What a jam packed last few days of celebrations we have had acknowledging the tremendous growth and accomplishments of our students.

• We gathered on Saturday for a special brunch honoring our senior graduates and heard from each of their families. There was not a dry eye in the house as we heard about challenges, growth, and the overwhelming sense of community found at Stanbridge. 
• On Monday morning, we gathered to honor our eighth graders in their promotion ceremony. We had a combined Middle School award ceremony, as well, so the entire middle school was present to celebrate the accomplishments of our eighth graders. Thank you to our awesome middle school speakers Jonas, Aanya, and Cyrus. 
• We held our high school awards ceremony Monday afternoon and it is always a joy to see how our students rise to support one another, cheering each other on and acknowledging the hard work of their peers. 
• Yesterday morning, we celebrated the accomplishments of our Elementary students and promoted our 5th grade class to Middle School.
• We closed out the school year yesterday with our Class of 2025 High School Senior graduation. It is always a highlight of the year to hear the reflections of our seniors as they embark on the next stage of their journey to adulthood. Each senior has the opportunity to write and deliver their own speech. It is clear that each of these young adults made huge strides in their quest toward independence during high school. They forged a supportive community and safety net for each other that will continue long after graduation. 

Our deepest gratitude goes out to you, our parent community, for entrusting us to be a partner in your children’s education and development. We thank you for your partnership, your kindness and your amazing children! Have a wonderful summer and Stay Strong Bulldogs!

Julie Smith
Head of School

There's so much happening at the end of the year that we really can't put it all into words. Click through some photos of end-of-year events including our Class of 2025 graduation, Class of 2029 (8th grade) promotion, varied awards ceremonies and speeches, a chess tournament, the 2025 Stanbridge Bowl, yearbook signing, Student Government, a K-3 trip to SF Zoo, and some favorite photos of the year thrown in for good measure.
​Have a restful, relaxing, and rejuvenating summer!

​As we head into the final days of celebrations – starting with our Seniors tomorrow (Saturday), our Middle School on Monday morning, all of High School on Monday afternoon, elementary on Tuesday morning and finally High School graduation on Tuesday afternoon – we are reminded of large milestone events.

However, the day-to-day work that students put in is what has been the most important and leaves a lasting impression. Friendships made, conversations had, new concepts learned, and independence gained. Each day, I remind myself to look for the good and focus on our individual strengths. Small moments make a huge impact on the health, development, and well-being of our school. Student growth and change can be seen in a yearbook, which was distributed today, who we are at the beginning to where we are today.

Remember to keep in mind all of the little changes and growth that took place each day of the last school year. We hope to see parents and families at many of these large events in the coming days!

Stay Strong, Bulldogs!
Danny Martin
Principal

• Class of 2025 Senior Graduate Luncheon  | Saturday, June 7
  Senior families and staff will gather as a community to celebrate the soon-to-be graduates. Traditionally, parents/guardians share short prepared thoughts about their child and their journey with Stanbridge.
• 8th Grade Awards & Promotion | Monday, June 9
  Celebrate our 8th Graders as they are promoted to High School! Light breakfast to be served following the ceremony.
• High School Awards | Monday, June 9
  Celebrate each High Schooler as they are recognized for their achievements throughout the year! 
• Elementary StepUp | Tuesday, June 10
  Celebrate the year for our youngest division – Elementary! Families may take their students after the ceremony.
• Class of 2025 Senior Graduation | Tuesday, June 10
  ​Stanbridge Academy High School Graduation will take place in the Sequoia Room at Burlingame Parks & Rec. We expect over 100 attendees, so please carpool if you can. Light refreshments to be served following the ceremony.

SECOND EDITION HITS THE STANDS!
Our Journalism Club BullPups, who are in 5th through 10th grades, quickly wrapped up their second edition this year. It's twice as long as the first and features some of this year's favorite moments; a comic strip by our most junior Bullpup; student views of the Talent Show, Field Day, and Experientials; Stanbridge Senior profiles; and much more. Once again, they did a great job thinking about what types of information people not familiar with Stanbridge may want to know more about.​

• READ THE FULL "Stanbridge Spring Journalism Club vol 2" HERE. 

Everyone loves reading about events from the students' perspective! We hope this remains a staple Club offering for years to come – they're even considering a podcast next year. Thanks again to Journalism Advisor (and Director of Admissions) Emily Mitchell for getting this club off the ground! 

Middle and Upper Elementary have been exploring Garageband on their iPads, learning how to record as well as program drums and synthesizers. It has been a blast seeing everyone's creative ideas. Lower Elementary has been practicing their rhyming skills, coming up with funny lyrics for "Down by the Bay" and "She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain."

Middle Schoolers have been working on research projects about their favorite musical artists. We have also been learning about text scores—a type of sheet music that uses descriptive text rather than precise pitches and rhythms to communicate ideas.

High Schoolers gave some wonderful and informative presentations about musical artists they've been researching. We also learned a little bit about audio and the physics of sound using oscillators and oscilloscopes.

– Tobias Banks, K-12 Performing Arts Teacher

Hello Stanbridge,

This week at lunchtime, Student Government [handed out] lemonade and the ice cream which were both very popular. We were happy to give it [away] to the students free of charge for all their hard work. This week we also had the Firesale Snack Shack and thanks to the parents for giving money to their kids to purchase things for the final Snack Shack of the 2024-2025 school year.

Student Government accomplished a lot of things this year!

• A couple of things we did this year included changing the pizza from Pizza My Heart to Costco and adding hotdogs to the menu for our monthly pizza sales.  
• We bought new basketballs, frisbees, dodgeballs, and soccer balls for students to use during snack and lunch. 
• We ran a clothing drive to help parents get rid of clothes that don't fit their kids and we gave them away to help children in need at the Samaritan House in San Mateo. 
• We also provided two hot chocolate days when it was really cold and sold lemonade and popsicles when the weather was really hot. 
• Another thing we did was we catered Chipotle for the students and teachers and we hope to do something similar again next year.

It has been an amazing year being your President on Student Government. I hope everyone has a fantastic summer! GO BULLDOGS!
– Monie A., Student Body President

Elementary Art students painted huge flower paintings to decorate Hayden Hall for the spring season and the Spring Sing annual musical event. Students also worked with clay and made small textured bowls as well as other independent clay pieces of their choosing throughout the season. Once dried, students painted them using acrylic paints. Lower and Middle Elementary students made our solar system, including the sun and Earth's moon, out of paper mâché in their classroom with Harriet and Tevita. Once dry, they brought them into the art room and closely examined photographs of what each planet looked like so they could replicate the surface of their planets to look like the actual ones. They mixed paint colors and added texture to their planets, too! Upper Elementary students spent time working with oil pastels, creating beautiful feathers and landscape drawings. 

Middle School Art students have been drawing, painting, and working with clay. With the start of spring, students created watercolor flower paintings that were hung up on display brightening up our school in Hayden Hall and the Middle School Hallway. Students learned about different types of vortexes and how to draw them using special shading artist pencils and blending stumps. They shaded their drawing adding many light and dark values in order to make their vortexes look visually three-dimensional. They also worked with clay to make small textured bowls and had the opportunity to paint them.

High School Art students continued to enhance their drawing skills by working on many diverse sketchbook assignments, some realistic and some optical illusions. They were introduced to using special drawing pencils and blending stumps. They shaded many of their drawings using a wide range of lights and darks from the value scale. All students had an opportunity to make small textured bowls using different shaped molds and texture to press on to the surfaces. They painted their hand-built ceramic bowls. Some students explored the Procreate application on iPads and spent time drawing with the Apple pencil, shading foods such as a slice of refreshing watermelon or a delicious looking piece of cake.

(Please send in a paper grocery bag with your student on Monday, so they can bring home these awesome creations soon. We often run out of bags this time of year!)

– Camille Geraci, K-12 Visual Arts Teacher

K-8 Emotions & Relationships
As we wrap up the year, students primarily focus on Responsible Decision-Making. Across grade levels, we have been focusing on digital safety, including digital footprint, media choices, and navigating meanness online. Students are highly engaged in discussing the various ways to stay safe online. Middle School students talked about privacy, oversharing, and reflecting on how social media can make us feel. Students are also reminded that everything they do online leaves a history and can be permanent even when they take precautions. Upper Elementary students also focused on meanness online and how to navigate unkind behaviors. Check out Common Sense Media for more information on teaching your student about digital safety: https://www.commonsense.org/

Our youngest students have spent time in “Hedgehog Land,” a video series by the Child Mind Institute designed to teachs students about a variety of skills to support wellbeing. Students learn about managing intense emotions, navigating conflict, and being a good friend. Child Mind had a video series for every age group and additional resources for parents: https://childmind.org/education/thriving-kids/.

– Emma Mamis, Board Certified Dance/ Movement Therapist, Clinical Counselor

In 9th Grade Engineering Design class, students just finished creating custom desk lamps as their second woodworking project. Many of them also incorporated 3D-printing into their designs. In HS Tech class, students recently engaged in "vibe coding" by using AI to create video games using natural language instead of code! Middle School students used the Canva software to make websites based on their favorite activities and hobbies. Upper Elementary engaged in an AI Foundations course on Minecraft while learning how to use code to make sure AI is fair, safe, and helpful for everyone.
– Gregory Wilson, Director of Instructional Technology

Over the final weeks of school, Elementary will be working on perspective taking,  inferencing (using empathy and devising smart guesses), and saying good bye appropriately as we get ready for summer. Transitions can be a bumpy time for our students and learning expected to ways to say goodbye and how to stay in touch can help when friends are leaving or moving – either to different divisions or schools. We will also tap into the joy that summertime can bring.
– Tricia Keener, Speech & Language Pathologist

We are right in the middle of – what is known in the school world as – the "100 days of May." I am sure you are feeling the crunch of year-end activities in your homes, as well. Below are all the things we want to make sure parents and trustees have on their calendars for the end of the year at Stanbridge [dates & times for community only]:

• All School Talent Show. Come cheer on our brave performers and see how supportive our community is in action!
• Senior Class of 2025 Graduation Luncheon & Celebration in our campus courtyard (Senior Families only) 
• 8th grade Promotion & Middle School Awards. All Middle School Families encouraged to attend.
• Elementary Awards and Step Up Ceremony. Elementary dismissed immediately following.
• Last Day of School (K-11th grade). High School Graduation at Burlingame Parks and Rec Center. We invite the School Community to attend this moving event celebrating this unique Class of 2025. Each Senior graduate has the chance to share about their journey!

FLAG FOOTBALL
Congratulations to our Flag Football team who played their last BASSAL league game yesterday in Novato. We are all so proud of their TEAMWORK! Yesterday's 42-28 WIN against Winston Prep was the exciting accumulation of a season of hard work, perseverance, and determination! Their growth witnessed throughout the season was so special. The players and their familes should be so proud.
On that note, a huge THANK YOU to all of the families for your support throughout this season! As Coach Gage shared, “You truly have raised amazing individuals & it makes us coaches proud to have had the opportunity to coach them!
PROM 2025!
As you are reading this, our high school students are enjoying a Casino Night Prom on our campus. Thank you to our parent volunteers, led by High School representatives/dance organizers Helen Siu, Laura Porter, and Lisa Kennedy, who transformed our courtyard to make this a magical evening for our students. Details from fun prom favors to extra cherries in “The Sphere” drinks (Shirley Temples) helped make this night a memorable one.
Enjoy your weekend!
 – Julie Smith
Head of School

KINDERGARTEN-8TH GRADE
  Wow—this school year has truly flown by, and I couldn’t be prouder of our Elementary and Middle School P.E. students! Throughout the year, we’ve focused on learning new games, developing new skills, working as a team, and showing strong support and sportsmanship toward one another. It’s been incredible to see how much each student has grown in so many different ways.
   Our recently concluded Field Day was a perfect celebration of that growth—showcasing not only the amazing effort and performance during games, but also the enthusiasm and encouragement students showed for their Neighborhood Groups and teams. Their energy, teamwork, and spirit were inspiring to watch!
– Coach Gage Daniel, K-8 Physical Education & Health, co-Athletic Director

6TH GRADE-HIGH SCHOOL
   High School and Middle School Physical Education focused on physical development, skill development, personal responsibility, and social skills throughout the year. Students improved coordination and body control during sports activities, basic techniques using proper footwork and hand-eye coordination, core fitness components, strength, endurance, flexibility, speed, and agility. They demonstrated proficiency in movement skills such as throwing, striking, and jumping. Athletes also took responsibility for personal safety, equipment use, strategy tactics, and independent decision making. Students learned social skills working cooperatively with classmates regardless of skill level, sportsmanship, inclusion, fairness, and respect. In Health, they also learned about nutrition, injury prevention, mental awareness, and stress management.
– Coach Daniel Quinal, 6th-12th Physical Education & Health, co-Athletic Director

INAUGURAL EDITION HITS THE STANDS!
Our Journalism Club BullPups, who are in 5th through 10th grades, did a great job thinking about what types of information people not familiar with Stanbridge may want to know more about.

• If you've done your homework, and read our blog, you know that Students won this year's Student vs. Staff Basketball Game. Zoe's article on page one was written prior to the game. A followup article is in the works for the 2nd edition!
• Page four includes information about our clothing drive for Samaritan House. Check out the Student Government blog post this week for a followup.
• READ THE FULL "Stanbridge Spring Journalism Club vol 1" HERE. 

Since our dedicated Journalism Club team meets only once per week after school, they end up doing some of their planning and writing from home. The reporters are now excitedly preparing the second edition and they've certainly found their groove. The next edition is twice as long and features favorite moments of the year, a comic strip by our most junior Bullpup, Stanbridge Senior profiles, and much more. Stay tuned.

Thanks to Journalism Advisor (and Director of Admissions) Emily Mitchell for getting this club off the ground this year! Everyone loves reading about events from the students' perspective and we hope it remains a staple Club offering for years to come.

   We are down to 21 school days for students and the next few weeks are busy with events.  The Middle School had a wonderful three days and two nights at the Montara Lighthouse.  They were hiking, kayaking, and working on independence skills together. A BIG thank you to the Middle School team for spending time away from their families to help our students grow. 
   This coming week, our Elementary students will close out the year with experientials of their own. Upper El will head south to Watsonville for their overnight at Farm Discovery, while Lower El and Middle El heads north for a day trip to the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens.

• Next Friday, the High School Prom will occur outside under the canopy. The theme is Casino Night! Look for some staff to be dealing cards at the blackjack table.
• 2025-2026 Student Government Elections are coming up Monday, May 19th. Candidates will give their speeches in the morning followed by the vote for Student Body President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary (posters are due to Kenny this Monday). Students in 8th-11th grades will vote for the representatives they choose for the coming school year.
• The Talent Show on Thursday, May 22nd, will feature over two dozen Stanbridge-exclusive acts. Be sure to arrive early as parking in the neighborhood is always impacted for all-school events. 
• Wednesday, June 4th, students will have one last meet-up in their Neighborhood Groups as we join together for the Stanbridge Bowl. This is always an eye-opening, trivia event to remember!
• The Senior Grad Luncheon will be Saturday, June 7th.  Cazadores will cater a yummy selection of brunch items for Senior families and staff. We look forward to celebrating with you!
• Middle School Awards & 8th Grade Promotion will be Monday, June 9th. Light fare will follow the ceremony; eighth graders may leave afterwards to celebrate with their families.
• Elementary Awards will take place Tuesday, June 10th. Elementary families may leave following the ceremony to welcome summer.
• Class of 2025 High School Graduation is Tuesday, June 10th. Each division is encouraged to join us at the Burlingame Park and Rec Center for this culminating Stanbridge event!

   It's hard to believe we have so many events in such a short time (plus Chess tournaments, Flag Football games, and more in the works , but we somehow always fit it in.
Have a beautiful weekend and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
– Danny Martin, Principal