As a graduating senior, I can tell you with utmost honesty that balance is the most difficult thing to maintain as a student — the delicate equilibrium that must be kept between academics, sports, clubs, jobs, internships, a social life, and (hopefully) a decent sleep schedule. And we must accomplish all of this without (ideally) sacrificing our mental health in the process. It is exhausting to tell you the truth.
Claire Rietmann-Grout and Lindsay Stewart recognized this mental fatigue that has been plaguing students throughout the United States and wished to change that. So, they started the Coastside Leadership Academy, an all-girls school “rooted in the cycles of joy, healing and growth” as explained by their mission statement.
“As all girls educators, we saw a need before the pandemic to support students’ mental health,” Rietmann-Grout and Stewart said. “After quarantine, the mental health of students plummeted even more and we knew that the entire education system needed to be changed to support the students’ well-being.”
They developed their guiding philosophy of their school through loads of research and a focus on balance and the healing effects of nature.
“In order to do high level critical thinking, which is what we want adults to have, we have to balance our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual selves,” Rietmann-Grout and Stewart said. “We are seeing that teenagers are over-scheduled, and we hope to give them time and space to digest what they are learning, be creative and develop their own passions.”
To achieve this aim, CLA takes the advice of latest research and rethinks many aspects of traditional schooling. Its weekly schedule starts at 9 a.m., rather than 8 a.m. or 8:30 a.m., to “align with a teenager’s natural circadian rhythm.” There is no homework, and an emphasis is placed on “narratives over letter grades.” Furthermore, the curriculum CLA’s educators develop is co-created with the students themselves, to adapt and include their interests in their education.
In another major break from stereotypical American education, CLA students will spend the majority of their time outside, in Moss Beach on the coast and “learn through a balance of movement, play, curiosity and rest.” Their intention is to get students off screens and connect with the Earth — learning through “the resources of the world” rather than in a classroom setting.
“Research shows that spending time in nature decreases anxiety and depression and boosts mental health across all age groups,” Rietmann-Grout and Stewart said. “We want our teens to feel grounded and connected to the Earth because when they feel balanced they can begin to share their gifts outward and lead.”
With these principles, CLA aims to graduate compassionate leaders in the community and employ their unique methods to revolutionize the education system with satellite schools and locations.
The Coastside Leadership Academy’s inaugural cohort will be in the fall of 2022 and they will be doing an informational Zoom meeting for prospective parents on June 16.
Samidha Mishra is a senior at San Mateo High School. Student News appears in the weekend edition. You can email Student News at news@smdailyjournal.com.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.