ABOUT US
The Primary School is expanding the boundaries of traditional education. Our holistic model weaves together education, health, and family support services to ensure underserved children have the system of care they need to lead meaningful and emotionally, mentally, and physically healthy lives. We received seed funding by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a major national philanthropy.
Our approach has three defining characteristics:
- We start early. We start working with parents and enroll children into our program as early as birth to reach them at their most critical stage in development.
- We work with - not around - families. We know that parents and caregivers are the most important people in a child’s life. We partner with them to enhance the education and health of their children.
- We integrate multiple systems to serve the whole child. Our unique model unites health care and education, building a multi-disciplinary team and holistic system of care around a child’s full needs.
In 2016, we opened our flagship school in East Palo Alto, California, with our first class of four-year-olds. We have grown to serve nearly 300 children and their families. In the fall, we will have classes for children in Pre-K3 (3 year-olds), Pre-K4 (4 year-olds), Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. We will continue to open a new grade every year through eighth grade.
Our ultimate goal is to create a game-changing system of care for children that can be replicated across the country. To that end, we are building a model that can be effectively implemented in diverse communities and sustained on public funding. In 2019, we plan to both expand our student and family population in East Palo Alto and pursue opening our next site in the Bay Area. It’s an exciting time to join the team!
