MANA POD · Calendar
Our year at MANA.
2026–2027.
Academic calendar & community experiences
A rhythm of learning, creating, and connecting — with room for family, community, and the natural world.
- Student POD schedule
- Monday–Thursday9:00 AM–2:00 PM · Ojai, California
- First day of MANA POD
- Monday · A new year begins
- Last day of regular academic POD
- Thursday · Year-end celebration
Plan your days
The year at a glance.
Find key dates and breaks, then explore the learning and community experiences that make each season our own.
September 2026
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- POD open
- No student POD
- Community
- Milestone
Markers show scheduled experiences and closures. Regular student POD meets Monday–Thursday during the academic year, except during breaks.
This month
Dates to keep close.
Month-only and dates-to-be-announced experiences are listed in the seasonal schedule below.
September–June · Learn
Learning through the seasons.
Shared experiences, meaningful traditions, and time to pause. Open any event to explore what we have planned.
Experiences without a set date are marked to be announced.
Fall semester
September–December 2026
Begin the academic year with learning experiences rooted in land, culture, service, and community.
Academic milestoneFirst day of MANA POD
The regular academic POD begins. Students meet Monday–Thursday, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM.
POD openIndigenous Peoples’ Day learning experience
Students explore:
- Chumash history and connection to Ojai
- Indigenous relationships with the land
- Traditional ecological knowledge
- Stewardship of the earth
- Storytelling and cultural traditions
Community eventOjai Day
A 10 × 10 booth with Tribal Markers and a MANA presentation.
Late October / early November 2026 · Date TBDPOD openHalloween + Día de los Muertos
Rather than focusing on commercial Halloween traditions, students explore:
- Seasonal transition
- Ancestral traditions
- Remembrance
- Honoring those who came before us
- Mexican Día de los Muertos traditions
- Flowers, art, storytelling, and community
POD openVeterans Day
A day centered around:
- Service
- Courage
- Gratitude
- Community contribution
Friday, November 20–Sunday, December 6, 2026No student PODThanksgiving + Global Compassion break
This extended break intentionally allows time for:
- Family travel
- Rest
- International experiences
- Global service
- MANA’s Global Compassion work
- Potential India orphanage immersion
Friday, December 18, 2026–Sunday, January 10, 2027No student PODWinter break
A period for family, rest, reflection, and seasonal renewal.
Winter semester
January–February 2027
Explore compassionate leadership, service, kindness, and connection.
POD openMartin Luther King Jr. learning experience
Students explore:
- Compassionate leadership
- Equality
- Courageous action
- Service
- Creating positive change
February 2027 · Date TBDPOD openValentine’s Day
Exploring the deeper meaning of love and connection through:
- Friendship
- Kindness
- Gratitude
- Appreciation
- Acts of service
No student PODPresidents’ Day
POD is closed for Presidents’ Day.
Spring semester
March–June 2027
Celebrate renewal, care for the earth, and share learning with the MANA community.
Monday, March 22–Friday, March 26, 2027No student PODSpring break
No student POD during spring break.
Spring 2027 · Date TBDPOD openEaster + spring renewal
Rather than focusing on commercial Easter traditions, students explore:
- Renewal
- Transformation
- New beginnings
- Spring cycles
- Seeds, growth, and new life
- The relationship between human life and the natural world
April 2027 · Date TBDPOD openEarth Day
Students explore:
- Environmental stewardship
- Nature connection
- Gardening
- Caring for the land
- Sustainable living
Spring 2027 · Date TBDCommunity eventFamily gardening day
A special MANA community day where families come together to:
- Work in the MANA garden
- Plant and care for food
- Learn about growing food
- Care for the land
- Build and beautify the learning environment
- Share time together as a community
Spring 2027 · Date TBDCommunity eventMANA family restaurant night
A community gathering centered around:
- Food
- Family
- Culture
- Connection
- Celebration
Students may participate in creating the menu, preparing food, designing the experience, serving families, and learning about the many cultural traditions surrounding food and hospitality.
Spring 2027 · Date TBDCommunity eventMANA family theater performance
Students create and perform a theatrical production for their families. The experience develops:
- Storytelling
- Public speaking
- Creativity
- Collaboration
- Confidence
- Leadership
- Artistic expression
Families come together to celebrate the children’s work.
No student PODMemorial Day
A day of remembrance and family time.
Academic milestoneMANA year-end celebration
On the last day of regular academic POD, students share their learning and creations through:
- Art
- Presentations
- Entrepreneurship projects
- Performances
- Nature projects
- Community impact projects
- Student-led demonstrations
MANA’s year rhythm
A living, evolving learning community.
September–June
Learn.
Regular academic POD programming.
Summer
Create.
Camp, nature, curriculum, app, workshops, professional development, land, and preparation.
Throughout the year
Connect.
Families, community, nature, service, and creativity.
The summer is not an ending to the school year — it is the season when the teachers and team create what comes next.