f you're thinking of sending your son or daughter to a private school next fall, start planning and saving your money now.
Most private schools are full after turning away qualified applicants -- despite escalating tuition costs. Bolstered by a booming economy, families line up to pay as much as $17,400 for one year's tuition at middle schools and college prep high schools.
Tuition is likely to increase again next year as private schools expand programs and compete to attract talented teachers.
"Teachers in California are terribly underpaid," says Norman Colb, head of Menlo School. "They should not be asked to underwrite education."
Menlo School, as an example, is taking steps to change this situation. The board raised tuition by almost $2,000 this year, primarily to increase the salaries of teachers.
Board members are thinking hard about ways to and economy.
"Menlo is determined to try as it can to allow people to live lives with economic dignity," he says.
Millions of dollars, contributed by private school parents and alumni over the past several years, have created major changes on the campuses. Completed this fall is the handsome courtyard complex for Menlo's middle school, the Arrillaga Family Campus. At Sacred Heart Schools, work is underway on renovating the old "West Wing" of Main Building, unoccupied since the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. Thanks to donors, state-of-the-art science labs, classrooms wired for technology, and new library-media centers now are available at many schools.
The following reports provide detail on what's new at private schools in our area.
Menlo School
50 Valparaiso Ave.
Atherton
Phone: 330-2000
Norman Colb, head of school
Nancy McPhaul, director of the middle school
Grades: 6-12
Tuition: $17,425 for both high school and middle school. Menlo has awarded $975,000 in financial aid this year to about 15 percent of the student body to attract talented students of varied socio-economic backgrounds.
Enrollment: With 750 new and returning students, Menlo School is at capacity: 530 in high school; 220 in middle school. Average class size in academic and fine arts classes is 18 students in the middle school and 16 students in the high school. School started August 24.
Arrillaga Family Campus: Completion of the new eighth-grade building this summer marks the final stage in creating the Arrillaga Family Campus, the middle school's new home for students in grades 6-8. The one-story building in a courtyard setting with arching old oaks houses a science lab; classrooms for English, history and math that are equipped for technology; and additional space for writing, student publications and other projects. Funding for this complex came from Menlo School's $18 million capital campaign that also financed the renovation of and classroom-library addition to Menlo s landmark building, formerly Douglass Hall, renamed Stent Family Hall.
New faculty: Joining the Upper School are the following experienced teachers: Ariel Balter, English; Sarah Burr, math; David Clarke, English and the newest member of the college counseling department; Ed Kim, math; John Kohler, Spanish; Bridgett Longust, chair of the foreign language department; Mary Kelly Persyn, English; , Kerry Rodgers, drama and director of drama productions while Alex Perez is on sabbatical; Patricia Rohrs, history; Julie Strong, science; Bernard von Bothmer, history.
New teachers at the middle school are: Louise Grotenhuis, who taught in Menlo's Summer Explorations Program for two years, sixth-grade English and social studies; Ashley Hill, assistant director of the middle school's athletic department and coach for the high school's girls' basketball team; Mima Nojima, Japanese and East Asian studies in the high school; Tripp Robbins, English and history, yearbook adviser and technical support for the high school drama department; Rosetta Saunders, eighth-grade history; Julie Ann Scarpelli, sixth-grade team leader and sixth-grade English and social studies.
Business office: Menlo has two new employees in the business office: Mark Gerkensmeyer, administrative assistant to the business manager and facilities department; and Jeanne Honig, human resource coordinator.
Focus: Established in 1915, Menlo School offers a challenging academic curriculum, complemented by fine arts and athletic programs. The school's stated mission is to help students develop positive values, skills and character to respond intelligently and humanely to the complexities of an increasingly diverse world.
Curriculum: Designed to prepare students for the rigors of college study, the curriculum includes many advanced placement and honors courses. Among the honors courses are: math 2, analytic geometry, foundations of calculus, advanced topics in math, third-year French, Latin and Spanish and fourth-year Japanese. Advanced placement courses are offered in calculus, biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, English literature, French language and literature, Latin, Spanish, music theory, physics, Spanish language and literature, studio art, U.S. government and history, and European history. The middle school offers an integrated, inter-disciplinary curriculum, taught by teams of grade-level teachers.
Intern program: Menlo School has begun a teacher-internship program to encourage more people to become teachers in independent schools, and to help diversify the faculty. Each intern, assigned a mentor teacher, observes classes and, when ready, teaches two courses with that mentor. Interns also serve as co-advocates for a group of students and assist in advising a student club, activity or sport. History teacher Marta Grajeda is the internship director. The four interns this year are: Anu Athanikar, Grace Limaye, Jieun Park and Kitsana Salyphone. Throughout the school year they will attend a teaching seminar course led by Ms. Grajeda and Norman Colb, head of school. In addition to salary and benefits, interns receive financial assistance from the school so they can enroll in classes and attend professional workshops and conferences. The school also assists interns in securing full-time teaching positions.
Outside of class: Menlo students are involved in about 30 clubs in such areas of interest as music, drama, foreign language, multicultural awareness, journalism and jazz dance. The school fields 23 sports teams in the high school and about 30 teams in middle school, ranging from coed water polo to tennis, track and field, and flag football.
Community service: Menlo continues to support student participation in community service projects with class-wide, community-service days. The high school has added a 20-hour-per-year community-service requirement, effective for the Class of 2002.
Sacred Heart Prep
150 Valparaiso Ave.
Atherton
Phone: 322-1866
Richard Dioli, principal
Grades: 9-12
Tuition: $15,200, including all fees
Enrollment: 448
Peak enrollment: This year Sacred Heart Prep has its highest enrollment -- 448 students -- since the college preparatory school opened its doors to boys in 1984. School started August 29. The student body now is about 52 percent girls and 48 percent boys. Class sizes average 15 students.
New teachers: Joining the school are: Brian Bell, Sarah Berthiaume, Seth Linden and Joelle Mitchell, science; Rachel Ehrlich, science and service learning; Marilyn Coffey, college counseling assistant; Joe Endaya, physical education; Emmanuelle Favre, French; Barbara Intersimone, English; Heather Woods, English and administrative support; Gary Porper, math; Richard Shrock, history; Richard Vaughan, formerly music specialist at Woodside Elementary, music; Raymond Woo, religious studies and campus ministry. Randy Whitchurch, water polo coach, also will teach math this year. New programs: These courses have been added to the academic program: computer graphics, advanced placement class in music, combining music history and performance; video production; three levels of Spanish for Spanish speakers; history of Africa; advanced second-year physics.
Facilities: The "West Wing" of Sacred Heart's venerable Main Building is being renovated. When completed, it will house a new library on its second and third floors. This building, the oldest on the 60-acre campus, was new when Sacred Heart opened in 1892 with 23 girls. Space on campus may be rented for conferences, weddings and receptions.
Go, Gators:, Sacred Heart Prep will field a varsity football team this fall in addition to the frosh-soph team that made its debut last year. Todd Deppmeier, assistant coach last year, moves up to head coach.
Senior fashion show: Seniors, their moms and dads will model during the annual senior fashion show Saturday, September 30, at 5:30 p.m. in McGanney Center on campus. The show is a benefit for the senior class.
Woodside Priory School
302 Portola Road
Portola Valley
Phone: 851-8221
Tim Molak, headmaster
Grades: 6-12
Tuition: $16,735, including book-store deposit, lunch, field trips and all school activities; $31,550, including tuition, fees, weekend trips and activities for each of the 40 high school boys who board at the Priory. About 20 percent of the students will receive some portion of financial aid from a pool of $618,000 this year.
Enrollment: 300. This Benedictine, coeducational, college-prep school accepted this year about 50 more students, placed throughout the various grade levels.
Classes: Class sizes average 15-18 students, smaller in advanced classes. Student-teacher ratio is 10 to 1. School started August 28.
Staff changes: Joining the Priory School's faculty are Chris Trujillo, director of residential life, and his wife Shawna Trujillo, the new middle school director. They will live on campus with daughter Taylor. New teachers are: Kris Yenney, a professional cellist, conductor of the middle and high school orchestras; Scott Parker, chair of the theology department, who also teaches theology for sixth grade, Hebrew Scriptures, morality and social justice; Travis Brandon, English and student newspaper adviser; Laurie Eickmeier, English; Jon Ratshin, math and coach of women's varsity basketball team; Bill Haardt, theology, psychology and assistant coach for girls' varsity tennis; Michael Fariss, a Priory graduate, network and technology specialist; Dora Arredondo -- one of the first women to graduate from Woodside Priory -- social studies, assistant to the deans and site director for the Priory's Peninsula Bridge Program.
Curriculum: The number of advanced placement courses doubled to 15 last year in response to student requests and the faculty interest and willingness to teach them. With more elective offerings across the board, most students have a class schedule that reflects their personal first choice. No two seniors have the same schedule because each schedule reflects each student's choices.
More music: Don Hughes, choral director, will direct a beginning and an advanced choral group this year. Kris Yenney, a professional musician, will now direct two school orchestras, one for the middle school and the other for advanced high school students.
Longer day: The school day has been extended an hour, from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with dismissal at 2:45 p.m. on Monday and Friday. This schedule change enables the school to include activities such as arts, music, drama, Model UN and other club meetings within the school day. It also provides time for students to meet with counselors and for special activities.
WASC accreditation: Woodside Priory School received a six-year accreditation -- the maximum length -- from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. A number of the changes in the school's program that started last year reflect the response to parent and student surveys that were part of the school's self-study prior to the WASC team's visit.
Community service: Students are required to complete 100 hours of community service before they graduate. Dean Leh, director of campus ministry, coordinates off-campus community service trips. Last year, the number of trips totaled 150. Students, for example, are foster grandchildren to retired nuns in Los Altos and a "big brother or big sister" to students, primarily from East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park, at St. Elizabeth Seton School in Palo Alto. Boys boarding at the Priory visit seniors weekly in the nursing facility at The Sequoias retirement community in Portola Valley, for friendship and games, including Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly.
Family picnic: Neighbors as well as families in the school are invited to the annual picnic on Sunday, September 24, at 11 a.m. at the school. Students in the National Honor Society will start washing cars at 9:30 a.m. for a donation to an off-campus charity. Call receptionist Pat Reed at the school, 851-8221, for picnic reservations.
Castilleja School
1310 Bryant St.
Palo Alto
Phone: 328-3160
Joan Z. Lonergan, head of school
Grades: 6-12
Tuition: $17,445 includes tuition and full food service.
Enrollment: 385. Founded in 1907, Castilleja is the only non-sectarian, all-girls middle and high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. About 25 percent of the students come from Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley and Woodside. School started September 1.
Class size: Classes average 15 students for the middle school, 14 for the high school.
Faculty: Among the new teachers hired for the 2000-01 year are local teachers Joshua Zucker, David Lowell, Joannie Banks-Hunt, mathematics; Camilla Lau, biology; John Klopacz, Latin. Coming from Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles is the new dean of students, Deb Hof.
Faculty enrichment: During the summer, faculty members participated in educational programs to enhance teaching and curriculum. Professional conference and seminars included: 20th Annual Festival del Caribe in Cuba; Summercore Technology conference at Noble and Grenough in Massachusetts; mathematics and technology conference at Phillips Exeter in New Hampshire; a bioethics seminar at Georgetown University. Eight teachers also participated in technology workshops at Castilleja.
Facilities: Renovation of Castilleja's 1910 administration building, the oldest building on campus, and the Elizabeth Hughes Chapel Theatre begins this fall. These projects complete a five-year building campaign that included a state-of-the-art language lab, multimedia labs, science wing, fine arts center, and middle school wing.
Athletics: Castilleja offers two new varsity sports -- lacrosse and golf -- bringing the total number of high school sports to 11. Other high school sports include: cross country, tennis, volleyball, water polo, basketball, soccer, track, softball and swimming. Softball, swimming, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and tennis also are offered at the middle school level.
Focus: Castilleja completed its 21st century capital campaign in June, exceeding its $14 million goal. Raising endowment funds for faculty salaries is a high priority for 2000-01 year. For 93 years, Castilleja has strived to live by the five C's -- courage, conscience, courtesy, charity and character -- put forward by the school's founder Mary Lockey. Its goal is to prepare students to flourish in a diverse and ever-changing global community. The board of trustees continues to lead the school's efforts to focus on issues relating to diversity within the Castilleja community. The admission staff supports the board's mission to further diversify the student body.
Open house: For the middle school, Sunday, October 22, and December 3, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. For the high school, Sunday, November 12, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.; and Thursday, January 11, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Applications for the 2001-2002 year are due January, 16.
Beechwood School
50 Terminal Ave.
Menlo Park
Phone: 327-5052
Reynaldo Almeida, principal
Grades: "Young Fives" (pre-kindergarten)-grade 8.
Tuition: $1,560, kindergarten-grade 3; $1,300,grades 4-8 with scholarships available.
Enrollment: 165. Beechwood is open to students who live within the boundaries of the Ravenswood City School District in East Palo Alto and in eastern Menlo Park.
Class size: Average is 16 18.
Focus: Founded and funded by the California Family Foundation in 1985, Beechwood focuses on preparing students to compete in the world of education, both nationally and internationally, on completion of eighth grade. It s an extended 215-day school year for students in grades K-4.
Parent participation: Parents must commit to 20 hours a year of school service and 12 hours of parent education.
German-American School of San Francisco
275 Elliott Drive
Menlo Park
Phone: 324-8617
Erika Van Deusen, principal, grades 1-4; Guenther Dreschke, principal, grades 5-9
Grades: Preschool-9
Tuition: $680 per month, preschool and kindergarten; $726 per month, grades 1-4; $781 per month, grades 5 6; $825 per month, grades 7-8; $847 per month, grade 9.
Enrollment: 164; 72 in preschool-kindergarten; 92 in grades 1-9.
Focus: All classes in this coeducational school are in German. Training in German begins in kindergarten with extra classes in German for students who aren't native speakers. Students should speak German by second grade. This bilingual and bicultural school was established 12 years ago. It is located on the O'Connor School site, leased from the Menlo Park City School District.
Class size: Average class size is 16 students in grades 1-4; 6 in grades 5-9.
Principal team: Guenther Dreschke has joined the school as the new principal of grades 5-9, teaming with Erika Van Deusen, principal, grades 1-4. Mr. Dreschke was the principal of a German-Mexican School in Puebla, Mexico, near Mexico City, for the past eight years.
Nativity School
1250 Laurel St.
Menlo Park
Phone: 325-7304
Janet Schwarz, principal
Grades: K-8
Tuition: $3,400
Enrollment: 294
Nativity's enrollment has reached a record with a gain of 25 students this fall. Most of these new students entered grades 5, 6, 7 or 8 primarily because their parents want them to attend a Catholic school to prepare them for entry to a Catholic high school. Many Nativity graduates go on to high school at Serra in San Mateo, Notre Dame in Belmont; Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, Mercy in Burlingame; and Bellarmine School for Boys in San Jose.
Class sizes average 32 students. Maximum class size is 35. School started August 24.
Vice principal: Carol Trelut, sixth-grade teacher, has been chosen as the school's vice principal. She will continue to teach sixth grade.
Teachers: Joining the faculty are teachers Christine Knight, third grade; and Barbara Balestreri, special resource teacher. Mark Meldola, the school's first full-time computer teacher, returns to work with students in the computer lab.
Almost ready: Refurbishing the school's 1950 restrooms, a project started during the summer, is scheduled to be completed later this month.
Outreach program: Students again will be involved in a range of service projects throughout the year. For example, they stock a birthday closet for homeless families at Haven Family House in Menlo Park; collect gently-used books for the nonprofit preschool, Family Connections; and stage a holiday sock drive through St. Vincent de Paul in San Mateo.
Extended care: Nativity's extended care is available from 6:45 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from school dismissal until 5:45 p.m. for an additional fee.
Summer camp: Nativity offers a nine-week summer program for kindergartners through fifth-graders at the school. For sign-ups in February and information, call the school office.
Fundraisers: Students are selling gift-wrap paper and specialty items for the holidays. For the third year, the school will open a Christmas tree lot from November 24 through December 17, from 2 to 9 p.m. A portion of the proceeds goes to the school's endowment fund, established three years ago.
Peninsula School
Peninsula Way
Menlo Park
Phone: 325-1584
Kacy McClure and Mary Lou Lacine, co-directors
Grades: Nursery school-8
Tuition: $7,600 for primary grades through grade-8; $5,700 for nursery and kindergarten. Scholarships are available.
Enrollment: 254
Class size: Classes range from 16 to 21 students. School started September 11.
Focus: Peninsula School, founded in 1925 as a nonprofit, parent-staff-owned school, focuses on providing an environment where learning is exciting, children are challenged to learn by doing, and independence and group cooperation are valued and fostered. Children are offered a wide variety of experiences in art, science, math, creative writing, dramatics, ceramics, weaving, music, dance, Spanish, physical education and camping.
New teachers: Emile Bruneau is the new physical education teacher; Christy Utter is the upper school "swing teacher," who will work with the four head teachers in grades 5-8.
Program change: Peninsula School is adding French and Spanish to its program this year with Natalie Root, who is tri-lingual, as the new teacher. Another new program is the launching of an environmental and outreach program. New teacher George Zaninovich will work with all classes, talking about environmental issues, and also connecting students with other communities through projects.
Extended care: Before- and after-school childcare is available for students enrolled at Peninsula. Hours are from 7:45 a.m. until school starts at 9 a.m. and from dismissal time to 5:30 p.m.
Open house: Saturday, November 4, is the open house for parents of prospective nursery school and kindergarten children and their children, interested in attending Peninsula in the 2000-2001 school year. Hours are from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Application deadline for all new students is February 1. Parents should phone the school for an appointment to visit classes and learn more about the program.
Phillips Brooks School
2245 Avy Ave.
Menlo Park
Phone: 854-4545
Beth Passi, head of school
Grades: Preschool-5
Tuition: $11,600, grades 1-5; $10,700, kindergarten; $6,000-$8,250, preschool
Enrollment: 228
Classes: All classes have 18 students except fifth grade which has 24. Student-teacher ratio is 10 to 1. School started September 5.
Looking ahead: "Very promising" is how Beth Passi, head of school," describes the outlook for Phillips Brooks School's building a permanent home on a 92-acre site in Woodside west of Interstate 280 and Sand Hill Road. A revised proposal for the building project has been submitted to the town of Woodside and is being reviewed. There will be time for public review later this year. If plans are approved, groundbreaking could take place in early April, she said. Construction would take about 18 months. If all goes according to plans, Phillips Brooks could move into its new home in fall 2002. Until then, the school will remain in the former La Loma School, leased from the Las Lomitas School District. The private school's lease for the property has been renewed for six years with options for renewal, said Mrs. Passi.
Assistant head: Clair Ward comes from the Town School in San Francisco to be the school's first assistant head of school. She directed Town's summer school and taught Latin there.
Teachers: Phillips Brooks welcomes new teachers: Mary Fick of Portola Valley, who has taught in Palo Alto schools, third grade; Melvina Fan from the Dalton School in New York, fourth grade; Cynthia Brinkman, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Spanish; Tyler Crumley from Dallas, Texas, preschool. New assistant teachers -- hired from as far away as Fairbanks, Alaska, and Washington, D.C., and as near as Portola Valley -- are: Ann Gorman, kindergarten; Becky Milusic, first grade; Beth Noell, third grade; Markia Athens, fourth grade.
Focus: Long-range planning -- looking at the school and ways to improve it -- will be the major focus this year. Parent Scott Ryles will lead the planning process. Staff also will continue focusing on children's different learning styles, based on the theories and brain research conducted by pediatric neurologist Mel Levine. New this year will be the school's participation in the "SEED" project -- Seeking Education Equity through Diversity -- from Wellesley. It is designed to help teachers appreciate the diversity of students.
Extended day program: As a service for working parents, Phillips Brooks is continuing its extended day program this year. Hours are from 7:30 a.m. until school starts and from dismissal until 6 p.m. The program is available on conference and teacher workshop days.
Random Harvest: "Celebrate the Children," is the theme for the school's annual family gathering, Random Harvest, on Sunday, October 15, on the Menlo School campus in Atherton. Funds raised will be used for scholarships, technology and staff development. Contact the school for reservations.
St. Joseph's School
50 Emilie Ave.
Atherton
Phone: 322-9931
John Miller, principal
Grades: Preschool-8
Tuition: $10,500, preschool-kindergarten; $10,900, grades 1-5; $12,675, grades 6-8
Enrollment: 518, full enrollment with long waiting lists at all grades. Admission process for the 2001-02 school year begins in October.
Class size: Student-teacher ratio is 12 to 1 in preschool through fifth grades with two teacher-teams in each class. In grades 6-8, the student-teacher ratio is 18 to 1, except in math and foreign language classes, where the ratio is 13 or 14 to 1. School started August 28.
Teachers: Joining the faculty are six new teachers: Nancy Downing, Shaaron Anderson and Michelle Stone, preschool; Kim Lazar, kindergarten; Audrey Olive, a long-term substitute last year, second grade; Alison Hainline, third grade. Moving to St. Joseph's from Sacred Heart Prep are Chris Scott, physical education and fifth-grade co-teacher; and Jan Cook, French for seventh and eighth grades.
Academic dean: Karen Eshoo, whose ties to Sacred Heart School go back to preschool days through graduation from Sacred Heart Prep, is the new academic dean. She moves to St. Joseph's from Sacred Heart Prep where she taught history. Besides her responsibilities as dean, she will teach global studies at St. Joseph's.
Facilities: Work continues on upgrading facilities. The "old gym" is being remodeled into a multi-use building with space for drama and music classrooms, Masses and prayer services, and fine arts performances. The conversion project is scheduled for completion in the spring. Funding comes from a variety of sources, including proceeds from scrip sales through St. Joseph's Parents' Association, and the Helen Jostes Foundation, founded by the Joseph and Emilie Donohoe family that donated the land for St. Joseph's almost 100 years ago. The former cafeteria is now a science lab for grades 1-8 with an alcove for technology. An anonymous donor has contributed 40 new iMac computers for grades 1-5.
Programs: A new after-school enrichment program offers students from kindergarten through eighth grade a wide range of classes and activities, from art to water polo throughout the year. They may choose from a long list of offerings, such as band, chess, science adventures, swimming, cooking and baking, acting, sewing, improvisation and creative play. The enrichment program, coordinated by Diane Greenleaf, is in addition to the school's after-school sports program, available to fifth-graders and up. Also new this year is "Read, Write and Type," a phonetic-based typing program.
Outdoor education week: Starting September 17 for the week, upper-grade students will head for the out-of-doors. Sixth-graders will go to Point Reyes National Seashore; seventh-graders to the Yosemite Institute at Yosemite; eighth-graders will head for Yosemite, camp out and climb Half Dome.
Washington, D.C., trip: Again this year, the eighth-graders' big field trip will be to Washington, D.C., the week of April 22. Rep. Anna Eshoo, a former parent at St. Joseph s, welcomes and guides the students on a tour or the Capitol. Last year students met with Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and had a behind-the-scenes tour of the West Wing of the White House. Scholarships are available.
St. Raymond School
1211 Arbor Road
Menlo Park
Phone: 322-2312
Sister Ann Bernard, principal
Grades: K-8
Tuition: $3,900 for one child if families participate by volunteering 20 hours and make a commitment to buy $4,000 in scrip; $4,750 for one child if parents chose not to participate.
Enrollment: 270
Classes: School started August 23 with all classes full and a waiting list. Maximum class size is 33 students.
Teachers: St. Raymond School welcomes two new teachers, Lisa Walker, fourth grade, and Lynne Bohaybo, resource teacher. Brian Henry returns to teach accelerated math after spending the past year studying in Japan.
Auction: "Mariachi Madness" is the theme for the school's major fundraiser, sponsored by the St. Raymond Mothers' Club. Date for annual auction, dinner and dance: is Saturday, November 4, in the school gymnasium. Co-chairs are Laura Pitchford and Lezlie DeWitt.
Trinity School
2650 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park
Phone: 854-0288
Mary Menacho, head of school
Grades: Preschool-5
Tuition: $9,140, kindergarten grade 5; $7,640, junior kindergarten; $2,930 to $6,830, preschool, depending on number of days
Enrollment: 200; 125 in junior kindergarten-5; 75 in preschool.
Classes: The average class size is about 18 20 students in grades K-5; 16 maximum in preschool. School started August 30.
Teachers: Heather Andrews is the new third-grade teacher; Laura Hale, the new kindergarten teacher.
Theme: "My History is America's History" is this year's theme. Students will develop their personal family history, in addition to studying American history.
Projects: Nearing completion is the redesign of the school's lower hillside area that will include a series of outdoor classrooms as well as a greenhouse, garden, outdoor theater and physical-education facilities. Dedication of the $1.3 million outdoor facility is scheduled for October 15.
Community service: Each class will develop its own community service projects, an integral part of the school's program.
Woodland School
360 La Cuesta Drive
Portola Valley
Phone: 854-9065
Lynne Nelson, director
Grades: Preschool-8
Tuition: $9,100, grades K-4; $9,450, grades 5-8
Enrollment: 250
Class size: Class sizes average 16 to 20 students. School opened August 28.
Focus: Woodland School focuses on academics with a strong enrichment program of art, music, drama, computers, gymnastics and physical education. An extensive field trip program is part of grades 5-8. A summer enrichment program also is offered.
New program: A character-enrichment program starts this year with students focusing on a new virtue -- such as respect and responsibility -- each month.
Renaissance Faire: A high point of the school year is the week-long Renaissance Faire, when all students re-create Leonardo da Vinci's life through drama, art and inventions. This year's event is February 12-16.
Day care: Extended day care for students enrolled in the school is offered year-round from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
