OUR MISSION
The mission of the Head-Royce School is to inspire in our students a lifelong love of learning and pursuit of academic excellence, to promote understanding of and respect for the diversity that makes our society strong, and to encourage constructive and responsible global citizenship.
The three core tenets of our mission, scholarship, diversity, and citizenship, guide everything we do.
SCHOLARSHIP
Cultivating 21st-Century Competencies
In addition to intellectual engagement with foundational academic content, educational research shows that future success for students is tied to the mastery of critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, and cultural competency. At Head-Royce, we believe that a whole-child pedagogy is critical to rigor. To that end, our student-centered approach to teaching and learning instills the knowledge, skills, and mindsets required to thrive in the 21st century, and offers creative opportunities for choice and real-world problem solving. Our interdisciplinary program results in students that grow into engaged and empowered learners who are equally adept at both seeking knowledge and applying it within a real-world context.
“Our students are inspired by diverse and engaging experiences, and motivated by creative challenges. They are encouraged to be more curious than certain, and to reach beyond themselves to make a positive impact on the world.”
Lower School Faculty Member
DIVERSITY
Fostering an Inclusive Education
The multi-faceted diversity of our community reflects the fabric of Oakland and is a distinct contributor to our school’s academic excellence. Our focus on equity, inclusion, and belonging, plays a pivotal role in the development of our students and the well-being of our community, and we take pride in our comprehensive educational program that promotes respect for and understanding of our differences.
CITIZENSHIP
Holding a Local, National, and Global Mindset
Head-Royce helps students discover for themselves what it means to be responsible members of their local and global communities by providing opportunities to make meaningful connections with Bay Area organizations and advocate for positive change. Organized by the school’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE), our K-12 students engage in important, hands-on, and sometimes cross-divisional projects.
OUR K-12 LEARNING COMMUNITY
Nestled in a wooded canyon, Head-Royce features 22 acres of flexible learning space and is the only Bay Area independent school to house its entire K-12 community on a single campus. Having students of all ages sharing the same space offers unique cross-divisional opportunities.
STUDENT CENTERED.
MISSION DRIVEN.
We cultivate lifelong learners who lead with joy, purpose, and compassion, and are well prepared to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the future.
The Lower School provides a strong foundation in a wide range of disciplines through a whole-child approach.
Students in grades K-5 learn through a dynamic curriculum that emphasizes hands-on activities, simulations, and civic engagement.
The Middle School provides a developmentally-appropriate sequential program for grades 6-8. In a nurturing environment featuring small classes, students master the analytical, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills they will need as they progress in their academic careers.
The Upper School provides a challenging and stimulating liberal arts and sciences curriculum that allows students to develop critical thinking skills, take intellectual risks, work in collaborative settings, engage in creative and imaginative learning, and practice ethical decision-making.
Interdivisional Learning
At Head-Royce, students in our three divisions have many opportunities—from reading books to exploring scientific topics mirrored in each division’s curriculum—to work together and develop a shared love of learning. Interdivisional intersections provide fertile ground for students of all ages to build empathy, hone problem solving skills, and gain confidence. This special space is where empowering behavior blooms; behavior that if cultivated during school, research shows, is a predictor of success in later life.
World Language Program
The K-12 language continuum fosters intellectual openness and develops academic discipline. What sets our program apart is that we require language throughout a student’s K-12 journey, with three languages for our youngest students, and a fourth added in Middle School. Learning a second language from a young age has exceptional and lasting benefits—including cognitive skills, greater empathy, heightened cultural competence, and a wider perspective of one’s place in a community.
Global Education Program
Head-Royce has a long-standing global education program that provides unique opportunities for students in all three divisions to enhance on-campus learning in new ways. From Quebec to Greece, Italy to China, students in all divisions can have experiential learning opportunities that extend well beyond a tourist’s view of a country. Students dive deeply into curriculum, culture, history, tradition, and language.
Extended Learning Program (After School, Summer, Enrichment)
Head-Royce knows that young minds and bodies are active all day long, not only during the school day. The After-School Program (ASP) provides a high quality experience through a balance of activities, games, and play spaces. ASP also offers fee-based enrichment classes, music lessons, swim lessons, and band. Our Summer Program extends the fun to students across the Oakland area. The Head-Royce pool is where decades of young people have learned to swim and earned placement in the American Red Cross LearnTo-Swim program.
Heads Up
Heads Up is one of the best examples of our commitment to being a school not just in Oakland, but of Oakland. Founded in 1987, Heads Up provides first-generation college bound students of color from Oakland public schools with challenging and enriching programming to prepare them for academic success and cultivate socially responsible leaders. This four-year program— which serves 100-125 students in 6th-9th grades every year—provides year-round academic programming and a four-week summer program that includes coursework, skill-building, and leadership opportunities.
Fallout
At the beginning of the school year, Middle and Upper School students venture off in different directions to build camaraderie and connections with new and existing friends, while also creating positive relationships with their advisory groups. Students face individual and group challenges on these Fallout trips and take part in activities that reinforce teamwork, instill confidence, foster resilience, and lay the groundwork for future collaboration and allyship.
Research Projects
The Upper School curriculum is bookended by opportunities to conduct deep and meaningful research. In the 9th grade, students participate in a research project where they investigate a contemporary topic through personal interviews and research, and in 12th grade—guided by one or more mentors—they design and complete an experiential research project or internship that explores a curiosity or deepens an existing passion, and share their learnings in a culminating presentation at the end of the year. Senior Projects are an important capstone experience in which the knowledge and skills acquired at Head-Royce are applied to a real world context.
Global Online Academy (GOA)
As a founding member of the Global Online Academy (GOA)—a consortium of leading independent schools from around the world—Head-Royce has offered interdisciplinary online courses to Upper School students for over a decade. The GOA’s mission is to translate into online classrooms the intellectually rigorous programs and excellent teaching that are hallmarks of its member schools.
Intersession
Intersession is an opportunity for Upper School students to participate in workshops hosted by subject matter experts that explore a world beyond the boundaries of campus. Topics range from Gross Anatomy to Queer Political Resistance and from Hip Hop and Social Justice to Water Rockets and Rocket Cars. Intersession reflects interests as wide as our imaginations.
Community for Life
Once a Jayhawk, always a Jayhawk! Our alumni stay connected through networking events, alumni affinity groups, mentoring, senior project supervision, the alumni directory, and more. A key component is our unique Adulting 101 program, which connects alumni with Upper School students in meaningful and lasting ways. This one day event sets the foundation for lifelong success by providing students with opportunities to participate in mock college interviews, meet with current college students, and attend career sessions with young and more seasoned professionals. Upperclassmen can build even stronger relationships through the Student Alumni Ambassador program. Head-Royce is a community for life.
LASTING TRADITIONS. LIFELONG MEMORIES.
In a dynamic and ever changing world, our rituals ground us and provide us with a sense of history.
All School Fair
With games, prizes, food, and performances for all ages—the All School Fair is a must-attend tradition at Head-Royce. Upper Schoolers organize booths and activities to provide a fun evening out for families with younger children and to raise money for clubs and affinity groups. This laughter-filled evening brings life, light, and the largest all-school turnout to the campus each fall.
Maypole Dance
The Maypole Dance is one of many traditions started in the 1870s by our founder Anna Head—an advocate for nature and physical education. This nostalgic ritual is performed on May Day by 5th graders—our oldest elementary students—who weave complex patterns of ribbon around a tall pole garlanded with a beautiful flower arrangement. They are serenaded by our youngest students with the “Kindergarten Wall” song—another treasured May Day tradition.
Boat Races
As part of their Upper School advisory groups, students in grades 9-11 create flotation devices made only of cardboard, duct tape, and water bottles. This collaborative project—which teaches important concepts in engineering, leadership, negotiation, and creativity—culminates in lively and competitive races with other advisories, requiring teams to paddle their boats across two lengths of the pool without falling apart. Heat winners participate in soggy, but exciting finals!
Head-Royce innovates and evolves to meet the needs of our current students. While most programs and traditions will continue, we do change opportunities from time to time. If your heart is set on a particular program, please check with our Admissions team to learn whether it will be offered during the years of your child’s enrollment.
DEDICATED EDUCATORS. INSPIRED MENTORS.
Ask any student what they like best about Head-Royce and it’s a good bet the answer will be “the teachers.” They are experts in their fields, eager to share their enthusiasm for their subjects, and they are invested in understanding each student and teaching them to approach their studies with curiosity and deep inquiry.
OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL
What inspired you to get into education?
An incredible education can change the trajectory of one’s life! When I reflect upon the impact that access to education has had on my family history, this work feels more like a calling than a job. I wake up each morning grateful that I do what I do. It is a privilege to geek out over teaching and learning every day with people who are also passionate about education.
- Rachel E. Skiffer, HEAD OF SCHOOL
OUR DIVISION HEADS
What advice would you give your younger self?
I was fairly shy as a child and just accepted what was given to me without asking for clarification. So my advice would be to speak up and advocate for your needs because no one else will do it as well as you can.
- Lea Van Ness, LOWER SCHOOL HEAD (pictured in the center)
Who had the greatest impact on your career choice?
When I was in middle school, my father changed careers from law to education and he spoke openly to us about how happy it made him. I already knew I was like him and had developed an affinity for grammar and literature (and bad jokes!), so it just made sense that I’d grow up to be an English teacher.
- Danny Scuderi, MIDDLE SCHOOL HEAD (pictured on the left)
What are the biggest changes you have seen in education?
I think the biggest change in education—and most interesting to me—is the shift in the role of the student from primarily receiving information (often quite dutifully) to helping construct their own understanding of the world.
- Ricky Lapidus, UPPER SCHOOL HEAD (pictured on the right)
JAYHAWK PRIDE
With opportunities to play in both the Middle and Upper Schools—our athletics program instills in students the lifelong values of sportsmanship, individual effort, teamwork, integrity, commitment, and self-discipline.
Head-Royce students can play on 25 interscholastic teams in our Upper School athletic program, including baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Our competitive programs have captured more than 36 league championships in the last five years and 125 since the year 2000.
Every year, Head-Royce has student athletes that go on to compete collegiately, with recent grads at: Brown, Colby, Emory, Georgetown, Howard, MIT, Occidental, Princeton, Stanford, Tufts, UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Chicago, and Williams.
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
The arts play a key role in developing the whole child and provide opportunities to understand and appreciate the larger world around them. From arts integration in the classroom to formal instruction, Head-Royce delivers a diversified and professional art program to every student—including dance/movement education, performance skills and expression, introductory to advanced vocal and instrumental classes, music theory, drama classes, plays and group performances, set design and technical crew, drawing, collage, sculpture, photography, film, painting, exhibition, and more.
COLLEGE COUNSELING
Our College Counseling program provides a thoughtful, highly personalized experience for each student throughout their high school journey.
PASSIONATE COUNSELORS. THRIVING STUDENTS.
Our college counselors work closely with Upper School students and families, getting to know them as unique individuals, with the goal of seeing each student matriculate at a school where they will thrive.
We ground our work in the practical aspects of the college application process and teach essential life skills and project management competencies, including how to think introspectively, effectively manage time, take ownership of a complex process, build a résumé, prepare for interviews, write compelling college essays, and find the right match amidst the nearly 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States and around the world.
TRANSPORTATION
Getting to School 101
At Head-Royce, we want to make every aspect of your student’s day positive…even the commute! Our convenient, cost-effective (and fun!) program combines AC Transit with dedicated buses—provided by Michael’s Transportation—to minimize traffic while getting your children to and from campus each day as safely and simply as possible.
Scan this QR code to learn more about our Big
5 Driving Rules and transportation policy.
HEAD-ROYCE BY THE NUMBERS
1887
22
ACRES OF LEARNING SPACE
900
80+ YEAR FOUNDED
STUDENTS IN K-12 COMMUNITY
18
AVERAGE CLASSROOM SIZE
8:1
STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO
ZIP CODES FROM ALL OVER THE BAY AREA Visit our At a Glance page
Come visit and experience the school for yourself.
Sit in on classes.
Talk to a student or two.
Check out the food in the Jayhawk Café.
Meet with one of our admissions officers.
For more information or to schedule a visit: admissions@headroyce.org
510.531.1300 ext. 2509
Admission is open to all students, regardless of race, religion, creed, color, sexual orientation, ability, nation of origin, or gender.
headroyce.org