Country School Marks 50th Year

In the last 50 years, the orange tree that stands in the back of the courtyard at the Country School on Laurel Canyon Boulevard has provided shade for many students and probably quite often served as home base in tag games.

So it was appropriate that County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky made a passing reference to the tree in his congratulatory speech to the school for reaching its 50th anniversary, at a celebration Friday in the courtyard.

“Fifty years ago there were a lot more trees like that around the Valley, but a lot has changed since then,” he said.

The private Country School has changed a little bit itself--it’s growing. In fact, school officials are hoping that the anniversary might be a good time to ask for donations to pay to expand the school’s building space. The expansion would add larger computer labs, music and art rooms.

“We want to get the word out on what a great place this school is,” said Robin Wallach, a parent of two students who does public relations for the school.

Wallach said officials would like to expand the school horizontally by purchasing an adjacent vacant lot or a neighboring carwash. If that does not happen, the school will add new rooms vertically, she said.

The expansion plans come just as the partnership with the nearby Burbank Elementary School is growing itself.

Through the partnership, the Country School uses Burbank’s auditorium for assemblies and events and Burbank students use the Country School’s computer labs and art classrooms, programs that Burbank is unable to offer its students.

The partnership between the private and public school “is a great thing,” said Paul Singer, head of the Country School.

To help celebrate the 50th anniversary, officials from Burbank presented the Country School with a tiny tree to be planted in the courtyard. “This tree is to symbolize the growth of your school and the relationship between the two schools,” said Burbank Principal Sharon Greene. “Congratulations.”