Our History
In 2001, Dr. Herman and Jean Ohme founded School for Independent Learners, based in Los Altos, California. SIL was granted full accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in 2005, and all courses have been approved by the University of California.
Dr. Herman Ohme, Ed.D., has made his life’s work developing programs and published materials to help students learn. He is an expert in performance, learning, and motivation, and is the author of the Learn How to Learn study-skills books, which have been embraced by schools throughout the United States and Canada.
Herman has taught at UCLA, Yale, and Stanford, and has been a teacher, principal, and counselor in public and private schools for over forty years. Prior to beginning School for Independent Learners, he co-founded Mid-Peninsula High School & Palo Alto Preparatory School, successful Bay Area schools that continue to thrive.
Karen Hobbs, Ph.D. and Shary Nunan, Ph.D, Co-Directors of Tilden Preparatory School, were impressed with the original school’s ability to reach a wide range of students and maximize their learning potential and capability. They started Tilden Preparatory School under the name School For Independent Learners, East Bay in September 2006, and initiated the name change following approval for full accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in January 2009.