Schools
In Palo Alto: A School for Creatives
The innovative Children's School of Art and Science moves to a new location; open house this weekend.
An inquiry-based educational option is moving to the downtown Palo Alto area.
The Children’s School of Art and Science (K-5) is now completing its fourth year as a startup school. Following a unique model of cross-disciplinary projects, regular mindfulness practice, and performance on stage, the school has begun to make a name for itself through the dedicated efforts of its founders. Still quite small, the school takes pride in very strong personal relationships among teachers and students.
Starting next September, the school will locate at Trinity Lutheran Church near downtown Palo Alto. It is conveniently located next to the Stern Community Center, Palo Alto Children’s Library, Palo Alto Junior Museum, and Rinconada Park. For the last three years the school has occupied classrooms at Congregation Kol Emeth, very close to Gunn High School. The synagogue will be undergoing renovations, forcing the school to find a new home. The school has no religious affiliation.
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“This spot is excellent for an elementary school,” says School Administrator Theodore Timpson. “Especially one like ours that places a great value on thoughtful off-campus experiences.” The school is holding an open house Sunday, April 26 at 1 pm, and visitors are welcome to register.
The school offers two public performances each year. One of them called “Science on Stage,” which is an unusual theatrical presentation of scientific ideas and approaches, woven through with stories of great discoveries and multimedia presentations. The other is a play in the more typical sense, but often addressing thoughtful topics. In the last three years the school has performed Heart of Knowing: The Life of Albert Einstein, Arrival: Stories of Planet Earth, and Who’s Your Muse, Ted Geisel-Seuss?
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Students learn through broad studies of integrative themes, such as History of Me, which explores social and cultural origins, and Great People, which examines the qualities and achievements that we value most. Every class also engages in mindful meditation, which emphasizes breath awareness, calmness, and empathy for others. The school’s goal is to make learning an activity that follows the natural rhythms of child development.
