Viewpoint School and Berkeley Hall School to Merge, Transforming the Landscape of Independent School Education in Los Angeles

One unified community will deliver an exceptional educational experience from Preschool through Grade 12 across two campuses in the Santa Monica Mountains

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Viewpoint School, a leading independent college preparatory school in Calabasas, California, and Berkeley Hall School, Los Angeles’ oldest independent co-educational school, announced they will merge to become one school serving students from Preschool through 12th grade across two campuses rooted in the Santa Monica Mountains. Together, the merged school will build a stronger, distinctive, and vibrant community leveraging 180 years of educational leadership and service to their communities.

Each school will continue to operate as they do today through the 2026-27 school year. Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, by which time the merger is anticipated to have closed, both schools, as one institution, will work together to explore opportunities for academic integration to enrich and build on the strong educational experience that students and families have come to know and love.

The Boards of Trustees of both schools, after years of thoughtful planning and with the full support of the Heads of School, determined that this merger represents the most meaningful step either institution could take for its students, families, employees, and future. This merger reflects more than a decade of deepening ties and a natural continuation of a relationship that these communities have been building together. Viewpoint has been one of Berkeley Hall’s most consistent destination schools, and Berkeley Hall has been one of Viewpoint’s most numerous feeder schools – a testament to the fit of their missions, cultures, and programs. In 2019, the schools took an initial, formal step together with Pathways Partnership, an intentional admissions path for Berkeley Hall 8th graders to continue their education at Viewpoint.

Individually, each school has earned deep loyalty and built a community grounded in decades of tradition. Together, new and meaningful opportunities will emerge for students, families, and faculty and staff. For Berkeley Hall families, this means a seamless path from Preschool through 12th grade, including a guaranteed place at Viewpoint, without a secondary application process. For Viewpoint families, it means permanently welcoming a community of students, teachers, and parents with shared values and increased presence in the Los Angeles area. Importantly, what matters most will remain: the campuses, the deep traditions, the teachers, and the unique cultures that make each school a special place. Over the long term, both campuses will remain open and will continue to serve the same grades as they do today. As part of the transition, Mark McKee will become the President of the merged school. Dr. Sarah Colmaire will remain Head of the Berkeley Hall campus, providing local leadership for its programs, people, and campus.

“This is a once-in-a-generation moment, and we are meeting it with a clear sense of purpose and vision,” said Andy Kieffer, Board Chair of Viewpoint. “At every step, our Board was focused on one question: what gives our students the best possible education and the best possible future? Every answer led back to the relationship our communities had already built. We are proud of the care and thoughtfulness that went into this decision, and we are thrilled to build something together that neither school could have achieved alone.”

“The combination of our school with Viewpoint is the most consequential decision our Board has made in our history,” said Darrin Kennedy, Board Chair of Berkeley Hall. “The many things that Berkeley Hall families love about this school – the campus, the teachers who know every child by name, the closeness of this community – will remain and grow even stronger. What this merger adds is something we’ve never been able to offer: a guaranteed path from Preschool through 12th grade, at a school our families already know and love. Through the combined school, we look forward to providing even more opportunities and creating more memories for students.”

“Education is changing and the schools that define the next generation are those with the courage to think differently about what a school can be,” said Mark McKee, President and Head of School of Viewpoint. “What we are building together is something rare and differentiated: two communities, two campuses, and one shared mission and vision to offer our students something that neither school could have delivered alone. But we are not going to change what drew every family to these schools in the first place: strong relationships with teachers, a deep sense of community, and a commitment to the individual success of every student.”

“There is no place like Berkeley Hall – the warmth of this community, the beauty of this campus, and our singular commitment to each student’s success,” said Dr. Sarah Colmaire, Head of School of Berkeley Hall. “This is what makes our school so special, and now we have the remarkable opportunity to build it into something even greater, together with a school that shares our commitment to student-centered education.”

Viewpoint and Berkeley Hall are also investing in what comes next. Viewpoint recently broke ground on a new amphitheater, a transformative gathering place for performance, learning, and connection that serves all four school divisions. Made possible through historic philanthropic support, the project is more than 80 percent funded. Berkeley Hall recently completed its Innovation Lab renovation and enhancements to its athletics and performing arts facilities. Together, the combined school will be stronger and better positioned to attract and retain exceptional teachers, deepen and expand programs in academics, the arts, and athletics, and invest in the learning environments that tomorrow’s students will need.

Bellwether Network, LLC, a national nonprofit consulting organization that works exclusively in the education sector, has been retained by the schools to help through the integration process.

Berkeley Hall and Viewpoint are committed to keeping their communities informed and involved throughout the process, with direct communication, dedicated community forums, and a standing invitation to ask questions as they move forward together. A joint letter shared with the families and students of both communities can be found at www.viewpointberkeleyhallmerger.org in addition to other updates.

About Viewpoint School

Viewpoint School is committed to creating exceptional readiness for extraordinary futures by cultivating the critical skillset, courageous mindset, and resilient identity of each individual student. Founded in 1961, with a legacy of academic distinction and college preparedness, the School’s scenic 40-acre campus in Calabasas, California provides students in grades TK-12 with an ideal setting to grow and learn, where each Viewpoint student is known, respected, and included. Visit www.viewpoint.org to discover a school where “tradition connects us and innovation propels us.”

About Berkeley Hall School

Berkeley Hall School is committed to empowering children to fulfill their unlimited, God-given potential as fearless scholars and conscientious citizens. Founded in 1911, Berkeley Hall is an independent school serving students from age 3 through Grade 8 on a scenic 66-acre campus in the Santa Monica Mountains. With a whole-child approach to education, Berkeley Hall provides a close-knit community where students are known and challenged as they grow in learning, character, and community. Visit www.berkeleyhall.org to learn more.