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Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions Page!
Here, we address some of the most common inquiries about Holden High School. We understand that choosing the right High School for your student is a significant decision, and we strive to provide you with clear information to help you make an informed choice. Here, you will find answers to questions such as whether Holden is accredited, the types of students who attend, the diversity within our community, and how we prepare students for life after graduation. We also cover practical aspects such as the school schedule, services for students with disabilities, tuition costs, and transportation options. Additionally, we delve into our teaching philosophy, the learning environment at Holden, and what a diploma from our school represents.
We hope this section provides valuable insights into what makes Holden High School a unique and supportive learning environment.
Yes. Holden is fully accredited by the Schools Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Holden students are curious, creative, independent, and bright. Many of our students possess significant academic potential that is often left untapped when in a mainstream education setting.
Our students often need social-emotional support, have learning differences, and thrive in a small, nurturing environment where they receive weekly 1-on-1 counseling. Our teens reside all over the Bay Area (Oakland, Walnut Creek, Antioch, Richmond, and more!)
Our student body is comprised of students with diverse cultural, social, and economic backgrounds.
Yes, there is both visible and invisible diversity at Holden. The student body reflects the racial, socio-economic, and cultural diversity of the Bay Area. Students of color represent approximately 55% of our population, 24% identify as LGBTQ+, about 35% of families receive some tuition reduction, and 40% have diagnosed learning disabilities. About 56% of students come from Alameda County, 41% come from Contra Costa County, and less than 3% from Marin and San Francisco Counties.
Because social/emotional growth is a core aspect of our curriculum, we cultivate consciousness, appreciation, tolerance, and knowledge of all kinds of diversity.
Students have ample opportunities within the classroom and during community-building events to discuss issues of diversity.
Each student works with a Transition Counselor to map out their post-high school paths, including help with applying to colleges, conducting job searches, or applying to vocational programs. Life after Holden is also the focus of students’ 75-hour senior grade-level project. (See also Post-High School Planning.)
Students graduate from Holden with healthy self-esteem, a love of learning, communication skills, and the initiative and tools to fulfill academic and personal goals. Most continue to college or vocational school or begin a working career. (See also After Holden.)
Research has shown that biological clocks change during puberty, so teenagers often have trouble falling asleep until late at night. Sleep deprivation makes early morning learning difficult. Our average school day is almost an hour longer than what the state requires.
Holden is located within walking distance of the Orinda BART station; a 10:00 start time allows for students from all over the Bay Area to commute to school.
Holden works well for students diagnosed with:
(See also Learning Support Program.)
A credentialed Learning Specialist trains our teaching staff to work with students with specific learning disabilities and learning styles. We equip our Teachers with information about individual students’ educational backgrounds and experiences, including appropriate accommodations, modifications, and supports.
Our low student-to-teacher ratio allows teachers to pay special attention to students’ individual needs, skills, and interests.
We utilize differentiated instruction, an approach to teaching and learning that provides students with multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas.
Co-Director Abby Tuttle is a credentialed Education Specialist. Abby also has a Master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in mild-to-moderate disabilities. Holden has an additional part time learning specialist.
Holden accommodates various learning styles, including:
Academic and counseling staff members work together to identify strengths and areas for social, emotional, and academic growth.
Students are empowered to work within their preferred learning styles. We also address their needs through monthly teacher evaluations, after-school homework labs, and behavioral support meetings (all included in the cost of tuition), as well as individual tutoring interventions (for an additional cost).
Holden’s Counselors, Directors, and Academic Teachers meet weekly and work collaboratively to support all students.
Our philosophy honors that students develop and learn in social, creative, and emotional ways that are just as important as academic growth.
Some students experienced difficult and shaming educational experiences from the one-size-fits-all curriculum used in mainstream schools. We work with our students, including those with learning disabilities, to meet their needs and interests and to help them regain their love of learning.
We provide a fully integrated range of teaching styles that work successfully with a broad range of learners. Our small class sizes offer a unique, personalized learning environment, allowing trust to develop within the community; this opens students to the full range of their abilities and interests.
Our program features an engaging and stimulating curriculum tailored to each student’s individual needs, abilities, and interests. We differentiate instruction, which allows us to teach the same content through multiple modalities.
Students are grouped by interest and ability, not by grade level. We give multiple opportunities for students to achieve success and gain individual recognition. Each year students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades complete a Grade Level Project. These are interest-based projects of their choosing through support by the staff.
Projects include creative or logical inquiry, jobs, internships, applying for colleges, and career exploration.
The reasons that families choose Holden are as unique and varied as each family. However, most families choose Holden for our:
Most of our students describe Holden as a welcoming, accepting, and supportive learning environment.
Click here to view current tuition.
A generous and flexible tuition reduction program allow Holden High School to admit talented, motivated students from across the economic spectrum.
We cannot give you a specific tuition quote until you have submitted your tuition reduction application and supporting tax documents.
Tuition may be paid annually, bi-annually, or monthly.
No, but some school districts have contracted with us to place students here. More commonly, school districts reimburse parents for paying private tuition for students with disabilities.
Holden students travel to school from various Bay Area cities. Most arrive via BART, and others carpool or get dropped off by a parent.
In addition to several other school-specific requirements, Holden students must complete 240 credits to graduate.
Holden is WASQ accredited, allowing our students to directly matriculate to both 2 and 4 year colleges.
HOLDEN HIGH SCHOOL
FINALLY, A SCHOOL THAT FITS.