Wholehearted Learning

Students in music class playing the piano

Our Values:

Saint Andrew’s is a wholehearted community of learners with a wholehearted commitment to cultivating student happiness, academic achievement, and character.

Our complete, balanced, and inspiring approach to education ensures that our graduates are exceptionally good people who are exceptionally well-prepared to thrive in high school, college, and life.

With a strong tradition of exemplary academic curriculum and critical thinking, Saint Andrew's encourages students to share, explore and reflect upon their thoughts, ideas, and questions.

Complete

Since its founding in 1961, Saint Andrew’s has always believed that a high-quality education must begin with rock-solid academics and then go far beyond. That’s why we provide abundant opportunities for student growth in the areas of art, music, physical education, world religion, technology, field trips, Spanish, outdoor learning, after-school enrichment, and service. Since we believe who you are is as important as what you know, we ensure exceptional character development is inseparably woven into every minute of every day.

Balanced

You’ll never find Saint Andrew’s stuck in the past or chasing the latest fad. We take the long view of student development and intentionally incorporate the lessons of expert educators, modern research, and our own decades of experience into every aspect of our program.

From homework and discipline to religion, assessment, and technology, parents tell us Saint Andrew’s provides students with the “just right” balance of challenge and encouragement.

Inspiring

We believe school should be the place where children launch an unstoppable love of learning that sticks with them through high school, college, and beyond.

At Saint Andrew’s, masterful educators not only design captivating learning experiences, they also ensure each child feels individually known, unconditionally loved, and deeply valued as an essential member of our warm, inclusive community.

What is an Episcopal School?
What is an Independent School?

What is an Episcopal School?

“Episcopal Schools strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect the dignity of every human being”. As our D.E.I statement says, “Our Episcopal faith is anchored in inclusivity and love as guided by the National Association of Episcopal Schools”. At Saint Andrew's we inspire appreciation for each other’s beliefs and welcome all faith traditions. As an independent school, Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Identity is expressed through the following principles and ideas illuminated by the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES):

School Worship that is creative, inclusive, draws fully upon the liturgical resources of The Episcopal Church, and is a regular part of school life for all faculty and students.
Community Life, in which reflection, prayer, and matters of the spirit are honored and cultivated and the physical, mental, and emotional health of all are supported and nurtured.
Religious Formation and Study that is meaningful and age-appropriate, and fosters dialogue with other faith traditions.
Social Justice, which is the integration of the ideals and concepts of equity, justice, and a just society throughout the life of the school; the embracing and honoring of diversity; and the inclusion of community service and service-learning as an integral part of the life of the school.

As a wholehearted community of teaching and learning, we embody our mission every day. Saint Andrew’s is rooted in our faith and has a tradition of openness, service, community, and acting with moral courage.

What is an Independent School?

Saint Andrew’s Episcopal School differs from other private schools in that it (1) is independently governed by a board of trustees and (2) does not depend on church funds, as parochial schools do, or on tax dollars, as public schools do. Independent school accreditation standards are rigorous and are validated by a national commission.

Accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Saint Andrew’s prides itself on providing:

High academic standards. Saint Andrew nurtures intellectual curiosity, stimulates personal growth, and encourages critical thinking.
Small classes and individual attention. Our low student-teacher ratio (1:18 max) encourages close connections with students.
Excellent teachers. With more autonomy within the classroom than public schools, our teachers are able to develop a full understanding of how each student learns and what interests and motivates each individually.
Education for the whole child. Going beyond the traditional subjects of english, math, science, and history, Saint Andrew’s curriculum is rich with opportunities to grow through the studio and performing arts, physical education, foreign languages, world religions, technology, character development, and community service.
Inclusiveness. We maintain a diverse and vibrant student community and welcome and respect each family. Students of color are 65 percent of our enrollment.
A community of parents who actively participate in their children’s education. The school promotes regular communication among students, parents, and teachers to ensure everyone is working toward the same goals for the student.
And most important: An education that will pay dividends for a lifetime.

Research shows that students from independent schools, such as Saint Andrew’s, are about twice as likely (or more) than their counterparts to:

Take algebra I and foreign language in the eighth grade.
Enroll in an A.P. course as a sophomore.
Study with a teacher who has graduated from a “Top 100” most selective college.
Complete pre-calculus or higher level of mathematics.
Play on a junior varsity or varsity sport.
Participate in extracurricular arts, academics, and/or community service.

Sources: Powell (Lesson from Privilege), Heath (Schools of Hope), National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES)