Established 1926 Enrollment 350 (2012-2013) Motto Vérité Sans Peur Founded 1926 | Religious affiliation(s) Nonsectarian Headmaster Robert W. Nafie, Ph.D. Phone +1 626-286-3108 Number of students 350 (2012–2013) Color Blue and gold | |
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Grades Junior prekindergarten (JPK)–8 Accreditations Western Association of Schools and Colleges, National Association for the Education of Young Children Similar Westridge School, Polytechnic School, Chandler School, Pasadena Christian School, Barnhart School Profiles | ||
Founded in 1926, Clairbourn School is a coeducational, private school that includes preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school grades (JPK-8th). Located in San Gabriel, California, the school primarily serves families living in the Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia areas, but also draws many families from La Cañada Flintridge, Monterey Park, Glendale, Alhambra, Altadena, South Pasadena, and a host of other cities in the San Gabriel Valley. Clairbourn is a member of The Pasadena Area Independent Schools consortium, and the school has a reputation for excellent academics, a closely involved parent community, and it celebrates its strong record of acceptance for their graduates to attend respected area high schools.
Contents
Accreditations
Accredited by CAIS (California Association of Independent Schools)
Accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges)
Memberships
PAIS (Pasadena Area Independent Schools consortium)
CAIS (California Association of Independent Schools)
WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges)
NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools)
Independent School Alliance for Minority Affairs
Council for Religion in Independent Schools
The Curriculum
Clairbourn’s private school academic program is composed of three segments: Preschool (Junior Pre-Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten grades for 3 and 4-year-olds), Lower School (Kindergarten through 5th grade), and Middle School (6th, 7th, and 8th grades). The school’s rigorous and challenging curriculum is paired with a values-based ethical framework called the Clairbourn Code of Ethics. The program components are designed to produce students that have the knowledge, skills, and intellectual habits required for acceptance to excellent independent high schools. Technology, foreign language, literacy, service learning, athletics, arts, and extended-day learning programs are offered to provide well-rounded educational opportunities designed to boost academic performance and personal growth. A five-week summer program, called Clairbourn’s Summer Advantage, is also offered in June and July to provide continued learning opportunities for students in preschool through eighth grade.
School History
Clairbourn School was started in 1926 by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur K. Bourne, a prominent San Marino, California, couple who had a desire to give their children an education in harmony with their Christian beliefs. Out of that vision, a small school began in their home library which would later grow into Clairbourn School.
A. K. Bourne (1877–1967) was the second son of Frederick Gilbert Bourne who is widely credited with the dramatic growth and world-wide success of the Singer sewing machine company. In 1919 when his father died, A.K. Bourne inherited a large portion of the company fortune. A.K. Bourne loved the San Marino, California area and settled there in 1923.
In 1926, Mrs. Emily Bourne desired to provide a school environment for her daughter Claire that recognized and appreciated their Christian Science religious beliefs, and it was in her San Marino home, that Mrs. Bourne began holding classes in the conservatory for a handful of students. In September, the enrollment went from the original four students to fourteen, and a first grade was added.
In 1927, the school outgrew the Bourne home and was moved to 1261 San Pasqual St. in Pasadena which was the home of Mrs. William W. Butterfield who was appointed director and teacher. In 1928, The school was renamed to “The Claire Louise Progressive Elementary School.” In 1930, when enrollment expanded to twenty-three students, the school soon moved to 245 West California St. in Pasadena. During this time, second and third grades were added to the program and nursery, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades soon followed.
In 1931, the school needed a larger building and leased 3.5 acres on Huntington Drive in San Gabriel. It was also in that year that Mrs. Edwin L. Gardner, began a close relationship with the school that would last for the next thirty-six years. Under her leadership, the school continued to grow adding on seventh and eighth grades and a four-year high school. The school was also renamed “Clairbourn” which combines the first and last names of A.K. Bourne’s daughter, Claire Bourne.
By the end of the 1930s, the school dropped the nursery and high school programs and returned to its focus on the primary grades. But then, during WWII, the school changed course and reinstated its nursery-kindergarten program. By 1953, Clairbourn had built a cutting-edge preschool facility to better serve its youngest students. The campus gained 5 additional acres in 1958 when the adjacent Thompson estate was purchased. In 1967, due to a growing demand for private school education in the area, Clairbourn opened its doors to students of all faiths. Today, Clairbourn School has an enrollment of approximately 350 students, and is known as a top-quality provider of educational opportunities for preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle-school age children.
The Campus
Clairbourn got its start in the home of San Marino, California resident A.K. Bourne. The home, located at 1861 Lombardy Road, was built in 1923 and was designed by the famous architect Wallace Neff. Classes were held in the home’s library. In 1927, due to expanding enrollment, the informal school moved to the home of Mr. and Mrs. William W. Butterfield located at 1273 San Pasqual in Pasadena, California. As enrollment continued to grow, the school moved a second time, to 245 West California Street in Pasadena.
By 1931, the school outgrew its building in Pasadena, and an estate of 3.5 acres on Huntington Drive near San Gabriel Boulevard was leased from Mr. George L. Platt, a successful dairyman of Los Angeles. An additional five acres to the east was acquired in 1958 with the purchase of the Thompson estate, which included a large stately manor house, a swimming pool, and an orange grove.
In 1969, the elementary classrooms were upgraded, and an innovative hexagonal multi-classroom unit called The Gardner Building, was erected. By 1977 more facilities were needed. A multi-purpose game court and six middle school classrooms were added.
The eighties saw sweeping changes for the school. Clairbourn embarked on a master plan to replace, modernize, and unify the structures on the eight-acre campus. The project included new underground utilities, walkways, lighting, signage, and buildings. During this time, the school added a music building, a new library, an art studio, a gymnasium/multi-purpose building, and new classrooms for the fourth and fifth grades.
At this time the school replaced the old Gardner Building with new first, second, and third grade classrooms (Randall Hall), built two new Kindergarten classrooms (Victoria Andrew Hall), added new reception and transportation facilities, and installed a large developmental play yard. In 1988, a campus landmark, the giant eucalyptus tree located in the center of campus, blew over in a December windstorm and was replaced by a grove of ginkgo trees.
In 2007, the old preschool building was torn down and construction began on the Seiter Family Early Childhood Center which was occupied in 2008 and is now a state-of-the-art preschool facility.
Religious Heritage
Clairbourn School serves students of all faiths. Clairbourn was originally started in 1926 as a school for students enrolled in Christian Science Sunday schools. Then in 1967, the school opened to the general public. Today, Clairbourn honors its religious heritage with a simple Chapel assembly each morning where universal Christian values from the Bible are shared and a hymn is sung. Clairbourn also retains a Christian Science staff.
Notable Alums & Faculty
Hikaru Nishida, Japanese actress and J-pop singer.
Leah Pipes, actress.
Rob Rasmussen, Pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
John Paciorek, Major League baseball player notable for having the greatest one-game baseball career. John Paciorek is on staff as Clairbourn’s boys’ athletics coach.
Publications
Clairbourn School publishes Clairbourn Magazine once a year.
The student body also publishes an award-winning literary magazine Pawprints. which received the Award of Excellence, January 2013, from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)