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!

K-8 Emotions & Relationships
 With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, Students are preparing for upcoming overnight trips. Upper El and Middle Schoolers have focused on developing healthy relationships and readiness for their trips. We talk with students about physical boundaries, emotional boundaries, hygiene, and homesickness. By creating a space for students to discuss these topics, ask questions, and review photos from previous trips, students are set up for successful experientials.
   We remind students that a growth mindset and facing challenges are normal parts of the experience. We identify ways to stretch ourselves enough to grow without hitting our “panic zone.”
Emma Mamis, Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist, Clinical Counselor

ELEMENTARY
Math is all around us. We all use math many times a day. Numbers and shapes, measuring, and solving problems are all needed for simple tasks and games.
   Lower Elementary enjoyed finding fun math games like dice games and pegs in the park, reviewed addition, subtraction, and continued working in their Dimensions math books.
   In Middle Elementary, after a scavenger hunt focusing on earth day, the students worked on tallying and graphing. They also learned about fractions and measuring cups that may be used in any cooking or baking recipe.
   Upper Elementary, too, worked on lots of fractions, area, and perimeter and again, the emphasis was on how math is woven into daily tasks such as figuring out how much time until lunch, how many days until break, how could we make this box, estimations in animal facts, and so much more. Yes, math is all around us!

• Harriet Mukisa, Middle Elementary Lead Teacher

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MIDDLE SCHOOL
Currently in Middle School, students are getting back into their academic routine following Spring Break. They have picked up where they left off with their independent assignments, and continue to show progress in work production week by week. Students have recently completed several group activities related to identifying and comparing fractions. This week they tested their knowledge of customary units of measurement alongside their fellow peers.

• Avery Linthwaite, 6th-12th Grade Mathematics Teacher

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HIGH SCHOOL
Consumer Math students in High School continue to make impressive progress in their introductory Geometry content. They have been working as a class to complete various workbook exercises that require them to apply measurement knowledge acquired before the break. They have been able to convert ounces to pounds and pounds to ounces in order to answer word problems accurately.

• Avery Linthwaite, 6th-12th Grade Mathematics Teacher

High School Math is off to an exciting start to the end of the year. Geometry classes have been exploring triangle relationships and how they relate to other polygons. We will extend that knowledge to 3D solids using manipulatives soon. Pre-Algebra used a hands-on learning system to balance equations and will focus on equations with increasing complexity, such as using the distributive and associative properties and the absolute value. In Algebra 2, we are learning logarithms and exponential equations and will end by covering sequences and series, as well as trigonometric equations. Lastly, Statistics is beginning an in-depth study of spreadsheets and how to use computer technology to analyze and summarize data.

• Daniel Geller, High School Mathematics Teacher

  With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Andrea “Andi” Jobe, who founded Stanbridge Academy in 1982. Andi was 84 years old when she died at her beachfront home in Ecuador, where she had lived for the past several years. We got this news in a heartfelt email from her son, Allen, whose difficulty in school due to a learning disability spurred Andi to create a school for him and other students like him.
  Allen wrote that he did not speak until he was seven years old, and doctors were pessimistic about his prospects. Unwilling to accept this, Andi enrolled in a Speech Therapy program and graduated with a Master’s. She took an SLP role at a public school in the South Bay and, alarmed at the poor services students received there, set about creating a school that would accommodate their needs.
   In his email, Allen described our school’s beginning in a rented space in Mountain View.  “She had times when she almost did not make payroll. She never turned away a parent in need. Some would drive buses, clean the school, etc. The school grew and grew into what it is today.”
   Allen’s note clarified a mystery for us…why the name “Stanbridge”? Here is what he said: “Very few people, I think, know where the name Stanbridge comes from. It is a boarding school in England that my family friend attended. It was a really bad place with really bad food. My mom helped my friend move to a school called Kildonan in New York. It is no longer open. So she thought it would be fitting to name the school a better place than that place in England.”
  Founding Stanbridge Academy was only one of Andi’s significant contributions to children with disabilities. Andi and her husband, Dr. Richard Jobe, a plastic surgeon, created RSF-Earthspeak, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children learn to speak after cleft palate surgery. Dr. Jobe was also one of the founders of Interplast, an international network of surgeons who provide pro bono surgical care to anyone in need anywhere in the world.
   We are grateful that Allen reached out to us with the news of his mother’s passing and are inspired by his remembrances. In his words, “I am glad to hear that she is still remembered at Stanbridge. It is her lasting accomplishment. She did not have a strong ego and would almost never take credit for anything. She was really hard to buy presents for. She just wanted to give back.”
– Mary Stadler, Director of Counseling

PARENT EDUCATION: TRANSITION PLANNING
April 23, 2025 on Zoom | 5:30 p.m.
Join us on Zoom to learn about Self Determination Programming (SDP) at the Regional Centers and how to gain access to this important resource. Tiffany Liang, a San Francisco-based Independent Facilitator, was inspired by her younger sister, Grace (Stanbridge Class of '19) to help families all across the Bay Area navigate Regional Center services and enroll in SDP. With a background in HR at tech companies and a Bachelor's degree from NYU, Tiffany is passionate about making disability services more accessible and empowering families to feel confident in the process.

• This meeting is appropriate for parents/guardians of students in 8th grade and up.
  
• Learn about SDP and how it differs from traditional Regional Center services.
  
• Benefits of SDP, and considerations for whether it’s the right fit or if staying in the traditional system may make more sense.
  
• Who qualifies, how to enroll, and what support is available during enrollment (Independent Facilitators).
  
• Examples of customized, non-traditional services families can fund through SDP.
• ​Tips on navigating the process, understanding Regional Center requirements, and overcoming common challenges.

​(Interested parties should contact [email protected] for Zoom link.)

STANBRIDGE EXPERIENTIAL EARNING – What sets us apart

ELEMENTARY
   Experientials are essential educational experiences that bring curricular subjects, such as history, to life. They foster interaction with classmates and community members, offering unique perspectives and inspiring future interests. For our students, navigating new environments builds cooperation, independence, and valuable life skills. Whether a walk around the block, day trips, or overnights, every excursion extends learning beyond the classroom, promotes curiosity, encourages questions, creates lasting memories, and enriches students' overall development.
   Our excursion this week to the Adobe Home was a success.  Students were engaged in hands-on activities, patient with the rain and candle making, and adventurous running up and down a wet beach!  The program was the right fit for our kids–providing fun activities and giving just enough information about California history. In reflection, students have written solid paragraphs or essays about the trip.
   Upcoming field trips include the San Mateo County History Museum, a ride on Caltrain, and a two-day overnight stay on a working farm in Watsonville.
– Michele Sumpton, Elementary Division

MIDDLE SCHOOL
   This past week was filled with two local field trips for the Middle School. We headed up to the Academy of Sciences and explored all over the museum, enjoying butterflies and birds in the rainforest, and laughing at penguin antics in the African Hall. The following day, we went to see two classmates perform in the Pied Piper Players' "Narnia" and then visited Beresford Park. You may remember that we also visited The Crucible, an industrial arts school in Oakland, last month where our students experienced glassblowing, forging, and other industrial arts.
   These day experientials are valuable to the overall Middle School experience in a myriad of ways including exploring local community resources and bonding over shared off-campus experiences. Piling onto a large spinner at the park with your Middle School friends isn't an experience easily replicated in the classroom! Social-Emotional connections are a hallmark of the middle school years and we want to give them as many structured out-of-class outings as possible to work on building these skills.
   We culminate the school year with our 3-day, 2-night trip to Montara Lighthouse in May. Our Stanbridge Middle School Teachers are pairing up with local naturalists to create the outdoor experiences, from tide-pooling at Moss Beach to Kayaking in Pillar Point Harbor. We are so excited to share such a special place with our Middle School Students!
– Tasha Hudick, Middle School Division

HIGH SCHOOL – Experiential Week is Coming!
   We are so lucky to be able to share off-campus experiences with our students here at Stanbridge. Not only do we get to see them shine in ways we never imagined, but we also get to strengthen our relationships through these wonderful, shared experiences. And don't forget all the hilarious inside jokes that are born on these trips!
   In two weeks, we host High School Experiential Week. During this week we will have a series of day trips and then offer our students a chance to plan, cook, and enjoy a community banquet. I feel very fortunate to work at a school that enables me to engage with my students outside of the classroom and even off campus! Also, Experiential Week happens completely during school hours, so students won't miss shuttles, clubs, or other events. This offers students a chance to participate in our Experiential Program without having to sleep overnight away from home. More information will be sent out next week. 
– Jay Huston, Head of High School

Three cheers for the Stanbridge Experiential Program! More often than not, it is Experientials that Alumni remember most fondly.

​K-8 Social-Emotional Learning
This week in SEL we focused on problem solving and how to manage problems on the playground with peers. We brainstormed options when a friend is stuck and wants to do things their way. We can walk away ("skeddadle," as Ethan says), ask them to follow the agreed upon rules, or take a break if they don't want to follow the group rules. We can always ask an adult for help if friends are having a hard time listening and following the "group plan." We should remember to practice good sportsmanship by saying "good game," even if we lose.
– Tricia Keener, Speech & Language Pathologist

HIGH SCHOOL EMOTIONS & RELATIONSHIPS
For the last several weeks, High School Social Learning has focused on internet safety, boundaries around sharing personal information, and obtaining consent before taking or sharing photos or videos. We have discussed online bullying and catfishing and when to ask for help determining whether situations are becoming dangerous.  Group texting and gossiping are the current topics being discussed.  The students are engaged and thinking hard about the behavior they see and exhibit online and through communication apps.
– Mary Stadler, Director of Counseling

Future-Ready: Students Master AI, Presentations, and Spreadsheets
Students from Upper Elementary to High School are now diving into the Google Applied Digital Skills curriculum, gaining essential tech skills for school, careers, and life. The curriculum includes lessons on how to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in daily life, create dynamic presentations, and manage spreadsheets. By working with real-world tools like Google Slides and Sheets, they develop problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. High School students are working on the Google Slides lessons while upper elementary and middle school are working on the AI lessons. By learning these skills early, students build confidence and adaptability, making them better prepared for an increasingly digital world. With technology evolving rapidly, this curriculum ensures students stay ahead—future-ready and digitally fluent.
Middle Elementary has been working on their Google Slides showcase the past two weeks. They are excited to show parents what they've been learning. Prior to jumping into presentation-mode, they were creating VR experiences in Cospaces. 
Lower Elementary has been hard at play with the basics of coding, the best way to learn for this age. Parents are welcome to reinforce their learning at home in Kodable and Scratch Jr.
– Gregory Wilson, PhD., Director of Instructional Technology

High School students are learning about self-advocacy and assertive communication in Social Learning, as well as how to set personal boundaries while respecting others' boundaries. We are examining the in-person and online connections we make and how to evaluate the health of those relationships. We also discussed how we use our cellphone cameras – what boundaries we set when photographing people, including ourselves, and posting photos online or sharing them with others.
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Here is a helpful link for parents from Common Sense Media:
Help Kids Make Friends and Interact Safely Online

– Mary Stadler, Director of Counseling

Dear Stanbridge Community,
​   The Stanbridge Academy Showcase series traditionally takes place mid-winter afternoons before dismissal. We invite current parents to experience the learning that your child is engaging in at school. Think of Showcases as what used to be called (in our school days) a traditional school open house. Each division showcase builds on previous learning to challenge our students in public speaking, presentation skills, sharing of knowledge, individuality and creativity. Please see your division schedule and plan to have at least one family member attend the event. Also plan to arrive early for parking, as both our lot and the neighborhood are sure to be impacted by these community events.

 HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION
High School classes will have two to three student speakers per class period. We will follow your individual student's daily schedule. Please pick one up in Hayden Hall prior to programming.

• Meet in Stanbridge Courtyard. Speaker Head of High School, Jay Huston
• 1st period presentations
• 2nd period Presentations
• 3rd period presentations
• Break - Check out Hayden Hall exhibits and updated hallway bulletin boards
• 4th period presentations
• 5th period presentations
• 6th period presentations
• Dismissal

MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION
Middle School Advisory Groups will present slide decks about life in Middle School. We will meet in Advisory classrooms. Please pick up your individual student's daily schedule in Hayden Hall prior to programming.

• Check out exhibits in Hayden Hall
• Gather in students advisory classrooms (4 student speakers)
• Break
•  Gather in student advisory classrooms (4 additional student speakers)
• Dismissal

ELEMENTARY DIVISION
Families will gather in Hayden Hall to see a variety of presentation formats by all students.

• Gather in Hayden Hall and view exhibits
• Student presentations: Lower El, Middle El, and Upper El students
• Dismissal

We look forward to seeing you at your child's Showcase. More importantly, we look forward to sharing this opportunity for you to see your child shine!

Stay Strong, Bulldogs!
Danny Martin
Principal

 ¡VAMOS 2025!
We just started 2025 and now we are working and preparing for everything that is coming to us in this wonderful year. 
   In LowerEl we are reviewing basic vocabulary: colors, numbers, days, months, animals, transport, school supplies, foods, and drinks. Short Spanish cartoons, some Spanish songs, and games such as Spanish BINGO help reinforce our learning.
   Middle El is reviewly vocabulary similarly to LowerEl, but we also learn sentence structure and basic expressions in Spanish – How are you? How old are you? Where do you live? What do you like to eat/drink? What is your favore movie/tv show? and more.
We start focusing on Spanish pronunciation.
   There is always new vocabulary to learn and Upper El students practice a lot during class. Spanish movie scenes help students hear proper pronunciation and learn new vocabulary. Certainly it is a challenging exercise but they are doing very well. 
   In Middle School, we learn to recognize vocabulary with wordsearches, and we practice pronunciation by reading aloud small paragraphs and sentences. We continue to learn and use many of the basic questions for communication in Spanish. We use iPads for educational Spanish games or for finding Spanish slides that help in our class. Like the other levels, Spanish films continue to be a helpful learning tool. 
   High School classes learn vocabulary through puzzles and wordsearch. Almost daily, we type a good number of sentences in Spanish and complete corrections to improve our grammar. We read each sentence aloud, as well, and try the best pronunciation. Practicing basic conversations is important, so we try to speak as much as we can in Spanish every day. In Spanish 3, we reached a goal to speak only Spanish nearly the entire class! Recently we are working hard to prepare for next week's Showcase. Students are excited to show their parents what they are learning.
   We have good expectations for the rest of the year. We will keep working more and more to improve our Spanish learning process.
    Before I finish I will thank all of you for your support and understanding during my medical leave. I am doing very well now and ready to continue.
Muchas gracias.
– Ruben Nunez, K-12 Spanish

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS (IEPs) AT STANBRIDGE
   I hope everyone has had a smooth transition back to the real world following break! As spring begins to approach, it is possible that you have an upcoming IEP meeting. I just wanted to send out a reminder of some ways that Stanbridge can support you through this process.

• Annual meeting: Reach out to gather present levels. Let the district know that you would like someone from Stanbridge to attend. Share my email for meeting scheduling.
• Triennial meeting: Reach out to gather present levels. Have the district connect with Alyssa to fill out any rating scales, or forms for the re-evaluation process. Let the district know that you would like someone from Stanbridge to attend. Share my email for meeting scheduling.
• IEE/Additional Testing: If you are having a provider from outside of the district conduct testing, please connect to Alyssa to assist with scheduling and collecting information.
• Observations: Observations are typically conducted by outside providers or districts to aid their IEP Process. Please connect with Alyssa to coordinate scheduling.

   In all cases, it is best to connect the district/provider directly with myself. This eliminates the middle man and can help make the process more efficient. If you are concerned about this immediate connection, please let me know and all correspondence can be connected with you as well.
   For your knowledge, ALL testing can be completed at Stanbridge. It is where your student is comfortable and feels supported!
– Alyssa Dew, Learning Specialist

POST-SECONDARY TRANSITION SUPPORT

• “Your life is a story of transition. You are always leaving one chapter behind while moving on to the next.” – Anonymous

   The flow of the school year is in constant motion – while students are continually moving to the next unit of study and the next semester, they are building on what they learned and stretching past their comfort zone to take on new challenges. Our seniors are about to start their last semester at Stanbridge and are both ready for and nervous about their next chapter.
   We spent time last semester creating a multi-pathed flowchart that took them from graduation to independence. We traveled to the College of San Mateo, as it was on many of their flowcharts. Our students enjoyed hearing from two alumni, as well as seeing one of the recording studios and their resource center. On February 11th, our Juniors and Seniors will visit San Francisco State and learn more about how they support students.
   In March, we’ll be hosting alumni panels so that both parents and students can hear from alumni. The dates and details will be announced shortly.
– Cindy Schlesinger, Dir. of College Counseling & Transitions

SOCIAL THINKING WITH TRICIA (K5)
  The focus before the holidays was gratitude. Executive Function skills were was built into the Secret Santa party and gift shopping, which included planning, organizing, and following through. Everyone enjoyed their gifts! A big thank you to the parents for shopping with your kids and helping to make this lesson a success.
   With the New Year, we are continuing to work on gratitude,  adding in empathy and compromise over the next several weeks. We will connect empathy with the Martin Luther King, Jr., recognition and Black History month. This can also be a continuing conversation at home. Students have many questions about Martin Luther King, justice, and injustice. Keep conversations simple and answer only the questions your child asks in order to encourage understanding at their maturity level. Expanding too deep into the topic before they are ready can cause feelings of anxiety and confusion. Keep it simple.
– Tricia Keener, Speech & Language Pathologist

Talking With Your Child About Their Diagnosis
Parents often ask our counselors how and when to talk with their children about their diagnosis. This excellent article from the Child Mind Institute gives guidelines for beginning and continuing this conversation. Even if you have discussed this with your child, the article may be helpful. You'll discover how the ongoing conversation may change as your child grows into adolescence and adulthood. There are additional links on the web page to insightful articles about how to talk with relatives and others about your child's diagnosis.

HS Social Learning
High School students are using Social Learning time to consider how we communicate with words, body language, and gestures. We've looked at slang and when it should be used, how to determine whether teasing is friendly, annoying, or malicious, and the pros and cons of gossiping. Students have had robust discussions about using group chats and how to keep them positive.
​– Mary Stadler, Director of Counseling

The Book Fair is finally here and what a successful day we had! On opening day, all classes walked through to view and make purchases. Today alone our families purchased nearly $2,000 in books and merchandise! (That's $500 in Scholastic credit for the Stanbridge Library!)

If you are coming in to look at the book fair or to buy your child's books, please plan to park in marked spaces and walk in. (Construction on Claremont is finally done, too!) Cars left without drivers in the drop-off/pick-up line, even "for just a few minutes," can cause lengthy traffic jams in the paring lot. Appropriate parking will help our arrival and dismissal times to run more smoothly. Thank you for your consideration.

The eWallet option is very helpful for students and families. It is important to let your child know if you have set up an eWallet for them as some students may erroneously think they have money available. CLICK HERE to get started with eWallet (especially important for shuttle riders)! Anyone can contribute to your child's eWallet, just share the link with family members far and wide for easy gift giving for the holidays – we still get the credit if purchased online by Nov 21. And there's a warehouse full of books online, too! Just create an account so we still get the 25% credit from your purchase before November 21.

Finally, we know how exciting the Annual Book Fair is (we are excited, too!). Middle Schoolers may have big feelings that they will be missing part of it due to the awesome Nature Bridge overnight to the Marin Headlands this Wednesday (Nov 13)-Friday (Nov 15). We’ve got great news – they will get additional class time in the Book Fair! MS students can shop the Book Fair during the entire 1st Period on Wednesday morning before they leave on their trip. They can buy a book or two to bring with them (we suggest writing their name in it). Or they can store purchases at school until they return, if they are worried about it getting lost.