On Novem­ber 18, 2020, Heidi announced that after 25 years at Waverly, she will be retir­ing as Head of School on June 30, 2021. Waverly faculty and staff reflect on working with and knowing Heidi over the years.

• I just wanted to say thank you for every­thing that you have done for us. You have been such an amazing leader, and I have learned a lot working with you over the last two years. I will always remem­ber your commit­ment, hard work, and posi­tive atti­tude. I wish you the best in this new chapter of your life. Until we meet again, hope­fully very soon. — Andrés Roblero Villalo­bos, Spanish

• In a parent teacher confer­ence this past spring, right after we had moved to remote learn­ing, a parent said to me, ​“It’s evident that you teach­ers are supported at Waverly. And, when we (parents) get emails from Heidi, it feels like a hug, and that we are also supported, and I always feel better after receiv­ing them.” The parent then remarked that what the teach­ers are giving to the students during this period of remote learn­ing is amazing. And I responded that it is because of how we are treated and supported, that we in turn can give that to our students and fami­lies. We are all so lucky! Heidi has created a place that supports and cares for us as teach­ers. She supports each of us, on so many levels. — Brit­tany Reynolds, elementary teacher

• I feel so grate­ful to have gotten the chance to meet Heidi. She is someone who emanates peace, kind­ness, and strength. She is a person who not only leads with her words, but how she lives life shows how she cared for each person that stepped into Waverly. She is a true inspi­ra­tion. — Alexis Bolaños, receptionist
• Heidi is the best boss I’ve ever had. She is smart, reason­able, and witty. She is forgiv­ing and trust­ing. She has done more for me by doing more for chil­dren and teenagers through this incred­i­ble little school we call home. Heidi likes to say that we are all Waverly, and while that is not untrue, she is Waverly. — Lisa Groen­ing, English
• My rela­tion­ship with Heidi has multi­ple layers. The first layer is that we were both new mothers, as our sons are the same age and began their Waverly career as tiny babies under a year old. They were both Waverly ​“lifers,” and grad­u­ated from Waverly the same year, 2008. The second layer is our love of all animals. We rescued dogs, kittens, birds, insects, and spiders together. Heidi allowed our class to have a bake sale to raise money to save one of our class­room pets! She also welcomed my giant dog to the All-School Meeting for his birth­day cele­bra­tion every year. He would go into the middle of the birth­day circle and sit with her, gently lick her cheek, and lay his 20 lb. head on her lap as the chil­dren whis­pered Happy Birth­day to him, so as not to scare him. Finally, Heidi is the epitome of strength, eloquence, and trust­wor­thi­ness. Her support, respect, and honesty are unequaled. A chat alone with Heidi is always trea­sured. Even though her plate is always full, she always makes time to talk. I will remem­ber Heidi fondly as a calm and focused leader, a playful singer and dancer at school func­tions, an amazing writer, a true nature and animal lover, and an extra­or­di­nary role model for all. Heidi touched so many lives through­out her time at Waverly, and I hope she knows how much she is adored and how many truly admire her. It will not be the same without her. — Marina Dahlen, preschool teacher
• I was a couple years in, working as the elemen­tary school recep­tion­ist, when the movie The Devil Wears Prada was released. One day during the summer, Heidi walked by my desk and casu­ally asked if I thought she was like the Meryl Streep char­ac­ter. I told her I hadn’t seen the movie yet (but I wanted to), and that after I saw it, I’d let her know. I bought myself a ticket and, a little reluc­tantly, sat through the movie, terri­fied that I’d have to report back an awful truth. I watched and kept waiting for a glimpse of famil­iar­ness in Miranda Priestly. It never came. Heidi is nothing like the Meryl Streep char­ac­ter in The Devil Wears Prada! Quite the oppo­site. Heidi has been a kind and caring boss (I’ll never forget a partic­u­larly stress­ful day I spent crying at the front desk, when Heidi cheered me up by bring­ing me choco­late – not a little piece, but a whole bar!). She possesses so much I admire – incom­pa­ra­ble lead­er­ship skills, incred­i­ble patience and calm, the uncanny ability to switch from serious to silly with ease. It’s hard to envi­sion Waverly without Heidi, but I am grate­ful to have worked with her. Congrat­u­la­tions, Heidi, and I will miss you! — Margaret Lopez, website manager