Last week, our kindergarten and fifth grade classes teamed up for an apple picking outing!  Kindergarten students have been learning about trees and seasons, while fifth graders connected their reading of Esperanza Rising—a book that follows a young girl who must move from Mexico to the US and become a farm laborer to support her family—to the hard work of farm labor. After picking over 500 pounds of apples, the students donated them to the Santa Barbara Food Bank. They also got a hands-on lesson in farming techniques and enjoyed a snack break with freshly picked apples while Kindergarten Instructor Ms. Delwiche read them a story. It was a perfect day of learning, fun, and giving back! 

Lower and Upper School students honored their loved ones with vibrant Day of the Dead ofrendas across both campuses. An ofrenda is a special altar that celebrates and remembers those who have passed, featuring colorful traditions such as calaveras de azucar (sugar skulls), cempasúchil (marigolds), fotos (photos), and pan de muerto (Day of the Dead bread).

On Friday, the Upper School will host a special Día de los Muertos assembly, featuring Spanish students from Ms. Molina’s classes.

Today, seventh grade students hosted a Belonging Cultural Festival in celebration of their ancestors' stories. The event opened in Spaulding Theatre, where students shared their families' immigration journeys with an audience that included their parents and grandparents. Drawing connections to The Circuit, a book from their English class, they explored their family histories and aspirations, highlighting the beauty of our shared heritage and the unity it fosters. Following the storytelling, a cultural fair designed in Geography class featured delicious foods from the students' various backgrounds, allowing families and classmates to experience the diversity within the seventh grade community.

Today, fifth grade students were treated to a fantastic variety of scientific demonstrations as part of the UCSB Chemistry Outreach Program. They were able to witness some visually striking exothermic, luminescent, and oscillating chemical reactions, and then got hands-on in a variety of lab stations. The group experimented with igniting methane bubbles, explored the boiling point of liquid nitrogen, used chemical metallurgy to transform pennies, tested the efficacy of sunscreen, and several other exciting and engaging demonstrations of important scientific concepts. There was no shortage of smiles or awestruck stares across all of the students' faces. 

With the recent Mountain Fire in Ventura, we want to assure you that we are closely monitoring the air quality to ensure a safe environment for all our students and staff. We are following guidance from local health agencies and will keep you informed if any adjustments to our daily activities or routines become necessary.  

The Laguna Blanca Board of Trustees Development Committee is helping TEDx students prepare to present to potential sponsors for this year’s TEDx event in January. Once sponsorships are secured, all remaining funds needed to support the production of the annual TEDx event are powered by the Laguna Fund and your generosity.

US Entrepreneurship students are working with Chaucer's Bookstore in a consultancy capacity to make recommendations regarding book-signing events and attracting new customers. Filling out this 3-minute survey will help them greatly in their efforts. Thank you so much!

You're invited to attend our Grades 7-12 Laurel Canyon Fall Concert today, November 7 in Ruston Amphitheatre! Performances will be inspired by LA’s Laurel Canyon neighborhood music scene during the 1960s and 1970s. Students from Vocal Ensemble, Honors Stage Band, and Pop and Rock Ensemble will be our performers. Bundle up as it will get chilly in Ruston. We hope to see you there!

Five Upper School students will be featured at an all high school art show at Gallery 113 in La Arcada Court during tonight's First Thursday Art Walk from 5-8PM. The students artists are also in the running for awards. Congratulations to Ginger Finney '26, Olivia Sofranko '27, Lucas Ayala '25, Anya Taylor '28 and Remy Becker '27.

Come support them and enjoy First Thursday!

Interested in volunteering? Join us for an evening of wine and cheese on November 13 from 5:30 to 7PM at La Cumbre Country Club. Learn how you can support the Golden Oak Gala Co-Chairs in creating an unforgettable event this March. No commitment is necessary—just come by and explore how you can make a difference!

Devices and social media are becoming part of our children's world earlier than ever. When is the right age to introduce phones and social media? How can we help our children use them safely and responsibly? Join us for an engaging event where expert speakers explore these challenges and offer practical tips to help navigate the digital world with confidence. All parents are welcome, although this topic is especially tailored for Lower and Middle School parents.

SPEAKERS

Professor of Communication at UCSB Robin Nabi

Head of School Program, Common Sense Media Lisa Solomon

Influencer & Family Association Vice President Deva Dalporto

Congratulations to Carter Plowman '26, the recipient of this year's Phil Womble Ethics in Sports Award for Laguna! Carter earned this honor for his dedication to athletics as a member of the football and tennis teams, as well as his contributions to the Laguna community. He earned All-Frontier League First Team honors for football and holds a 3.98 GPA. Outside of school, Carter volunteers with the Civil Air Patrol, a U.S. Air Force organization, and is a two-time Laguna Blanca Scholar-Athlete award recipient.  

“Carter inspires his teammates to be better. He never hangs his head or says 'why me,'" says Director of Athletics Matt Steinhaus. "He’s an amazing young man and he’s a great part of the Laguna community.”

GO CARTER!

We’re excited to invite Laguna families to explore our online store, featuring a selection of athletic apparel now available for purchase!

Please note that the store is open seasonally and will close at the end of the day on Sunday, November 10. Once the store closes, all orders will be processed, packaged, and sent to the Laguna Athletics department for distribution. We will reach out to families once the items are ready to distribute. A $10 packaging fee will be applied to each order in place of shipping charges.

We also offer several apparel items in youth sizes.

Questions? Email athletics@lagunablanca.org.

Laguna Blanca football brought the regular season to a close with a 36-14 road victory over Maricopa High on Friday.

Quarterback Luke Popovich '28 led the offense with a trio of touchdown passes while fullback Dylan Comis '25 had two rushing touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions. Popovich completed touchdown passes to Sam Narva '25, Carson Stewart '25 and Jaden Yanez '28 in the victory.

Defensively, Mason Siegel '25 and William Messick '26 each hauled in interceptions while Jorge Gonzalez '27 came away with a fumble recovery.

GO OWLS!

The Grades 3/4 soccer program had a fantastic turnout this year, leading to the creation of two teams: Blue and White. They played against Riviera Ridge, Montessori, Notre Dame, Crane, and St. Raphaels, finishing the season with a record of 5 wins and 3 losses. Now, the Owls are gearing up for basketball, with a girls' team and two boys' teams ready to go!

Upcoming dates, deadlines, reminders, and important logistical information by division.