San Domenico School is the oldest independent, private, coed day and boarding school in California[3] and the closest coed boarding school to San Francisco, California.[4] The school currently enrolls 680 boys and girls in Grades Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade. It is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools. The mascot is a Panther. The school colors are blue and green.[5]

San Domenico School
San Domenico School in July 2016
Address
Map
1500 Butterfield Road

, ,
94960

United States
Coordinates38°1′8″N 122°35′23″W / 38.01889°N 122.58972°W / 38.01889; -122.58972
Information
TypePrivate, Coeducational,
Boarding school (9–12)
MottoStudy, Reflection, Community, Service
Established1850; 174 years ago (1850)
NCES School IDA0300549[1]
Head of schoolPaul Sanders
Teaching staff68 (FTE)[1]
GradesK-12
Enrollment680 (2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio9.9[1]
Campus size500 acres (2.0 km2)
Color(s)Green and Blue   
AthleticsMark Churchill (Director)
Team namePanthers
AccreditationWestern Association of Schools and Colleges[2]
Publication"School Ties"
YearbookVeritas
Tuition2034-25:[1]
$46,575 (K-5)
$50,850 (6–8)
$65,000 (9–12)
AffiliationNational Association of Independent Schools
Division HeadGabriel Lemmon (9–12)
Kali Baird (6-8)
LeaAnne Parlette (K-5)
Websitewww.sandomenico.org

History

edit

Founded in 1850 in Monterey by Mother Mary of the Cross Goemaere, O.P., of the Dominican Order, as St. Catherine Academy (not to be confused with St. Catherine's Academy), San Domenico is the oldest independent school in California. In 1965 the school moved to its present location in Sleepy Hollow, San Anselmo. In 2014, the school's high school became coed, and officially became non-religious in 2017.[6]

Campus

edit

The campus is situated on 515 acres (0.803 mi2) and includes a music conservatory, digital arts lab, riding stables, hiking and mountain biking trails, swimming center, gymnasium, one-acre organic garden, large field, 2,358 solar panels, and six tennis courts.[5]

Boarding program

edit

San Domenico High School is a coeducational day, boarding and flex-boarding school. Boarding students live on-campus during the school year while flex boarding students spend Monday through Friday on campus and then return home for weekends. The boarding program has a large number of international students, including students from Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, mainland China, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Rwanda, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.[7]

Virtuoso Program

edit

San Domenico’s internationally recognized Music Conservatory and Virtuoso Program (VP) is designed for high school students who are developing their potential as professional string musicians and wish to dedicate themselves to an intensive program of pre-college musical and academic studies. Day and boarding options are available for students from across the Bay Area and around the world. [8]

Bus system

edit

San Domenico administers one of the most extensive school bus route systems in the Bay Area. Grade levels K – 12 utilize the bus system, and service covers the Bay Area, including Oakland, San Francisco, and Novato.[9]

Organization

edit

It is member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS),[10] California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS),[10] and Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC).[10]

Academics

edit
  • Over 90% of the Class of 2020 were accepted into one of their top choice colleges.[5]

Service Learning

edit

All students are required to take the social justice course in their junior year, which helps students develop a systemic approach to understanding the social and environmental challenges of our day. Each student chooses a cause and initiates an independent action plan. The projects span from local initiatives within the school community and county to global initiatives around the world.[11]

Reputation

edit

San Domenico School is a recognized Common Sense Media Signature School (Digital Citizenship Certified).[10]

The San Domenico High School Theatre Arts Group was one of 50 school theatre groups in North America selected to perform in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2007, 2010, and 2013.[12]

San Domenico School received the Green Ribbon Schools Award from the US Department of Education for excellence in sustainability practices in 2014. San Domenico was the first school in Marin County to receive this honor.[13]

San Domenico School’s Virtuoso Program Orchestra da Camera was the Festival Grand Champion and First Place String Orchestra at the National Orchestra Festival competition in 2010, 2008, and 2005.[14]

Athletics

edit

The school offers cross country, soccer, tennis, golf, basketball, swimming, track, baseball, flag football, badminton, volleyball, lacrosse, and sailing.[15]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "Search for Private Schools – School Detail for Editing San Domenico School". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  2. ^ WASC-ACS. "WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools". Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  3. ^ "Fast Facts - San Domenico School".
  4. ^ "Home". sandomenico.org.
  5. ^ a b c "SD At A Glance - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  6. ^ "History - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  7. ^ "Boarding - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2022-04-24.
  8. ^ "Virtuoso Program - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  9. ^ "San Domenico School – Independent coed K-12 school in Marin County, California: Bus & Transportation". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2015-09-25.
  10. ^ a b c d "SD At A Glance - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  11. ^ "Upper School Service Learning - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2017-05-26.
  12. ^ "Edinburgh Fringe Festival - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  13. ^ "Sustainability - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  14. ^ "Virtuoso Program - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  15. ^ "Upper School Athletics - San Domenico School". www.sandomenico.org. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
edit