Academics

FPO

Nueva students learn by doing. They construct knowledge through hands-on engagement. As experts in project-based learning, Nueva teachers guide authentic and purposeful investigations that enable discovery while building the skills students need to be successful and to feel a sense of interconnectedness and belonging.

At Nueva, learning is authentic, complex, and intellectually rigorous. Students do real work as authors, artists, inventors, explorers, athletes, and mathematicians. Giving students choice, autonomy, and high expectations for growth, we harness intrinsic motivation as the engine for academic excellence.

Through an interdisciplinary and inquiry-based program, students discover and master foundational skills in traditional academic disciplines while learning to grapple with the unknown, embrace multiple perspectives, and create novel solutions.

Lower School

Grades PreK–4

Our Lower School is a haven for young gifted learners. Our intellectually engaging and creative program incorporates the powerful and joyful elements of early education: deep investigation, inquiry, play, kindness, gratitude, friendship, community, and essential connections to the outdoors.

Middle School

Grades 5–8

The Middle School years are a time of excitement, in which students find their voice and discover how they can make an impact on the world. Teachers use projects, trips, and activities and clubs to make the middle school experience rich with academic and elective experiences.

Upper School

Grades 9–12

At the Upper School, the students’ experience is at the center of everything we do. We nourish their love of learning by providing each student unparalleled opportunity to chart their own pathway through high school. 

Nueva's hallmark programs feature:

Nueva's culture honors and embraces:

  • Spirit of inquiry
  • Integrity
  • Gratitude
  • Diversity of perspectives
  • Community and connectedness
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Equity and inclusion

Learn More About Our Campuses

Lower, Middle, & Upper School News

This I Believe

One of the goals of eleventh grade social-emotional learning is simplifying complex ideas, or, as [teachers] say, “clarifying muddy water.” A more surprising goal of the year-long class  is “muddying those that seem clear.”

Middle School Trips in 18 Photos

In May, Middle School students embarked on grade-specific journeys that tied directly into their curriculum, offering them opportunities to engage with history, ecology, and culture in a tangible and lasting way.

Lower School Trips in 12 Photos

This May, students in first through fourth grades embarked on overnight adventures across the greater Bay Area. From a first grade overnight to increasingly adventurous trips in second through fourth grades, each experience provides students opportunities to explore the world beyond campus, deepens SEL skills, and creates lasting memories.

In Few Words, a World

This spring, creative writing students and a visiting poet explored how careful attention—and brevity—can reveal deeper truths about the world around us. Through flash nonfiction, poetry, and quiet observation, they examined how even the smallest moments can hold meaning.

Video: 8th Grade Quest Night

On April 9, the Hillsborough campus came alive as 8th graders showcased the results of their yearlong Quest projects—a milestone in their middle school journey. Formerly known as Recital, Quest Night invites family, friends, and faculty to engage with students as they present the projects they've nurtured since 7th grade. From building planes to composing music, designing apps, and learning new skills, each project reflects months of curiosity, creativity, and perseverance. Guided by I-Lab teacher Michelle Grau and supported by mentors and advisors, students shared not just what they created, but the stories behind their work—the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned, and the surprises along the way.

Upper School Trips in 60 Photos

Upper School trips at Nueva are about more than just where students go—they are about who students become along the way. This spring, students had plenty of opportunities to put that philosophy into action. From April 3 to 10, Upper Schoolers took part in 20 different trips across the globe. Take a look at the photos to see some of the incredible moments from these adventures.

Snapshots: Lower School

On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, students embraced the cozy weather in their favorite jammies for Pajama Day. The Lower School classrooms buzzed with activity, filled with the sounds of questions, songs, and collaborative learning.