Our school recently completed a national survey of Christian schools, with 100% of our families participating. Our parents are happier with us than parents at 94% of the other 950+ Christian schools which have used the survey.
We are humbled and honored by their response.
Read below to see some of the many reasons why parents here are so pleased with their children's education–– and how your child can benefit from joining our school.
Academic progress and physical well-being are easier to track, but spiritual growth is more difficult to measure—yet it remains at the heart of everything we do.
It begins with teachers and staff who deeply love Jesus and are committed to sharing His love with students and their families. Each day includes classroom worship, and each week, we gather for chapel. Our Bible classes are designed to help students build a personal relationship with Jesus and develop a strong Biblical worldview. We also provide opportunities for students to live out their faith through acts of service—at school, in their churches, and throughout the community.
By keeping Christ at the center, we see our students not only grow spiritually, but also thrive academically, reaching their full potential in every area.
This approach is encapsulated in our mission statement:
The Orangevale SDA School family exists to show children Jesus, nurture their love for Him and others, teach them to think, and empower them to serve. Our objective is to provide an atmosphere conducive to young people's spiritual, social, and academic growth and development.
Our philosophy is summed up in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (ESV)
Our school uses standardized testing, MAP, to track each child's progress.
When our students continue on to high school and college, they come back and tell us how well prepared they were for those next academic challenges.
Our dedicated teachers and staff bring more than 100 years of combined experience to the classroom, creating a strong foundation of academic excellence and spiritual leadership. Each educator is not only highly qualified but also deeply committed to nurturing the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. Through differentiated instruction, creative lesson planning, and a passion for student success, our team ensures that every child receives the support they need to thrive. Most importantly, our staff seeks to place Christ at the center of all they do, guiding students in faith, modeling Christlike character, and fostering a community of respect, compassion, and joy.
As Protestant Christians, we believe God is the all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful, loving Creator of the universe, the world and us. As our Creator, He knows what is best for us and what type of lives will make us happiest. As our Father, we wants each of us to live our best lives and live with Him forever. God the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, not only to save us from our sins, but to show us who God is and invite us into personal relationships with Him. It is through that relationship and the guidance of God the Holy Spirit that we can know God better and be changed to be more like Him, with characters of love, fairness and mercy.
As a Christian school, our primary goal is not only to teach students knowledge but to help them develop their own, personal relationship with Jesus. It is through that relationship that they can grow in Christian character and loving service.
We believe that learning happens best when it is reinforced by life experiences in the real world. So we integrate field trips into all levels of our program.
With class sizes kept under 16 students and a school structure that goes only up to 8th grade, every student has the chance to play an active and meaningful role in school life. This environment encourages participation, responsibility and leadership across all grades.
Our sports program and annual musical theater productions are another way our junior high students can practice leadership skills such as teamwork, goal setting, speaking and singing in front of an audience, and organizing their peers.
In addition, we proactively create opportunities for leadership through our Study Buddy system that pairs older students with younger ones. This gives the upper-grade students the chance to guide, support and mentor their younger peers. Through these relationships, students develop a heart for service and grow as confident, compassionate leaders.
We put a strong focus on student character development. We strive to teach key moral values such as kindness, honesty, modesty, respectfulness, personal accountability, a strong work ethic, compassion, humility and faithfulness. We strongly believe that upholding these time-tested values prepares students to be solid leaders in their work and community, and who brightly reflect a Christ-like character.
As part of this focus, we cultivate a culture of kindness that creates a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for students. Students are encouraged to emulate Christ’s love by showing compassion, grace, mercy, understanding, patience and selflessness.
The team sports program at our school is designed with intentionality to help students develop important life skills –– teamwork, discipline, perseverance, patience, leadership and confidence. We strongly believe that learning and growth along the journey is the most important value of a sports program, rather than a high competitive drive. We teach competitive integrity, respect and kindness –– win or lose.
Varsity team sports start in junior high and are open to all who are interested and with academic clearance (maintenance of grades and
completed work). Our 7th- and 8th-grade students can choose to participate in flag football, volleyball and basketball. Both girls and boys teams enjoy the use of our state-of-the-art gymnasium for home games or will travel together for away games.
Our coaches work hard to make each event memorable, fun and safe for each student involved. But most importantly, students are encouraged to reveal Christ’s character in their attitudes and actions no matter the outcome.
The performing arts program at our school is designed to offer students a unique opportunity to work as a team, build confidence, and explore creativity through music and theater. Students are encouraged to glorify God through the gifts He has given them in music, drama and supportive roles. We produce at least one musical each school year, choosing scripts that reinforce Biblical principles such as kindness, compassion and joy. Productions include Christmas performances highlighting God’s great gift to mankind in Jesus, and light-hearted musicals in the spring.
Because we know that research documents the benefits of music for student learning, our multifaceted music program encompasses all students in all grade levels. Our program includes:
The Orangevale Girls' Chorus is an audition-based 5th-8th choir. They perform and minister through music at local churches and special events.
Walking down the halls of Orangevale Adventist School feels like stepping into a vibrant art gallery. Beginning in kindergarten, students are immersed in the world of visual arts, exploring a wide variety of mediums including painting, drawing and sculpting. They learn about influential artists like Vincent van Gogh and Georgia O’Keeffe, studying their unique styles and creating original works inspired by them.
Art is also woven into other areas of learning—for example, students explore historical moments like the Civil Rights Movement through thoughtful, expressive projects. Creativity and self-expression are at the heart of our visual arts program, and the hallways proudly showcase our students’ work for parents, visitors, staff and fellow students .
At all grade levels, students are using technology as an integral part of their learning.
Digital ethics and responsibility are taught and expected for all ages. Chromebooks are monitored by GoGuardian, “software designed to enhance online safety and classroom management in K-12 schools. It offers tools for filtering inappropriate content, monitoring student activity and supporting mental health initiatives.” (Google AI)
We have made intentional choices in two key areas to foster a distraction-free environment for our students:
We are fully committed to teaching students the wise use of technology. Each classroom uses devices tailored to the students’ age and developmental level to provide valuable learning opportunities. However, like many other schools across the nation, we are aware that personal use of cell phones and social media has been documented to be a distraction from learning. For that reason, cell phones and social media are not allowed on campus. Our parents appreciate this policy and tell us it relieves their worries about peer pressure and distractions during the school day.
Additionally, our modest dress code supports a strong sense of community and belonging, helps reduce bullying and peer pressure, promotes safety and security, and simplifies daily routines for everyone.
Our campus is designed both for safety and to encourage healthy exercise. Research tells us that exercise improves students' ability to focus and retain information.
If you want to know how your child spends their days at school and get to know the teachers and friends they interact with, our school is the perfect place for you. We strongly support and encourage active parent participation in all aspects of school life.
In addition to opportunities for parents to join field trips and volunteer on campus, our vibrant Home and School Committee offers an open and meaningful way for parents to directly contribute to creating a positive and nurturing educational environment for our children.
As a Christian Seventh-day Adventist school, we are committed to helping each other:
