Castilleja celebrated the start of Dr. Betty Noel-Pierre’s tenure as the new Head of School in an installation ceremony on Oct. 3.

Noel-Pierre represents the eighth head of school since Castilleja’s founding—a notable milestone in the school’s over 100-year history. Castilleja students, board members, former colleagues and Noel-Pierre herself gave speeches to celebrate the special event.

In her address, Noel-Pierre highlighted Castilleja’s history as a school created to expand access and opportunity for young women. “Many of you know that I’m a product of a school for girls,” Noel-Pierre said. “But you may not know that I take a particular interest in learning about why different girls’ schools were founded. Through this little passion project, I’ve come to realize there was sometimes something countercultural or revolutionary going on.”

She noted that Castilleja’s creation in 1907 was a response to early inequities in higher education: Young women were not thriving at Stanford, not because of ability, but because of lack of preparation and opportunity. “These ideals, rooted in character and courage, will always be part of Castilleja’s legacy, and that origin story drew me in,” Noel-Pierre added.

She also spoke about her dedication to Castilleja’s five Cs: “Through church, I learned to see charity and courtesy as the love and compassion that you show others, and at school, I learned that if I followed my curiosity, I could make a difference in the world,” Noel-Pierre said.

To commemorate the installation, Noel-Pierre gave each member of the Castilleja community a special pin, a red and white oval with a ‘C’ in the middle and red paintbrush flowers adorning the sides, referencing Castilleja’s namesake.

Noel-Pierre also outlined her vision as Head of School, emphasizing both academic rigor and community support. She spoke about preparing students to meet an uncertain future: “I will work to ensure that our students are incredibly well-prepared academically, well-supported within our community and well-aware of their limitless power as confident thinkers and compassionate leaders.”

The speeches were followed by a performance by Castilleja vocal teacher Emily Bender ‘89 and a choir composed of middle school students, upper school students and faculty. Students then presented Noel-Pierre with a special gift: a box filled with personal letters from each Casti student, with their hopes and wishes for her time at Casti. Local businesses and Castilleja’s very own kitchen provided sweets on the Circle, ranging from boba to skewers of fresh fruit.

The installation marked the beginning of a new era for Castilleja, one Noel-Pierre described as both joyful and revolutionary. “This is home now,” she told the community. Castilleja looks forward to seeing her leadership unfold in the years ahead.