The 2021 school year has just begun and Noozhawk’s Private & Independent School Guide is sure to make things easy when planning for your child’s education! Our school guide provides you and your child with all the necessary information about private schools in Santa Barbara County.
To give parents the tools to help make informed decisions about which school is the best fit for their kids in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk has conducted a series of interviews with representatives of local private & independent schools for this year’s school guide.
In this interview, Noozhawk talked with Kalyan Balaven, Head of School at Dunn School to learn more about what they offer at their school.
Dunn School
Question: What is the name of your school and what grade levels do you offer?
Answer: Dunn School is a co-ed day and boarding school serving day students from sixth through 12th grade. Students may board from grades 9-12.
Q: How is your school operated or governed?
A: Dunn School is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is governed by a volunteer board of trustees. The day-to-day operations of the school are administered by the Head of School, who reports to the board.
Q: Are you offering in-person or online instruction this academic year?
A: Our 2021-2022 school year is being conducted in person. With a 55-acre campus, and the beautiful weather in the Santa Ynez Valley, we have been able to keep our students healthy and safe throughout the pandemic while providing in-person instruction. We believe the in-person experience is crucial to delivering on the school’s mission of Whole Student Education.
Q: What curriculum is available and taught at your school?
A: Our academic program balances intellectual rigor and skill mastery with a highly supportive and accessible faculty. Our teachers promote creativity, intellectual courage, curiosity and ethics in the learning process. This allows us to engage a broad range of learning across disciplines in an authentic and purpose-driven approach to academics.
Q: Can you describe your student-to-teacher ratio?
A: At Dunn School, you can expect a very individualized education. We have an average classroom size of 12 students and a student-to-teacher ratio of 5:1. In our environment, students build strong relationships with their teachers.
Q: How does your school select/hire teachers, and how does it invest in their continuing education?
A: Teachers are hired using a rigorous process that usually involves a national search to find the best fit for the position available and for the school community. Finalists for every position have a full-day campus visit that includes a sample lesson. We also dedicate a robust amount of time and resources to professional development. We host a series of on-campus development opportunities and encourage and allow faculty to seek out professional development curriculum, whether of their choosing or through a partner organization such as the California Teacher Development Collaborative.
Q: What sports or extracurricular activities does your school offer?
A: We offer 13 different interscholastic varsity athletics programs in addition to other unique activities like surfing, mountain biking, yoga, drama, robotics and strength and conditioning. On the weekends, students can sign up for school-sponsored trips that may include outings like eating at your favorite restaurant, going to the beach or shopping on State Street. Aside from the leaning that happens within the confines of the classroom, Dunn School believes strongly in the power of experiential education. At any given time, students may be on an outdoor education trip canoeing down the Colorado River or summiting Mount Whitney in the Sierras. These opportunities are designed for student growth and provide unique leadership-building. Additionally, our weeklong Mini-Term dials experiential education up a notch by offering global travel to places like Guatemala, the Swiss Alps, Spain or even an elephant sanctuary in Thailand.
Q: Describe how your school measures student progress.
A: Dunn was established with the mission of educating the whole student in preparation for a life of leadership. Whole Student Education remains paramount to how we deliver curriculum and is done through the lens of our five Core Values: Emotional Wellness, Physical Readiness, Intellectual Growth, Social Responsibility and Moral Courage. These values provide an important tool to help measure the progress of our students during their time at Dunn and beyond.
Q: How does your school address special education needs?
A: Dunn has been supporting students with learning differences for almost 50 years. Being in an environment that understands and supports cognitive and neuro diversity is empowering for our students. Our school employs seven full-time learning specialists who work with students in our Learning Strategies Program, either in a one-on-one setting or in groups smaller than 5. These students are attending the same college preparatory classes, but they receive the support they need to overcome their learning difference. It’s important to note that there is no stigma associated with working with a learning specialist here. Lastly, there is no greater joy than seeing the self-esteem and sense of achievement re-enter a student’s life when that student is supported by an environment that has teachers who understand that not all children learn the same way.
Q: What opportunities do you provide for parent involvement?
A: We highly value our parents and their involvement in the school. Many Dunn parents volunteer their time, talents and/or treasure with the school through the Dunn Association. The Dunn Association is a parent-led program that provides opportunities for families to give back to the community by attending such events as speaker series, book clubs, booster clubs, etc.
Q: What is the cost of tuition to attend your school?
A: The 2021-22 tuition for Dunn Middle School is $28,500, the Upper School day tuition is $33,900 and our Upper School boarding tuition is $69,500.
Q: Do you offer scholarships, and if so, what are the criteria to apply?
A: We offer need-based financial aid for families who cannot afford full tuition. This year, 55% of our students received $3.8 million in financial aid. Our goal is to make a Dunn School education accessible to every family who qualifies.
Click here for more information about Dunn School.