Barnhart Announces a New Look for their New School Year

Barnhart is hosting a tree dedication ceremony Friday, September 23 during an 8:00 a.m. all-school chapel event as a kick-off community celebration to their rebranding launch, which features a logo inspired by sycamore trees at the heart of the three-acre campus in Arcadia. Driving by the school’s location across from Santa Anita Race Track, signs with the new school logo are now visible.

“For a year we have been engaging our diverse community to determine what imagery would best tell Barnhart’s amazing story. Barnhart is continuing to embrace our tradition of academic excellence and balanced learning, and we sought out our new mark to better showcase our students, program and our dynamic community,” said Tonya Beilstein, Barnhart’s Interim Head of School.

The rollout includes other campus décor such as new wayfinding signage and classroom refurbishments in the kindergarten through second grade. And in true Bobcat spirit, every student will have a part to play in the ceremony, adding newly painted rocks under the trees.

The sycamores featured in the new logo were planted in 2012 to replace similar-looking trees that were blown down in the 2011 wind storm.

“A very generous parent graciously donated our new trees and they have become a wonderful symbol of our resilient, and successful Bobcat spirit over the recent years,” added Beilstein.

Tonya Beilstein, former Associate Head of School and Director of Curriculum and Instruction, has been recently named Interim Head of School. Beilstein has been with Barnhart for 15 years and has two Bobcat graduates (class of ’06 and’09).

Barnhart offers a private K-8 education. Distinguishing programs of Barnhart include Spanish and Art at all grade levels, daily physical education, the Virtues Project™ character development program, the creative writing for kids program with the Lucy Calkins’ Writer’s Workshop, a choral group, and an on-site harvest garden. The school has an early literacy emphasis, a 1:1 technology ratio and an average 12:1 student-teacher ratio. Barnhart is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools and Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Established in 1959 by Dr. Ethel Barnhart, Barnhart is affiliated with the non- denominational Santa Anita Church. Visit barnhartschool.org for further information or to inquire about a tour.