Crystal Springs Uplands School

Crystal Springs Uplands School is an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory day school located on a 10-acre campus on San Francisco’s Peninsula. Serving students in grades 6-12, Crystal offers an intimate, collaborative community that encourages students to explore new interests and pursue passions within an environment of academic excellence. At Crystal, we believe our greatest responsibility is to prepare students to actively engage with and thrive in a rapidly changing world. We consciously create a culture where students can develop the fundamentals and flexibility they need to solve complex problems and imagine limitless futures. We do this all while encouraging and nurturing our students’ own internal passions and joy. Academics are at the center of the Crystal experience, but it’s the spirit with which we pursue learning that sets us apart. Recently named number 24 on TheBestSchools.org’s 50 Best Private Day Schools in the United States, Crystal enrolls 350 students from 66 elementary schools and 53 middle schools. Our student body reflects Crystal’s strong commitment to cultural, social, and socioeconomic diversity, and our athletics program, our visual and performing arts offerings, and our extra-curricular activities foster opportunities for self-discovery, creative expression, and personal growth. Crystal students get a thrill from challenging themselves in and out of the classroom. Through expansive travel offerings, a robust community service program, and a forward-looking curriculum with college-level electives, our students have endless opportunities to try things they have never before experienced. As Crystal’s Head of School Amy Richards puts it, “Our masterful, caring, and invested faculty know their students well. They hone in on that place that is just beyond each student’s capacity and teach to it. That way, when a student reaches the goal, not only has she learned something new, she’s discovered she is capable of whatever she sets her mind to. Academic achievement is only part of the equation at Crystal—we view every experience as an opportunity to practice perseverance and build self-confidence.” At Crystal, we take the time to ask each of our students, “What excites you?” When students discover what makes them tick and are supported by people who believe in them, magic happens.