New parents are invited to attend this reception to meet and mingle with other other parents new to Pacific Ridge. Welcome to our community! Please RSVP to this reception and other events on September 8th by clicking here.

Date: Thursday, September 8th

Time: 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Place: Community Hall

Civil Discourse Parent Event on September 8th

Pacific Ridge parents are invited to join Dr. Ogle and Pacific Ridge School leadership for "Practicing Civil Discourse in a School Community." The hour-long event will include both presentation and conversation about promoting productive and respectful discourse during challenging times. Please RSVP to this program and other events on September 8th by clicking here.

Date: Thursday, September 8th

Time: 6:15 - 7:15 p.m.

Place: Athletic Center

8th/10th/11th-Grade Parent Info Nights September 8th

Parents of rising 8th, 10th, and 11th-grade students should plan on attending these evening programs, which will provide information about important events and expectations for your child's school year. Please RSVP to these programs and other events on September 8th by clicking here.

Date: Thursday, September 8th

Time: 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Place: Pacific Ridge campus - individual locations TBD

Be a BBQ Enthusiast and Firebird Fan on September 9th!

Pacific Ridge parents, faculty and friends are invited to get in the Firebird spirit on Friday, September 9th with a Community BBQ and Girls Varsity Volleyball home games. Come grab a snack and socialize, then head to the gym to cheer our student-athletes on to victory!

Date: Friday, September 9th

Time: BBQ, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.; games 4:00 p.m. (JV and frosh) & 5:15 p.m. (Varsity)

Parking: Parking may be limited - please carpool if possible!

Picture Day is on September 20th

Register Soon for the After-School Extension Program!

The fall After-school Extension Program runs from mid-September through mid-November, and courses are open to both Pacific Ridge students and students from the larger community. Offerings include: HoloLens 101: Introduction to Mixed-Reality Programming, Animation Studio, Design & Build: Woodworking, Ceramics Studio, Guitar Lessons, Piano Lessons, Voice Lessons and Band Instrument Lessons. Click HERE for more information and to register. Questions? Contact Steve Dziekonski at sdziekonski@pacificridge.org.

Haiku is Now PowerSchool Learning

Over the summer, Pacific Ridge School's digital learning platform, Haiku, was purchased by PowerSchool Learning. While the name, colors and logo have changed, the login, product and functionality remain the same. We will do our best to help the community adjust to this name change!

2016-2017 Academic Calendar

Please visit the School Life section of the Pacific Ridge website to view/download the 2016-2017 academic calendar.

Educational Insights

Thoughts From The Head of School

Click here to read Dr. Ogle's welcome letter addressing the many opportunities for growth and celebration this year will bring. Click here to read his thoughts about the importance of civil discourse and "listening to learn."

New & Noteworthy

7th and 9th Graders Enjoy Orientation

On August 25th, incoming 7th and 9th graders gathered on campus to get acquainted and prepare for Middle and Upper School at Pacific Ridge. Students participated in games and activities, went on a campus scavenger hunt, and received information about school technology systems before heading to their respective overnight retreats. Seventh graders set off to Julian to compete in field games, climb a rock wall, try their hand at archery, and more. Ninth-grade students headed for UCSD, where they had the option to tour a number of university facilities and programs, hike the Torrey Pines Natural Reserve, and tackle the UCSD challenge course.

10th-Grade Class Rises To The Challenge

On August 29th, the incoming sophomore class met on campus for a morning of team building with a group of UCSD Team Challenge facilitators. Students were led through a variety of activities designed to build trust and develop relationships with classmates, practice problem-solving and interpersonal communication, and address the year's grade-level theme: "Who am I with other people?"

Faculty & Staff Hope "Little Libraries" Have Big Impact

Last week, as part of a joint project with the City of Carlsbad, Pacific Ridge faculty and staff designed and stocked eight "Little Free Libraries" to promote education and community throughout the Carlsbad Barrio and beyond. In between painting and sorting through books (faculty and staff donated more than 700 books that will cycle in and out of the libraries!) the group learned about Barrio history from Lola's Market and Barrio Museum owner Ofie Escobedo. Volunteer Coordinator for Carlsbad Neighborhood Services Marie Jones-Kirk spent the afternoon on-site to show support, and even Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall stopped by with encouragement. The libraries are currently being weather-proofed and are on track to be installed later this fall.

Service Learning In The Field

Namu Sampath '17 Holds Photography Fundraiser to Advocate for Women and Youth

Senior Namu Sampath spent a busy summer interning at the AjA Project ("Autosuficiencia Juntada con Apoyo"), a non-profit agency that provides photography-based programming to transform the lives of youth, women and communities. The AjA Project helps underserved and refugee youth and women process traumatic experiences, develop a clearer sense of identity, explore problems and become advocates for change. Namu has established Developing Positives, a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $2,500 to support the AjA Project. Click here to learn more about Namu's campaign, view her photographs and donate.

Diagon Alley, by Namu Sampath

Parents Association

Thank You from the Parents Association!

The Parents Association sends its thanks to all who attended Wednesday's Welcome Coffee, and the volunteers who organized such an enjoyable kick-off to the 2016-17 school year! The event served as a warm welcome to new and returning families, and the excitement for the new school year was evident in the lively conversations. If you were unable to attend the Welcome Coffee but would like to learn more about the clubs, activities and volunteer opportunities available through the Parents Association, please click here.

"Screenagers" Film Screening on September 12th

WeCare, the San Diego independent school parent consortium, presents a special screening of the documentary "Screenagers" on Monday, September 12th at La Jolla Country Day School. Through poignant and unexpectedly funny stories - along with surprising insights from authors, psychologists, and brain scientists - "Screenagers" reveals how tech time impacts students' development and offers solutions for adults seeking to empower students to best navigate the digital world.

Date: Monday, September 12th

Time: Doors open at 6:00 p.m., movie starts at 7:00 p.m.

Location: La Jolla Country Day School (Four Flowers Theatre): 9490 Genesee Ave, La Jolla, 92037

Tickets: $10; limited availability; purchase here

Parents Association General Meeting September 15th

All parents are invited to attend the fall Parents Association General Meeting/Coffee on September 15th. Hear from Head of School Dr. Ogle about plans being made for the year ahead, meet new faculty and staff members, and learn more about upcoming Parents Association activities.

Date: Thursday, September 15th

Time: 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Place: Community Hall

First Book Club Meeting of the School Year: September 26th

The Parent Book Club will meet to discuss The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World's Most Precious Manuscripts, by Joshua Hammer, on September 26th. The Book Club is open to all Pacific Ridge parents.

Date: Monday, September 26th

Time: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Place: Pacific Ridge School Library

Sports on the Ridge

Firebird Upper School Athletics' Fall Season In Progress

From the courts to the trails, the pool to the rink, Pacific Ridge's Upper School student-athletes have been training hard in preparation for fall competition. Girls Tennis served up a new season with a Tuesday night match against Ramona High School. Girls Volleyball will dig into its season with games at Temecula Valley High School on September 7th. Coed Cross Country will take off from the starting line at the Bronco Invitational on September 10th, Boys Water Polo dives into competition with a match against High Tech High on September 2nd. The Firebird Boys Hockey Club, in its inaugural year as a Pacific Ridge-sponsored sport, saw its JV team defeat the Corona-Norco Stringrays on August 27th to mark a 1-0 start to the season. The varsity team skates into competition on September 10th with a game against Beckman High School in Anaheim. Check this section of the View From the Ridge weekly for scores and highlights. Go Firebirds!

Beyond the Ridge

College Representatives Are On Their Way

Admission officers from colleges and universities around the country begin visiting Pacific Ridge on Wednesday, September 7th. Seniors know the process to register for visits, and juniors are invited to attend sessions that happen during their free periods. Visits are being added and updated daily in Naviance.

Juniors can stop by the College Guidance Office for more information or assistance with their Naviance login. All sessions are hosted in the College Guidance Office unless otherwise indicated.

Weeks of September 5th & 12th

Bard College; Boston College; Bucknell University; Claremont McKenna College; Davidson College; Elon University; Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles; Franklin University of Switzerland; Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering; Kenyon College; Lafayette College; Linfield College; Marist College; Nova Southeastern University; Pacific Northwest College of Art; San Diego State University; Tulane University; University of California, Santa Barbara; University of Denver; University of Massachusetts, Lowell; Wesleyan University

New Faculty & Staff Snapshot

Kelsi Flatland, Science

Favorite or most recent, book? The Winds of Change and Other Stories, by Isaac Asimov, or anything by Terry Pratchett

Favorite movie? "Howl's Moving Castle," "Frankenstein," and Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" ("not a movie, but it's fantastic!")

Favorite sport? Water skiing and snow skiing

Greatest indulgence? Desserts!

If you make her breakfast? Olallieberry pancakes, bacon, and a matcha latte

In her free time? Reads, plays board games, drinks tea, goes on adventures

Dream vacation? New Zealand or Alaska

Home Town? Foster City, CA

North County Happenings

New Village Arts Theater's Season 16 is Underway

Last month's opening of "OKLAHOMA!" marked the beginning of a new season for Carlsbad's New Village Arts Theater. Following "OKLAHOMA!'"s run, which ends on September 25th, the theater will present "God of Carnage", "The 1940s Radio Hour", "An Illiad", "Awake and See", and "Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters' First 100 Years". The new season's diverse lineup of literary adaptations and Tony-Award winning classics will debut in a recently renovated theater space boasting more comfortable seats, new carpeting, and more. For more information about tickets and upcoming shows and events, visit www.newvillagearts.org.

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

Pacific Ridge School | www.pacificridge.org