Learning Journeys

Class of 2018: Valedictorian, Salutatorian and Seniors’ College Choices

Mount Madonna School (MMS) is pleased to announce Indigo Kelly as the 2018 Valedictorian, and Zachary Wagner as Salutatorian. These students earned this distinction through hard work and focused effort, edging out their peers at the small Central Coast school known for…

Character Matters

What follows is a reflection by Mount Madonna’s Head of School, Supriya Mary McDonald, on the importance of positive character development. Positive character development, along with academic excellence and creative self-expression, comprise the three pillars of Mount Madonna School.  As the many…

The Art of Asking Questions: Students Interview Former Secretary of State George Shultz

Sitting around an imposing table at the Annenberg Conference Center at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, some 30 Mount Madonna School (MMS) juniors and seniors leaned forward listening intently to the soft and yet authoritative voice of former Secretary of State George P. Shultz. The students had prepared for this interview for weeks, conducting research and discussing and formulating questions, as part of their Values in World Thought social studies curriculum. This preparation and hard work was worthwhile; as evidenced by students’ engagement with this seminal political figure, and insights drawn from the advice and experiences he shared.

The Mercury News: Mount Madonna School Reading Writing and Reasoning

The Mercury News, 3/25/2018, “Mount Madonna School Reading Writing and Reasoning,” photo by Shmuel Thaler, Santa Cruz Sentinel. Mount Madonna School junior Gracie Howley notes an important passage as her Values In World Thought class discusses the meaning of the work of…

Making Caring Common: Mount Madonna Among Nation’s First Schools to Join Harvard Project

Mount Madonna School is an early leader in Harvard’s Making Caring Common Project and #CommonGround campaign, which seeks to bridge divides and build stronger communities.  March 6, 2018 – Mount Madonna School (MMS) is among the nation’s first schools to join a…