The Grauer School's Class of 1990s Reunion

From Dana Abplanalp-Diggs, Head of School:

Thirty-five years ago, on August 1, 1991, Dr. Stuart Grauer moved into a borrowed storefront in Rincon Plaza on Encinitas Boulevard, opening a school with a single purpose: to give teens a voice. With two credit cards, a small group of students who had been disenfranchised by traditional public education, an affectionate black Lab named Rita who would serve as the first official school dog, and an unwavering commitment to redefine what a private school looks and feels like, he courageously founded The Independent High School—a successful venture which would be rebranded as The Grauer School.

We celebrated the alumni who laid the foundation for the school’s success with our 1990s Class Reunion on July 25. We had a great turnout, and it was fun to reminisce and hear their stories. After all, 30 years ago, there were no laptops, no Google, and only one student on campus had a cell phone (he was lucky enough to have an inaugural Q-phone from Qualcomm). We laughed about expeditions—including the time that they were evacuated from Point Reyes National Seashore due to a fire and the many times they drove the legendary blue Suburban down to Mexico and Stuart taught students to drive on the barren roads. They remembered the hours that they spent in Friday Box, back when Friday Box was a mandatory program where all students had to submit and complete all assignments to mastery prior to leaving for the weekend. They reminisced about sneaking off campus over breaks to get Mexico Viejo (as the old location was right next door to Rincon Plaza), first kisses, and all-school expeditions (the school was so small that students in grades 6-12 all went on the same expedition). What struck me was that, 30 years later, many of these alumni still kept in touch, had made lifelong connections, spoke fondly of their teachers, and could articulate that The Grauer School worked “magic” while helping them find friends that became family, develop a love for travel and adventure, and embrace the idea that the best learning comes when you find opportunities to Learn by Discovery®.
 
Tremendous gratitude to Sheila Wirick, our Alumni Officer, for her tireless attention to detail in planning and hosting this beautiful event, to Tom Hopper for ensuring that our audio-visual needs were taken care of, to Sally Grauer for helping set up and contributing delicious appetizers and drinks for the event, to Dr. Stuart Grauer for his slideshow memories and inspiring speech, and to all of our Class of 1990s alumni who traveled from across the state and country to attend this reunion. I am incredibly proud to have been a part of The Grauer School and its growth over the past 28 years, and I look forward to more years of connections, expeditions, and joyful learning—and to sharing our magic with the next generations of Grauer students and families.