Pacific Ridge School

Coordinates: 33°07′22.20″N 117°14′58.47″W / 33.1228333°N 117.2495750°W / 33.1228333; -117.2495750

Pacific Ridge School (referred to as Pacific Ridge, PRS, or sometimes Pac Ridge) is an independent co-educational University preparatory school for day students in grades 7–12. The school is located in the Bressi Ranch community of Carlsbad, a coastal resort town located in North San Diego County. The school opened in September 2007 with 108 students, 63 seventh graders and 45 ninth graders, as its founding classes of 2011 and 2013.^[1] Pacific Ridge School was built on approximately 7.3 acres (30,000 m²) of land that it acquired from the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego.^[2]

The educational philosophy of Pacific Ridge School is distinguished by its emphasis on academic excellence, ethical responsibility and global engagement.^[3] Integrating content and these values across educational disciplines and throughout the school’s program is central to the mission of the school.^[3]

Nearby private, college preparatory schools of similar caliber include La Jolla Country Day School, The Bishops School, and Francis Parker School.

About the School

• Type of School: Private coeducational college preparatory day school
• Founded: 2007
• Facilities: 12.5-acre (51,000 m²) campus with academic buildings, library, athletic center and artificial turf field
• Grades: 7-12
• Total enrollment: 486 for the 2012-2013 academic school year. Planned total enrollment of 510 with 75 students in each middle school grade and 90 students in each upper school grade.
• Tuition: $24,600 for the 2012-2013 academic school year.
• Percentage of class receiving financial aid: not disclosed.
• Faculty: 58 full-time
• Faculty Degrees: 100% Bachelors, 84% Masters, J.D. or Ph.D.
• Average Class Size: 15^[4]

Institution

The Pacific Ridge School campus is designed to facilitate the school's mission and integrated curriculum, bringing the world into the classroom and the classroom into the world. The open campus encourages interaction among people, a fluid exchange of ideas, and a strong, supportive community.

The permanent, 32,500 square foot Upper School building was designed with simplicity, functionality and environmental sustainability in mind. Features of the building include:

• 19 classrooms designed to support seminar learning
• Four technologically advanced Chemistry, Biology and Physics laboratories
• Two large, two-storied common spaces with flexible furnishings
• A large outdoor town square for student gatherings, dining and events

In the Middle School, central gathering spaces, where students meet, study, dine and attend events, flow into seminar-style classrooms and science laboratories. Teacher workrooms are adjacent to classrooms and common areas, enhancing collaboration among faculty and students.

The Pacific Ridge learning commons includes a traditional, archival library that features print books and student projects, but also acts as an open forum where students can engage in advanced online research and receive one-on-one guidance from the school librarian.

Music, theater, visual arts, and graphic design all have dedicated studio space on campus and a variety of resources to satisfy even the most sophisticated student-artist.

A new, state-of-the-art Athletic Center opened in May 2011. The 35,265 square foot facility is one of the largest high school athletic centers in San Diego, and accommodates not only athletic contests and sports training, but also school assemblies, informal meetings and special events. The school's synthetic turf athletic field hosts competitive play in soccer and lacrosse, as well as cross-training and physical education.

Both the high school building and Athletic Center are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certified. Environmental design choices that meet LEED standards include:

• Onsite solar power
• Recycled construction materials
• Natural lighting for 90% of classroom space
• Passive ventilation for nearly 50% of classroom space
• Reduction of landscape irrigation by 50%

Pacific Ridge School is committed to campus-wide sustainability. As part of its partnership with the Green Schools Alliance, the school has a full recycling program on campus. Separate, color-coded, recycled lumber and aluminum bins are available for trash, paper recycling, plastic (#1-7) recycling, can recycling, glass recycling, and compost. The entire campus uses compostable silverware, and faculty and staff are encouraged to use available, reusable plates and mugs.^[5]

Mission

In a community that fosters academic excellence, ethical responsibility, and global engagement, Pacific Ridge School prepares students for college and a purposeful life.

Academic Excellence

• Students deepen their understanding of important questions and concepts through critical thinking and creative reasoning. The curriculum fosters an understanding of multiple perspectives, effective communication and the application of knowledge. Pacific Ridge School prepares students to succeed at the most selective universities and colleges, as well as in their eventual occupations and lifelong service.

Global Engagement

• Students explore beliefs and opinions from new perspectives, becoming aware of their role as members of a global community. Students develop a global perspective and are prepared to live in a society that is increasingly complex and interconnected. Students learn how to be resilient and to engage competently the world around them.

Ethical Responsibility

• Students develop the ability to discern right from wrong as a matter of conscience, as well as the courage to act on their moral beliefs. Through a curriculum and culture deeply and distinctively committed to an ethic of personal responsibility as a way of life, students learn the value of living with integrity, as they and their teachers seek to learn what is fair, caring and right.

Academics

Pacific Ridge is known for its academic rigor. The school requires a number of grade-level projects, including orations in 9th grade, Planting a Seed (a service learning proposal) in 10th grade, Personal Pathways (an integrated academic project) in 11th grade, and the Senior Signature (a legacy of each student's PRS education) in 12th grade.

Study in all grades respects academic disciplines so that students learn to distinguish the different ways in which an historian, scientist, writer, mathematician, or artist views the world. But the program of study in all disciplines – in history and science, or in science and literature, or in language and art – aligns, intersects, and crosses over in a well-designed curriculum throughout each trimester of the year. As a result, students learn to recognize thematic patterns and ask and answer big questions about what makes us human.

The Academic Program

• Seminar-style learning
• Integrated academic program that allows students to address overarching ethical questions, as well as unite content across thematic touch points
• Talented and experienced teachers, most with advanced degrees
• Curriculum exceeds University of California requirements for admission
• Service Learning as part of standard curriculum
• Arts program with dance, graphic/photography, music, visual and theatrical arts
• Honors and Advanced Placement courses
• Diploma requirements include:
  • English - 4 years
  • History - 3 years
  • Science - 3 years
  • Mathematics - 3 years
  • Language - 3 years of same language
  • Arts - 2 years
  • Health - 1 trimester
  • Athletics/Physical Education - 2 years (or equivalent)^[4]

Admissions

Pacific Ridge is interested in students for whom the school's mission of academic excellence, global engagement, and ethical responsibility will be a good fit. Students should be able to achieve in a college preparatory academic environment and contribute to the school's artistic, athletic, leadership, and service-oriented activities. The school strives to attain racial, economic, and cultural diversity.

• Requirements for admission include a completed application, interviews for both parents and students, Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) test results, transcript and recommendations from the prospect's principal and Math and English teachers.^[6]

College Acceptances

Graduates from Pacific Ridge school have been accepted to 198 different colleges and universities in all regions of the United States, and abroad as well. The school's college acceptance webpage provides a comprehensive list.

Heads of School

Dr. Bob Ogle holds an Ed.D. and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and an M.A. in English Education, all from Teachers College, Columbia University, and B.A. degrees in English and Economics from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Ogle has served as:

• English teacher at Francis Parker School (San Diego, CA)
• Academic Dean at Pacific Ridge School
• Assistant Head of School at Pacific Ridge School

Athletics

Middle School student athletes compete in the South Coast Middle School League. The SCMSL North Division includes Army Navy Academy, Maranatha Christian, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego Jewish Academy, Santa Fe Christian, and Tri-City Christian Schools.

Upper School student athletes compete as a member of the California Interscholastic Federation, San Diego Section. Pacific Ridge School competes in the Coastal Conference, comprising teams from: La Jolla Country Day, The Bishop's School, Francis Parker School, Santa Fe Christian, Tri-City Christian, Escondido Charter, San Diego Jewish Academy, and Horizon Christian.

Pacific Ridge Athletic Offerings

Fall Athletic Offerings

• Flag Football
• Volleyball
• Cross Country
• Girls Tennis

Winter Athletic Offerings

• Soccer
• Basketball

Spring Athletic Offerings

• Tennis
• Girls Basketball
• Lacrosse
• Co-Ed Golf
• Co-Ed Track & Field

Footnotes