Aurora School is a progressive K-8 school in Oakland’s Upper Rockridge neighborhood. Established in 1988, we feature elevated academics, project-based learning, and multi-grade classrooms. Social-emotional learning is embedded in our curriculum.
At Aurora School in Oakland, K-8 students grow into confident, resilient learners, grounded in academic depth in a community that truly knows them. We believe in preparing students with skills and knowledge that traditional classrooms are not designed to teach. Our graduates are equipped to think deeply, care fiercely, and act with purpose.
We know academic excellence flourishes when students feel safe, supported, and connected. That’s why Social-Emotional Learning is woven into everything we do. Since 1988, our approach has helped students build self-awareness, solve problems, and form strong relationships so they leave Aurora ready for what’s next, with both head and heart leading the way.
Aurora features multi-grade classrooms, where students in grades K/1, 2/3, 4/5 and middle school share learning spaces. Having teachers loop with their students for two or more years has been shown to build stronger relationships and enable more successful intellectual outcomes. It also gives older students the opportunity to model empathy by mentoring their younger peers, who become mentors themselves the next year. Students form friendships beyond their age group, and teachers differentiate learning so that each student is academically challenged.
Aurora School features:
• Elevated academics with a focus on social justice and service learning
• Scaffolded, project-based curricula for K-8
• Social-emotional learning at the core of our curriculum
• Multi-grade classrooms where students learn mentoring and empathy
• Specialist classes including art, music, Spanish, woodshop, and physical education
• One of the largest K-8 school libraries in the area
• High school prep program for middle schoolers
• Historic campus with abundant outdoor spaces in Upper Rockridge
• Flexible tuition to ensure economic diversity
• A diverse and supportive community where everyone is celebrated for who they are
Want to learn more? Visit auroraschool.org
