Letter from the Editor
50 Years of Timeless Foundations
Alumni Voices
Barefeet and No Desks: Demystifying the Early Years
Teacher Spotlight: Jenny Isaacson
In Her Words: On Loving Literacy
Upcoming Events and Annual Fund Report
Letter from the Editor
Welcome to the New Year!
As we enter 2025, we are thrilled to continue the celebration, reflection, and reconnection we started last year. As you know, this year marks the 50th anniversary of our beloved SYV Family School, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this incredible milestone with all of you.
One of the highlights of this celebratory year will be our Bounty of the Valley event on April 5, 2025. This milestone gathering will take place on our beautiful campus and be a joyous occasion to honor the school’s legacy, reconnect with old friends, and create new memories.
As we prepare for this momentous event, we would love to involve you in a meaningful way. We’re reaching out to you, our cherished alumni, to help us capture the rich history of the school. You might have already received my email inviting you to share photos from your time at school—moments that capture the spirit, camaraderie, and unique experiences of your TFS journey - and answer two questions.
We want to hear your stories! What is your favorite memory at TFS, and how did your time at TFS shape you and/or your career path? Please take a moment to reflect and share your thoughts with us at alumni@syvfamilyschool.org. Your memories and insights are invaluable, and we are excited to feature them as part of our 50th anniversary.
We can’t wait to see you at the Bounty of the Valley and look forward to hearing from you soon. Let’s make this year a beautiful tapestry of shared experiences and cherished moments.
Here’s to a fantastic year of celebration!
Sincerely Yours,
Leanne Elliott Alumni Relations
50 YEARS OF TIMELESS FOUNDATIONS
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary, it is a perfect moment to reflect on the enduring values that have defined our school since its inception. SYV Family School has steadfastly focused on nurturing a foundation of academic excellence, social-emotional intelligence, and environmental stewardship for half a century. These pillars, rooted in our curriculum and culture, continue to prepare students not just for success in school, but for life.
From the beginning, TFS has been ahead of its time, understanding that education is about more than just academics. Our commitment to holistic development has always set us apart. This forwardthinking approach was recently validated through UCSB Gevirtz School researcher Devon Azzam’s study of “Patterns of Play in an Early Childhood Nature Playscape”. Her primary question was: could transforming a traditional preschool playground into a “nature playscape” better support early childhood development?
The study was completed in April 2024 after the renovation of the Harding School “naturescape.” This naturescape playground was designed to emphasize cooperative play and interaction. The key findings confirm what we have always known and prioritized here on our own campus:
An unstructured play environment expands the zones of creative energy
A natural environment encourages social-emotional interactions
A natural environment increases literacy and language development opportunities Greenspaces and natural surroundings are just one way SYVFS is cutting-edge in education. Our entire curriculum - from classroom learning, to Bridges math, and all school hikes - serves a meaningful purpose in developing students who become lifelong learners and advocates for environmental stewardship.
As we look ahead, TFS remains committed to leading in education, ensuring that our students thrive in an ever-evolving world while staying grounded in the timeless values that have been our foundation for the past 50 years.
ALUMNI VOICES
My family moved to Santa Ynez from Germany in August 1984 when I was 9 years old. My previous school year had been traumatizing for me. I was a sensitive child and was often afraid of going to school, mostly because I was scared of my teacher. As soon as I started Family School I loved going to school again. My teacher Lynn Shapiro (Dunn) was this wonderful, empathic person and she molded my experience in a way that was fun and built my confidence. It was truly like being a part of a family, especially back then. The school was the size of the Purple/Green Door building and my family quickly became part of the community. I’m still in contact with several people from that time.
I learned to speak English at Family School! It was interesting because no one made a big deal about the fact that my brother and I didn’t speak the language. It was just expected that we would learn it quickly. I think that is a metaphor for my life. I have often had to quickly learn new things without making a fuss.
Janina is the mother of Purple Door student, Lucca, and the owner of the legendary Arabian horse breeding facility, Om El Arab
MATIN BALAVEN, CLASS OF 2024
One of my favorite memories was being the head of the school for one day. That day, I got to lead the Big Hike and I also had lunch with Erica, the Assistant Head of School, and lead the Big Sing. These leadership opportunities made me reflect on what I am going to become in the future.
At the Family School I have learned how to encourage others to be themselves while being respectful to each other. I’ve also enjoyed playing sports such as football and basketball during recess and PE and that helped me with great sportsmanship skills.
Matin is the son of current Red Door teacher, Fatemeh Farahmandfar, and is the winner of the recent MLK Jr. Speech writing competition, hosted at De La Guerra Plaza.
JANINA MERZ, CLASS OF 1986
Bare Feet and No Desks:
Demystifying the Early Years of SYV Family School
During our preparations for the 50th Anniversary celebration, the planning committee has enjoyed connecting with many alumni families spanning the last five decades. Two things have become apparent: First, we are indeed a family! Even when decades have passed, there is nothing like hearing the joy in a voice recalling the love and good memories of their years at SYVFS. Second, what we know about how the school came to be is sometimes only part of the picture.
Visionary Families
When a school has been around for fifty years, it’s easy for stories to take root and become more lore than truth. Perhaps the best example is the belief that the school was founded by free-spirited “hippies” with no regard for structure or conforming ideas. While yes, the kids were sometimes allowed to run around barefoot, and learning was mostly outdoors, these founding families were professional community members determined to bring forward a school experience that was not only academic but experiential and full of curiosity and play.
Jim and Esther Munger, instrumental in bringing the school to life, recall that the early families were an organized, passionate, and motivated group of people with high standards for what could be accomplished. After the first school year at the Los Olivos Grange, Jim Munger approached his father, Carl Munger, then Headmaster of Midland School, and said plainly, “We need a real elementary school. Would you lend us some Midland land to build on?” Carl answered, “How about that field over there?”, pointing toward the current school campus.
Left: Jim, Esther, and Reuben Munger Top: Louie Netzer Bottom: Randy, Laurie, Jeremy, and Amy Hermann
Sherman, Dylan, Justin, and Camille Herrick
By Thanksgiving 1975, founding families built the first two-room classroom - now the Green Door building - while drafting the school’s Articles of Incorporation. The Mungers recall the caliber and clout of those early families - Louie and Helen Netzer, Laurie and Randy Herman, Geno and Niki Evans, Helena and Jeremy Jaynes, Cammie and Sherman Herrick, Sue and Bill Turpin, Philip and Cassandra Grant, among others - who were active participants in the development of the school and the educational journey of their children, contributing significantly to shaping the learning environment.
Integrated Academics
From the very inception of SYVFS, a deep-rooted passion for well-rounded education was evident. The foundations of instruction were modeled after the Pacific Oaks College of Education, which teaches that a program should offer experiential learning, real-world practice, and a strong curriculum. For this reason, the parents hired the first Head of School, Helena Jaynes, who had come from a rich educational background in the English method, where a well-rounded education was a priority.
The school environment was crafted to foster interest and personal investment in the academic and experiential curriculum, combined with Figueroa Mountain’s expansive natural resources. Every effort was made to ensure that learning was an enjoyable and enriching experience for each student.
Experiential Learning Fosters Entrepreneurial Spirit
While the SYV Family School often gets mis-defined as an “arts and crafts” school, it remains a pioneer in implementing experiential learning methodologies. The belief was and is that children learn best when actively involved in the learning process. This approach fosters an entrepreneurial spirit among the students, with hands-on learning that helps develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a can-do attitude.
The early years of the SYV Family School may have been marked by bare feet and no desks, but they laid a foundation for a unique and lasting educational experience. Still, 50 years later, the SYV Family School inspires and nurtures young minds, equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
Jenny Isaacson: A Champion of Literacy at SYV Family School
Jenny Isaacson has been a cornerstone of the Santa Ynez Valley Family School since she joined us in 2018 as a Phono Graphix/Reading Specialist. Her journey at the school evolved as she took on the role of Director of Student Services in 2022, blending her expertise in literacy with her passion for fostering a supportive educational environment.
Jenny’s academic background is impressive, with a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential from Chapman University and a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts at The New School. Her educational foundation, coupled with her practical experience, makes her an essential resource in nurturing young readers and supporting the broader school community.
At SYVFS, Jenny thrives in an atmosphere that values respect, kindness, and integrity. “I love our amazing students and families,” she shares. “Our diverse community and shared values make this place special. I’m also inspired every day by our talented, passionate, and dedicated faculty and staff.”
Jenny’s passion for early literacy and dedication to supporting students, parents, and fellow educators is evident in her daily work. She believes in the power of reading as a tool for growth and learning, and she supports students and families through resources and recommendations that fit each student’s needs.
Beyond the classroom, Jenny enjoys the natural beauty of SYVFS’s outdoor learning spaces, which she cites as her favorite place on campus. She treasures the school’s all-school hikes, where she connects with nature and the school community. When not at school, Jenny enjoys reading, writing, cooking, birdwatching, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Jenny’s commitment to education and her love for the SYV Family School shine through in every aspect of her work, making her an invaluable member of the SYVFS community.
Thank you, Jenny, for all you do!
IN HER WORDS
I was fourteen the first time a piece of writing really moved me. Not the first time I really loved a piece of writing–that had probably happened the first time my mom read Margaret Wise Brown’s The Runaway Bunny to me–but the first time I read something that caught my attention, made me ask a question and didn’t let go. I’d been introduced to the work of the novelist John Steinbeck in my freshman English class at Midland School, fallen hopelessly in love with his work and was at that time making my way through every book of his that I could get my hands on.
The writing in question was this description of California poppies from Steinbeck’s 1952 novel, East of Eden: These too are of a burning color—not orange, not gold, but if pure gold were liquid and could raise a cream, that golden cream might be like the color of poppies.
I had two thoughts as I read it. First, wow! That might be the most beautiful sentence I’ve ever read. And second, is that true? I’d seen a lot of California poppies dotting the springtime hills around Midland, enough at least to have formed the opinion that they were, well… orange. Solidly in the same category as carrots and standard Nerf balls. Were they really the color of golden cream? A burning color? What even was a burning color? I read the sentence a few more times, turning it over in my mind. I wrote it down in my red spiral-bound notebook and underlined it. The next time I saw one of those poppies, I decided, I was going to take a closer look.
Literacy is one of the most powerful tools we have for understanding how other people see the world and for showing others how we see it. Words open doors for us. Sometimes those doors open to brand-new places and ideas, introducing us to information or ways of thinking that we’ve never considered. Reading about new or unfamiliar things is more than just a matter of gathering information; studies consistently show that reading helps children to build emotional intelligence and empathy. When we read about individuals or characters who seem different from us in some way, we get a chance to build understanding and find common ground. Other times, those doors open inward. Words can reintroduce us to something we thought we already understood–like Steinbeck did for me with those poppies–making us reconsider our point of view. When we face uncertainty, reading about other peoples’ experiences along with journaling and creative writing can help us to move through it. Literacy helps us to understand ourselves, and the world around us, in unique ways.
I feel really lucky that I get to support so many kids as they become readers and writers here at SYV Family School. In a single day I might explore the history of Latin and Greek word roots with Red Door students, take my Blue Door readers on a walk through the Midland farm as we hunt for words containing long vowel sounds, and then support Purple Door students as they write about California landmarks. Our amazing, dedicated teachers inspire and guide students as they discover themselves as readers and writers. Building literacy is some of the most important work we can do in the world, and I am so grateful to do it here with the SYV Family School team. It’s been a long time since I read those words from East of Eden, although I still have the red notebook I wrote them down in. I still think about that sentence when I see the California poppies blooming around our campus in the springtime. I’m thankful for the closer look Steinbeck encouraged me to take and for all the discoveries and questions that my own literacy has guided me through since. More than that, I’m grateful that I get to support our students as they learn to explore the world and themselves through reading and writing.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Einstein Day
Community event celebrating science and engineering
Saturday, March 8, 2025
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
On Campus
Open to the Public
Bounty of the Valley
50th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser
Saturday, April 5, 2025
5:00-10:00 PM
On Campus Celebration
Open to the public, 21+
SYV Family School Rodeo
Rodeo, sack race, dinner, desert, and dancing
Thursday, May 1, 2025
5:00- 8:30 PM
Alisal Guest Ranch
Open to current and alumni families
Graduation Ceremony
Honoring our 2025 Graduates
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
12:00-1:30 PM
On Campus Celebration
Open to current and alumni families
Pictured above: Students enjoying ceramics class, taught by our artist in residence, Cindy Henning
