THANK YOU FOR A FANTASTIC FAMILY FESTIVAL!
The Upper School Student Council kicked off the festivities on Friday, October 21 with cheers and games, including our annual watermelon eating contest won by Abby Connor '28! Our talented a cappella vocal ensemble led our community in a beautiful rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner and members from the Class of 2023 joined our youngest EK & K athletes to hit the track for the fun run!
 
Eleventh grade students racked up the most laps! They will have their class year engraved on the Spirit of Laguna Cup and hold a place in Laguna's history. Way to go Class of 2024!
 
INDIVIDUAL RUNNERS WITH THE MOST LAPS
EK: Max Osman
KindergartenJameson Behrman
Grade 1: Owen Alkire, Sam Newman, Chase Rifkin
Grade 2: Paul Moeller, Hayes Parrish
Grade 3: Tucker Delwiche
Grade 4: Jacob Muralles
Grade 5: Carl Wagner
Grade 6: Mael Michaud, Dual Miller
Grade 7: Colter Baltes, Alea Blevin
Grade 8: Luka Mashanovitch
Grade 9: Alex McClintock
Grade 10: Eloise Phillips
Grade 11: Tanner Murphy
Grade 12: Kent Dunn
 
Congratulations to all of our students who ran hard and helped celebrate our Laguna Fund!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS! We couldn't have done this without you!

Laguna Family Festival Event Chairs
Colette Crafton and Cate Stoll 

Committee Members
Courtney Bianchi, Lindsay Ervin, Debbie Popovich

All of our amazing volunteers:
Fabiana Acosta
Gina Andrews
Blake Andrews
Abigail Angeles
Julia Asher
Kelly Avery
Rebecca Ball
Evan Berger
Eric Bevan
Marisa Bolton
Phillip Carrington
Vanessa Carrington
Miriam Cislo
Marty Collins
Daniel Connelly
Jordan Connelly
Maggie Cuevas
Deva Dalporto
Vanessa DeFord
Celine Derai
Sara Dodgin
Katherine Eades
Talya Engel
Katrina Firlik
Shelly Gable Nayak
Louise Gainey
Nadine Gilles
Mat Gradias
Katy Graham
Daniela Hassman
Melissa Henderson
Seth Henderson
Maryam Kia-Keating
Shirleen Kohn
Alex Koper
Amanda Koper
Bill Leitner
Sara Loncki
Jamie Lopes
Jacqueline Lowther
Elaine K. Mah Best
Ceci McClintock
Lilia McGinnes
Shelly Miller
Michael Milne
Ellen Milne
Angela Montanez
Zachary Moore
Mary Morouse
Yuki Nakamura
Elsha Narachi
Sherry Nasseri
Erin Neil
Geraldine Otte
John Peltz
Charlie Petersen
Lizzie Peus
Leslie Phillips
Lily Phillips
Sandra Plascencia
Page Plowman
Katy Powers
Michael Probstel
Mindy Provance
Chelsea Rangsikitpho
Irene Reyes
Chelsea Rifkin
Rebecca Ryan
Ana Schubert
Karina Schweitzer
Andrea Siegel
Enrique Silva
Kelly Smith
Lisa Smythe
Ally Sorensen
Heather Sourial Craigie
Suzanne Stewart
Charlotte Terzian
Bea Toman
Rachel Trautwein
Karen Trogan
Susanna G Vapnek
Chris Wight
Eunju Yoo
Melia Yust
…and everyone else who stepped up to make this the best Family Festival yet!
 
Special thanks to Laguna Blanca Faculty and Staff for your time, energy and commitment!
HOMECOMING WEEKEND SUCCESS!
Homecoming Day, 10/23, began with an Alumni Brunch in our Senior Quad, with alumni ranging from 1974-2022 in attendance. Special shout out to the classes of 1992 and 2002 (pictured above) who were celebrating their 20- and 30-year class reunions. 

The Owls Football team came away with a 28-21 win against Santa Clara. The Upper School Student Council ran the concessions; our official mascot Swoop (Jesus Arriaga '24) and unofficial school mascot “Hank” the horse, ridden by Hudson Mayfield '22, helped lead the National Anthem, which was sung by Katherine Ball '22. Our halftime showcased seniors Kent Dunn and Michael Wang and the team was cheered on by our Summer @ Laguna Lower School Cheer Camp crew.

The excitement culminated in the Upper School Atlantis-themed Homecoming Dance that evening.

Special thanks to Courtney Bianchi, our Family Association VP of Spirit, for all of her vision and work; Vanessa Carrington for running the Laguna Wear Booth and helping with the FA raffle; Blake Dorfman '02 for emceeing; and our Football Parents Sherry Hlavaty, Leslie Comis, and Josh Narva for helping to pull off the best Homecoming ever!
ANNUAL BLOOD DRIVE IS ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1
10AM-2PM
Students & Parents Invited to Donate

Now you can have your SLC and save a life on the same day!

To make an appointment, please visit vitalant.org, click on Donate Now, then the bubble that says Blood Drive Code, and enter 1415. Also, you'll need to bring photo ID with you.


The blood bus will be located in the MS parking lot. Thanks so much!
TELL A FRIEND ABOUT OUR UPCOMING ADMISSIONS EVENTS!
Laguna's Virtual Open House events are coming up for all divisions!

Prospective families are invited to meet Laguna teachers and students and learn more about what makes Laguna's programs so special. Each event will take place from 5:30-6:30PM. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants prior to each event.

Wednesday, November 2
Grades 9-12

Thursday, November 10
Grades EK-4

Tuesday, November 15
Grades 5-8
GRADES 5-12 CONFERENCES WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Conferences for Grades 5-12 will be held in person at the Hope Ranch campus next Tuesday, November 1. There is no school on this day.
 
GRADE 5: PARENT/GUARDIAN & TEACHER CONFERENCES
This is an opportunity to sit down with Ms. Carney to discuss your child's progress—both academically and socially. We value this day to meet with you, as good working relationships between teachers and families are essential to a student’s academic success. The student is not present at this conference.
 
GRADES 6-12: STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES
Students will lead the conferences with their parent/guardian and advisor. The conference is an opportunity for students to articulate and reflect on what they value most in their learning, where they excel, and where they can stretch themselves and grow. It’s a time when your child’s voice can be heard by two primary supporters, family, and advisor. Each conference will be 20 minutes in duration.
 
Please see the email from Tina Braniff (sent on October 18) for instructions on how to sign up for your conference time.
FAMILY ASSOCIATION HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
SAVE THE DATES FOR THESE UPCOMING FAMILY ASSOCIATION EVENTS
Dia de los Muertos
Tuesday, November 1
4-7PM
All Ages Event
Limited Space16 Spots
Walking Tour, Taco Tasting, Drinks, and Dessert


Family Association Lunch & Learn
Tuesday, November 8
11:45AM-1PM
Foyer of Merovick Gym

Speaker: Debra Kessler, Clinical Psychologist

Road to the Future: How to Grow Your Child's Resilience
This Lunch & Learn will focus on teaching our children how to self-regulate so they are able to handle anything that life throws their way.

Family Association Holiday Luncheon
Wednesday, December 7
11:30AM
Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center at East Beach
 
23rd Annual Holiday Trolley of Lights Tour
Sunday, December 11
4:15PM

ONLINE CONFERENCE SCHEDULER CLOSES THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29
The online Conference Scheduler is open for our Tuesday, November 1 Family/Teacher Conferences. Please be sure to log in and schedule your conference no later than Saturday, October 29.
 
There is no school for students on Family/Teacher Conferences Day. If necessary, you may bring your child, who will be supervised during your conference time period.
 
If you are unable to attend a conference during this time period, or if slots are not available, please contact your child's teacher to make arrangements for an alternative conference time.

If you have questions, please contact Ms. McDavid.
WE'RE HAVING A HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL!
Costume Guidelines
  • Students may wear their costume to school
  • Send extra costume items in a labeled bag
  • Costumes and footwear should be comfortable and practical to wear throughout the entire school day
  • Costumes that depict violence, gore, or weapons, or are culturally insensitive, are not allowed
  • When in doubt, leave it out! Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Parents are invited!
Schedule
  • 1:30 – Costume Parade and Dances (Front Field)
  • 2:00 – Festival (Back Field)
  • 2:55 – Dismissal (Bus and Car Line as usual)
  • If you plan to attend, please note that parking is limited at Lower School, but there is plenty of parking space on our neighboring streets, Wyant and Sinaloa.
  • Out of consideration for our neighbors, we ask that you please do not park on Mimosa Lane, due to the narrowness of the street.

Costume Parade and Dances with Coach Robitaille
  • All students will participate in the parade and Halloween-themed dances, including the Skeleton Square Dance!

Great Pumpkin Contest
  • Each student will have a chance to guess the circumference and weight of a huge pumpkin, how many seeds they think are inside, and if the pumpkin will sink or float in water.
  • Ms. Butler will announce the contest winner during an upcoming Tecolote Tuesday.

Festival Fun!
  • Students will enjoy a variety of craft and game stations, and a giant slide!

Trick or Treat!
  • There will be plenty of goodies for students to load into their trick-or-treat bags!

THANK YOU to our amazing classroom representatives who are heading up the preparation for activities and treats!
NO LEGO LEAGUE ON HALLOWEEN
Please note that we will not have LEGO League on Monday, October 31. Enjoy your trick-or-treating! LEGO will resume on Monday, November 7.
CHECK OUT LOWER SCHOOL'S ADORABLE STORYBOOK PUMPKIN PATCH
Erica Downing's library students in Grades 2, 3, and 4 are growing a storybook pumpkin patch! Each student is decorating a pumpkin to look like one of their favorite book characters and placing it in the Lower School storybook pumpkin patch. The students are decorating their pumpkins with acrylic paints, permanent markers, yarn, buttons, and more!
LOOKING AHEAD AT THE LOWER SCHOOL
Lower School Halloween Carnival
Monday, October 31

Grades EK-4 Family/Teacher Conferences
No School for Students
Tuesday, November 1

Grade 3 Field Trip to Disneyland Story Workshop
Friday, November 4

Grade 2 Field Trip to Canzelle Alpacas
Friday, November 4

Daylight Saving Time Ends
Sunday, November 6

Fourth Grade Field Trip to Middle School Showcases
Wednesday, November 9

Faculty/Staff In-Service Day
No School for Students
Friday, November 11

Dress Down Day: Fall Colors Theme
Friday, November 18

Thanksgiving Break
Monday, November 21 - Friday, November 25
NEXT WEEK'S COLLEGE REP SCHEDULE
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31
University of Hawaii at Manoa 12:15PM

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Chapman University & Saint Mary’s College of California 10:15AM

University of San Francisco — 12:15PM

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2
Soka University of America — 10:15AM

Lafayette College 12:15PM

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3
University of Glasgow — 10:15AM

University of Redlands — 12:15PM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4
Harvey Mudd College 10:15AM

The above visits will take place in the College Counseling office. Students can sign up for these visits via SCOIR.
AFTER LAGUNA SENT 4 GOLFERS TO CIF-SS INDIVIDUAL REGIONALS, ABBY KIM '23 ADVANCES TO INDIVIDUAL FINALS
Congratulations to Abby Kim '23 for shooting 74 (+4) at the CIF-Southern Section Northern Regional Individual Girls Golf Championship at Los Robles Greens on Wednesday! Abby advances to the CIF-SS Individual Finals next Thursday. Way to go, Abby!
LAGUNA BLANCA'S DEFENSE DOES JOB IN 28-21 WIN OVER SANTA CLARA
By Barry Punzal, Noozhawk Sports Editor

Carter Plowman '26 returned a fumble for a touchdown and led a solid defensive effort by Laguna Blanca in a 28-21 8-man football win over Santa Clara on Saturday.

The victory puts the Owls in the league championship game against Villanova Prep on Saturday at 7PM in Ojai.

Plowman had eight tackles, two sacks and returned a fumble 60 yards for a touchdown to put the Owls ahead by three scores early in the third quarter.
"Our guys did a great job with their individual assignments and just focusing on their jobs," said coach Matt Escobar of the defense.

Quarterback Spencer Hlavaty '24 passed for two TDs, and rushed for a score. Gabe Lea '24 and Carson Stewart '25 caught the scoring passes to give the Owls a 20-6 lead.

"We started the game off slow on offense in the first quarter but found a spark in the run game with Spencer Hlavaty keeping the read option for a 65-yard touchdown," said Escobar. "On the next couple of drives, Hlavaty found Gabe Lea and Carson Stewart for 55-yard and 10-yard TD conversions."
ATHLETICS UPDATES
Girls varsity golf will compete in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 Team Championship Tournament in Huntington Beach on Monday, October 31. Go Owls!
 
Football awaits the posting of the CIF-SS playoff brackets on Monday, October 31. The Owls will play on Friday, November 4, with the opponent and destination (possibly a home game at Laguna) to be determined upon the release of the brackets.
 
MIDDLE SCHOOL

Athletics reminder for Grades 6-8: the Quarter 2 season begins on Monday, November 7 for the following teams:
  • Boys Basketball
  • Girls Soccer
 
If yet to sign up, please click here to complete the brief participation survey.
LOOKING AHEAD
IMPORTANT DATES FOR ALL DIVISIONS
LOWER SCHOOL

October 31
Lower School Halloween Carnival

November 1
Grades EK-4 Family/Teacher Conferences
No School for Students

November 4
Grade 3 Field Trip to Disneyland Story Workshop

Grade 2 Field Trip to Canzelle Alpacas

November 6
Daylight Saving Time Ends

November 8
FA Lunch & Learn

November 11
In-Service Day for Faculty/Staff
No School for Students
MIDDLE SCHOOL

October 31
Dress up for Halloween!

November 1
Gr. 5 Family/Teacher Conferences
No School for Students

Gr. 6-8 Student-Led Conferences
No Classes for Students


November 6
Daylight Saving Time Ends

November 8
FA Lunch & Learn

November 9
MS Quarter 1 Ends

November 11
In-Service Day for Faculty/Staff
No School for Students
UPPER SCHOOL

October 31
Dress up for Halloween!

November 1
Gr. 9-12 Student-Led Conferences
No Classes for Students

November 6
Daylight Saving Time Ends

November 8
FA Lunch & Learn

November 9
US Quarter 1 Ends

November 11
In-Service Day for Faculty/Staff
No School for Students