Manzanita School & Institute (2026-27 Profile)

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Manzanita School & Institute

1717 Old Topanga Canyon Road Topanga, CA 90290

Tel: (310) 455-9700

Quick Facts (2026-27)

School Type: Special Program Emphasis
Grades: Kindergarten-12
Enrollment: 120 students
Average class size: 14 students
Application Deadline: Dec. 15 / Jan. 15
Source: 鉁�Verified school update

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #1 - Mother earth is the number one teacher at Manzanita School.

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #2 - High School students meet outdoors with both their Literacy teacher and their College Advisor.

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #3 - First grade indoor classroom.

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #4 - Numeracy or Mathematics in Second Grade.

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #5 - Sixth graders in their indoor classroom with Ms. Marie

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #6 - Kindergarten student's nourished home-made lunch by School of Lunch team.

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #7 - Eight grade class in the pool for Vitality or Physical Education.

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #8 - Teachers harvested herbs and flowers from our Living Classroom or Seed to Table Farm.

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #9 - Cross-grade level Stewardship Class on Friday doing micro-trash pick up.

Manzanita School & Institute Photo #10 - Kindergarten students sanding manzanita wood in their Magical Forest classroom.

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Quick Facts (2026-27)

School Type: Special Program Emphasis
Grades: Kindergarten-12
Enrollment: 120 students
Average class size: 14 students
Application Deadline: Dec. 15 / Jan. 15
Source: 鉁�Verified school update

School Rankings

Manzanita School & Institute ranks among the top 20% of private schools in California for:

School Facts

School Type

School with Special Program Emphasis

Religious Affiliation

Nonsectarian

Grades Offered

Grades Kindergarten-12

Students By Grade

View Data

Distribution of Students By Grade
Grade	Manzanita School & Institute
Kind	12
1	15
2	10
3	10
4	12
5	10
6	12
7	10
8	12
9	6
10	5
11	3
12	3

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Year Founded

2013

School Calendar

Student Body

Total Students

120 students

Student Body Type

Co-ed

% Students of Color

32%

State avg.: 52%

Academic Profile

Total Classroom Teachers

22 teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio

5:1

National avg.:

% Faculty w/Advanced Degree

50%

Average Class Size

14 students

Average SAT score

1100

(Out of 1600)

Classroom Dress Code

Casual

Number of AP Courses

1 course

School Membership(s)School Assoc.

National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)

Tuition & Financial Aid

Admission Deadline

Dec. 15 / Jan. 15

Tuition Notes

Tuition rates start at $39,567 for K-2. $46,676 3-5th grade. $50,088 6-8th grade, and $51,548 9-12th grade. Tuition includes the meal program.

% on Financial Aid

50%

Admissions Director

Eva Sanchez-Calixtro

Application URL

Sports

Total Sports Offered

10 sports

Sports

BasketballCross Country

Flag FootballFootball

GymnasticsSoccer

SwimmingTennis

Ultimate FrisbeeVolleyball

Extracurriculars

Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.

4 extracurriculars

ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.

Club or Organization:

After School Program: Oak Tree Club (Aerial Arts, KinFlow, Basketball & Swimming Classes, Supervised Child Care)

Arts and Music Programs:

Ceramics & Aerial ArtsMusic Classes (i.e. Instruments & Choir)

Performing & Visual Arts

School Notes

Situated in Topanga`s Santa Monica Mountains, Manzanita is an independent, college-preparatory, WASC-accredited school serving children in grades Forest Kindergarten through 12th.
More than a school, Manzanita was founded in 2013 as a community of educators, students and parents dedicated to bringing positive change to the world through teaching the wisdom from the beginning of human history through to the innovations of our modern times.
Manzanita is a school for today inspired by timeless ideas.

Manzanita's model is guided by mentorship and grounded by deep connection with nature to unlock the intrinsic gifts within our adolescents. At Manzanita, the symbiotic approach to learning is practiced. By offering a cross-disciplinary curriculum and blending academic subjects with spending considerable time in our "outdoor classroom" and the arts, our students gain lasting and resonant knowledge and capacities to become empowered, free-thinking adults.
Every young person has something unique to offer the world that must be awakened in their adolescence; Manzanita is committed to guide each child meaningfully to discover and develop their personal gift.
Manzanita's program is informed by the following SIX GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
- INTRINSIC GIFT: In a true mentoring relationship, based on connection and questioning, the unique genius within a young person is consistently awakiening and growing.
- MENTORING RELATIONSIHPS: Each connective moment between a mentor and a young person represenets a vital link between ancestors and future generations.
- SYMBIOTIC EDUCATION: Symbiotic Learning is a dynamic, instructional model that interweaves the connections of our science and humanities curriculum.
- COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY: When the gift in a young person awakens, she considers the whole and applies herself passionately in service to other and the world.
- INTERPERSONAL COMPETENCE: The full expression of one's gift requiqres interpersonal competence in interacting with others.
- RIGOROUS EFFORT: When one's gift is leveraged with regor, it will grow in purpose and capacity to effect positive growth.
The Guiding Principles are actively supported by our commitment to engage students to purposefully connect with Nature as well as to emphasize the importance of teaching Social Emotional Learning. Both are vital to creating a healthy and safe learning environment.
Healthy farm-to-table and locally-sourced snack and lunch program.
EXPEDITIONARY PROGRAM- Multi-day camping and back-packing trips to locations of natural and cultural interest relevant to classroom curriculum
Our graduates have a 100% college aceeptance rate, most receiving robust scholarships.

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

What sports does Manzanita School & Institute offer?

Manzanita School & Institute offers 10 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Flag Football, Football, Gymnastics, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee and Volleyball. Manzanita School & Institute is ranked as one of the top 20% of private schools in California for most sports offered.

When is the application deadline for Manzanita School & Institute?

The application deadline for Manzanita School & Institute is Dec. 15 / Jan. 15.

In what neighborhood is Manzanita School & Institute located?

Manzanita School & Institute is located in the Old Topanga neighborhood of Topanga, CA.

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Los Angeles County, CA is $18,294 for elementary schools and $23,987 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).

The average acceptance rate in Los Angeles County, CA is 79% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).