Stevenson School

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Stevenson School
Established 1952
Type Independent school
President Joe Wandke
Students 550
Grades K–12
Location Pebble Beach, California, USA
Mascot Pirate
Newspaper Tusitala
Website www.stevensonschool.org

Stevenson School (formerly known as "Robert Louis Stevenson School" and hence "RLS" for short) is a private, coeducational K-12 school for boarding and day students. Its upper and lower school campuses are located in the exclusive gated community of Pebble Beach and neighboring Carmel, California, respectively. In addition to a traditional elementary and college preparatory curriculum, Stevenson School offers extracurricular activities including both athletics and the arts.

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[edit] History

In 1952 Robert and Marian Ricklefs saw the realization of a long-held dream: the establishment of a boarding school on the Monterey Peninsula. They named the institution in honor of Robert Louis Stevenson, the well-known Scottish author who reportedly found inspiration for his tales of high adventure during his 1870s sojourn in the Monterey area. (Many of the school buildings, the school newspaper, sports teams, and other features of the school are named for places or themes from Robert Louis Stevenson's life or writings.)

In the early years, RLS was a boys' school offering education in grades 7-12, though grades 7-8 were discontinued when the high school expanded.

The Upper School has also had Episcopalian chaplain from the early days, though the school has always been open to students of all faiths. The school considers itself to be non-sectarian and explicit religious instruction is not included in the curriculum. In 1987, the Church in the Forest was established in Erdman Memorial Chapel on the edge of campus, initially with both Episcopalian and Methodist chaplains.[1] The chapel is used by some local residents and is where boarding students attend vespers and many alumni have been married.

Robert Ricklefs served as headmaster until he retired in 1970; he was succeeded by Gordon Davis, during whose term (1970-1982) the school opened its doors to girls as day students (1976).[2]

Joe Wandke arrived in 1983 and during his administration the school has undergone a thorough renovation of the physical plant. In 1988 girls were first admitted as boarding students with the opening of the Silverado dormitory.

Also in 1988, RLS was approached by the board of Briarcliff Academy, a private elementary school in neighboring Carmel, California, regarding a merger of the two schools. Stevenson then became a two-campus school comprising grades kindergarten through 12. The Lower and Middle School campus is located in Carmel, while the Upper School (grades 9-12) occupies the original RLS campus in Pebble Beach.

In 2003 the Stevenson campus was enhanced with the seven million dollar Rosen Family Student Center. In the middle of campus, the opulent building features a top-notch college center, photography lab, tech center, activities center, wilderness center, multiple classroom with most recent technology, and the new location of KSPB 91.9. The building is decorated with plush oriental rugs and also features an amphitheater stage, which hosts school assemblies and concerts.

[edit] Academics

Stevenson offers a wide range of courses geared to prepare students for further study at colleges and universities around the world. Students take courses in English, fine arts, foreign languages (currently Latin, French, Spanish, and Japanese), history, mathematics, science, technology and outdoor education. The school also has a long history of hosting AFS exchange students. Several students each year participate in study abroad programs.

Stevenson students have a long history of attending prestigious universities all over the United States. Popular choices include USC, UCLA, and LMU. Nearly everyone who attends Stevenson continues their education elsewhere.

[edit] Extracurricular Activities

Athletics

Stevenson promotes sports as healthy complement to academic pursuits and sports offerings are very broad. Stevenson fields varsity teams in tennis, golf, baseball, basketball, American football, lacrosse, swimming, and sailing among others. Historically, Stevenson has fielded strong teams in tennis, golf, and lacrosse.

Stevenson also hosts an annual host of the Nike Lacrosse Camp each year in July.

Clubs and Activities

The school is home to KSPB, 91.9 FM, one of the largest and best funded high-school radio stations in the country. Other clubs include international debate societies such as Model UN, music and athletic fan clubs, Amnesty International, and community service groups such as the Red Cross Club.

Stevenson School also has a terrific resident prefect program in the resident community, a senior-forum organization designed for seniors to help freshmen with the transition to high school, Green Key the tour guide program with all-around Stevenson students representing their school during tours and the annual Open House, and the Student Council which meets in the Rosen Family Student Center. Student Council is responsible for organizing student activities, community service projects, dances, and working together to help progress the school community.

The Stevenson Players have performed plays and musicals, such as "The Crucible", "Into the Woods", and "Noises Off". Many of the players have gone on to prestigious schools for the performing arts including University of Southern California, University of the Pacific, the University of Texas, and Miami University.

[edit] References

  1. ^ History of Church in the Forest
  2. ^ Stevenson School: Error

[edit] Notable Graduates of Stevenson School

[edit] Notable Teachers (past and present)

  • Armando Galindo (science), chemist, pharmacist
  • Henry Littlefield (history), author
  • Paul Matray (science), ornithologist
  • Robert Klevan (music), musician, musical director
  • Samuel Salerno (English), poet

[edit] External links