Southwestern Academy (San Marino Campus)

A Message from the Head of School, Robin Jarchow

It has been my privilege to be a part of the Southwestern Academy family for over thirty years. I have served in a variety of roles, from athletic coach when I was just 18, to classroom instructor, to Administrative Dean, to becoming just the third Head of School in our 100-year history.

Southwestern Academy has a near-century of experience educating young men and women, preparing them for college and, most importantly, preparing them for their lives after schooling.

It is not just a rigorous academic program that makes our students successful. By the time of graduation from Southwestern, they will have developed independence and confidence. They’ll have discovered and enhanced their unique strengths and talents through countless opportunities that might not exist at a larger school, whether it be in academics, sports participation, leadership roles, or co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

While many schools, including Southwestern, can boast about small class sizes with a nurturing faculty and staff, our mission and vision are both supportive and inclusive. We attract and enroll high-achieving students as well as those who may have previously struggled in their educational endeavors. What unites our students is their determination, their motivation, and their willingness to reach the summit of their personal capabilities.

Each year we house students from upwards of 20 different countries from around the world, who join our domestic population to form a marvelously diverse student body. The social dynamics of living together, dining together, and recreating together are cornerstones of a boarding school environment. We preserve that atmosphere to the benefit of both our resident and our day students alike.

And in a world sometimes overrun with confusion and turmoil, my heart and spirit soar each time our students form life-long friendships based on forbearance and empathy, even as they hail from differing cultures with wide-ranging customs.

If ours is a community that you wish to join, I urge you to visit our campus located in the beautiful and exclusive community of San Marino, just south of Pasadena in Southern California.