“I am thankful for the adversities, which have crossed my pathway, for they taught me tolerance, sympathy, self-control, perseverance, and some other virtues I might never have known.” ~Napoleon Hill

Winter is coming! With the joys of sliding down a hill on a board, skis, or a sled also come shorter days, colder nights, and icy roads. At TEA, we relish the opportunity to explore the liminal (9th-grade ELA word of the day last week, a good one!) space between the limits of our experience and the limits of our ability. We can look forward to the challenge of cold wind on our face on a powder day, and to the joy a hot cup of cocoa brings afterward. Most things worth doing aren't “easy.”

Today marks the start of the Lower School Reading Challenge, where students and crews will compete to see who can read for the most minutes by November 14th. We encourage every student to find their growth edge and then push just a little further.

Later this week, our High School students will set off on their fall fieldwork where they will face a myriad of new experiences. We wish them safe and smooth travel, but most of all we hope that they will learn and grow through each moment, especially the difficult ones!

Finally, our school is preparing for our Annual Giving Campaign, launching on December 2nd and concluding on December 16th. During this 15 day window we will attempt to raise the essential funds needed to continue to provide Grit & Growth opportunities for our students. We look forward to your partnership and hope to see you at the Launch parTEA!

Click on the links below to RSVP and learn more.

Celebration of the Arts | Nov. 19

Annual Giving Campaign Launch ParTEA | Dec. 2

The High School Journey | Dec. 4

TEA Rocks @Alibi Ale Works | Dec. 10

It is never too soon to start shopping for end of the year gifts. The TEA Swag store is open, and featuring a few, fun new hats which are sure to top everyone’s gift lists. Click HERE to view our featured items.

Place your order by November 21st and we will have them ready for you by December 18th, right before the start of Winter Break. 

We’re kicking off TEA’s Annual Giving Campaign with a Launch Party on Tuesday, December 2, from 5:30–7:00 p.m. at The Timbers at Old Greenwood (Tahoe Mountain Club), and all TEA parents are invited!

Join us for a fun, casual evening to connect with other families, enjoy a potluck-style gathering (with a cash bar), and learn how your support helps sustain the programs that make TEA thrive. You’ll also hear from Christopher Barnes, our Interim Head of School and get an inside look at this year’s fundraising goals.

Childcare for TEA Elementary Students (preK-5th) will be available on-site for a small donation to TEA's Student Council in support of their December dances, so parents can relax, mingle, and celebrate together. Older students are welcome to come and hang out in the kid zone spaces.

Please RSVP HERE to select your preferred potluck item, pay for childcare for elementary school students, registered older students so they can play and enjoy pizza.

The Timbers is located at 12977 Fairway Dr, Truckee, CA 96161 - plenty of parking and very easy to get to!

Don’t miss out on pizza for your student! The second Lower School Pizza Day is Wednesday, November 5. Sign up HERE by noon on Tuesday.

On November 14, at 3:30 p.m., head to Alibi Truckee for one of TEA’s best ParTEAs. Play and if you win, go home with prizes and some sweet TEA swag! Just $5 per person to play as many games as you can manage! RSVP HERE!

The Murray family: Abigail, David, and their son Badger are excited to join the Tahoe Expedition Academy community. They’ve called Tahoe home for decades, with Abigail

moving here in the mid-1990s and David arriving in 2000. Abby is a freelance graphic designer who’s been working with Tahoe businesses for years. She studied art at UC Berkeley and continues to pursue her creative side through design and personal art projects. When the snow’s good, you can find her snowboarding the Homewood trees.

David is a Registered Professional Forester and the Forestry Program Manager for the Tahoe Resource Conservation District. He began his career on the fireline as a wildland firefighter before shifting into forestry and fire management. Today, he focuses on eco-forestry, fire resilience, and land stewardship across the Lake Tahoe Basin. When he’s not working in the woods, he’s usually biking Tahoe’s trails, ski touring in the backcountry, or enjoying laps at the resorts.

Badger has been skiing since he was little and joined ski team at age six. Not much of a competitor, Badger is more of an all-mountain rider who loves chasing powder and park laps with friends. This past summer he discovered BMX riding at Woodward and even saved up to buy his own BMX bike. He also enjoys graphic novels, building models, Lego, and just about anything hands-on and creative.

The family was drawn to TEA’s teaching model and emphasis on hands on learning and character building. They’re excited to be part of a community that values curiosity, resilience, and the natural world as much as they do.

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