As the 2024-2025 school year kicks off, Noozhawk’s Private & Independent School Guide is here to make planning your child’s education easier. This all-inclusive guide provides essential details on school options throughout Santa Barbara County.
To assist parents in making well-informed decisions, Noozhawk has gathered exclusive interviews with representatives from local private and independent schools, ensuring the guide is filled with valuable insights and the latest information.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with the admissions team at Midland School to learn more about what their school has to offer.
Midland School
Question: What is the educational philosophy of your school?
Answer: Midland’s educational philosophy centers on experiential learning, self-reliance, and stewardship of the natural world. Our core belief is that students learn best through active participation and hands-on experiences, fostering independence and responsibility.
Q: Can you describe the unique aspects of your curriculum?
A: Midland’s mission is translated to our curriculum and programming through our Portrait of the Graduate. This Portrait reflects the core 7 skills (our “mission in action”) in which we expect all Midland graduates to be proficient by the time they graduate. We believe in rigor not just for the sake of test-prep but because we know that by providing authentic challenges, recurring feedback, and opportunities for growth around these core skills we are preparing students to succeed not just in college, but through the rest of their lives beyond Midland.
For example, students don’t just learn about what it means to “Be of Use”- they live it every day through our Jobs Program in which students take on designated responsibilities to keep our campus and community running smoothly – from cleaning classrooms, to harvesting food on our 10-acre farm, to cleaning dishes after meals and bringing leftover food to feed our pigs and chickens. At Midland, our nearly 3,000 acre property is our classroom, where students learn to ride horses, tend crops, and investigate local botany, geology and history.
As Outdoor Stewards, Midland students are able to lead their peers out on the property overnight without adult supervision, because they have completed an intensive training and evaluation program to demonstrate their competency and earned the trust of faculty. Students are truly seen, known, and needed in our sub-100 tight-knit community, and every Midlander learns – it matters what we do.
Q: What is the average class size, and how does it impact the learning experience?
A: Our small class sizes (anywhere from 4 to 15, with an average of 10 students) enable teachers to really know each student. Teaching from a competency-based model helps us provide regular feedback to students about where they are at, and what they need to do to keep developing the core skills of their classes. As students progress through grade levels, they have more freedom and choice in their course selection – choosing between honors or regular level courses, and beginning to specialize in their passions whether it be the arts, or working with farm or ranch, social sciences or high level mathematics.
Q: What are the qualifications and experience levels of your teaching staff?
A: At Midland, we believe that the key to education is a student, a teacher, and an idea. We thoughtfully select teachers to join our team, looking for bright, passionate, well-educated individuals who are ready to become an integral part of our community. More than half of our faculty hold advanced degrees, and each of them brings a wealth of life experiences that empower them to teach with excitement and knowledge. Additionally, because of the nature of our hands-on learning program, faculty and staff are able to directly share expertise such as farming, natural horsemanship, surfcraft building, beekeeping, and more. We are always looking for faculty who will reflect the full breadth of our student body’s diverse identities and who will be powerful role models for all of our students as we all live and learn together.
Q: What is your admissions process, and what qualities do you look for in prospective students?
A: Midland’s application is submitted through the Standard Application Online (SAO) and is due by February 15. We ask for letters of recommendation, transcripts, student and parent essays, and an interview. We also hope to have prospective students visit Midland in person for a tour and shadow day. Every Midlander is quite different, but we are looking for students who are ready to jump in, challenge themselves, take on authentic leadership roles and responsibilities that add to our overall community.
Q: Can you explain the tuition and fees structure? Are there any scholarships or financial aid options available?
A: Midland’s tuition and fee structure reflects the comprehensive and immersive nature of the boarding school experience. Tuition covers all housing and meals, textbooks, sports/activities, experiential excursions, and school-specific services like individualized college counseling. Midland offers need-based financial assistance to almost 50% of our student body, ensuring that a Midland education is accessible to all.
Q: How does your school support students with special learning needs or exceptional talents?
A: Midland is a supportive but not remedial learning environment. Faculty are available to students in weekly office hours, but our educational setting requires student agency to avail themselves of the resources at hand. We review any learning accommodations that students are sent with, and are able to meet students’ need for time and a half on tests, the use of computers for writing, etc. We also have regular office hours and availability of all teachers to their students to provide extra support, as well as a robust peer tutoring program. Finally, we offer ample access to retakes and revisions, recognizing that not everyone “gets it right” the first time, and our goal is to ensure that students reach proficiency in the core content and skills of all our curricula.
With small class sizes and teachers who really know their students, our scale also allows for students to access additional challenges when needed. Whether it’s a subject-specific challenge that students meet through differentiated course materials, the option of taking the Honors (vs. regular) section of a class, or an independent study at a higher level – there’s ample opportunity for students to challenge their ability across disciplines.
We cultivate students’ growth mindset through balanced feedback across all our curriculum and programming, and encourage students to take advantage of the many opportunities to push themselves by trying something novel – whether it be working with the Midland herd, trying their hand at Woodworking or 3D Design, or digging into the soil on the Midland Farm to plant, cultivate, and harvest the food that we eat. Through it all, Midland is able to meet students where they are at, and push them beyond what they may have thought they were capable of.
Q: What extracurricular activities, sports, and clubs are available to students?
A: Midland offers both competitive and non-competitive sports/activities. We compete in the Condor League for basketball, volleyball, soccer, and cross country and offer mission-aligned activities each season such as Natural Horsemanship, Outdoor Leadership, Farm & Garden, Surfing, and Circus.
Q: How does your school incorporate technology into the learning environment?
A: At Midland, we incorporate technology in a thoughtful, balanced way, focusing on enhancing learning without overwhelming students with digital distractions. Technology is integrated in support of academic goals, while emphasizing responsible use, teaching students how to leverage digital tools effectively without overreliance. Our culture promotes mindfulness about technology’s role in life and learning, encouraging students to develop a healthy balance between digital and real-world experiences.
Q: What steps does your school take to foster a sense of community among students and families?
A: As a small, close-knit boarding school, Midland fosters a strong sense of belonging and mutual respect among students, faculty, and staff. The culture is one of hands-on learning, where students engage directly with their environment and our unique setting and philosophy cultivate a spirit of adventure and resilience. Students are encouraged to explore, both physically through the school’s extensive outdoor programs, and intellectually through a rigorous academic curriculum. The result is a community that values character, integrity, and a deep connection to the natural world.
Q: How does your school ensure the safety and well-being of students on campus?
A: Midland actively works to support students in their physical and social/emotional safety and well-being. In terms of physical safety, Midland has an Emergency Preparation Plan that is reviewed annually to be prepared to take action in the event of any emergency including environmental factors, such as a fire or flood.
In terms of mental well-being and health, Midland has a 1:4 staff to student ratio as well as a full-time nurse and a part time counselor to support students when they are struggling or feeling unwell. Students are all assigned to a small group advisory that meets weekly for lunch together. At Midland, all students are known and cared for; if a student’s safety or well-being is at risk, we are prepared to support them.
Q: Is there anything you would like to share that was not mentioned above?
A: Families considering Midland School should know that we offer a distinctive educational experience centered around simplicity, self-reliance, and community engagement. Some of our essential aspects are: hands-on learning, a close-knit community, leadership & responsibility, and rigorous academics. Overall, Midland School offers an education that goes beyond academics, shaping well-rounded individuals who are connected to their community and the natural world, preparing them for college and beyond.
To learn more about Midland School click here.