LOS ALTOS - AN OVERVIEW
Los Altos , at the southern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, began in 1906 when Paul Shoup, a Southern Pacific Railroad executive, formed the Altos Land Company with friends. They purchased 140 acres between Palo Alto and Mountain View owned by Sarah Winchester, widow of the inventor of the Winchester rifle. Over time the population (and the property area) grew. Originally an agricultural town bursting with summer cottages and apricot orchards, Los Altos is now an affluent bedroom community for Silicon Valley.
Perhaps the city is best known for the fact that in 1976 Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, along with others, built the first fifty Apple computers in Jobs' Los Altos garage. Fast forward to 2015: Forbes ranks Los Altos ( zip codes 94022 and 94024) as the 11th and 57th most expensive areas in the US, behind Atherton. For the 94022 zone, the median home price was $4.9 million with an average of 120 days on the market. For the 94024 zone, the median home price was $2.8 million with an average of 36 days on the market.[19] In other words, Los Altos real estate is prized and pricey.
Los Altos works hard to maintain its semi-rural atmosphere. There are few sidewalks outside the commercial zones and residential lot size is generally at least a quarter-acre. Most roads have dirt shoulders and there is little street lighting. The civic center sits in the middle of an orchard. Nearby shopping centers give the commercial center a run for its money, but locals come out for farmers’ markets, arts and wine festivals, antique shows, and traditional seasonal parades and events.
LOS ALTOS - EDUCATION
The Los Altos School District (LASD) is known for academic excellence. All the Los Altos School District schools are among the top half of one percent of schools in the state of California, as ranked by the state's Academic Performance Index. Having received standardized test scores above those of all other districts in California for many years in a row, all nine schools have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools, and five are National Blue Ribbon Schools.
LASD focuses on educating the whole child and is proud of its well-rounded enrichment programs. Diverse instructional models integrating art, music and technology challenge students to think critically and creatively. Project-based learning, conflict resolution and anti-bullying programs, community service opportunities and environmental education are all emphasized as essential life skills.
Technology is integrated into the classroom and is used in all grades to enhance the existing curriculum. In 2010, LASD pioneered the first program for the internationally recognized Khan Academy drawing on Khan materials for grades 5-8.
Use the below list to get details on all schools by clicking on the school link to check their website, and check here to see all school rankings.
Elementary schools (K-6)
Almond School
(650) 917-5400
Covington School
(650) 947-1100
Gardner Bullis School (K-5)
(650) 559-3200
Loyola School
(650) 254-2400
Oak School
(650) 237-3900
Santa Rita School
(650) 559-1600
Springer School
(650) 943-4200
Junior High Schools (7-8)
Blach Intermediate School
(650) 934-3800
Egan Intermediate School
(650) 917-2200
High schools
Los Altos High School (Consistently rated one of the top ten high schools in Caliornia; see more info here)
Mountain View High School
Alta Vista High School
Charter Schools and Private Schools
Charter Schools
Bullis Charter School (K-8)
102 W. Portola Ave., Los Altos
(650) 947-4939
Private Schools
Canterbury Christian School (K-6)
101 N. El Monte, Los Altos
(650) 949-0909
Harker School
500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose
(408) 249-2510
Heritage Academy
858 University Ave., Los Altos
(650) 641-0280
Kehillah Jewish High School
3900 Fabian Way, Palo Alto
(650) 213-9600
Los Altos Christian School (K-6)
625 Magdelena Avenue, Los Altos
(650) 948-3738
Miramonte School of Los Altos (Pre-K-8)
1175 Altamead Drive, Los Altos
(650) 967-2783
Monarch Christian Schools
2420 N. Foothill Blvd., Los Altos
(408) 735-9409
Montecito School
1468 Grant Rd., Los Altos
(650) 968-5957
Pinewood School
Lower Campus (K-2)
477 Fremont Avenue, Los Altos
(650) 209-3050
Middle Campus (3-6)
327 Fremont Avenue. Los Altos
(650) 209-3030
Upper Campus (7-12)
26800 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills
(650) 209-3010
School for Independent Learners
909 N. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos
(650) 941-4350
St. Francis High School
1885 Miramonte Avenue, Mountain View
(650) 968-1213
St. Joseph Catholic School (K-8)
1120 Miramonte Avenue, Mountain View
(650) 967-1839
St. Nicholas Catholic School (K-8)
12816 S. El Monte Avenue, Los Altos Hills
(650) 941-4056
St. Simon Catholic School (K-8)
1840 Grant Road, Los Altos
(650) 968-9952
Ventana School
2040 Border Rd., Los Altos
(650) 948-2151 x115
Waldorf School of the Peninsula (K-8)
11311 Mora Drive, Los Altos
(650) 209-9400
Woodside Priory School
302 Portola Rd., Portola Valley
(650) 851-8221
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Representing both buyers and sellers, we have helped broker the sale of all manner of homes from condominiums to large estates. We have sold homes all around the Bay Area, especially neighborhoods like Fremont, Pleasanton, Golden Eagle, Danville, San Ramon, Los Altos, Los Gatos, San Jose, and San Francisco.
