 BRIDGES: Supporting Post-Secondary Life In our final unit in Bridges, students are exploring the wide range of assistive technology that can help both now and after graduation. Although most seniors were aware of many of the apps available on their phones, there was a lot to learn. We began with a discussion of the ethical use of these technologies, including AI like Chat GPT and Gemini. While it’s clear that using technology to cheat or take credit for ideas/work that isn’t one’s own is wrong, there are many gray areas. The class was split on using Chat GPT to create original poetry or works of art - some felt it was okay as long as credit was given to the technology but others felt that using AI for creative endeavors takes away from those who are creating the art/poetry without assistance. I highly recommend playing with Goblin.Tools - it’s a web-based AI that does specific things like breaking down a project into tasks, rewriting text/email to be more formal, explaining the tone of text, and suggesting a recipe when given random ingredients. While AI can feel intrusive and creepy, it can be incredibly helpful and will be increasingly used in the future. – Cindy Schlesinger, Director of College Counseling & Transitions POST SECONDARY RESOURCES
 Hello Stanbridge, On Thursday this week, Student Government served Chipotle to students and staff during lunch. Students were also treated to sparkling water and chips to go with their meal. We were happy to see everyone enjoying the meal. Next Friday, May 9th, will be our final Pizza Sale of the school year. Please fill out the Pizza Form in this week's Bulldog Bulletin by Wednesday, May 7th, if you would like your child to get Costco pizza, salad, or hot dogs for lunch next Friday. We have had a great Spirit Week this week! Everyone has been dressing up and we thank everyone for showing their spirit. We ended the week with Field Day today. We have High School Prom coming up on Friday May 16th so please fill out the Prom Form in the Bulletin by Friday, May 9th, if your child is going to Prom. Coming up on Monday, May 19th, is a big event at Stanbridge – 2025-2026 Student Government Elections. Candidates have until Tuesday, May 6th, to decide if they will run. Have a great weekend, Bulldogs! – Daniel C., Student Government Secretary   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 The weather was perfect for Field Day today (a few pictures below). Neighborhood Groups worked together in a dozen fun Athletic activities including:
 Congratulations Stanbridge Bulldogs!
Our Middle and High School students were able to walk to the park to attend our home Flag Football game against Winston Prep Academy yesterday. It was so impressive to see our students both on the team and on the sidelines supporting each other. Thank you to our fabulous coaches, Coach Daniel Q., Coach Gage, and Coach Tevita, for providing a wonderful experience and an encouraging environment for our student athletes. Spirit Week & Field Day This coming week is Spirit Week with Field Day culminating the events on Friday. Parents are more than welcome to join us for Field Day! Students should arrive at school at regular time and they will be transported to the site in our school vans. A taco bar lunch will be provided and we want to make sure we have enough for our parents as well. Please RSVP if your student is in a car seat and/or you plan to join us on Friday. Volunteer Appreciation Volunteer Appreciation is coming up on Wednesday, May 7th. All year long our parent community does so much to support our school and our faculty and staff. This is the time we set aside to gather and appreciate all of YOU, whether you are part of our Parent Association leadership, our Board, volunteered for the book fair, chaperoned for dances, was a mystery reader, provided for bake sales, and more. Currently our RSVPs are very low. Please take a moment to reply to let us know if you can join us on May 7th after school drop off in the morning. Faculty and staff will provide sweet and savory items; we will have a coffee cart here, as well, to provide your drink of choice. We want to celebrate you and all you do for our school community! Enjoy the weekend ahead, Julie Smith Head of School  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!
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.
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.
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.
 Hello Stanbridge, There are lots of exciting things happening in Student Government. First off, we want to thank all the parents who donated clothes for the Samaritan House clothing drive! [We have over a dozen bags and boxes to donate!] Student Government will be dropping off the clothes very soon. Furthermore, next Thursday, May 1st, Student Government will be offering Chipotle lunch for students and staff who filled out the Google Form. If you know your child will want Chipotle please fill out the form by Sunday night, April 27th. Note there will be no weekly sale next week as Chipotle lunch will be offered on Thursday. So, please complete the form to make sure your child gets Chipotle. Student Government Elections for the upcoming school year will be on Monday, May 19th. Any student who wants to run for office should fill out the Intent to Run Google Form that Advisor Kenny will send out this Monday. In the form, Kenny will include who qualifies to run for each office. Good luck to all the candidates who run! Finally, next week is Spirit Week, and here are the days of what is happening:
–Monie A., Student Government President   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  ELEMENTARY Elementary Students have been exploring LEGO engineering. We’ve explored pattern and symmetry using LEGO bricks, along with building mini cities and finally, going big with a skyscraper build. Exploring with LEGO has been great for us to use math as part of our engineering studies and students have had great conversations as they talk about their buildings and the techniques they use. – Tasha Hudick, K-8 Science Teacher MIDDLE SCHOOL Middle School students are finishing up with their unit on Simple Machines. Our last few projects have been a blend of Science, Engineering, and Art, incorporating our concepts of balance, mechanical advantage and gearing into moving sculptures. We are tinkering with Automata, mechanical sculptures that are built out of cardboard that feature cams and a crankshaft to mechanically move a scene on the top of the small structure. Students are putting their scientific knowledge to work and problem solving as they try to capture the right movement to animate their art. Look for the finished products when we return from Spring Break! – Tasha Hudick, K-8 Science Teacher HIGH SCHOOL As Q4 begins, High School Science is shifting into 4th gear! Biology just finish Genetics and Punnett Squares and is now giving their un-divide-d attention to Mitosis & Meiosis. After that, we'll take a whirlwind tour of the Human Body. Chemistry finally finished Stoichiometry (or the Math behind Chemistry) and are transitioning to a different kind of solution: Solutions! Physics is gearing up for their Conservation of Energy test before sipping from the trough of Waves. And finally, Systems of the Human Body finished digesting everything about the Digestive System and are getting nervous about the Nervous System. That's a lot to cover. But that's okay because here at the Stanbridge Science Department, Science is our middle name! – Jay Huston, High School Science Teacher MS Kinetic Art Sculptures   ELEMENTARY SOCIAL STUDIES
Our Elementary division is diving into some exciting social studies topics! Lower El students are busy figuring out how cities work! They're learning what makes a community special and even designing their own city. In Middle El, our rainforest explorers are getting crafty as they build amazing animal models and learn all about the incredible creatures that live in the rainforest. It's like bringing the jungle right into the classroom! Finally, our Upper El students are learning about the brave colonists who fought for freedom and are starting to explore the exciting stories of the first battles of the American Revolution. -- Hat Dilly, Upper Elementary 2 Lead MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES Middle School Social Studies classes have been diving deep into the Revolutionary War, learning about how our country went from a group of loosely connected British colonies to the early stages of the nation we know today. We discussed how the Seven Years War between England and France left Great Britain with a massive debt that needed to be paid, leading to a series of restrictive laws and taxes, eventually pushing many American colonists to call for independence. Students worked on a timeline project that included these 'interventions' such as the Stamp Act and The Townshend Acts, as well as some infamous events like the Boston Tea Party. Students recorded and illustrated their way through the build up of pressure that culminated with the Revolutionary War. Most recently, all four classes have begun to prepare for their first big project of the year, a large poster about freedom and what that means to them. This will give students the opportunity to explore their individual relationship with the idea of freedom and how it manifests in their own lives. We are currently brainstorming and drafting ideas to create a poster next week, which will then be shared with the class, giving everyone a chance to work on their public speaking and communication skills. Looking ahead, we will move on to the creation of a new nation and then continue on into the Civil War era -- discussing how a nation can become so deeply divided and polarized over issues like human rights, the economy, and State vs. Federal powers. -- Drew Vinson, Middle School Humanities/Social Studies Teacher HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY & GOVERNMENT/ECONOMICS Students in 1st Period US History have been learning about the depth of struggle that millions of Americans faced during the Great Depression of the 1930s. They learned about the different leadership styles of Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt, and how each man attempted to tackle the depression. Students also delved into the various causes of the depression and how it became a worldwide phenomena. 4th Period US History students have been learning about the economic, political, and social changes that impacted America during the 1920s, the period known as the Roaring Twenties. Students learned about how rising wages enabled Americans to purchase automobiles, radios, and phonographs. Home appliances made household chores easier. Students also learned how greater disposable income allowed more Americans to be able to enjoy new forms of entertainment, like going to the movies, and with more Americans having automobiles, people could travel around the United States much more easily. Students in 5th Period Government/Econ have begun to learn about the fundamental building blocks of economics. The concept of scarcity was discussed making individuals, businesses, and governments have to make decisions about what they want to do while being constrained by limited resources. [A concept re-introduced to them and applied towards humanity rather than animals in their earlier Biology classes.] Students were quick to grasp the difference between wants and needs and also the difference between goods and services. 6th Period Government/Econ students have learned about the role that trade-offs play in the economic decisions people make. Students learned about how opportunity costs influence the decisions people make when they decide what benefit they will forego by choosing a different option. Finally, students learned how individuals have to weigh the opportunity costs and benefits of making economic decisions, known as cost/benefit analysis. -- Kenny Katz, High School History Teacher High School alternates Spring Experiential week every other year with travel to Washington, D.C. for our Juniors and Seniors, local overnights for Ninth and Tenth graders, and SF Peninsula Day Trips for all HS students. This year we stayed local with two days off campus at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Hillsdale Mall, complete with an escape room experience and bowling, followed by two days on campus preparing and serving a delicious luncheon to include empanadas from scratch for all of High School. How Stanbridge does a Performing Arts Field Trip to SFMOMA
Stanbridge teachers want their students to get the best understanding they can out of Experientials. So, our High Schoolers not only visited the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, they participated in a scavenger hunt to help them think about art! Two ways to think of art are in terms of form and content.
A few of the questions on the hunt were as follows: 1. An artwork you want to walk all the way around. Why did you want to walk all the way around it? 3. A painting with a solid or empty background. Why do you think the painter left detail out of the background? Does this change the way you view the figures in the foreground? 10. An artwork showing danger. What is the source of the danger? Credit to our Performing Arts teacher Tobias Banks and his father, an English teacher, for the scavenger hunt! It was so much fun! Across Elementary and Middle School, students are engaging in projects about Neurodiversity! March 17-21 was Neurodiversity Celebration Week and April is Neurodiversity Month, as well as Autism Acceptance and Awareness Month. Students across all divisions have engaged in thoughtful and reflective discussions about neurodiversity, what it means, and why it’s important. Elementary students are in the midst of completing two projects to Celebrate Neurodiversity. The first is celebrating the uniqueness of every brain through drawing and coloring. The second is all about special interests. Students learn about passion and special interests as a part of neurodiversity. Elementary students are working on self-expression and self-awareness through presentations about their Special Interests. Middle School students also did a brief overview of neurodiversity, and many students expressed significant knowledge in this area. Students enjoy sharing their knowledge and experiences during these conversations. Middle schoolers are working on posters that develop social awareness regarding well known individuals who have autism, ADHD, and/or other learning differences. They are excited about selecting their own individuals and navigating how to communicate this through writing and artwork. – Emma Mamis, Clinical Counselor, Board Certified Dance/ Movement Therapist  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.  SPRING GALA 2025
The Stanbridge Gala is only three weeks away! We are busy planning the biggest fundraiser of the year and hope you join us for sunset in The Farallon Room at Skyline College. This year we will honor Director of Counseling Mary Stadler for her 20 years of service at Stanbridge. The festivities feature yummy appetizers, delicious dinner, and thirst quenching drinks; dancing to live music from The Justin Geraci Duo; raising the paddle for this year's fund-a-need: permanent shade structures in the inner courtyard; chances to win donation drawing prizes, including stays at timeshares; and more. Join us for an unforgettable night of fun! Click the link below to purchase tickets. Book the babysitter now and we hope to see you all for this adults-only event on Saturday night, March 29th! Stay Strong, Bulldogs! Danny Martin Principal & Spring Gala Emcee  Hello Stanbridge,
My name is Monie, and I am the President of the Student Government. I will be sharing some information about some of the things we are discussing in our meetings. One of the things we are planning is a used clothing drive starting next week. We are asking parents if they can find clothes that don't fit their child anymore to donate to the Samaritan House. We will have a bin located right inside the front door of school, where clothing can be dropped off. The clothing drive will be taking place starting March 11th through April 11th. When we are done collecting all the clothes, the Student Government will take it to the Samaritan House after Spring Break. We ask that all students check the Stanbridge Lost and Found for any missing jackets or water bottles that they may be missing. We will also be donating the Lost and Found items to the Samaritan House after Spring Break. Our next sale coming up is the Costco Pizza Sale which will be on Friday, March 14th. Because of the high demand for hot dogs, we will keep on selling them. Parents please note on the Pizza Form how many pieces of pizza your child is buying. We will also be selling chicken Caesar salads as well. Finally, Student Government has narrowed down and figured out the themes for Spirit Week at the end of April. The days are listed below:
– Monie A., Student Government President  In the Elementary division, we have been learning about program music. Program music is instrumental music that tells a story without words. We listened to Smetana's "The Moldau," a piece for orchestra that follows the course of the river Moldau, depicting the scenery along the way. Together we heard a farmer's wedding party, a group of mermaids dancing under the moonlight, and some powerful river rapids! The Middle Schoolers are hard at work preparing their songs for the Spring Sing, coming up on March 21st! It's been very exciting seeing students who performed for the first time at the Winter concert continue to take on new musical challenges and step into the spotlight in new ways. High School has been working on their Garageband projects and preparing for the Spring Sing, as well. We've been exploring different styles of classical music, focusing this week on Minimalism. We learned how composer Steve Reich creates complex music based on simple ideas as we listened to and discussed his "Clapping Music" and "Piano Phase." – Tobias Banks, K-12 Performing Arts  |
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