ALUMNI RESOURCES

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After the hugline on the last day of my 4th grade year a disturbing thought tainted the thrill of the mudpies, slide show and songs of our year-end celebration. "One day, I won't be leaving for the summer, I'll be leaving for good…" The recollection now makes me chuckle. How little I understood that it is impossible to leave - the school is part of who I am! In everything that I do, I am profoundly aware that my experience at The San Francisco School wove the threads that are now the fabric of my life. My values, my decisions and my passions all find their origins in those early days of learning dances from around the world, testing the properties of mystery powders, weaving on a handmade loom, taking a silent night-hike in Calaveras or hearing the personal story of a refugee from the war in El Salvador. And I am not alone.

Every time I talk to graduates from The San Francisco School, I am struck by the special connection we share and fascinated by the creative and unusual paths all of our lives have taken. There are those who have studied classical Indian music and are now practicing Chinese medicine and those who are performing in a traveling circus or acting off Broadway, volunteering in Mexico, or conducting research in the Amazon. Others advise international students, evaluate day care centers, design textiles, and run antique shops. While our paths show incredible diversity, they also illuminate a common theme of creativity, compassion and cross-cultural learning - qualities that were cultivated in our SFS years and are now part of our very essence.

Indeed, our endeavors amply reflect the mission statement of The San Francisco School and exemplify its enduring role in our lives, even as the years since our last mudpie in the music room roll by. The school is still so much a part of us and I encourage alumni and alumni parents to imagine how we can reciprocate the relationship and continue to be part of the school. For me, reconnecting as a member of the Board of Directors has been a profound experience and I would love to see more of us involved. By attending school events, participating in the pen pal exchange with current students, contributing to the annual fund, doing a guest presentation for classes or just stopping by to say hello, we can actively support the community that so enriched our lives in our younger years. I invite you to share your story with us, be involved, and stay connected.

In the year and a half that I’ve been back at the school we have had alumni support the Capital Campaign and the Annual Fund, attend the 35th Anniversary Celebration, share their wisdom regarding high school decision making, join the Middle School backpacking trip, pick up siblings, teach in the classroom, work in the office, attend the ribbon cutting for the new Middle School Building, call old classmates during our Alumni Phonathon, observe classes for educational research, and just stop by to say hello to old teachers and to admire our improved home here at 300 Gaven Street.
Every time I speak with someone about my job I am grateful for the opportunity I was given to return to this wonderful place as an adult, and to give back to the community that gave me so much during those important childhood years. How fortunate to be able to be a part of this community, not just once, but twice in my life. The San Francisco School is truly a unique place in the world and we invite and encourage you to stay connected.

Laralyn Bergstedt
Class of 1988

If you would like to have your email and address information updated, please contact alumni coordinator Emily Sweet.