East Bay private schools offer many choices. With the help of EBISA, the East Bay Independent Schools Association, we have assembled this guide to visitations, tours, and other prospective family events at our area's independent (AKA private) schools. For up-to-the-minute changes, check the embedded calendar here from ebisa.org or with the schools in question. Happy visiting!
{Our 2018-19 guide sponsors}
Calendar of private school events
East Bay Independent Elementary & Middle Schools (sponsored listings):
The Academy (Elmwood in Berkeley)
The Academy upholds its long history of exceptional academics in an supportive, small school community. With a maximum class size of 15, expert teachers engage students in deep and meaningful learning. Offers Art, Music, French, Latin, and STEM. {See 510families spotlight on The Academy}
Grades: K through 8th grade
Website >
The Athenian School (Danville)
Athenian students actively engage in collaborative problem solving, applying their academic knowledge in classes, in international programs, and on their wilderness experience. Athenian graduates thrive in outstanding colleges and pursue a lifetime of intellectual exploration and meaningful contribution.
Grades: 6th through 12th grade
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Aurora School (Oakland)
Aurora students thrive in innovative, multi-aged classrooms with exceptional teachers and a small teacher/student ratio. The unique balance of academics and social emotional learning cultivates graduates who experience greater academic challenge, a positive self-conception, and innate leadership skills.
Grades: K through 5th grade
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The Berkeley Rose Waldorf School
Since 2009, this diverse student body has enjoyed a rich curriculum of art integrated into the learning of rigorous math, language arts, Spanish, Mandarin, movement, handwork, and music. A reverence for nature and being outdoors enlivens the teaching with joy.
Grades: Nursery school through 5th grade
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The Berkeley School
TBS students have joyful, rigorous learning experiences that help them develop the skills, perspectives and motivations necessary to create positive change in their local and global communities. Reach out to learn more about The Berkeley School’s focus on civic engagement.
Grades: Preschool through 8th grade
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Berkwood Hedge School (Berkeley)
Berkwood Hedge School cultivates kids’ natural creativity and intellectual curiosity through within an environment just right for their age, emotions, and needs. By helping kids grow into their unique selves without growing up too quickly, children develop clarity and confidence.
Grades: K through 5th grade
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Black Pine Circle School (West Berkeley)
For 45 years, Black Pine Circle's award-winning elementary and middle school has created lifelong learners through a Socratic inquiry-based education that emphasizes both academics and the arts. BPC inspires and nurtures curiosity, community, inquiry, and voice in its students. {See 510families spotlight on Black Pine Circle}
Grades: K through 8th grade
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Crestmont School (Richmond)
A progressive, intimate school environment that uses a hands-on, project-oriented approach: Crestmont is a K-8 parent cooperative that encourages curiosity, critical thinking, collaborative learning, academic excellence, emotional intelligence, and strong community spirit. First Open Houses: Oct 24 & 25.
Grades: K through 8th grade
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Contra Costa Jewish Day School (Lafayette)
Through algebra, art, critical thinking, composition, and technology, Contra Costa Jewish Day School (CCJDS) students forge an identity rooted in traditions of intellectual integrity, social responsibility, and civic engagement. Small class sizes enable community to flourish.
Grades: K through 8th grade
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The Crowden School (North Berkeley)
At the Crowden School, music changes everything. Grades four through eight receive a distinguished academic education with chamber music at its core. The joy of playing music allows students to discover themselves through creativity, curiosity, and collaboration—and be transformed. {See 510families spotlight on Crowden}
Grades: 4th through 8th grade
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East Bay German International School (Emeryville)
EBGIS is a dual-language immersion school offering programs from preschool to 8th grade. Integrated curriculum combines dual-language German and English instruction with project-based learning. They offer exceptional academics, a diverse international perspective, and a vibrant community of students, parents, and teachers.
Grades: Pre-K through 8th grade
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East Bay Waldorf School (El Sobrante)
EBWS students are more than smart; they’re something special. A classic Waldorf curriculum, innovative teaching methods, and extraordinary 11-acre learning environment have been educating amazing students since 1980. Cultivate something special in your child.
Grades: Parent-child and Preschool through 8th grade
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Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley (Southwest Berkeley)
Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley, EB, is an international school, using the French and English languages and the French and American cultures as powerful tools to provide a world-class curriculum to students. EB's graduates become multilingual critical thinkers and multicultural problem solvers. [See 510families Spotlight on Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley]
Grades: Preschool through 8th grade
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Escuela Bilingüe Internacional (Rockridge in Oakland & Emeryville)
EBI believes that inspiration and engagement are at the heart of student transformation. An excellent multilingual, international education in the heart of the East Bay prepares EBI's students to thrive in a diverse, changing world with character and empathy. [See 510families Spotlight on Escuela Bilingüe Internacional]
Grades: Preschool through 8th grade
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Golestan Elementary (Kensington / El Cerrito)
Golestan’s dual immersion program integrates the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum with hands-on experiential learning. Students are immersed in their secondary language: Arabic, Hebrew, or Persian. Campus feels like a home with a farm, kitchen, and maker’s lab. [See 510families spotlight on Golestan]
Grades: Preschool through 5th grade
Website >
Head Royce (Oakland)
Head-Royce is a nationally recognized K-12 independent school situated in the hills of Oakland, California. Their mission is to inspire a lifelong love of learning with a focus on scholarship, diversity, and citizenship.
Grades: Kindergarten through 12th grade
Website >
Montessori Family School (Berkeley & El Cerrito)
Montessori Family School provides an authentic Montessori learning experience with a challenging curriculum that supports hands-on learning, self-expression, and reflective self-evaluation.
Grades: Age 3 through K in Berkeley and Bridge-K through 8th grade
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Pacific Boychoir Academy (Oakland)
Rigorous academics, small class sizes, and unparalleled performance opportunities combine to channel boys’ energy into a force for excellence. They aim to develop confident, engaged young men who are capable of achieving extraordinary outcomes through personal discipline and teamwork.
Grades: 3rd through 8th grade
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Park Day School (Temescal in Oakland)
Park Day School is a progressive K-8th co-ed school located in Oakland. Classes, lessons, and experiences emphasize creativity, exploration, and discovery. Students learn to take risks, think critically, collaborate, and understand their own ability to make positive change in the world.
Grades: K through 8th grade
Website >
Pear Tree Community School (East Oakland)
Pear Tree is a social justice-informed Montessori elementary school with mixed age classrooms. Students use projects to engage in design theory, to pose and solve problems interacting with hands-on materials to deepen critical thinking, literacy, and high level math skills.
Grades: Bridge-K through 4th grade
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Prospect Sierra (El Cerrito)
Exceptional teachers inspire students to seek deep, meaningful understanding; to develop strong academic skills; and to become creative and independent thinkers. Prospect Sierra cultivates compassion, fairness, respect, and individuality within a community that celebrates diversity, authenticity, and service. {See 510families spotlight on Prospect Sierra}
Grades: K through 8th grade
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Redwood Day School (Oakland)
The Redwood Day program is designed to keep every child engaged and growing. Academically, that means a world-class curriculum with a focus on the individual. Socially and emotionally, that means helping students with the tools to respectfully navigate our world.
Grades: K through 8th grade
Website >
The Renaissance International School (Oakland/Piedmont)
The Renaissance International School (TRIS) provides a high-quality Montessori and multilingual education for students age two through middle school. TRIS students grow to be leaders, explorers and responsible citizens with a curriculum designed for discovery rather than just learning.
Grades: Age 2 through 9th grade
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School of the Madeleine (Berkeley)
The School of the Madeleine is a Catholic elementary school with a vibrant Dominican tradition of education and service in the Diocese of Oakland. The mission of the School of the Madeleine is to inspire students to grow as educated morally informed individuals.
Grades: K through 8th grade
Website >
The Seven Hills School (Walnut Creek)
A Seven Hills education is based on the whole child philosophy, attending to the entirety of the student experience. From a Reggio-inspired Preschool to an adventurous elementary and rigorous middle school, students are on a journey of curiosity and exploration.
Grades: Preschool through 8th grade
Website >
Shu Ren International School (Berkeley)
Shu Ren International School encourages students to ask questions and inspires them to challenge themselves—all in both Mandarin and English! Because it’s never too early to start preparing kids to thrive in our global community. {See 510families spotlight on Shu Ren}
Grades: Preschool through 8th grade
Website >
Square School (Oakland)
A middle school for creative design, project-based learning, and social justice, Square School is not necessarily a school for future designers, rather it’s a school that taps into the unique interests of this age group and helps young people develop skills to impact their world.
Grades: 6th through 8th grade
Website >
St. Paul's Episcopal School (Oakland)
St. Paul’s is an independent K-8 school by Lake Merritt providing a transformational education where students are supported as “fearless learners”, where service to community and classroom learning are interdependent, and where the power of diversity allows deeper learning.
Grades: K through 8th grade
Website >
St. Theresa School (Oakland)
St.Theresa School is nestled in the Oakland Hills with some of the highest test schools in the Diocese of Oakland. Curriculum highlights include Spanish, Music, PE, Service Learning and a Multimedia Classroom to educate the whole child: mind, body, and spirit.
Grades: K through 8th grade
Website >
Walden Center and School (Berkeley)
Walden educates children in grades K-6, where excellence is based on building agency, teaching peace, and placing both arts and academics in our core curriculum. Walden is celebrating their 60th anniversary this year! Schedule a tour on the website.
Grades: K through 6th grade
Website >
Thanks again to EBISA for wrangling this information to share with families and to our sponsors.
Apologies in advance for any events we listed but were moved, canceled, rained out, or otherwise not what you were expecting. We suggest you always double-check with the school in question. Often RSVP is required or strongly recommended. If your school wants to be added to our guide, please contact Carol AT 510families.com.
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