Village School

A New Village Family

Hello Village community. We are the family of Generous Jaguar Macy, and we are thrilled to be here!

Our daughter is in Miss Elizabeth’s 2nd grade class this year as a transfer from Castlemont Elementary. In addition to Macy, our family includes parents Tom and Nan, older brother Jake, and a 14 year old black lab named Frankie. We are all native to the area. Tom attended Westmont High School, and Nan grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and graduated from Los Gatos High School. Our son graduated from Del Mar High School in 2013 and will be entering his senior year this spring at the University of Southern California (fight on Trojans!)… yes, there IS a big age gap between our kids! :)

We have varied interests, and we love spending time on activities that we can do together, however our most favorite thing is camping at the many local camping destinations in the SF Bay Area! As a family, 2016 was a very big year for us. In addition to Macy starting school at Village, we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, Jake turned 21 years old, Tom ran in the New York Marathon, and Nan took on the challenge of hosting Thanksgiving for our extended family for the very first time… Phew!


Q&A

How did you find your way to Village?
Tom and Macy belong to a YMCA Adventure Guides group named ‘The Snow Leopards.’ Although we were happy at Castlemont, there were a number of dads and girls in the group constantly raving about Village School and the fantastic experience. We were convinced it would be a great school for Macy, and we entered the lottery. 

How easy was the transition from another school?
The transition was nearly seamless. Macy felt welcomed from the very first day. It helped that she already knew a few girls at school, however she seemed to fit right in almost immediately. The kids and parents were very gracious and inclusive with Macy; it was wonderful. Macy loves her teacher(s) and the kids at Village.

How would you describe the first 3 months experience?
Actually our first 3 months were less overwhelming than we were led to believe! Sure there are the parent classes, family jobs, classroom work, yard duty shifts, snacks, fundraisers and field trips. However, it is amazing the way all of the parents come together to support each other and the school. Like Macy, we as parents have felt 100% welcomed and included.

What have you been most surprised by so far?
Really, there haven’t been many surprises. Because we had a lot of insight from friends during our decision process, we mostly knew what to expect. That being said, Village has exceeded our expectations in nearly every way.

Biggest challenge/adjustment so far?
Well, of course, the level of involvement has been a major adjustment for us for sure. It is certainly more than we have ever contributed to a school! However, it feels very normal now. When all of the parents get involved to this high degree, it is really magical and you can clearly see the positive impact on the kids. It’s a juggling act, although well worth it.

What are you enjoying most about being part of the Village community?
As a parent you want what is best for your child. We feel that Village is the best school for Macy, and the best school community for our family. Nan said it best… “This school is like a big warm hug.” Thank you all for welcoming us!