Palo Alto United States
Silicon Valley International SchoolDescription
Alto is an International Baccalaureate World School in the heart of Silicon Valley and is the only school in the Bay Area offering the International Baccalaureate from preschool through high school. Every day we create a stimulating learning environment for our students who come from all over the world. Students of all ages are exposed to an international mindset and an inquiry-based learning approach.Our internationally focused middle and high school offers students a unique preparatory, multilingual education providing them with the necessary skills for university and life beyond. Students are taught in a multilingual environment, graduating with literacy skills in at least two languages. For younger students we offer a German-immersion focused preschool and elementary program, educating engaged, independent, and balanced learners.At Alto, we believe that the world needs young people eager to take on today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Alto International School equips students with the skills and confidence to contribute to making our world a better place.
- Day school tuition $15000 - $34400 USD
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Grades for day school
Pre-K/Reception -
12th Grade/Year 13 - Number of Students 200
- Year founded 1988
- Boarding school tuition No Information
- Curricula IB Diploma, IB Middle Years, IB Primary Years, US National, Bilingual Program
- Type Co-ed
Admissions Information
Admissions Process
https://altoschool.org/application-process/
- Application fee (domestic) $75 USD
- Application fee (international) $75 USD
Academics
- Assigns homework Yes
- Use of technology in the classroom Yes
- Language of instruction English, German
- ELL support Yes
- Learning support Yes
- Native English teachers Yes
- Languages taught English, German
- Examinations available International Baccalaureate Diploma - IB Dip
School Life
- Sports teams available Yes
- Pastoral Care Yes
- Do students practice religion at the school No
- Max class size 25
- School provides lunch Yes
- Supervised care before or after school Yes
- Uniform required No
- Average class size 15
School Lunch
Alto partners with Choicelunch to provide an optional hot lunch program to students in elementary (Grades 1 – 5), middle, and high school. Hot lunch is distributed by an Alto staff member or volunteer during the lunch break. Parents can order meals online ahead of time. Please visit the Choicelunch website to learn more. This program is not available for kindergarten and preschool children.
ELL
Continuous and consistent support is offered for students who are working in a language of instruction that is not their native language. In the elementary section, non-native German-speaking students are provided with a language support program called German Language Support (GLS). Lessons are conducted in parallel to the regular German language instruction and are provided several times a week. For students still struggling to achieve proficient levels, resources are shared with parents to help support the child’s language development at home as well. In the upper school section, Alto admits students at any grade level regardless of their English language abilities. However, the school provides an English Language Support (ELS) program for students with limited English. Like the GLS program, lessons are conducted in parallel to the regular English language instruction and are provided several times a week. The school also recommends resources for the parents to use at home for continued development of the child’s English abilities.
Supervised Care
Alto’s after school care program, called “Hort“ (German term for after-school care), is available every school day until 6:00 p.m. for students from preschool to Grade 8. In addition, we offer extended care programs on certain holidays as well as during fall, winter and, spring breaks from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Extended care at Alto offers the option of free play or participation in organized age-appropriate activities. These include gym activities, arts and crafts, library time for the younger children, and much more. Preschool students can nap, whereas older students work on their homework before participating in other activities. All students are provided with a healthy snack in the afternoon. Students in Hort can check in and out over the course of an afternoon in order to attend extracurricular programs.
University Relations
- University counseling Yes
University Counseling
College counseling at Alto starts right at the beginning of high school. Students in grade 9 and up regularly meet with Alto’s college counselor, who provides guidance and advice on course selection, extracurricular, testing, college visits, and much more. The Alto diploma, in combination with the IB Diploma, allows Alto students to attend their top choice universities everywhere in the world. We aim to support our students wherever life takes them. As a small school, Alto’s college counselor and teachers know every student personally and can help each student to find their passion and ultimately find the right college for them. All Alto high school students participate in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program, a globally recognized, academically rigorous high school diploma program that is highly regarded by colleges and universities in the United States and worldwide.