Peninsula School

We found out about Peninsula School from a neighbor. We were moving back to the Bay Area after 4 years on the East Coast, and were feeling very nervous about finding a school and a community that would help our daughter and son thrive in a new environment. We narrowed down our choices to Peninsula and a few other schools, and after spending a day shadowing on Peninsula's beautiful 6 acre campus, we were sold. The child-centered holistic approach to learning, the incredible teachers and staff, and the variety of activities throughout the school year from camping to rock concert to woodshop to basketball to choose your own learning adventure through a "Choice" are not extras at Peninsula - they form the core of the thoughtful program built and refined over its 100-year history.After graduating from Peninsula, my daughter enrolled in the rigorous IB diploma program at Sequoia, and my son discovered his love of music and math, thanks to his teachers' encouragement. More than academics, I am proud of the critical thinkers and fiercely independent global citizens my children have become with a clear moral compass guided by empathy, social justice and curiosity.When you join Peninsula, you're not just joining a school. You're joining a lifelong community of friends who care deeply about progressive education and upholding its principles every day. And while you're expected to lean into help create the magic as part of an engaged community, you get back so much more - authentic friendships, joyful gatherings and and a delightful oasis in the midst of the hubbub of Silicon Valley.

Peninsula School has been an amazing experience for our first grader and for us as his parents. The school puts joy, love, and play at the center of the learning environment and process. Instead of orienting on test scores and grades, Peninsula School strives to instill and nurture the love of learning, the internal desire to explore and understand, and it shows - our child loves going to school everyday, and we witness the blossoming of his curiosity and confidence to engage in all kinds of pursuits, from reading to woodworking to physical play to arithmetic.Peninsula emphasizes the development of the whole child - self-confidence, emotional awareness, the ability to understand others and form deep friendships, the willingness to take risks and embrace challenges. Freedom and responsibility are part of the core values of Peninsula, which has helped our child on his journey towards independence - from learning how to walk around campus on his own to thinking about and choosing from a variety of daily activities.The teachers at Peninsula continue to impress us with their thoughtfulness, authenticity, and talent, as well as their passion for the pillars of progressive education. Our child regularly wants to stay a little longer when we come to pick him up from after care, which is heartwarming. And we love how intentional the families are about building community among the parents and the kids.We are so happy and grateful that our child is at Peninsula School.