Head of School's Message
Thank you for your interest in Hilldale School! I commend you for taking the time and effort to make the right educational choice for your child. It can be a daunting process, but we look forward to helping you on your journey.
At Hilldale, we understand that your goal is to find the perfect school for your child. Our foremost desire at Hilldale is to create a community of respectful leaders that are inspired to be life-long learners.
Hilldale’s scholastic standards, emphasizing traditional teaching methods and a broad, accelerated curriculum, serve a much-needed place in the San Francisco community. We also provide the arts, world language, and character education classes which are not often found in today’s public elementary schools.
Our goal is to provide the right amount of acceleration and academic stimulation for above average, bright, and gifted children. We aim to meet the needs of our learners at the appropriate intellectual level and the appropriate social-emotional level, which often can be developing at asynchronistic levels in our bright and gifted students.
We provide a comprehensive and challenging academic curriculum that ignites our young learners. With small classes and mentoring programs, we are able to provide individualized attention and an opportunity for all students to excel. We encourage a sense of world citizenship and social responsibility; we stress environmental understanding and encourage positive ethical values and critical thinking.
With an overarching philosophy of helping students to “rise to the challenge,” students are provided with the necessary opportunities, skills, and attitudes to succeed in life. The personal environment of Hilldale School allows us to know each student and parent so that, together, we can guide the earliest years of each child’s formal education in the pursuit of life-long learning.
When many schools are forced to cut their calendars, we have chosen to enrich the school experience for our students. Our extended school year of 195-days provides students with the opportunity for more experiments; field trips; project-based learning; hands-on, creative activities; critical thinking; and real-world connections. It also greatly improves students’ retention of knowledge.
We are delighted that you are interested in Hilldale, and we hope to welcome your family into our community! We are a family of thinkers and learners, and we look forward to learning more about you. Come visit us for a tour. Call 650-756-4737 for more information, and feel free to contact me with any questions. It is my pleasure to help in any way.
Warmly,
Sasha Clayton
Head of School
Hilldale School