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History
The Buckley School was founded in 1933 as an independent co-educational institution by Dr. Isabelle Buckley. Drawing on her experiences abroad where schools emphasized a well-rounded program, Dr. Buckley developed her own 4-Fold Plan of Education. During the early years, campuses were located in L.A., Tarzana, Encino, and on Woodman Avenue and Riverside Avenue in Sherman Oaks. In 1964, Dr. Buckley purchased land that had been owned by the Glenaire Country Club and by 1973 was able to accommodate all divisions of the school on the new Stansbury Avenue campus in Sherman Oaks. Today, The Buckley School is a college preparatory day school, with students in kindergarten through grade twelve.
Enrollment
790 students total
Lower School: 258 students (kindergarten through grade five)
Middle School: 213 students (grades six through eight)
Upper School: 319 students (grades nine through twelve).
Student/Faculty Ratio
8:1
Average Class Size
Middle School—17
Upper School—14
Faculty
90 faculty members; 5 hold doctoral degrees and 44 have Master's degrees. Sixty-six percent have 10 or more years teaching experience.
Campus
Buckley’s Lower, Middle and Upper divisions are located on a single, 18-acre campus nestled in a wooded canyon in Sherman Oaks.
Among other things, our facilities include: 63 classrooms; two libraries; 725 computers and campus-wide WiFi; 35 interactive whiteboards; 20 interactive projectors; 150 iPads; an indoor gymnasium and theatre; a 4-acre outdoor field and stadium; an indoor pool; a weight-training facility; an outdoor basketball practice court; two Lower School play yards; a nature trail; and a garden and outdoor classroom/patio in Lower School.
Academics
Buckley’s Lower School employs developmental methods. The Middle and Upper School program is college preparatory. At all levels, critical thinking, creativity, moral development and a global perspective are woven across our curriculum.
- Mid-50% SAT range for the Class of 2012 (69 test-takers):
- Mid-50% ACT range for the Class of 2011 (14 test-takers):
- Advanced Placement: Buckley’s curriculum includes 23 Advanced Placement courses, some of which are offered in alternate years. Last year, our students scored 3 or higher on 92% of their AP exams and a 4 or 5 on 65% of their exams. Nationally, 59% of students score 3 or higher. (click here for additional data)
- Students in the Class of 2012 were accepted by 147 colleges and universities and enrolled in 42 colleges in 18 states and the District of Columbia; 45% of those applying to highly selective colleges that admit 30% or fewer of their applicants received acceptances.
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College Matriculation (by region) Type of Institution (by number of Students)
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- All Buckley math teams placed in the top 8 ranks nationally; 13 students ranked in the top 30 in individual scoring.
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The Student Voice student newspaper was awarded the Silver Crown from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (top 50 U.S. student papers) and The Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society International First Place Award of Superior Achievement (granted to fewer than 100 schools worldwide).
- Buckley’s FIRST Robotics team won the GM Industrial Design Award and the Engineering Excellence Award at FIRST Robotics competitions.
Arts
All students take classes in the both the visual and performing arts through eighth grade. In the Upper School, one year of arts coursework is required, though a vast majority of Buckley students participate in the arts, either through academic classes or extracurricular programs throughout their Buckley career.
- Last year, 22 works by Buckley students were awarded Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
- Buckley took home 7 awards from the 2012 Heritage Festival, including three golds and 2 coveted Maestro Awards.
- Six students earned positions in the highly selective California All-State Choir and 20 were invited to the CAIS Honors Music Festival.
Athletics
Physical education is a part of our curriculum in all grades. Our competitive athletic program begins in the 5th grade. For years, Buckley has competed successfully at the varsity and junior varsity levels of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). This has become an even greater priority for us over the past several years and our teams have grown even stronger.
In 2011-2012:
- The girls varsity tennis team won the CIF SS Div. IV Championship after an undefeated season in league play. Sue Sherman was named Fall CIF Southern Section Girls Tennis Coach of the year.
- The boys varsity tennis team made it to CIF Finals - a Buckley first.
- The boys varsity soccer team was Liberty League Champion for the third straight year.
- The girls and boys varsity basketball teams finished 2nd in Liberty League.
- Buckley made its initial showing in the Saddleseat and Western School League of Greater L.A.
- 96% of Middle School students participated in at least one sport; 85% participated in 2 or more sports. Seventeen Middle School teams went to playoffs.
Moral Education
Moral Education, anchored by The Buckley Commitment, is a part of all we do. It guides how we interact with students and the expectations we set for them. It is a common thread through our curriculum and advisory program; it is integrated within our curriculum and practiced through our formal community service program.
- In the Lower School and Middle Schools, classes undertake in-school community service projects and have the opportunity to earn special honors for individual service.
- In the Upper School, all students are required to complete community service hours each year. The program evolves through the grades to develop a personal interest and commitment to service.
- In 2011-2012, our students performed 24,000 hours of service. 86 students school-wide earned Presidential Service Awards and 155 received Community Service Honors. There were 94 Lower School All-Stars (including 28 first graders).
Motto: Dare to be True
Core Values: Respect, Kindness, Honesty, Loyalty, Self-Reliance and Self-Discipline.