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From the Head of School
What makes PacBay unique and distinctive?
We are a Christ-centered community of scholarship and discipleship that nurtures our students’ growth in faith, knowledge, and virtue. At PacBay we have a sincere, deep belief in young people. They have a huge capacity to make a difference and we have the privilege of walking alongside them.
Every experience here is designed with a purpose. At our core we are student-centered, faithfully grounded, and globally engaged. We are educating students for lives of significance – developing courage, self-awareness, creativity, and compassion.
At PacBay it’s not what we learn; it’s how we learn. We cap our class size at seventeen and our student-teacher ratio is 7:1. Faculty engages directly with each member of their classes in a supportive environment where students are empowered to take responsibility for their education.
We make connections. Every student here is known and cared for. Our middle and high schoolers each have an advisor who shepherds them through the year. Advisory groups of no more than twelve meet twice a week. Advisors monitor academic progress and support student success. I work directly with our high school students to build community and unity and I meet with each senior several times so that I can personally write their college recommendation letter.
PacBay is innovative and flexible. For six weeks each fall, students participate in outdoor education, spending time in such activities as surfing, hiking, mountain biking, and skateboarding. Everyone in the elementary school hikes at least once a week. They also tend to the needs of the animals in our small animal center.
Outdoor education encourages our students to take risks and try activities they might not otherwise attempt. This has an impact in the classroom where students are emboldened to take more challenging academic courses. To support students even more, PacBay has initiated Flexible Learning Friday as an academic recovery day. Like the muscles of an elite athlete that require rest and rehabilitation, Flexible Learning Friday allows students opportunities to rest in subject areas and participate in deeper learning in a variety of ways. Faculty holds office hours, one-to-one tutorials, and lead seminars and workshops where students can hone research and writing skills.
What makes PacBay unique and distinctive is that our students are provided with a learning environment where they can slow down, go deeper, and feel supported by caring individuals.
I invite you to visit our campus and see for yourself. I look forward to meeting you soon.
Warmly,
Michael Chen, Ed.D.
Head of School
