Private School in San Diego County, California

Pacific Ridge School, Carlsbad:
Pacific Ridge School is an independent middle and high school for grades 7 -12 in Carlsbad in San Diego County, CA. Pacific Ridge School is fulfilling the need in Coastal North County for excellence in independent, college-preparatory and secondary education. Firmly rooted in academic excellence, Pacific Ridge School inspires and equips students to be lifelong learners who act with compassion and integrity. With Pacific Ridge School’s opening in the fall of 2007, its founders intended to enrich the educational opportunities in San Diego’s North County, offering the community an educational mission that focuses on mind and heart, that combines academic excellence with ethics and links civic responsibility to global awareness.

Pacific Ridge School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and are a member of the National Association of Independent Schools.

Our Mission:
In a community that fosters academic excellence, ethical responsibility and global engagement, Pacific Ridge School prepares students for college and a purposeful life.

Academic Excellence:
Students will deepen their grasp of important questions and concepts through critical thinking and creative reasoning. We will foster an understanding of multiple perspectives, effective communication and the application of knowledge. Pacific Ridge School will prepare students to succeed at the most selective universities and colleges, as well as in their eventual occupations and life-long service.

- Middle School Program
- High School Program

* In addition to Academic Subjects such as Social and Community Studies, American Studies, Life Science, Conceptual Physics, Mathematics, English, French and Spanish, subjects such as Ethical Responsibility and Global Engagement play an important role in our curriculum.

Students will explore beliefs and opinions from new perspectives, becoming aware of their role as members of a global community. Students will develop a global perspective and be prepared to live in a society that is increasingly complex and interconnected. By offering an integrated curriculum, we will graduate students who are culturally, politically, and socially aware. These students will be resilient and competent to engage the world around them.

Ethical Responsibility:
Students will develop the ability to discern right from wrong as a matter of conscience, and to develop the courage to act on their moral beliefs. Through a curriculum and culture deeply and distinctively committed to an ethic of personal responsibility as a way of life, students will learn the value of living with integrity, as they and their teachers seek to learn what is fair, compassionate and right.

What kind of a place will Pacific Ridge School be for those who study and work there, indeed for every member of the community?

A place of:

- RESPECT, where we will respect others, oneself and the environment, by exercising empathy and affording dignity to all;

- UNDERSTANDING, where we will seek to find truth more than to win, through honesty and engagement with ideas; and where the development of individual, moral responsibility and conscience is prized;

- BALANCE, where depth of understanding, requiring time and reflection, will be balanced with breadth of opportunity;

- PURPOSE, where students will find their place in the world, striving to reach beyond their own needs to express care and make a difference in the lives of others;

- PASSION for learning, where important questions are posed, students think critically and find their voice, developing habits of learning that endure.

Extracurricular activities enrich the community at Pacific Ridge School, bringing students, faculty, staff, and parents together in new, creative, and productive ways. Community Life and Service Learning give students the opportunity to broaden the scope of their education as they listen to, work alongside, and interact with members of our local and global communities. Student Council and Model U.N. inspire students to take on leadership positions, while social events such as dances and barbecues give them a chance to let loose and enjoy themselves.

Arts and Performance days showcase the tremendous talent of our budding dramatic, visual, dance, and musical artists. Students strengthen their writing skills and show their creative flair in the yearbook, school newspaper, and school-wide literary and arts magazine. Finally, Pacific Ridge School supports numerous clubs, some of which include Art, Drama, Golf, Music, Science Olympiad, Surf, Tech and Ultimate Frisbee. These student-initiated and student-led clubs show the depth of students’ enthusiasm for cultural connection, creativity, and just plain fun.