Grandparents and Special Friends Day!

On November 18, we were beyond thrilled to bring this beloved tradition back to SD for the first time since before the pandemic. Grandparents and special friends joined us for a joyous day of community celebration, and it did not disappoint!

Guests gathered in the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts for a welcome reception before being treated to live performances by students across all grade levels. Grandparents and friends then accompanied their students on classroom visits, where students were eager to share their recent projects and another favorite SD custom: soup break!

This year’s event coincided with the loading of the food truck, the culminating moment of our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Guests were treated to yet another special SD tradition, and it was beautiful to witness multiple generations of our SD community lending a hand in service of others.

We can’t wait to see you all again next year!

Lower School

The Intersection of Science and Art

First graders visited Golden Gate Park and its two famous science and art museums in order to observe how art is used in the science museum. Students paid particular attention to the artists who create the exhibits, authors who write the descriptions, photographers who help show us tiny things, and the visual aesthetic of each exhibit. Cultivating the skills of observation is key to the San Domenico academic curriculum.

LOWER SCHOOL | Fifth Graders Meet Dr. Jane Goodall

SD students attended a program at the Oakland Zoo with Dr. Jane Goodall, renowned primatologist, scientist, and compassionate activist. Dr. Jane, as she prefers to be known, travels around the world speaking about the threats facing chimpanzees and other species, along with other environmental issues. “The experience was unreal,” said Emmy S. ’30. “Dr. Jane has such a huge impact on the world. It was inspiring and felt like a dream.”

MIDDLE SCHOOL | Eco-Serve Club Supports Sustainability

Sustainability and service go hand in hand for Eco-Serve Club members, who want to be a force for good in their community and on their planet. “I wanted to join a club where you serve people, the world, and the environment,” explains Felice K. ’28. These enthusiastic students support sustainability-related activities on campus, including the Garden Fair and Walk ‘n Roll Day, and have raised money for victims of Hurricane Ian in Florida and the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Preservation project in Mexico.

MIDDLE SCHOOL | Middle Schoolers Make a Metric Mini-Me

Sixth graders practiced math and metric-based proportions by drawing “Metric Mini-Me” self- portraits. This project, led by science teacher Dave Whaley for more than 15 years, combines an art project with a hands-on exercise in mathematics, computation, and use of the metric system. Working in groups of two, students vertically measure their own legs, fingers, torsos, and even their ears in centimeters, then reduce those figures in scale to create accurate drawings of themselves. Viewing these 36 drawings as a whole calls to mind our rallying phrase “We are SD”—a visual and mathematical reminder that we all are growing, stretching, and studying together.

MIDDLE SCHOOL | Spartans and Athenians Tradition Continues

San Domenico’s tradition of Spartans and Athenians goes back more than 50 years, instilling a sense of friendly competition with fun and games during vibrant spirit rallies. Dressed in blue for Spartans and red for Athenians, Middle School students eagerly cheer on their fellow classmates while maintaining good sportsmanship, friendly competition, and a fierce loyalty to their team.

UPPER SCHOOL | Student Biologists Gather Data at Rodeo Beach

Environmental Science students rolled up their sleeves and pant legs to collect scientific data at Rodeo Beach, working with biologists from the Gulf of the Farallones Marine Sanctuary. The scientific field trip was part of LiMPETS, a citizen science program that monitors the coastal ecosystems of California and helps youth develop a scientific understanding of the ocean. The students got firsthand experience in the field, getting sandy and wet in the name of science.

UPPER SCHOOL | Congressman Jared Hu man Visits San Domenico

Congressman Jared Hu man visited campus to speak with Government and Civics students about the role of congressional representatives in relation to local government. The students were encouraged to ask questions and be inspired to participate in the civic process. Hu man fielded student questions on a wide variety of topics, including California’s high-speed rail project, careers in journalism, the power of a free press, and issues surrounding cryptocurrencies and their energy-intensive e ect on the climate crisis.

UPPER SCHOOL | Digital Music Class Releases Original Music Albums

Students released two self-produced albums this fall, to the eager excitement of students, faculty, and sta . For the first album, students created their own songs using loops available within the Logic Pro X session software and used principles of basic orchestration to decide their instrumentation and form for each song. For the follow-up album, every note was composed by the students. No loops or additive sound files here—just pure, original melodies! The album covers were designed by SD visual arts students.

Garden Fair

The return of the Garden Fair this October was a resounding success! The Garden of Hope was filled with live music, a bustling farmers market, and the sound of children’s laughter. Our SD community renewed old friendships and made new ones, all while sipping fresh-pressed apple cider, listening to music played by current students, and eating delicious gourmet food.

Panther Cookouts

Continuing this wonderful new tradition, Family Association Vice President for Upper School Melodie Holley and past FA President Tara Evans-Boyce joined other volunteers to flip burgers and feed the crowd at fall Panther sporting events, further building our Panther spirit and community.

Virtuoso Program

When Virtuoso Program director Ann Krinitsky was asked to summarize the theme for our 44th “Vivaldi at San Domenico” orchestra concert, her immediate response was “a joyous return.” And so it was! This year we were thrilled to welcome audiences back into the Carol Franc Buck Hall of the Arts, our musical home. The fall programming included the annual Vivaldi at San Domenico performance, followed by solo recitals and culminating with our Fall Chamber Music concert. “Bravo tutti” to all our VP performers.

MATILDA The Musical

Packed with raucous dance numbers, catchy songs and a huge ensemble of wacky characters, this year’s Upper School performance of MATILDA The Musical was a joyous, soulful, magical show, celebrating the irrepressible spark inside all of us. With the support of our amazing Theatre Arts team and directed by Director of Dance and Theatre Erica Smith, once again our student actors and backstage crew showed us their talent, humor, creativity, and sheer joy in performing before a live audience.

116th Tableaux and Alumni Holiday Reception

Another beautiful Tableaux! This year, we joyously welcomed the return of live singing. Our chorus of faculty, sta , students, and alumni was led once again by retired SD teacher and choral director Michael Mello. The event was made even more special with a pre-performance holiday party for SD alumni. Celebrating our oldest and most beloved tradition with so many familiar faces was a beautiful reminder of the enduring San Domenico spirit.

Day of the Dead

Our Spanish teachers chose butterflies as our theme for this year’s Día de los Muertos celebration on Kesterson Field. Students danced, told stories, recited poetry, and sang songs in Spanish to the joyous applause of the entire school. And of course, the season wouldn’t be complete without the SD Halloween parade!

World Peace Day

Each year, our community of students, teachers, and sta celebrates International Day of Peace—also known as World Peace Day—by adding a new language panel to our Peace Pole: a custom that reaches as far back as 1981 at San Domenico. This year we added our first African language, Swahili. By adding the Swahili words meaning “May Peace Prevail On Earth,” we as a community take one step closer to a better understanding of the world around us.