Please note that Monday, January 3 is a Faculty Professional Development Day, so there will be no school for students that day. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 4.

Stay tuned for more details!

Students in Ms. Finck's Spanish 2 class got creative in an effort to brighten this 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 this week and are sure to bring a smile to their recipients' faces!

Last week, Niki Byrne '09—pictured above—who is a skilled photographer, writer, and director spoke to the class to share her experience in Hollywood and what photography means to her.

"Niki's presentation gave us an understanding that it's a great time to be a woman in the arts and make use of all of the opportunities that women before us were not given," the class says.

Laguna community: would you like to be a guest speaker for a class at Laguna? Or do you know a local expert in a certain topic that might be great? Our Laguna faculty are always looking for opportunities to connect students with the world.

Here are some guest speaker topics specifically requested by our faculty:

If you are interested in presenting on any of these topics or know someone locally who might be, please reach out to Director of Teaching and Learning Anna Alldredge.

If there are other topics you’d like to share, please reach out and we will get to work finding you a good match for a certain class.

If you would like to listen to this conversation but need a Spanish interpreter, please contact Ursula Chan.

Laguna is fortunate to have so many talented alumni who continue to play active roles in the life of our school. Special thanks to longtime Laguna alumni family Claire ’03, Marshall ’96, and Nicholas ’98 Miller for offering discounted holiday shopping for our Laguna community with 15% of proceeds to Laguna. Go Owls!

We are so proud of our students in all divisions for sharing their talents with us at the Lower School Winter Concert and the Grades 5-12 Winter Shows! Our student musicians celebrated the holiday season with festive songs under twinkling lights and stars. Both evenings were especially joyous as we were able to spend them in person as a community.

Special thank you to our incredible Performing Arts Department faculty—Molly Markstrum, Dana Caldwell, Brianne Hwang, and Zach Wallace—for orchestrating such lovely performances.

The squad comprised of six players—at #1 Diego Velazquez '22, #2 Jesus Delgado '24, #3 Marshall Graham '27, #4 Monica Paredes '25, #5 Jesus Arriaga '24, and #6 Sofia Ramirez '25—with 5 players competing individually in each match.

Pictured above: Frances Carlson '22 and Jenna Johnson '23 of Laguna's girls soccer team.

During the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table at Harry's Plaza Cafe on Monday, December 13, Laguna's girls basketball team as well as our boys and girls soccer teams were highlighted. Read below for excerpts on each team.

The Owls are playing girls basketball for the first time in 13 years.

“Right off the bat we’re making history with these girls,” said assistant coach David Magid.

He introduced team captains Fiona Hernandez '23 and Alexia Acosta '24.

“We’ve told them they’re not only building for their future in these couple of years but they’re building the foundation and the culture for the entire Laguna Blanca School for the future to come.”

James Kiffe, a former standout player at San Marcos High and UCSB, made is Round Table Luncheon debut as the coach of Laguna Blanca boys soccer.

He said seniors Owen Pryor '22 and Henry Otte '22 are going to be pivotal on the defensive side.

Kiffe said the roster is a mix of experienced players and soccer newcomers, and Pryor and Otte have been a great help in bringing the team along.

Coach Jose Rodriguez introduced Jenna Johnson and Frances Carlson as two important players on the team.

“Jenna is my utility player. I can put her in pretty much any position and she works hard,” said the coach.

“Frances, she’s my right back, and little by little she’s been doing a better job each game.”

Summer is a perfect time for motivated high school students to start thinking about college. Click the link below to learn more about a number of summer program opportunities.

Juniors and even younger students should look to the current seniors for college advice. Nobody is in a better position to talk about the pluses and minuses of various colleges than those currently in the midst of their search. By reaching out to a senior, younger students can gain a wealth of information.

DID YOU KNOW? There are many creative charitable gift vehicles that benefit both the non-profit and the donor.

Speak with your financial advisor about designating your IRA’s required minimum distribution (70 years +), donating appreciated stock, or updating your charitable giving plan for this year.

Gifts to Laguna Blanca School are fully tax deductible and make a difference to our community throughout the year. Please contact your tax advisor or Director of Development Marcy Jacobs at (805) 687-2462 to learn more or CLICK TO DONATE. 

Thank you for your support.

Once your child has been vaccinated, please remember to email your child's vaccination record to Matt Miller. Below is a list of vaccine provider pharmacies in SB County. If you have questions regarding this list, please reach out to Jan Chytilo at Santa Barbara Country Public Health Department.

Everyone should have received an email from Aptitude Clinical Diagnostics to register for free COVID testing through Laguna Blanca. If you have not received the email yet, please email Health Coordinator Matt Miller with your preferred email and telephone number and he will get you set up!

Click the following links for information regarding testing over the upcoming holiday break: ENGLISH FLYER / SPANISH FLYER

Thank you for continuing to monitor your child for the following COVID-like symptoms and swiftly report positive COVID test results to our Health Coordinator Matt Miller. Contact your healthcare provider if you have any additional medical questions.

•      Fever or chills

•      Cough

•      Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

•      Fatigue

•      Muscle or body aches

•      Headache

•      New loss of taste or smell

•      Sore throat

•      Nausea or vomiting or diarrhea