Foggy start to the day but 41 down

Evidently the thick fog enveloping Marin County had invaded my brain this morning as I barely made it to my first visit at Redwood High School. For some reason or another I had convinced myself that the appointment was set for 7:55 a.m. As I was sitting a few blocks away sipping some coffee, I opened my trusty travel binder to see that my appointment was actually scheduled for 7:30 a.m. It was 7:28 a.m. at the time. Oops. (I think that my first appointment of the week was for 7:55 and that's been stuck in my head since... perhaps a sign that I need a break?) So I made it to Redwood a few minutes late but the students were kind enough to wait for me, and one of them I interviewed this evening to make Redwood bookend my Friday. This is a shot of the school's entry shrouded in fog.

I then headed over to Tamalpais to speak with students, a few of whom were at College Night the evening prior. Thanks again to Susan Gertman for inviting me to be a part of the evening... she claims it was a good presentation, so I'll take her word for it! I include a picture of the archway leading to the school's main entryway, with a bit of the historic bell tower peeking out from behind. A better shot of the tower is also included below... the campus is in an amazing period of transition and expansion to accommodate the rise in enrollment. It strikes a brilliant balance between old and new, as you can see in the theater design from yesterday's entry.






















I then headed up to San Anselmo to visit Sir Francis Drake High School, easily located on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard! I met with two wonderful young ladies and had a fantastic time talking with Barb McEwen, counselor for the school. She gave me the low-down on visiting the coast and tomorrow I'm going to visit her recommended spots with a Kenyon '09 friend who is working on her master's in sociology at UC Davis.

Here's the main office at Drake, as well as a picture of their brilliant new pool with Mount Tam in the background.


















I then jumped into my car and headed north on 101 to Santa Rosa where I visited the new Sonoma Academy campus for the first time. What a fantastic facility! Brand new and beautifully set on a hillside overlooking the valley. Wow. I met with students and was welcomed by the dean of students in Jennifer's absence (though she left a very nice note and goody bag for me!). Here's a close-up of one of the new buildings and a shot from the road as you approach the school.
















My shot of the day is one of the local mountains. Tomorrow, as I mentioned, I'm taking a break from my travels and getting in a day of rest and relaxation. I might not get an entry up tomorrow night but I'll try and post some pictures from our adventures.







From Larkspur with 41 visits under my belt, all the best.
-Noble