THE BUCKLEY SCHOOL
“Self-expression through self-discipline” —Isabelle Buckley
OUR MISSION The Buckley School is a dynamic, nurturing learning community committed to equity and inclusion. Our innovative teachers and challenging programs inspire creativity, courage, and collaboration. By promoting a balanced development of mind, body, and character, we encourage each student to find joy and meaning in life and make an impact in the world.
THE BUCKLEY COMMITMENT The Buckley Commitment was created by students in 1995 to guide the community in school-wide standards of behavior. These values are carved into the cement steps of the Commitment Courtyard and posted around campus. Students, families, faculty, staff, and the Board of Trustees commit to: Honesty Loyalty Respect Kindness Self-Reliance and Self-Discipline
A BUCKLEY EDUCATION BRINGS… …DYNAMIC CHALLENGES We believe that setting high standards for students helps them to develop a lifelong love of learning. Buckley creates challenges in every sector of what our founder Isabelle Buckley called her “4-Fold Plan of Education:” Academics, the Arts, Athletics and Moral Education. From the college-level math classes we offer, to our programs in dance, robotics, environmental studies, and video production, every student can follow the curriculum in any direction and stay joyfully, rigorously, challenged.
…AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT When students embrace a spirit of inclusion, they become culturally competent, their perspectives widen, relationships deepen, and doors open. Research shows that students who are exposed to and educated about a variety of people and cultures not only grow emotionally, but their academic outcomes improve as well. At Buckley, we create an environment where every person and identity is honored and respected.
…SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING The social and emotional growth of children is as important as their academic development. In the classroom, on the basketball court, and in the hallways, we work with our students to help them mature into self-aware, compassionate, and resilient young people who are ready to make a positive impact on the world around them.
…JOY, AUTHENTICITY & COMMUNITY In a big city like Los Angeles, it’s important to have a family of friends. This happens naturally on our beautiful K–12 campus. From the joyful, nurturing Lower School to the more expansive Middle and Upper School, Buckley is a place where each child is truly known and can authentically grow. For many, Buckley is a shared history among family, friends, and faculty.
WELCOME
Dear Prospective Families, Walking onto the Buckley campus, one can’t help but be impressed by its magnificent canyon setting, breathtaking athletic fields, and state-of-the-art classrooms and facilities. It’s the people, however, who truly bring Buckley to life—a community of educators and families organized around a common purpose of engaging, inspiring, and activating students. A dedicated and experienced faculty boast wisdom and dynamism. With a staggering combined number of years teaching and the support to innovate their practices, our teachers are among the best in the country. Many programs—new ones are introduced each year—engage student interest, build skill-sets, and encourage collaboration, resilience, and intrinsic motivation. Depending on the student, there are countless paths one can carve at Buckley, through independent projects, club memberships, electives, leadership opportunities, service learning trips, artistic expression, and athletic participation. I hope that you, too, discover the wonders of Buckley as I have. It’s a special place, and one that provides all the ingredients for whatever a student chooses to pursue on the path to flourishing.
Andrew Wooden Interim Head of School
BUCKLEY AT A GLANCE 66 FACULTY
830 STUDENTS
MEMBERS
in kindergarten through grade 12
hold graduate degrees
94%
1933 BUCKLEY FOUNDED
14 STUDENTS
in the average Upper School class
41% STUDENTS OF COLOR enrolled
of Middle School students participate in competitive sports
341 ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS were taken by 173 Buckley students in 2017
BUCKLEY SITS ON 33.5 ACRES of land in the Santa Monica Mountain range
BUCKLEY’S HISTORY Founded in 1933 by Isabelle Buckley, The Buckley School is the oldest K–12 independent co-ed day school in Los Angeles. Dr. Buckley developed the 4-Fold Plan of Education: equal emphasis on Academics, the Arts, Athletics, and Moral Education. These four pillars remain the foundation of our school and are continually updated to reflect current research in teaching, brain science, diversity, and a globalized world.
ACADEMICS “This program is about good writing. It’s also about creating academic opportunities that bring people together.”
LIZ PHILLIPS
PH.D. AND DIRECTOR OF the WRITING FELLOWS PROGRAM
WHERE SKILL-BUILDING MEETS COMMUNITY-BUILDING Buckley’s Writing Fellows are selected and coached every year to mentor peers during one-on-one lunchtime sessions. Our Upper School’s strongest writers are asked to submit personal statements and writing samples, then trained in pedagogy, exposition, and the revision process. The program was so popular last year that the number of fellows doubled this year to meet the demand. Two years ago, Buckley became the first high school to partner with the prestigious Iowa Writer’s Workshop, and the program has grown every year. In early March, a group of student writers venture to the Midwest to study narrative non-fiction writing with graduate students. The experience allows them to immerse themselves in storytelling, build their passions for writing, and experience winter in a college town.
Full STEAM Ahead: Buckley’s Commitment to the Intersection of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Middle School • The Makerspace during lunch offers opportunities for low-and hightech creativity through everything from cardboard, markers, and glue guns, to software such as Arduino and Autodesk. • The Science Olympiad, a national program in which students compete in dynamic, standards-based challenges • Design Lab, a course in creative problem-solving and innovation • Passion Projects allow eighth grade students to connect to something they love through a year-long independent research project. Upper School • In 2017, Our Griffitrons, the Upper School Robotics team, placed ninth in the world! Team members demonstrated their skills in circuitry and engineering, but also in working with textiles and other media, their business acumen, and above all, collaboration. • The Girls Who Code club meets regularly and invites alumni and other speakers in the coding world to speak to its members. PROBLEM SOLVING THROUGH APPLIED SCIENCE Our new pilot program in sustainability, for which we recently received an AFCEA Gravely grant, weaves together the applied sciences with humanitarian efforts. In an independent research project, Upper School science students create a “source kit” that will allow students in other parts of the world with limited resources to harness energy in new creative ways to grow fruits and vegetables, and breed tilapia. Applied Science students develop and execute independent research projects and submit them to the Los Angeles County Science and Engineering Fair. Buckley students routinely earn awards at the local and state levels.
THE ARTS The arts give us ways to communicate ideas and emotions, introduce us to new cultures and traditions, and teach collaboration. Art education is an end unto itself and imparts powerful lessons for students to use across curricula. This is why every Lower School student takes theatre, dance, and music classes throughout the year, every year. Our youngest students also take visual art classes, including age-appropriate projects in all forms, from drawing and painting to ceramics and 3-D printing, in addition to the history of art. Many students also choose to participate in one of our many extra curricular music programs, including Upper School Jazz Band, Middle School Advanced Strings, and Upper School Advanced Strings.
Creativity, self-expression, and a safe environment in which to freely exercise them has marked Buckley since its founding. As one of the original four folds of Isabelle Buckley’s education plan, the arts continue to be a strong, consistent, and energizing component of student life. In addition to our wide range of offerings in arts courses, students have the opportunity to showcase their work throughout the year in: • Oxford Comma, Buckley’s literary magazine • The fall musical, spring drama, Middle School play, and Campus Moonlight Theatre • Improv showcases • The spring dance festival • Rotating art displays throughout campus • Art and video production assemblies • Orchestra, band, and choral concerts • B33, Buckley’s Film Festival, honoring student films from across the city NEW ART STUDIO The studio art room has always been a special haven of creativity at Buckley, providing students a welcoming space with an always-open vibe to come design theatre posters, make jewelry, throw on the pottery wheel, or just hang out with their favorite art teacher. Last year, Buckley students earned 75 prestigious Scholastic Art Awards in sculpture, photography, and drawing. Our new expansive Visual Arts studio includes large format cameras and a full darkroom, seven 3D printers, computer-controlled electric kilns, a pit fire for ceramics, sculpture garden, and a suite of computers loaded with graphic software from InDesign to FinalCut and Photoshop.
ATHLETICS
Dr. Buckley made physical education a fundamental part of her 4-Fold Plan when she founded the school decades ago, and its importance is still foregrounded in every division. Lower School students take P.E. every day; there’s an “everyone plays, no-cut” policy in Middle School athletics; and our Upper School teams compete at high levels every year, often making league play-offs with individual athletes garnering city-wide recognition. Our experienced coaches and athletic faculty (including more than one Olympian) are well-versed in the developmental appropriateness of every stretch, drill, scrimmage, and competition, emphasizing above all the importance of team work, sportsmanship, and fun.
94 percent of Middle School students participate in at least one team sport
10 our of 15 varsity teams went to CIF last year
Our varsity boys basketball team has won 12 league championships
SPORTS STATS 66 percent of Upper School students participated in a team sport last year
Every kindergarten– fourth grade student takes P.E. every day
Our new athletics center features updated strength and conditioning equipment and space for group workouts
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING Issues of ethical character and compassion are woven into every aspect of the curriculum and highlighted through special programs in every division. Treating one another with respect, empathy, and an open-mind is imperative to success in life, and many colleges and universities are tuning into this notion by valuing service as much as GPA. Most important, however, is that Buckley is a safe, nurturing, and respectful environment. This means valuing personal relationships, embracing differences, and putting others before oneself. COMMEMORATING KINDNESS Students have been stopping by Lower School Head Adrienne Parsons’s office to drop coins in her “kindness jar” for years. ADVISORY Our advisory program provides each student with a network of peer support and a faculty or staff advisor who can offer advocacy, compassion, and counsel in social, educational, and developmental situations. These non-evaluative “families within a family” support the personal and academic growth of each student while also fostering a culture of connectedness within the advisory group and in the school as a whole.
SERVICE LEARNING Students in grades 9–12 are asked to commit to at least one meaningful service project per academic year. In order to promote service learning as part of our school culture, students can participate in a curriculumbased project within the context of a class, a Buckley-designed studentled group service project, or create one themselves. Group service projects take place throughout the school year in the local community and are run through the student-led Community Service Council and approved by the Upper School director of experiential and service learning. PROGRAMS • Donations and visits to PATH, a local homeless shelter for families, during the holidays. • Gobble Gobble Give: A “service playdate” in which students pack toiletry bags for those in need before Thanksgiving. • Monthly toy, food, book, and blood drives throughout the year that benefit the Foster Children’s Resource Center, Kid Flicks, Valley Food Bank, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. • Martin Luther King Day of Service: Families flock to campus every year on this holiday to celebrate the birthday of the pivotal civil rights leader by attending educational workshops and volunteering for local causes. • Eighth Grade Service Days: Traditionally eighth grade students spend three consecutive days volunteering at the Valley Food Bank, Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, and other local organizations.
Buckley’s very own Nature Trail, blazed by students in 1998, runs through the protected Santa Monica Mountain conservancy at the south-end of the school. Students clear the path regularly, walk it during Advisory period, and use the outdoor classroom, located beneath one of the canyon’s many sprawling oaks, for painting, writing poetry, and discussion. Coming soon: a weather station and other scientific adventures!
MULTICULTURALISM & INCLUSION Building and supporting a welcoming and inclusive community in which everyone feels represented is a top priority for our school. We know that students thrive when they are embraced and feel school is their second home. Research also shows that diversity of experience and thought improves academic outcomes for all students. We want Buckley to be a community where every person, regardless of his or her ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or socio-economic status, feels welcome and can thrive. By fostering a community that understands and respects diversity in all forms and providing the learning opportunities that make this possible, we help our students develop skills for today’s diverse world. Our signature ninth grade course Intersections of Identity focuses on identity and points of connection within groups. Students develop leadership skills to effectively engage in discourse surrounding topics of diversity, identity, and equity, and to compassionately address the increasingly complex challenges of our global society.
OUR NEW DIVERSITY, EQUITY & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CENTER The Office of Equity and Inclusion works closely with our Service Learning program in dynamic and innovative ways, last year we debuted a student hub to ignite this collaboration. The new Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement Center is an on-campus resource where students can gather in a safe space to connect, converse, explore identity, write, create art, and work together on meaningful projects.
OUR BEAUTIFUL K–12 CAMPUS
A CONTINUUM OF ACADEMICS AND RELATIONSHIPS Other than the state-of-the-art technology found throughout Buckley’s campus, one could still mistake our K–12 model for a little red schoolhouse. Families come to Buckley for its rigorous education with a nurturing faculty and community. Siblings ride the bus and often have lunch together, attend one another’s presentations and performances, cheer on friends and siblings at their games, and share stories about favorite projects, courses, and traditions. Sharing a campus also allows administrators to coordinate curricula and other programming, creating smooth transitions between divisions. Middle School students love to visit their Lower School teachers during lunch, and Upper School students can go back to the comfort of their seventh grade science room for advice or just to hang out. At Buckley, there’s a shared history that creates a sense of security and being known. OTHER WAYS WE MIX IT UP • Sixth grade buddy lunches with juniors and seniors in National Honor Society • Upper School Video Production students film morality plays based on the Buckley Commitment, written and performed by fifth grade students. • Upper School math and science students tutor Middle School students during lunch, as part of a peer mentoring program founded by a junior • Sixth grade students put together a presentation about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, for sophomores in Honors English studying utopian societies.
Set in a quiet canyon on the perimeter of Fossil Ridge Park, Buckley offers students a peaceful, safe environment where they are free to focus on learning. After several years of school-wide improvements, our school offers an ideal balance between state-of-the-art education and tranquil, natural splendor. THE MARCIANO ACADEMIC AND PERFORMING ARTS BUILDING kicked off our campus enhancement plan when it opened in 2012. THE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE BUILDING followed in 2013, complete with lab, calculator, and classroom technology complemented by teacher training and updated annually. The introduction of the LOWER SCHOOL FARM in 2014 added six garden beds and the study of horitculture and sustainability to the curriculum. A complete renovation of the ROBERT YOUNG LIBRARY and RICHARD O. THEIS MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING included new offices, the addition of a language lab, and a college counseling suite. In 2016, THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY AND THE ARTS opened its doors, quickly becoming our new heart of campus. Designed by Frederick Fisher & Partners, the CCA (or, as the students say, “The Brick”)
provides a versatile venue for performances, assemblies, screenings, and dinners. It also includes five English classrooms and a department office. The gym is now devoted exclusively to athletics. Last year we welcomed the latest in our campus enhancements— a new-and-improved QUINN MARTIN BUILDING, which has updated spaces for athletic training and wellness, a visual arts studio, and a head of school suite. We’ve also cleared and renovated the BUCKLEY NATURE TRAIL, opening up more opportunities for environmental science learning, artistic pursuits, team building, and nature activities. The Buckley campus is better than ever—equipped with the latest educational technology and classroom design to support the flexible, collaborative, and project-based learning of today.
“Experiencing a performance in the new Center is fantastic. The seating is comfortable and offers good sight lines, and the acoustics are top-notch.”
Neil Nash theatre and dance department chair
FACULTY Buckley’s incredible faculty is comprised of 111 teachers; 66 hold masters or doctoral degrees; 70 percent have been teaching at least 10 years. In addition to their class schedules, all teachers have an advisory, attend outdoor education trips, and act as advisors to school clubs and student council. Through summer innovation grants and other regular professional development endeavors, faculty members are able to redesign and reexamine their courses every year, integrating new methodologies and technologies. Past grants have supported an intensive course at the Globe Theater, writing workshops, and advanced calculator training.
FAMILIES The Buckley Parents’ Association (the PA) acts as a liaison between the school and parents by organizing educational monthly meetings on a wide range of topics, including the school’s philosophy, teaching innovations, and other current community issues. These meetings play a pivotal role in keeping everyone on the same page so that we can support our students together. The PA also plans community-building events and volunteer opportunities throughout the year, including: • Back to School Barbecue • Holiday Boutique • Spring Fair • Biennial Gala • “Nearly New” Uniform and Merchandise Sales • International Food Fest (in Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools) • Buckley Backstage • Food and toy drive collections and more! We ask our families to make Buckley a top philanthropic priority. The campus and programs we enjoy today are the result of the generosity of those who came before us. Today’s parents are responsible for ensuring a strong future for the next generation of Buckley students. Each family is encouraged to participate in the Annual Fund in a way that is personally meaningful, in keeping with the broad socio-economic range that is reflected in the school’s wonderfully diverse community. Every gift, no matter the amount, makes a difference; the school depends on the participation of our entire community, sending a strong message of support and confidence in the school.
GRADUATES AND ALUMNI
The 77 members of the class of 2018 will attend 51 colleges and universities. They are off to schools large and small, public and private. Some are enrolled in highly specialized programs; others are exploring majors and other opportunities. Our college counseling team takes a long and personalized view of each student to help find the best college match. Individual, family, small group and grade level meetings occur in ninth and tenth grades. The college counseling process then accelerates in the junior year, when counselors help students navigate the exciting and complex world beyond Buckley. Students are encouraged and empowered to take ownership of the application process. Buckley’s overall approach also plays a pivotal role in the college selection process. Our aim is to help develop joyful, authentic, and intrinsically-motivated learners who create work that is deeply personal, creative, and unique as a result. This mission naturally sets up students as distinctive and desirable in college applications, and positions them to lead meaningful lives.
The Class of 2018
First graduating class of Buckley, 1959
HOW TO APPLY Buckley’s application and admission checklist may be found on our website. The application deadline for grades kindergarten–12 is December 15. We look forward to showing you our campus and hope that you will plan to attend one of our Admission Open Houses. RSVP on our website (www.buckley.org) for one of our open house events. Once we receive and process your completed application, we will schedule your interview. AFFORDING BUCKLEY Tuition covers the annual cost of textbooks, workbooks, certain school supplies, physical education uniforms, student accident insurance, school publications, and support of extensive classes in the visual and performing arts. The fees are higher in the Middle and Upper School to cover extra items such as laboratory and art supplies, uniforms for interscholastic athletics, etc. Check our website, www.buckley.org, for the most up-to-date information.
FINANCIAL AID Economic diversity is an important component of our vibrant educational community. Buckley awarded nearly $3.6 million in financial aid last year and all interested families are encouraged to apply for aid. To learn more about financial aid at Buckley, visit www.buckley.org/admission. We can be reached at (818) 461-6719 or admissions@buckley.org. QUESTIONS? We know you will have many. Please visit our website and go to “Frequently Asked Questions,� call us at (818) 461-6719, or email admissions@buckley.org. FOLLOW BUCKLEY Facebook: facebook.com/thebuckleyschool Instagram: @the_buckley_school
3900 Stansbury Avenue Sherman Oaks, CA 91423-4618 Tel: (818) 461-6719 Fax: (818) 461-6714 admissions@buckley.org
www.buckley.org
The Buckley School does not discriminate based upon race, color, and national or ethnic origin in the educational instruction, administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid or scholarships, athletic or other school-administered programs, and any other activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.