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Breadcrumb

Our Philosophy

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  • Celebrate individuality and integrate each student harmoniously into the school community.

  • Encourage students to let their best efforts come forth with respect and acceptance.

  • Preserve the magical and natural quality of childhood in the student.

  • Maintain an innovative and experiential educational environment.

  • Deliver educational experiences that encourage self-exploration.

  • Honor and respect all religious and spiritual beliefs.

  • Strive to achieve intellectual vitality by nurturing the growth of the whole person through philosophical, practical, and artistic education, as well as physical challenges.

The Deal

The SBMS journey begins with a commitment, called "The Deal," in which students pledge to put forth their best attitude and effort every day. In return, faculty and staff commit themselves both in and out of the classroom to cultivating each student’s academic and personal growth.

We ask parents to make the same commitment, helping to lay the foundation on which our school is built.

The Hero's Journey

Through challenging expeditions, experiential education, and other intensive indoor and outdoor activities, students face challenges and adversity, which leads to self-discovery and resilience. This process, called “The Hero’s Journey,” is grounded in depth psychology and is at the core of our educational philosophy. 

Our students learn self-reliance, concern for peers, and a life-long attitude of service.

The Magic

Ours is a powerful, integrated curriculum informed by archetypes and great intellects. Students take risks: academic, creative, athletic and personal, in safe and natural environments. This leads to success in the classroom and beyond, as students build strong relationships with teachers, students, and members of our community, inspiring personal growth and development.

Ultimately, they move on in the direction of their dreams and in service of what matters to them. Some call it magic; we call it Santa Barbara Middle School.