Our 4th-12th grade students enjoyed a performance by the Kronos Quartet in early November. This was a special “Arts in the Schools Performance” hosted at the Gualala Arts Center.
Last month our 4th-5th grade class went up to Mendocino for the Native Arts Expo. The students got to listen to Indigenous storytellers (and participate a little), learn about Thule Boat making, and use a drill with an indigenous craftsman to make beads for regalia. It was a great opportunity for learning through art.
In early October, our middle school and high school students spent a week at the Catalina Environmental Leadership Program (CELP). Middle school students wrote articles about their experience when they returned to school. Following is a selection of those articles.
-Cosmos MacLeod
The Catalina Environmental Leadership Program or CELP is an organization where 4th-12th graders can come and experience a week-long adventure filled with fun activities ranging from climbing walls and a high ropes course to activities in the garden, and snorkeling.
My favorite of the activities was the night snorkel where we got to use a flashlight to see different marine species that we couldn’t in the daytime. It was fun to look for the nocturnal horned sharks and spiny lobsters as well as the stingrays, but the real reason the night snorkel was my favorite was because of the bioluminescent plankton. The plankton were the highlight of my trip. There were thousands of them, and when you looked between the stars and plankton, they looked very similar. Unlike the stars, when I moved my hands, I got to see them move around my hands and legs like I had magical powers.
Another interesting activity we got to do was the climbing wall, which I thought was very cool because it allowed us to venture out of our comfort zone in a safe environment. I would say if you end up going to CELP as a student, I encourage anyone and everyone to try the climbing wall and high ropes course.
The last thing I would like to share about Catalina is the “nike” (nuh-eye-ck) or night hike, which was fun because we got to use a black light (they make people’s faces look very weird). We used the black light to look for scorpions which, if you didn’t already know, glow blue under a UV light. Although on Catalina, there are only scorpions about the size of your fingernail so they don’t hurt that much, we were lucky enough that we got to see one with the blacklight.
Furthermore, CELP was a great place to go for a field trip, I thank everyone who was a part of putting it together, there were many unique teambuilding activities and some very fun times were had there.
-Talula Boucher and Elian Moreno
The Night Snorkel, or Norkel, occurred on Wednesday evening, lasting about 30 minutes. After putting on all of our gear, we headed to the ocean. Although much warmer than Point Arena, the ocean was still colder than expected. We travelled in pairs, each pair handling one flashlight, as opposed to getting our own flashlights. Since we were snorkeling through a kelp forest, there was an exceptionally biodiverse1 ecosystem to view.
At the start of the snorkel, we saw some stingrays in the sand. Most of them were babies, but one was fully grown, measuring almost three feet from head to tail. During this time, we also saw a single shovel-nosed guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus), a spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) and a small quantity of unidentified2 blue fish.
As we proceeded, the seafloor changed from sand to rocks, and we entered the domain3 of the kelp forest. There were two dominant types of plants: Giant Brown Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), the largest type of marine algae, and Surf Grass (Phyllospadix scouleri), a common nesting ground for marine life. Within the kelp forest, we also saw a wide variety of marine animals including, but not limited to, Garibaldi, a species of orange damselfish; Horn Sharks, small nocturnal sharks with distinct spots; Kelp Bass, Abalone, and Kelp Fish.
But when we turned off our flashlights, the snorkel got a lot more interesting. In the ocean, there is an uncountable amount of zooplankton. These normally are imperceptible4 to the naked eye, but at night, when disturbed, they emit a bluish-green glow, which is meant to confuse predators. Because of this, when you displace5 the water, it becomes speckled with bluish-green dots, before darkening again. This creates a fascinating light-show effect bound to astonish.
In closing, we have found the night snorkel to be a highlight of our class field trip to Catalina Island. We learned many things about the natural environment of aquatic life and it was a very enjoyable experience for everyone. We’d like to thank everyone who contributed to making this trip possible and hope to inspire others to follow in our footsteps.
-TJ Coleman
One of the most nerve-racking activities I did on Catalina Island was the high ropes course. When it was my turn on the high ropes course, I only climbed up the first component. But there were also four other components on the high ropes course, not just the first one. On the first component you have to climb 25 feet up this giant, tall, wooden log. Second, you have to walk across a log. After that, you have to go across a big, high, tight rope and try not to fall off but if you do that is ok because you have a harness on, so it is perfectly safe. On the next component you have to go across this ladder bridge thing. Last but not least, is the zipline. It goes super fast from the high ropes course into the trees. This is the end of the high ropes course, but you can always do it over again.
What l liked about the high ropes course was that l was super scared at the start to go up the high ropes course but I faced my fears head on and I made it into the growth zone. While I was climbing the ropes course I was so scared I felt like I couldn’t go any farther. Then in my head I was like I can’t back down now so I kept climbing and that is how I faced my fears and afterwards I felt like I had a lot of fun I was glad I did the high ropes course. I feel like the high ropes course is super fun but it offers an opportunity to grow to not just having fun but facing your fears. Even not just me, I also hope other people get that opportunity to grow and face their fears too.
-Julieta Davila
On the morning of the last day at CELP we had the climbing wall as our activity. After we arrived at the activity, we were told the rules , reminded of the challenge by choice, and given the instructions . Then we stepped up to get our harnesses on and then pick our line. There were three different climbing walls each with their own line . The first one looked a little like a jungle gym that was constructed in a wall form. The second one was a typical climbing wall with normal holds. The third one was called the overhang. At first it was a normal climbing wall but about 4 feet up there was a piece of the wall that came out at an angle, so you were tilted toward the ground and then you came over it and were straight to the wall then it was angled forwards at the very top.
Several people made it to the top of the climbing wall, I was one of those people. When you make it to the top there is a bell that you can ring. When I rang that bell I felt very proud of myself and I’m sure others did too because climbing that wall was not easy!
The total time of the activity was about an hour and a half. In that time we all got to climb at least once. I think we can all say that the climbing wall was fun but challenging. The instructors that were helping us at the activity were very kind, and we were grateful to have them there to help us and make sure we were safe on the climbing wall. All and all we had a great time on the climbing wall and it was the best last day activity!
Join us on Saturday, November 1 at the Point Arena Lighthouse for our annual Day of the Dead celebration. This is a FREE event that is open to all.
The evening will run from 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM and will include:
Join us for our 4th annual Noodle Night & Sauce Contest! This is a fun evening to enjoy a meal together and raise funds for our TK-12 Field Studies Program.
Last weekend Ms. Lili and Ms. Meg were in Sacramento for a statewide Ag in the Classroom conference. They met with educators, farmers, researchers, and other farm to school enthusiasts from across the state. This was a chance for them to dig deeper into curriculum ideas for our Farm to School program. One of their recent projects with the TK-1 class was a huckleberry unit that included a day of harvesting followed by jam making and topped off with a tasting of Pelican sourdough and huckleberry jam (yum!).
K–12 students kicked off the school year with their second annual All-School Campout on Thursday, September 25 through Friday, September 26, 2025. The field study brought students, staff, and families together for two days of outdoor learning, shared meals, and community building.
The campout began Thursday morning as students departed from the school and traveled to Big River. There, they explored the beach, enjoyed a picnic lunch, and participated in hands-on classroom breakout activities. Middle and high school students were joined by an outdoor educator from the Mendocino County Office of Education, who led a beach walk and facilitated a discussion about the kelp forest. To deepen their understanding, students created a human model of the ecosystem, each representing a different element to explore the conditions needed for a healthy kelp forest and the threats it faces. In the afternoon, students transitioned to the Albion Field Station, operated by Pacific Union College. The rest of the day included small group learning sessions, lagoon kayaking for 2nd–5th graders, time to relax, dinner, and a campfire gathering.
Friday’s schedule opened with breakfast in the dining hall before students set out for more adventures. Middle and high school students kayaked along the Albion River, while younger students explored trails around the Field Station. Families also had the chance to join in the kayaking.
The PCCS All-School Campout was more than just an overnight trip—it was an opportunity for students of all ages to connect, learn in the outdoors, and experience the rich natural resources of the Mendocino Coast.
Pacific Community Charter School was proud to carry forward this growing tradition, which fosters community, curiosity, and a connection to the natural world.
PCCS represented at the annual Fish Fest last weekend. It was a beautiful day full of sunshine, delicious food, music, and great folks. We hosted activities that included seed saving, watercoloring, beading, and a collaborative painting. Check out the community “Under the Sea” painting that surfaced from everyone’s efforts!
PCCS represented at the Point Arena Independence Parade! Our “Under the Sea” float was created during one of our ELO sessions and showcased our connection with the ocean. So fun!!
pacificcharterschool.org 