Wishing you and your family a healthy and happy winter break!
New this year: please note that students will return to campus on Tuesday, January 5. Monday, January 4 will serve as a Faculty Professional Development Day.
School offices will be closed December 21 - 25 & January 1.
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WHAT A YEAR! CHECK OUT OUR YEAR IN REVIEW LIST |
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10. In June, we zoomed our love to our 4 retiring owls: Carol, CJ, Richard, and Sandy.
9. There were 48 graduates we launched into this wild world, knowing their wings were ready.
8. Did you realize that 29 new owls joined Laguna Blanca this year as Faculty & Staff?
7. Remember when Foster Smith '22, back in February, hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat Grace Brethren and send the Owls to the playoffs?
6. One must not forget who the yearbook was dedicated to: Alberto Abrego.
5. What song did Audrey Murphy '20 perform at the Talent Show along with Mr. Chiment and Mr. Shertzer? Take it Easy.
4. The count is on-going but we have administered 204 COVID tests on campus since August!
3. The school store is rocking everyday and Kipling Lee '21 by far has held the most shifts.
2. Matt Bray and the Buildings & Ground team have handled over 30 canopies.
1. You have likely read 10,000+ emails this year, but there are countless stories of gratitude for everyone and everything that made this 2020 school year possible. Thank you.
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BRAVO!!!
EK-12 VIRTUAL WINTER CONCERT IS A HOLIDAY SUCCESS!
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What a show! Congratulations to all of our students who shared their talents with us and to our outstanding Performing Arts teachers—Dana Caldwell, Rob Moreno, Brianne Hwang, and Molly Markstrum—for creating such a special (and safe) showcase for our community this holiday season.
Miss the live stream? Click the button below for the replay. You don't want to miss it—especially the finale!
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LET'S DECORATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES! |
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The Parents’ Auxiliary is gifting each student with an individually wrapped gingerbread cookie kit before they leave for winter break today.
We want to see your decorated gingerbread cookies, so please post pictures of your cookie masterpieces here.
Students who are remote can pick up their cookie kit at the front office at any time before 4PM on Friday, 12/18.
Thank you to the PA for providing all students with such a fun activity to ring in the holidays!
PICK UP LOCATIONS
- 5th & 6th grades should pick up at tables by the check-in area of the driveway.
- 7-12 grades should pick-up at tables at the bottom of the staircase going down to the gym.
- Lower School students will decorate their gingerbread cookies in class on Friday, 12/18.
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THANK YOU, PA, FOR A FUN AND FESTIVE NIGHT! |
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All were merry and bright at this week's Parents' Auxiliary virtual holiday gathering! Thank you to Tim Cooney of Simply Cocktails for the mixology lesson for two great festive drinks, Hot Buttered Rum and Blackberry Smash.
Many thanks to Glen Phillips, singer songwriter and member of Toad the Wet Sprocket for such an inspiring and heartwarming performance. In this season of giving, we're grateful for our awesome PA Board for making this event possible!
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SECOND AND FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER TO CASA DORINDA RESIDENTS |
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Inspired by Ventura County Area Agency on Aging's Holiday Greetings Campaign for local seniors, Laguna second and fourth graders are making special holiday connections with residents of Montecito retirement home Casa Dorinda. The holiday season hits harder for residents of retirement homes, and isolation is felt even more this year as a result of Covid restrictions.
Luckily, Laguna was provided with a list of residents and an interest for each one, and students are in the process of creating drawings to send along with their personalized letters and cards.
"This is a great opportunity to be thoughtful and think outside of ourselves," says Fourth Grade Teacher Mrs. Richter. "Making cards for residents at Casa Dorinda is an awesome way to spread joy and kindness to others," adds Second Grade Teacher Lisa Vance. "Second graders were thrilled to learn the names and interests of the residents so they could make their messages more personalized."
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SPANISH 2 STUDENTS WRITE UPLIFTING LETTERS TO SPANISH SPEAKERS AT COTTAGE HOSPITAL |
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This week, students in Ms. Finck's Spanish 2 class got creative in an effort to brighten the holiday season for Spanish-speaking patients at Cottage Hospital. Each student added their own flair to their message by using upcycled vintage holiday cards to create custom, handmade cards. These sweet sentiments will be delivered to the hospital on Monday and are sure to bring a smile to their recipients' faces! |
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SCIENCE OF FOOD ELECTIVE CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAYS |
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The Science of Food elective has been studying food preservation techniques recently. Last week, they had a feast of self-made preserved foods to celebrate the beginning of Hannukah. They salt cured their own gravlax (to replace the lox), sugar-cured their own preserves, and saw evidence of Maillard reaction in their crispy home-made latkes. |
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MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK PROGRAM TO BE OFFERED IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY |
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The program will be co-ed and will require no previous experience with formal running training. The primary goals are to provide an opportunity for our students to increase their physical activity, improve their intrinsic motivation to be physically fit and develop their running skills.
The Track Program will take place on our track (Hope Ranch campus) on Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 3:00 – 4:15 from Monday, January 11 – Friday, February 26.
*This is subject to change if any mandated orders from the County or State are issued that prohibit such activity.
Depending on the number of participants, we will consider having more than one group (by age) with a second coach and/or staggered start times.
We are excited to offer this enriching program to our Middle School students!
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During a few recent Upper School advisory meetings, students have had the opportunity to choose an activity that interests them, which is taught or supervised by various teachers on campus. See below for this week's menu! |
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- Coloring and relaxing music in the library
- Practice your Spanish on the grass in front of Spaulding
- Volleyball at Sand Courts
- Walk-and-talk on the track
- Toss a football on the soccer field
- Kick around a soccer ball by the tennis courts
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Pictured L to R: Zaira Parades-Villegas '17, Anthony Medel, Christin Cudahy
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Please join us in giving a warm Laguna welcome to these three new members of the nest!
Laguna grad Zaira Parades-Villegas '17 comes back to Laguna as a Campus Assistant, Anthony Medel is our Sixth Grade Co-Teacher and Long-Term Substitute, and Christin Cudahy joins us as our Long-Term Math Substitute.
We are so happy to have each of you on board!
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THIS WEEK'S GRATITUDE GRAM |
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This week's gratitude gram is dedicated to Academic Services Coordinator for Grades 7-12 & Latin Instructor Rose Steeber! Rose is a thoughtful educator who cares deeply for her students and works closely with them to ensure that they are understood and supported. We are so thankful for her!
Read some words from her colleagues below:
"Gratitude for Sister Steeber!!! For her charismatic New Yorkerness and her kind and caring heart."
"Rose Steeber - for her candor, quick wit, and tireless dedication to her students and our faculty. Rose is the best!"
"To Rose, for her fierce loyalty to her friends and family and the delicious meals she cooks to show her love for them."
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NAME: Gracie
CLASS: 2032
What is the first thing you do in the morning?
I snuggle with my dog, Bella.
What is your go-to song of the moment?
"Watermelon Sugar" by Harry Styles
What is something that most people don’t know about you?
I play tennis.
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