Sonoma Academy Feb 2022

At Sonoma Academy, You'll Make More than Grades

Who we are

ACADEMIC RIGOR (WITH HEART)

Why Sonoma Academy

What Will Your Verse Be?

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Our approach

Our optimal approach to teaching and learning is based on an understanding of teenage brain development.

High school students have extraordinary capacities that are ready to emerge, but could lay silent or go dormant. We know how teenagers think, feel, learn, and develop. This allows us to create a high school experience where teenagers can be who they are and learn who they can become.

Our signature programs

Explarotory

Short courses without grades that allow students to try new things, discover interests, and have fun in a stress-free environment.

Campus tour

Explore our campus

Open House 2021-2022

September 21, 2021 October 8, 2021 December 7, 2021 May 11, 2022

Find out how amazing high school can be.

Learn about our dynamic, multi-faceted program, as well as opportunities to explore and connect with Sonoma Academy.

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Explarotory

Short courses without grades that allow students to try new things, discover interests, and have fun in a stress-free environment.

When families start the process of choosing a high school, it can feel overwhelming. Options range from huge public schools to specialized charter schools to homeschool cooperatives, and each school has its own culture and feeling. Choosing the right high school for your child involves research, consideration, and a bit of soul-searching. Through the process of seeking the right fit, you will be challenged to determine what matters most for you about this unique and powerful time of life and then, to identify which school most closely aligns with your values.

The teenage brain is wired to take risks. When channeled constructively, this drive to try new things helps students discover new interests and develop a strong sense of self. In order for students to maximize their potential, they need opportunities to explore and experiment in a safe and supportive environment. With signature programs like Exploratory (quarter-long, ungraded elective classes), Intersession (eight days of immersive, hands-on inquiry into a topic or skill), and Impact (weekly groups where students pursue a service project focused on the school, local, or national level), Sonoma Academy encourages its students to stretch and challenge themselves. We believe in the importance of being a beginner, and we know that teenagers need to venture beyond their comfort zones to truly thrive.

Being a part of a positive, committed peer group is critical during the teen years, so that students are affected by the right kind of peer pressure–the kind that helps them grow into the best versions of themselves. Sonoma Academy works with intention to foster an open and inclusive school culture where students feel accepted for who they are. Our students are creative, curious, passionate, and wise. Through robust co-curricular programs, social-emotional education, and experiential learning opportunities, we create a caring community where kids can feel seen and known as individuals.

In the years ahead, students will need skills that go beyond a typical college preparatory curriculum. Critical analysis, design thinking, global understanding, creative expression, and social-emotional education will be crucial in a changing world. Now, more than ever, students need opportunities to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems. Hands-on, multimodal education will truly prepare students for the challenges of college and career, and a solid social-emotional foundation equips them with the self-knowledge to make good choices in college and career. Our alumni consistently tell us that the foundation they received at Sonoma Academy prepared them well for college (and beyond). Each year, we send graduates to well-respected universities and colleges large and small, across the United States and around the world.

Many schools boast an impressive slate of upper-level classes, an extensive college matriculation list, and a roster of accomplished alumni. Sonoma Academy goes beyond college prep academics to provide a well-rounded, multidisciplinary education with heart. We know that teenagers learn best in a connected community. When they feel supported and understood, students are primed for the kind of constructive risk taking that lies at the heart of true intellectual and personal growth. Great teachers are the key to a great education. Sonoma Academy teachers love working with teens and are fascinated by, and experts in, the teenage brain and experience. They are also experts in their subject matter; about 87% of them have a master’s degree or PhD. Small class sizes and a low student-teacher ratio allow our teachers to get to know students’ strengths, their challenges, and their personalities.

Exploration Makes Explorers

The Right Kind of Peer Pressure

Preparation For What’s Next

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