Thriving Together
The 2021-22 school year provides a chance to appreciate the value of students enjoying a safe, healthy, challenging in-person school experience. We are prioritizing in-person learning and building on the COVID guidance of the CDC, state, and county to guide our work on campus.

We will continue to be responsive to shifting guidance and local and school data throughout the year, and we ask for your flexibility and understanding should we make temporary or permanent adjustments to our plans.

COMMUNITY UPDATES

OUR COVID-19 PLANS

IN-PERSON LEARNING

We aim to provide a safe and successful educational experience for our students. We will follow guidance from local health authorities throughout the year, and we are incorporating recent changes to the guidance as we finalize operating plans and policies. Key elements of our plan on both the Hope Ranch and Montecito campuses are:

  1. Each morning, families will be required to screen students for COVID symptoms via the Ruvna app. Students who are feeling ill must report to the school and be kept home.
  2. Masks will be required indoors at all times per Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD) guidance.
  3. The school will follow the practices of air circulation, ventilation, and filtration that were in place last year. Windows will be open, fans will be used, and air filtration units will be used in spaces not otherwise served by an HVAC system with a MERV-13 filter.
  4. Masks will be optional outdoors unless the guidance changes.
  5. We will emphasize good personal hygiene on campus, and we will keep spaces clean and disinfected.
  6. We strongly recommend that any eligible students are fully vaccinated before the start of the year.
SCHEDULING
 
The Laguna Blanca Schedule for the Hope Ranch Campus is an eight-day, color rotating schedule. Our schedule supports our learning priorities:
  • Meaningful, rigorous, engaging academics
  • Close community connections
  • A broad, balanced learning experience
  • Seamless, clear transitions between on campus and remote learning
  • Safety for all in the community
The Lower School schedule includes homeroom learning, seven specialist classes, two recesses, snack, lunch, and PE class taking place every day.

Please reference Page 2 of the Covid Update Guidelines for more details.
DROP-OFF PROCEDURES

Gr. EK-4: All Lower School drop-offs will take place at the regular drop-off area in front of the play area between 7:30AM and the school start time of 8:15AM. Students will be greeted at their car for health screenings before washing their hands and starting the day. After the student(s) is dropped off, the driver will proceed to exit campus.

Gr. 5-8: Please click here for detailed Morning Drop-Off & Afternoon Pick Up Procedures.

Gr. 9-12: Please click here for detailed Morning Drop-Off & Afternoon Pick Up Procedures
COVID-TRACING TEAM
 
In addition to preparing to COVID test faculty and staff, we have established a COVID tracing team through Johns Hopkins University training. We also have a Health Coordinator on-site for the school year.


REMOTE LEARNING

Laguna @ Home is designed to connect, engage, and educate students when it's not possible to safely be on campus. Committed to fostering the community of learning that we are known for, and to ensuring the strength of our remote learning program, a team of faculty examined and refined the program during summer 2020, should it be required again.

We know you may have questions and we are here to get those answered for you. Click here to ask a question.

HELPFUL LINKS

REMOTE LEARNING FEEDBACK

Lower School Parent

Keep up the great work. It’s amazing to see the effort and commitment that has been put in by teachers and administrators. My child looks forward to “going to school” every day. So proud to be part of the Laguna community.

Middle School Parent

THE TEACHERS!!!!! They are energetic and inspiring and bring a welcome enthusiastic spirit into our home each day that is fun to witness. We are so fortunate to have such caring and brilliant staff at Laguna!

Upper School Parent

This is tough all around and we think Laguna has really done a fantastic job making sure our children continue to learn and that their education is not slipping because of this terrible situation. Thank you so much to all the faculty and staff for everything you are doing to keep educating our children.

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Laguna Blanca is Santa Barbara’s premier private, co-educational, college preparatory day school for students in Early Kindergarten through Grade 12.
LAGUNA BLANCA SCHOOL  |   4125 PALOMA DRIVE   SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA  93110  |   805.687.2461