Santa Barbara Middle School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Santa Barbara Middle School is an independent, coeducational day school for grades 6-9 located at Saint Anthony's Seminary in Santa Barbara, California. It has 165 students.
The school was founded in 1976 by a group of students, parents, and teachers concerned about a balanced, nurturing educational environment during the junior high years. With an enrollment of only 22 students at its founding, it initially operated from Sunday school classrooms rented from the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara for weekday use. The school's headmaster for many years was Kent Ferguson, an educator who emphasized students' spiritual development through the incorporation of Native American traditions and mythology. He left in 2000, and Steve Lane replaced him.
In addition to the regular academic curriculum, the school incorporates a nationally-recognized outdoor education program. At least three times each school year, students and teachers embark on cycling trips throughout the West Coast designed to build self-confidence and collaborative skills.[1] This program is accredited by the Association of Experiential Education.[2]
On September 22nd 2007 SBMS students and teachers began the five day Fall Trip at Morro Bay in California (the first trip of the year other than the one day Orentation trip). During the trip Students biked difficult trails, like Montano de Oro.
On March 24th 2008 the school will begin it's mid year trip. Students in grades 8 and 9 will be able to choose their trip, the 6th graders will be going on the Trek( a hard hike in the SB back country), and the 7th graders will be going on the Bikes and Bob's trip Near Ventura.
And in late May the entire school will be going to San Francisco.
