“Play is fundamental to children’s growth, fostering imagination, empathy, and problem-solving skills that ensure their development into compassionate, resourceful individuals who can tackle challenges creatively.” - Fred Rogers

As we gather in gratitude this holiday season, the Tahoe Expedition Academy Board of Trustees would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to each of you—students, families, faculty, and staff—for the vibrant, supportive, and adventurous spirit that defines our community.

 

This new school year has already been marked by incredible progress and cherished traditions. We are deeply grateful for a successful transition of our new Interim Head of School, Christopher Barnes, and for the support of the entire TEA community to welcome him. The combination of continued progress of TEA’s mission with new, creative leadership has reinvigorated our program and community.  

We also celebrate the success of our Upper School fieldwork trips, which continue to exemplify TEA’s mission of experiential learning. This month they explored Costa Rica, Belize, Chicago and Alaska. These journeys challenge our students to think critically, act compassionately, and embrace adventure; skills that will serve them for a lifetime. And, of course, we treasure the traditions that bring us together as a community, reminding us of the unique culture that makes TEA so special. From shared celebrations to collaborative learning experiences, these moments reinforce the values we hold dear.

 

None of this would be possible without the extraordinary contributions of time and treasure from our families and supporters. Your generosity, whether through volunteering, sharing expertise, or providing financial support, fuels our ability to create transformative learning experiences and sustain the programs that make TEA exceptional. 

 

Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to our communiTEA. Together, we are empowering the next generation of creative problem solvers.

 

With sincere gratitude,

TEA’s enrichment programs, especially art and music, create intentional spaces for essential play to flourish. Through drawing, painting, movement, rhythm, and song, students exercise imagination, empathy, and problem-solving in ways that mirror the developmental power of play itself.

These creative experiences invite children to explore ideas freely, express emotions safely, and collaborate joyfully, helping them grow into compassionate, resourceful individuals prepared to tackle challenges with curiosity and creativity.

Whether learning to play the ukulele with Mr. Chance, experimenting with Burton-esque inspired self-portraits in Ms. Eileen’s class, or pushing personal boundaries with Ana, TEA students are learning first hand that play isn’t a break from learning, but actually fuels deeper understanding and joyful growth.

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

State of the School | Dec. 9

TEA Rocks @Alibi Ale Works | Dec. 10

Want an easy way to stay on top of what’s happening at TEA? Use this link to sync school calendar events directly to your calendar and never miss an update.

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 this Friday, November 21, and we will have them ready for you by December 18, right before the start of Winter Break. 

Our partnership with Sierra Community House (SCH) continues through this Friday, November 21, and we invite our communiTEA to help us finish strong.

TEA is serving as a partner food donation site to support SCH, which operates the only food pantry in the North Tahoe–Truckee region and provides weekly support to more than 700 families. Due to recent confusion surrounding SNAP benefits, SCH anticipates a 30 percent increase in demand in the coming weeks.

Our Tahoe community has rallied to support this growing need, but SCH has reached capacity for both food storage and sorting. TEA is stepping in by collecting and sorting donations to ensure SCH receives organized, ready-to-distribute food.

If you would like to contribute, please review the guidelines below and drop off donations at either location anytime between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. now through Friday.

Together, we can help ensure every family in our community has access to the food they need.

Unexpired, unopened, non-perishable foods that are nutritious and minimally processed.

Thanks to the tremendous generosity and commitment of one of our families, we are thrilled to announce that we have a $100,000 match for gifts made on Tuesday, December 2nd, the launch of TEA’s 15 Day Annual Giving Campaign! Please consider making your donation on this day to double the impact of your gift to TEA!

It was great to see so many of you at Alibi on Friday! Hours of bingo fun were had by our communiTEA. Huge shout out to Christopher for calling out the numbers and to Katie Graham Parzybok, Tiffany Howell, Kim Burns, and Jill Short for all their planning and organization!

TAP’s next Lower School Pizza Day is Wednesday, December 3rd. We have added a pepperoni option for $12 per meal! Please sign up by Tuesday 12/2 at noon. SIGN UP HERE!

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