Our School Home / About Us / Our School The Rhoades School in Encinitas, CA At our school, we don’t just teach—we transform how children learn and grow. As one of the best private elementary schools in Encinitas, we are proud to give your child an experience that no other school can match. Our commitment to exceptional academics and student-centered learning ensures every child is seen, supported, and empowered to thrive. We are proud to be fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Our teachers create a vibrant, supportive space where our students feel safe, excited, and ready to learn. We teach them to be independent and motivated, helping them build a love for learning that lasts a lifetime. Through hands-on activities, exciting lessons, and the latest technology, we prepare your child for the future. Here, your child won’t just meet expectations; they will exceed them. Admissions (760) 334-7856 Lower School TK — 5th Grade 141 S Rancho Santa Fe Rd Encinitas, CA 92024 M-F 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM Middle School 6th Grade — 8th Grade 910 Encinitas Blvd Encinitas, CA 92024 M-F 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM Explore Our Curriculum Our Mission & Core Values Mission: Inspire curious minds to think deeply and live courageously. Core Values Academic Achievement: We help our students build good habits like asking questions, thinking critically, being creative, and loving learning. Developing Character: We teach our students to be honest, responsible, kind, and respectful to themselves and others. Intrinsic Motivation: We encourage our students to find joy in learning and doing their best because it makes them happy, not just for rewards like grades or prizes. Learner Outcomes Rhoades School students are students who: Achieve excellence in academics and exhibit creativity of thought and expression. Develop intellectual curiosity and a desire for lifelong learning. Develop personal and ethical responsibility. Effectively communicate and work with others. Our Approach Habits of Mind The 16 Habits of Mind are ways that smart people solve problems when the answers aren’t easy to find. We teach our students these habits in both academic and social settings. Three-Ring Model The Three-Ring Model says that gifted students have three special traits: above average intelligence, creativity, and task commitment. We use this model when choosing students for our school. Our students use their creativity, commitment, and intelligence to succeed in learning. SAMR Model The SAMR Model (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition) helps our teachers use technology to impact teaching and learning. Instead of using technology to do things the old way, we help our students do new things that they couldn’t before. Substitution and augmentation enhances learning, while modification and redefinition transforms the process. Social & Emotional Learning Social and emotional learning at our school is rooted in the CASEL Framework. We help children grow these skills by helping them to understand their feelings, care about others, and make good choices. We use lessons and meetings to help our students learn things like empathy and courage to do what is right. Thinking Maps Thinking Maps are visuals that help children think and learn. There are eight different types of maps. Each one helps with a special kind of thinking. Everyone learns in their own way, but studies show that pictures help us learn better than words alone. These maps give everyone at school a shared way to show their ideas. Understanding by Design The Understanding by Design (UBD) Framework helps our teachers plan lessons that meet the needs of our students. It helps them figure out what students need to learn, how to check if they have learned it, and the best ways to team. UBD focuses on six ways to understand: explain, interpret, apply, perspective, empathy, and self-knowledge. Learn more. Homework at the Rhoades School Studies show that the amount of homework in elementary and middle school does not impact success. Academic gains from homework are found only in the high school years, and they are slight. We do not give homework on weekends. We also do not give homework on Thursday that would take more than one night to finish. We believe that children need time to rest, reflect, be creative, and sleep at least 9 hours a night. If weeknights are busy, our students can use time on the weekends to complete their work. For more information, see Five Hallmarks of Good Homework. From the Head of School Joanne Pate Dear Parents, Since 1980, our school has been known in San Diego County for its excellence in preschool through 8th grade education. We combine a challenging curriculum with innovative instruction designed to meet the needs and passions of gifted students. At our school, we focus on teaching children how to think, not what to think. Students are provided with an appropriate technology-rich curriculum, a supportive peer group, and suitable guidance in an encouraging and thoughtful manner. Our caring teachers challenge their students to think in new and creative ways, solve problems, and do their very best. We help them build confidence and skills to succeed in the high school of their choice. Our graduates do amazing things and are ready for continued success. We are proud of our warm and welcoming community. We offer many ways to stay in touch with us through newsletters, direct teacher email, classroom websites, Facebook, X, Instagram, and classroom visits. Students, parents, and teachers all work together in this supportive environment where everyone feels valued. We would love for you to come visit The Rhoades School to see our school in action. We can’t wait to meet you! Sincerely, Joanne Pate, Head of School Read More Frequently Asked Questions What grades does The Rhoades School serve? The Rhoades School offers a private school education for students in Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade, a continuum that begins earlier than most, giving families the opportunity to establish deep roots in a school community designed for students who think differently, ask questions relentlessly, and thrive when challenged to go further. What are the hours of operation at The Rhoades School? Academic day hours at The Rhoades School are structured by grade level to reflect the developmental needs of each stage: Transitional Kindergarten: 8:20 am to 2:30 pm Kindergarten: 8:20 am to 2:40 pm 1st and 2nd Grade: 8:20 am to 2:50 pm 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade: 8:20 am to 3:00 pm 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade: 8:25 am to 3:05 pm What are the benefits of private school? Private school at its best is a place where students are both challenged and genuinely known, where the pace of learning matches the capacity of the learner, and where the environment is designed to draw out the best in every child. At The Rhoades School in Encinitas, that commitment takes distinctive shape. Students engage in inquiry-based learning that develops the habits of a rigorous, independent thinker. They build public speaking and presentation skills that most schools relegate to the margins. They participate in STEAM experiences that reward innovation and creative problem-solving. And they do all of this within a community that holds high expectations alongside genuine care. Learn more about what sets us apart on our Only At page. When does school start in Encinitas? School start dates vary across Encinitas schools. For specific information about The Rhoades School academic calendar, including start and end dates, holidays, and key events, please visit our school year calendar. Is The Rhoades School accredited? Yes. The Rhoades School is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), a distinction that reflects our sustained commitment to academic excellence, institutional integrity, and continuous improvement. What is the educational approach at The Rhoades School? The Rhoades School is built on an inquiry-based, constructivist educational philosophy, an approach grounded in the understanding that students learn most deeply when they are active participants in their own education rather than passive recipients of information. Our curriculum is thoughtfully designed for gifted learners, challenging students to question, investigate, synthesize, and create rather than simply recall. Technology is integrated throughout, and hands-on learning is a consistent expectation rather than an occasional supplement. The result is a student who does not just know things…but knows how to think. What are the benefits of full-day kindergarten? Full-day kindergarten creates the conditions for deep learning rather than surface exposure. With extended time in a thoughtfully structured environment, children develop genuine mastery in early reading and mathematics while also growing socially and emotionally in ways that shape the learners they will become. At The Rhoades School, kindergarten is grounded in inquiry and student-centered learning, meaning children are not simply absorbing content but are actively building curiosity, critical thinking, and collaborative habits from the very first year of school. These are not skills that can be rushed. They are capacities that require time, and full-day kindergarten provides it. Where is Rhoades Middle School located? Rhoades Middle School is located at 910 Encinitas Boulevard, between Princehouse Lane and Seeman Drive, in the Cordova Gardens area of Encinitas. Families are welcome to contact us to schedule a visit! What does it mean to be an Apple Distinguished School? Apple Distinguished School status is among the most selective recognitions in education globally. At The Rhoades School, this distinction reflects the depth and intentionality of how technology is woven into daily learning. Rather than treating technology as a tool for consumption, our educators use it as a catalyst for creative thinking, collaborative inquiry, and personalized intellectual exploration. For a school already committed to gifted, inquiry-based education, Apple Distinguished status is a natural extension of who we are. Learn more on our Classroom Technology page. What extracurricular activities are available at The Rhoades School? The Rhoades School offers a range of extracurricular opportunities designed to complement and deepen the academic program. Students can engage in the arts, STEM clubs, service learning, and leadership experiences. Each one develops the whole student and gives children the space to discover and pursue what they are passionate about outside of the core school day. Learn more. What qualifications do teachers at The Rhoades School hold? All teachers hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field, and a significant majority possess advanced degrees in specialized areas such as curriculum development, gifted education, or subject-specific instruction. Most of our educators also hold teaching credentials, ensuring that their deep subject-matter expertise is paired with mastery of instructional best practices. How does The Rhoades School invest in its teachers’ ongoing growth? We believe that a dynamic classroom starts with a continually developing teacher. The Rhoades School provides a robust ecosystem for professional evolution, including dedicated time, financial resources, and one-on-one coaching. Our educators engage in high-impact training focused on differentiated instruction, student-centered learning, and project-based mastery. This investment ensures our faculty remains at the forefront of pedagogical research, allowing them to transform the latest educational theories into classroom reality. Do you have long-standing faculty and staff at The Rhoades School? We are proud to have a core group of legacy educators who have shaped the Rhoades experience for decades; in fact, 11 of our teachers have been part of our school family for more than 15 years. What makes teachers at The Rhoades School exceptional? What truly distinguishes our teachers is their commitment to the same intellectual curiosity they foster in their students. We personalize professional development to align with each teacher’s specific goals, deepening their practice and keeping them current in their field. We even offer educational assistance for advanced degrees, reinforcing our core belief: when teachers are encouraged to be scholars, they create a classroom environment where scholarship is both aspirational and achievable for every student.
