If you love learning, if you love dreaming up amazing, new ideas, if you love inventing things, if you're always asking yourself the question why, if you want to discover all the countries in the world, if you can't wait for another fabulous adventure outdoors, if you love juggling words with numbers, then Odyssey is the school for you!
Located in San Mateo on four beautiful acres of old-growth oak trees complete with stream, Odyssey School is a small, independent, co-ed middle school for academically gifted and talented students in grades 6-8.
Our school educates the whole child, offering a cutting-edge and challenging curriculum that integrates social-emotional learning with science, humanities, writing, literature, math and studio art programs. Our programs stretch well beyond the four walls of the classroom. We study drama not just in the classroom but also at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. We teach Japanese at settings that include museums, manga-publishing houses and, in students' final year, Japan itself.
We believe that academically gifted and talented students thrive best in settings where they are challenged, not harnessed in. We take the brakes off learning, encouraging all students to be intellectual risk-takers and to realize their full potential. Our small class sizes and programs such as “Intersession” or “Passions” allow students to explore their own academic and creative interests in a structured, coherent and calm learning environment.
What really distinguishes Odyssey from so many other fine schools on the Peninsula is our sense of community. We are a community of parents, a community of learners, a community of sib groups, and a community of problem solvers. We don't just talk the talk about community; we walk the walk. We gather as an entire school community each morning and afternoon to discuss, share and reinforce each other. We meet as a parent community once a month to discuss the roller coaster ride of raising young adolescents. Our faculty community meets twice a week to discuss students' progress and challenges. Our advisories meet regularly to offer advice, support, answer questions and defuse issues as little sibs look to older sibs to help them make the transition from elementary to middle school.
On our website, you will find information from students, alums and parents. You will see pictures and videos of happy kids actively engaged in their learning. We hope you will attend an open house, file an application, schedule a shadow visit and find that Odyssey fits your child's need for an intellectually stimulating, emotionally safe community.
Welcome to Odyssey and we look forward to your visit!
Daniel J. Popplewell, Ph.D.
Head of School
