The Dorris-Eaton School

On Wednesday, October 7, The Dorris-Eaton School opens its doors to families curious about what a Dorris-Eaton education looks like from the inside.

Families are welcome to visit both our Alamo preschool campus (4–6 PM) and our San Ramon K–8 campus (5–7 PM). Families will have the chance to explore classrooms while connecting with teachers and students.

From preschoolers discovering the world around them to eighth graders preparing for high school, Open House offers a look at every stage of the Dorris-Eaton experience.

We also invite our alumni and their families to return and reunite with the faculty and community where their journey began.

We look forward to welcoming new faces and familiar ones alike. Please feel free to share this invitation with friends and neighbors exploring schools for their children.

The Dorris-Eaton School Get to Know Us

In second grade, we are reminded that language is so much more than words on a page—it is a tool for curiosity, expression, and connection.

Students are building strong foundations in reading and handwriting, learning to recognize the differences between declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences, and exploring the difference between singular and plural nouns. Their curiosity extends beyond grammar, too—tracing countries and oceans on the map during geography lessons, and even tackling enormous numbers like octillion and decillion as they stretch their sense of scale.

Through stories shared together, sentences practiced with care, and big ideas explored as a class, students are building not just literacy skills, but confidence in how they think and communicate. We are grateful for the curiosity and joy second grade brings to every lesson, and we look forward to watching their voices continue to grow.

Our first Interhouse competition brought out the very best of our Dorris-Eaton community spirit!

On the volleyball court, the Wolves battled hard and came out on top against the Bears, while on the soccer field, the Eagles claimed victory over the Cougars in a match full of hustle and heart.

Beyond the final scores, we are reminded of what these competitions are really about — teamwork, resilience, and the joy of cheering each other on. Every student who stepped onto the court or field today practiced sportsmanship, encouragement, and school pride, and that is a win for every house.

Thank you to our students and coaches for making Interhouse competitions such a special tradition.

In our art studio, curiosity took the lead as kindergarten students explored the world of tertiary colors.

Starting with the primary colors, our young artists mixed and blended to discover the vibrant shades that emerge in between — watching yellow and orange greet each other to create amber, or blue and purple blend into something entirely new.

Through hands-on experimentation, students are building an early foundation in color theory while strengthening focus and fine motor skills along the way. We cherish these small moments of discovery that spark a lifelong love of creating.

There is nothing quite like the energy of a new school year, and this week we felt it in every hallway. Students returned to campus with bright smiles, reconnecting with friends and teachers as another year of learning began.

Across every grade, students tackled first assignments and icebreakers. A few snapshots from their first day:

In fifth grade, students explored connection through writing, each crafting a paragraph about an animal that holds special meaning for them. Several students bravely volunteered to read their work aloud, and we are reminded that confidence grows every time a student chooses to share their voice with the class.

In sixth grade, students put their heads together to brainstorm effective study strategies, building a shared toolkit to carry with them as the academic year unfolds.

Seventh graders, meanwhile, dove into a spirited challenge: building the longest paper chain possible in a limited amount of time. With laughter and quick hands, we saw teamwork, creativity, and a healthy dose of friendly competition - qualities that will serve them well throughout the year ahead.

From playground reunions to classroom assignments, our first day was a true reflection of new beginnings, bright futures, and a community that is stronger together. We are grateful to our students, parents, faculty, and staff and can't wait to see what everyone in our community will discover, create, and achieve.

Our sixth graders traded classroom walls for towering pines on a trip to Sierra Outdoor School in Sonora, where science curriculum came alive through geology, forest ecology, aquatic investigation, and astronomy.

Along the way, students hiked, journaled, and performed skits that invited them to reflect on their role within a team — building confidence and problem-solving skills that reach far beyond the trail.

We are grateful for experiences like these that spark curiosity about the natural world and stay with our students long after the trip ends.

Our seventh graders traveled to Gallagher's Cove on Catalina Island, where they stayed at a marine biology camp and deepened their understanding of the natural world firsthand.

While hiking, students explored the island's history and examined the impact animals have on their ecosystem. Tide pool investigations revealed how the rhythm of high and low tides shapes marine life, while squid dissections invited close attention to taxonomy and anatomical identification. Snorkeling offered a new perspective, as students observed the roles that plants, animals, and algae play in sustaining a healthy biome.

Throughout the class trip, students exercised curiosity, careful observation, and critical thinking, developing a deeper sense of environmental stewardship along the way. We are grateful for the opportunity to bring learning beyond the classroom and proud of the thoughtfulness each student brought to this journey.

This summer, Dorris Eaton students rolled up their sleeves and thought like engineers! Our Engineering & Robotics summer enrichment program brought students together for two weeks of hands-on learning, creative problem-solving, and real-world engineering challenges. 🤖⚙️

Working across three tracks — engineering design, robot building and programming, and coding — students stepped into the role of junior engineers at Mission Control, taking on contracts and earning points as a team. In the first week, students tackled engineering design challenges, began building and programming robots using the LEGO Spike Prime system, and designed their own playable games using Scratch. The second week raised the stakes as robots grew smarter with line-following and autonomous navigation, building toward our three-event tournament called the Robo Olympics. The program wrapped up with Demo Day, where each team presented their work and reflected on what they built and learned.

Through it all, students were reminded that curiosity, creativity, and perseverance are at the heart of great engineering and that the best solutions often come from working as a team. We're so proud of this summer's engineers! 🛠️✨

🌊🐠 Our Summer Enrichment Program is in full swing, and our preschool students at the Alamo campus are diving deep into an exciting Under the Sea adventure!

From exploring ocean creatures and marine habitats to hands-on activities and creative projects, there is so much to discover beneath the waves.

Best of all, our students are having a blast learning, exploring, and making memories along the way! 🐙🦀🐳

Our lower elementary Language Arts Summer Workshop on the San Ramon campus has been a rewarding two weeks filled with learning, creativity, and the opportunity to build new friendships.

Through engaging novels with memorable characters and captivating plots, students' curiosity and imagination flourished. Inspired by the stories they read, students enjoyed creating their own superheroes and dreaming up magical powers for original characters of their own design.

Each novel was paired with hands-on art projects that brought the stories to life and inspired even more thoughtful, imaginative writing. It is a joy to watch their imaginations take shape on the page, one story at a time.