Dear Families,

It is so nice to be back together as a community following our restful and restorative spring break.  Our staffulty and students all look refreshed and poised for an exciting conclusion to the school year!  We have so many beloved traditions and big events in the final quarter, the time will just fly by and soon it will be summer.

The spring will be packed full with our usual array of athletic competitions, weekly weekend activities, outdoor education, field study trips, Wellness Wednesdays, and club contests.  This month’s “campus happenings” section of the newsletter will give you a look back at some of these adventures from March.   Meanwhile, some upcoming key academic and community life events in April and May include:

• April 9 - Arts Night

• April 14 - SAT and PSAT testing on campus

• April 26 - school-wide Prom, with pre-departure red carpet event for local families

• May 5 - May 16 - AP exams on campus

• May 7 - May 10 - Spring Musical performances in Robinson Center

• May 9 - Innovation & Impact Symposium - the annual culminating event for our signature program

• May 12 - Grad Night at Disneyland for Grade 12 students

• May 15 - Senior Family Dinner at Head of School House followed by Senior Party on campus

• May 17 - Graduation for the class of 2025!

• May 23 - Showcase of Learning, our students’ final reflections and presentations on their competency mastery from this school year. 

Our Activities Team wanted to be sure to let you know that your student participated in school photos either this past October or February to be included in EF Academy Pasadena's 2024-2025 yearbook. Traditionally, families have the option to purchase a photo package; however, this year, we partnered with an independent photographer to allow for greater student creativity. As a result, only digital copies of the photos are available.  In addition to their standard headshot, seniors also had a formal cap-and-gown portrait taken to commemorate their upcoming graduation. If you would like to receive your student's headshot or, for seniors, both their standard and cap-and-gown portraits, please email Kaitlyn Sampson, Activities Specialist, and Jodie Pontino, Activities Coordinator/Student Services, at [email protected] and [email protected], and we will send the digital files to you.

In other news, we have a couple of leadership transitions coming up next school year as some of our founding leaders move on to their next adventure.  Jim Sargent has decided not to return to EF Academy in the fall after his paternity leave, so Kyle Kurfist will continue as Interim Director of University and Academic Counseling next school year in addition to this spring.  You heard a bit from Kyle in the February family newsletter.  We are so pleased to have his continued leadership of the UAC team!

Prior to Spring Break our founding Dean of Students, “Dean Sean” Rollolazo, shared with students that he will be moving with his partner to Portugal this summer.  I am excited to share that our very own Sara McCarthy, from the UAC office, will be stepping up as “Dean Sara” beginning in the fall.  Sara is our newsletter featured author this month.  Please enjoy reading her introduction to her background and her aspirations for this role below.  We are excited to have her begin her transition this spring with an amplified focus on celebrating our seniors, giving the Grade 12 students the fanfare they deserve as they depart our campus community and go out into the world!

Speaking of our Grade 12 students, the college and university acceptance news continues to flow in and our class of 2025 is dazzling us!  We are excited to see acceptances across a delightful range of public and private institutions in the US and around the world, representing each student’s deep research and partnership with their UAC on what school will be the very best fit for them.  We are proud to share that our students have gotten into a wide variety of University of California schools this year from UC Berkeley and UCLA to UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UC San Diego, and more!  Our students are also getting accepted at renowned STEM schools such as Virginia Tech and Rochester Institute of Technology, and amazing private institutions like USC, Boston University, Tulane, and Villanova.  And 8 of our seniors have been admitted to NYU this year!  We are so proud of our students and so pleased that we offer such robust and effective support through the complex process of college and university applications from our UAC team.

That is all from me this month!  Wishing you all the very best.

With Appreciation,

Co-author note:

Dear EF Academy Families,

While I look forward to meeting many of you in person over the coming months and years, I’m delighted to introduce myself through this newsletter! As Dr. Mingarelli mentioned, I will be stepping into the role of Dean of Students as “Dean Sara” starting in August 2025. Though this is my first year at EF Academy, I bring over 15 years of experience in secondary education, having served in various leadership roles, including University and Academic Counselor, Director of Enrollment Management and Student Engagement, and Assistant Head of School.

This past year, I have had the privilege of getting to know our incredible student body– each of whom brings a unique perspective and vibrant energy to our campus. Our students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences create a rich tapestry of ideas, culture, and collaboration, and I am eager to continue weaving an inclusive and dynamic community. Dean Sean, Dean Victor, and their dedicated team have spent the last three years building a welcoming and supportive student environment, and I am honored to carry that work forward into Year 4! Personally, I find working with high school students to be an incredible joy as they are at such a momentous time in their lives– their energy, hope, excitement, and possibilities are endless and I am eager to collaborate with them to help make EF Academy Pasadena an unforgettable experience.

One of the most exciting aspects of my new role will be working alongside student leaders and our Senior Leadership Team already this spring to honor the outstanding achievements of the Class of 2025. With acceptances to over 100 universities worldwide, these remarkable young women and men deserve a celebration! The final weeks of an American high school experience are filled with treasured traditions, culminating in the joy of Graduation, and we have exciting plans to make this last quarter truly special! At the same time, we are also working to establish lasting traditions that will define the EF Academy experience for years to come—ensuring that every student, present and future, feels a deep and lasting connection to this community.

There’s an old African proverb that says, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” I firmly believe this sentiment captures the heart of what we are building at EF Academy: a place where students, families, and educators work hand-in-hand to create a supportive and thriving environment. As Dean of Students, my role is to be a partner in your child’s educational, co-curricular, and personal journey, and I am committed to ensuring each student feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. I look forward to collaborating with our student leaders, as well as our Academic, Activities, and Residential Life teams, to create meaningful experiences and lasting memories for our community.

As we step into Year 4, excitement is in the air! Thank you for your trust in us and for sharing your students with EF Academy. We recognize the immense commitment and sacrifice it takes to provide them with such incredible opportunities, and we are truly grateful for your partnership. Like my colleagues, I take tremendous pride in the responsibility you have entrusted to us, and I cannot wait to see the outstanding individuals your children become. Here’s to another exciting year ahead!

With gratitude,