Blog

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, where she has served as Dean of Students. Previous to her experience at The Bay School of San Francisco, Sue worked as the Dean of Students at The Branson School in Ross, CA. The appointment of Sue marks the end of a thorough search that began shortly after our founder …Read More.

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 success is closely tied to staying healthy, and students need the educational tools to prioritize their well-being to achieve good health. Here is a look at why your student’s health classes are as important as the rest of his or her schedule and how you can help to ensure that your child learns about how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Why Health …Read More.

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 Orinda Academy has to help students excel. Our smaller class sizes allow us to cater to different learning styles, and our mentoring program helps students find the right courses, manage their academic requirements, and find a college that is the right fit for them. To find out more about Orinda Academy and to see …Read More.

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 determine the best way to approach the work. Using scaffolding in a college prep curriculum helps students develop the tools to tackle university-level work after graduation. Assignment scaffolding is all about breaking work down into smaller steps. For instance, if a student has to write a research paper, the assignment may be scaffolded by breaking things into …Read More.

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 should your 10th grader be doing to get ready for college? Be sure to check these items off your list during sophomore year. Visit College Campuses It’s not too early to start visiting college campuses when your child is in the 10th grade. In fact, visiting a few colleges …Read More.

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 s’mores. Later, our entire college prep school headed out to seeOthello at Cal Shakes. We’ve been busy with all-school meetings and advisory chats to talk about hot button issues like feminism, race, and religion. Somewhere in the midst of our ever-popular winter concert, visit to the Oakland Museum, and Black History Month presentations, we managed to …Read More.

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 disorder, it is possible to overcome its challenges—especially with the positive support you’ll find at a private college prep school. Take your time working on tests. At the beginning of each school year, it’s helpful to sit down and chat with your teachers and our learning support coordinator, Mollie Mowat, about your dyslexia-related needs. Teachers tend to be very accommodating about giving …Read More.

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 fulfilling, and teaches valuable lessons that build character—not to mention that community service helps others! Organize a fundraiser. Fundraisers are limitless in their versatility, and they’re a great way to bring together families from the college prep school. Your student can coordinate with other students to organize a bike ride, walk, or fun run to …Read More.

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 some of our international students and from one of our teachers, who has previously lived and worked as a teacher in China. Our international students discuss what they most enjoy about our college prep school, including our smaller class styles, outstanding student support, and welcoming learning environment. At our private college prep school in Orinda, we’re pleased to welcome …Read More.

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 extensive network of student support services help us maintain this promise to the families who choose our school for their children. In addition to smaller class sizes, a variety of electives, and personalized college counseling, here are some of the support services students can access at our school. Learning Plan Support Orinda Academy takes …Read More.