Congratulations to the cast, crew, and Director Dana Caldwell who left their hearts on the stage last weekend! We are so proud of you for your dedication to this production despite COVID roadblocks. We are the grateful recipients of your hard work and talent that were on full display last weekend!

A note from Dean of Students Blake Dorfman

All camps (excluding specialty camps, like The Great Outdoors and camps that run from July 5-8) are $375/week and run from 9AM - 2PM DAILY, with snacks and lunch provided. Summer @ Laguna provides complimentary early drop-off along with robust aftercare options, including our new Sports & Fitness afternoon camps.

Planning is in full swing! Join us for our first Auction Donations Meeting in the new Bollag Conference Room (adjacent to the senior quad) on Tuesday, February 22 at 1PM. All are welcome!

We have been notified that the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department will rescind the indoor masking order effective Wednesday, February 16, 2022, in alignment with the State’s Health Officer Order. The notification states, “Please note that universal masking will remain required in specified settings including, but not limited to, public transit, indoors in K-12 schools, childcare, shelters, healthcare settings, correctional facilities, and other care facilities.” Therefore, Laguna Blanca students, faculty, staff, and guests are still required to wear masks while indoors. Laguna Blanca students, faculty, staff, and guests are not required to mask outdoors unless in crowded outdoor settings, and for activities where there is prolonged close contact with others, ie: gatherings in Ruston Amphitheatre or playing on the playground in close proximity to others at the Lower School. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!

Thank you for monitoring your child for the following COVID-like symptoms and swiftly reporting positive COVID test results to [email protected]. Contact your healthcare provider if you have any additional medical questions.

Valentine's Day was extra sweet this year thanks to our Lower School Room Parents and Parents' Auxiliary! Room Parents provided delicious treats for each Lower School class party, and the PA set up festive tables filled with cookies, cupcakes, candy and more for our Middle and Upper students.

Please join us for our second Family Film Series: Dinner and Discussion. 

Our next featured film is LIKE, which explores the impact of social media on our lives and the effects of social media on the brain. Understanding that virtual connection is not going away and has many benefits, the film’s goal is to inform, educate, and inspire people of all ages to self-regulate so they can enjoy balanced and fulfilled lives.

On February 23, students in Grades 5-12 will watch the film during advisory time. Starting February 23 through March 1, the film will be available to all current Laguna families for viewing. On the evening of March 1, special guest Doreen Dodgen-Magee, award-winning speaker, author, and psychologist will join us for a virtual discussion and Q&A about the film and offer solutions to finding balance in our digital world.

WATCH THE TRAILER  

Who: All EK-12 Families (geared towards parents)

Date: Tuesday, March 1

Time: 6:30-7:30PM

RSVPs appreciated, but not required: Kim Valentine. The movie and Zoom link will be sent to the community closer to the event.

So many of us are dealing with heightened levels of anxiety after living through two years of the pandemic. What if we could work with our anxiety rather than against it and use it to be more productive, more optimistic, more creative, and ultimately more resilient?

Laguna Blanca School is thrilled to welcome world-renowned neuroscientist and author Dr. Wendy Suzuki, who has found a way to unlock the potential of anxiety to be a benefit instead of a drawback. Drawing from Suzuki’s personal experience with anxiety and cutting-edge neuroscience research, her book GOOD ANXIETY: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion shows how simple but powerful shifts in mindset and tangible, practical strategies can help to transform social anxiety, fear of performance, or fear of public speaking into positive and empowering assets. Her accessible and comprehensive approach offers hands-on, evidence-based tools to harness the power of anxiety and cultivate calm, confidence, and compassion. This free community event takes place on Wednesday, March 2 at 6pm at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

Congratulations to the following students who will be participating in the Theatre Department's Spring Musical!

Donna Sheridan: Madeleine Nicks '22

Sophie Sheridan: Molly Morouse '23

Tanya: Molly Newell '22

Rosie: Dare Fitzpatrick '22 

Sam Carmichael: Luca D’Agruma '23

Bill Austin: Dylan Charney '24

Harry Bright: Lucas Acosta '24

Sky: Foster Smith '22

Ali: Phoebe Ray '22

Lisa: Eleanor Crafton '25

Pepper: Noah Kamps '22

Eddie: Owen Noble '24

Archie: Kai Suzuki '22

Father Alexandrios: George Nicks '22

Evie Comis '26, Amelie Dalporto '24, Ada Green '25, Sasha Drucker '24, Ginger Finney '26, Milton Lopez '25, Maritza Barrera '27, Léo Michaud '27, Asha Nayak '27, Dionne Peterson '25, Grace Trautwein '24, Zoelle Miller '22, Hanna Masri '22, Frances Carlson '22

Harrison Jones '22, Ava Rice '22, Elyse Weaver '24, Zola Peltz '23, Frances Carlson '22, Lucy Wang '24, Jackson Baltes '24, Jack Andrews '23, Opal Peltz '25, Monica Paredes '25, Shaia Engel '27, Wolfe Budden '26, Sophie Otte '26, Chloe Guillemane '27, Luke Swinmurn '27, Cooper Green '27

Laguna students in Grades 7-12 are invited to watch Marvel's Black Panther, which will include a discussion on the significance of this movie, Afrofuturism, and the importance of diverse representation in media. Pizza and drinks will be provided. Masks required inside.

Please email Ms. Chan if you plan to attend, but no RSVP is required.

An art competition was held recently to generate content for this year's issue of Portfolio Magazine, which is published by the Arts Club. Students in Grades 5-12 were invited to submit their work in any medium as long as they could provide a printable picture. The Arts Club received artwork, paintings, digital art, jewelry, and poetry submissions and announced the winners at assembly this past Monday.

Congratulations to the following contest winners!

Olivia Davenport '22, Noah Delhi '24, Chloe Guillemane '27, Grace Trautwein '24, and Noah Kamps '22

Pictured above from L to R: Chloe Guillemane, Arts Club Founder and President Claire Tolles '22, and Niccolo D'Agruma

Laguna Blanca works in partnership with the Los Padres Forest Association to offer a working vacation each spring. Laguna students backpack to a selected location within the National Forest to perform trail maintenance, which can be applied to their community service hours requirement. All equipment and expertise is supplied by the LFPA, who typically send one or two adults to join Laguna’s faculty chaperones on the 4-night expedition. It’s an unforgettable way to spend spring break and to give back to the local forest! 

If you have questions or would like to participate, please contact Harrison Jones, George Nicks, or Mr. Struckmeyer.

During a special Valentine's edition of Tecolote Tuesday this week, each grade performed a love song. Classic tunes such as Roses are Red, Valentine's, Little Wheel in My Heart, and more were among the selections. The entire school also sang a sweet rendition of I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing.

Adam Phillips, the conductor and director of the Folk Orchestra of Santa Barbara, serenaded the students and teachers as well. He sang Can't Help Falling in Love, a Spanish love song, a Zuni Native American love song, and Hey, Good Lookin,' a country love song.

We are looking forward to celebrating our Grandfriends virtually on Friday, March 11!

If you are interested in having a grandparent or grandfriend participate virtually, please complete this form.

Thank you!

Creative high school students can develop their cinematic and journalistic storytelling skills producing films, videos, visual effects, webcasts, and more at Boston University's Academy of Media Production.

Program Dates: July 5 - 29, 2022

Program Info & Application Materials: bu.edu/amp

Questions? Contact the program at [email protected]

Great Books is thrilled to announce its summer 2022 On-Campus and Online programs. They will offer Great Books Seminar and Discussion programs and Writer's Workshops at multiple on-campus locations.

With six locations and a Tall Ship too, there are lots of exciting choices for summer 2022 on campus. This program will be returning to the beautiful campuses of Amherst College in MA, Haverford College in PA, and to Stanford University and Pepperdine University in CA. Head abroad for more literary adventures in Madrid and Oxford too! 

Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 22. Have a great holiday weekend!