Saved Schools

The Primary School of East Palo Alto

The Primary School - East Palo Alto, nominated by an anonymous organization, is an elementary/middle school in East Palo Alto, California, that describes itself as an independent (private) school serving learners from a primarily suburban area.

Location East Palo Alto, California

Governance Independent (Private) School

Grades Pre-Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle

Students 390

Locale Suburban

Director of Schools Jesse Hinueber

Demographics

Percentage of students*

20%

English Learners

Free/Reduced Lunch

17%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black 4%

American Indian/Alaska Native

Asian 1%

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 10%

Hispanic or Latino 72%

White 1%

2+ Races

Why The Primary School of East Palo Alto was nominated

The Primary School centers the whole-child so that all children, regardless of the barriers they face can overcome them and be prepared to learn. Their partner with parents, have comprehensive wraparound services and start early (several years before kindergarten). , The Primary School brings together all of the adults in a child’s life, including parents, educators, and health care professionals to support them. The model starts early, is trauma sensitive and culturally responsive, and includes a parent support program., The Primary School implements an innovative model, The Parent Program, a series of individual and group coaching experiences that addresses the needs of two generations—parents and their children—to strengthen their lives together.

Student experience design

The Primary School model brings together all of the adults in a child’s life — including parents, educators, and medical and mental health providers — starting from an early age. Our aim is that through this comprehensive approach, children and families most impacted by systemic inequities receive the multidisciplinary support they deserve to be well, learn, and thrive. Our approach has three defining characteristics: - We start early. We start working with children as young as 12 months and provide full-time school starting at age three to reach them at a critical stage in development. - We partner with parents. We believe that when parents thrive, children thrive, so we support the wellness and growth of parents alongside the growth of their children. - We integrate services. Our unique model unites health care and education, building a multi-disciplinary team and holistic system of care around a child’s full needs.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Family And Community Support Services

5+ years

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

3-4 years

SEL Integration School-wide

5+ years

Trauma-informed Practices

5+ years

All Practices

Student Advisories

Anti-racist Practices

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Culturally Responsive Practices

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery

Mental Health Services

Performance Based Assessment

High Quality Instructional Materials

SEL Curriculum

Student-led Conferences

Student-led Goal Setting

Students Develop Projects

Tutoring

Universal Design For Learning

key reasons for innovating

Address systemic inequities

Demonstrate what’s possible for other schools

Date Updated: 4/1/2025

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.