Gateway School to celebrate new head of school, Hannah Wikse, and 55th anniversary

Gateway School, an independent K-8 charter school on Santa Cruz’s Westside, is celebrating its new head of school and its 55th anniversary with a public convocation at UC Santa Cruz’s Cowell Ranch Hay Barn later this month.

Scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26, from 4 to 6 p.m., the event will celebrate Head of School Hannah Wikse, a longtime employee of the school who was appointed to the top role in January. The celebration will also commemorate the history of the school founded in 1970.

For the past 11 years, Wikse, 37, served as a Gateway kindergarten teacher, assistant head of school and interim head of school. She has a bachelor’s degree in feminist studies and education and a master’s degree in education from UC Santa Cruz. She is Gateway’s seventh head of school.

“This convocation is not just about my appointment, but a celebration of Gateway’s enduring impact on education in Santa Cruz,” Wikse said in a statement. “It’s particularly meaningful as we come together to honor our legacy, something we weren’t able to do for our 50th anniversary due to the pandemic. As we approach our 55th year of teaching the children of Santa Cruz, this is a celebration of Gateway’s unique approach to education and the decades of accomplishments achieved by our community.”

The celebration will have interactive displays telling the story of Gateway’s history, a Gateway family tree and memorial table. Gateway community members and the public are welcome to the convocation, for which registration is required.