News & Announcements

As social media use has skyrocketed among teenagers, the need for education has never been greater. Kirby School had made a commitment to provide opportunities for our 6-12th grade community to reflect on their social media usage in non-judgmental, and fact-based seminars. 

Kirby faculty, staff, and students can present as part of the Social Media Literacy Series. Students have heard presentations titled "Ethical Consumption of Social Media: Algorithms, Monetization, Misinformation and You," and "Social Media and Body Image." These seminars provide students with tips for engaging with social media in ways that align with their values and supports their wellbeing. 

These seminars are presented to students across grade levels, but research suggests that middle school students may need stronger framework to support their healthy engagement with technology. Beginning in the 23-24 school year, middle school students at Kirby place their phones into storage as they enter class. They are free to engage with their technology during passing periods and breaks. We find that this balance sets students up to be successful in their classes, while still learning to navigate the digital landscape before moving up to high school. Our Student Technology Use Policy below shows the general guidelines every student is expected to follow.

All Kirby students learn to think critically about complex problems, and engagement with social media is no different. Through education, awareness, and support, we are helping our students develop the skills they need to lead balanced and fulfilling lives in the digital age.

The following resources were referenced when creating our Technology Use Policy:

1. Research about Tech in School

2. Surgeon General Advisory

3. Ted Talk about Tech Addiction

 

Kirby seniors, Max Chen and Kai Herbst will take their underwater ROV prowess to the MATE ROV World Championship for the second consecutive year!

This news comes after an incredible showing at the regional contest on May 4. Despite the rain and wind, the Hephaestus Robotics team secured a 3rd place finish in the Ranger Class and an invitation to compete at the MATE ROV World Championship in Kingsport, Tennessee June 16-23 where they will compete against 40 of the top teams from around the globe!

The future of marine exploration is promising with passionate students like Max, Kai, and their teammates developing capable underwater ROVs!

Lucia Nakashima '25 already has $160,000 in merit scholarship offers and she hasn't even applied to college!

Lucia was awarded the Rensselaer Medal from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The medal is awarded to promising secondary school students who demonstrate outstanding achievement in mathematics and science. This premier merit scholarship guarantees $160,000 ($40,000/year) over four years of enrollment at Rensselaer. 

What a way to start the college application journey...Congratulations, Lucia! 

Our AP Computer Science Principles class went on a field trip to see how computer science can be utilized in a career.  Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) designs and produces ROVs to conduct ocean research in our Monterey Bay. Chris Wahl is the LRAUV Lead Operations Engineer and gave us a tour of his department, specifically discussing programming and robotics in his field.  AP CSP is meant to be a gateway class to encourage more students into careers in computer science and it involves a unit on Creative Development which is employed in the lab at MBARI.

Being a small school means that our sports teams ebb and flow. Varsity Girls Soccer was dormant for several years, until a group of enthusiastic players--many of them freshman--decided to assemble a team for the 2024 season. Athletic Director, Abby Christopher, likes to say "Heck Yeah" when student athletes come to her with hopes of introducing, or in this case, reintroducing a sports team to Kirby.

It's a good thing, too, because this team went undefeated in their trial, non-league season! We are so proud of their tenacity. If you didn't make it to a game this season, catch them in 2025 when they will officially join the Pacific Coast Athletic League.

Congratulations!