Private School in Walnut Creek, CA

Seven Hills School:
Seven Hills School Walnut Creek is an independent, not-for-profit, day school serving 375 preschool-8th graders. Our school is located in Walnut Creek in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, 16 miles east of Oakland. Our small class sizes and strong faculty contribute to a challenging, developmentally-appropriate educational program. Integrated studies and hands-on participation encourage imaginative and critical thinking, as well as a mastery of academic skills. At Seven Hills, we attend to the intellectual, physical, social and aesthetic needs of each child. We believe that both success and failure create the potential for growth and learning.

- Early Childhood Programs:  The preschool and pre-kindergarten half day programs build self-esteem and help develop in children the ability to cooperate and work with others. The programs are based on the principle that educational practices are most effective when they are attuned to the way young children develop and learn.
 
Young children are active learners, drawing on direct physical and social experience to construct their own understanding of the world around them. The preschool and pre-kindergarten half day programs build self-esteem and help develop in children the ability to cooperate and work with others. In addition, the ECE programs expose children to those cognitive skills necessary for success in school.

The classrooms have an open structure in which a child is free to choose individual areas of interest. All activities and learning are based on play, and a balance between active and quiet play is maintained throughout the morning. Small and large groups are used to further facilitate learning through close contact with the teachers. Weekly visits to the library, visitors to the classroom, and field trips are included to support the curriculum.

- Lower School Program:  Our school's unique approach to learning supports cross-curricular integration and the development of critical thinking. Kindergarten through to 5th grade students develop skills and confidence in the exploration of math, science, reading, and writing as they strive to meet high academic standards.

Teachers support individual learning styles to encourage every child's success. Small class size motivates students toward creative thinking and academic risk taking. Students benefit from numerous campus and community resources that enliven learning and enrich the curriculum. At our school the students are lead through an adventure in learning that frequently goes well beyond the classroom walls

- Middle School Program:  In the Middle School (6th-8th graders), we've built a challenging curriculum that develops competence in key areas - writing and speaking proficiency, quantitative analytical skills, knowledge of scientific concepts and methods, and an understanding of history and the development of diverse cultures.

Middle School should provide opportunities for exploring new subjects and pursuing new interests. In that spirit, we encourage the development of the whole student - academically, creatively, and socially. Many students develop new academic strengths, participate in new sports, or discover new creative talents in the Middle School.

* Kindergarten - 8th grade specialty classes offered include: Art, Music, PE, Spanish, French, Library, Computer, Transitions.

Extended Day Program:  This program is offered until 6:00 pm daily, excluding school holidays.

Buddy Family Program:  To ensure that families new to the school feel “right at home” a Buddy Family from the new student’s grade is asked to “adopt” the entire family. Families get together before the start of school and throughout the year, making sure that the newest families in our school become part of our community quickly and seamlessly. The program is coordinated by a parent volunteer and is ongoing.

Big Buddies Program:  Our Big Buddies program is the bridge between our multi-aged student body. Beginning with the preschoolers, Big Buddies are paired up one on one between older and younger students. Organized activities between classes are scheduled on a weekly basis but the friendships established between the students last forever. Little Buddies are in awe of their older friends and the Bigger Buddies are superb role models for younger students.