Chandler School

This year, Chandler is intentionally deepening our work and furthering our growth by partnering with strategist, facilitator and thought leader Jason Craige Harris and the team at ⁠ Pollyanna ⁠ , whose wisdom and guidance continue to enrich our shared efforts and environment. On this latest episode, Jason joins Head of School Emily Brown , Lower School Director Laura Reardon '00 and Middle Sch...

What makes a great buddy? In this episode of Chandler Chats Jr., Student Host Ava '29 sits down with Izzy '27 and Aurelia '33 to talk about their buddy experience, favorite memories, funny moments and what makes their friendship special. Plus, Chandler students bring the questions—including the all-important CFA Hot Lunch question! Tune in for a fun, student-led conversation about frie...

In this episode, Head of School Emily Brown sits down with Director of Belonging and Strategic Engagement Hillary Blunt and Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) for Program Development Katya Warner to talk about how our team prioritizes connection, invests in belonging and supports our students in navigating the complexities, challenges and conflicts they inevitably encounter throughout their deve...

In this latest episode of the Chandler Chats , Head of School Emily Brown hosts Director of Advancement and Strategic Initiatives Joan Bravo , Assistant Director of Annual Giving Lynde Tomori Trussell and Trustee and Chair of the Advancement Committee Olivia Moore for a conversation about Chandler's vibrant culture of philanthropy, the power of our community’s relational culture and the impact...

In this episode, of Chandler Chats Head of School Emily Brown talks with 6th Grade Science Teacher and 6th Grade Advisory Coordinator Kyle Rubalcava, 7th Grade Science Teacher Brandon Carnes and 8th Grade English Teacher and 8th Grade Advisory Coordinator Anna Schlosser about advisory: how it supports students’ academic, social and emotional growth, what changes across grades six through eight, an...

Chandler Chats Jr. is back—and these Middle Schoolers have questions! This time, Nathan '29, our middle school host is putting Coaches David Lazaro and Eric Glover in the hot seat. From coaching and competition to the questions you actually want answered, our kids aren’t holding back. Who asked the best questions? You’ll have to listen to find out. This is one episode you definitely don’t want to...

In this episode of Chandler Chats , Head of School Emily Brown talks with Director of Enrollment Management Gretchen Lurie, Admissions Manager Connie Mohandesi and Admissions Ambassador Alyson Schreiber about getting to know Chandler School. They share what families can expect during admissions season, from campus tours and the October 3 Open House to the Learning Together community series, and di...

In this episode of Chandler Chats , we explore the important role of social-emotional learning (SEL) in the Lower School with Kacie Chaney, Megan Collins and Julie Gutierrez . Together, they share how they spent the summer developing new SEL resources for K–5 students and how these lessons are helping children build skills in self-awareness, self-management, relationships, communication, conflict...

In our very first episode, student host Lucas G. '29 sits down with our Head of School Emily Brown for a fun conversation about school, leadership and what makes Chandler special. Emily answers questions from our students about her journey to Chandler, her favorite parts of school life, the CFA Hot Lunch, and even what she would do if she weren’t a school leader! Chandler Chats Jr. gives our s...

Emily Brown chats with three current Chandler eighth graders about their outdoor education trips and the ways these experiences have shaped them and their classmates across their educational journeys. Students and alumni regularly rave about the outdoor education program and often cite the experiences they’ve had traveling and exploring nature with their peers as some of their absolute best memori...

On this episode of Chandler Chats, Head of School Emily Brown sits down with long-time teacher  Carol Standing , second grade teacher and Employee Mentorship Co-Coordinator  Ashley Weideman , and new third grade teaching assistant  Yvette Alvarez  to explore what makes Chandler’s faculty community so special. Together, they reflect on the opening days of the 2026–2027 school year, the intentional...

On the first day of school, Head of School Emily Brown sat down with Lower School Director Laura Reardon and Middle School Director Mateo Reyes to reflect on the excitement surrounding Chandler’s opening days and share what is on the school leadership team’s mind as the 2026–2027 year begins. Together, they discuss employee in-service week, Chandler’s commitment to building a relational culture, t...

Head of School Emily Brown sits down with CFA leaders Amy Wang and Chris Willis to share how every Chandler parent can find a meaningful place in our community. From cultural recognition programs and community learning to the Book Fair, Family Fair and parent socials, there are many ways to connect and volunteer opportunities to fit every schedule. Tune in to hear what’s ahead for the 2026–2027 sc...

This special episode of Chandler Chats brings our story full circle as we wrap our 75th Anniversary festivities. Head of School Emily Brown sits down with Toby Harder ’59 and Jay Harder ’96, a father and son duo whose shared Chandler experience spans generations. Together, they reflect on what it was like to be a student in two very different eras—from Toby’s days in the very first campus in Altad...

In this special episode of Chandler Chats , Head of School Emily Brown sits down with Jeff Stephens, Chandler’s third Head of School, as part of our 75th anniversary celebration. Serving from 1979 to 2001, Jeff reflects on more than two decades of leadership and the people, traditions and values that helped shape Chandler into the school we know today. From his early days as a headmaster in San Fr...

We’re excited to share the latest episode of Chandler Chats with Emily Brown , featuring special guest Dave Edwards, founder of Gender Inclusive Schools, alongside our own Hilary Blunt, Director of Belonging and Strategic Engagement. Many of our families may remember Dave’s visit to campus in March of 2026, where he led a Learning Together Community Education session and worked closely with our fa...

In this episode of  Chandler Chats , Head of School Emily Brown sits down with two cherished members of our faculty,  Mr. Donny Kincey  and  Mr. Robert Calderon , known to generations of students as Mr. Donny and Mr. Cal. Both were recently honored with Faculty Awards: Mr. Cal received  The Durairaj Family Endowed Faculty Award in Memory of Mr. Vernon L. Hill , and Mr. Donny was awarded the  Max &...

In this episode of  Chandler Chats , Emily Brown sits down with  Director of Athletics Bill Anderson  and  Spanish Department Chair (and multi-sport coach) Oscar Lugo  for a dynamic conversation about the heart behind Chandler athletics. From Run Club mornings to the Paul Korn Invitational, and the Five-Sport Award to our upcoming Sports-A-Thon, we explore how athletics at Chandler is about so muc...

In this episode of  Chandler Chats , Emily Brown is joined by  Assistant Director of Alumni Relations and Campaign Jenny Seto  and  Vice President of Villa Esperanza Services Gioia Pastre for  a conversation centered on service, connection and the partnerships that help our community thrive. We are happy to share this episode ahead of Big Service Day, our annual, cherished tradition where students...

In this episode of  Chandler Chats , Emily Brown is joined by  Eric Hudson  and  Kim Edwards  for a timely and thoughtful conversation about the role of artificial intelligence in education and what it means for our students, families and educators. As AI becomes more present in classrooms and daily life, this episode invites us to slow down and consider not just the tools themselves, but the huma...

In this episode of Chandler Chats , Emily Brown reflected on the lasting impact of the Eaton Fire one year later and the powerful ways communities come together in moments of loss and recovery. Through thoughtful conversation with Altadena Town Council Vice Chair Nic Arnzen at the Eaton Fire Collaborative , this episode explores remembrance, resilience and the collaborative efforts that help commu...

In this week’s episode of Chandler Chats , I am  joined by Learning Together speaker Jason Craige Harris for a timely and thought-provoking conversation about conflict - what it is, why it’s unavoidable and how we can learn to engage conflict more skillfully within our school and broader community.  Drawing from his work with educators, parents and organizations, Jason reframes conflict as a natur...

In this week’s episode of Chandler Chats , Head of School Emily Brown sits down with two beloved members of our community and Chandler Spirit Award recipients: longtime art teacher Travis Chatham and alumna-turned-educator Catherine Pearson ’06 . Together, they reflect on the joy, gratitude and optimism that shape their work every day, whether it’s guiding K-8 artists through creative exploration,...

In this latest episode, Head of School Emily Brown sits down with  Director of Learning Resources Scott Nancarrow  and  Kindergarten Teacher Kacie Chaney  to talk about how Chandler’s commitment to differentiated instruction helps every child grow with confidence. Scott and Kacie share how the School collaborates to support students’ diverse learning needs, whether through small group instruction,...

In this latest episode of Chandler Chats , Head of School Emily Brown sits down with Hillary Blunt , Director of Belonging and Strategic Engagement, and Julie Mendoza , School Counselor, for a heartfelt conversation about what it means for every student to feel known, supported and connected. Together, they explore how belonging and well-being are intertwined with academic success and how Chandler...