Our voices have been heard!
In a message sent out to the Webb community on September 18th, Dr. Theresa Smith, Head of Schools, wrote, “We’ve heard from members of the Webb community, including alumni, current students and families… that while Webb’s mission and values continue to resonate with our community, the name ‘Webb Collegiate’ does not.”
The email came as a shock for many Webb students, who thought that Webb Collegiate was set in stone.
“On the one hand, I was surprised, because it came out at such a random time,” Andrew Barrantes (‘25) said. “But on the other hand, I’m happy that they listened to student feedback.”
In March 2023, the sound of Outlook notifications echoed through classes, as a STAS email chain blew up with dismay at a new name change. Many students believed that the name, “Webb Collegiate” would sit on their diplomas, and be the name of the school for the next century. That infamous week and STAS chain has become ingrained into the minds of returning Webb students.
“People were mad, everyone went to STAS complaining. Everyone agreed that as a school, ‘Webb Collegiate’ was bad,” said Jonathan Rosales-Cardenas (‘24), student government executive.
In contrast, students seem much more content with the decision to backtrack, which is evidenced by the fact that nobody showed up to this year’s impromptu meeting.
“I think it was a good move by the school to listen to the voices of the student population and I think this name will really resonate with the student body rather than Webb Collegiate,” said Brianna Stodghill (‘26), Class President of 2026.
The reasoning behind the change, Dr. Smith explained, was primarily due to student, family and alumni feedback.
“We heard from a lot of different constituencies in the school that the name just didn’t resonate with them the way we had hoped, and that it felt like they were losing their school,” Dr. Smith said.
Many felt an emotional connection to The Webb Schools as a name that defined Webb and its community. They believe that while Webb’s new school model promises change and looking toward the future, the community must not forget its past, lest it lose its character.
“The collegiate name didn’t feel opening and welcoming,” Andrew said. “It felt formal and stiff, different from the community.”
Over the last few months, the Board of Trustees reviewed the feedback from different members of the community and held meetings with senior leadership, finally solidifying the decision with a formal vote. With “The Webb Schools,” we continue to honor the legacy of Webb School of California and Vivian Webb School. From a practical point of view, Webb is looking to refine the branding materials to fit the new model, but little will be changed. While Webb will no longer appear as two institutions to colleges, the official transcripts have already displayed the name “The Webb Schools” for many years.
Rather than symbolizing sudden, drastic changes, the new name represents Webb’s gradual evolution into something new. Looking forward, the board will launch a 12-18 month-long process in February 2024 that looks forward to envisioning the next steps for Webb.
Although Webbies did not get much say on the initial name branding, the administration hopes to include more opportunities for students to weigh in on future decisions. Avenues like the Head’s Student Leaders Council hope to establish a regular channel of communication between students and Webb’s administration.
“I think the council is an effective way to bridge student-admin communication,” said Annie Han (‘24), a member of the Head’s Student Leaders Council. She explained that the issue, like students getting marked tardy or absent for taking pictures at chapel, is now being discussed by admin after it was raised at the Head Student Leaders meeting.
Student leaders also acknowledged the significance of this change as the beginning of fostering a more productive student-admin relationship. This process showed that student voices do matter and can influence admin decisions.
“This sets the precedent for when push comes to shove,” Jonathan said. “When students aren’t happy about a decision, the admin is willing to make a change.”
![Student researcher Elaine Tang (‘24) created a comic for the Fossil Fest to explain the two ways fossils are formed in a tarpit. “I chose to explain my research by comic because there are a lot of kids coming to the [Fossil] Fest,” Elaine said. “They are all very interested and even painted on my comic with their favorite colors.” Fossil Fest is one of the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology Discovery Day events during which scientists and museum visitors are invited to celebrate paleontology.](https://webbcanyonchronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/9eae070d6f5f12b684fd6d4ff457a01.jpg)
![Blue, white, and gold colored balloons surround the doorway to the new Bonnie Johnson Hall. Dr. Theresa Smith and Blake Johnson pose with large scissors, prepared to cut the ribbon as many faculty, alumni, and others watch and applaud. “I look at [the science lab] as a space where students are pursuing their own scientific questions, where they can collaborate with their other peers, and where discovery is happening,” said Lisa Nacionales, Science Department Chair.](https://webbcanyonchronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Smith_and_Johnson.HEIC.jpg)
