Thanks to your tremendous generosity and the participation of over 150 current and alumni families, faculty, trustees, alumni graduates, and friends of the Stanbridge community, we raised more than $150,000 at last Saturday's Gala. Your support has made our Fund-A-Need vision of permanent shade structures for the courtyard a reality, with installation set for this summer! Spring Gala photos are now available at Gala2025. On behalf of our students—the ultimate beneficiaries of your support—thank you for being part of the Stanbridge community!

It's Spring Cleaning time and Overnight Experientials are approaching for 4th-8th grades! Packing lists can be pretty detailed and some items are often overlooked for inclusion preventing continued warmth and comfort. If you have any of the following items that are gently used, pre-loved, pre-worn, or grown out of, we appreciate any or all donations. Please do not purchase these items for the Stanbridge Experiential Closet. Reduce, re-use, recycle so that others may benefit from your still-usable items. Our goal is to create an experiential tool kit/supply closet to ensure the safety and success of all students and teachers on the trips! 

Item requests:

• Rain jacket
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping mat
• Small/ medium hiking backpack
• Sturdy hiking shoe or sneaker

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Student Government would also like to remind you that their used clothing drive for Samaritan House children and teens continues this week through Friday, April 11th.

So clear out your closets and bring in all your pre-loved clothing and overnight/weather gear to give it another life! Plus, there are proven health benefits of decluttering spaces, too. Thank you in advance for your time and effort. It is much appreciated by so many in our greater community! 

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

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.  

• FORM: What qualities make up the physical nature of the work? For example, how does it use shape, line, color or volume? Does it represent a three-dimensional world, or does it look two-dimensional? Is it big or small?
• CONTENT: What does the artwork depict? Does it have people in it? Does it have buildings or trees? Are two armies fighting, or are two lovers cavorting? What do you see happening in the artwork?

Here’s what to do: walk around and look for paintings or sculptures that you think fit the numbered items on the following pages. There are many more than one possible answer for each numbered item. Write the name of the artwork you find next to each number. Then answer the lettered questions that follow. Each student must write his or her own answer, but students may work in groups to arrive at an answer. It is probably easier not to go in order; just fill in blanks as you find them. 

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!

ELEMENTARY
We look forward to enriching our language arts activities during the last quarter of the school year!
​Lower Elementary is having fun during language arts time working in their Explode the Code books and the Lexia iPad program to build foundational reading skills. They are also enjoying interactive read-aloud sessions. We read some fun books this week including The Little House and Snappy Town. 
Middle Elementary is focusing on mastering capitalization and punctuation in sentences, which is helping students strengthen their writing mechanics. Something new we learned was, idioms - phrases that don't mean what they literally say, they have a special meaning. One example they all seemed to know was, It's raining cats and dogs -i.e. There's heavy rainfall!  After brainstorming about other idioms, the students were able to match an idiom to the non-literal meaning, and even eventually create their very own!
Upper Elementary is selecting novels for in-class reading, and working on comprehension strategies, as well as practicing their paragraph writing.
– Adria Olson, Lower El Lead Teacher

HIGH SCHOOL
In High School English, we are in the process of finishing up our units on allegory in The Wizard of Oz and personification and imagery in the Wild Robot. Students are preparing to write expository and argumentative essays as a capstone project for the unit. Our seniors will also begin the exciting process of writing their graduation speeches – looking back on their time at Stanbridge and forward to the exciting new chapter ahead!
– Kantodeia Schnabel, High School English Teacher

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

Spring Sing
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for another fantastic celebration of music in our Spring Sing. We are grateful to Tobias Banks, our talented music teacher, who is able to encourage and support our budding musicians. It is even more remarkable how cohesive the musicians played together, noting that our elementary and middle school only have music one day per week. You can see remarkable growth in our high school music students who take music class as a full semester or year long elective. To all our participants, congratulations!
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Support Stanbridge's Fund-A-Need and enter to win incredible donation prizes.
Are you still finalizing your plans for Stanbridge’s Spring Break April 14-18? Why not make a difference while entering for a chance to win an unforgettable getaway? Donate to our Spring Gala Fund-A-Need and you could win a five-night stay in South Lake Tahoe at the luxurious Marriott Timber Lodge! This spacious two-bedroom, two-bath villa offers the perfect home base for exploring the beauty of Lake Tahoe. Hike the scenic Mount Tallac Trail, visit Emerald Bay, or unwind at Carson Hot Springs. After a day of adventure, indulge in Mongolian-style cuisine at FiRE + iCE Grill and Bar, then relax in the resort’s modern fitness center, outdoor pool, whirlpool, and sauna. This incredible getaway is available from Sunday, April 13th, through Friday, April 18th.
   Looking for something closer to home? Treat your child and their friends to an action-packed afternoon at LaserMaxx in San Carlos! Use our gift certificate to create a Deluxe Party Package, which includes:

• Two games of LaserMaxx
• 2-for-1 pass for all guests (emailed automatically after the event)
• 20-credit arcade game card for the Guest of Honor
  (Please note: This package includes games only and does not include a party room.)

   Or perhaps you’d love to rekindle a childhood favorite—rock collecting! This extraordinary collection was curated by a mining engineer and cherished Stanbridge community grandfather. It features 40+ rare and one-of-a-kind gems, all beautifully displayed in a premium case. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting out, this set is a true treasure!
Other exciting prizes include:

• A pair of Golden Valkyries tickets for June 25th
• Four glass-side seats to a Sharks 2025-26 regular season home game
• One week of 2025 Summer School or a 2025-26 afterschool club

   Don’t miss out! Online donations and prize entries will be available until March 27th. After that, the only way to enter for these and our other exclusive prizes will be in person at the Gala on March 29th!
   Our Fund-A-Need this year will be raising funds for permanent shade structures in the high school and the elementary/middle school lunch courtyard. Those of you who attended the Spring Sing today, saw that we could REALLY use them! All funds raised at the gala this year will support this campus project.

Stay Strong, Bulldogs!
Julie Smith
Head of School

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