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| | Weekly Newsletter December 19, 2025Week 14 |
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Dear Anacapa Families,
We are thrilled to share some incredible news—thanks to your generosity, we have met our $10,000 Match Challenge! Every dollar pledged by our generous Anacapa family supporter has been unlocked, doubling the impact of your contributions.
But our journey isn’t over. We are still aiming for 100% participation from all families. We are at 85% participation as of right now. Every gift, no matter the size, counts—and we’ll be sure to let you know when we reach full participation!
To make this moment even more exciting, we now have a new $5,000 Match Challenge! Every dollar donated between now and the end of the year will be doubled up to $5,000, giving you the chance to make an even bigger impact.
If you haven’t participated yet, today is the perfect day to do so—no contribution is too small, and every donation brings us closer to both 100% participation and unlocking the new match. Please get them in before the end of the year so you can write them off on your 2025 taxes!
Donate today by clicking the DONATE button below or send a check directly to Anacapa School.
With gratitude, The Anacapa School Team |
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| | Every donation plays a vital role in enhancing our educational programs, upgrading classroom resources, supporting scholarships, and maintaining our vibrant school community. Annual Fund Slideshow
Why Donate? It's tax-deductible. Your gift improves technology, resources, and supports events that enrich student life. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference.
Every contribution makes a difference - thank you for your support! |
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| | | | | | | | December
12/3 *Jacob 12/16 Ines 12/18 *Claudia 12/25 Andre |
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| | Spring Break New York Trip Space is still available |
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| There is still time to sign up for the Spring Break trip to NYC! Contact us for more information and to sign up.
Dates: March 30th - April 4th, 2026. Guide: Edu Trips Chaperones: Mari Talkin & Edie Lanphar
If you think your student would be interested in participating, please let us know as soon as possible. There are scholarships available.
If you would also be interested in helping to provide financial aid for students who otherwise might not be able to participate, please let me know. |
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New Offering: Career Week!
Please note that we have made a change to our yearly calendar. Because we added the middle school Mystery Trip to our slate of travel/ field trip programming this year, and because we've also added an optional Spring Break trip to NYC, we've decided not to run an all-school camping trip during the week of March 23rd - 27th. Instead, we will be offering a special "Career Week." This means that during that week, we'll have academic classes on campus in the mornings, and in the afternoons, students will attend internships we've arranged for them. We already have a list of offerings that include restaurants, design shops, nonprofits, artists, athletic directors, etc. If you have a business or organization, we’d love your help with Career Week!
More details will be forthcoming! |
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Middle School Update
Language Arts Our literature circles held their fourth and final meeting for these novels, and it’s clear that students are becoming more confident discussion leaders — asking more profound questions, debating theories, and connecting clues as they uncover twists in their mystery novels. The enthusiasm in each group is contagious!
Math
In mathematics, students have been looking at the Pythagorean theorem and how it can be used to find unknown sides in complex situations. They spent some time creating their own crime scenes that required algebra and knowledge of the Pythagorean theorem to understand, and had to devise the crime that led to the crime scene. After this, they had to practise their problem-solving skills with complex real-world problems, analysing them to determine how to use the Pythagorean theorem to solve. Students worked collaboratively to unpack the issues and make sure their problem-solving strategies made sense.
High School Update
Students have continued their foray into the world of organ systems! Each student chose an organ system to study in depth, learning which organs are involved in the body's functions and what would happen if this system had problems. They’re being thoughtful about how to communicate scientific information, ensuring they research from reputable sources and present complex information in ways that are engaging and visually appealing. They’re going to present these to the class later in the week, giving students a chance to be the expert on a topic.
In Mari's Global Studies class, we have moved on from medieval China to Sub-Saharan Africa. They are continuing their analytical writing and research skills.
New Trimester of Electives
Sewing
In sewing, students are getting a detailed, thorough introduction to not only how to use specific pieces of sewing equipment but also how to create a workspace that flows well and supports the creation and design of fashion items. After getting some time to familiarize themselves with the equipment, students spent this week making themselves a small pillow. This involved measuring and cutting the fabric, sewing along the measured lines, and then figuring out how to fold and stuff their pillows to keep them neat and comfortable. When they come back after the break, they'll finish off the covers for their pillows!
Baking
This week in our baking elective, students have been busy making cake pops—and having a lot of fun in the process. We made classic chocolate cake pops as well as a gluten-free version so our gluten-free bakers could fully participate. From mixing and rolling to decorating, the kids loved the hands-on process and the chance to get a little creative (and a little messy!). Gardening In gardening, we’ve been celebrating lots of growth. We planted new peas, our beets are almost ready to harvest, and we added fresh lettuces to the garden beds. We also planted chocolate mint, which the students were especially excited about. It’s been a great week of digging, planting, and watching our garden continue to come to life.
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Last Wednesday’s All-School Activity – Festival of Lights On Wednesday, our entire school participated in the Festival of Lights holiday celebration, including Latkes, Dreidel-making, playing, and the history of Hanukkah! |
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| | Holiday Celebration!Thank you to everyone who made this possible! |
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Santa Barbara Public Library Teen Volunteer Time Do you need to earn community service hours? Become a teen volunteer at the library and help library staff and the library at large while earning your hours. We will meet at the upper level reference desk at the Central Library and start promptly at 4:15 PM on Thursdays. Due to high interest, pre-registration will guarantee your participation. Stop by just in case we have space for drop-ins! Can't make it Thursdays? Join us at the Eastside Library on Saturdays from 11am-12:30pm. No registration required! https://calendar.library.santabarbaraca.gov/events/upcoming?keywords=teen%20volunteer%20time
Peer Buddies Become a Volunteer Buddy! You will have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with others your age, while learning about an array of learning styles.
The goal is that you will gain insight and broaden your perspective about neurodiversity. You will receive personalized training by our amazing staff, who will train you in strategies to help your buddy thrive socially. All sessions are based in the community, so skills are taught while having a blast!
High school and college-aged buddies may also earn community service hours and letters of recommendation. https://www.peerbuddies.com/volunteer
Volunteer Gardening | Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden
Join gardeners of all experience levels for a day of caring for the "Crown Jewel" of Santa Barbara, Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden. Parks staff will provide instruction in proper pruning, mulching, deadheading, and weeding techniques.
Volunteers will grow in their horticultural knowledge and skills while spending a day serving their community and giving a boost to this beloved park. Please bring sun protection, water to stay hydrated, and any hand tools or gloves that you may have. A limited supply of tools and gloves are available.
Drop in volunteers are welcome: every Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (4:00 p.m. from November 5 through March 4 for daylight reasons), every Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., every Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the first Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
For more volunteer opportunities, please visit SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ParkVolunteer.
YouthWell: Volunteer & Internship Opportunities Explore meaningful ways to get involved across Santa Barbara County! Twice a year, YouthWell hosts educational workshops for teens to learn about available volunteer and internship opportunities. Volunteer opportunities here.
Calling all College & Career Services staff: We encourage you to share this workshop with your students and attend alongside them! Please fill out the RSVP form if you plan to join.
Spread the word: Share this information with your network of youth and families. Everyone is welcome! |
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Featured Volunteer Opportunity Bucket Brigade – Humanitarian Farming & Gardening Project
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| | | | | | | | | Our next Cafe Anacapa is not until Thursday, February 5, 2026! |
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