 The name is taken from Henry David Thoreau's "Walden", because of Thoreau's commitments to experimentalism and individuality, and the numbering references behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner's utopian novel, "Walden Two".During its first three years, the school admitted only 11th and 12th grade students.In 1975, 10th grade and a middle school (at the time grades 7 through 9) were both added; and due to district changes in 1983, 6th grade was added to middle school and 9th grade moved to high school.