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At A Glance

Through hands-on, experiential learning, Park Day School emphasizes critical and moral reasoning, while teaching students to take academic risks and adapt thoughtfully to new situations and challenges. With an eye towards the social-emotional development of each student, Park Day School is committed to helping young people understand their own power to make positive change in the world.

Location

Park Day School is located in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland at 360 42nd Street (between Telegraph and Broadway). Pedestrian entrance is located on 42nd St. at Opal St. between Broadway and Telegraph and street parking is available.

Enrollment

Park Day begins in Transitional Kindergarten (TK – piloting in 2025-2026), and extends through 8th grade. TK is comprised of one classroom, and there are two classes K – 8.

Total enrollment – 336
Transitional Kindergarten – piloting in 2025-2026
Lower School (grades K-4) – 170
Middle School (grades 5-8) – 166
School-wide teacher:student ratio is 1:8, including classroom and specialist teachers
Average class size in Lower School is 18 per class, 36 per grade.
Average class size in Middle School is 22 per class, 44 per grade.
Teacher:student ratios in the main classroom are 1:8 in TK, 1:9 in K-2, 1:12 in 3rd and 4th. Grades 5-8 are taught with one subject specialist in each class, (22-23 students). In 5th – 8th, advisory meets several times a week with 12-14 students in each advisory. Likewise, arts classes are smaller with 12- 14 students per class. Middle School Clubs meet twice a week and range in size from 8 – 15 students.
Equity and inclusion is a school priority.
55% of students identify as people of color. Learn more about school diversity.
4% of students are from LGBTQ-headed households
3% of students identify as transgender or non-binary
75% of students are from Oakland neighborhoods
18% of students are from Berkeley neighborhoods
Overall, 28 zip codes across the East Bay are represented in the student body

School Schedule

2024-2025: 8/28/24 – 6/4/25
Preview 2025-2026 school calendar
K-8 before-school program: 7:30am – school start (no charge)
Grade TK: 8:30am early drop-off, class begins 9am, dismissal 2:30pm
Grades K – 3: 8:45 a.m.– 3:15 p.m.
Grade 4: 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
Grades 5 – 8: 8:30 a.m.–3:35 p.m.
Wednesday early dismissal: TK-4 at 2:15p.m.; 5-8 at 2:35 p.m.
Preview class schedules
After School Activities Program: school dismissal–6:00 p.m. (fee based)

Outdoor Time, Recess & Lunch

Park Day is fortunate to have a beautiful, expansive, garden campus and we use it as often as possible to enhance projects, lessons and student activities.

Snack Recess takes place between 10am and 10:40am across the grade levels and is 25-30 minutes in the youngest grades, and 15-20 minutes in 4th grade. 5th – 8th grades have a 15 minute morning break, and passing time between classes.
Lunch Recess is 50 – 60 minutes and includes time to eat (all students eat in the Pavilion) and then play or hang out. There is an optional Hot Lunch program that 60% of students participate in.
Physical Education takes place twice a week outside for grades K-8.
Learning Garden takes place weekly with hands-on outdoor lessons, and some concentrated study and analysis in the Yurt for grades K-5.
Innovation Workshop projects take place in an indoor/outdoor setting.
Middle School students and upper grade learners often collaborate in small groups using the outdoor study area.
Lower School literacy centers often incorporate small group outdoor activities using nature observations to inspire writing, or other activities like scavenger hunts for phonics work.

Annual Tuition

Indexed Tuition ranges from $1,800 to $36,520 K – 5, and up to $37,960 at the top of the index 6-8. Transitional Kindergarten tuition will be announced by the Board in January. 2025.
Our tuition indexing program helps ensure that students from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds can afford to attend Park Day.
Typically about 40% of Park Day families pay below the top of the index.
21% of gross tuition supports the tuition indexing program
Learn more about affordability.

Faculty & Administration

16 administrators and support staff
45 school-day educators
11 lead after school educators + art/athletic specialists
60% of faculty hold master’s degrees
45% of faculty and staff identify as people of color
Learn more about staff & faculty

Campus

Sunny, 4 acre campus with organic garden; home to chickens and bold squirrels; basketball court, swings, climbing structures, sandboxes, field, nature-zone, Yurt, fairy tree, and middle school hang-outs. Two historic buildings and five other classroom structures including Innovation Workshop. Park Day School is located in the center of what was once a bustling Ohlone-Chochenyo village. Our community honors the Ohlone Peoples who cared for this land for so many generations before European colonization.

History

Founded as a progressive K-6 in 1976 with 26 students; Park Day united with several other lower school programs to form a Community Middle School for grades 6-8 in 1998. The Community School of the East Bay incorporated fully with Park Day School in 2006, and moved to the expanded 360 42nd Street campus in 2010. Learn more about Park Day’s history and founding.

Strategic Plan

We’re excited for what the future holds! You are invited to review Park Day School’s Strategic Plan (2021-2026).

Matriculation

94% of Park Day graduates are accepted into their top high schools of choice.
67% of graduates enroll in an independent or parochial high school, and 33% attend their local public school. Browse list of recent high schools attended by Park Day graduates.
Approximately 60% of Park Day School alums from the last ten years are attending colleges and universities named as top 100 schools from US News and World Reports and Forbes. Browse list of recent colleges and universities attended by Park Day graduates.

Athletics

Volleyball, cross-country, basketball, track, ultimate frisbee, flag football, soccer; compete against other local independent school teams. Students may participate starting in sixth grade. Learn more about Physical Education and after school Competitive Sports.

Auxiliary & After School Program

K-8 before school program begins at 7:30am and is offered at no cost all year round
After School Activities Program (ASAP) covers full afternoons of programming (pick up no later than 6pm)
Enrichment classes are offered in 10 week cycles and include competitive sports team opportunities for Middle Schoolers
Families paying 60% or less on the Index are eligible for additional ASAP fee reductions
Vacation camp: $80 – $100/day (9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.; extended care till 5:30pm)
Learn more about the Auxiliary & After School Program

Governance

501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by Board of Trustees.

Accreditation

California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS).

Memberships

Association of Independent School Admission Professionals (AISAP)
People of Color in Independent Schools (POCIS)
Independent Schools of the San Francisco Bay Area (ISSFBA)
Independent Schools Business Officers Association of Northern California (ISBOA)
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
National Business Officers Association (NBOA)
Progressive Education Network (PEN)