The Trunk: Manzanita’s Middle School

A MiDDLE SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER…

When Manzanita opened its doors in 2014, the school initially offered just grades 4-9, in recognition of the unique challenges adolescents face during the traditional middle school years. Though demand ultimately invited the school to expand its offerings through K-12, the Trunk years (now grades 6-8) retain a central significance to our school’s founding philosophy. At Manzanita, we believe that adolescence is a critical time in human development.

The Trunk curriculum and activities, from academics to enrichment to Hawk Days on the land with our naturalists, guide students towards the emergence of a personal narrative that addresses questions of origin and identity, and builds a sense of direction. This careful attention enables students to orient themselves toward a purposeful future. Ample time spent in nature connects them to themselves, the more-than-human world, and their classmates.

During sixth through eighth grades, students transition from the single-teacher model of the Roots years to a rotation of three teachers they see for the core academic subjects of Unit of Study (interdisciplinary science and humanities), Numeracy, and Literacy. This helps them to begin to foster a sense of independence and expands their exposure to different capable mentors.

Trunk students also spend two days per week in hands-on learning at The Living Classroom, our one-of-a-kind working biodynamic farm. This experience is the ultimate in project-based learning, grounding them with a sense of agency and harnessing their emerging leadership skills. Specialist rotations in ceramics, music, aerial arts, debate, and printmaking complement their growing desire for mastery under the tutelage of accomplished mentors.

With an average class size of just 14 students, Manzanita’s format provides a contrast to many sprawling contemporary middle schools, allowing for a healthy, adult-mediated learning environment where social and emotional needs are addressed head-on. A Council program, where students learn authentic communication practices, helps to mitigate conflict as students grow in their self-awareness.

The expeditionary learning component that is so key to our program begins with a two-night overnight experience in sixth grade, allowing students to draw from their Hawk Days learning as they explore further ecosystems in California, and culminates in eighth grade with two significant wilderness trips spanning up to six days each.

Some students end their Manzanita journey after eighth grade culmination, finding themselves prepared for seeking new challenges elsewhere, while others apply to the Manzanita High School, choosing to deepen their experience with the land and our unique Earth Systems Science curriculum. Our Middle School director acts as the point person during this exciting period of transition and self-reflection.