History
The Beginning
The story of Pinewood School began in 1955 when Gwen and Victor Riches moved to the rural community of Los Altos. Their new residence and acreage at 327 Fremont Avenue was ideal for raising five energetic children. Mr. Riches was a university professor, economist, entrepreneur, and firm believer in projects for his children. One of those projects was for Mr. Riches and his sons to plant one thousand tiny pine tree seedlings. As the saplings grew and developed, they were transplanted around the perimeter of the property and distributed to neighbors and friends. Today the pine trees tower along the borders of the appropriately named "Pinewood School," the present location of our middle campus. The idea of a school was initiated in 1959 when Victor left for an extended business trip to Australia for the Stanford Research Institute. Gwen thought a "little school" for their children and other young acquaintances might be a good way to channel her talents and energies during her husband's absence. She quickly earned a reputation for teaching and training children to have self-confidence in public speaking and drama. As a result, friends in the community began requesting lessons for their children. When Mr. Riches returned three months later, he found sixty-five happy children and their teachers engaged in singing, painting, acting, and dancing in his home.
The Early Years
As a member of the Los Altos planning commission, Mr. Riches realized that he had to act quickly to relocate the home-based school to a properly zoned site. The newly named Creative Workshop was moved to State Street in Los Altos. During this initial period, Mrs. Riches became concerned that many of her students in the arts had weak communication skills in reading and writing. After an in-depth search for programs and curriculum to combat the popular "sight" method being taught at the time, membership in the Carden Educational Foundation for independent private schools was adopted. The curriculum helped establish the Creative Workshop as an outstanding academic center, where instruction in reading and math was the most commonly sought activity. By 1964 enrollment soared to three hundred and fifty students and the Riches moved from their colonial home on Fremont Avenue to make space for the full-time private school.
Pinewood School K-12
In the following ten years, the school flourished, and a junior high was added. In 1975 the Los Altos Hills campus became available, and a few years later a new lower school was purchased on Fremont Avenue close to the original campus.
The next project was a college preparatory high school. This necessitated extensive planning and remodeling of the Los Altos Hills site. Subsequently, four new classrooms, four new tennis courts, and gymnasium were constructed. Computer and science centers were established and the multi-purpose room became the campus theater. A broad sports program continues today, and throughout the years varsity teams have excelled in basketball, tennis, volleyball, baseball, softball and soccer.
The gymnasium is called the "Riches Activity Center", named by a committee of Pinewood parents in honor of Gwen and Victor Riches for over forty years of devotion and service to the students who have attended Pinewood School. Pinewood’s success is a tribute to the creativity, dedication and abilities of its founders. Its future is ensured by the continued enthusiasm and energy of the Riches family and the superb faculty and staff who are Pinewood School.
