Getting to Know Moe and Ramona Arora P ’31, ’38

By Poly Advancement

 

Moe and Ramona Arora, along with their kids Zuben ’31, Orion, and Alivia ’38, relocated to the LA area from Austin, Texas in the summer of 2024. Hoping to find the same small-town feels they had when they moved to Austin, they settled in La Cañada Flintridge, where they live with their Houdini-like bernedoodle Duke. Moe is a fractional CMO who advises global healthcare, tech, and finance companies and mentors entrepreneurs as they bring new ideas to market. Ramona has been deemed a “workforce futurist” in her field, leading HR talent, technology, and transformation while serving as Chief Learning and AI Enablement Officer at a global healthcare and pharmaceutical services company. With a colorful family history that spans four continents and nine cities, the Aroras bring a natural curiosity about people, cultures, food, and music wherever they go, as well as a deep appreciation for community. 

 

Ahead of Giving Day on April 15 PolyNews chatted with Moe and Ramona about their family’s Poly experience and how they remain engaged with the community.

 

As parents, we were looking for a school where our children would be challenged academically while growing into thoughtful, kind, and confident individuals. When we first spent time on campus, we noticed how naturally students engaged with their teachers and with each other. We saw sixth-graders asking questions, sharing ideas, and challenging each other’s ideas respectfully. It felt like a place where confidence and curiosity are the currency, not the kind of competition and conviction that so often obstruct learning. We love that Poly encourages our kids to question ideas and challenge them, rather than simply raise their hand with the “right” answer.  

 

I remember walking into a Poly history classroom filled with artifacts from different places and times covering the walls and countertops. I turned to Moe and whispered, “Now this is what a history classroom should look like.” I felt excited for Zuben, knowing that with the help of creative and passionate educators, he would be exposed to worlds beyond his own. 

 

Later, when our youngest, Alivia, joined Poly in kindergarten, we experienced a similar excitement. At our first community meeting, we were surrounded by families we didn’t yet know, but we saw parents watch their and other families’ children perform and receive recognition with visible joy. There was something beautiful about feeling at home among strangers, and it has stayed with us.

 

It has been especially meaningful for us to watch how Poly nurtures each child’s natural curiosity. Zuben often comes home talking about ideas from class that sparked debate or prompted him to rethink a topic he thought he understood. Mrs. Ward and Mr. Johnson have found creative ways to immerse students in the stories of various people and places, creating moments that not only anchor recall but that strengthen students’ capacity for critical thinking. 

 

We have also loved seeing how joyful learning can be for Alivia at this stage. Sr. Serruya’s Spanish classes evidence an enthusiasm deeply rooted in a love for the language. Alivia talks often about the plants she has grown with Mrs. Young and Dr. Rogers in the KinderGARDEN program and revels in describing the earthy critters she has discovered along the way. Her fearlessness with worms, bugs, and soil inspires us and reminds us of the ways experiential learning facilitates curiosity. The Around-the-World celebration and the Winter Sing were also special moments for our family. Watching students and teachers bring culture, creativity, and joy to their community reminded us that school isn’t just about academics. It’s about building confidence, friendships, and a genuine love of learning.

 

We give to Poly both because of the impact we see in our children’s experiences today and because of the opportunities we know Poly will continue to create for future students. Poly already offers an exceptional experience supported by dedicated teachers, but sustaining and elevating that experience requires continued investment in the school’s ecosystem. The athletic program, for example, plays an important role in shaping teamwork and resilience. So much is learned on the field that reinforces confidence and discipline in the classroom that we believe whatever we give will elevate opportunities across the school. Supporting the Poly Fund is our way of investing in these opportunities, ensuring Poly can continue to sustain and support the distinctive experience that drew our family here in the first place.

As we approach the two-year anniversary of our move to California, we have been reflecting on what it means to build a new life without immediate family or deep-reaching roots beneath us. In so many ways, Poly has become an important part of our transition and our Southern California story. 

Our family of five has embraced life on campus—by attending the Pet & Hobby Show, where even Duke made an appearance, by cheering on athletes during Senior Night, while Alivia supported her fellow Panthers with the PEP Squad, and most recently by spending a Friday evening on campus enjoying both pickleball and the Middle-School talent show—a double header!

 

This year, Moe co-chaired the Welcome Picnic, and I co-chair the seventh-grade Parent Socials. We have loved welcoming prospective families and showing them the campus alongside Poly’s Middle-School tour guides, who are always thoughtful and articulate representatives of the school.

Poly has played a meaningful role in helping our family build community in a new place, and we look forward to contributing in new ways that strengthen its spirit for others.