Manzanita School, a WASC-accredited K-12 independent college preparatory school located in the Santa Monica Mountains outside Los Angeles, has opened admissions for the Fall 2026-27 academic year. Prospective families can submit an inquiry or application through the school’s admissions portal, linked from the Manzanita website.
The announcement comes as the school continues to attract attention for its unconventional approach to education, which integrates rigorous academics with extensive outdoor experiences. Founded in 2013, Manzanita is among the college preparatory schools in California with an outdoor curriculum, challenging traditional educational paradigms by nurturing the whole child through an indoor-outdoor learning model. The 21-acre Big Rock Ranch campus blends classroom instruction with land stewardship and the immersive study of local ecology, set at the foot of wild chaparral—what the school describes as “nature’s most complex science lab.”
Manzanita’s curriculum is organized into four cohorts: Seeds (Forest Kindergarten, first, and second grades), Roots (third through fifth), Trunk (sixth through eighth), and Branches (ninth through twelfth). Beginning in third grade, students experience three days of traditional classroom time, known as “Owl Days,” balanced with two days of experiential learning outdoors, called “Hawk Days,” each week. This structure is designed to foster deep engagement and practical application of knowledge.
As one of the creative curriculum private schools in Los Angeles, Manzanita offers programs across English Language Arts, Core Science-Humanities, Mathematics, The Arts, Nature Connection, Stewardship, and Expeditionary Learning. All students participate in overnight expeditions that build group unity and provide hands-on experience related to their core studies. Destinations for lower and middle school students include the Manzanita campus, Sycamore Canyon Campground, Quail Springs Permaculture Farm, Joshua Tree National Park, and the Cottonwood Lakes area of the John Muir Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The school’s environmental education programs are anchored by a working permaculture farm known as the Living Classroom. Organic, locally sourced lunches and snacks incorporate produce grown on the farm, and students engage in animal care and regenerative agriculture as part of their stewardship studies. This integration of sustainability into daily life reflects the school’s commitment to fostering environmental responsibility.
Launched in Fall 2021, Manzanita’s Forest Kindergarten takes place entirely outdoors and, according to the school, is based on decades of research into optimal contexts for young children to develop confidence, curiosity, imagination, a love of the earth, and interpersonal competence. The program aligns with the school’s fully accredited nature immersion programs for older grades, ensuring a continuous educational philosophy.
The school day begins at 8:30 a.m. for all grades, with class sizes of approximately 12 to 14 students in the Seeds program and about 14 in older grades. This small class size allows for personalized attention and mentorship. A current parent quoted on the school’s website notes, “Manzanita has provided the ideal educational environment for our children, each of whom has different learning styles and needs. We appreciate the depth of their studies, which serves to foster big-picture thinking and encourages them to ask important questions about the world around them.”
Manzanita’s approach is part of a broader trend in independent schools to incorporate nature-based learning, but its location on a 21-acre campus with native flora, an extensive trail system, and a working farm sets it apart. For families seeking an alternative to conventional schooling, the school’s emphasis on whole-child development and environmental stewardship may be a compelling choice. As admissions remain open, the school’s unique model continues to draw interest from families looking for an education that goes beyond the classroom.
