Santa Barbara Independent Education Issue, 11/10/16

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BARA INDEPENDENT PR A N TA B A R ESENT S E H T S

O O H L C S S O U H G T H F T O EDUCATION ISSU THE 2016 E

PAID ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT | November 10, 2016 | 2016 Education Issue | THE SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

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SCHOOLS

OF THOUGHT THE 2016 EDUCATION ISSUE

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THE SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT | 2016 Education Issue | November 10, 2016 | PAID ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

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enjamin Franklin said that the only things certain in life are death and taxes, but anyone who has raised a child knows that schooling is a certainty, too. But from the one-room schoolhouse of Franklin’s era to 21st century technology in today’s common core classroom, much has changed in the landscape of educating our children.

Whether your children are homeschooled or attend a charter, private, or neighborhood public school, the choices for learning are many, and changing all the time. Just keeping current with the trends can be a challenge: STEM and STEAM, project-based learning, robotics, learning management systems, gamification, personalized instruction, flipped classrooms, differentiated learning, hyperconvergence in the classroom,

and more. It’s enough to make a parent’s head spin before the baby is even born.

This year, we invited educational institutions to tell us, in their own words, what sets them apart. The schools included herein, from preschools to public, parochial, and private K-12 organizations, tell their own stories.

It is our hope that this guide piques the interest of readers and parents trying to navigate the instructional options available in our community.

In addition to the schools highlighted on these pages, our complete list of public and private schools in the Santa Barbara area can be found at:

INDEPENDENT.COM/SCHOOLS2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS Laguna Blanca School ........................................................................................................................................................ 4 Montessori Center School ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Anacapa School ......................................................................................................................................................................7 Oak Grove School ..................................................................................................................................................................7 Santa Barbara Unified School District .........................................................................................................................7 Waldorf School........................................................................................................................................................................7 Midland School ....................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Marymount School ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 Avenues College & Career Advisement ................................................................................................................... 10 Cliff Drive Care Center ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Garden Street Academy .................................................................................................................................................. 10 Rainbow School ................................................................................................................................................................... 10 San Marcos Parent-Child Workshop .......................................................................................................................... 10 Providence School ................................................................................................................................................................11 PAID ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT | November 10, 2016 | 2016 Education Issue | THE SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

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LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL (805) 687-2461 | lagunablanca.org

E C N E I R E A EXP

N U G A L THE

LAGUNA IS FORWARDTHINKING While our tradition of personal connection and community remains steadfast, one of the most beautiful parts of our campus community is our willingness to grow and change. Our faculty are fully committed to trying something new — be it an app, excursion, or course schedule — if it means a stronger, more meaningful learning experience for our students. We are honored to have so many forward-thinking faculty and community members who are invested in our students’ success in life’s most important classroom — the real world.

LAGUNA IS A CELEBRATION OF LEARNING Our goal is for students — as well as faculty and family members — to enjoy coming to school every single day so that they can carry that learning forward for the rest of their lives.

LAGUNA IS LIFELONG LAGUNA IS FUNDAMENTAL Our faculty use novel teaching methods to help students grasp core concepts at an even deeper level. From character development to literary analysis, Laguna focuses on instilling a strong foundation of learning while giving students an experience they will never forget.

LAGUNA IS HANDS-ON At Laguna, we do more than talk the talk.

Our teachers provide students with real-world experiences that relate to their learning. We believe that a “Project-Based Learning” (PBL) culture leads to deeper, more meaningful learning experiences for all of our students. This dynamic classroom approach allows students to actively explore real-world problems and challenges, while fostering curiosity, openness,

creativity, critical thinking, empathy, and personal responsibility. It also makes learning more memorable, meaningful, and FUN — for students and teachers alike. Our unique eight-day rotation schedule in the Middle and Upper Schools is especially ideal for an increased emphasis on active PBL learning. So whether it’s building and programming a robot, or exploring the streets of New Orleans, Laguna students graduate with the ability to face life in the only way that truly matters — hands-on.

LAGUNA IS HEALTHY COMPETITION Year after year, our Laguna graduates express gratitude for their experiences not just in the classroom, but on our state-of-the-art athletic fields, courts, and courses where they play.

Laguna is able to offer its students the opportunity to experience sportsmanship, leadership, spirit, and confidence through athletics — in ways a larger school simply never could.

Though we say goodbye to a new round of Laguna alumni each year, we rest assured knowing that our Owls don’t fly away forever.

With a strong sense of community, they stay ever-connected to their fellow classmates, faculty, and our beautiful campus. We hold a special place for each and every one as they continue to grow and contribute to the world beyond.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT LAGUNA Laguna Blanca School is an Early Kindergarten through Grade 12 co-educational, college preparatory day school and an extraordinary place of learning for children. When you select Laguna Blanca, you join a community bound by a mission of excellence, with families passionate about education, students fully engaged in their learning, and teachers committed to their practice as caring educators.

Set on two charming campuses in Santa Barbara, small class sizes and individual attention give students in grades EK-12 a safe, nurturing environment that fosters academic excellence. Laguna Blanca graduates leave the tight-knit community to attend the nation’s most selective colleges and universities. Committed to diversity, Laguna Blanca School offers a substantial need-based financial aid program.

Laguna is eager to share its campus and programs with you to ensure the best fit possible for your child and family.

To schedule a campus tour today, visit lagunablanca.org.

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LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL

wls in Wonderland CA R N I VA L

AN EVENT FOR THE COMMUNITY JUMP DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE! SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13 11AM - 2PM 260 SAN YSIDRO ROAD A whimsical day of interactive learning and creative play for young children. Featuring... a mad scientist, royal croquet, art stations, tea parties, a Mad Hatter’s Workshop, white rabbits & owls, and of course Alice!

• FREE ADMISSION & VALET PARKING • Food available for purchase LAGUNABLANCA.ORG

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MONTESSORI CENTER SCHOOL (805) 683-9383 | mcssb.org At Montessori Center School, the Montessori philosophy is at the heart of everything we do.

We look at the needs of the whole child and offer an individualized curriculum, providing the environment and the tools each student needs to thrive. We pay careful attention to academic, social, behavioral and moral development. Our faculty and staff are fiercely dedicated to this philosophy because they have seen it work firsthand with so many students throughout the years.

“MCS taught me the importance of working together and working alone, finding new ways to solve problems and taking responsibility for myself. A child can learn how to conjugate verbs and divide fractions anywhere, but at MCS, that child will learn how to be the best version of his or her self.”

— Nina, MCS class of 2010; Dos Pueblos World Championship Mock Trial Team President and Freshman at University of Washington We teach our students to be respectful, understanding and curious about all cultures.

Our students learn how to resolve conflicts peacefully, collaborate solutions together and become productive citizens of the world. Our 5-acre campus allows each classroom to have their own garden. We also have large, grassy fields, climbing structures, sandboxes and stone paths for exploration. It is a tranquil, expansive space.

“I didn’t realize how unusual it was to have such freedom in the classroom, which involves a lot of trust, and that freedom made me more selfconfident. The camping and backpacking trips our classes took involved some of my most memorable elementary school moments, and they showed us how independent we could be.”

— Daniel, MCS class of 2005; Senior at MIT in Electrical Engineering We are an American Montessori Society – affiliated school that serves children from ages 18 months to 12 years. Classrooms have three-year age spans to match each plane of development. Mornings consist of 2 to 3 hour work periods, working with Montessori materials to encourage a deep understanding of reading, math, language and science.

Our curriculum connects all the levels to each other by starting with concrete, handson materials to teach concepts in various curricular areas starting at preschool age. These materials then build

on one another as the child advances to the next level, adding onto their foundational knowledge, and then slowly moving towards abstraction. We call this a spiraling curriculum, and it provides a wonderful thread of learning that continues throughout each child’s Montessori journey.

We have Specialist teachers and programs for Art, Music, Spanish, P.E., Library, Computer, and Drama. Extra-Curricular Classes are offered in a range of subjects such as yoga, chess, foreign language, and more.

“Growing up at MCS, my teachers set me up to love learning by allowing me to go at my own pace and by letting my interests guide my education. As an adult, I see my strong decision-making skills, passion for pursuing my interests and care for the world around me as products of my education at MCS.” — Sarah, MCS class of 2005; Scripps College graduate and currently in Montessori Teacher Training program We believe that the Montessori Method provides an excellent foundation for academic and social success, and invite you to contact us to learn more.

Montessori Center School — Serving children 18 months through 6th grade —

Since 1965, Montessori Center School has provided Santa Barbara families with a high quality, challenging education. A beautifully designed campus and inviting classrooms convey a sense of order and harmony. With teachers committed to understanding the whole child, students develop intellectual skills alongside the emotional and social skills needed to thrive in today’s global community.

Guided by experienced credentialed teachers using the Montessori Method, a dynamic learning environment inspires creativity, productive thinking and a lifelong love of learning.

Join Us! Open House 12/3/16 11am-1pm

• Students become self-directed learners through participation, leadership and active decision-making.

• Individualized and small group instruction in multi-age classrooms promote cooperative learning opportunities at all levels and enable students to learn from one another.

• Children freely select work during uninterrupted blocks of time across the curricular areas, developing tools for intellectual exploration and learning.

401 N. Fairview Ave, Goleta CA 93117 | www.MCSSB.org | 805-683-9383 6

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O P E N H O U S E Thursday, November 17, 2016 I N T E R E S T S T A T I O N S 5:00-5:45pm

P R O G R A M 5:45-6:30pm

The Waldorf School of Santa Barbara Parent-Toddler, Pre-School, Kindergarten, Grades 1-8

7-12

like no one else.

You can choose a school for your kids, or an astonishingly vibrant educational experience that starts their life on an exuberant path. Anacapa is the first step toward extraordinary: rigorous academics, unparalleled civic involvement from our downtown location, arts & humanities, intimate class size. Anacapa is building America’s leaders.

Anacapa School F O U N D E D

I N

Connecting Head, Hands and Heart since 1984

Open House

SATURDAY JANUARY 21 ~ 9:30-12noon

1 9 8 1

RSVP 805 965-0228 814 SANTA BARBARA STREET SANTA BARBARA, CA 93101

7421 Mirano Drive Goleta, CA 93117 ~ (805) 967-6656

F I N A N C I A L A I D AVA I L A B L E WWW.ANACAPASCHOOL.ORG WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ANACAPASCHOOL

RSVP online www.waldorfsantabarbara.org

Santa Barbara Unified School District proudly presents

ACADEMY SHOWCASE

AAPLE Academy...Computer Science Academy Engineering Academy...Entrepreneurship Academy Health Academy...Interna<onal Baccalaureate Visual Arts and Design Academy Date: Wednesday, December 14, 2016 Time: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Where: Earl Warren Showgrounds Why: Explore the academic opGons on our four

high school campuses. Learn about the transfer process. Talk to high school, UCSB and SBCC counselors. Free event. t’s . a h le.. w e ib Se oss p

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MIDLAND SCHOOL (805) 688-5114 | midland-school.org

MIDLAND SCHOOL — UNPLUGGED YET WELLCONNECTED! Midland School leads boarding schools in placebased education. Our 2,860-acre working ranch and organic farm in Los Olivos, California, provides a base of support for an enriched and meaningful co-educational, college preparatory high school education.

The school’s mission is rooted in the land which nourishes our unplugged, yet wellconnected community; students relinquish their cell phones upon arrival which opens the door to enriched personal relationships and renewed options for learning and recreation with the natural world as their teacher.

Since 1932, our location on the edge of the Los Padres National Forest and our highly intentional curriculum have provided

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opportunities for students to refine authentic leadership skills, to practice real stewardship of the land, and to develop intellectual curiosity.

learn map and compass skills, study the school’s geography and history, distinguish native and nonnative flora, and camp on the land.

Other classes, such as Writing with a Sense of Students all have a daily job at Midland. They Place, Geology, and Naturalist Studies, all make plant, cultivate, harvest, wash, and deliver organic extensive use of the produce to the kitchen. Vegetable outdoors. Sophomore scraps are returned to the compost Midland was featured recently chemistry classes pile, and leftovers from meals feed in The New York Times: “The install solar arrays the pigs. This closed loop School of Wants vs. Needs — And each year to help demonstrates a foodWood-Fired Showers” power the school. to-table system which As a culmination simultaneously sustains www.nytimes.com/2016/10/29/ of their academic soil health. Five nights your-money/california-prep-schoolexperience, each per week, students and teaches-self-reliance.html senior researches, faculty enjoy familywrites and presents style dinner. Lively to the community a senior thesis based on a conversation, camaraderie over personal passion. shared food and a setting which supports teaching appropriate table Midland’s simple life purposely removes manners is a centerpiece of the distractions. Clutter is cut to a minimum so community. student cabins are easy to clean. Cabins and classrooms are simple redwood structures heated Connection is at the core of by wood stoves. This simplicity helps connect Midland’s academic programs.

Academic classes connect students students to the natural world, and to each other, by removing artificial distractions. to the land in powerful ways.

Freshmen take Midland 101, Students leave Midland not just prepared for a class where students are out college, but prepared for life. Come see for yourself! studying on the property. They

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A Marymount Education...the way learning should be MARYMOUNT OF SANTA BARBARA

OPEN HOUSE Sunday, January 8, 1:00-2:30 pm • Junior Kindergarten through 5th grade welcome to visit classrooms.

• Set program for 6th through 8th grade, please arrive promptly.

Visit www.marymountsb.org for more information.

Reservations are appreciated. Drop-ins are welcome.

It’s an informative, family-friendly event, so bring a friend.

JK-8 | INDEPENDENT | COEDUCATIONAL

2130 Mission Ridge Road, Santa Barbara | 805-569-1811, ext. 131

MARYMOUNT SCHOOL (805) 569-1811 | marymountsb.org At Marymount, we support the whole child and share their journey as they grow in all areas: social, emotional, physical, and cognitive. Students are introduced to an exciting world of learning through a diverse array of subject areas taught by a dedicated, professional faculty that knows how to inspire a thirst for knowledge and a growth mind-set in every child.

Our engaging, innovative, and hands-on curriculum encourages students to become lifelong learners and leaders among their peers. We foster critical thinking skills, collaboration, creativity, and communication and build skill sets so that our students meet challenges with self-confidence and a positive approach.

All Lower School teachers, Junior Kindergarten through 5th grade, are trained in the Responsive Classroom approach to building classroom community. Our school values of honesty, enthusiasm, altruism, respect, and teamwork are instilled in our youngest students through our

school-based HEART program.

We believe that there is a strong link between academic success and social emotional learning. The Responsive Classroom approach allows students to access a high-quality education built upon a foundation of a safe and joyful learning community. Our teachers engage in daily routines like daily greeting, morning meeting, meta moments, and conflict resolution.

In our Middle School, Grades 6-8, our dedicated faculty have a passion for their subject area.

Dynamic economic and social landscapes demand that our students are prepared to think critically, adept readily, lean new technologies efficiently, communicate effectively, and persevere through difficulties.

With the future in mind, the Middle School brings students into the heart of 21st- century education, blending core content with inquiry-based learning promoting leadership and collaboration through Advisory and Elective programs, infusing each class with purpose-driven technologies, and emphasizing core values.

Marymount’s Center for Creative Design and Engineering is the result of Marymount of Santa Barbara bringing educational frontrunners like Stanford and the innovation vanguard Ideo’s Design Thinking and the Maker Movement into school life and the curriculum. Excitement about continuously finding the most effective ways to provide Marymount students with the 21stcentury skills that education experts deem the most important not only for success in the future, but also for personal fulfillment, were behind generous support for the successful project.

Head of School Andrew Wooden emphasized the underlining reason behind the school’s innovations and recent center, “What we are doing is making kids love learning, building confidence, and inspiring our students to go out into the world and do something good. Our alumni prove that what we are doing is working, and we continue to get better at it. It’s all about getting students excited about learning — the pure joy of it — and the benefits that can be gained by pushing through challenges.”

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PROVIDENCE SCHOOL (805) 563-4770 (PreK-6) | (805) 962-4400 (7-12) | providencesb.org

What Is the Providence Difference?

Providence is an independent school providing high-quality Christian education, Preschool - Grade 12. What sets Providence apart is how it nurtures children in the faith and values important to their families. Providence works alongside families for the optimal development of each child’s special talents, interests, and emotional needs. Providence students develop both their intellect and character, graduating prepared for success at the nation’s finest colleges and for life.

High-Quality Education Providence students experience a rich academic program, including science, math, humanities, music, art, and Bible, delivered with an appropriate combination of traditional pedagogy and innovative technology. The high school curriculum is complemented

by AP and college dual-credit courses, an Engineering Academy focusing on solving real-life problems, and a Libertas Scholars program exploring freedom and society.

Students actively participate in Providence’s small classes. “There is no back row in our classrooms,” says Dr. Scott Lisea, head of school. “Every student receives individual attention, and no one slips through the cracks.”

Rich Experiences Outside the classroom, Providence offers a competitive CIF athletics program, extensive visual and performing arts, outdoor education and leadership adventures, and comprehensive college counseling. Elementary students travel to Sacramento and Catalina Island; 8th grade students visit Washington, D.C.; and high school students paddle the Colorado River, serve at a Mexican orphanage, and go on unique senior-year trips.

Outstanding Faculty Providence teachers are among the finest in the country. They are chosen not only for their proven ability to teach but also for their passion to mentor and challenge young people. They respect and respond to questions, help students discover truth, and guide them to seek lives of purpose and significance.

Integration of Faith in Learning “Engaging the mind and shaping the heart is about making connections and helping students find their place in God’s created world,” says Bruce Rottman, humanities department chair. “Faith provides a foundation for engaging academic learning, pursuing all truth as God’s truth.”

Providence students enjoy many intentional opportunities for spiritual growth, such as chapels, retreats, service opportunities, and Christian worldview courses.

Partnering with Families Providence welcomes a diverse group of students regardless of their religious affiliation. Parents choose the school because they desire a common set of character traits in their children: love, grace, integrity, humility, compassion for others, service, and a passion for truth, beauty, and excellence.

Students and their parents find community and develop lasting friendships.

Tuition assistance is available to make a Providence education accessible for families.

To learn more about the exciting Providence difference, visit providencesb.org, attend an Open House, or schedule a personal tour.

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