The need for 21^st century skills such as critical thinking and decision making, technological competencies, and language acquisition supersede the current 20^th century model of academic curricula that is not inter-related, nor inter-dependent. As high school graduates, our students will be expected to possess the problem-solving abilities and interpersonal skills necessary to find solutions to problems that did not exist even 5 years ago.

We recognize that the Santa Ynez Valley community is becoming gradually more diverse. We also recognize that our changing demographics require a new approach to the delivery of instruction and the support we offer our students in an increasingly complex world. The Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District is committed to meeting this challenge because we understand that the world in which our students will live and work is vastly different than the world in which the educational system, pre-2009, was born. 

Today and tomorrow, the Santa Ynez Valley community calls for high school graduates that can bridge geopolitical, social, cultural, and economic divides. Service to the community – local, state, national, or international – is an integral component of a student’s ability to fulfill this mission. Therefore, it is in our own best interests to provide each student in the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District with an education that supports a greater understanding of global issues and a commitment to civic engagement.

If we are successful, the students who look back on the education they received in the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District will remember teachers who were highly engaged; they will remember inter-related and relevant academic curricula; and they will remember a system that encouraged them to advance to new heights as they approached graduation.