About
About Us
We Believe in Teenagers.
Teenagers are built to ask hard questions and test limits. They crave novelty and exploration and human connection as they seek to understand the world around them. They are neurologically wired to challenge, and to be challenged. In short, they are exactly what our society needs at this critical moment.
The teenage years are transformative, and high school is too important a time to leave up to chance. That’s why we built a school that harnesses the teenager’s natural drive to experiment and to find belonging for good. We cultivate a culture that is grounded in trust instead of fear, where students are encouraged to explore, to be their authentic selves, and to chart their own path so they can thrive in the future, no matter what’s ahead.
We want our students not to simply accept things at face value. We want them to probe, to ask for the why. We want them to learn to respectfully disagree and to learn to change their minds. We want them to be brave enough to ask hard questions, because we know the world needs people who aren’t intimidated by complexity. We want all of this for our students because we know that if they start doing these things when they are teenagers, they will never stop.
We're Rooted Here.
This school couldn’t exist anywhere else, and that is by design: everything we do is grounded in the Sonoma County spirit.
We are down-to-earth and unpretentious, but we also value excellence and are willing to work for it. We encourage our students to be ambitious, but also to build balance into their lives: enjoying the outdoors, good food, and good company.
Our campus is surrounded by the beauty of the natural world, and it is more than just a pretty spot: the hills and trees and vines nearby are part of our identity. We respect the agricultural and viticultural traditions that have defined this region, and we strive to be good stewards of the earth.
Our student body reflects the diversity of our region, making the school experience richer for every member of our community. We are committed to making Sonoma Academy accessible to as many talented students as we can, regardless of their socioeconomic status.
Our Mission
Sonoma Academy calls its students to be creative, ethical, and committed to learning. The school nurtures inspiring teachers and engages with the surrounding community, and its students communicate across cultures as they prepare to become leaders in a dynamic world.
About Us At-A-Glance
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Beautiful Campus
Our campus comprises 34 acres surrounded by 1,000 acres of protected open space adjacent to Santa Rosa's picturesque Taylor Mountain -
Student Body
335 students, 30% of whom self-identify as students of color -
Cities & Towns
Students arrive here from over 30 cities and towns across Sonoma, Marin, and Napa Counties -
Middle Schools
Our students come from 80+ middle schools, ensuring a broad mixture of students from all over the greater North Bay Area -
Languages Spoken at Home
17 languages other than English are spoken at the homes of our students, including Spanish, Chinese, German, Russian, Hungarian, Swedish, Porteguese, Italian, Farsi, Urdu, Hindi, Tagalog, Malaysian, Balinese, Indonesian, and Japanese -
Tuition Assistance
50% of families receive approximately $5.2 million in tuition assistance annually
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Classrooms
Classrooms
We have a variety of types of classrooms to allow teachers the kind of space appropriate for their teaching style: Science labs, roundtable discussion rooms, music and theater spaces, and more. -
Thinkway Toy Lab
Thinkway Toy Lab
A donation by Thinkway Toys, the company responsible for turning Pixar characters into toys, made this studio possible. Here students tinker, play, and create while learning principles of robotics, engineering, and design thinking. -
Fabrication Studio
Fabrication Studio
A large, open space that can be configured as needed, the fabrication studio has a front half, where projects are assembled, and a back half, where the large equipment is stored and where materials may be prepared for fabrication. -
Digital Media Studio
Digital Media Studio
Endowed with ample professional level computers and all the software needed to work with film, photography, audio, and much more, our students explore their creativity in the Digital Media Studio. -
Recording Studio
Recording Studio
With a separate sound control room, soundproofing, and green screen, this studio is where our students produce original music recordings, podcasts, and TV-style broadcasts. -
The Commons
The Commons
Where we come to eat, study, play games, and enjoy tea and toast in between classes, the Commons dining area has indoor and outdoor seating, large group tables, individual seating, and lots of light and fresh air. -
Teaching Kitchen
Teaching Kitchen
Equipped with movable induction stovetops, as well as a double-oven and all the cooking utensils you could ever need, our students learn about the culture of food, a variety of cooking and baking techniques, and nutrition. -
Fitzsimmons Music Box Theater
Fitzsimmons Music Box Theater
A small, classic "black box" theater space, our students have produced incredibly creative shows here. The black box lends itself to flights of fancy, where if you can imagine it, you can bring it to life on stage. -
Performing Arts Center
Community Performing Arts Center
Construction of a new, larger theater space that includes flexible seating capacity for up to 435 people, as well as a theater classroom and actor's studio, is expected to complete by the 2023-24 school year. -
Library
Library
Our Library's resources include over 12,000 books, CDs, and DVDs; magazine and newspaper subscriptions; 15 subscription databases; and a full-time librarian to help students access and navigate these resources. -
Gymnasium
Gymnasium
Home of the Coyotes, our gym is host to our boys and girls basketball, and girls volleyball teams, as well as the site of many a Community Meeting, dodgeball competition, basketball pick-up games after school, and PE classes and Intersessions. -
Ziemer Field
Ziemer Field
An all-weather artificial turf field named for our legendary Athletic Director Chris Ziemer, we field boys and girls soccer and lacrosse in fall, winter, and spring, all while saving millions of gallons of water each year. -
Jackson Banke Amphitheater
Jackson Banke Amphitheater
Named in honor of one of our founding Trustees, this beautiful amphitheater hosts many outdoor events, and is simply a lovely place to hang out and socialize. -
Art Gallery
Art Gallery
One of the only schools to have its own art gallery, we have artist shows throughout the year from artists who take an innovative approach and enhance our art curriculum. Student work is also displayed here. -
The Buckeye Tree
The Buckeye Tree
A sanctuary and symbol of our school's connection to nature, the Buckeye Tree is a campus landmark beloved by students and staffulty alike.
Sonoma Academy Is...
...the only private, independent, college preparatory high school in Sonoma County. On our beautiful campus nestled at the base of Taylor Mountain in Southeastern Santa Rosa, our students are able to explore their interests and passions in a rigorous and inspiring environment that develops a lifelong love of learning and prepares them for college and beyond.
Sonoma Academy admits students of any race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
