Dr. Staley Featured in Ventura Blvd Magazine
Berkeley Hall School is an independent school for nursery through 8th-grade students. Founded in 1911 and situated on 66 acres of natural beauty in Los Angeles, the school’s mission is, “Empowering children to fulfill their unlimited, God-given potential as fearless scholars and conscientious citizens.” Dr. Lisle Staley is Head of School at Berkeley Hall.
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Describe what you do at Berkeley Hall School.
“A Head of School is really a CEO of a company that happens to be a school. You concern yourself with business, fundraising and facilities, as well as with how to move the school forward educationally, improving teaching and learning. I have an unusual history in education that covers research and test design to being a senior vice president of an education company to being an entrepreneur who helped build a small company. Years of classroom teaching and serving as a school district administrator also helped prepare me for the range of my current job.
Tell us about the growth mindset at Berkeley Hall School.
Tell us about the growth mindset at Berkeley Hall School.
“A lot of people think growth mindset is solely about grit and determination. While this is an aspect of it, it’s really more about to what you attribute your successes and failures. We want to make sure children do not adopt a closed mindset, thinking that when they’re successful at something it has to do with something static about themselves, like their IQ, but rather to adopt a growth mindset, understanding that through determined hard work they can set and meet high goals over time.
What’s most rewarding about your work?
“The children—watching them come into their own and realize that they are strong and good and bright and able to really reach out and bless others. It’s wonderful to work in a community where everyone wants to adopt a growth mindset and really wants to commit him or herself to making sure each student becomes fully who he or she is meant to be. And it’s incredibly interesting. There is never a dull moment because there are so many moving parts in a job like this.”
Dr. Staley earned her master’s degree and her PhD in educational psychology from UCLA.
Located in Los Angeles, CA, Berkeley Hall School is a private, coeducational school for students in preschool through grade 8. Rigorous academics in a supportive atmosphere and grounded character development allow students to become fearless scholars and conscientious citizens - gain a love of learning, leadership with social responsibility, creativity with moral integrity, and self-esteem with compassion for others and the environment.