We are excited to share that the bake sale organized by our Grade 2–5 Student Council members on Tuesday, September 22nd, was a resounding success! Held in the park, the event attracted a enthusiastic crowd and caught the attention of many community passersby, whom our students warmly welcomed. Our talented students rolled up their sleeves to prepare an incredible variety of treat—from baked delights like muffins, cookies, and chewy mochi cake, to refreshing non-baked options

The Mid-Autumn Festival, recognized as the second-largest festival in Chinese culture, was joyously celebrated with our amazing community on the evening of Friday, September 25th. This year, our celebration was even more vibrant and dynamic! In addition to our traditional family picnic and mooncake tasting, there was a variety of fun activities and interactive games that brought smiles to everyone's faces—including ring toss, archery, karaoke, lantern crafts, and more. Famili

The third-grade students were thrilled to complete their very first outdoor school of the school year last Friday! During the program, they learned about sand erosion and its mitigation. The teacher explained the concept and then divided the students into groups, each given different materials like rocks, nets, sticks, plants, seashells, and even plastic waste. The objective was to test how effectively each material could prevent sand erosion. Each group first measured the or

Our second graders had a fantastic time on their field trip to the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo today! Through hands-on experimentation, the students built their own working models of a maglev train. They explored the core scientific principle of magnetic repulsion—learning firsthand that like poles repel—and successfully applied that concept to their designs. Throughout the project, our students demonstrated curiosity, critical thinking, perseverance, and excellent teamwo

The brand new school year for our Grade 5 students started with an exceptional trip to the Palo Alto Junior Museum on September 3rd. The students dove headfirst into an interactive science lab focused on orbital mechanics and the seasonal shifts of Earth 🌍. Working in pairs, the students modeled the Earth's orbit around the sun using desktop globes surrounding a light source. To analyze how axial tilt influences solar intensity across different regions, they placed small mag

Last Friday, September 4th, our fourth graders had the wonderful opportunity to extend their classroom learning about physical and chemical changes through hands-on science activities. The focus of this trip was on chemical changes, giving students the chance to enrich their knowledge with real-life experiments and close-up observations. During the activities, students divided into teams to create their own recipes mixing baking soda and vinegar in spray bottles, competing to

What an incredible way to wrap up the school year! Our recent year-end graduation ceremony was a beautiful, heartfelt celebration of our students’ growth, learning, and the tight-knit community that makes Cornerstone so special. From start to finish, the energy in the room was electric. One of the absolute highlights was seeing our students confidently take the stage to perform in both Chinese and English, beautifully showcasing their bilingual skills and expressive talents.

Hooray! This is the final issue of the Student Chronicle for the 2025–2026 school year! This special edition concludes students' incredible hard work and reflects for the past year. Our young writers and artists shared all the valuable knowledge that they have gained and blissful memories that they have created together. Please see the linked file to enjoy their latest work and celebrate their achievements. Happy reading, and have a great summer, everyone!

We had an incredibly insightful lunch meeting with Nobel Laureate Dr. Myron Scholes on Friday, May 15. Our students were highly engaged, asking thoughtful questions throughout the discussion. In return, Dr. Scholes shared valuable wisdom, leaving the students with several meaningful takeaways as they prepare for middle school. First, he encouraged them to actively absorb knowledge and build a deep foundation, reminding them that curiosity is the key to deepening one's learnin

On May 8th, our kindergarteners took an awesome field trip to the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo and it was a total hit! The students took a deep dive into the rainforest ecosystem, getting up close and personal with a python and a gecko. Beyond the animal encounters, we got a literal taste of the tropics by snacking on banana chips and sipping guava juice. After exploring the museum's exhibits and observing the zoo's diverse residents, the clear highlight for the group was th

Friday, May 1st, our 1st graders enjoyed a wonderful field trip to the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo. During the visit, students participated in a specialized lesson using live carnivorous plants as a model for study. After observing how these plants capture their prey, the children worked in teams to design their own Hexbug traps in an engaging engineering challenge. It was a joy to see the plant and animal concepts we’ve studied over the last two months come to life. Beyond

At Cornerstone, we firmly believe that physical fitness and good sportsmanship are the cornerstones of a well-rounded education. On April 24, our community demonstrated these values in action during Sports Day! The excitement started weeks ago as students were divided into eight spirited teams. In a display of mentorship and school pride, each team was headed by a fifth-grade leader. When the big day arrived, the energy was electric as each group performed their cheers to kic

Our 4th graders had a truly enriching experience at the Sierra Outdoor School! By "traveling back" to the 1850s, the students gained hands-on insight into the Gold Rush era. They mastered three different gold-panning techniques and learned the traditional Me-Wuk method of grinding acorns into flour. Beyond the history lessons, this trip was a milestone for personal growth. The students adapted beautifully to new living conditions, practiced independence, and relied on teamwor

For the fourth consecutive year, our 5th-grade students embarked on a life-changing journey to Taiwan. This isn't just a trip; it is a hallmark of our sister-school exchange program—a two-week immersion designed to turn students into global citizens. By stepping out of the classroom and into the vibrant culture of Taiwan, our students experienced a transformation that only firsthand discovery can provide. Lessons That Live Beyond the Classroom Our students returned with a gen

At Cornerstone, this week was filled with meaningful class performances and diverse learning experiences. Our Pre-3 and Pre-K students shared their curiosity about spring and the world of bugs, while our Kindergartners and 1st graders expressed their stewardship for the Earth and their deep understanding of plant biology. Meanwhile, our 2nd graders explored the life cycle of seeds on a local field trip, and our 3rd graders demonstrated impressive bilingual math proficiency. F

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the third issue of The Student Chronicle, created by our talented Grade 2–5 students! This special edition is brimming with creativity and showcases the incredible hard work of our young writers and artists. Please find the file to enjoy their latest work and celebrate their achievements. Happy reading!

In preparation for an upcoming cultural exchange in Taiwan, local students visited the Tzu Chi Northwestern Campus this past Friday, trading their traditional desks for a deep dive into global humanitarianism. The immersive visit was designed to introduce the class to the "Four Missions" of the Tzu Chi Foundation: charity, medicine, education, and humanistic culture. Through a guided tour and historical presentations, students explored how the organization provides disaster r

On February 25, the third-grade class set-off a landmark three-day overnight field trip, a journey educators describe as a pivotal milestone in the elementary experience. For many students, the excursion represented their first extended time away from home, trading suburban comforts for the spray of the Pacific. The trip functioned as an immersive science intensive. Students moved beyond classroom theory, wading into tidepools to observe marine ecosystems firsthand and trekki

Last Saturday, February 21st, the Cornerstone campus was transformed into a sea of red and gold for our annual Chinese New Year celebration. This cherished tradition was a beautiful showcase of student leadership and cultural immersion, with every classroom and corner of the school adorned with art projects and student work that reflected the creativity and hard work of our children. The heart of the event was driven by our students, who led vibrant performances and hosted va

This Friday, our 1st grade class students enjoyed a fantastic learning adventure at the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, where they participated in a wonderful class called Phase Changes. The lesson tied in beautifully with our current exploration of the three states of matter—solids, liquids, and gases. Through hands-on, engaging experiments, the children discovered how water can change between all three states under certain conditions, especially when temperature changes. The