SPRING BENEFIT
SATURDAY, MARCH 11 | HOPE RANCH
Thank you for supporting the Golden Oak Gala!
LIVE AUCTION PREVIEW
LUXURIOUS ASPEN HIGHLANDS SKI-IN-SKI-OUT MARCH 2024

Spend seven (7) nights in a three (3) bedroom luxury mountain retreat at Aspen Highlands.
March 16-23, 2024.
BRASADA RANCH RESORT
BEND, OREGON

Enjoy seven (7) nights in a three (3) bedroom Ranch House cabin in a 1,800 acre resort situated on the scenic Powell Buttes. Generously donated by Gary and Maureen Goldberg. Package includes four (4) rounds of golf at Brasada Canyons. 
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS OWNER’S TICKETS
CHASE CENTER

Enjoy two (2) tickets to the Owner’s Box, a $500 gift certificate to the Warriors Steakhouse, a signed ball, and one (1) night stay in the heart of San Francisco. Warriors v. Pelicans. March 28, 2023.
NEW ENGLAND CRAB BOIL DINNER PARTY
SEPTEMBER 2023

Generously hosted by Cate and Matthew Stoll, enjoy a taste of New England and a festive evening to kick off the 2023-24 school year. Up to 60 people can raise their paddles to join the party!
Thank you to everyone who has donated the offerings above along with more amazing Live Auction packages!
 
Who will win the Best of Live?
One lucky winner will have their name drawn at the event and can choose any one (1) of the Live packages out of the lineup!
 
Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the event for $100 per chance.
ACCEPTING PROXY BIDS
If you cannot attend the spring benefit and would like to make a proxy bid, please contact the development office.
 
805.687.1372
QUESTIONS?
Please contact the development office. We look forward to seeing you at our inaugural Golden Oak Gala!
LUNCH & LEARN IS NEXT WEEK!
Please join us at the next Lunch & Learn on Tuesday, February 21 at 11:45AM in the Merovick Gym foyer.

Hear updates from our division heads and from our guest speaker, Laguna's School Counselor Kim Valentine.

Kim will talk to us about the mental health of our children post-COVID. Lunch will be provided. We hope to see you there!
UPPER SCHOOL JOURNALISM STUDENTS INTERVIEW ACTRESS CATE BLANCHETT AT SBIFF
Over the weekend, three student journalists from The Fourth Estate staffAlexandra Siegal '23, Luca D'Agruma '23, and Elli Westmacott '23attended the Santa Barbara International Film Festival as members of the press and had the opportunity to interview Cate Blanchett, the 2023 Winner of the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award!

Proud Owl Moment!
UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETE IN WESTMONT'S ANNUAL MATH COMPETITION
Three teams of Upper School students attended Westmont's annual "Mathematics Field Day" last weekend, all of whom participated in math panels and competed in a "College Bowl" and team exam against competing schools.

Congratulations to the following students for representing Laguna so well!
 
Grades 9 & 10Team 1
Brandon Fuladi '26
Jack Grube '26
William Wei '26
Asher Gottesdiener '26

Grades 9 & 10Team 2
Rio Valle '25
Serena de Ponce '25
Milton Lopez '25
Evie Comis '26

Grades 11 & 12
Grace Trautwein '24
Sasha Drucker '24
Charlie Sheldon 24
Lucas Acosta '24
SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS TAKE MEANINGFUL EMPATHY WALK AT UCSB
Seventh graders embarked on an "empathy walk" today, hiking two laps of a flat, 1.5-mile loop at UCSB; the first to emulate the walk to the water and the second to represent the walk home with water. The purpose was to stimulate empathy as they simulated the average daily trek that many people, usually women and children, make to collect water in less developed countries. Students were challenged to collect and recycle clean water-carrying containers, and there were individual and team challenges for carrying the most water on the second lap and for the most creative water-carrying solution. After the first lap of the lagoon, students filled their containers and walked the second lap with them full before returning the water to the lagoon.
 
This represents the culminating activity of their interdisciplinary theme of “Resources & Resilience,” in which students have dealt with issues of local and global water shortages in various classes. 
SEEING, HEARING, AND ACCEPTING SANTA BARBARA'S UNHOUSED POPULATION
By Molly Morouse '24
Published in Santa Barbara Independent

A Student's Reflection on Participating in the Point-in-Time Count

It’s difficult to rally a group of 10 high school students. Especially when the enticing proposal starts with “so, we get there at 5 a.m.” But, before dawn on Wednesday morning, January 25, my classmates and I gathered at Christ Presbyterian Church on Anacapa Street, eager to volunteer for the county’s Point-in-Time Count, the annual census of the people experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara.

The morning became much more than a census or tally. I was blessed with three hours of sensitive conversations, brave stories, and meaningful connections. I felt closer to my classmates and my community than ever before.

But when I returned to school, I was dismayed to see this headline in the daily newspaper on my history teacher’s desk: “Unsafe on State Street: Residents address Santa Barbara City Council about aggressive homeless people.”

After experiencing one of the most transformative mornings of my life, this demonizing headline seemed to discredit every heroic story of bravery and courage I now cherished.

Young people, especially those who have taken the trouble to wake up in the dark and participate in the Point-in-Time Count, or PiT, know better than to make invalid assumptions about vulnerable individuals. With all due respect to those who have had negative experiences on the streets of Santa Barbara, we are tired of the clichés and dehumanization. Here’s why.
MONTECITO CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
San Ysidro Roundabout: please expect pre-construction activities near the intersection of San Ysidro Road and N Jameson Lane for the upcoming San Ysidro Roundabout. As needed, flaggers will direct traffic during daytime work. The San Ysidro Roundabout will begin construction mid-March. Additional details, materials, and a community pre-construction meeting invitation will be sent out over the next few weeks.
KINDERGARTEN DINO DAYS!
From Ms. Delwiche's Swoop Into Kindergarten Blog

Dino Day 2023 was a roaring success! The class started the morning by welcoming their families into the classroom to witness firsthand the kindergartener’s hard work throughout these past six weeks. The students' reactions to the classroom makeover were precious!

Each student’s research report was laid on each table with their dinosaur sculpture, a dinosaur stuffie they designed and sewed, and an iPad so parents could watch their child’s final project!

They used the website PebbleGo! for the research portion of the project. Ms. Delwiche then snapped pictures of each student’s artwork, sculpture, sketches, etc., and uploaded those to an app called Shadow Puppet. Students decided on the order they wanted their pictures, and then they read the information they had researched.
STUDENTS PRESENT SWEET VALENTINE'S DAY TECOLOTE TUESDAY PERFORMANCES
To celebrate Valentine's Day this week, each class performed a love-themed musical number at Tecolote Tuesday. From Careless Whisper on saxophone to a duet of Adele's Hello, our students sang their hearts out for love and impressed their parents and teachers with their talents.
STUDENTS' LOST OUTERWEAR
Our lost bins are overflowing with unlabeled outerwear. Please note that if items are not claimed before spring break, they will be donated to a local thrift store. In addition, bins will be placed outside the week of March 13, and parents can check for lost items. The last day to check for items is Friday, March 17.

Thanks so much for your help!
LOOKING AHEAD AT THE LOWER SCHOOL
Professional Development Day – No School for Students
Friday, February 17

Presidents’ Day – School Closed
Monday, February 20

Trimester 2 Ends
Friday, February 24

100th Day of School
Tuesday, February 28

Storyteller Michael Katz Visits Lower School
Tuesday, March 7 - Wednesday, March 8

First Grade Trip to Ostrichland
Thursday, March 9

Third Grade Presents The Greatest Americans of the 20th Century
Wednesday, March 15 (9:30AM, LS Pavilion)

Spring Break
Monday, March 20 - Friday, March 31

LS Grandfriends' Day
Friday, April 14
GRANDFRIENDS' DAY IS ON APRIL 14! CONTACT INFORMATION IS REQUESTED
Each year, Laguna Blanca celebrates Grandfriends’ Day and honors the special connections between generations.

If you would like your parent(s)/family friend/special neighbor to be invited to accompany your child at Grandfriends' Day this year, please click here to share their contact information so we can send a digital invitation. If your Grandfriend does not have an email, please email Jen Trupiano and we will share the invitation with you to pass on to them.

Participation is optional; students that do not have Grandfriends in attendance will be paired up with other students to enjoy activities.

EVENT DETAILS

WHEN: Friday, April 14, 2023 | 9:30AM – 12:30PM
WHO: Grandfriends with students at Lower School (due to capacity, this event is for Grandfriends only unless mobility assistance is needed).
WHAT: Student musical performances, light refreshments, school tour, and professional photographs. Valet parking provided.

**Please note – there will be early dismissal and no after-school care on this day.
LAGUNA UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS NAMED NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS
Katherine Ball '23
Caden Weaver '23
Two Laguna Blanca seniors—Katherine Ball and Caden Weaver—were named National Merit finalists, bringing them one step closer to consideration for 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million.

These students were named semifinalists in September in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Today, the two academically talented students moved to finalist status.

To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. About 95% of the semifinalists were expected to attain finalist standing, and approximately half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

To become a finalist, the semifinalist and a high school official had to submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provided information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

Congratulations, Katherine and Caden!
UC will offer a free virtual event on Wednesday, March 1 for students and families who are interested in learning more about UC admission and their nine undergraduate campuses. They welcome students in Grades 9–11 or community college students who are interested in applying to UC for Fall 2024 or beyond. Students who have already applied for Fall 2023 should instead plan to attend campus events in April and May.

UC is a destination for students who are intellectually curious, seek professional and personal growth, and believe that education is an investment in their future. This event will help students discover what kinds of learning and engagement opportunities are available in and out of the classroom. A panel of current students and parents will answer questions about their experience being a part of UC. Finally, admissions representatives will share information on both the freshman and transfer admission routes, including tips to help students prepare for the process.

Registration is required and space is limited. Please register online.
UPCOMING ATHLETIC EVENTS
UPPER SCHOOL

The following US events will take place at Laguna.

Wednesday, February 22
Girls Beach Volleyball vs St Bonaventure, 3:30PM

Thursday, February 23
Boys Volleyball vs Orcutt Academy, 3:30PM

Friday, February 24
Boys Tennis vs Orcutt Academy, 3:30PM

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Tuesday, February 21
MS Girls Basketball: Team Ryan vs Mt Carmel, 3:45PM at St Raphael's
(160 St. Joseph St, SB 93111)

MS Girls Basketball: Team Aslesen vs St Raphael's, 3:45PM at Mt Carmel
(530 Hot Springs Rd, SB 93108)

Thursday, February 23
MS Boys Volleyball: Team Deux-el vs Riviera Ridge, 3:45PM at Laguna

MS Boys Basketball: Team Valdez vs Riviera Ridge, 3:45PM at Laguna

GRADES 4 & 5

Wednesday, February 22
Gr. 4/5 Co-Ed Volleyball Blue vs Riviera Ridge, 3:45PM at Riviera Ridge 
(2130 Mission Ridge Rd, SB 93103)

Gr. 4/5 Co-Ed Volleyball White vs Riviera Ridge, 3:45PM at Riviera Ridge
(2130 Mission Ridge Rd, SB 93103)

Friday, February 24
Gr. 4/5 Co-Ed Volleyball Blue vs Montessori Center 3:45PM at Montessori Center (401 North Fairview Ave, Goleta 93117)

Gr. 4/5 Co-Ed Volleyball White vs Providence, 3:45PM at Providence
(3225 Calle Pinon, SB 93105)
Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 21. Have a great holiday weekend!
LOOKING AHEAD
IMPORTANT DATES FOR ALL DIVISIONS
LOWER SCHOOL

Professional Development Day
No School
Friday, February 17

Presidents' Day
School Offices Closed
No School
Monday, February 20

FA Lunch & Learn
Tuesday, February 21 (11:45-1PM in HR Gym Foyer)

LS Trimester 2 Ends
Friday, February 24
MIDDLE SCHOOL

Professional Development Day
No School
Friday, February 17

Presidents' Day
School Offices Closed
No School
Monday, February 20

FA Lunch & Learn
Tuesday, February 21 (11:45-1PM in HR Gym Foyer)

UPPER SCHOOL

Professional Development Day
No School
Friday, February 17

Presidents' Day
School Offices Closed
No School
Monday, February 20

FA Lunch & Learn
Tuesday, February 21 (11:45-1PM in HR Gym Foyer)