Hillbrook School
Encyclopedia
Founded in 1935, Hillbrook School is an independent accredited coeducational JK-8 day school in Los Gatos, Santa Clara County, California
. Hillbrook, originally known as the Children's Country School, began in a modest, two-story house in Monte Sereno, but soon moved to the Colonel James "Happy" Parker estate at 300 Marchmont Drive, Los Gatos. The school's founders were Mary Orem, Elizabeth Glassford, Nathalie Wollin, and Ann Boge. Hillbrook once extended as far as Shannon and Kennedy Roads to the North and South, though the property has since been subdivided to create the current 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) campus. A boarding school during its earliest years, Hillbrook became a day school in 1960, at which point the TCCS name was dropped. Robin Clements was headmaster from 1976–97, followed by Sarah Bayne from 1998-2009. As Hillbrook's motto of "Educate, Nurture, Inspire" suggests, the school strives to provide students with an all around education, with a rich arts, music, sports and science curriculum.
There are approximately 315 students in JK through 8th. Mark Silver was appointed as current Head of School in 2009. Mr. Silver was recruited from Francis Parker School
in San Diego, CA.
In 2011, Hillbrook celebrated its 75th anniversary.
8th Grade Play
One of Hillbrook's most important traditions is the annual 8th grade musical. Every year, all 8th grade students are required to participate in the play during their third elective quarter. Even those who would rather not act and sing find a way to contribute by working on sets, backstage, or lighting and sound—the play is meant to be an opportunity for the entire grade to collaborate together. Their work culminates in performances in the Spring.
The most recent musicals have included:
2011—Honk! Jr.
2010—Bye Bye, Birdie
2001—Seusical the Musical
2008—You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown`
37.2275°N 121.9538°W
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Hillbrook, originally known as the Children's Country School, began in a modest, two-story house in Monte Sereno, but soon moved to the Colonel James "Happy" Parker estate at 300 Marchmont Drive, Los Gatos. The school's founders were Mary Orem, Elizabeth Glassford, Nathalie Wollin, and Ann Boge. Hillbrook once extended as far as Shannon and Kennedy Roads to the North and South, though the property has since been subdivided to create the current 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) campus. A boarding school during its earliest years, Hillbrook became a day school in 1960, at which point the TCCS name was dropped. Robin Clements was headmaster from 1976–97, followed by Sarah Bayne from 1998-2009. As Hillbrook's motto of "Educate, Nurture, Inspire" suggests, the school strives to provide students with an all around education, with a rich arts, music, sports and science curriculum.
There are approximately 315 students in JK through 8th. Mark Silver was appointed as current Head of School in 2009. Mr. Silver was recruited from Francis Parker School
Francis W. Parker School (San Diego)
Francis Parker School, also known simply as Parker, is an elite college preparatory independent day school in San Diego, California, serving students from junior kindergarten through twelfth grade. Parker was founded in 1912 by Clara Sturges Johnson and William Templeton Johnson, themselves recent...
in San Diego, CA.
In 2011, Hillbrook celebrated its 75th anniversary.
Technology
Hillbrook has a lot of technology which helps the students learn better. There is a computer lab with over 25 computers located in the 7/8 Grade building. Most classes have a Smart Board and many teachers have Toshiba Tablet PC's. Hillbrook's iPad program received coverage in the Mercury News in December 2010; during the 2010-11 school year, the school implemented a pilot program, giving each 7th grade student an iPad to use for their schoolwork. They plan to expand the program considerably next year and utilizing the iPads in multiple grades.Language
Currently Spanish and Mandarin are the languages available for children to learn at Hillbrook. Latin used to be offered instead of Mandarin, but was eventually dropped. Spanish is taught to 1st graders and up and in 5th grade students have the choice of taking Mandarin or continuing with Spanish. In 4th grade students take half a year of Mandarin as well as half a year of Spanish, to help them better decide which they would like to take next year.Electives
7th and 8th graders choose from many different electives to take along with core classes. The electives run on a quarterly basis, so that each student takes four electives per year. Although not every option is offered every year, some common electives from previous years include Choir, Rock Band, Painting, yearbook, Ceramics, Photography, Martial Arts, Claymation, Acting, and, just recently, Arabic.8th Grade Play
One of Hillbrook's most important traditions is the annual 8th grade musical. Every year, all 8th grade students are required to participate in the play during their third elective quarter. Even those who would rather not act and sing find a way to contribute by working on sets, backstage, or lighting and sound—the play is meant to be an opportunity for the entire grade to collaborate together. Their work culminates in performances in the Spring.
The most recent musicals have included:
2011—Honk! Jr.
2010—Bye Bye, Birdie
2001—Seusical the Musical
2008—You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown`
External links
37.2275°N 121.9538°W