• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Traffic in Pebble Beach, Carmel and the surrounding areas will be significantly heavier than usual, tomorrow, Monday, Feb. 9 – Sunday, Feb. 15. Please allow for extra time to avoid delays.
• President's Weekend: This is a four-day holiday weekend, Friday, Feb. 13 – Monday, Feb. 16. Classes will not be in session on either campus. Friday, Feb. 13 is a faculty in-service day.
• Winter Musical: "Once Upon a Mattress" will run Thursday, Feb. 19 – Sunday, Feb. 22. Join fellow Pirate Parents for a pre-performance reception on Friday, Feb. 20, 5:30 p.m.-6:45 p.m., in Douglas Hall. Register here for the reception and purchase performance tickets here.

Lower and Middle Divisions

• Regular Late Start: This Wednesday, Feb. 11, Lower Division classes will begin at 8:45 a.m. and Middle Division at 9 a.m.
• Assembly – Black History Month: Families are invited to join for the assembly on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 8:10 a.m.-9 a.m., as we honor Black History Month and celebrate student learning and reflection. Please note that this is not a late start day – students should arrive at the regular start time to be a part of assembly.
• Free Dress Day – Thursday, Feb. 26: Free Dress Day is taking place on Thursday this month because the last Friday is a non-attendance day for students.

Lower Division

• Valentine's Day Celebration: This Thursday, Feb. 12, Pre-K – Grade 4 will celebrate Valentine's Day. All students are welcome to share one non-edible valentine with each classmate. Students will end their day celebrating in the classroom. Please contact Gina Nobida with any questions.
• 100th Day of School – Tuesday, Feb. 17: This special milestone is a fun way for students to reflect on how much they've learned and grown while engaging in activities centered around the number 100. We invite families to work with their child to design a shirt featuring 100 items (stickers, drawings, buttons, etc.). This is meant to be a fun, collaborative project at home. Students will also participate in special activities at school to mark this milestone. Students may wear their decorated shirts to school to celebrate the day! Students who are not participating in the celebration should come to school in regular uniform. Additional ways to prepare for this day:
  • Talk with your child about what they've learned in school so far this year and what they're most proud of.
  • Practice counting to 100 at home (by 1s, 5s, or 10s—depending on your child's grade level).
  • Encourage creative thinking by helping your child imagine what they might look like or hope to accomplish in 100 years.
  • Read books together that celebrate counting or milestones (teachers will also be sharing favorites in class).
• Lunar New Year – Tuesday, Feb. 17: Students who celebrate are welcome to wear traditional or festive attire that reflects their family traditions. Students who are not participating in the celebration should come to school in regular uniform.
• Classroom Socials: These are special opportunities for families to spend time in their child's classroom community. During these gatherings, students proudly share their learning, classroom projects and experiences, while families get a glimpse into daily life at school. These socials also create space to connect with teachers and other families as we celebrate student growth together. We look forward to welcoming you on campus for the following classroom socials:
  • Pre-K: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2:10 p.m.-2:45 p.m.
  • Grades 2 & 4: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.
  • Kindergarten and Grades 1 & 3: Thursday, Feb. 19, 2:30 p.m.

Middle Division

• Lunar New Year – Grade 5: February is Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse) and we want to take this opportunity to celebrate families and our community. All parents are warmly invited for both events. Please feel free to drop by or bring a dish or snack to share for Thursday's potluck.
  • This Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2:35 p.m.-3:10 p.m.: Grade 5 will wrap dumplings and pack them in the freezer.
  • This Thursday, Feb. 12, 12:30 p.m.-1:05 p.m.: Potluck Luncheon.
• Grade 8 Transition Events:
  • Upper Division Academic Preview: Parents/guardians are invited to join a Zoom presentation this Tuesday, Feb. 10, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., to hear about Upper Division academics with Head of Upper Division Aimée Bates and colleagues who will speak to the Grade 9 offerings, the four-year sequence and how the school navigates math and world language placements. The presentation will be recorded and posted on Pirate Pages for those who cannot attend. The Zoom link will be emailed to Grade 8 students and parents/guardians.
  • Electives/Co-Curricular Open House: Students will visit the Pebble Beach campus this Wednesday, Feb. 11. It is a free dress day. We're asking that all Grade 8 students get dropped off at Douglas Hall on the Pebble Beach campus by 8 a.m. Students will be transported by bus back to the Carmel campus. If you are not able to drop your child off at the Pebble Beach campus, please email Jackie DiYanni by tomorrow, Feb. 9, to arrange transportation from the Carmel campus.
  • One-on-One Meetings: Students will receive an email from Jackie DiYanni with an invitation to meet with either Aimée Bates or Associate Head of the Upper Division and Dean of Students Phillip Koshi at the Pebble Beach campus, Feb. 18-24. They will talk through any questions around course selection, placement, co-curriculars and the high school experience.
• Register for Outdoor Education Opportunities: 
  • Grade 7 – Expedition at Henry Coe State Park: Thursday, April 9 – Friday, April 10. Facilitated by Upper Division Director of Outdoor Education Galen Merigliano.
  • Grade 8 – Rafting Retreat on the South Fork of the American River: The dates for the trip were changed to Thursday, April 9 – Friday, April 10. Facilitated by American Whitewater Expeditions. 

• Community Outreach: Tomorrow, Feb. 9, 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Dr. Casey Grover '02 and school nurse Erica Sanborn will be on the Pebble Beach campus in Douglas Hall to distribute Narcan dispensers to our community members. The school has sent upper division parents/guardians an email with a form that may be completed in order to have your child opt out.  Narcan is a nasal spray that can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Dr. Grover shared about the importance of Narcan during his parent/guardian and student talks this year. After the success of the last two year's distributions, we want to continue to offer this to our community members. Please know that this is not in response to any activity on campus but to our continued commitment to our community's safety and the greater Monterey County community. Please see this document for more detailed information. Please reach out to Director of Student Leadership and Wellness Curriculum Sarah Koshi with logistical questions or to Upper Division School Nurse Erica Sanborn with any questions that pertain to Narcan. For the Carmel campus, we will only be distributing Narcan to parents/guardians, not to students.
• Residential Life:
  • Presidents Day Long Weekend: Passes for the long President's Day weekend (Friday, Feb. 13 – Monday, Feb. 16) are due tomorrow, Feb. 9. Students are able to leave after all commitments this Thursday, Feb. 12, and need to be back on campus by 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16. Classes resume Tuesday, Feb. 17.
  • Spring Break Passes: Spring break is March 7-22. EXPO students must submit passes by Tuesday, Feb. 17; all other students must submit by Friday, Feb. 20. Students can depart campus after their final academic obligation on Friday, March 6, and need to be off campus by noon on Saturday, March 7. Residential students can return on Sunday, March 22, at noon. Residential students who submit late passes will be assigned one day of weekend campusment. Any students needing to leave early or return late will be assigned a Friday night study hall for every day that they are not present. Early leaves or late returns will not be excused due to travel. Thank you for helping students adhere to appropriate deadlines and expectations.
• Community Education:
  • Grade 10: This cycle and next, all Grade 10 students will engage in lessons around sexual health and ethics. Health & Life teachers will present research-based information about the messaging that pornography and sexually explicit media convey about sex, bodies and consent. We know how important it is to provide students with accurate information about sexual health and to give them resources – including supportive adults – where they can get their questions answered as they navigate the complexities of adolescence. Peggy Orenstein, author and sex educator, offers her insight about the importance of discussing pornography with adolescents in this New York Times guest essay. Here is a link to additional resources and information to support continued conversations at home. Please reach out to Director of Student Leadership and Community Curriculum Sarah Koshi with questions.
  • Grade 9: Students will attend a full-class lesson on sexual health and ethics on Tuesday, Feb. 24, during community time. The presentation will focus on the basics of anatomy, along with best practices to stay healthy and safe. Future issues of The Week Ahead will include resources for parents and guardians as you partner in these important conversations. If you have any questions, please reach out to Director of Student Leadership and Wellness Curriculum Sarah Koshi.
• College Center Events:
  • Junior College Tours: A reminder for students participating in the Southern California and Pacific Northwest college tours that there is an early departure time of 3:15 a.m., this Thursday, Feb. 12. Students should plan to arrive at Douglas Hall no later than 3 a.m. for check-in to ensure we are able to depart on time.
  • SAT Online Practice Exam: Revolution Prep is offering this free opportunity on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 9 a.m. Taking full-length practice tests under timed conditions is essential to being ready for the official test. A proctored practice exam will help your child build testing endurance and give you a real-time snapshot of their testing performance. Register here.
  • Junior Parents: Join us for a virtual Parent College Coffee on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Please register through your Pirate Page.
  • Freshmen and Sophomore Parents: Join us for a virtual Parent College Night on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m.-8 p.m. Please register through your Pirate Page.
  • SAT for Juniors: Stevenson will offer the SAT School Day on Wednesday, March 4, for the Class of 2027 only. It is not required, but the College Center recommends that all juniors take advantage of this opportunity. Students must register to take it on their Pirate Page by Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 5 p.m. For juniors who are also EXPO Co-leaders, a make-up date will be available after spring break. The College Center will share more details in the coming weeks.
• Class of 2026: The 2026 graduation webpage is now live and contains important dates and information for seniors and their families. Thank you to those who joined our senior parent event last week. For those who missed it, the recording can be found on your Pirate Page under the resources tab.