Head of School Blog

With the walls of our Arts & Innovation Center rising out of the Upper Playground and a series of “rolling moves” creating excitement in the Primary Division as classes make their way to new-to-them spaces ahead of our big Preschool move, it’s safe to say that Le Jardin Academy’s One Build Project is well underway!

Before our eyes, One Build is reshaping the future of LJA, creating dynamic spaces that will enhance learning, innovation, creativity, and community for current students AND generations to come. With construction in motion, it’s exciting to see the elements of our vision taking form! Our new Arts & Innovation Center—scheduled for completion in December 2025—will address an urgent need for additional program space due to expanding secondary enrollment while increasing opportunities in innovation and the arts. Our desire is to equip students of all ages with the resources to dream, create, and lead with confidence.

With the renovation of Building C, we will soon provide a new home for our Preschool Program, ensuring our youngest learners have an environment designed to inspire curiosity and growth while affording them access to the plentiful resources of our main campus. Most importantly, we are bringing our learning community even closer together by uniting all of our students and families, grades PK-12, on one campus–deepening our shared experience.

Our progress to-date would not be possible without the dedication and generosity of early philanthropic partners and visionaries for the project, including leadership gifts from the Zilber Family Foundation, Mankwan and Chanel Wong, the Albert T. & Wallace T. Teruya Foundation, Kosasa Foundation, Dean and Makani Maeva, and many others. Our wonderful Board of Trustees, beyond their expertise and guidance, have demonstrated extraordinary generosity with 100% Board giving in support of this momentous project. So far, we have successfully raised $2.75 million toward our campaign goal, but as you’d expect, there is still work to be done, and it will take a village.

I invite you to partner in shaping this pivotal chapter in Le Jardin Academy’s journey. Your support—through advocacy, participation, and philanthropy—will help bring this vision to life—creating inspiring spaces for learning, innovation, and community that will impact students for generations to come. Every gift, no matter the size, moves us closer to our goal.

To learn more about One Build or to make a gift in support of the project, I encourage you to visit our One Build homepage, where you can read our story, view illustrations of the project, and explore creative ways to direct your support. As always, you are also welcome to reach out to me directly. 

In the months to come, we’ll keep everyone apprised of the project’s progress, along with opportunities to connect with the work through site tours, campaign gatherings, and of course, LJA's usual plethora of spring events dedicated to the celebration of our studentsʻ creativity and innovation, including our PYPx, Personal Project Exhibition, Extended Essay Showcase, Artsfest, Spring Concerts, May Day, and Moving Up Ceremonies. Each is a testament to the good work of our students, whose learning journeys will be made all the richer by our collective efforts in this moment.