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

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

   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

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

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