Alumni news - Santa Barbara Middle School

Transcription

TheDiamond
FALL 2013
Santa Barbara Middle School
Gather ’round
stories from our fires: Career Study Week . . .
Island Explorers . . . Amazing Electives! . . . Sports Stars!
Alumni news: New Doctors, New Babies, and More!
TheDiamond
Fall 2013
Contents
3 Diamond Notes
An artful house; physics rocks;
visits to Bolivia; a talented student.
5
Academics
12
Reports from our Deans;
News about Conferences and
Career Study Week;
plus, sixth-graders hunt and gather.
Creative Arts & Sports
Busy mornings in Diamond Time
and a wide array of electives;
plus, reports on Fall Sports.
16
Journey to the Islands with
the ninth grade; come along
to Santa Cruz with everyone!
Plus, read about our AEE and
safety training news.
Outdoor Education
Community
22Voices
24
Alumni News
27
SBMS Community Action Club
29
A Special Visitor
30
Community Spaces Update
ON THE COVER:
“Oh, the stories we could tell...”
A Middle School campfire.
Photo by Steve Besserman
1321 Alameda Padre Serra
Santa Barbara, CA 93103-1809
www.sbms.org
(805) 682-2989
[email protected]
Editor: Jim Buckley
Designer: Patty Kelley
2
The Power of Story—What’s Your Verse?
A
s a young student, i couldn’t read enough nonfiction stories about new world explorers,
oddball inventors, and everyday heroes. I was especially fascinated by those
critical moments in history when conviction, courage, and chance converged.
As my understanding of the world expanded, stories of seekers, sages, and
difference makers helped me reconcile the immense suffering and complexities of our
lives with the poetry of possibility. For every tragedy and calamity, there was always a
Mahatma Gandhi or a Rosa Parks. This year’s theme for SBMS, “The Power of Story—
What’s Your Verse?” was developed to inspire our students to explore the power of
these stories and contribute their own authentic verses of illumination and purpose to
the narrative of their individual educational journeys.
Every year during the week prior to Thanksgiving, SBMS
engages in a very unique weeklong series of conferences
that run simultaneously with nearly 100 work internships
for our 7th and 8th graders and 29 community service
internships for our 9th graders. Each student and family
meets with all of their classroom teachers for a 30-minute
conference to compare observations, modify expectations,
and measure progress in both the academic and personal
arenas. We come together to understand each child’s story,
From the
with every teacher contributing a verse to the student’s
Head of School
learning profile and journey. Talented and dedicated
teachers, who know the students intimately from classes,
electives, and outdoor expeditions, not only provide constructive and astute insights
on each child, but also receive valuable feedback from colleagues, parents, and, most
importantly, from the students themselves.
As teachers and mentors, we find the conferences just as valuable as the students
and parents do, and we are encouraged to excel even further in our own life stories as
educators thanks to parents’ observations, as in the examples below:
[My daughter] is full of joy to be here. She’s inspired by different sets of expectations
from different teachers.
[My son] has never enjoyed school before SBMS. He’s never been interested. Every
teacher has been so accessible. We’re really grateful.
[My daughter] is thriving here. All of her best characteristics are coming out. She’s
embracing everything and really going for it. It builds on her strengths perfectly.
[My son] has learned initiative and self-reliance in just a few short months here.
[My daughter] loves Spanish now. She’s learned more in the last few months than
the last nine years. We definitely made the right decision. It’s worth every penny and
more. We’ve never met such a dedicated group of teachers.
We love this place. It’s really great to hear from all of you about my daughter’s
strengths and weaknesses. It’s clear you’ve really been thinking a lot about her. It is so
heartening to feel that the teachers really understand and see my child with such depth
and caring.
Assessing our progress and purpose, whether in parent conferences or at morning
meetings during our trips, gives us a sense of where we all stand collaboratively as a
learning community amid each individual student’s story as it takes shape. In his 2003
speech “Lighting Your Way to a Better Future,” Nelson Mandela remarked, “Education is
the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” The privilege of education is a gift that allows our young protagonists to begin to envision their own personal
narratives. In this season of gratitude, I’d like to thank our community of teachers,
parents, alumni, trustees, and students for “lighting our way to a better future” and for
being difference makers in the stories of so many people for more than 36 years and
counting. . .
Diamond
Notes
SBMS Student Gets Arty
Charlotte Wall is an eighth-grader at SBMS but she’s already making a big mark on
the Santa Barbara community. Charlotte is using her writing and design skills to create
the Web site for the Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art’s Teen Insiders
Astrophysics at SBMS
T
hose are not aliens, they’re
ninth graders. Okay, so that
might be the same thing once
in a while . . . but in this case, they
are students enjoying a lesson from
astrophysicist and SBMS parent Steve
Solomon, who showed ninth-grade
students a special heat vision camera
(above) and other cool technology.
Steve recently shared a lesson with
the students on infrared cameras and
the science involved,which included
the electromagnetic spectrum,
waves, and multiple applications.
Solomon will be bringing his expertise to the class throughout the year,
according to Honors Physics teacher
Russ Lewin.
Program (TIP). Charlotte is also the site’s main blogger, contributing articles and
updates about museum exhibits and other art happenings in the community. Charlotte
and the TIP team traveled to Los Angeles to check out an exhibit there and later interviewed local artists. Google the Teen Insiders Project to get a look at Charlotte’s work.
Vibrant “Vera Cruz”
SBMS artist-in-residence Richard Wilke played a big part in the newest addition
to an amazing new building in Santa Barbara. Local architect (and SBMS alum
parent) Jeff Shelton designed the house “Vera Cruz” to incorporate dozens of
hand-painted panels, and Wilke
was one of the artists chosen
to help paint many of the
panels. Shelton’s design
was inspired by an
earlier art house
created by Sanford
Darling. Said Wilke, “It’s
not often an artist finds
such a home for their
artwork.” Locals can
visit “Vera Cruz” on the
500 block of Santa
Barbara Street.
With love and gratitude,
Brian
The Diamond Fall 2013
3
Diamond Notes
Academics
Bolivia Memories
Reports from Our Deans
By Nicole Figueroa
In July 2013, SBMS eighth graders Emma
Beth Permé and Nicole Figueroa traveled
to Bolivia with three SBMS alums, under
the direction of Jim Brady in support of the
Rio Beni Health Project.
I
wake up in the morning, get my
clothes on and go wash some of
my shirts. Soon after, I go inside for
breakfast. I am told that the elders of
the community have made fresh papaya
and grapefruit jam, cheese empanadas,
scrambled eggs, and mini-pancakes. I
eat just about everything. Jim [Brady]
reminds us we will be crushing sugar cane
and we have about an hour to get ready.
I put on lightweight pants and my white
wicking shirt. It is about a thirty-minute
hike to the sugarcane grower’s chaco
(farm). It is such a beautiful view down
across the valley to the Rio Tuichi, and we
saw plenty of horses, chickens, and pigs
Ninth Grade
on the way. It was extremely hot, and I
had already had a bottle of water.
We are welcomed by Bolivian locals.
They tell us a little bit about their sugarcane farm and Christopher, Jim’s brother,
translates for us. While one person puts
the sugarcane stalks in what I called “The
Cane Crusher,” a few people get on each
side and push. Emma Beth, Marandah,
and Sequoia got on one side, while Sophie, Lily, Kieran, and I got on the other.
The machine looks like a large wooden
merry-go-round with wooden gears in
the middle. After we crushed dozens of
plants, we drank some juice. It definitely
SBMS Rio Beni Participants Since 2003
2003
Annie Villanueva
Katie Villanueva
Jim Villanueva
Sherry Villanueva
Claire Lauer
Laurie Lauer
Carl Lauer
Erin Riley
Michael Draghi
Pat Draghi
Tim McMains
Natasha Dorfhuber
Reinhard Dorfhuber
Amelia Badish
Jacob Badish
Laurie Collins
Russ Collins
Rachael Himovitz
Eli Himovitz
Roger Himovitz
Crister Brady
Jim Brady
2004
Lili Levin
Susan Levin
Raleigh Lindelof
Shelly Doyle
Janie Braunheim
4
Kenny Hughes
Victor Atkins
Taylor Kall
Elizabeth Dunn
Sean Anderson
Lao Allan-Blitz
Ben Himovitz
Pat Draghi
Claire Draghi
Roger Himovitz
Rachael Himovitz
Kira Brady
Crister Brady
Jim Brady
2005
Sam Kent
Cody Semler
Rachael Rhodes
Nancy Donnelly
Brenna Donnelly
Sarah Lawson
Kira Brady
Crister Brady
Jim Brady
2006
Claire Draghi
Melanie Yanke
Molly Zimmer
Sean Anderson
Kenny Hughes
Jim Brady
2007
Alex Katnic
Jordan Zola
Caitlin Sullivan
Darrin Sullivan
Morgan Riegert
Sarah Carlson
Melissa Ames
Claire Draghi
Nicole Klobucher
Madison Riley
Emma Turner
Roger Himovitz
Kira Brady
Crister Brady
Jim Brady
2009
Iris Roselinsky
Andrew Sanborn
Josh Neighbors
Griffin Saxon
Jim Brady
2010
Sophia Philips
Morgan Riegert
Christina Tebbe
Marandah Field-Elliot
Heather Harkness
Emalani Artis
Lucia Nuechter
Jim Brady
2011
Sophie Baer
Spencer Bloomer
Katie Villanueva
Annie Villanueva
Daniel Adler
Lily DeVoto
Crister Brady
Jim Brady
2013
Sophie Baer
Marandah Field-Elliot
Nicole Figueroa
Emma Beth Permé
Lily Herschman
Kenny Hughes
energized me on the way back. We left
the farm, said thank you, and went back
to camp.
Before lunch, I asked Carol (our
cook’s six-year-old daughter) to draw
with me. She said Si, and we went over by
my tent. She drew a picture for me, with
flowers and my name on it. I put it in a
place so I can make sure it doesn’t get ruined. I know I will want to keep it forever.
I head over to lunch with Emma Beth.
Lunch is an omelet, broccoli, cauliflower,
and peaches. After a siesta, we head out
to play some volleyball. I decide to be in
a game, even though I am not pro. All of
us girls play volleyball together, and the
locals end up winning.
After eating dinner, which is fish
steamed in banana leaves, Emma Beth
and I organize our tent and sit by the fire
for a while with our group and community members. It feels so good after a long
day. I have a great sleep, taking in the
memories of today, and wondering what
memories I will make tomorrow.
The Rio Beni Health Project delivers
primary health care, education and training, and potable water to the indigenous
people in the upper Amazon rainforest in
northwestern Bolivia. This Project is conducted in close collaboration with national
and local health authorities and is designed
to expand both prevention activities and
much needed medical attention. Led by Jim
Brady, dozens of SBMS family members
have traveled to Rio Beni (see list).
In late November, the founders of the
Rio Beni Health Project were named one of
the Santa Barbara Independent’s “Local
Heroes” for their work bringing help and
health care to the people of the Beni.
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious
triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank
with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much
because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither
victory nor defeat.”
—Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the U.S. and
winner of the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize
A
s an extension of our physics class, the ninth grade
recently traveled to Pasadena to tour NASA’s Jet
Propulsion Laboratory (above). JPL is a large campus where thousands of scientists, technicians, programmers, and others work to create many of our nation’s
deep-space probes. JPL built the Mars rover, Curiosity, that
landed on the surface of Mars last year with a sophisticated science lab on board that can analyze soil samples
on the surface of Mars. The results are analyzed at JPL.
We learned that the Voyager I spacecraft, that was
launched 36 years ago, has recently flown out of the
Heliosphere and is now the first spacecraft ever to enter
interstellar space. It is still communicating with scientists at JPL on a daily basis. At the speed of light (186,282
miles/sec), it takes about 13 hours for a message to travel
from the edge of interstellar space to the earth.
In some sense, each student is like the Voyager I
spacecraft in that all of the instruction, discipline, and effort exerted now will supply each one with a wealth of
knowledge and ability that will serve as a kind of fuel to
propel them into the depths of understanding and realization. Of course, this requires a well-rounded approach
so that the head, heart, and hands can work together as
one integrated whole. Each discipline
adds an important element.
In English, students are busy
writing and reading, revising and discussing. Next up we’ll be reading and
discussing Willa Cather’s My Antonia.
In Geometry, we are now developing our ability to construct
geometric proofs. This is the first
exposure that students have had
to proofs which are vital to one’s
understanding of the rigor and elegance of mathematics. In Physics,
we are fortunate to have astrophysicist and SBMS parent Steve Solomon
helping us this year (see page 3).
Our ninth grade World History class began the year
with our annual Channel Islands seminar, culminating
with our four-day research expedition aboard the dive boat
Vision. Students prepared by researching a range of topics,
from the value of marine preserves and island fox restoration to global fishing concerns and marine debris dangers.
Each team tested their conclusions with field work, interviews, and first-hand experiences. After presenting their
reports during the expedition, our ninth graders distilled
their findings and experiences into research papers, creative writing essays, and art projects.
Back on land, we returned to world history and our
study of ancient India, Hinduism, and Buddhism. To demonstrate their understanding of Indian history and beliefs,
the ninth graders performed a version of the Ramayana
called the “Impravayana” for five nights around the campfire on our Monterey expedition. We have finished reading Herman Hesse’s book Siddhartha and will be turning
towards our unit on Modern India, followed by our study
of China and the Middle East. This year we will be reintroducing a special unit on Tibet to coincide with a visit
by Losang Thepo, a Tibetan monk who will create a sand
mandala at SBMS in February (see page 29).
All ninth grade students are serving in the student
government. Students rotate between committees that
include administration, social planning, and school service. Students also present on their interests at our weekly
homeroom. We have a robust group this year, and we look
forward to each new day of discovery and development.
—Russ Lewin, Dean of Ninth Grade
5
Academics
Sixth and seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
T
his year’s theme of
“the power of story: what’s your
Verse?” is an English teacher’s dream! The eighth
grade English students read, write, and discuss
stories for reasons ranging from personal enjoyment, to providing opportunities for analytical thinking
and writing, and to better understanding our lives and
the world in which we live.
Since September, we’ve used Ray Bradbury’s most famous story, Fahrenheit 451, as a mirror to reflect upon
our own society and lives in relation to topics such as
technology, politics, and education. Contributing their
verses, all eighth graders delivered a public speech in an
effort to combat ignorance and apathy among their peers
about important topics of their choice including sleep
deprivation, the U.S. governmental shutdown, eating disorders, the continuing environmental issues surrounding
the Fukushima nuclear power plant, and more.
This fall, the rest of the eighth grade academic program is filled with stories as well: in History, the story of
the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance were studied to
6
Jesse’s English class starts each day with a guided creative writing
exercise; (above) Maia, Brad, and Laird took part in “Twilight
Twenties” in History, examining historical figures of the period.
better understand the economic and cultural roots of the
post-modern world; in Spanish, students told their personal stories through the use of the preterite verb tense;
in Science, the story of the Big Bang served as a backdrop
for scientific thought as students then delved into cell
structure and their respective functions; in Geometry,
students learned logic through the construction of geometric proofs; in Algebra, the review of linear equations
and graphing sets students up to master the Quadratic
Formula—and this just scratches the surface!
In terms of the verses contributed by eighth graders,
they’ve been ones of rigorous study, engaged learning,
and curious investigation. All of the eighth grade faculty
agree it’s been a great start to the academic school year!
—Jesse Wooten, Dean of Eighth Grade
Oh, the places we have gone
In just 3 months—are you sure?
September, October, November—
Already December?
Couldn’t be!
And what was all the commotion in
Jenna’s 6th grade lair?
Mesopotamia and metaphor one day
Granola and grammar the next
Wonder, Wonder, Wonder . . . wonder everywhere.
Adam, Jake, and Vicki inspired verses in symbol and line
Slopes, intercepts Shikaku
Portfolios filled with number magic
Formulas that will stand the test of time.
Up in John’s room, argument was the
6th Grade Seminar sound
Is the book better than the movie?
Or the other way around?
Teresa’s table of contents filled way more
than just one page
Prewriting to publishing, Heroes to Givers
Connotations, denotations, passions, and professions
Guest speakers, noted authors,
even pictures lighting the stage.
Film inspired and moving pictures gave pause
A bike ride in Ghana, a long walk in South Sudan
Balls bouncing all over the globe
7th grade Social Studies verses everlasting—
and electronic—posted on our blogs.
Volcanoes spewing in 6th grade
Shelters quaking in 7th
Exploratorium in Jesse’s Room
Hands on, hands down, everlasting
science memories made.
Telenovelas en español
Historias divertidas y versos divertidos
Muchachos y muchachas las estrellas
Estudiantes que sonríen como el sol.
Oh, the places we have gone
In just 3 months—are you sure?
September, October, November—
Already December?
Couldn’t be!
And the verses, lines and chapters
we’ll etch in from here to June
Stay tuned
Come back in 2014
Walt Whitman’s surely gonna dig our tune.
—John Seigel-Boettner, Dean of Sixth and Seventh Grades
7
Academics
Sixth Grade Hunters & Gatherers
A Tradition of Learning,
Service, and Community
“Be proud of your work; it’s part of
who you are.”
—From the Career Study Workbook
written and designed by Whitney
Ingersoll.
I
worked on a two-million-dollar
Ferrari,”
eighth-grader
Max
Freudenberg said with grease on his
face and excitement in his voice. For
the past thirty-six years, Santa Barbara
Middle School students and teachers
have spent the week before Thanksgiving
expanding the classroom into our local community and
carving out time for authentic communication between
school and family.
Every student sat down for half an hour with all of
their teachers and their parents to talk about their own
unique learning profile, creating an individual story about
each child as a student and learner. This rare approach
to conferences creates an opportunity for students
to develop and enhance skills in a real-life experience
during Career Study Week, which runs concurrently with
conferences.
The purpose of CSW is to introduce students to the
world of career possibilities and to allow students to build
confidence by participating in the work place, where they
will tackle unfamiliar tasks by asking questions, taking
direction from supervisors, and being open to suggestions.
The CSW program is tailored by grade to best fit the needs
of students at different stages in their education.
In sixth grade, students stay together and Caroline
DeLoreto guides them into the professional world,
embarking on a weeklong journey exploring possibilities
and ruminating on how to transition one’s own passions
and interests into a lifelong career.
In seventh and eighth grade, students make a career
choice for the week. Since the program began 36 years
ago, Whit Ingersoll has helped to prepare them for and
place them in local businesses. Under Whit’s dedicated
and detailed eye, students gain hands-on experience, from
the service industry to surf shops and from architecture
just
I
n october, sixth graders at sbms completed a study of early
humans and ancient hunter-gatherer societies. Encouraged to think like an early human, the class was
asked to come up with potential meals that huntergatherer societies would have eaten in the Santa Barbara
area three million years ago. Students were asked to think
about what types of fruits and vegetables were in season
at the time and what they could make out of these ingredients. After this brainstorm, our entire class embarked
on a journey to Ellwood Canyon Farms in Goleta to see
what we could “gather.” We came back to school with a
bounty of sweet, delicious apples, vibrant persimmons,
pungent herbs, pumpkins, butternut squash, and granola
makings. Immediately, we set to work preparing all of this
8
local, delicious food to share with the school “elders” (7th,
8th, and 9th graders) on our fall trip to Monterey. The 6th
graders astounded me with their abilities to chop, dice,
slice, and prepare the fruits and vegetables we gathered.
We dried apples and persimmons for a healthy snack, we
baked over 25 pounds of granola for hearty breakfasts on
the road, and we prepared the pumpkins and squash for
a delicious soup on a cold night. These snacks filled our
bellies and warmed our hearts high in the redwoods and
won’t soon be forgotten. The project culminated in the
classroom with scientific journals, in which each student
listed their findings and observations, complete with hand
drawn renderings and hypotheses on possible usages.
—Jenna Newburn, Sixth Grade Teacher
Learning on the job: Grant helped at
Hazard’s Cyclesport. Adrienne (above)
covered a UCSB Gauchos soccer playoff
game with EMI Photography.
to veterinary medicine. While each student has a different work experience, all
students follow the same process that
Whit has perfected over nearly three decades of CSW. An
80-page reader-style workbook serves students as a map
into what for most is their first 30-hour work week. Whit
and English teacher Teresa Jamison spend a significant
amount of time prepping students for the new world of
bosses, customers, and careers. CSW not only gives students a peek into the daily tasks of the working world,
but also into the roles of etiquette and professionalism
with assignments that include writing a cover letter and
acing an interview.
For twenty years Kelly Rosenheim, the ninth-grade
community service coordinator, has placed small
groups of students in local nonprofits for the week.
“We’ve cultivated longstanding relationships with many
nonprofits who look forward to our students every year,”
she says. “But they are helping us just as much, probably
even more than we are helping them.” By the end of the
week, students will have completed about 25-30 of the
community service hours necessary to graduate from high
school. They will also have gained much more by helping
those in need, from reading stories to homeless children
to playing games with elderly Alzheimer’s patients.
Whether learning how to make a smoothie or
stitch up a puppy—or take care of a dream machine—
all students are learning the value of service and an
honest day’s work. By challenging themselves and trying
something new, students are learning self-reliance and
resilience in addition to the importance of being part of
and contributing to a community.
—Kara Petersen ’96
9
Photo Courtesy EMI Photography
A happy group of
hunter-gatherers gathered
at Ellwood Farms to
show off their bounty;
(bottom left) Zenzelé
and Julia took a turn on
the grill during soup prep;
Coco, Carmen, Elias,
and Caetano flash some
powerful purple peppers.
CONFERENCES AND CAREER STUDY WEEK:
Academics
Independent Thinker
7th Grade
M
y
experience
during
career
Lessons in Friendship
study
week at the Santa Barbara Independent was very interesting. I felt like an adult with
obligations and responsibilities, which made the whole
process very fulfilling. When I was working there, I sat
through meetings about cover art, sales production, and
news. I wrote two articles—one about the Kids Draw Architecture Event (KDA) and another about being in a family of restaurant owners. I created an ad on a website and
filed papers, too. For my article on the KDA event, I interviewed the vice president of the program with questions I
had written about her involvement in the event. I also had
the privilege to interview [singer and SBMS alum parent]
Kenny Loggins about his new soundtrack to children’s
book Frosty the Snowman. When I wasn’t writing stories
or interviewing people, I was filing and organizing sales
statements or other documents.
When I was working at the Independent (or as the employees call it, “the Indy”) I noticed that most of the people were on the younger side. I think that it’s a great idea
for a newspaper to have a lot of young minds because
9th Grade
they can be very keen to coming up with new, spunky
ideas. All the people there were very kind to me and
never made me feel belittled or dumb. I wasn’t afraid to
say something if I didn’t understand because they would
kindly explain the subject to me without embarrassment
on my part.
During my internship I learned about my job with a
different department every day. There are the Reporters,
Writers, Editors, Publication, Human Resources, Design
Team, and Sales Production. I learned a lot from each department and I feel I can take away almost all of what I
learned and apply it to my daily life. I really think Career
Study Week is a great program to let us learn more about
what growing up and being an adult is like with all the
responsibilities and obligations.
—Caroline Sjerven
Mr. Everything
8th Grade
D
uring career study week, i worked at a
clothing store on State Street. The
store has been there for 24 years. I chose to work there
because it’s a very unique store due to the fact all their
products are made from alternative fabrics. The owner
designs all of the clothes in the shop.
I never really realized how much work goes into keeping a store in shape! I was constantly going into the back
10
and making sure we had enough stock of everything. If
we didn’t have enough, I would order more online. I also
swept every day to make sure it stayed clean.
It was also great to learn how to work the register.
That sound when you make a sale is amazing! Once, I
even foiled a scam. A customer claimed he had given me a
twenty; he even pointed out that he had written a star on
the bill. But I knew that the guy who had come in just before him had given me that bill. The owner told me later
that the two customers were probably working together.
One of the hardest things sometimes was making
sure I was keeping busy. I had to constantly remind myself that I was working and not just hanging out with my
employer. There were a lot of different types of people
that walked in. It was cool to meet people from all over
the world who had come to beautiful Santa Barbara. I got
to talk to them about where they live and give them advice about what they should do while they are here.
This honestly makes me somewhat excited to start
working! It was a lot of fun and I wouldn’t mind doing it
more often especially if I get paid!
—Evan Knight
K
anaan lopez, sarina wasserman, andrew tebbe, and i volun-
teered at the Friendship Center during Community
Service Week. The Friendship Center is an adult daycare
center for adults with varying stages of Alzheimer’s or
dementia.
When we arrived we were given name tags and headed
to the dining room. We were then directed to walk around
the room and introduce ourselves to the members. This
was the hardest part of our week of service. It was difficult
to approach the residents and start a conversation. Some
of them had trouble hearing, speaking, or communicating in general. However, once we got more comfortable
around the people we learned a lot about their lives.
Many of the residents there are war vetNinth Grade
erans. One man, Amadeo,
Community
brought a scrapbook of
Service Sites
his time in the military.
He showed us pictures
Friendship Center, Montecito
Unity Shoppe
of him when he was in
Hillside House
Australia during World
Storyteller
War II, his Bronze Medal
CBB Preschool
certificate and a Japanese
Heritage House
flag. Bernice talked to
Monroe Elementary School
us about her time as
KZMY Moab
an entertainer in the
Art from Scrap
military.
Dream Foundation
Playing games with
the members was the
easiest part of our week. The members sat in chairs in
a large circle. Kanaan and I stood in the middle of the
circle. Everyone was given fly swatters and we all bounced
balloons around for a while. It was fun seeing the people
who normally don’t participate in any physical activities
enjoying the game.
Overall, working at the Friendship Center was a rewarding experience. We learned how dementia and Alzheimer’s affect people, and we had valuable experiences
dealing with the members.
—Alex Lewis
Thanks to Our
Partners!
Special appreciation to these businesses who invited SBMS students
into their workplaces, giving real-life lessons and hands-on training.
Make sure and say thanks if you’re able to visit any of them!
A- Frame Surf
All Saints Preschool
Backyard Bowls
Beit Ha’Yeladim
Blenders in the Grass
Bright Start
Brophy Bros
C’est Cheese
Ca’Dario
Carpinteria Family School
Channel Islands Surf
Circle of Friends
City Hall
Cliff Drive Care Center
Cold Springs School
Core Power Yoga
California Pizza Kitchen
Diani Boutique
Dimitar Tennis Academy
EMI Photography
Fresco Café
Golden State Papaya
Greg Hampton Studios
Goleta Valley Nursery School
Harmony Preschool
Hazard’s Cyclesport
Invocce, Inc
Ironwood Designs
J7 Surfboards
Jeff Shelton Architect
Jensen Guitar & Music
Kahuna Grill
Lazy Acres
Lemos Feed and Pet Supply
Lole Women
Lovebird
Lucky Penny
Marcel Hemp
Monroe Elementary
Montecito YMCA
Montecito Union School
Montessori Center School
Mountain Air Sports
Mountain View School
My Gym
Old Man Mountain
Pacifica
Page Youth Center
Peabody Charter School
Play it Again Sports
Playback Recording Studio
Revolver Recordings
Robitaille’s
Rockshop Academy
Roosevelt Elementary School
Rori’s Ice Cream
Santa Barbara Rock Gym
Santa Barbara Running
Santa Barbara Tennis Club
Santa Barbara Zoo
Seavees
Sensational Pets
Songquist Childcare
Stardust Sportfishing
Starr King Preschool
Stormo Health
Superior Brake and Alignment
Surf Country
The Actor’s Gang
The Beach House
The Family School
The Guitar Bar
The Independent
The Oaks Parent Child Workshop
The Training Room / Mark Brisby
Tino’s Italian Grocery
Trader Joe’s
Trattoria Mollie
Velopro
Victor DiNovi
Vieja Valley School
Washington Elementary School
White’s Pet Hospital
Wilderness Youth Project
11
Choices Galore for Student Creativity
T
he creative arts side of the sbms diamond shone brightly
Advanced Photography
Art Journals
Beginning Rock Jam
Boys Team Soccer
Cardboard Art
Dance and Drama
Field Sports
Flash Animation
Girls Team Volleyball
Guitar
Homework Lab
Lawn Sports
Learning Strategies
Painting
Power Walking
Scientific BIG
Songwriting
Technology Clinic
Teen Press
Bike Monkeys
Yoga
12
Friday electives
Fantasy Book Club
Go Pro Outdoor Advanced Photography
Illustrated Inspiration
Lawn Bowling
Mountain Biking
Ocean Sports
RC Cars
Surf Team
S
ydni has decisions to make when she arrives at school at
8:15 Wednesday mornings. She has to decide whether to attend a Standardized Test Prep class or get
a taste of Mediterranean Art and Culture with Shannon
Kenny, an alumna, volunteer parent, and SBMS Board
Member. Somehow, sampling olive oil and Italian breads
from the region, and designing a Moroccan tile, or finishing her collage that depicts Islam culture, is the winner.
Tuesday mornings, seventh-grade students Devan, Hixon,
and Josie, along with a few others, scramble in just before
the academic bell rings, brushing off sand from the East
Beach volleyball court, where they woke up early to bump
and set the ball with Erik Edwards. Traipsing in after them
is Marco’s foursome of “O’dawn-hundred” morning time
golfers. Meanwhile, back at school, our own “iron chef”
foodies have gathered in the Deli with Jennifer to juice,
chop, dice, and blend up some good eats for the morning
snack break, thoughtfully using the leftovers from Monday afternoon’s SBMS Farmer’s Market.
this fall, under the direction of Sue Carmody and
with the full support of faculty and staff who offered opportunities to share their interests and passions
with students. By the time students head home for winter
break, they will have already taken six different electives
chosen from more than thirty different options. Students
have the opportunity to spend additional time with their
favorite teachers learning something new. They also get
to know SBMS alumni and community experts who contribute their time and knowledge to help us enrich our
Creative Arts program. Whitney and Jim continue to offer guitar and songwriting courses, and Marco, one of
Whit’s first students, is now leading Rock Jam and prepping young musicians for Songfest. Whether carrying on
SBMS traditions like Bike Monkeys or The Mandala or
learning new skills in Technology Clinic and Go Pro Outdoor Advanced Photography, SBMS students are engaging in a variety of different arts that are sure to inspire
their young minds and hearts.
Fall electives
Diamond Time is Shining
New Friday Electives
with a Service Spin
Winter electives
Advanced Volleyball
Artbooks and Journals
Bike Monkeys
Boys Team Basketball
Cardboard Art
Co-Ed Volleyball
Cooking
Dance and Drama
E-music
Flash Animations
Freehand Drawing
Girls Team Soccer
Guitar
Homework Lab
Jump Rope
Learning Strategies
Movie Making
Philosophy and Big Ideas
Power Walking
Second Quarter
Spike Ball
Technology Clinic
Teen Press
Ultimate Frisbee
Weight Lifting
Friday electives in January each revolve
around the student contributing to the
community in some way.
Boys & Girls Club Students will coach or tutor younger
Club members.
Bike Monkeys This class will build bikes and work with
Bici Centro to refurbish free bikes.
For those students looking for some “headier”
Diamond Time options, they usually hit the Stock Club
that Russ offers, or gravitate toward Jake Lindelof or Jesse
Kasehagen’s room for Robotics or Mad Science. Our own
Jazz Band, taught by Jocelyn Tipple welcomes the morning
carpools with syncopated beats wafting out the doors of
the Performing Arts Room, and for those looking for a little
slice of serenity, they find their way to yoga class. Aeddon
decides to hit the snooze button on his alarm clock to give
himself an extra 30 minutes of sleep that his growing body
is craving.
It’s true, students and teachers alike are waking up
eager, creative, and ready for Diamond Time to kick start
their day.
—Sue Carmody
Surf Team Surfers will help with beach clean-ups.
Mandala / Creative Writing Schoolwide publication
celebrating student writing and journalism.
Fiber Arts Using wood block prints, students will create
bags to sell at our Farmer’s Market; proceeds to benefit
local, sustainable projects.
Animal Art The projects created will be put on display to
entertain and inform visitors at the Santa Barbara Zoo.
Circuit Training In this PE elective, participants will run a
modified noon sports circuit training for SBMS kids.
Bike Safety Videos Students will produce public service
announcements for Local Access TV and school websites.
Album Art Artists will create displays to decorate our
Performing Arts Room.
13
Girls Volleyball
Boys Soccer
varsity
T
he 2013 season was another great one for boys team soc-
T
he girls varsity team included seventh and eighth grade
girls who came to the team with advanced skills.
These girls naturally got down into the ready position, talked to each other, and called the ball. After the
play they high-fived and kept their spirits up. We had two
great setters, and because of this we were able to use a
6-1 offense which led to our very stable game organization. The team was able to bump, set, and spike on almost
every play. In addition, the girls knew advanced court
strategies and even motivation techniques! All of this resulted in the team winning all their games except one and
finishing the season in second place. This group of excellent individual players came together into a great team. It
was my privilege to be their coach.
—Victor Dominocielo
Back: Coach Victor Dominocielo, Josie Gonella, Angel Singh, Sophie
Breathed, Jameson Baldwin, Miranda Starkey, Isabel Gira, Ruby
Singh. Front: Devon Randolph, Grace Crozier, Katty Kendrick.
cer at SBMS. Players from all four grades banded together to finish strong. After a rough start with a
few losses during the regular season, the boys practiced
hard and ended the season with a First Round seed in the
Christian League Tournament. All the players gave 100
percent, led by strong offense from Noah and Zach, and
defensive dominance from Tor and Arman. This year new
coach Chris Reussner joined our team. He has coached
at area schools for over eight years, and his enthusiasm
and formal approach to coaching helped the team reach a
really high level of play!
—Marco Andrade
Junior Varsity
D
espite a losing streak that lasted almost all season, the
SBMS Girls Junior Varsity team—Alicia, Ami, Avalon, Caroline, Elena, Lulu, and Zenzelé—played
their hearts out every game of every match; they held
their heads up high when they lost and were gracious
when they won games, and ultimately when they won
their last match.
The season was full of many ups and downs . . . from
winning the first game of a match then losing the next
two in a best-of-three series, to missing a string of serves
to one player making her first serve ever!
The highlight of the season came in the very last week.
Entering the last match of the regular season against
Marymount with an 0-6 record, the team suffered their
worst defeat of the season in the first game of the match,
losing 25–5. They were then able to reflect on a similar
situation from earlier in the season, regroup, shrug off
the lopsided loss, and come back to win the next two
games, winning their first and only match of the season!
Later that week, during the JV playoffs, they rode the momentum from the Marymount victory and played some
of their greatest games of the season. The team missed
playing in the semifinals by 2 points, on two different occasions. They lost 23-25 to Laguna and to Ojai Valley. Had
they won one of those two matches, they would have had
a chance to play for the championship!
—Jake Lindelof
14
Back: Coach Erik Edwards, Sydni Trigueiro, Anya O’Connor,
Dia Rabin, Jennie Coleman, Makena Hubbard.
Front: Amanda Skinner, Gretchen Nuechter, Eliza Leventhal.
Back: Owen Dawson, Shen Brewer,
Paul Harteck, Laird Fowler, Winslow
Brown, Gibson Field-Elliot, Noah
Ostovany, Arman Banan, Solomon
Metcalfe. Front: Zach Werner, Carter
Adams, Matthew Schaeman, Drake
Rabin, Jack Cantin, Elias Bazan,
Julian Bell, Joakim Moe.
Back: Coach Jake Lindelof, Caroline Sjerven, Lulu Blau, Ami Hammond, Alicia Lopez. Front: Avalon Gagnon, Zenzelé Yossem-Guy.
15
Outdoor Education
On, and off, the Road Again
“Continuous Forward
Motion with Significant
Challenges Ahead . . . “
T
O
n our annual fall expedition, the santa barbara middle
School community—students, teachers, and a handful of stalwart volunteer parents—inaugurated a
new adventure in experiential learning when we went to
Monterey Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains!
SBMS has been involved with experiential learning
since our inception. So, what is experiential learning?
Experiential education is a philosophy…in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, clarify values, and develop people’s
capacity to contribute to their communities.
—Association for Experiential Education (AEE)
On a related level, the philosopher/educator Paolo
Freire says that in both education and service, it’s not so
much a matter of what you do, but how you do it.
So we biked up and over mountains in the redwoods
and kayaked and camped and sang and sat in circles by
the fire for hours each evening singing and listening to
16
each other’s verses and stories. Why? What was the purpose of it all?
We’ve found that the practice of experiential education has three stages: The What, the So What, and the Now
What.
Our What involved long days, 180 of us, cooking in
groups before sunrise, supporting each other up mountains on our bikes, kayaking in pairs, and visiting the
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Steinbeck Museum, and more.
The “So What,” finding meaning in the experiences,
was found in our nightly community fires, sitting in a
circle to sing and laugh, creating stories and listening to
stories of elders (including the Ramayana, done SBMS
style complete with light sabers). In the creation of our
newly-strengthened community, finding meaning in the
activities, we found the What & So What of our Experiential adventure.
The Now What can be the most difficult of all. Now that
we have had such remarkable adventures of body/spirit/
mind, and we’ve found meaning and strength of community, how are we to bring it home? Perhaps that’s the hardThe Diamond Fall 2013
est stage of the entire journey, bringing a sense of shared
accomplishment, of helpfulness and support, kindness
and assistance, to our homes and families and friends.
Some say a journey begins well before one actually departs. Our SBMS community knows that the journey continues well after we return, bringing the learning home.
To the journey,
Jim Brady
his is my brief reflection of the sbms fall trip. a
great example of this was the monumental 28-mile
ride through the forest of Nisene Marks State Park. We
rode out of camp to the forest which holds some of the
most beautiful scenery (redwood forest) you can come across.
There was a significant uphill section (>12 miles) where the students were partnered up and set free to ride at their own pace.
The staff, alumni and parents were interspersed for monitoring.
It was a great idea and the students seemed to be having a fun
time meeting the challenge in their own way and sharing with
their friends. Riding downhill for what seemed like nearly an
hour was also included as part of this memorable experience.
There were many other great SBMS moments, but one
that will stand for some time (it may become a fireside legend in
fact), was when a sea otter swam over and jumped on some of
our kayaks including the back of mine. “I think they bite,” was
my prevailing thought at the time. No cameras were available
to capture the moment, but in great SBMS fashion, some of the
students told their story at the campfire and this is how we will
remember this magical SBMS moment.
As with last year, most of the fun for me was when hanging out with the students, which generally tended to be during
the day’s activities, driving, resting, eating, fixing bikes, waiting for other groups to catch up or just riding. They met their
“challenges and opportunities” in a fun, supportive manner and
with great spirit.
Thanks to the alumni and staff for the support and friendship during the trip. But mostly thanks to my “co-parents” for
their support. The trip was truly fun and challenging and it was
good to share it with them.
—Dean Dawson, SBMS dad
17
Outdoor Education
From the Vision to the Source:
9th Grade Research Expedition
O
ne sunday evening, the typical calm of the santa barbara
harbor was interrupted by 29 SBMS students excitedly loading bags, kayaks, surfboards, and other
gear on board Vision. For more than 10 years, Brian McWilliams, Head of School and ninth grade World History
teacher, has been taking students to one of the greatest classrooms on the planet for the annual Ninth Grade
Channel Islands Expedition.
By extending this year’s trip to four days, students
were able to visit the four northernmost islands. Starting
off in Cuyler Harbor on San Miguel, students and staff
were skiffed ashore for a hike with a National Park Service ranger who pointed out Cabrillo’s monument and
discussed the successful repopulation of the island fox.
That night the first student research group presented
their own findings on the island fox via power point
presentation as the Vision crew prepared dinner and
the ship motored around the east end of Santa Rosa
Island. The next morning students played ashore on
18
Santa Rosa, riding boogie boards down giant sand dunes.
Afterward they enjoyed skiff rides around the island to
scope out pinniped rookeries. Another research group
discussed the issue of plastics pollution in our oceans
and concluded their presentation with findings collected
on the island earlier in the day. As the sun set over the
channel, a group of five, or possibly six, special visitors
played chase with the boat. Captain Glen’s attention was
first caught by their spray, but when the giant black
dorsal fins rose out of the water everyone knew we’d
been graced by the presence of the elusive orca whales. It
was a rare treat indeed!
The Vision continued its way through the Channel
Islands and around Santa Cruz Island where students
continued exploring the ocean, this time via kayak and
snorkel. After a fun morning on the water, students returned to the boat for a presentation on local and global fisheries that included data from fish counts earlier
in the day. Under a blanket of stars that evening, Tom
Ridenour led students in the sharing of Chumash legends and stories.
On their final day at sea, students kayaked around Anacapa Island for a close encounter with sea lions and their
curious pups. Upper school English teacher and eighth
grade dean Jesse Wooten supervised the encounter from
his stand-up paddle board. “It was incredible to watch
this pod of people paddling towards the pinnipeds and a
pod of sea lions swimming toward the kayakers. At first
everyone kept their distance and checked each other out
from a safe place but then curiosity got the better of
students and sea lions and they began to swim closer
to each other until the two groups were intermingled in
the ocean.”
The Channel Islands Expedition is one of the jewels
of ninth grade experience and this year’s journey, complete with wildlife encounters, authentic learning and
good old-fashioned fun, was one for the books!
—Kara Petersen
Opposite: Students met with rangers to learn about the island fox
repopulation project; (top) Cameras, microscopes, and computers
helped students tell stories of what they saw; (above) Robotic
underwater cameras helped students explore the depths; (above
left) Together, the ninth graders created a mural of the trip.
19
Outdoor Education
Completing the Circle: 9th Grade Essay
Under the Same Stars
“Astronomy compels the soul to look upwards
and leads us from this world to another.”
—Plato
I
magine two societies separated by almost 8,000 years. the
cultures of these societies are different; their values
have great contrast, and their struggles have almost no
comparison. Though these societies are divergent, they
are connected by a subtle fact: they both lie under the
same stars.
Around the 18th century, a Native American tribe
inhabited the Channel
Islands. This tribe was
known as the Chumash Indians. The Chumash were
hunter-gatherers and also
one of the only tribes that
fished by boat. Though the
Chumash culture was similar to other tribes, they
were set apart by their legends.
Painted faces gather
around a gleaming fire.
One of the wise elders of
the Chumash tribe shares a story, telling how their world
and lives came to be: “There is this world in which we live,
but there is also one above and below us. There are two
serpents that hold our world up from below. When they
move, they cause earthquakes.” He tells stories of the Sun
God, who each day moves across the sky, carrying a ball
of light with him. As the people listen to the words of the
wise one, they look to the night sky scattered with sparkling stars. These are the stars that would guide them,
for they were their gods. Stretching far across the sky lies
Sky Snake. He is their sky god, creating lighting with his
tongue. They look to the East welcoming the Moon Goddess, and to the West, Venus, the morning star god.
Our class boards the Vision, crossing the Santa Barbara Channel out to the Islands. We are spending four days
on the water; a trip designed to learn about the Channel
Islands, one of California’s most hidden treasures. Our
days are filled with great adventure and fascinating discoveries, on the boat, but also from our surroundings. We
kayaked near Santa Cruz Island, encountering a pod of
20
energetic seals. We snorkeled through a kelp forest surrounded by fish, sea stars, urchins, and other life of all
kinds. The water was a beautiful aqua turquoise, almost
as if we had magically landed in a postcard. All through
the trip, we were surrounded by breathtaking beauty.
Though our days of the trip were extraordinary, one
of my favorite moments was sitting atop the boat as the
dark but beautiful night filled the sky. As we huddled
together to evade the blustery winds, Tom Ridenour, a
teacher and a leader at our school, shared legends of the
Chumash with us. We sat gathered around a tin lantern,
listening to the ways of the Chumash.
Around the circle,
Tom passed burning white
sage in an abalone shell,
as a symbol of removing negative energy from
the spirit. Above us, stars
sparkled in the evening
sky as if someone had
stroked a paintbrush over
a black canvas. The sky
above looked multi dimensional, expanding farther
than the mere eye could
see. It compelled you; the
vastness of the heavens above took your breath away, but
at the same time filled you with a sense of wonder. Shooting stars danced across the night sky, seeming as if they
had a place to go. We identified constellations, such as
the Big Dipper, also known as Ursa Major. Across the sky,
stretched the Milky Way, our home galaxy.
On all of the SBMS trips, the night sky is one of our
greatest teachers. Each evening spent under the stars
holds a new discovery. The nights aboard the Vision were
different from other nights though. Woven throughout
the stars, lay a connection, not only with each other, but
also with the ones who came before.
Looking up, with the scent of burning sage drifting in
the wind, we were seeing the same stars as the Chumash
looked up to nearly 8,000 years ago.
Here we sit, atop a boat surrounded by water, inspired
by a sky filled with stars. There they sat, gathered around
a fire, learning from the star-scattered sky. We are different, yet we are connected by the act of looking upwards.
—Amanda Gersoff
AEE Accreditation:
Leaders in Our Field
O
n august 30, 2013, the accreditation council of the association
for Experimental Education granted Continuing Accredited status
to Santa Barbara Middle School. SBMS has been accredited by AEE
since 2003. AEE is the accrediting organization for many programs including NOLS, Outward Bound, Prescott College, Harvard First Year Outdoor
Program and the University of North Carolina.
The Accreditation is effective for a
five-year period and is evidence of Santa
Barbara Middle School’s compliance with
the Association’s standards including:
• Dedication to the Association’s philosophical, educational, ethical, environmental, and cultural tenets;
• Maintaining appropriate risk management plans, licenses, certificates,
permits, and insurance;
• Employing qualified staff and conducting on-going in-service education
• Conducting all activities currently listed in promotional material appropriately;
• Working only with those individuals identified as appropriate for the
program.
Special REport:
Safety First
I
n our continuing efforts to follow best-practice safety
and first-aid guidelines, SBMS teachers and staff spend countless hours over the summer and throughout the fall learning
new first-aid techniques and improving the safety features of
our facilities.
Each summer, Safety and First-Aid Director and eighth
grade science teacher, Victor Dominocielo-Ho leads
the staff in a full day of first-aid training. The handson activities are designed by Victor to fit the unique
safety concerns of SBMS and culminate in the CPR
certification of each member of the SBMS faculty
and staff.
In addition, faculty and staff volunteer to spend
another afternoon in extra first-aid training in the
ocean. Another 14 volunteers attended the lifeguard inservice this past summer, some of them refreshing their memory of techniques and procedures and some new teachers learning them for the first time.
One hot weekend in August, nine teachers and staff spent
16 hours earning their Wilderness First-Aid Certification from
The review team was extremely impressed with the quality of the faculty and staff. Below are some of the strengths the review team noted:
“It is obvious that SBMS is highly committed to providing exceptional
educational opportunities for the students and their concern for student
welfare and development was evident throughout the review.
“The outdoor program is an integral component of the school’s mission—and not an extracurricular activity or component as is often the case
at many independent schools. There is a very strong integration of the experiential programming with classroom academics and other components
of the school.”
“The structure of the program is one in which teachers and students
form a strong and somewhat unique bond. Because faculty lead the outings, students are afforded the opportunity to see their teachers in an entirely different way. This strengthens connections and builds an incredibly strong
community.”
“The review team is impressed with
the rich history and traditions of the
school, and in particular the intentional
use of ceremony and rituals such as the
Ceremony of the Ashes as a way to get students to think ‘beyond themselves’ and a way to honor the past and future of the school.”
The review team noted the strong support and engagement from parents which further supports the overall welfare of students and the health
of the community.
—Erin Finnegan
the National Outdoor
Leadership School’s Wilderness Medicine Institute. Participants acted
out a variety of vivid scenarios ranging from mild dehydration to unresponsive victims
and were challenged by extreme weather conditions and rapid
evacuation situations. Hollywood make-up added to the drama
of the scenarios, making the experience all the more real.
Along with ensuring that our faculty and staff received topnotch training, we spent time and effort on our facilities. We invited local officials to school to help us review and update
our fire, earthquake, and intruder response plans. All
classrooms now have deadbolts that can be locked
from the inside in the case of an intruder. Faculty and
staff received additional training for such incidents
as well.
Our fleet received an update in preparation
for a year’s worth of journeys, from surf team to
southern Oregon, with each vehicle completing a
bumper-to-bumper audit to ensure that they are in top
operating condition before setting off on the journeys of our
school year.
The safety of our students, staff, and teachers is paramount
in every activity that SBMS does. Training such as this gives us
the tools to ensure just that.
— Kara Petersen
21
Community
The SBMS Parent
Association
T
he
sbms
New Parents Speak
parent
the outstanding safety procedures implemented by our
school and the all-important tenting partner assignment
process.
Two parent focus groups have also been formed to
provide input to the teachers and staff on healthy eating
at school and the use of computers in the curriculum.
With this start, we look forward to a productive aca—Tana Kincaid
demic year ahead! 22
News
Send your news and notes to your Class Reps. If your
class doesn’t have one yet, send news to [email protected]
(and consider becoming a Class Rep!).
asso-
ciation (PA) started
the year full force,
with an emphasis on
building community, parent
education, and parent focus
groups, all under the leadership of Meg Miller (left) and Tami Sherman (right).
Many get-acquainted gatherings were held at the end
of summer, with an opportunity for new families to meet
some of the ‘old timers’ and get first-hand information
about SBMS, school trips, and negotiating the teen years.
With the start of the academic year, a weekly parent walk
takes place, leaving the school every Wednesday at 8:30
am. The PA co-chairs have also introduced a morning
“parking lot coffee,” so that parents can connect after
dropping off their students. In addition, each grade has
a Fall gathering to bring together students and families
from that class.
But the PA isn’t all about parties. Parent education
also plays a major role in this year’s monthly meetings.
Guest speakers will cover topics ranging from the teenage brain to technology with teens. Most recently, Erin
Finnegan, the long-time SBMS trip coordinator, presented information on the coming student trips, including
Alumni
wed this New Year’s Eve in Santa
Barbara. [Ed. Note: Anne is wellknown to the SBMS community as
she’s worked hard in the school office for nearly 20 years! Congrats
to Anne, James, and Andrew!]
nities and in Latin America. It
seems the concept of service
was instilled and strengthened in
Crister during his SBMS years as
a Bike Monkey and ninth grade
leader.
2000
2003
Class Rep: Breehan
Yohe-Mellor
1981
[email protected]
Class Rep: David Griffith
[email protected]
Crister Brady has taken the
1982
Class Rep: Sophie Calvin
[email protected]
1983
O
ur daughter isabel is a first-year seventh grader
at SBMS. As parents we were attracted to the
SBMS philosophy and outdoor education emphasis. But our ’tween declared unequivocally
(insert sound of foot-stamping!) that she would follow
her friends to SB Junior High . . . that is, until she completed the SBMS tour.
After completing the tour, she decided on her own
that SBMS was for her. Whether it was the small school
and class size, the welcoming atmosphere, or the snack
bar we will likely never know, but into SBMS she went!
Isabel has especially loved her time at SBMS, making new friends and playing on the volleyball team. Social Studies—the amorphous ethereal realm of “John’s
World”—instantly became her favorite class. She has
stepped up to the plate on homework and pursued her
career opportunities with enthusiasm. We like that she is
being exposed to new places, people, and ideas, including the stories of other kids not so fortunate as her and
her peers.
Although she has been a camper all of her life, she is
a shopper at heart. Thus, she was challenged by the rigors of the fall trip, from marauding raccoons to the peak
ride. Returning to Goleta Beach, she staggered to a table
piled high with every kind of dessert imaginable and proclaimed, “I so want a shower.” Something her mom never
thought she’d hear . . . .
—Dan Gira and Victoria Greene
Class Rep: Monty Schmitt
[email protected].
1988
Class Rep: Shannon Kenny
[email protected]
1990
Class Rep: Anita Samaha
[email protected]
1991
Class Reps: Gunisha Pasrich
[email protected] and
friends and family and the great
outdoors! Now I am back to work
as a public defender.”
1996
(Morgan) Svante Nilson: “I’m
an art director/designer at a
digital agency in San Diego. In
my spare time I like to make beer
and food and hike around the
backcountry.”
1997
Class Rep: Allegra Bartlett
[email protected]
Sharon (Gerber) Dellimagine
1998
1995
Anne and James Chen are
pleased to announce the engagement of their son Andrew
Chen to Jessica (Jess) Winn from
New York. Jess works as an information management specialist
for UNICEF. Andrew is currently
a grad student in Environmental
Science at King’s College London. Jess and Andrew will be
Anchorage, Alaska, with my
husband Jeff Dave Kim, our
son Owen Avery Kim, and our
two dogs Kyra and Vince. OAK
was born in April and we had a
lovely summer getting to know
him and introducing him to our
scenic route on his journey to
medical school. As a child he was
always caring for the animals
around the house and ranch,
and helping to take out splinters
or clean scrapes and wounds of
family and friends. On extended
cycling trips he was the first aid
go-to person, beginning with his
SBMS days.
Class Rep: Kara Petersen,
[email protected]
[email protected]
Callie Patton: “I am living in
Class Rep: Blaire Suding
[email protected]
He has volunteered with
El Proyecto Salud Rio Beni (Rio
Beni Health Project; see page 4)
in Bolivia since he was 16 years
old, and has worked on medical
projects in Mozambique, Cape
Verde, and the Azores. After a
year of coordinating the Doctor’s
Without Walls Street Medicine
Program in Santa Barbara, and
another year as Outreach Coordinator for Piedmont Health
Services in Chapel Hill, N.C., he
began his medical studies in August 2013 at U.C. Davis Medical
School, in the Rural Prime program. Crister looks to continue
his work with the underserved,
both here in our local commu-
2004
For Claire Lauer, it may have
started when she was just four,
mixing tinctures for mommy’s
headache, but it really took hold
when she went on the first El
Puente humanitarian trip to Bolivia with Jim Brady in 2003 and
discovered the very real need
for health care for underserved
people. Now, Claire Lauer’s vocation to become a doctor is in
full swing. Claire has just started
med school at Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical
College of Virginia (VCU MCV) in
Richmond, VA. From SBMS she
went to San Marcos High, then
to Pomona College where she
majored in Sociology. Like Crister Brady ’00 (see left), she hopes
to do rural, underserved family
medicine.
23
Community
2005
Rachel Rhodes: “I graduated
from Tufts University with a major in International Relations and
Environmental Studies. Since
graduating, I have moved up to
San Francisco and am now working as a remote solar designer for
Sungevity Solar Company. I use
satellite imagery and proprietary
software to assess and design
custom solar electric systems
and provide initial quotes for installation on residential homes.”
Amelia Badish: “After graduat-
and am starting a sustainable
menswear clothing line.”
2007
Garret Davis has launched a new
watch company, Refined Hardware. An entrepreneur at heart,
Garret shifted his focus from the
Sugar & Salt Creamery—a nondairy ice cream company whose
truck can be seen around town—
to design, manufacture, and sell
custom watches. His inspiration
came while attending boarding
school in Switzerland and most
of his skills are self-taught.”
ing from UC Davis with a degree
in International Relations with an
emphasis in Global Health, Natural Resources, and the Environment, with an area study of Latin
America, and a minor in History,
I moved to San Francisco and
started working for a company
called Switchfly. We’re a software company in the travel and
loyalty industries, and I am the
Human Resources Coordinator.”
P.A. Tremblay: “It was amazing
to see SBMS [recently]. What a
beautiful campus, and clearly the
change will and has improved
the education of the students. I
am currently starting Just Pizza,
a wood-fire pizza catering business here in Santa Barbara, and
would like to extend the service
to SBMS for any potential staff or
alumni gatherings. Thanks.”
Rivers Ingersoll: “After graduat-
2010
ing from Georgia Tech with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I
started graduate school at Stanford University. I am currently
working towards a Ph.D in a BioInspired Flight Design lab, where
I study hummingbird flight with
direct applications to flapping
Micro Air Vehicles.”
David Herschorn: “I started at
UC Berkeley in 2009 and studied
international development and
environmental economics and
policy. While in college, I was
really lucky to get to travel a lot
and fell in love with Arabic while
spending a summer in Tunisia. I
ended up spending 10 months in
Egypt, where I just returned from
in June. I now live in San Francisco,
where I work as a photographer
24
Singing to Help Out
Class Rep: Tristan Bloomer
[email protected]
Spreading the “Joy Factor”
• • • • •
Joss Jaffe ’95 has combined his skill and love for music with his interest
in helping others. A vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with several CDs
of his music, he tours regularly across the west and in Hawaii. This fall,
he added Japan to his list of venues. His three-week tour there included
a yoga and music festival, yoga workshops with music, and courses in
singing and mantras. An important part of the trip was raising money
for charities in Japan and other communities connected with the tour.
Part of the proceeds of the tour went to Chiisanatabi Japan, which supports women and children in the tsunami-hit Fukushima region of Japan; Ainomoto Japan, which provides guitars, food, and music education to orphans in Cambodia; and the Street Angels Project, providing
assistance to homeless and at-risk youth in Honolulu.
Joss’s latest album is called Dub Mantra, and he’s been profiled in
numerous magazines in the U.S. and England. A resident of Oakland,
when he’s not playing, singing, and touring, he’s a photovoltaic design
engineer.
From Santa Barbara to Broadway
Audiences flocking to the Great White Way this season were
treated to what is probably an all-time first. An SBMS alum
appeared on Broadway . . . while her sister took a night off
from her own production to see big sis on stage!
Jessica (Adcock) Love ’98, plays Viktorya in “The
Snow Geese,” which debuted in October at the Manhattan Theater Club in New York City. (The New York Times
called her performance “quietly compelling.”) Jessica was
a regular in SBMS productions before moving on to Santa
Barbara High, where she was also in “every play, every year,” as her proud dad Michael reported. Jessica
went to UC Santa Cruz and then studied at the famed Julliard School of Drama in New York.
Meanwhile, younger sister Elena ’04 was following a similar path. The stage at SBMS to the stage
at SBHS. Elena studied theater and English at UCSB before moving to New York to work as an actress as
well. Both sisters now live in Brooklyn, a long way from Santa Barbara but a lot closer to their dreams.
The population and mission we’ve taken on is to close the achievement
gap. I take what I learned at Middle School and what I remember from
there: the joy factor in teaching. Making it fun and exciting, and making challenges something to seek out rather than run away from. There
was such a huge emphasis on trying things that are hard. I feel like I’ve
tried to create those types of scenarios in my classroom now. My kids
are looking for things that are harder. It’s exciting for them to realize,
“Hey, I got better at that and I tried hard and practiced and now I can do
it!” Even things like rhyming and adding and subtracting can be that for
these kids.
• • • • •
At Middle School, there were a lot of teachers that I was close to. I’m still
in close touch with John SB. I came home to Santa Barbara this summer
and I was talking with [John’s wife, Lynn], who also teaches young kids.
We were trading resources. We even got a care package from her class!
It was cool to change from student to colleague. I remember the joy
factor from John, too, to ask questions and to wonder. I was also super
close to Jim Brady. I’ve been to Bolivia with him. And Brian was superinspirational.
Annie Villanueva finished at SBMS in 2005
and then graduated from Santa Barbara High in 2008. At Dartmouth, she
studied geography and English (“the most liberal arts-y things I could do!”).
Though going back east was a “culture shock” for her, she was looking for
something different. She found it and remains back there teaching. She
reflected on her experiences so far and how Middle School remains an
influence.
• • • • •
It’s great how applicable Middle School is to hard things in real life. I can
push through the other side of challenges. I learned you can do a lot
more than you think you can.
I’m working at the Edward Brooke Charter School, a low-income school
in Boston. I’m a kindergarten teacher, and we work with 99.9 percent
minority students from Boston area. We try and take the kids who are
the most behind and need the most support and get them as far ahead.
• • • • •
I really love it here. It’s not what I expected to be doing. I thought I’d be
a journalist. When I was at Middle School, I did a lot of writing, really
liked music and art, but didn’t think of being a teacher. In college, I applied for writing internships, but didn’t get what I wanted. I sort of fell
into an internship at a nonprofit in New York City that runs art and music
workshops in homeless shelters. Part of the time, I worked in the office,
but five nights a week I taught kids in the shelters. I always liked kids,
but didn’t think I’d want to be a teacher until those workshops. I really
enjoyed that, so I stayed with it.
25
Community
A Tenth Grader Looks
Back . . . and Ahead
Community Action
Club Helps Out
Kieran Hook went through Rites of Passage in June 2013. He’s in his
first year at Santa Barbara High School. We asked him to pass along
some of his thoughts on his move from SBMS to high school.
E
very wednesday at lunch the lotus theater fills with students that care about giving back to their community. The mission of the Community Action Club (CAC) is to determine what
SBMS cares about, and to set out to make a measurable difference.
Our first service project has been focused on developing our own
SBMS Direct Relief International (DRI) arm that will connect and interface with other youth-led DRI Clubs here in Santa Barbara. DRI provides
disaster relief and medical assistance for those areas hit with natural
disasters. Our students attended “Youth Day” at DRI on Saturday,
November 2nd, which included a tour of the facility, and a chance to
network with other city-wide student organizations and share ideas.
Eighth-grade student Matthew Schaeman’s mom, Jessica Schaeman,
is our lead parent liaison and is helping us kickstart our program.
I
n my transition of going from
SBMS to the MAD academy (at
Santa Barbara High School) this
year, I felt well prepared thanks to my
years at Middle School, and have so
far found the transition to be successful and smooth. While the challenge
of school remains and there are many
changes to become accustomed to—
such as the sheer size of the school—
Middle School has taught me to soak up the best wherever I am.
My experience at Middle School has given me the ability to learn
from many different teaching styles, and this greatly applies to high
school with the more fast-paced styles of teaching that require me
to always stay on my toes and be ready to adapt. Despite the size
of the school, I have remained closely knit with my friends from
SBMS. I also have had the opportunity to meet new people who
share the same disposition as myself. Overall, I see the transition
as a positive thing, simply moving on to a bigger world after having
the incredible experience that SBMS has to offer. With my experience at SBMS I have gained the perspective and drive to make the
transition smooth while feeling assured and confident in my ability
to make the best of whatever comes my way. —Kieran Hook, ’13
Holy SBMS,
BatKid!
A
pair of sbms alums, jacob and isaac seigel-boettner,
were in the thick of one of this fall’s biggest national
social-media stories. In November, through the Makea-Wish Foundation, a young leukemia patient got to see
his superhero dreams come true. With the help of numerous San
Franciscans—from the mayor to the chief of police to the S.F. Giants mascot—the young man got to play BatKid for a day. While
thousands of people lined the streets to follow the young hero’s every move, the Seigel-Boettners, through their film company Pedal
Born Pictures, were the official documentarians for this amazing
day. They traveled right alongside BatKid as he battled the Riddler
and the Penguin and hopped in the BatMobile to race through the
city. The brothers were so focused (pardon the pun) on capturing
the scenes of the day that they didn’t know until they were finished
that millions of people around the world had followed along with
their adventures! Holy Good Deed, BatKid!
The Fabulous Allan-Blitz Boys
A trio of SBMS sibling alums are making their marks in movies,
Matt Besserman ’98 pulled out all the romantic
stops. During a trip to Europe, he proposed to his
girlfriend Debra in Florence, Italy. After she said
“Si!,” the couple started making wedding plans.
26
music, and medicine. Lige ’02 (and a former SBMS teacher) will
be appearing next year in Squirrels to the Nuts, a movie starring
Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. Lao ’05 is at UCLA Medical
School. And Lev ’06 is finishing his final year at UC Berkeley,
where he is studying music and guitar.
A Night of
Love and Gratitude
I
nspired by the generosity and creativity of alum parents
Marion Toms, SBMS family members past and present gathered
in Victoria Court for “A Night of Love and Gratitude” this fall. An
accomplished and renowned potter, Toms created 100 handmade mugs that were donated to SBMS with gratitude for the
years her two daughters, Alana ’04 and Lexi ’10 Aquileno, spent here.
Maria Wilson, who owns the Painted Cabernet on State Street hosted the event. Current and past parents, teachers, students, staff, and
friends mingled and mixed over the mugs while raising two thousand
dollars for SBMS!
As soon as alumna and owner of neighboring boutique Lola,
Nicole McClure Green ’84 heard about the event, she wanted to be
a part of it. She very generously offered to stay open late and donate
a portion of her sales to SBMS as well. We even had a surprise visitor
when former head of school Kent Ferguson stopped by.
It was a wonderful way to visit with old friends, make new friends,
and raise funds for our school!
Niklas, Joakim, and Susan Moe were just three of the many SBMS
family members who helped at Direct Relief’s Thanksgiving
Community Day, packing supplies for Philippine typhoon relief.
The CAC is brainstorming ideas for a DRI fundraiser. Students have
generated ideas that include a movie night, coin drive, enlisting our
own local band, White Moon, to play a benefit, the classic bake sale,
and any combination of these ideas. Stay tuned for our final decision. In the spring, our DRI contingent will be coordinating the “Flower
Drive” that many have come to know as one of DRI’s local signature
service events (founded by former SMBS family, Annie and Katy
Villanueva).
The CAC continues to oversee our weekly SBMS Monday Farmer’s
Market (courtesy of Kristi Curtis and Ellwood Canyon Farms) and will
be determining how the monies from the Market will be used to enhance our own garden and sustainable projects here at school.
Join us on Wednesdays in the Lotus Theater!
Nicole McClure Green ‘84, Kent Ferguson, and Shannon Kenny ’88
at “A Night of Love and Gratitude.”
27
Community
Why I Chose SBMS
When I heard about the Community Spaces Project from my
father, Gary Dorfman, I wanted to do whatever I could to
help. I decided to send a letter to my grandparents on my
Mother’s side, to see if they wanted to help. I didn’t ask them
for money; I instead, told them what I have been up to.
—Tyler Dorfman, ’14
Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
Almost three years ago I made the best decision of
my short life. It was the end of my beloved elementary
school experience at Cold Spring School and I was looking for the next step in my education. I had narrowed
my choices down to three schools, and I visited each of
them to see which one I would like to attend. Three is
the magic number. The first was Santa Barbara Junior
High where most of my friends
were going. The second was La
Colina Junior High where [my sister] Ava was attending. And the
third was SBMS, the independent
school known for its intense outdoor program and a progressive
approach to education that my
Dad wanted me to consider. The
one I chose surprised me. I didn’t
think I would end up at SBMS, but
I did and here’s why and what it
has meant to me.
I sensed on the first day that SBMS had a friendly,
active community of students and teachers. In fact, at
SBMS we address the teachers by their first names which
some might think is an act of disrespect. We see it as a
way to be closer to our teachers, and them to us. They do
everything with us on the rigorous bike journeys. Mountain after mountain and on the waves of the Pacific, they
are always there to give a helping hand and guide their
students to make good choices. In class, they prepare
well-thought-out assignments and projects that spark
our imaginations and get us to think beyond what is written in a textbook. They push us academically to achieve
at high levels. The relationship I have with my teachers
is a once-in-a-lifetime-experience. I know that I will come
back when I’m older to support SBMS. I hope one day
that my children will be able to have the same experience
I have had.
28
SBMS Honored to Host
I didn’t choose SBMS for the friends; I chose it for the
friends I was going to make. We are a special group of
students. We are supportive of each other in every way.
They do not judge and they do not hate. And mostly,
they love me for my uniqueness and I love them for
theirs. The school inspires students to help others in
many ways; whether it is community service, helping on
the challenging bike rides or hiking trails, or simply kindness on campus. We find that being a bad person doesn’t
get us as far as being kind and good. That gratitude and
humility are important values to live our lives by. Of all
my Middle School lessons, I treasure these the most. It is
the magic of Middle School.
I also chose SBMS for the “Rites” program. These are
the four trips, or journeys, we take each year. There is
no way to describe the trips fully. You have to go on one
to truly understand how meaningful they are. They are hard, easy,
frustrating, joyful, and fun all at
the same time. They provide an incredible opportunity to challenge
myself physically and mentally.
They are also a way to get closer
to our teachers and the younger
students. By the end of a trip, we
know a lot about each other. And
now my brother Colby is here. I’m
so glad he is getting the chance to
have the same experiences and learn what I have learned.
One would think that our school would be overflowing with rules and regulations. Our school only has three
rules, and I will take them with me for the rest of my life.
They are: take care of myself, take care of each other,
and take care of this place. These rules help create an
awareness of our fellow students, of ourselves and how
we feel, and the importance of our environment.
Without Middle School, I would never be the young
man I am today. There is no place I’d rather go to school
and there is no one I’d rather be. Our school motto is,
“Carpe Diem”—Seize the Day. I’ve learned that my
dreams are within reach. And I know now not to yield to
discouragement and to always strive for greatness.
Love,
Tyler
Performance Art of a Higher Order
C
oming in february, the sbms community will have a unique
opportunity to take part in a very special event. Lama Losang
Samten will be constructing a Sand Mandala in the SBMS hallway, February 24–28.
In 1988, Lama Losang was the first monk sent by the Dalai Lama
to introduce sand mandalas to the West. Losang Samten presented the
Kalachakra Sand Mandala at the New York Museum of Natural History
to 50,000 visitors. The New York Times reported that “amid the clamor
and clatter of the city, a pinpoint of pure calm—a gateway to bliss—is
being created.” The Village Voice reported on Losang’s mandala and
called it the first Mandala in the United States or even Western World
shared for cultural purposes. It referred to this event as “performance
art of a high order.”
Since then, Lama Losang, a quiet humble monk, artist, and author
of Ancient Teachings in Modern Times: Buddhism in the 21st Century, has
traveled the globe and has constructed countless Sand Mandalas, including creations in Denver, Los Angeles, and cities in Canada. SBMS is
honored to have him in our hallways. Make sure to stop by for a viewing
before the sand is returned to the sea, as per Buddhist custom.
29
Community
Sbms Community Spaces Project
“More than 1,100 families answered the call
to help us move into
this amazing campus.
The Community Spaces
Project will enable us
to finish what we started by transforming our
“Classrooms are
everywhere and
the community is
everywhere.
At Middle School,
we open books on
mountaintops,
fill the hallways
with music,
and discuss poetry
during lunch.”
—John Seigel Boettner,
Teacher
At Sbms, Learning Happens Everywhere
Thank You! Thanks to everyone who donated to this campaign
and our previous efforts. We couldn’t have made it this far without all of
the participation, support, and generosity of our community.
As of December 16:
site into a home for our
Whether studying World War II, reading Shakespeare, building robots and catapults, or conversing in Spanish,
learning at SBMS extends well beyond the four walls of a classroom. Our program is based on the kinships
between student and teacher, and these relationships allow for magical learning moments that can happen
on a field, stage, or trail and in the hallways, ocean, and community.
We believe that students and teachers need space to gather, talk, walk, laugh, engage, and dream.
Providing these spaces is essential to our school’s philosophy of education.
A Sense of Place: Making Jefferson Our Home
In 2010, more than 1,100 families generously helped us move into the Jefferson campus. Now that we’ve settled into our new home and understand how students and teachers use the space, we are ready to tailor our
campus into a home that fits the needs of our school and program.
The SBMS Community Spaces Project will elevate our unique program and capitalize on the beauty of
our campus by creating defined indoor and outdoor spaces designed to enhance learning, improve campus
flow and safety, and strengthen our school community. The conceptual drawings on these pages give a sense
of the many possibilities that this new outdoor school environment will offer.
Contributors:
$492,560 toward a goal of $570,000
100 percent of Faculty
86 percent of the goal
100 percent of the Trustees
unique program.”
—Brian McWilliams,
Head of School
85 percent of current parents
Plus, alumni, community members,
former parents, and many more
Community Spaces Project Highlights:
Learning Spaces
• New “islands” along the
parking lot fence with room for
picnic tables, meeting circles,
and space for creativity,
collaboration and congregation
• Indoor community gathering
spaces in the upper foyer and
stairwell landings
• Terrace on the upper, front lawn with
space for outdoor classrooms and
communal meeting areas
•Quiet zones on campus with fountains
or other water elements
SAFETY & RECREATION
• Parking lot improvements for safer,
more efficient drop-offs and pick-ups
• Fencing to enclose and delineate
the sports/basketball court
STORAGE &
WORKSPACE
“As an alum, my
memories of cherished
school days center on
• A 500-square-foot storage
building and workspace to
house the physical needs of
our outdoor education and
creative arts programs
• Walls and landscaping to
provide an increased visual and
acoustic buffer between our school and our
immediate neighbors
the small patch of lawn
GARDENS & LANDSCAPING
I’m honored to be
• Garden spaces, planters, and fruit trees
• Landscaping throughout campus to
provide shade, beautify our home, and
create optimal outdoor learning spaces
that was the hub of the
first SBMS campus.
able to work toward
providing such
meaningful gathering
spaces for our school
community today.”
—Shannon Kenny,
Class of 1988, Parent & Trustee
Architectural renderings by architect and SBMS parent Jeffrey Stoutenborough.
30
31
1321 Alameda Padre Serra
Santa Barbara, CA 93103-1809
www.sbms.org
(805) 682-2989
To receive this newsletter electronically, update your address,
or remove your name from our mailing list, please call (805) 682-2989 or email [email protected]
O Me! O Life!
By Walt Whitman
Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.
That you are here—that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.
December
Winter Break
Monday, December 23 to Friday, January 3
January
Return from Winter Break
Monday, January 6
Parent Association Meeting:
Wednesday, January 8, 8:30 am - 9:30 am
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday (No School):
Monday, January 20
Open House for Prospective Families
Saturday, January 25, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
32
Save the date
february
Parent Association Meeting
Wednesday, February 5, 8:30 am - 9:30 am
March
No School: Staff at CAIS Regional Conference
Monday, March 3
Parent Association Meeting
Wednesday, March 5, 8:30 am - 9:30 am
8th & 9th Grade Academic Fair
Tuesday, February 11, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
and Mini Open House: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
All-School Mid-Year Trip
Monday to Friday, March 17-21
(Some trips may depart or
return one day earlier or later.)
6th and 7th Grade Academic Fair
Wednesday, February 12 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Spring Break
Monday, March 24 to Friday, April 4
Early Dismissal
Thursday, February 13, 12:45 pm
April
Presidents’ Holiday (No School)
Friday, February 14 to Monday, February 17
Songfest
Saturday, April 26

Alumni news - Santa Barbara Middle School

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