The Santa Ynez Valley Family School (SYVFS) was established in 1974 by a group of dedicated families who valued high academic standards combined with experiential learning.  Still today, fifty years later,  our program emphasizes nature-based learning, holistic education, personal and  interpersonal development, intellectual engagement, and important life skills.

 

We nurture the individual student to engage in their community and their learning journey. Accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools, SYVFS has educated over 3,500 students and welcomed 2,500 families over five decades. As an Independent School, we design educational systems free from  federal, state, and district mandates, valuing individual and interactive learning over standardized memorization  and testing. Our nationally recognized curricula feature art, music, theater, Spanish, and Samala languages,  and there is variety in the curriculum, including outdoor and environmental education,  social-emotional learning (SEL), and flexible and customized learning.

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Due to the school's independent nature and our commitment to keeping tuition affordable for all socio-economic realities, we rely on additional funding to support the operating budget and continued advancement needs.