The 2021 school year is in full swing 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 spoke with Tara Broucqsault, Director of Communications at Laguna Blanca School to learn more about what their school offers.
Laguna Blanca School
Question: What is the name of your school and what grade levels do you offer?
Answer: Laguna Blanca is an Early Kindergarten through Grade 12 co-independent day school.
Q: How is your school operated or governed?
A: Laguna Blanca is a non-profit organization that is governed by a board of trustees and accredited by WASC and CAIS.
Q: Are you offering in-person or online instruction this academic year?
A: Laguna Blanca is once again offering in-person instruction this academic year and approved remote accommodations for families with health-related circumstances.
Q: What curriculum is available and taught at your school?
A: Click here to view more information about our curriculum.
Q: Can you describe your student-to-teacher ratio?
A: Students enjoy a 7:1 student to teacher ratio.
Q: How does your school select/hire teachers, and how does it invest in their continuing education?
A: Laguna Blanca conducts national searches for the very best teachers and administrators. The school values professional development and invests in its staff to continue their education at educational conferences and through multiple professional development days held on campus throughout the year.
Q: What sports or extracurricular activities does your school offer?
A: Athletics
Students discover the value of dedication and teamwork while competing on one of Laguna’s 24 teams in the Middle and Upper Schools. Athletes of all ability levels learn from devoted coaches and hone their skills amidst state-of-the-art facilities, including our tennis and sand volleyball courts. With a proud history of athletic achievement, the Owls consistently go on to play at the collegiate level.
Sports offered include: soccer, volleyball, sand volleyball, football, tennis, cross country, track, tennis, and golf. Each Laguna Upper School student plays at least one sport season per year as part of graduation requirements, but independent PE pursuits are common in Upper School. Laguna students are decorated competitors in off-campus sports including swimming, gymnastics, sailing, horseback riding, and more.
Arts
There is a creative spirit and vibrancy that infuses Laguna’s campuses, evidenced not only by our students’ artistic talents, but by our belief that the arts are a vital part of education.
Through a unique partnership with Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC), Laguna students are provided unrivaled insight into the world of theatre making. Working with ETC’s professional scenic, lighting, sound, and costume designers elevates the quality of Laguna’s productions for aspiring young actors, as well as audiences. We invite you to attend and enjoy one of our 14 annual performances in Spaulding Theatre.
The art gallery in the Emmons Arts Center is located on the Hope Ranch campus and is open during regular school hours. The space is dedicated to a rotating display of vibrant student and faculty art.
Student Clubs
Student-run clubs help facilitate an environment of community outreach and service. In fact, our focus on community—both local and global—is inherent in all that we do. Some of our student-led clubs have included Gardening, Internet of Things, Mindfulness & Meditation, The Sock Club, and Youth for Direct Relief, among many others!
Q: Describe how your school measures student progress.
A: Laguna evaluates for demonstrated mastery of skills and content; not all students learn to ride a bike the same way on the same day. Our goal is that everyone is “riding the bike” of the skills and content of their classes by the end of the year. Teachers provide multiple opportunities and avenues for students to master the skills and content of their classes using a variety of assessments. They also use multiple avenues for students to demonstrate how they’ve learned. In addition to tests and quizzes, students complete portfolios, presentations, collaborative projects, debates, research papers, labs, etc.
We also have students self and peer evaluate by reflecting upon their own learning and taking ownership of their learning process. Student-led conferences are held in Grades 7-12 to deepen this student ownership and to connect families with teachers in partnership, putting the student at the center of that team.
Q: How does your school address special education needs?
A: Laguna prides itself on instruction that benefits all kinds of learners. Our small class sizes, highly trained teachers, and various curricular pathways provide a multitude of opportunities for differentiation and individualized student support. Providing students with a variety of assessments allows them to demonstrate what they’ve learned and supports students with special needs–both high achievers and students who have documented learning differences.
Laguna Blanca has an academic services department created to support students with documented mild to moderate learning differences. Students are offered support in supervised study halls, guidance with organizational and study skills, and accommodations such as extended time and alternate setting for testing for students who qualify.
Q: What opportunities do you provide for parent involvement?
A: Parent volunteers are the heart of Laguna. All parents are members of the Parents’ Auxiliary and are encouraged to get involved in the life of the school. The goal of the organization is to create an enriched campus life for students, families, and faculty. Parents support all these areas with events, enrichment programs, and fundraising with opportunities to serve as a classroom parent, team parent, fundraising class captain, or major event chair. Lower School parents have opportunities to assist in the classroom.
Q: What is the cost of tuition to attend your school?
A: Grades EK-6 Tuition: $29,700 Grades 7-12 Tuition: $35,620.
Q: Do you offer scholarships, and if so, what are the criteria to apply?
A: Consistent with our mission, Laguna Blanca School is committed to providing quality educations to outstanding students who would otherwise be unable to attend the school due to financial reasons. This commitment helps to ensure that Laguna enrolls a diverse student body that reflects a broad economic, social, and cultural mix.
24% of Laguna students receive tuition assistance.
$1.9M was granted to 108 students in 2021.
$17,760 is the average award.
Click here for more information about Laguna Blanca School.