About Us
Quest Forward Academy Santa Rosa
1500 Farmers Lane
Santa Rosa, California 95405
707-387-1663
The Forward-Thinking High School
Students should be active in and excited about their learning. School is the journey that leads to their futures. Quest Forward Academy challenges them, equipping them with the tools they will need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
Combining rigorous academics with a solid framework of real-life, valuable skills, Quest Forward Academy is demanding, exciting, engaging—anything but boring.
2017
FOUNDED
135
STUDENTS
16
MENTORS
23
TOTAL STAFF
Small and Mighty
Small class sizes, typically about 12 students, allow for active, project-based learning, personalization geared toward interests and goals, ample opportunities to accelerate, and the attention each student deserves from a mentor. The school will continue to grow toward a target of 256 students, with 64 students per grade.
Part of a Global Network
Quest Forward Academy Santa Rosa is part of a global network of schools that offer Quest Forward Learning to their students. Built on a common vision for quality education and a shared course of study, each Quest Forward Academy is committed to rigorous academics, active learning, and personal growth.
A Truly Unique High School Experience
Located in the heart of Santa Rosa, the Quest Forward Academy campus is optimized in design and form for Quest Forward Learning. The campus features:
- Science Laboratory
- Makerspace/art studio
- Flexible Classrooms
- Cafe space for collaborative work
- …and more!
Interested students are welcomed to experience classes and be a part of Quest Forward Academy for a day. Register today!
"I value the close-knit, caring community at Quest Forward Academy. Thanks to this community, I am always surrounded by people who I care about and who respect me, making me feel comfortable being completely myself."
"The thing I value most about Quest Forward Academy is the community. We have a community and curriculum that allows me to be myself and thrive. I get to go deep into what I want and I get more creativity to add new things. I also love that the school is so accepting... this school has helped me tremendously to accept myself and be happy. I often refer to the school as my second family because I can talk to anyone and I know they will help me if I need it.”
"I value the mentors because they always attempt to incorporate our feedback and help us improve our work.”
"Other public schools that I used to go to, they had this sort of learning system of listening to lectures, reading textbooks, memorizing facts, and then regurgitating everything. And I would walk away and I wouldn't remember things and I wouldn't understand how that related to everyday life and my future and it just didn't, it felt like there was no point to it.... But here, I found a reason to want to learn, to love to learn."
"One thing that’s different here from another school, and it's kind of what makes me really excited to come to school, is all the mentors... I've never been super keen on English and Social Science. But being here has really changed that for me, and I started to enjoy writing and to enjoy reading, and I improved in writing and reading."
Meet the Team
Director
B.A. Government, B.A. Spanish, M.A. Spanish, Ph.D. Educational Innovation (Leadership & Technology)
Pathways Career Development Coordinator
BA in Journalism and Mass Communication, MA Mass Communication
Social Sciences Mentor
BA History, MA History, Social Sciences & Health Science Credentials
Dean of Students, English & Social Sciences Mentor
BA Classics, M.Phil Classics, MA International Relations, MAT Education
Cath Caddell
Guidance/College Counselor
Denilzón Puentes Calderón
Physical Education and Power Foundations Mentor
Amber Herman
Educational Fellow
Director of Admissions and Recruitment
FIT; Rockefeller Foundations Next Generation Leadership Fellow
Verenise Reyes
Front Desk Support
Social Sciences Mentor
BA History & Classical Civilizations, MA European and Russian History
Scot Spinner
Educational Fellow/Tech
Nancy Varela
Operations Manager
Check out our open positions and apply.
A School Year that Makes Sense
The academic year consists of:
- Four terms, eight to nine weeks each
- Two-week fall Intersession
- Three-week winter Intersession
- Two-week spring Intersession
This schedule enables innovative, personalized programming for students. The Intersessions provide opportunities for:
- Intensive work in electives
- Internships or work experiences
- Independent projects
- A change of pace from the core academic content
A five-week Summer Session is also offered. The Summer Session provides students with opportunities to catch up in courses, as well as new opportunities for service learning, internships, project work, and electives.
Days with Structure and Flexibility
- 8:00 a.m.: Academy opens. Students work on projects, enjoy breakfast, and get ready for the day.
- 9:00 a.m.: Classes Begin
- 12:00 p.m.: Lunch
- 3:30 p.m.: Classes end. Club activities begin, as well as additional work time and mentor support.
During the regular terms, each class meets 5 times every 2 weeks. In addition to regular class meetings, students also have:
- Planning periods
- Open quest time
- One hour each day for electives and project work, which allows students to receive additional support
School lets out after morning classes every other Friday to provide time for professional development of staff and for students to engage in independent work.
Students also have regular opportunities for field trips and other exploratory projects in the surrounding community as part of our City as Campus program.
A Quest Forward Academy education may be more attainable than you think. Our scholarship program ensures that qualified students, regardless of finances, can attend Quest Forward Academy.
Upcoming Events
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