Comments on: California Boarding Schools: Call for Ideas and Contributions

By: Bill McMahon

Bill McMahon — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:30:31 +0000

A parent once said to me that The Thacher School–and by implication, all California boarding schools–is like the Galapagos Islands of boarding schools. (As we all know from junior high, the Galapagos are famous for being the place that helped Darwin develop his theory of evolution.) The parent’s comparison arose because he saw California boarding schools as being fundamentally separate and removed from the traditional East Coast boarding school scene. He saw this separation as integral to providing California boarding schools the freedom and space to grow into highly unique and individualistic institutions. (The parent sited Thacher’s horse and outdoor programs as prime examples of programs that might not have been allowed to flourish back East.) At their best, California boarding schools combine the the rigor and tradition of the East with the commitment to the individual, character, community and the outdoors that many value in the West.

By: California Boarding Schools: Call for Ideas and Contributions | India Schools

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:54:16 +0000

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By: Brian Fisher

Brian Fisher — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:29:05 +0000

Derek, Tom-

Thanks for the thoughts. We’ll be in touch as the piece develops.

By: Tom Sheppard

Tom Sheppard — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:48:58 +0000

There is something interesting and unique about boarding schools in the west, and California in particular. Sometimes it’s hard to put into words, but it’s apparent when seen. The differences with other regions of the country are obvious to families who visit a variety of schools. They quickly ascertain whether or not the culture of boarding schools in California fits within their family’s view of how children should be raised. I’ve often said to prospective students, “If you’re looking for a school where everyone is just like you, then Stevenson isn’t the place for you.” I realize that many schools could make that claim, but over the past ten years, I’ve come to believe that students who ultimately choose to attend California boarding schools are some of the most adventurous I have ever met. In saying that, I mean no disrespect to boarding schools in other part of the country where you will certainly find your share of interesting kids. It’s just that in the west there exists a completely different mindset regarding the path to success.

In many ways the California individualist spirit is the perfect complement to the boarding school environment for intellectually curious teenagers. Here students are encouraged to become independent minded and self reliant, to become passionate and angular instead of well rounded. Watching our students head off to college full of excitement for the courses they will study, it’s hard to imagine that the environment in which they have been learning has not left a notable impression upon them.

By: Derek Svennungsen

Derek Svennungsen — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:42:42 +0000

Every boarding school I’ve visited in California has created its own niche, its own personality (ours–Midland School–is certainly no exception!). I think we can do this because there is so much space, and since we’re somewhat distant from each other, our identities have formed without as much regard to what the next school down the street might be doing. So CA boarding schools are distinct, and all offer a different path to the same outcome. Every one of the schools can legitimately say that they are stronger than the other CA schools in one particular facet, so there’s a school out here for every student. Combine this with the fact that CA is one of the most progressive and high-powered places in the world, and you’ve got the makings of a great educational experience, whatever the school.