide the full continuum of IB education.

Thanks again to Erik and to INTL for hosting us at your amazing campus!

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July 17, 2025

Last week, the Cal-ISBOA staff was graciously hosted by Susan Sun (Business Officer) and Amy Chang (Payroll & HR Supervisor) for a fascinating tour of Chinese American International School (CAIS) at their still-new location in San Francisco. We learned about the extensive renovations (including significant seismic reinforcements!) done on several school buildings, and how happy the staff, faculty, and students are to be housed on a single campus. Serving a culturally diverse community, CAIS offers a continuum of educational experiences, from full Chinese immersion for its youngest students to Chinese as a second language for middle schoolers, and its rigorous academic program consistently produces students with a very high level of language proficiency and cultural understanding.

Thank you again to Susan, Amy, and CAIS for sharing your wonderful school with us! 

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July 14, 2025

Each year, Cal-ISBOA hosts a Board Orientation to welcome new Board members and provide a governance refresher for continuing Board members. This year's orientation was led by President Nicole Pennington and Executive Director Scarlett Vanyi in collaboration with other Board leaders on July 9 as a hybrid meeting at Silicon Valley International School (VP Erik Paxman's school in Palo Alto) and online.

The gathering provided an excellent opportunity for new and continuing Board members to deepen their understanding of Cal-ISBOA's objectives and operations and get to know one another better. Participants left with a clear understanding of the association's history and strategic direction, policies and procedures, and roles and responsibilities, which laid a solid foundation for the important and collaborative work the Board will undertake over the next year.

We look forward to working with this talented Board of Directors to achieve our collective goals and vision for Cal-ISBOA!

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July 7, 2025

In mid-June, the Cal-ISBOA Southern California Facilities Workshop was hosted at the scenic Marlborough School campus in Los Angeles, and Matt Riddle, Director of Facilities and Capital Planning, kindly toured our group around their facilities to cap off our day of professional learning and networking. Throughout the day and our tour, we were impressed by Marlborough’s incredible staff, their state-of-the-art facilities, and the breathtaking view of the Hollywood Hills from its 110,000-square-foot campus.

Thanks again to Matt and to Marlborough School for hosting us at your beautiful campus!

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