Study
Academic Program
The Webb Schools offer a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum aimed at providing students with a well-rounded liberal arts and sciences education while also giving them the space to develop and pursue their passions and interests. Students choose from a full range of courses, including honors, Advanced Placement and Advanced Studies (unique courses designed by Webb faculty).
Each student, in partnership with his or her advisor, develops a course plan that considers both the academic interests and abilities of the student and the demands of their overall program. The Director of Studies and the Dean of College Guidance work with advisors and students to support the process.
Areas of Study
Science is what people use to make sense of their world. Thus, Webb’s program aims to teach students how to ask intelligent questions about nature as well as how to design experiments to answer those questions. Introductory courses encourage an inquiry-based approach to learning. At the conclusion of the sophomore year, students will have been introduced to the essentials of biology, chemistry and physics and are ready for more advanced study. Our advanced courses provide students the opportunity to dive into a field of interest and develop detailed knowledge of a particular discipline. All courses feature experiential learning; as much as possible, students learn by doing.
The science department utilizes the unique resources of the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, located on Webb’s campus, as well as other laboratories at local institutions. All science students are introduced to the activities of the museum’s Peccary Society, a group devoted to the collection and preservation of fossils. The Peccary Society makes frequent day and overnight expeditions throughout Southern California, providing students with ample opportunity to get firsthand involvement in paleontological fieldwork. In addition to the Alf museum, Webb has a number of partnerships with local institutions that enable us to utilize advanced equipment and have access to scientists with specialized knowledge in their fields. These opportunities enable our students to do real science.
The mathematics department uses a problem-based curriculum to engage students in the development of both a knowledge base and a skill set that allows them to apply that knowledge in new and challenging situations. This happens in a student-centered classroom setting where they have the opportunity to experience mathematics symbolically, numerically, graphically and verbally. Students develop the ability to articulate their understanding of mathematics by regularly presenting and defending their solutions, a skill that serves them across disciplines at Webb. We believe that through the process of solving problems, students are encouraged to develop the skills of investigation, conjecture, predicting, analysis and verification, which provide the best foundation for the mastery of mathematics and its application across the curriculum.
The humanities is the interdisciplinary study of human history, cultures, and creativity. The courses in this discipline bring together multiple departments: English, history and the fine arts, helping students cultivate a culture of thinking that crosses the lines of traditional kinds of texts — historical, literary, musical, artistic, commercial, comical and more. While still learning skills specific to traditional disciplines, students also investigate how these disciplines overlap and affect each other. The goal of the core 9th- and 10th-grade humanities experience is to develop skilled readers, writers and thinkers while advancing 21st century competencies such as collaboration — both digital internet and in-person — and graphic and film literacy. These courses serve as a launching pad for more rigorous and focused study in 11th- and 12th-grade electives.
The world languages department offers a full program of study in Spanish, French and Chinese. The curriculum helps students acquire proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing and fosters an understanding and appreciation of other cultures. The initial two years of language provide a means to develop a good accent, to master the basic structures of contemporary Spanish, French and Chinese, to hear the language extensively in the classroom, to read increasingly more complex texts and to develop a functional conversational vocabulary.
In the intermediate-level courses, cultural and literary studies provide the contextual milieu for pursuing proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Advanced study in modern languages allows students to continue to increase their proficiency in the four skill areas while following a course of study that provides university-level challenges.
The fine arts curriculum exposes students to exciting, groundbreaking work from around the world and throughout history — and then challenges them to create their own. Webb art classes encourage students to find unique, unconventional ways to articulate their ideas, as they hone their understanding of theory and technique. By taking advantage of the vast cultural resources of Los Angeles and utilizing emerging technologies, Webb’s fine arts program teaches students how to turn knowledge into action, empowering them to think creatively and act inventively in the classroom, the campus and beyond. The program includes instrumental and vocal music, theater, theater technology, visual and digital media.
Study At Webb
Departments

Lisa Nacionales
Science Department Chair
University of Tampa – BAJohns Hopkins – MA
lnacionales@webb.org
Nicole Windmon
Teacher
Florida Atlantic University – BSUniversity of Notre Dame – PhD
nwindmon@webb.org

Rachel Brookshire
Teacher
Claremont McKenna College – BAUniversity of Southern California – MA
rbrookshire@webb.org
Drew Calvert
Bucknell University – BAStanford University – MA
University of Iowa – MFA
dcalvert@webb.org
Rick Duque
Webb School of California Dean of Students, Teacher
Pitzer College – BAClaremont Graduate University – MA
rduque@webb.org
Mark Dzula
Director of Teaching & Learning Resources
New York University – BACity University of New York – MA
Columbia University – DEd
mdzula@webb.org
Jessica Fisher
Teacher, History & Humanities Department Chair
Brown University – BATufts University – MA
jfisher@webb.org
Gregory Gerken
Teacher, English & Humanities Department Chair
West Chester University – BABirkbeck, University of London – MA
ggerken@webb.org
Lauren Hartle
Teacher
Azusa Pacific – BA English LiteratureClaremont Graduate University – MA English Literature
lhartle@webb.org
James Huerta
Teacher
University of California, Irvine – BAUniversity of Southern California – MA
jhuerta@webb.org
Susanna Linsley
Director of Experiential Learning
Mount Holyoke College – ABUniversity of Michigan – MA, PhD
slinsley@webb.org
Wendy Maxon
Teacher
University of California, Los Angeles – BAUniversity of California, San Diego – MA, PhD
wmaxon@webb.org
Anthony D Shin
Associate Director of College Guidance
Claremont McKenna College – BAClaremont Graduate University – MA
ashin@webb.org
Theresa Smith
Associate Head of Schools
University of California, Berkeley – BAUniversity of California, San Diego – MA, PhD
tsmith@webb.org

James Dahler
Teacher
St. Francis College – BSjdahler@webb.org
Carissa DeRanek
Teacher
Harvey Mudd College – BScderanek@webb.org
Howard Kalter
Teacher
Bucknell University – BShkalter@webb.org
Sarah Lantz
Vivian Webb School Dean of Students
Scripps College – BAClaremont Graduate University – MA
slantz@webb.org
Andrew Neyer
Teacher, Mathematics & Computer Science Department Chair
Miami University – BA, BS, MATaneyer@webb.org
Geoffrey Owers
Teacher
Arizona State University – BS, MEdgowers@webb.org
William Walker
Teacher
Northeastern University – BSEERensselaer Polytechnic Institute – MEng
wwalker@webb.org

Sean Burns
Teacher
California State University, Los Angeles – BMCalifornia State University, Fullerton – MM
sburns@webb.org
Kyle Champion
Teacher
Southern Methodist University – BAUniversity of Southern California – MM
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kchampion@webb.org
Ardina Greco
Teacher
San Francisco Art Institute – BAColumbia University – EdM
agreco@webb.org
Megan Horejsi
Teacher
University of California, Santa Barbara – BALoyola Marymount University – MA
mhorejsi@webb.org
Jackie Leishman
Teacher
University of Georgia – BAAcademy of Art University – MFA
jleishman@webb.org
Stefanie K Plumley
Teacher, Fine Arts Department Chair
University of Southern California – BAUniversity of Edinburgh – MA
splumley@webb.org
Linda Silva
Teacher
Oberlin College Conservatory of Music – BMRice University – MM
lsilva@webb.org
Alex Valdez
Theater Technical Director
avaldez@webb.org
Sonsoles Cardalliaguet
Teacher
Central Espanol Nuevas Profesiones de Madrid – BAUniversidad de Leon – MA
scardalliaguet@webb.org
Morgan Kapp
Teacher
Bucknell University – BAMiddlebury College – MA
mkapp@webb.org
Michael Kozden
Teacher, World Languages Department Chair
Penn State University – BA, MAmkozden@webb.org
Malick Mbengue
Teacher
University of Dakar – BAUniversity of Louisville – MA
mmbengue@webb.org
Viviana Nicolosi
Teacher
Marquette University – B.A. French and SpanishUniversité de Montpellier – Licence de Lettres
New York University – Masters in French Literature
Boise State University – Certificate in Instructional Design
vnicolosi@webb.org
Javier Valera
Teacher
Normal America – BANormal Superior Nueva Galicia – MS
jvalera@webb.org
Joseph Vincent
Reed College – BANational Taiwan University – MA
jvincent@webb.org