Topanga, California – January 29, 2026 – Manzanita School, an independent institution accredited by WASC and set on 21 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains, is proud to reaffirm its ongoing commitment to an innovative educational model that blends rigorous academic study with deep environmental connection. As one of the premier , Manzanita offers a transformative experience where the rugged beauty of Big Rock Ranch serves as a primary classroom. By prioritizing arts-integrated education in Los Angeles and fostering a mentorship-focused culture, the school prepares K-12 students to become resilient, free-thinking adults equipped to navigate the complexities of the 21st century. As a leader among , Manzanita empowers students to uncover their intrinsic gifts through a symbiotic relationship with the natural world.

Founded in 2013, Manzanita School challenges traditional educational norms by splitting its instructional week into “Owl Days”—focused on deep academic inquiry in indoor and outdoor learning spaces—and “Hawk Days,” dedicated to hands-on experiential learning on the land. This dual approach ensures foundational literacy and numeracy skills are balanced with land stewardship, wildlife tracking, and applied human ecology.

The school’s creative heart lies in its extensive arts program. Students engage in diverse disciplines, from ceramics and visual arts to specialized offerings like aerial arts, drumming, and digital design. High school students further explore their passions through “Individual Passion Projects,” which merge artistic elements with academic research and culminate in public presentations for the wider school community.

“At Manzanita, we believe that Mother Earth is the number one teacher,” said the school’s leadership. “Our interdisciplinary science-humanities core reinforces a love of the earth and fosters a sense of collective responsibility. We are not just teaching students how to succeed in college; we are teaching them how to heal the earth and find their place within the more-than-human world.”

Beyond daily classes, Manzanita’s Expeditionary Program takes learning on the road with multi-day camping and backpacking trips aligned with classroom studies in geology, ecology, and history. Coupled with a farm-to-table meal program sourced from the school’s own permaculture farm, the Manzanita experience nurtures the whole child—academically, physically, and socially.

With a 100% college acceptance rate for its graduates, Manzanita School demonstrates that a nature-based, arts-rich environment provides a powerful foundation for future success.

About Manzanita School:

Located at Big Rock Ranch in Topanga, California, Manzanita School is a non-profit, coeducational day school serving grades K-12. The school’s mission is to reawaken mutual symbiosis between humans and the natural world through a rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum and dedicated land stewardship.

Media Contact:

Manzanita School Office

1717 Old Topanga Canyon Blvd.

Topanga, CA 90290

(310) 455-9700