Orinda Academy Blog
Sue’s News 10/10/19
A blog from the Head of School Vol. 2, No. 4 - October 10, 2019 The All School Retreat was a resounding success. Epic weather, great leadership (thanks especially to Sara Hall-Kennedy for shepherding her first retreat as Dean of Students in fine fashion), and a...
Sue’s News 9/25/19
A blog from the Head of SchoolVol. 2, No. 3 - September 25, 2019 Dean of Students, Sara Hall-Kennedy, hosted OA’s first ever Open Mic Night last Friday. I watched students preparing on Friday afternoon, practicing on ukuleles and crafting headgear with which to...
Sue’s News 9/11/19
A blog from the Head of SchoolVol. 2, No. 2 - September 11, 2019 OA Website and Mascot - Last Spring the community chose the Blue Jay as the new school mascot, replacing the eagle as the symbol for OA. We spent the summer working with a design team to create a...
Feeling Bad as a Parent?
Article by Sue Porter featured in the Piedmont Post on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 Almost every parent I know feels bad about their parenting. If you’re anything like them, these are some of the things you feel bad about: You feel bad because you don’t spend enough...
Approaching the college application process
Article by Sue Porter featured in the Piedmont Post on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 For parents, there are two ways you can approach the college application process: from a scarcity mindset, which inevitably devolves into competition, or from an abundance mindset, which...
The Gift of Boredom
Article by Sue Porter featured in the Piedmont Post on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 Before you schedule every minute of your child’s summer, consider carving out some time for them to do nothing. In fact, carve out enough time for them to do nothing that they get...
Learning Support Techniques For High School Students
Ask Danielle Jaynes, Orinda Academy’s Learning Specialist, what her long-term goal for OA students is, and she’ll get a smile on her face. “By senior year you know your learning differences, you know your strengths and weaknesses, and you’re able to advocate for...
Sue’s News – A blog from the Head of School
Vol. 1, No. 3 Dear OA Families, Only three weeks left until the end of year! It’s hard to believe, but school is almost over - graduation will be here in a flash. We will be headed off in many directions come mid-June, so please get in touch soon if you would like to...
Three Key Supports that Ensure Student Success
What an Independent High School can do for your child Pop quiz: What does the student support team, self-advocacy, and a cup of tea have in common? If you said Mollie Mowat, our assistant head of school for student affairs, you’re right! As head of our student support...
Search Committee Announces New Head of School Sue Porter
On behalf of the Orinda Academy Board of Trustees, it is with great pleasure that we announce that Susan Eva Porter Ph.D. has been selected by the Board of Trustees to serve as Orinda Academy’s next Head of School. Sue comes to us from The Bay School of San Francisco,...
The Importance of Health Education and How Parents Can Help
Although a college prep curriculum is focused on things like science, math, and foreign language, health education never stops being important. A comprehensive health education curriculum gives students the tools to care for themselves for life. Achieving academic...
How Orinda Academy Supports Student Success
At Orinda Academy, we’re invested in the success of every student in our private college prep school. Every student gets the personalized attention he or she needs to succeed in the classroom at our school and beyond. Watch this video to find out about the programs...
A Quick Look at Assignment Scaffolding
Assignment scaffolding can be a helpful way to break down large assignments so that they are more manageable for students. Scaffolding gives students with different learning styles a broad view of an assignment and splits it into manageable pieces so that students can...
A 10th Grader’s Checklist for College Planning
If your child is in a college prep school, then you know college planning is no longer relegated to senior year. In fact, students start planning for college as early as 10th grade to ensure that they are on the right track to get into the school of their choice. What...
A Look Back at Our 2016-2017 Accomplishments!
We’re heading toward the end of another incredible school year here at Orinda Academy, and we’re very proud of what our prep school students have achieved! The 2016-2017 school year started with a retreat to the redwoods, where our advisors and students bonded over...
Quick Tips for Succeeding Despite Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a common learning disability that involves problems identifying speech sounds, which leads to difficulty reading. Dyslexia is not reflective of a student’s intelligence, but rather is simply a learning difference. Although dyslexia is a lifelong, incurable...
A Family’s Guide to Community Service
If your child is attending a private school, he or she will likely be expected to participate in community service programs. Community service is arguably one of the most rewarding activities to do as a family. Spending time in service to others is fun, personally...
Get a Closer Look at Our International Program
Orinda Academy is a unique, independent college prep school that welcomes students of all backgrounds, cultures, and nationalities. When you watch this video, you’ll hear our founder, Ron Graydon, talk about some of our school’s many strengths. You’ll also hear from...
Spotlight on Orinda Academy’s Student Support Services
At Orinda Academy, we are committed to creating a successful learning environment for all students. We welcome different learning styles at our college prep school and work to ensure that every student has the tools he or she needs to reach his or her goals. Our...
Examining Our French Curriculum
Kathryn Saxby, French Teacher To help ensure that students in our preparatory school are competitive when they apply to colleges, foreign language is a major part of our curriculum. In addition to meeting state high school graduation and college admission...
19 Altarinda Road, Orinda, CA 94563
(925) 254-7553
admissions@OrindaAcademy.org
Orinda Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Federal Tax ID 94-2692929
Our bright and creative students thrive in our nurturing, small class environment. Through a combination of academic support, executive functioning skill development, and social/emotional balance, every student reaches their full potential.
Orinda Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender identification, sexual identification, or family composition in the administration of its policies, procedures, or admissions process.