About Hillwood
A school built by one family, sustained by a whole community.
Hillwood has never needed to be big — just steady. 77 years and three generations of one family later, it's still run the same way, in an era when many small San Francisco schools haven't lasted.
Our History
Started in 1949. Still family-run today.
Mrs. Mary Libra, at her desk — Hillwood's founder in 1949.
Hillwood Academic Day School was founded in 1949 by Mrs. Mary Libra, built around a simple commitment: quality academics in a productive, happy, and inviting classroom atmosphere — inside the same three-story Pacific Heights Victorian the school still calls home.
That commitment hasn't changed hands so much as it's stayed in the family. Today, Hillwood is led by Director Eric Grantz — Mrs. Libra's grandson and a former Hillwood student, leading the school today alongside Mrs. Gayle Grantz. Together, they carry forward the same nurturing environment Mrs. Libra first built, where every student is given room to flourish academically and grow into a socially responsible member of the community.
That family ownership is also why Hillwood is still standing. It was never built to need hundreds of students or a large budget to survive — just one family, at a time, who wants this for their child.
Our Philosophy
Inspire. Engage. Share.
A relaxed, family atmosphere — built on real relationships with every parent.
We believe in the value of both the individual and the community — meeting each student's needs while fostering a real sense of belonging. Our teachers appreciate what each child has to offer, and work every day to support their academic and social development.
It shows up in small things: about 4 students for every teacher; a relaxed, family atmosphere; a full day from 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM already built into tuition, not billed separately; and a staff that stays genuinely interested in your child, long after the school day ends.
What We Hold Onto
The values behind the classroom
Small enough to stay, not just to start
Hillwood was never built to depend on a big enrollment or a big budget. That's exactly why it's still here — run by the same family, in the same house — while other small San Francisco schools have quietly closed.
The individual and the community
We meet every student's particular needs while building a genuine sense of belonging — small enough that no one gets lost in either.
An integrated curriculum
Reading, writing, language, mathematics, history, and science are taught as connected disciplines, not isolated periods on a schedule.
Relationships that outlast the classroom
Our goal is simple: that graduates remember their teachers by name decades later, and that those teachers' influence lasts well into adulthood.
Nondenominational, and proudly diverse
Hillwood has no religious affiliation and draws a genuinely diverse group of students and families from across San Francisco.
Meet the People Behind It
Led by a family that grew up in these classrooms.
Director Eric Grantz is Mary Libra's grandson and a former Hillwood student himself — leading the school today alongside Mrs. Gayle Grantz.