Academics

Along the banks of the American River’s South Fork, in a valley native Nisenan people called “Cullumah“ or “beautiful valley,” craftsman James Marshall discovered gold in 1848. Marshall’s discovery began the great California Gold Rush and fueled the West’s dramatic growth for decades.

Mount Madonna School (MMS) is pleased to announce that senior Roger Hooker has been named a Commended Student in the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program. Earning this distinction signifies that a student scored in the top 5% nationwide of the more than 1.5 million students who took the 2012 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

Behind the educational philosophy and inspiring natural environment that is Mount Madonna School (MMS), is its most significant ‘natural resource’: a diverse faculty of enthusiastic, personable, creative, and innovative individuals, who together bring a broad range of personal and professional experiences to the community. Over the course of this school year, we look forward to ‘introducing’ some of these teachers to you, to offer a new perspective on the people who are guiding MMS students, and to help you know better the people behind the course syllabi.

Whether they’re learning about Egyptian pharaohs, ancient Greece, the Native American diaspora, America’s colonial period or other topics, middle school students in Amy Neff’s history and Core classes are engaging with a vibrant and rich course of study full of stories, heroes, legends, treachery and war.

The audience of young students watched intently and seemed to hold their collective breath as educator Rob Dicely led “Shoshone,” a 90-pound female mountain lion, to the stage. Guided by Dicely, Shoshone flexed her muscular hind legs and leapt effortlessly onto a table where she sat and studied her surroundings.

Santa Cruz Sentinel, 9/22/2013, Education Digest: "New faculty arrives at MMS," read more:  http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/santacruz/ci_24144603/education-digest-sept-22-2013-pcs-student-seeks?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com

Tesla Motors, Activision and Boeing were among the high-performing company stocks traded by Mount Madonna School (MMS) students engaged in a Virtual Stock Market competition during the last school year. When the contest ended students Joseph Frediani (’13), Willy Bryan (’13) and Daniel Clifton (now a senior), finished in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place among the 400 California high school students who participated!

On Monday, Mount Madonna School hosted an Appreciation Day for Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA), honoring the 10-term representative for his leadership and service to California’s 17th district and recognizing him as a mentor, friend and educator for two decades of Mount Madonna School students.

Mount Madonna School eighth graders Indigo Kelly, Ruby Bracher and Phoebe Grant, observing salt water density gradient columns they created as part of a lesson on fluid density. Eighhth grade students are studying Chemistry and learning about fluid density and how the density of salt water affects the currents in the open ocean and the biodiversity in estuaries.