Admissions

Welcome

From the Admissions Director

2023 will be remembered as the year of Barbie, the blockbuster summer movie that has surpassed a box office take of one billion dollars. The film’s director and co-writer, Greta Gerwig, has been celebrated for her incisive, cerebral, witty interpretation of what happens when her main character leaves “Barbieland.” Ms.Gerwig, a girls’ school graduate whose alma mater is Barnard College, tells the story of how Barbie is stunned by the gender bias and misperception she experiences in the “RealWorld” and must choose a new destiny for herself. 

“I wanted to make something anarchic and wild and funny and cathartic,’’ said Ms. Gerwig, who was the keynote speaker at the 2020 Archer Film Festival, in The New York Times recently. “And the idea that it’s actually being received that way, it’s sort of extraordinary.’’

This brings me to my favorite day of the school year: graduation. Our Archer girls are authentic and sparkling – wearing white dresses of their own choosing, donning fresh floral wreaths in their hair and clutching diplomas that symbolize their achievements. 

When they depart from Archer, our graduates are able to navigate the realities of the greater world because they are equipped to compete and lead with empathy, to excel without apology. They have been taught to explore, experiment, take purposeful risks, fail and recalibrate on their terms, preparing them to live, learn and lead fearlessly and joyfully for the rest of their lives.

Archer girls are vibrant, sharp and unstoppable because we give rise to limitless girls. At our school, you will find every kind of student: scientist, performer, musician, activist, journalist, athlete, filmmaker, ambassador, writer, dancer and environmentalist. Archer offers every girl the opportunity to explore her edges and find that crucial intersection of their passions and purpose. 

Our innovative learning environment develops girls into fearless leaders who can pursue their brilliance. Archer offers a research-based, boundary-pushing education that yields distinct and impressive outcomes for girls. Our focus on community and resilience creates an educational experience like no other.

I invite you to learn about Archer with the hopes that you will discover that Archer and your daughter might be the right match.

-Felicia Paik, Director of Admissions
fpaik@archer.org
Felicia joined Archer in 2010. She holds a degree in communications from Stanford University and was a journalist for almost 20 years, writing for numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Felicia is committed to education and to service in the community. She was the Board Chair at Brentwood Presbyterian Pre-School, PTA President at Franklin Elementary and Lincoln Middle Schools in Santa Monica. Felicia is a girls' school graduate, who attended the Westlake School for Girls and Castilleja School, and serves as a member of the Castilleja Alumnae Executive Committee. Felicia's daughter, Sabrina '22, is a sophomore at UC Berkeley. Her son, Ryan, graduated from Harvard College and is attending UC Berkeley School of Law. Felicia and her husband live in her hometown of Santa Monica.
"To me, an Archer girl is dedicated, compassionate, inquisitive, spirited, and effervescent."
Meet the Team
Carla joined the Archer community in 2013 and has been able to continue pursuing her passion in education. A Los Angeles native, Carla earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with a concentration in language and literacy from California State University, Long Beach. Carla has been a classroom teacher and has worked previously as an admissions officer at an all-girls’ high school in Glendale. Outside of Archer, Carla enjoys family time with her husband and two children, Sebastian and Camila. She is also fluent in Spanish.

Contact Carla: calcala@archer.org
Amy joined the Archer community in 2018. She grew up in Florida and earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in corporate and public communication from Florida State University. Previously, Amy worked as an admissions officer at her alma mater. Outside of Archer, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her loved ones, and staying active.

Contact Amy: achen@archer.org
 
Lucy joined the Archer community in 2011 as a history teacher. Later, she was the history department chair for several years before she joined the Admissions Office. Lucy grew up outside of Chicago and earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Outside of Archer, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. Both attend The Center for Early Education, with Sadie in first grade and Bo in third grade.

Contact Lucy: lpinkwater@archer.org
 

The Archer School for Girls admits students of any race, color, religion, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or other legally protected status to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or other legally protected status in its hiring or in the administration of its educational policies and programs, admissions policies, financial aid programs or other school-administered programs. 

The Archer School for Girls’ mission is to educate students in an environment specifically designed for girls. As such, the school will consider any candidate for admission who identifies as a girl. Once admitted to Archer, all students in good academic standing who abide by Archer’s code of conduct and who meet requirements for graduation will be eligible to receive an Archer diploma, regardless of any change in sexual identity or other legally protected status.