PRESIDENTS' DAY WEEKEND
NO SCHOOL FRIDAY 2/16 & MONDAY 2/19
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CONGRATULATIONS TO CAMILA LEMERE & JACK STEIN, WINNERS OF SBIFF 10-10-10 COMPETITION!
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On Saturday, February 10,
Camila Lemere '18 took home the award for Best Director
and
Jack Stein '19 was named Best Screenwriter at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's 10-10-10 competition! We are thrilled for these incredibly talented students.
In case you missed the big moment,
click here to watch Camila and Jack named as the winners.
To view their winning film,
Seven Hours,
click here.
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We sat down with Camila and Jack to learn more about this project and their respective filmmaking journeys.
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LAGUNA GIRLS SOCCER RIDING HIGH HEADING
INTO CIF PLAYOFFS TODAY 2/15
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Reprinted from Noozhawk
Last Wednesday, 2/7, Laguna Blanca tuned up for the girls soccer postseason by blanking Dunn 4-0 to finish Condor League play undefeated!
The team heads into the CIF playoffs today. Kickoff for the Division 7 1
st round contest against Thacher is at home at 3PM this afternoon, 2/15.
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BOYS SOCCER HEADS TO CIF 1ST ROUND GAME TOMORROW 2/16
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On Wednesday 2/14, the boys soccer team won a Division 6 Wild Card game against Sierra Canyon, 5-3. Tomorrow 2/16, they will travel to El Segundo (
Campus El Segundo - 2201 E Mariposa Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245)
to take on Lennox Academy at 1pm.
GO OWLS!
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JASON DONNELLY AND ERICA DOWNING HONORED AT SAN MARCOS HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC BANQUET
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Congratulations to Director of Athletics Jason Donnelly and Lower School Technology Instructor and parent Erica Downing for their induction into the San Marcos High School Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2018!
The induction ceremony was held on Friday, February 9 at Deckers.
Jason was honored for his contributions to San Marcos High School in football, soccer, and volleyball, and Erica was honored for her contributions in volleyball, basketball, and track.
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HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL ANDY SURBER RECEIVES DOCTORATE DEGREE
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Andy Surber has earned a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California in Organizational Change and Leadership. His coursework included creativity instruction, diversity training, economics, leadership, public speaking, and a large amount of applicable research. Graduation will take place on May 11.
"The coursework was challenging and inspiring, as I learned from experts in the field as well as from my very talented classmates. I have certainly put my training to work as the Lower School team continues to provide a rich elementary program at our Laguna North campus," says Andy.
Congratulations on this impressive achievement, Dr. Surber!
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Beginning next week, students in Grades 9-12 are invited to join Coach Lopes on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday mornings from 7-8AM for all-sports strength training in the gym. All fitness levels are welcome! No fees.
Hope to see you there!
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WHOOO ARE YOU?
MEET THIS YEAR'S ASSIST SCHOLAR, ITZIAR!
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NAME
: Itziar de Pedro Sarasola
GRADE
: 11
What ONE word best describes you?
Ambitious
What’s an interesting fact about you?
This is my first time ever in America!
What would be the most amazing adventure you could go on?
To be able to tour the world with my friends and visit every country on Earth.
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SEEKING HOST FAMILIES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
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Laguna has become a member school of ASSIST, an organization which places outstanding international students, such as Itziar above, on one-year scholarships in some of the finest independent schools in the country. It is an opportunity for high school students coming from countries such as Spain, Germany, Sweden, and Australia to make contributions to our community and to develop a deeper understanding of American culture.
Laguna is looking for families interested in hosting a high school exchange-student for part or all of a school year.
Current Laguna parent
Danielle McCaffery
and her family are hosting Itziar and are available to answer any questions from interested families.
FROM ITZIAR'S HOST FAMILY & TEACHERS
Itziar has assimilated very well into our family and the school. She is open to new opportunities, is easy going, is a dedicated student and is a joy to have around... I think having a host student at Laguna is a great experience for the student body.
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-Danielle McCaffery, ASSIST Host Mother
Itziar is an elegant scholar with a curious mind and deep powers of analysis. She brings a wonderful, warm energy to campus and in class, where she offers us the invaluable perspective of one who has experienced European education first-hand. In a language class premised on cultural comparison, having an ASSIST scholar is a real bonus; having one as graceful as Itziar in both mind and personality is a true gift to our community.
--Valerie Yoshimura, AP French Instructor
It's really an honor to teach such a serious and dedicated student. You can see when you're teaching Itziar that she's very focused and motivated--she's asking questions, helping to solve problems, and taking notes of important points. In a math classroom, it's empowering for us all to see how universal is the teaching of mathematics. Itziar was able to pick up the concepts seamlessly!
--Izabela Santos, Pre-Calculus Instructor
Can I say that I’ve tried to convince Itziar to stay in journalism another year? Itziar is doing a great job on the staff of
The Fourth Estate
and brings so much to our program. It's a joy to work with her.
--Trish McHale, Journalism Instructor
It has been a pleasure to have Itziar in class. She has transitioned incredibly well into this class; in fact she is one of my top students. She contributes to class discussions, has made two excellent presentations of material to the class, and her lab reports are very well written. I have definitely enjoyed getting to know her and she will be missed next year!
--Katie Pointer,
AP Chemistry Instructor
Itziar's European upbringing gives her an interesting and unique perspective that she brings to my classroom. I appreciate her worldly sense, her maturity, and her kind, gentle nature.
--Paul Chiment, Economics and Entrepreneurship & Innovation Instructor
If you are interested in putting your name on a list for becoming a Host Family or would like more information about the ASSIST scholar program,
please contact
Carol Nordgaarden
,
International Student Coordinator.
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MOCK TRIAL TEAM TO COMPETE AT SB COURTHOUSE ON 2/24
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After nearly five long months of legal preparation and working with local attorneys who volunteer their time, Laguna Blanca’s Mock Trial Team—a student club open to grades 9-12—will once again head to the historic Santa Barbara Courthouse on Saturday, February 24 for the annual all-day Santa Barbara County Mock Trial competition.
The program is led by Assistant to the Head of School Jessica Tyler, who holds a Juris Doctor degree, as well as returning attorney coaches Dawn O’Donnell, Matt Conley, and Annie Hayes. New this year, the team had the pleasure of working with attorney coach Morgan Lucas. The students will serve as defenders, prosecutors, witnesses, clerk and bailiff in a murder trial to ultimately decide: guilty or not guilty?
“Both new and returning students have done a remarkable job preparing for this full-blown trial," says Tyler. "I can't wait to see their hard work pay off and their talents unfold in the courtroom!”
Best of luck to the following members of the Mock Trial team:
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Kyle Aitcheson '19
Sophia Bakaev '18
Athena Boyle '19
Abby Corpuz '18
Itziar de Pedro Sarasola '19
Sydney Edgecomb '18
Jack Fry '18
Stella Haffner '19
Mia Humberd-Hilf '20
Oliver Heyer '19
Maddie Kirk '20
Maddy Lazarovits '18
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Hector Lujan '19
Natalie McCaffery '20
Ava Morouse '19
Audrey Murphy '20
Satya Paullin '22
Alfie Russell '19
Jake Self '20
Peter Smith '20
Julia Stone '19
Monica Stoney '21
Andrew Tolles '19
Kendall White '18
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MIDDLE SCHOOL SPELLING BEE FINALISTS!
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Congratulations to the following Middle School students who will represent Laguna at the County Spelling Bee on Wednesday, February 28:
Jayla Provance
Magdalena Amezaga
Katherine Ball
Jinming Wang
Go O-W-L-S!
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WITH SPECIAL SPEAKER SIMONE MAREAN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7
6:30-8:00PM
"LAGUNA NORTH"
GIRLS INC. GOLETA VALLEY CENTER
4973 HOLLISTER AVENUE
Laguna Blanca is proud to present this FREE parent education talk, “Raising Resilient Girls,” which focuses on practical, actionable advice that can be used at home to help support your daughter.
Click here
to learn more about this exciting event.
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UPCOMING COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY
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Boys team charity Santa Barbara, dedicated to supporting boys’ and family philanthropy, begins its New Member Drive in March 2018.
The local chapter provides tween/teen boys entering grades 7-12 the opportunity to volunteer at various nonprofits throughout Santa Barbara, team-building and bonding activities
by grade level, and personal growth and development presentations. Volunteer opportunities involve boys and their parents, allowing families to cultivate a sense of social responsibility and spirit of giving with their sons. Each member commits to volunteering a minimum of 10-15 hours each year and attending several general meetings and grade-specific gatherings/activities per year.
Boys team is hosting a
Parents Only Prospective Information Night on 2/27 at 7PM. To learn more about this event and to RSVP, please click
here
.
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SEEKING PARENTS INTERESTED IN JOINING THE PARENTS' AUXILIARY BOARD (2018-19)
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Please consider serving in a Board leadership position where you can be part of the decision-making process for PA activities such as class social events, Laguna Spirit Wear, Faculty Appreciation, Spirit of Laguna/Jogathon, athletic boosters, and much more. All skills and backgrounds are welcome!
Click here for more information about each position and to access the
nomination form.
Deadline to submit nominations is February 28.
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CONTROL YOUR PHONE, DON'T LET IT CONTROL YOU
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How many of us have tapped an icon on our phones to check a quick email only to look up an hour later and wonder where the time went? When it comes to our phones and other digital technology, we might not be as savvy as we think.
Click here for tips on how to take control of your phone again.
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LBS RAISES NEARLY $5K FOR DIRECT RELIEF
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On Tuesday, February 13, Laguna familes came together at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club in the name of love and music to benefit
Direct Relief and all those affected by the Thomas Fire and Montecito Mudslides.
In addition to helping others and enjoying an evening of music by Laguna's talented students, guests heard from Laguna student and drummer
Clay Rodgers '18 whose family home was hit hard by the devastating debris flow on January 9. He recounted how he and his father were awakened by the destruction in the pre-dawn hours and how they eventually waded through waist deep mud for a mile before getting picked up by a sheriff. Although his family lost many treasured heirlooms, musical instruments, furniture, and family photos, Clay focused on how grateful he is that his family is unharmed and that material possessions can always be replaced.
Samir Rai from Direct Relief also shared how their humanitarian aid organization has helped Santa Barbara through these recent disasters. From recognizing the need for and providing thousands of protective masks for residents during the Thomas Fire to
committing $300,000 to the 1/9 Victims Fund. Direct relief has equipped emergency responders with many of their requested resources, strengthened public health efforts with several thousand doses of tetanus and hepatitis-A vaccinations, and continues to support community groups, including the
SB Bucket Brigade, providing supplies for safe clean-up and recovery.
Proceeds from the door,
SB Strong t-shirt sales, and donations to Direct Relief on Tuesday night totaled nearly $5,000! A very special thank you to everyone who came out to lend support and positive encouragement to those who suffered great losses.
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The Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade will meet at 9am at Lower Manning Park this weekend (Saturday 2/17 and Sunday 2/18) and work from 9am-3pm.
To help the organizers with planning, please
email them directly
with the days you can attend. If you would like to help on Saturday, write SATURDAY in the subject line. If you are working Sunday, write SUNDAY. If you are working both days, write WEEKEND.
IMPORTANT NOTES
- All volunteers must be 18 or over to work on the sites.
- Volunteers are working in dangerous mud and debris. It is crucial that you come dressed wearing work pants (NO YOGA PANTS), a long-sleeved shirt, work boots or muck boots, gloves and masks. There are a few gloves and masks available, if needed.
- If you have your own shovel, please bring it!
- NO KIDS please. Safety first.
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TIPS FOR SELF-CARE DURING DIFFICULT TIMES
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SHARED BY LAGUNA PARENT ERICKA KLEMPERER, MD
The devastation to our community from the recent natural disasters has been overwhelming; the loss and destruction heartbreaking. We have all been impacted. Even if we haven’t been directly affected, knowing beloved community members who have suffered, or even just hearing the emotional stories in the news, can shake us to our core. During these difficult times it is imperative that we take care of ourselves.
While the idea of self-care may feel selfish and indulgent, in actuality the opposite is true. Compassionate self-care is critical so that we may find the strength to recover, heal, and continue to support others in our community. Below are a few self-care ideas in hopes of providing a respite for you, giving you strength and comfort along this path to healing and recovery.
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MYLAGUNA TIP OF THE WEEK ARCHIVES:
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LOWER SCHOOL
FRI 2/16
NO SCHOOL - Professional Development Day
Re-enrollment Contracts Due
MON 2/19
NO SCHOOL - Presidents' Day
School Offices Closed
TUES 2/20
Gr. 4 Field Trip to Mission San Buenaventura
WED 2/21
Gr. 3 Field Trip to Disneyland
MIDDLE SCHOOL
FRI 2/16
NO SCHOOL - Professional Development Day
Re-enrollment Contracts Due
MON 2/19
NO SCHOOL - Presidents' Day
School Offices Closed
TUES 2/20
Jane Air Rehearsal in Spaulding Aud. (2:50-3:30PM)
WED 2/21
MS Math Club, Room E402 (12:20PM)
SAT 2/24
MS Math Club: Math Counts Chapter Competition at Newberry Park
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UPPER SCHOOL
FRI 2/16
NO SCHOOL - Professional Development Day
Re-enrollment Contracts Due
MON 2/19
NO SCHOOL - Presidents' Day
School Offices Closed
TUES 2/20
Jane Air Rehearsal in Spaulding Aud.
(2-2:50PM)
FRI 2/23
AP English H Period to New Vic Theater
SAT 2/24
US Mock Trial Competition at SB Courthouse
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