The Bay Area Teachers Center strives to fuse the best aspects of contemporary education in order to create a teacher-focused training model.  BATC was founded on the principle of public purpose embodied in the Center for Civic Engagement at Lick Wilmerding High School. 

Lick-Wilmerding High School
In 1885, San Francisco entrepreneur James Lick endowed the California School of Mechanical Arts (the Lick School), and in 1895, the school opened its doors. Subsequently, the Lick School merged with the Wilmerding School founded by Jellis Wilmerding and the Lux School for Girls founded by Miranda Lux.

Today, Lick-Wilmerding High School is a nonprofit, independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 9-12 with a tradition of integrating demanding academic courses with technical arts and fine arts. As a private school with a public purpose, Lick-Wilmerding High School is culturally, socially, and economically diverse. It encourages participation in community service and is committed to developing innovative educational programs that will benefit students and teachers throughout the Bay Area.