The Grauer School

Congratulations, Grauer Class of 2026!

We're so proud of our Seniors, who will be graduating on Friday, June 12.

Dana Abplanalp-Diggs, Head of School, shared this message: "Class of 2026, you will always have a special place in my heart. I am so incredibly proud of each of you and have treasured being a small part of your Grauer journey. We will miss you for all that you have accomplished in your time here at The Grauer School, but more importantly, we will miss the genuinely kind, helpful, adventurous, and fun individuals that you are. You have succeeded in building an eclectic team from a group of strong-willed individuals—surfers, activists, athletes, campers, mathematicians, actors, writers, musicians, naturalists, scientists, artists, global citizens, and leaders. Throughout, you have always found a way to get outside in nature, be courageous, and find joy in your educational experience. Thank you for trusting the process. At The Grauer School, our students mean the world to us. Please know that each and every one of you mean the world to us—you always have a 'home' here with your Grauer 'family'."

Fariba Farah, Math Teacher, shared this message for the class: "Congratulations class of 2026! As you begin this next chapter, I want you to know how proud I am of each and every one of you. Your kindness, resilience, and unique gifts have made a lasting impact. As you move forward, trust yourself, embrace new opportunities, and follow your heart. I leave you with these beautiful words from Rumi: 'Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.' Keep believing in yourself and all that you are capable of. I will be cheering you on every step of the way."

8th Grade Grauer Students Flip The Script On Their Math Teacher

From Clayton Payne, Math Teacher: Teaching anybody to do anything is hard. Teaching students to do something they might not really want to do takes a special type of crazy, such as teaching Math to Middle School students. After really putting this group through their paces, I dusted off a favorite final project where students in my Introduction to High School Math class got to turn the tables and teach me anything they wanted to. There was a lot of diversity in the skills they chose: making Dubai chocolate, playing the 8th grade's current video game obsession, memorizing video game lore (complete with a quiz!), folding an origami heart, and playing a rather challenging bass line. The best part is not only when the students learn how hard it is to actually teach even when they're fully prepared, but I acted like a student while they did it to reciprocate a measure of the joyful chaos they've brought to class over the semester.

The High School ASB Presents Prom Spirit Week

From Shelley Joslin and Dominique Bartoughian, ASB/Leadership Teachers: The High School ASB/Leadership class hosted a 3-day Prom Spirit Week leading up to the High School Prom, and students, faculty, and staff showed their spirit for fun. Tuesday was "Wig Wig Hairay Day" where students wore wigs to express their personality. Wednesday was "Open Mike Day", where students dressed like any person or thing named "Mike". The fun continued on Thursday with "Anything But a Backpack Day", where students showed their creativity by carrying their books and laptop to school in something other than a backpack. The High School ASB would like to thank Elsa C. '27 and Ava M. '27 for leading this event and for all the spirit they've helped bring to campus this year as the ASB Spirit Officers. The ASB would also like to thank everyone who participated in this fun mini-Spirit Week!

ASB Presents High School Prom

From Shelley Joslin and Dominique Bartoughian, ASB/Leadership Teachers: The High School ASB/Leadership Class would like to thank all of the students who attended this year’s Prom at Del Mar Social. Students enjoyed an evening of dancing to music provided by DJ Jeff, taking photos in the photo bus, trying their luck at the poker table, and making lasting memories with friends. A special thank you goes to our chaperones Alicia Tembi, Johnny King, and Trevor Olson, for generously volunteering their time to help make the evening a success and provide our students with a memorable experience.

7th Grade End-of-Year Class Field Trip to the San Diego Zoo

The 7th Grade class took a field trip to the San Diego Zoo to celebrate their hard work this semester. While exploring the Zoo, the students completed an interactive scavenger hunt focused on ecology and evolution. From observing animal adaptations to identifying endangered species and food chains, they applied classroom learning to the real world—all while having fun and building memories together. Thanks to chaperones Nick Scacco, Paige Prindle, and Paul-Michael Ogburn for organizing this fun experience for our 7th Grade students.

Blessings at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast
By Stuart Grauer

I was invited to headline this year’s Encinitas Mayor's Prayer Breakfast despite possessing no known qualifications for such a charge. Here are a few blessings from a school founder who has learned that discovery begins where certainty ends. Enjoy! Blessings!

>>>> Read Dr. Grauer's Column:
https://www.grauerschool.com/campus-life/stuarts-page/~board/dr-grauers-column/post/dr-grauers-column-blessings-at-the-mayors-prayer-breakfast

>>>> Purchase Dr. Grauer's Book:
https://www.theworthyeducator.com/wpk

>>>> SUBSCRIBE:
www.grauerschool.com/subscribe

11th Grade U.S. History Class Visited By Vietnam Veterans

From Alicia Tembi, U.S. History Teacher: The 11th grade U.S. History class hosted a Vietnam Veteran panel last week to humanize the convoluted, controversial Vietnam War. Veterans Norm Luker and Sam McGovern joined our class to share candid stories about their tours in Vietnam. Students asked thoughtful questions and learned a lot about the day-to-day realities of serving overseas, the challenging transition back to civilian life, and the differences between serving in the “Brown Water” Navy and the Army. A heartfelt thank you to Norm and Sam for their time and their service, and for sharing their experiences with our students. It was a truly memorable and meaningful visit.

Grauer Senior Class: Grad Nite At California Adventure Park

The Senior class had a fun "Grad Nite" celebration at Disney's California Adventure theme park. They traveled to Anaheim in a bus and spent the evening experiencing rides including Incredicoaster, Guardians of the Galaxy, Toy Story Mania, Web Slingers Spider Man Adventure, and more. Special thanks to chaperones Clayton Payne, Johnny King, and Nick Scacco for accompanying the Seniors on their adventure!

World Religions Class Activities

From Clayton Payne, World Religions Teacher: Rounding out the semester in World Religions class, a trip to the Self-Realization Fellowship introduced students to the meditation techniques initially brought to America by Pramahansa Yogananda, the "swami" our local surf spot was named after. After a brief history lesson of the faith and the location, students were then given an opportunity to explore the grounds to find places to reflect in silence. During the next class, Grauer Parent Troy Williams visited to discuss the faith and cultural elements of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In addition to answering an excellent batch of student questions, Troy did a great job weaving the LDS experience into the fabric of US history all the way to the modern day.

Happy Anniversaries To Our Faculty!

At the schoolwide assembly on May 19, Principal Alicia Tembi celebrated the anniversaries of Dominique Bartoughian, Math Teacher, and Dr. Peter Mannisto, Math Teacher, who have worked at The Grauer School for 10 years. We also celebrated the 20th anniversary of Fariba Farah, Math Teacher. Head of School Dana Abplanalp-Diggs gave a heartfelt tribute to Fariba and the love she brings to our Grauer community, including her amazing hugs. Fariba received a standing ovation from the students, faculty, and staff in the Assembly audience. She also received a photo book filled with special memories from her time at Grauer. We're very happy to recognize Dominique, Peter, and Fariba for dedicating so much love and care to our students, families, and Grauer community during their professional careers at The Grauer School!