Silicon Valley International School

What Silicon Valley International School does

Silicon Valley International School (INTL) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) K-12 institution headquartered in Palo Alto, California, operating three campuses across Palo Alto and Menlo Park and serving approximately 815 students from Preschool through 12th Grade. Founded in 1979 as Peninsula French American School, it rebranded to International School of the Peninsula and adopted its current name in December 2020 following a merger with Alto International School, creating the only full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum school in the Bay Area. The institution offers bilingual immersion education across three language tracks (Chinese/Mandarin-English, French-English, and German-English), an Upper School Language Acquisition program for English-speaking students without prior immersion experience, and the full IB continuum (MYP in grades 9-10, Diploma Programme in grades 11-12), alongside college counseling, arts, athletics, design thinking, and experiential programs including Round Square and Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The school holds accreditations from the International Baccalaureate Organization, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the French Ministry of Education, AEFE, MLF, and the German PASCH network. Revenue derives primarily from tuition, supplemented by a variable tuition program for need-based financial assistance and a substantial fundraising engine that generated approximately $2.59M in 2023-2024, including a $1.8M Annual Fund goal with 463 donors in 2024-2025. The school's endowment totals approximately $10.5M as of June 2025 across multiple funds, including the Charlotte de Géry Endowment at $9.18M.

Go-to-market is community-led, relying on parent referrals, alumni networks, virtual tours, and campus visits. Leadership transitioned in 2025 with the departure of 20+ year Head of School Philippe Dietz, and the school has adopted a Strategic Plan covering 2025-2032. The institution is governed by a Board of Directors with no parent company and maintains an executive team including a Chief Financial Officer (Erik Paxman) and Chief Advancement Officer (Patricia Colin).

Name

Silicon Valley International School

Legal name

Silicon Valley International School

Website

https://siliconvalleyinternational.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Silicon Valley International School is a nonprofit K-12 institution in Palo Alto and Menlo Park serving 815 students with bilingual immersion (Chinese, French, German) and the only full International Baccalaureate continuum in the Bay Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Bilingual International Baccalaureate K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Language Immersion & Bilingual Private Schools (EDAJABAL), Bilingual/Language-Immersion Preschools (EDACABAH), Bilingual & Language-Immersion Early Learning Academies (EDACADAG), English Learner (EL/ESL/ELL) & Bilingual Education Programs (EDAJAGAB)

Keywords

• International baccalaureate programs
• Bilingual immersion education
• Private K-12 schools
• Language immersion schools
• Preschool through high school

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue source from tuition payments for preschool through 12th grade education across three language programs.
2. Annual Fund: Primary annual fundraiser supporting school's budgetary needs directly. Goal of $1.8 Million. 463 donors in 2024-2025.
3. Soirée du Vin Wine Auction: Annual wine auction raising funds for Charlotte de Géry Endowment Fund. 2023-2024 raised $45,500 for endowment.
4. Annual Gala and Auction: Spring fundraising event with live auction and Fund-a-Need initiatives. 2023-2024 raised $260,000 total including $140,000 for Fund-a-Need.
5. Endowment Gifts: Long-term investments including Charlotte de Géry Endowment ($9.18M as of June 2025), Financial Aid Endowment ($786K), and other named endowments. Includes planned giving, bequests, and major gifts.
6. Variable Tuition: Need-based financial assistance to support diverse families, supplementing tuition revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Silicon Valley International School delivers tuition-based bilingual International Baccalaureate (IB) education from Preschool through 12th Grade across three campuses in Palo Alto and Menlo Park, California. Core instruction is delivered through immersion in Chinese (Mandarin), French, or German paired with English, following the IB continuum (MYP in grades 9-10 and Diploma Programme in grades 11-12). The school also offers the Upper School Language Acquisition (USLA) program for English-speaking students without prior immersion experience.

Product overview

Silicon Valley International School (INTL) is a premier bilingual International Baccalaureate World School offering Preschool through 12th Grade education. The school provides a unified platform of educational programs centered on bilingual immersion in Chinese (Mandarin), French, and German languages. The core offerings include the Early Years Center (Preschool/Pre-K), Elementary School (K-5th Grade), Middle School (6th-8th Grade), and High School (9th-12th Grade), all delivered through the IB Programme framework (MYP and DP). The school emphasizes Dynamic Bilingual Learning, Inquiry-Based Learning, and Social-Emotional Learning as integrated pedagogical approaches. Supporting programs include College Counseling, Arts, Athletics, Computer Science and Educational Technology, Design Thinking, After School Activities, and international programs such as Round Square, Duke of Edinburgh Award, and Experiential Education/Cultural Exchange. The school operates multiple campuses (Cohn, Willows, and Clarke) in Menlo Park and Palo Alto, California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INTL Passport Program: International program for students to explore global opportunities
• Upper School Language Acquisition (USLA) Program
• INTLnet

Products and services

• Early Years Center (Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten) Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten program for ages 3-5, providing bilingual immersion education in Chinese (Mandarin)/English, French/English, or German/English, setting the foundation for discovery, innovation, and academic success in an international environment.
• Elementary School Program (Kindergarten through 5th Grade) Kindergarten through 5th Grade bilingual education program offering Chinese (Mandarin)/English, French/English, and German/English immersion tracks, developing self-directed lifelong learners and engaged global citizens.
• Middle School Program (6th-8th Grade) 6th-8th Grade program blending U.S. education practices with French national curriculum and curricula influenced by China, Taiwan, and Germany, with the Upper School Language Acquisition (USLA) program for students without prior immersion experience.
• High School Program (9th-12th Grade) 9th-12th Grade academic program delivering the full International Baccalaureate continuum: Middle Years Programme (MYP) in 9th-10th Grade and IB Diploma Programme (DP) in 11th-12th Grade, with college preparation as the primary outcome.
• Upper School Language Acquisition (USLA) Program Second language curriculum for 6th-12th Grade English-speaking students without prior immersion experience, culminating in the IB Diploma.
• INTL Passport Program International program enabling students to engage with global learning experiences and cultural exchange opportunities beyond the standard curriculum.
• College Counseling Guidance and support services helping students navigate college admissions, select universities, and prepare academic pathways for post-secondary education.
• Variable Tuition Program Financial assistance program offering variable tuition rates based on family need, supplementing tuition revenue to support access to bilingual education for diverse families.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of high school graduates receive IB Diploma preparation with college counseling support
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Challenger School: Multi-campus private K-8 operator in the Bay Area and beyond. Competes for private school tuition dollars though differentiated on classical curriculum rather than bilingual immersion.
• Harker School: Large San Jose-based K-12 private school (1,900+ students) with strong STEM and college placement. Broader incumbent competitor for premium Bay Area families rather than bilingual niche.
• Stratford School: Larger multi-campus Bay Area private K-12 operator. Less differentiated on bilingual/IB but competes for the same affluent Bay Area family demographic.

Direct peers

• German International School Silicon Valley: Mountain View-based K-12 school delivering German/English bilingual education with German Abitur option. Directly comparable to INTL's German track and shares PASCH network membership.
• Chinese American International School: San Francisco K-8 school offering Mandarin/English immersion with IB curriculum. Comparable to INTL's Chinese immersion track in mission and Bay Area positioning.
• Keys School: Independent K-8 school in Palo Alto/Scotts Valley offering progressive, inquiry-based education. Comparable in geography (Palo Alto) and educational philosophy to INTL's lower schools.
• French American International School: San Francisco private K-12 school offering French/English bilingual instruction with IB programmes. Closest comparable to INTL given overlapping French-immersion IB continuum positioning and Bay Area footprint.
• Nueva School: PreK-12 independent school in Hillsborough/San Mateo with progressive, inquiry-based pedagogy and IB-aligned curriculum. Comparable premium Bay Area private school targeting similar globally-minded families.
• Castilleja School: Palo Alto all-girls independent school (grades 6-12) serving similar Bay Area families with premium college-prep positioning. Operates in the same Palo Alto micro-market as INTL.
• Pinewood School: Independent K-12 school with campuses in Los Altos Hills and San Jose. Comparable Bay Area private school model with similar tuition tier and college-prep mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/svintlschool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/istpnet
• Facebookfacebook.com/svintlschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/svintlschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/svintlschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Silicon Valley International School