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Today's Date:     7/4/2009                                About Us                              Printable FAQ (PDF)

About Us

Bullis Charter School is a small, public school that emphasizes Individualized Learning Plans, national best practices for academic excellence, hands-on projects, and an enriched curriculum during school and in optional after-school activities.
  • Every student has an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) focusing on his/her unique needs, with goals ranging from core academics to developing social and organizational skills.
  • Every student possesses individual academic objectives exceeding state standards. The curriculum, teaching style, and textbooks are designed and chosen from the best practices in elementary education across the nation. We are proud that in the 2007-08 school year, Bullis Charter School achieved an API of 967 on the STAR tests. Since our inception, BCS has consistently been in the top 1% of elementary schools in the state of California.
  • Every student spends time analyzing, integrating, and applying concepts to real-life learning opportunities. Compared to most schools, schoolwork includes more writing and project-based assignments, and fewer fill-in-the-blanks worksheets.
  • Every student participates in drama, dance, vocal, and instrumental music, art, and PE. In addition, every student (K-6) participates in a variety of elective topics with a focus on educating the whole child.
  • BCS offers an integrated Foreign Language Program, the first of its kind in a Los Altos public schools.
Frequently Asked Questions

What are charter schools?
How does Bullis Charter School fit into the area?
How does a charter school respond to students needs?
Who provides the educational leadership of Bullis Charter School?
What are the backgrounds of the teaching staff?
How large is Bullis Charter School? How large are classes?
What makes Bullis Charter School different from other public schools?
What are co-curricular programs?
What are the hours of the school?
What extra-curricular (after school) activities are offered?
Is there tuition?
Who can attend and how do I reserve a position for my child at the school?
Is there a mailing list?
What are charter schools?
    Charter schools are public schools open to all California residents. They are accountable for clear, successful, measurable student outcomes and must comply with all state and federal mandates - including California's Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program, state API levels, and the federal "No Child Left Behind" program. California’s charter schools were created in 1992 to provide expanded choices in the types of educational opportunities that are available within the public school system. Their purpose is to:
    • Improve student learning
    • Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods
    • Create new professional opportunities for teachers
    • Provide vigorous competition within the public school system to stimulate continual improvements in all public schools
    Charter schools continue to grow rapidly across the state of California. There are nearly 700 charter schools in California communities today, servicing over 240,000 students.
How does Bullis Charter School fit into the area?
    Bullis Charter School (BCS), as a small, independent public school, is able to bring a choice in public elementary education to families in the Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, and surrounding communities. State education authorities have stated that choice in public schools creates healthy competition, which stimulates continual improvements in all public schools.
How does a charter school respond to students needs?
    At Bullis Charter School, every child is embraced as a multi-talented individual with unique learning styles and needs. BCS guides students in the process of learning, developing creative thinkers and problem solvers with a life-long love of learning. Because BCS is a charter school, there is freedom to innovate beyond the rules required of public school districts, yet there is strict accountability to meet or exceed state standards. For instance, the school's small size gives it the flexibility to develop and use the most effective teaching practices available, including a longer school day to allow time for enhanced programs.
Who provides the educational leadership of Bullis Charter School?
    Wanny Hersey is the Superintendent/Principal of Bullis Charter School. She came to BCS from a seven and a half-year tenure as principal of Bel Aire Elementary School in Tiburon, where she became known for both mentoring teachers and establishing innovative programs for students. During her tenure, Bel Aire was named a California Distinguished School, a National Blue Ribbon School, and a National Blue Ribbon Technology School, an honor received by only 12 schools in the country.

    Ms. Hersey holds a B.A. in education from the University of British Columbia and a M.S. in administration from Pepperdine University. Her California education credentials include Multiple Subject, Single Subject in English, Administrative, and a Bilingual Certificate of Competency. She also has a Professional Teaching Certification from British Columbia. In addition, she holds and ARCT and Performance diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada, where she is a nationally certified piano and music theory teacher and performer; and an elementary certification from Canada’s Royal Academy of Ballet.

    While at BCS, Mrs. Hersey has received the Charter School Principal of the Month award and helped the school gain WASC accreditation and a 2008 California Distinguished School Award.
What are the backgrounds of the teaching staff?
    Bullis Charter School has hired outstanding, multi-credentialed, award-winning teachers who share our passion for individualized learning plans (ILP) and hands-on instruction for our students. Every classroom teacher is certificated. BCS is proud to have three Nationally Board Certified teachers as well as teachers who are credentialed in Gifted and Talented Education, Technology, Environmental Education, Cross Cultural and Language Development, and more. To support the teachers, the school offers time and learning opportunities for collaboration and continued teaching improvement. All BCS teachers have been trained in the Schools Attuned methodology of teaching to maximize individual potential.
How large is Bullis Charter School? How large are classes?
    Currently Bullis Charter School has 326 students. We are committed to maintaining a small school because research shows that "smaller learning environments create happier, safer, higher achieving students." (Oxley 2001) Classes in kindergarten through 3rd grade have an average less than 20 students; classes in 4th through 6th grade average 23 students. Every class also has the support of a credentialed associate teacher.
What makes Bullis Charter School different from other public schools?
    • BCS is smaller than most public schools, fostering a strong sense of community.
    • BCS has a lower student-teacher ratio, including a 9:1 ratio in Kindergarten.
    • Individualized learning is emphasized so that every child works to his/her own set of goals.
    • All classrooms have certificated grade-level teachers and credentialed associate teachers
    • BCS averages over 10% more instructional minutes, allowing time for the following subjects to be taught by credentialed specialists:
    • As a charter school, we have more freedom to focus on the "whole child".
    • Individualized learning plans are emphasized so that every child works to his/her own set of goals.
    • We offer co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities allowing students to explore a broad range of interests.
    • Our character development program is integrated throughout the school in order to strengthen our students' self-esteem, personal responsibility, and decision-making skills, and to develop the moral convictions to withstand undesirable peer pressure.
What are co-curricular programs? What are the hours of the school?
  • M-TH Morning Kindergarten: 8:35 AM - 12:00 Noon
  • M-TH Afternoon Kindergarten: 11:45 AM - 3:10 PM
  • Friday Kindergarten (AM & PM classes): 8:35 AM - 12:40 PM

    • You may state a preference for morning or afternooon Kindergarten, however please note there is no guarantee that you will receive your preferred time slot.

  • Grades 1-6: 8:35 AM - 3:15 PM
  • Extra-curricular classes: 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM (after-school theatre arts times may vary)
What extra-curricular (after school) activities are offered?
    Taught by the BCS staff, extra-curricular classes provide opportunities for students to connect with role models who share their interests.

    After-School Theatre Arts:
    • Two Fall Plays - Primary and Upper Grades. Past shows have included "Annie", "The Importance of Being Earnest", and "Read the Book" (an original play written by our Drama Specialist). All students who wish to participate, either on or off stage, are given the opportunity to do so.
    • Two Spring Musicals - Primary and Upper Grades. Past shows have included "The Wizard of Oz", "The Sound Of Music", "Mary Poppins", and "Aladdin".
    • Fall and Spring Dance Shows

    The Fall 2008 extra-curricular offerings include:
    Speech Violin - Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced
    Bullis Builders Run Around the World
    Mandarin Making Board Games
    Yoga Girls & Technology
    Scrap-booking Homework Club
    Lego Robotics Card Sharks
    Guitar Reading Dog Book Club
    Kickball Scrabble/Boggle Club
    Ultimate Frisbee Creative Card Expressions
    Choir Motion Menagerie
    Basketball Working With Clay
Is there tuition?
    Since BCS is a public school, there is no tuition. However, BCS receives less public funding than other Los Altos public schools. The Los Altos School District does not currently share with BCS any of the augmented funding it receives from local parcel tax revenues. At the same time, as a small school with a full range of enrichment programs, BCS spends more per student than many public elementary schools.

    In order to make its comprehensive program possible, BCS depends on its entire parent community to make generous donations each year. To help cover a funding gap of $4,000 per student, we ask each family to donate towards the BCS Annual Campaign goal of $1,300,000. While we work hard to diversify our funding sources and control spending, we anticipate that the requested donation amount will increase in future years since education costs are rising faster than State funding. All donations to BCS are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
Who can attend and how do I reserve a position for my child at the school?
    The school is open to any student in the state of California. Students of the Los Altos School District have priority if enrollment exceeds our capacity. For your convenience, you can download an application and all necessary forms and get more information about the enrollment process on our Enrollment page .
Is there a mailing list?
    To get on our mailing list, please send an email message to info@bullischarterschool.com and include your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, and the age(s) of your child(ren). Once you are on that list, you will begin to receive information on Bullis Charter School events and other school information.


"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
William Butler Yeats