About Us

It is our joy to see real learning happening every day! Students at Warren-Walker School are happy to come to school, engaged in classroom lessons and activities, and focused on the learning process at hand. What this all means is that the synergy of our Legacy, Spirit, and Promise is readily evident, and that our students achieve high levels of success.

Our Legacy is a history of dedication to children, an understanding of how children acquire a love of learning, and a commitment to creating special environments that foster optimum levels of growth and development. Nellie Warren-Walker, our founder, succeeded in achieving all of the above, and continues to inspire us in our ongoing efforts as the School surpasses its 90th year. We have much to celebrate!

Our Spirit is all about the enthusiasm that is palpable in the classrooms, on the playground or fields of play, on field trips, and at our many special events. Guests who walk away from the Famous American Artist presentations, a class play, or the Holiday Tea and Concert tell us that, not only was it entertaining, it was inspirational and truly remarkable!

What we Promise is that we’ll do all that we can for each student to fulfill his or her tremendous potential as a citizen and scholar, where the possibilities for success are boundless. Our commitment to education is our Promise to be the best that we can be so that our students become the best that they can be!

Founded in 1932, Warren-Walker School has a long-standing commitment to education in the San Diego community. Nellie Warren-Walker, our founder, held her first class above Senator Kraft's drugstore at 1891 Bacon Street in Ocean Beach. She offered a rigorous and varied program that fostered growth. Her students excelled, and the School's positive reputation grew quickly.

In 1939, Mrs. Walker acquired the current campus on Point Loma Avenue near Sunset Cliffs, built the original buildings, and moved the school onto the property. Thereafter, Mrs. Walker's daughter, Ruth Sweeney, joined the school as administrative assistant, and eventually became the director. In 1983, she hired Raymond J. Volker, the school's first headmaster. In 1988, Mrs. Sweeney retired, and Pamela L. Volker and Janet H. Smith joined Mr. Volker to lead the school, making up the current board of directors of Warren-Walker Schools, Inc. 

What Nellie Walker began, has become so much more! We have expanded to two campuses in Point Loma (our Early Learning Center which serves Infants - Preschool aged students, and our Lower School campus which serves students in Prekindergarten - 5th Grades), and a Middle School (serving 6th-8th grade students) located in Mission Valley.

We are committed to providing prekindergarten, lower school, and middle school programs that challenge our students to think, learn, create, communicate, and develop to their highest and fullest potentials while preparing them for success in academically demanding high schools.

This will be achieved in an atmosphere of caring, cooperation, and dedication to helping each student succeed in the learning process. The school and its faculty will formulate multi-faceted educational experiences that foster a lifetime love of learning, breadth of knowledge, and mastery of skills while developing respect for others, confidence, initiative, perseverance, self-discipline, and a sense of responsibility.

Warren-Walker School believes the development of self-confidence, self-discipline, good character, and academic achievement is founded in a solid acquisition of basic skills, thinking skills, and communication skills brought about by a highly dedicated faculty, administration, and staff.

Through small class size, ample student-teacher interaction, and a safe, caring environment, we carry out our philosophy in the following ways:

• the academic curriculum is presented and taught using resources and materials in a way that reflects the style and methodology of each teacher, fulfilling the needs of the students while encouraging them to achieve to their highest and fullest potentials. We believe that the relationship between student and teacher is paramount to the learning process.
• the development of thinking skills is an ongoing process in education. The application of higher-level thinking reinforces and solidifies the groundwork of material presented and taught in class, bringing to it a greater meaning and perspective. The curriculum is enhanced with depth and complexity through well-designed lessons and unique interdisciplinary units of study to ensure that we engage and challenge our students.
• communication skills are developed in a variety of ways in the classroom, as well as through the specialist programs. Presentations, recitations, dramatic and musical performances, computer and library activities, art and foreign language instruction all teach, encourage, and enhance the development of good communication and self-expression.