Trinity School

I forgot to fill out the stars in my review. Trinity is exceptional and by far, one of the best, in the bay area.
--Submitted by a parent

I landed at Trinity by accident. Having moved to Menlo Park for the schools, I never intended to send my children to private school. But kids teach you that "plans" don't often pan out. We were introduced to Trinity when we were looking for a warm, caring and somewhat structured preschool. We were not expecting to find such a warm, caring community as well ... my daughter has benefited from faculty who know her well, set high standards and help her navigate the sometimes challenging social and academic path that our elementary school aged kids face these days. She's also benefited from the parent community who has now known her for years and can remind her that "I've known you since you were 3". I really believe that it "takes a community to raise a child" and am very happy that the Trinity School Community is there for us.
--Submitted by a parent

I have unique perspective on Trinity School as a parent of two current students and a teacher of many Trinity graduates at a local independent middle school. As a parent, I marvel at how much my two children love their school: their teachers, their friends and their classes. Each day brings them rich and varied opportunities to learn, explore and grow. It is a small school and the warm, intelligent, creative and ever-enthusiastic teachers make every effort to know their students and form strategies to assist them both in and out of the classroom. There is a strong emphasis on social development from preschool through 5th grade. Guided by their extraordinary teachers, children learn how to interact with each other in positive, productive ways from creating new friendships to navigating conflicts to developing empathy. As a teacher, I have been impressed not only by Trinity students strong academic preparation and love of learning, but by their genuine compassion for others. Trinity teachers and staff clearly work hard to ensure that their students are thinking both for themselves as learners and beyond themselves as citizens.
--Submitted by a parent

Trinity represents a unique combination of excellent academics, caring and smart teachers, an environment grounded in the Episcopal tradition, modern facilities and a "fun" culture for children. We have had one graduate with one still there and have consistently found Trinity graduates to be mature, conscientious and smart kids.
--Submitted by a parent

Trinity has been wonderful for our three kids (a daughter and 2 sons). We've been delighted with the creativity, sensitivity, passion, and all-around quality of the teachers both in the classroom and beyond. For example, the incredible PE teacher makes PE both fun and challenging for ALL kids, and teaches them life lessons along the way. The librarian is so passionate about helping kids love reading that she relentlessly works to find just the right book for each student. The curriculum is well designed to help kids both meet challenging academic goals and grow in their love of learning. Because of this, our Trinity graduates who are now at Castilleja and Menlo School had very smooth transitions to middle school. Trinity s chapel program gives students space and time each morning to reflect on the larger world and their place in it. By encouraging students to learn and care about issues beyond themselves, chapel helps them to develop a sense of perspective and caring hearts. Trinity s small size is great for an elementary school because it creates a comfortable environment for taking risks and encourages the kids to learn to get along with a broad range of kids.
--Submitted by a parent

From the very first day our son set foot on the Trinity campus he felt very comfortable and so did we. Academic excellence is a given at Trinity. We love that he takes Spanish in Kindergarten and that he thinks of himself as both a scientist and an artist. We like that he has friends from all grade levels there and that the older kids are so nice to him. It is a real community in every sense of the word. The wonderful book-filled Library is the heart of the school and chapel time is the heart of every day. Early on, we are pleasantly surprised to see our son talking in front of the entire school during chapel. Listening to others, asking questions and articulating thoughts in front of over 150 of their peers, this among many other things is what makes a Trinity education truly priceless.
--Submitted by a parent

My three children have all attended Trinity. We have been part of the community for 10 years and by the time they all three have moved through the grades, it will have been a 16 year relationship. As, we all know, the schools have our children for the bulk of their waking hours and are essentially raising them for a large part. Trinity is like a second family for my children. The teachers are painstakingly selected in order to facilitate a good fit and allow the flow of family and community to be seamless. Academics are important to our family as well, and Trinity has consistently performed above grade level, but without stressing out my kids, which is ultimately the most important. My daughter went through the school from age 3 and now attends Castilleja and she is so comfortable there, able to work above grade level and manage her schedule.
--Submitted by a parent

We originally planned to have our first child just go to Trinity for JK. But she enjoyed the environment so much and we were so impressed with the personnel and the parent community, we stayed. Fast forward to today, we have 3 kids attending Trinity and in the end, will have been there for over a dozen years. The school has a great balance of academics, social interaction and community. One key differentiator is the amount of public experience the children get. Whether it's through announcements at chapel, participation in numerous skits or presentations made to peers and parents, Trinity kids get more public speaking exposure in a few years than I got all the way up to college! A great life skill to have experience with.
--Submitted by a parent

Trinity School is a small episcopal day school located on the edge of Menlo Park, close to Stanford University and SLAC. The school caters to above average children and offers a creative and challenging curriculum. The parent community is mostly affluent and the school expects a significant annual fund contribution from its families, in additon to yearly tuition. Generally the kids enjoy attending Trinity, and the religious affiliation should not be a deal breaker. The church and the school work together to welcome families of all traditions and faiths. The vast majority of teachers are excellent, although turn over after two years is pretty consistent. Girls tend to do better than boys at Trinity, as sometimes the class size can be too small, leaving not enough choices for friends over the K-5 years. Leadership at Trinity tends to ebb and flow, despite a lack of change at the top.
--Submitted by a parent