FPO

Welcome to
Admissions

Welcome to The Nueva School! We are excited for you to learn more about all that Nueva has to offer.

Nueva is a dynamic community committed to educating gifted learners from pre-kindergarten through high school. Our mission is to inspire passion for lifelong learning, foster social and emotional acuity, and develop the imaginative mind. 

As a community that values curiosity, compassion, inclusion, diversity, innovation, and authentic learning experiences, Nueva students embrace intellectual, social, and academic challenges. With the support of our exceptional faculty, they also find comfort in knowing they have a safe space to ask questions, make mistakes, and enjoy the journey of learning. 

We are eager to help you understand the limitless possibilities of a Nueva education and encourage you to continue exploring our website to learn more about our community and the admissions process. Better yet, come visit us in person! Throughout the admissions season we will offer opportunities to spend time on our beautiful Hillsborough and San Mateo campuses where you will meet all parts of our community, from faculty to students to current parents to the admissions team

We look forward to partnering with you as you search for the right school community for your family. 

Warmly,
The Nueva Admissions Team


Important Admissions Dates

  • Lower and Middle School applicants: We highly recommend that students take an IQ assessment with a licensed psychologist as soon as they are eligible. 
     
  • Early September 2023
    Applications open through Ravenna. Check for registration deadlines for optional events
  • January 9, 2024
    Deadline for Ravenna application and all required documents
     
  • February 2, 2024
    For those applying for financial assistance, deadline to submit application and all supplemental documents
     
  • March 15, 2024
    Admissions decision notification for all grades
     
  • March 19–21, 2024
    Campus visit for admitted students (parents/guardians of admitted student for lower school applicants)
  • March 22, 2024
    Deadline to submit admissions decision reply for all grades

Get in touch! 


Email:

admissions@nuevaschool.org

Phone:

Lower and Middle School: 
(650) 350-4528

Upper School:
(650) 235-7119

Si necesita ayuda en español, comuníquese con Melanie León, directora de admisiones: 
mleon@nuevaschool.org o
650-235-7111.


Student Voices

At Nueva, student voices are valued and respected. We regularly document the reflections of our students and alumni on their learning, their school projects, and their feelings about our community. Hear some first-person testimonials about Nueva’s culture and our students’ opinions and experiences.

Illustrations by Thalia R. '22

A Place of Belonging

Above all, Nueva is a sanctuary for gifted learners. Our shared curiosity and love of learning bonds our community across every grade and division.

Student-teacher Relationships

Ask any of our students what they love most about Nueva and the most common answer you’ll hear is “The teachers!” 

Learning Culture with No Ceilings

Our flexible, responsive learning culture rises to meet the interests and ambitions of our students. We’re here to help them go as far and as wide as they want to go.

Connect with Nueva Social Media!

Nueva News

Snapshots: Lower School

On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, the Lower School halls were alive with the sounds of music and laughter. As part of Spirit Week, students dressed in their coziest pajamas and carried beloved stuffed animals. Throughout the Hillsborough campus, Lower School students could be found doing acrobatic movements, creating innovative LED art, getting lost in the world of books, and more. Join us on a walk through the Lower School!

Five Questions for...Sharmistha Ghosh, Fourth Grade Teacher

Fourth grade teacher Sharmistha Ghosh joined Nueva in fall 2023. She is committed to igniting the joy of learning in her students, allowing them to make sense of the world around them through creative and resilient problem solving, and to discover their own unique and authentic selves. 

Community Members Reflect on State of Nueva

On January 11 and 12, Head of School Lee Fertig delivered his "State of Nueva" presentation for the community. Lee invited parents, students, alumni, and faculty to offer their reflections immediately following the presentation.

Snapshots: Intersession

Hosted each year following winter break, Intersession  is a verifiable feast of intellectually stimulating, rich, experiential introductions to a variety of subjects and fields. Parent and professional facilitators offer hundreds of sessions covering a broad spectrum of topics around the arts, athletics and movement, cooking, humanities, environmental citizenship, design thinking, philosophy, business, science, math, and more. 

Take a look at a sampling of some of the sessions offered in each division.

Truly Stunning: Capitalism and the Apocalypse

As someone interested in the humanities and social sciences, I have taken many history courses at Nueva. My Capitalism and the Apocalypse course—which I am taking this semester—is truly stunning, as it exemplifies the subtle interconnectedness of all of these courses, and how history is an ever changing-field.

The Nueva School is a member of the Independent Schools of the San Francisco Bay Area (ISSFBA) and Bay Area Independent High Schools (BAIHS). Please review our Principles of Good Practice here and here

For general information about Bay Area Independent Schools, you may also find the ISSFBA website helpful.

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

In accordance with the requirements set forth in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Nueva School provides this notice of nondiscrimination and states that Nueva School does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its education programs and activities. Questions concerning Title IX may be referred to the School’s Title IX Coordinator whose contact information is below or to the Office for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Education. 

Title IX Coordinator:
Scott Bowers, Director of Human Resources 
131 E. 28th Street, San Mateo, CA 94403 
(650) 235-7172, sbowers@nuevaschool.org