Nueva is an independent PreK–12 school where gifted learners discover and develop their passions, and learn to make choices that positively and profoundly impact the world.

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Nueva News

A Home for My Weirdness
A Home for My Weirdness

“Double double toil and trouble; / Fire burn and cauldron bubble!”

This was the sound of our ninth-grade English classes, with us loudly imitating the three witches of Macbeth in a screeching falsetto.

Keep Driving
Keep Driving

Not many people know this, but only one week into senior year, I was already in deep trouble with my parents. 

A Caring Response to Feedback—in Real Time
A Caring Response to Feedback—in Real Time

As an ’80s latch-key kid growing up in San Francisco, I spent an inordinate amount of time riding the Muni buses. So much so, that I could traverse the entire city, knowing what routes went where, making friends with drivers, even handing out transfers! So naturally, when I started at Nueva as the Director of Finance and Administration, I was put in charge of the commuter bus program!

You may not realize this, but about half of our Hillsborough students ride the buses to get to school regularly. (Not quite as many at the high school, being so close to free Caltrain.) So this was more than a logistical responsibility, it was a daily trust exercise involving hundreds of students and families.

Some Assembly Required
Some Assembly Required

As Nueva's Education Technology Specialist, my work is often behind the scenes. When everything works well, most people never have to think about th platforms I administer at all.

There It Is
There It Is

I was humbled recently by two trips program experiences, which reminded me of how much our students continue to surprise me.

Mavericks Making Waves: May 2026
Mavericks Making Waves: May 2026

Mavericks Making Waves is our latest roundup of exceptional student and faculty accomplishments beyond Nueva’s walls. In this edition, Mavericks are recognized for achievements in mathematics, science research, journalism, debate, robotics, computing, history, and the humanities, as well as honors earned in national and international competitions.

Finding Joy in the Groove
Finding Joy in the Groove

As I finish my 23rd year at Nueva, I have been reflecting on how this all started and how our music program has grown in the past two decades.

Lee Fertig

Head of School

"Nueva is more than just a school for gifted learners. It’s more than just a place where students focus on design thinking and social emotional learning. It’s a beloved community, inclusive and compassionate, collectively embracing diverse perspectives and empowering everyone to make choices that benefit the world."
 

          

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The Nueva School is a member of many professional organizations and associations. We believe we become better because of our connections to and within these groups. The Nueva School is jointly accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). We are also members of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the Association of Independent Schools for Gifted Students (AISGS)*, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CAIS), the Independent School Data Exchange (INDEX),  the California Independent Schools Business Officers Association (CAL-ISBOA), and the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS).


*Nueva is proud to be a founding member of the Association of Independent Schools for Gifted Students (AISGS).

The Nueva School admits students of any race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of these factors in the administration of its educational policies, financial award programs, or athletic and other school programs.