Cynthia Reich

Cynthia Reich's three daughters all attended Oakwood from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and she currently has two grandchildren, Erin and Matt, at the elementary school. Her history of involvement at Oakwood has set a precedent and her oldest daughter, Shayne Reich Lipsey is continuing that legacy as a parent volunteer. Cynthia has the distinction of being a past president of the Parent Organization at both the Elementary and Secondary schools.

Cynthia recalls that her daughter's nursery school teacher recommended Oakwood to her and she was "hooked right away." Although she did not have previous experience with progressive education, Cynthia was impressed with the Oakwood curriculum -especially its social studies program that even today has her third grade granddaughter studying Indian cultures much as her daughters did when they were in school. She is pleased that her grandchildren are receiving the same high quality education. When her girls were younger she was not working outside of her home, and she became an active school volunteer, working on campus, in the Parent Organization and on the Board of Trustees. She recalls that the parents wrote and typed a newspaper, "The Bark," and ran copies off on the ditto machine. Many of the mothers would drop their kids off at school and literally 'hang around' helping out wherever they were needed.

Cynthia was president of the Parent Organization at the elementary school for two years ('76-'77), took one year off while she remained on the Board of Trustees, and then was president of the secondary school in 1979 and '80. She chaired the Fair, which was not nearly as elaborate as it is now, and assisted in putting together a cookbook. There was a great deal of transition during this time regarding changes in the professional leadership of the school, and there were many Parent Organization meetings regarding these issues. Cynthia recalls that it was difficult to get parents at the secondary school to serve on committees and become involved, and joining the two groups did much to foster a more collegial atmosphere.

Her late husband, Mel, who passed away in July 2000, was also very involved with Oakwood serving on Board committees such as the Financial Aid Committee, which designated money for financial assistance. At the elementary school he helped construct a tree house in the 70s, which is still there!

Although Cynthia said that she never thought of herself as a leader, her terms as president and her service on the Broad made her realize that she had the ability to effectively work with others, and the experiences she gained through Oakwood led her to pursue a law degree. She attended law school while her daughters were in high school and currently is in private practice representing claimants for Social Security Disability Benefits. Her daughter Shayne, is also an active volunteer, serving as volunteer development coordinator of the Parent Organization, Kindergarten head room parent, and a member of the Alumni Council. Her other daughter Julie ('84) and her husband John reside in the Boston area with their daughter, Lily, and Francine ('87) and her husband Gavin live in Burbank. Shayne's husband David is always a willing helper at Oakwood events.

Ruth Kraft

Ruth Kraft was Parent Organization president at the elementary school for two years in the early 70s, but worked with the school in other capacities for many years. Her husband Gilman Kraft was a graduate of the Ethical Culture/Fieldston School in New York, where Marie Spottswood was his teacher. Ruth recalls that her daughter started at Oakwood in Kindergarten in 1969 when another child left and thereby created a space for Dana, who stayed until 6th grade. Her son, Richard, attended Oakwood from the fourth through the ninth grade, when he left for Beverly Hills High School where he was ranked the number one player on the tennis team.

Ruth recalls her years of involvement as an interested parent who was concerned about curriculum, as was her husband who was also involved with the Board. She helped with fundraising and remembers stitching needlepoint pillows, which were sold to raise money for the school. There were school barbecues and many social occasions, which made Oakwood a nice place for parents, as well as a nurturing, relaxed environment for their children. She recalls that many of her children's classmates had their first "sleep-over" at her home. She wanted her children to do well in school and feel positively about learning as those were important values in the Kraft household, and consequently she felt that her involvement as a concerned parent was important for her family as well as for the other students at school.

Her late husband, Gilman Kraft, was a true intellectual, and when he graduated from Columbia University he started the Reader's Subscription Book Club as its publisher. Gilman and Lionel Trilling decided to create a book club for readers too serious about books to belong to the Book-of-the-Month Club, and wrote the essays, which were recently published in a volume, and reviewed in New Yorker Magazine. It was his intellectualism that led Gilman to his involvement with the Board and the educational practices of Oakwood. One of Ruth's objectives during her tenure with the Parent Organization was, "to get all the parents involved," and she herself was committed during the entire time her children were Oakwood students.

This dedication to community service is evidenced by Ruth's current charity work with groups such as the Westside Center for Independent Living. Former Oakwood student Dana is currently the publisher of Performing Arts Magazine; she and her husband, Lem, a writer, have three children. Richard, a sculptor, and his wife, Sonia, an artist have two children. These five grandchildren, as well as the offspring of her other two children, Susan and Frank, also delight Ruth and keep her quite busy.

Brenda Fritz

Brenda Fritz recalls her days as an Oakwood parent as filled with activities that involved the entire family. It was more than a school, it was a lifestyle, and for the Fritzes it most certainly still is.

When they first applied to Oakwood, Suzanne was just six months old. Brenda started calling the school secretary every six months to put Suzanne on a "wait list' for kindergarten. The Fritzes were told that no such list existed, however when Suzanne was ready for school, and they attended the open house everyone knew about the family who had continued to call to save a place for their daughter!

When her daughters, Suzanne and Jenny attended elementary school it was truly a nurturing environment with "lots of kittens, rabbits, and chickens". The Fritzes, who have been married for thirty-nine years, are the kind of couple who approach everything jointly, and this included their involvement at Oakwood. Ken, along with some of the other fathers, built the original play structure. When a class trip was organized it was not uncommon for a group of parents to go along, too, and when there was an overnight or an evening event, everyone cooked. Taking Suzanne and Jenny to school entailed, "driving over the hill' and it was just as easy for Brenda to stay and work on campus in some capacity, as to drive back and forth. The Fritzes are very family oriented, and Brenda feels that has been wonderful for her children, who can truly understand and appreciate the concept of relationship and commitment. The dedication that the Oakwood parents made to the school and its community was deep and heartfelt. It was not a 'showy' place, and the parents did not feel that that the children needed to have a 'glitzy' environment in which to develop and be educated. The school was always a safe place for kids, and as Brenda says, "For us to." Suzanne, a lifer ('87) and Jenny attended school with the children of people who shared the same values as the Fritzes, and this was what was most important to Brenda and Ken. "Oakwood knew how to take care of its own community," such that if one of the families had a problem, there was a group of people who would come together, and could be counted on to help in any way they could. The Fritzes knew all of the kids, and the children in turn knew that this was a family that they could rely on. "Follow through with your swing," is a Fritz motto. Whatever it is you choose to do, follow through with it and see it to its end. Brenda declares that "Oakwood is the most inclusive school we have ever been involved in," and everyone is truly welcome to participate in some way. When Suzanne attended Kenyon College ('91) in Ohio, Brenda and Ken became the regional chairs of the parent association. Their long and positive association with the Oakwood community gave them all the background they needed to be involved in yet another educational institution.

As Parent Organization President, Brenda was the first to lead the jointly united group, which met together and also separately. She remembers those early years as terrific, when even the heated and emotional discussions were fun. The years of developing the philosophy of the school, and deciding what issues were really important for its future were critical for Oakwood's long-range success.

Brenda, whose major involvement for years was Oakwood, is now on the Board of the Women's Guild at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center where she co-chairs the Los Angeles Antique Show every May. She chaired the Oakwood Fair the first time it ever made a profit. The Fritzes developed the idea, and created the first Night in the Fast Lane, an Oakwood bowling fundraiser. Ken, who is a General Member of the Board of Trustees, is a music manager. Suzanne is a vice-president of marketing and public relations for a film company, and Jenny is a literary agent. Brenda's comment, "We came to Oakwood because we wanted a great place for our kids, and it became a great place for us!" sums up her family's connection to the school. "Ken is a lifetime member-we'll always be here!" How lucky that is for the Oakwood community at large.

Barbara Marshall

Throughout her family's association with Oakwood, Barbara Marshall has been a devoted supporter of almost every aspect of school life. She foresaw the need to provide for growth in the infrastructure of the school to make it long lasting, all the while remaining steadfastly true to its vision and philosophy. Her long history with the Parent Organization and her exemplary work with the Board of Trustees led to her election as General Member of the Board in the 1990s. This life term position is significant because it ensures that the Oakwood philosophy and educational goals will remain consistent with the founding families' vision for the school. Barbara takes the responsibility of her role as advisor and protector of Oakwood's values as seriously today as she did when she had three children at the school during the late 1960s and 1970s.

The Marshall family's association with Oakwood began when Lori, the oldest of their three children started kindergarten. When searching for a school for their daughter, they considered both private and public options. When they first visited Oakwood another parent confided that, "Although it looks a little shabby the kids are really happy." What the Marshalls saw during their first visit to the school was a campus where indeed very happy children were creatively pursuing their own ideas through artwork, in a stimulating educational environment. Barbara remembers that the school had a very warm feeling and that the level of parent participation in and out of the classroom seemed unusually high compared with other schools. They enrolled Lori in Oakwood, and soon after her two younger siblings, Kathleen and Scott, followed suit.

For Barbara, one of her goals for Oakwood has always been to increase its fundraising. As Board chair for three years, she felt that the two parent associations needed to be joined together to provide unity to the school, as well as to be more effective in fundraising. For example, the Elementary School Fair first started as a family day at school, but eventually was turned into an annual fundraiser that built awareness in the community. Barbara felt that if each family contributed annually to the school it would help to make a tremendous difference in what the school could provide to its students. During her tenure on the Board, Barbara attended elementary grade meetings and urged parents to "become more involved in the school, not just financially, but also by coming to the campus, see what's going on. She added "Taking an active part in your school is taking an active part in the future of your children."

When Barbara was Parent Organization president she set the precedent for this person to attend the Board of Trustee meetings. This was one factor that led to her appointment as a General Member, which was significant considering the fact that previously all General Members had been the school's founders. According to Chuck Haas, one of the founders, he recalls that Barbara was the best choice to replace the resigning Ross Cabeen because she, "had been on the Board a long time; she understood the kind of school Oakwood is and believed it is needed in Los Angeles. She would guard the Oakwood philosophy, hold progressive educational ideals, be active in policy decisions and continue to remain interested even after her children graduated."

Her own children also knew that after they graduated from Oakwood their mother would still be a part of the fabric of the school. Oakwood is very fortunate to have someone with Barbara's enthusiasm and idealism serve as an inspiring example to other parents. Barbara and her film director-and-writer husband, Garry, made a significant donation to the school in 1982, which lead to making the dream of purchasing more land to enlarge the secondary campus a reality. Barbara and Garry both believe that there's no better place to put one's money than into their children's school. They have also made donations to construct buildings at the Harvard-Westlake School and Northwestern University.

Barbara's long legacy at the school includes an oral history rich in details of the school's early years. Barbara remembers fondly the strength and vision of the first director, Marie Spottswood, and how things changed when she retired. Shortly after she left, teachers were allowed to decide what color to paint their classrooms, and were made a part of the admissions process. Barbara also was part of a parent group who moved to introduce more competitive sports at both campuses, when previously the focus had been on non-competitive activities like folk dancing.

Barbara has set a tremendous example for others in her devotion to Oakwood. In addition to her work with the school, s is a registered nurse and recently retired from a position with the Los Angeles Free Clinic's High Risk Program. She also can be seen in cameo parts in her husband's movies, where he often features other members of the Marshall clan. The Marshall children will no doubt carry on their mother's examples of devotion to education and volunteerism as they raise their own families. Their daughter, Lori and her husband Bill Fricker, now have twin girls in kindergarten at the San Francisco Day School. During a recent visit to the school, Barbara said it was the most like Oakwood of any school she has ever seen. Their other daughter Kathleen is an actress and producer at Toluca Lake's Falcon Theater. Scott ('87) a film director and actor, recently married Elissa Spivak ('88) who he first met at Oakwood in the fourth grade. For Barbara, her relationship with Oakwood has always been a family affair and she would not want to have it any other way.