Beyond School Walls

Moving beyond the school walls provides many new experiences and extensions for learning. Day trips and overnight trips for all ages give students opportunities to shine in new ways, to support younger buddies, to develop confidence, become engaged in the community, and to take risks within a supportive environment. Regular excursions include a bi-annual snow trip to the Sierra Club’s Clair Tappan Lodge, camping in the redwoods, an annual Community Service event, and backpacking in the High Sierra.

Farm School

Farm School in Healdsburg is a very special experience for children at Synergy. Beginning in fourth grade, students spend one week each year at Deergnaw, a 270-acre watershed in the Dry Creek Valley outside of Healdsburg. They learn first hand about creating community, interaction of several California ecosystems, botany, wildlife biology, and agriculture. They create poetry and art inspired by nature, and celebrate the changing of seasons and experience their growing maturity as they return year after year. From harvesting produce that the students plant themselves, to restoring creek-side riparian areas, the students develop a deep connection to this magical landscape.

8th Grade Trip

Synergy eighth graders spend a week at Campamiento El Molino, located in a small town in the state of Michoacan, Mexico. Participating in everything from animal care to clothing design, students are fully involved in regional activities. Field trips to local sites of interest, including small towns and archeological ruins, provide an opportunity to learn about local culture. In addition, sharing experiences with Mexican students who also attend the camp becomes an important part of the program.

Community Involvement

During the year, students (and parents) engage in a variety of events throughout San Francisco, including a school-wide community service workday, musical performances at non-profit venues, visits with elders, and other field trips that help students connect with our Mission neighborhood and the Bay Area.