The Foundations of the Future:

Hillbrook Upper School

A rigorous and immersive learning experience that combines challenging academics with social impact skills and knowledge.

The Upper School Experience

Hillbrook Upper School builds upon the exceptional foundation we provide for our JK-8 students. Our program places choice and engagement at the center of the learning experience - an integrated, real-world education that challenges students to reach beyond and make a difference in the world, and a deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Each and every day on our San José Campus, students are challenged to live out our Core Values - be kind, be curious, take risks, be your best - as they engage with an exceptional team of educators committed to helping each student reach their highest potential in school and in life.

Our recent opening in Fall of 2023 means that the next four years offer our students an unprecedented opportunity: to help truly create their ideal school, from traditions to clubs to class projects and more. Future generations of Hillbrook high schoolers will inherit an extraordinary school - a legacy that honors the present moment and invites each new class to continue to build, dream, and create the path forward as only they can.

Program

Hillbrook's Upper School program offers advanced courses and learning opportunities that challenge students to expand their horizons and delve deeper into their chosen areas of interest. Our hands-on approach remains a signature of our curriculum that allows students to apply their knowledge in practical ways, while the flexibility of our program encourages evolving academic and extracurricular interests.

Vision

As students progress through their high school experience, they will continue to broaden their understanding of the world, their role within their communities, and their evolving sense of self. It's an exciting and transformative journey that prepares students for success in college - and a changemaker's mindset that empowers impact awareness, a drive for positive action, and a keen understanding of social good.

Community

Community matters more than ever in high school as students continue to grow, connect, and discover their place in and potential impact on the world. Hillbrook’s mission and vision keep a seamless pace with our Upper School program - from the classroom to City Hall, students continue to live out our Core Values - be kind, be curious, take risks, be your best - as they strive to reach their highest potential in school and in life.

Signature Programs

PASSION-DRIVEN ACADEMICS

Hillbrook Upper School features a rich, engaging curriculum driven by students’ passions and talents - an incubator for the potential of natural curiosity that encourages each student to design a path for themselves. Our program moves beyond the limitations of Advanced Placement, featuring challenging courses and advanced studies comparable to college-level work. The education blends academic study and the excitement of learning in a diverse campus community.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, JUSTICE, & ACTION

Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Justice, & Action education at Hillbrook School, in collaboration with the Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship, prepares students to see the world as it is, imagine what it might be, and develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to build a more equitable and just future. Every day, in all domains of the school, we strive to make sure that our students are known, respected, and valued. We teach children that actively addressing inequity and taking action against injustice are the most profound ways to make meaningful differences in our communities. The Upper School – located in the heart of San José – activates and empowers students to make immediate and lasting social impact during their high school years, launching them into a lifetime of social impact work.

THE HUB

Like its JK-8th namesake, The Upper School Hub will be a place where students come together to design, create, imagine, and explore. From graphic design to filmmaking to furniture design to 3D printing, students will have access to the tools and experts they need to create any thing, solve any problem, and imagine any future. The Hub will be the place where engineering and the arts come together, providing a real-world learning opportunity unlike any other school in San José.

REACH BEYOND IMMERSIVES

These three week courses, created in partnership with The Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship, provide authentic, immersive opportunities that extend learning far beyond the confines of a classroom, transforming the way students see themselves and the world around them. By bringing students outside of the classroom, immersives provide students an opportunity to engage in place-based learning—complex and interdisciplinary by nature, and thus calling on students to develop as systems thinkers.

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A Day in the Life

The Upper School Schedule

9th - 12th grade students: 8:45 am - 3:15 pm

The Upper School schedule incorporates time for skill-building as well as transdisciplinary, collaborative learning and endless opportunities for student choice and engagement: American and World Literature, Biochemistry, Trigonometry and Data Analysis, History and Sociology, World Languages, Physical Education, and Visual and Performing Arts - in addition to electives and Exploratory learning blocks, which offer students extended time for inquiry, labs, debates, creative expression, and more. Each academic course is designed not only to deepen students' understanding of the subject matter, but to discover and understand the impact of knowledge in a real-world context.

Students have opportunities across Upper School to tailor their learning – through clubs, Electives, Athletics and afterschool opportunities, and during Exploratory experiences, allowing students to explore diverse offerings as well as pursue areas of curiosity or passion.

HELPFUL LINKS

City as Classroom: Downtown San José

From the beginning, we were drawn to the idea of an urban environment for our Upper School, serving as a perfect complement to our JK-8 campus. In the same way that our Los Gatos campus is the perfect place for children to run, play, learn and grow, a downtown setting for our Upper School is the ideal location for our oldest students to stretch their wings, gain independence, and thrive.

The City of San José is an extension of the classroom, with proximity to public transportation, local companies, nonprofits, governmental agencies, art institutes, and universities, allowing us the opportunity to extend our Reach Beyond programming with the Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship.

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