SPRING BENEFIT 2018:
A ROARING GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!
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From Head of School Rob Hereford
After four years of attending the Spring Benefit at Laguna Blanca, nothing could have prepared me for this year's gala. The event exceeded my wildest expectations. The spirit of the crowd, the resilience of the community, and the vision we share for our students was absolutely magical.
I am especially grateful for the dedication of the Event Chairs, Tiffany Pelletier and Valerie Rice (pictured below). The evening perfectly captured their desire to bring the community together in celebration and around a shared vision for our school’s future—one that is bright with promise. From the lively Student Stage Band and the long community-style tables to the priceless student artwork and the captivating
VIDEO
,
all of it reminds me of what we have here at Laguna. Every detail of the evening contributed to a feeling of our community’s shared strength.
Towards the end of the evening, we did something a little different. Teachers were recognized with a standing ovation and special paddle raise to further fund professional development. We also announced that the Gainey family would match each gift for this particular effort. The significance of this gesture was incredible. The support demonstrated by the Gainey family and our generous guests showed what our school is all about—coming together as a community to help in meaningful ways.
Thanks to your generosity, our school is poised to continue with strength well into the future. Through table sponsorships, our live, silent and online auctions, and the paddle raise, our Spring Benefit 2018 net over a half million dollars. These funds will allow us to operate at our fullest capacity and continue to provide the excellent education and the strong foundation our kids deserve.
I am also incredibly grateful to our
event sponsors
, community donors, and the Board of Trustees. Together, your hard work and selfless dedication to Laguna Blanca School is a stunning example of service and leadership. To see the night in pictures,
click here
.
Thank you for your continued support of Laguna, for embracing our community, and for your strength and resilience this year. You are an inspiration to me!
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Pictured above are event co-chairs Valerie Rice and
Tiffany Pelletier taking a moment to relish in the evening in which they devoted countless hours to create.
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Bravo and congratulations to the cast and crew of 50 students and to Dana Caldwell and Jillian Honorof who worked so hard to make Laguna's production of
Grease a huge success! A sold out show each night with many of the cast making their stage debut, the sense of community spirit was never more palpable.
With its brilliant casting, audiences fell in love with the exuberance and charm of each character.
Thank you! It was spectacular fun to watch!
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LAGUNA BOWL IS AROUND THE CORNER!
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FRIDAY, JUNE 1 | 6-8:30PM
RUSTON AMPHITHEATRE
HOPE RANCH CAMPUS
MARK YOUR CALENDAR, INVITE A FRIEND, AND FIND YOUR DANCING SHOES FOR A ROCKIN' GOOD TIME AT LAGUNA!
- An event for parents, faculty, and staff -
Featuring The DoubleWide Kings!
Complimentary BEER & WINE
Complimentary DESSERT by Rori’s Artisanal Creamery
FOOD for Purchase from ValleFresh
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LAGUNA BLANCA BOYS VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS PROVIDENCE
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Reprinted from
Noozhawk
Last Saturday, 4/28, Laguna Blanca wrapped up the Condor League boys volleyball title with a 25-20, 25-11, 25-6 sweep of Providence.
"We were able to get the ball to our two strong middle hitters,
Miles McGovern '18 and
Sam Stegall '19," said coach Jon Roberts. Both middles had six kills.
Finn Walker '21 produced seven kills and served four aces for the Owls.
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LAGUNA BLANCA BOYS TENNIS CLINCHES PLAYOFF APPEARANCE AMID HEAVY WINDS
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Winds that reached 20-30 miles per hour didn't faze Laguna Blanca boys tennis team, which clinched a CIF playoffs spot with a 12-6 win over Cabrillo on Monday, 4/30.
The Owls' singles lineup won eight-of-nine sets in quick order.
Kai Nakamura
'20 and
John-Henry Schulz '20 swept their sets, while senior
Alex Furukawa '18 posted a pair of bagel wins before resting the final round.
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LAGUNA SENIOR ETHAN TYNG TO JOIN CLAREMONT-MCKENNA'S SOCCER PROGRAM
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Laguna Blanca’s
Ethan Tyng ’18
will continue his soccer career at Claremont-McKenna this fall. Claremont McKenna is an NCAA Division 3 institution competing in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC). Named All-CIF player as a junior, Tyng was the Owls leader in both goals and assists for the past two seasons.
“I chose Claremont not only for athletics and its great soccer program, but for the overall community feel and the strong academic opportunities that I will be a part of,” says Tyng. “I am excited about this great opportunity and know that I will grow tremendously as a person over the next four years. Claremont will prepare me for whatever life path that I choose to take.”
Laguna Blanca coach Gof Boyoko adds, “Ethan is the most talented kid I’ve coached since arriving at Laguna. He is gifted with his skills and uses his body to create a distinct advantage over his opponents. Claremont-McKenna is lucky to have him.”
Congratulations, Ethan!
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SENIOR PRANK DAY WAS PAWSOME!
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The 2018 Senior Prank was replaced with
Senior Bring Your Dog to School Day! Thank you to soon-to-be-graduate
Hannah Miller '18 who dreamed up the cute and cuddly idea. We loved having so many furry friends on campus this Thursday! We sure are going to miss this creative, dog-loving class!
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LAGUNA BLANCA'S FOURTH ESTATE STUDENT MAGAZINE WINS FIRST PRIZE IN SAN FRANCISCO
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Congratulations to our student journalists!
Laguna Blanca's
Fourth Estate took First Place in the
Best of Show of the newsmagazine category at the NSPA competition held in San Francisco last month. "Out of
55 magazines entered into the newsmagazine category, Laguna came out on top!" says Journalism Instructor Trish McHale. The students received the trophy this week to add to their already impressive award collection.
The competition took place at the national convention and was sponsored by the National Scholastic Press Association. The Best of Show award signifies overall excellence among the 4,600 conference attendees and entries.
For a complete list of the San Francisco Best of Show winners,
click here
.
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LAGUNA TARC CLUB SOARS IN ITS INAUGURAL YEAR
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Video by
Jack Stein '19
It was a fantastic year for Laguna's TARC Rocket Program! The club is looking forward to another great year ahead.
Enjoy the video above to see what TARC members have been up to!
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SAVE THE DATE: LOWER SCHOOL ART SHOW AND SPRING CONCERT ON 5/10!
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Join us next Thursday, May 10 at the Hope Ranch campus for the Lower School Art Show and Spring Concert!
Art Show and Open House - Emmons Art Center, 5:15PM
Art instructor Melissa Abrams will be in Emmons Arts Center where student artwork will be on display and refreshments will be served. All students will be represented in the show, which will feature a range of media.
Spring Concert - Spaulding Theatre, 6:30PM
A wonderful night of music will follow the art show. The students are eager to share their talents with you!
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LAGUNA BLANCA GRADES EK-4 OPEN HOUSE
CHILDREN'S INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS
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Now that we are home in Montecito, we would love to welcome your friends to the Lower School campus for our rescheduled Children's Interactive Workshops!
Invite them to our Open House where they can tour our campus and meet teachers and parents while their child explores art, science, music, technology, and cooking.
TUESDAY, MAY 15
3:30-5PM
260 San Ysidro Road
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SWOOP GROUP PROGRAM'S FIRST YEAR IS A HIT!
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New this school year, the Middle School Swoop Group program has been a winner for students and faculty alike!
Swoop Groups are weekly electives that are offered to Middle School students on Fridays during community time. The program gives fifth through eighth graders the opportunity to further connect with each other and to develop new and exciting skills outside of the classroom.
MS Advisory Coordinator Anna Alldredge says, "
The students have loved having voice and choice within the program. It’s powerful for them as learners to suggest certain Swoop Group ideas, and then rank their preferences. The faculty have also enjoyed getting to offer extracurricular topics, subjects, and activities that aren’t typical curriculum. The learning happening in Swoop Group feels fun, exploratory, and restorative – just what everyone needs on a Friday!"
Students have no shortage of topics to dive into and can choose from offerings that are outside, inside, intellectual, artistic, musical, athletic, literary, or historical. The hardest part of the program is deciding which activity to choose!
Sofia Anderson '22
and
Paloma McKean '22
both say they've really enjoyed Swoop Groups and always look forward to sign-ups throughout the year. They particularly enjoy having free time to explore activities they normally wouldn't be able to cover during school time. Sofia has loved the art classes and has worked with collages, cigar box dioramas, and is currently enrolled in environmental art with Mr. Uyesaka. Paloma joined Kim Valentine's meditation class, knitting, and is currently enrolled in the Walk & Talk offering. She says, "It is so nice to be able to take a moment to breathe during the school day."
Anna adds, "
We as Middle School faculty enjoy providing our students with purposeful, engaging, student-directed learning. You hear lots of laughter on the quad during Swoop Group. It’s a time when students and faculty come together and explore topics of interest as a team."
Everyone looks forward to year two of this fun, new program!
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LAGUNA STUDENTS ENJOY LIVELY DIXIE DREGS CONCERT IN AGOURA HILLS
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On April 28, members of Laguna’s History of Jazz class and Stage Band went with teacher Kevin Shertzer to see the legendary band Dixie Dregs in Agoura Hills.
"They got to witness lightning fast Steve Morse play the six string as only he can and Rod Morgenstein play his drums with the gusto of a teen chasing free pizza," says Shertzer. “It was an amazing experience to see live music from a band that has entertained multitudes since the 1970s.”
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LAGUNA TEACHER DUG UYESAKA ACCEPTED INTO ARTISTS OF UCSB ART EXHIBITION
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Upper School Fine Arts Instructor Dug Uyesaka has been accepted in the Artists of UCSB Exhibition at Sullivan Goss in Santa Barbara. The exhibition opened on May 3 and
will run through June 3. Be sure to stop by and check out Mr. Uyesaka's work!
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LAGUNA STUDENTS SET TO STAR IN SBYET'S UPCOMING PERFORMANCE OF LES MISERABLES
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Several Laguna students are set to take the stage in Santa Barbara Youth Ensemble Theatre's May production of
Les Miserables
on Saturday, May 19 (1PM & 5PM) and Sunday, May 20 (2PM & 6PM) at the
Lobero Theatre.
Come out to support these actors in their show! It will be a professional production with live orchestra, an elaborate set, and period costumes. It is a timeless classic that your whole family won't want to miss! For ticket information,
click here
.
Soar on the big stage, Owls!
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Magdalena Amezaga '24
has always
loved to sing, dance, and act and says Laguna has provided her a wonderful outlet for all of these desires, noting "Some of my greatest memories are participating in all of the Lower School plays." In SBYET, Magdalena enjoys the instructors, fun cast mates and high energy shows.
Magdalena plays Fantine (Saturday matinee show)—
a young mother who must find a way to care for her child on her own.
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Luca D’Agruma '23
grew up listening to stories and
acting them out. He fell in love with acting when he joined a theatre group doing "The Hobbit." He has enjoyed performing in both dramatic plays and musicals. Last year, he played Mr. Bratt in SBYET's production of
How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying
at the Lobero.
Luca plays the part of Enjorlas (Saturday and Sunday
evening show
s
)—
the leader of the French revolutionaries.
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Katherine Ball '23
began her love of music and performance with Laguna's Lower School music program. As a fourth grader, she played Cinderella in SBYET's production of
Into the Woods
. This year, she has continued to find joy singing at Laguna with Ms. Honorof in vocal ensemble.
Katherine plays the part of Cosette (Sunday evening show)—Fantine's adult daughter.
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Chloe Long '24
joined SBYEET in 2016 and starred that year as Tracy Turnblat in a production of
Hairspray
. She has also appeared with Andrea Bocelli in his recent PBS TV special. This summer, Chloe will attend a special musical theater program at the Joffrey Ballet in New York City.
Chloe plays Fantine (Sunday matinee show).
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PLAYING SPORTS IN 2018-2019? FREE SPORTS PHYSICALS ON CAMPUS: MAY 31
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WHO:
Students in Grades 6-12
WHAT
:
Free Sport Physicals for the 2018-2019 school year
WHEN
: Thursday, May 31 from 3-6PM. No appointment necessary; exams will be on a first come, first served basis.
WHERE
: Merovick Gymnasium
WHAT TO BRING
: A copy of the Medical History & Exam Form (
download here
)
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SAVE THE DATE
PROM 2018 IS ON SATURDAY, 5/19!
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Students interested in inviting a guest from another school should complete and submit a
Dance Guest Pass form
. We hope to see you there!
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THANK YOU, PARENTS AUXILIARY, FOR A DELICIOUS MEXICAN FEAST!
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Middle & Upper School faculty and staff were spoiled on Thursday with a delectable Mexican feast complete with a taco salad bar, taquitos, enchiladas, horchata, and many other tasty treats!
Thank you so much to Rosa Lazarovits and Yolanda Mead, Parent Volunteers who oversee the MS/US Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheons. It was such a special meal; everyone felt loved and appreciated!
Many thanks to all the parents who contributed food for the lunch and gifts for raffle. There were over 40 happy winners of prizes ranging from Starbucks gift cards to wine to concert tickets!
Laguna parents, we appreciate YOU!
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WELCOME NEW PARENTS AUXILIARY BOARD AND VOLUNTEERS FOR 2018-19
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We are pleased to announce our new PA Board Officers and elected volunteers for next school year.
President: Rachael Stein
Secretary/Communication: Belle Regeer
Treasurer: Danielle McCaffery
VP Spirit Wear: Erin Schulz
VP Hosted Events: Shelley Newbauer
VP School Spirit: Cindy Guglielmo
VP Lower School: Jane Weaver
VP Middle School: Stacey Fell
VP Upper School: Amal Zeini
Click here for the entire PA slate for all elected positions.
We are still in need of two wonderful parents to lead our Spirit of Laguna/Jogathon efforts. This is a high-energy and fun position wherein all the tasks are completed between late summer and early fall. Please contact Nominating Chair
Jane Weaver if you’re interested in learning more.
Thank you all for your continued service and dedication to Laguna, and we look forward to a wonderful 2018-19 school year!
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SAVE THE DATE: PARENT APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
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Kindly RSVP to Cynthia McClintock
here.
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LAGUNA MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ORGANIZE BAKE SALE FOR SANTA BARBARA SUPPORT NETWORK
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In April,
Alexis Fell '25 and
Madison McLeod '25 organized a bake sale that raised $182 for the
Santa Barbara Support Network,
which is a local group directly helping families impacted by the Montecito mudslides.
Thank you for your big hearts, Alexis and Madison!
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PROBABILITY SESSION OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH CLUB ON SATURDAY 5/19
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It's never too late to join the Middle School Math Club (MSMC)!
Our goal is to share the joy of mathematics throughout the Middle School while providing an opportunity for students in Grades 5-8 to experience problem solving situations outside of the math classroom.
Join us on Saturday, 5/19 from 10AM-12PM for a short introductory lesson, demonstrations, and games. A lunch will also be provided.
All activities of the MSMC are free of charge. Sessions are conducted by Kelley Baeza. Come give it a try!
The math club also meets each Wednesday at lunch in Room E402.
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BIG KIDS IN TINY DESKS! AP CHEMISTRY WENT BACK TO THIRD GRADE FOR AP EXAM REVIEW
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Last Saturday, 4/28, AP Chemistry students wanted a review session for their AP exam with Upper School Science Instructor Katie Pointer, but the Hope Ranch campus was without power. So back to Lower School the students went!
Now that is dedication! Good luck on the AP!
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NAME: Tina Braniff
ROLE AT LAGUNA: Assistant to Middle and Upper School Division Heads
What ONE word best describes you?
Kind
What’s an interesting fact about you?
My father was a steeplechase jockey.
What would be the most amazing adventure you could go on?
I would love to live in a farmhouse in Tuscany for the summer and explore the countryside.
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HOW TO TALK WITH TEENAGERS ABOUT DEALING WITH STRANGERS ONLINE
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We might not want to think about our kids dealing with creepy people online. But for many parents, it's the scariest thing about our kids' digital lives.
Use this script to kick off a conversation with your kid.
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MYLAGUNA TIP OF THE WEEK ARCHIVES:
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LOWER SCHOOL
MON 5/7
New Parent Reception on Hope Ranch Campus (5:30PM)
TUES 5/8
PA Board Meeting in Braun House (9AM)
WED 5/9
LS to Hope Ranch for Spring Concert Rehearsal
THURS 5/10
Kindergarten to Van Wingerden Floral
LS Art Show & Spring Concert on Hope Ranch Campus (5:15PM)
FRI 5/11
Kindergarten Mother's Day Tea
First Grade to Ostrichland
SUN 5/13
Happy Mother's Day!
MIDDLE SCHOOL
MON 5/7
New Parent Reception on Hope Ranch Campus (5:30PM)
TUES 5/8
Gr. 8 to Museum of Tolerance, Los Angeles
PA Board Meeting in Braun House (9AM)
WED 5/9
Gr. 6 to Getty Villa
MS Math Club, Room E402
FRI 5/11
Gr. 8 to Six Flags Magic Mountain
SUN 5/13
Happy Mother's Day!
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UPPER SCHOOL
MON 5/7-FRI 5/11
AP Exam Week 1
MON 5/7
New Parent Reception on Hope Ranch Campus (5:30PM)
TUES 5/8
PA Board Meeting in Braun House (9AM)
FRI 5/11
US Student Art Show in Emmons Arts Center
SUN 5/13
Happy Mother's Day!
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