We explored a handful of schools, and although we ultimately chose a closer school, we wanted to sing the praises of All Souls. Note that we were interested in the Mandarin program, so my observations shared here are mainly based on that aspect. This model should be replicated nationwide. Growing up, my parents had to choose between a public German immersion school and our local parochial school. They prioritized faith, which was the right call, but at All Souls, parents don't have to make that compromise--you get both! Dr. Allison is the principal, and after multiple conversations, it was clear how much he "gets it." He has an extensive background in education, and seems like exactly the person you would trust in charge of a growing and thriving school like this. He instills confidence. We met with teachers, parents, and staff, and everyone is kind and the teachers seem like great educators. The classes have very good teacher-to-student ratios. The weekly schedule is better than essentially all other schools, including early release on Fridays (perfect time to schedule doctor appts, dental appts, music lessons, etc.) and Mass only every other week (which is smart because it doesn't burn the kids out on it). Also, it is a very food-allergy-friendly school, with no nut/peanut classrooms TK-2 just to name one thing. For anyone weighing the benefits of language immersion against a faith-based environment, All Souls proves you really can have both without compromise. read more

My child went to All Souls for 6 years. When Dr Fuller was principal this was a 5 star school. The principal after left the school in disarray with the majority of the teachers leaving. The current principal works hard. I think the Spanish program is still decent but academically this school is behind public schools. A lot of kids leave needing intervention or tutoring unless your kid is academically way ahead. I love the small class sizes and loving environment but we left due to the huge teacher turnover resulting in some grades with terrible teachers. If they beef up the academics a bit there may be hope. read more

My daughter is currently enrolled, and has been here since TK. We love the school, her teachers, and staff. I totally believe in their philosophy that God loves everyone, and it shows in the diversity of the school community. We come from all walks of life, yet equally welcomed. read more

My son has been there since TK. He's graduating from 8th grade this year. Best principal and staff ever.

My daughter is going into first grade next year and has been here since TK-- the Spanish language immersion team has been amazing. I love that the school doesn't use tablet based instruction. My child is engaged in the curriculum and cares deeply for her friends and teachers. I'm so grateful that we found this place. Dr. Allison is amazing and truly inspired. The community is incredible. Couldn't recommend this place more! read more

The school is well run Students Learn either Spanish or mandarin The teacher I observed in 6th grade was excellent read more

This is a review ONLY on their Lion King production. All Souls did a fantastic job with the production of Lion King Kids. Their directors, creative directors, choreographers, and all the staff, volunteers, parents, etc. . . EVERYONE did such a wonderful job in bringing this production to life. The show sold out each night and one at least one night, seats were added to the audience viewing area where possible. I wish that I'd been able to take photos of the production itself but it was so great to see all the students taking part in this huge event. Kids really owned the stage the night. I have a feeling that there are a lot of kids attending All Souls who now have such a higher appreciation for theater arts. I have a feeling that a lot of students gained a lot of self respect for themselves for being able to do some thing that they probably had some if not lots of doubts about. I thought it was so so so awesome. These parents have a lot of talent as well. Some of them dedicated countess hours to creating costumes, some to doing the makeup for these children, putting props and setting up their booths and snack sales areas, etc. Another thing that I thought was impressive were the number of non-Chinese and even non-Asian students attending All Souls that were participants in the dual immersion classes, in Chinese language, who were speaking so fluently. I'm telling you, SO AWESOME. I don't know anything about the school other than my hubby attended when he was a kiddo and that the school is now conducting dual immersion classes. I don't know anything about their class sizes, the teachers, staff, etc, but I can tell you that their production was amazing and was worth every penny spent on supporting their fundraising efforts. Everything was "so pro" as a lot of kids were saying. Tickets had to be purchased on line through Event Brite. T-shirts were on sale at the performance but needed to be ordered. They'd then be available for pick up or your student could pick them up for you. There was a pre-performance by students who participate in the drumming class and there was a slide show that the students shared with the audience so that they could share with everyone all that they'd done to get this show up and running. It was really remarkable. read more

All Souls World Language Catholic School - Supporting my nieces at tonight's performance. - Language Schools Near Me - Alhambra, California

Full blown lie. If you read the questions sections, the one referring to the gate, the school's representative answered " However, this is NOT TRUE. We are a fully gated school and we are proud to say this has never happened here at All Souls." If by, "this has never happened", they are referring to the part of the question that asks if any student has left the campus without anyone seeing or knowing, then okay, yes, they haven't ever lost a kid. That is a play on the wording. However, if they mean that the gate has never been left wide open with kids unsupervised nearby, then they are flat out lying. I can fully attest that it 100% DID happen and my wife was fortunate enough to pick up my child (one of the 3 unsupervised with the gate wide open), before anything bad could happen. I feel I have to speak up when people are being lied to or questions are being deflected in a way that hides the truth. read more

My son rides one hour each way through Los Angeles traffic to this school every day -- that's how much my wife and I like it. o Not only does All Souls offer BOTH Chinese and Spanish immersion. o The language immersion program is superior to other language immersion programs that my wife and I considered in Ontario, Pasadena, Glendale and Los Angeles, thanks in part to capped smaller class sizes. o Every classroom is multi-age by design, so that every child can be permitted to learn at his or her level. o Monthly assessments of every child ensure that no child falls off track, and prove that average math and language outcomes at the school beat those at most public and private schools in the region. In addition to being educationally excellent, All Souls is a wonderful learning community of faculty and very active families who work hard together everyday to make All Souls terrific. I encourage you to take a look: http://www.allsouls.la read more

This is in response to AM G's post. "Mr. Ly's comments towards Ms. Fuller are so incredibly disrespectful and don't at all reflect who she is as a school leader." Just because you were duped into believing her lip service does not mean we all are that gullible. Also, am I suppose to respect someone who pretends to care? Remember, I bought them a whole set of walkie talkies to use because, as a previous school administrator, I found it unsafe that staff didn't have communication that way. Your wondeful school leader, Ms. Fuller, said "no, thank you" and did not accept my donation, and a week later, the incident with my child happened; which could have probably been avoided had the had 2 way radio communication. "To write another post almost year later about a school that he does not have any connection to is also quite strange." It's simple, not strange at all. I have so much anger and resentment towards this school (almost like PTSD), I wish nothing more than to see it shutter its doors...again. Apparently, if they jeopardize the safety of your child (as in leaving them unsupervised with wide open campus gates where any pedophile could come and grab them) you are okay with it. I am not. Maybe you are not understanding those words. Someone could have snatched my kid, and the school would not have had any evidence to provide the police! You are an amazing parent. "His insinuations that the school did not give him the contact information of the other families in order to cover something up is beyond paranoid. It would be a breach of privacy to give out that information." Yes, I understand this. Not paranoid. I see right though them. Why didn't they give MY INFORMATION to the parents involved so they could contact me to confirm they were made aware? When I offered, they declined. You aren't breaching my privacy if I specific ask you to give my information out. Again, they said they would not do so because I pulled my kid out of the school and was no longer part of their district. What an easy answer. You aren't going to do the right thing because I pulled my kid out? Do you really think they contacted these parents to inform them? I think not, but can't prove it. However, if you are considering this school, please ask them specifically about my previous situation and if they contacted the other two families involved. If they said they did, offer your contact information to be relayed to those families so they can confirm that with you. I bet you will not hear from those parents (they really won't relay your contact info, but will tell you they will). If you would like more information from me or to just discuss this, feel free to contact me at lyhua@yahoo.com. I am willing to help out any perspective families from making the mistake I did. So far, my posts have helped multiple families avoid this place. read more

I just saw the two negative reviews and felt compelled to respond and give a more accurate and fair description of the school. I have been at All Souls for 3 years and have two children at All Souls; one is in second grade staring his third year while the other just stared. My eldest has shown substantial growth, not just in English but in Mandarin as well. He can read items from menus and have meaningful conversations with his Mandarin speaking relatives. My husband and I don't speak any Mandarin. He has already read Harry Potter like his classmate and is now finishing the Wizard of Oz! Not only is he learning quality academics but he's also learning to be respectful, kind, and behave safely with others. The school instills in the children the importance of being ethical and caring for others. My kindergartener just started but he loves his school and teachers and doesn't want to return to his preschool which he loves very much. He's already singing whole songs in Mandarin. All Souls is like a family or small village. Parents are very actively involved. Teachers and staff show genuine warmth and regard for the students. When my son has not felt well I get called immediately and get regular text updates from the school about whether or not he's feeling better and my need to pick him up. I picked the school because of the dual language component and the sense of community and openness we got from the principal, Ms. Fuller. One reviewer wrote based just on a tour but sounds like a friend of Ly H., who wrote a very one-sided rant against the school and launched personal attacks against our wonderful principal. Ms. Fuller works endless hours and is extremely dedicated to the school, staff, parents, and students. I've found her to be exceptional, open to all communication (that is reasonable or rational), and is transparent. All Souls is very open in working with and incorporating parent ideas. It is very transparent. I work for local districts and none have been as transparent as All Souls or as willing to work with parents. As far as the security, I would not have started my second child here if I had any concerns about the ability of staff to appropriately supervise and maintain safety. In regards to requiring special IDs and level of high security buzz, etc. at local Alhambra USD schools- that is one of the reasons I didn't choose them. The schools felt like mini prisons. Garfield doesn't have a green space either. All Souls is only growing and continues to flourish each year. I love this school and continue to highly recommend it to everyone! read more

My son is attending 1st grade here and we are very happy with the learning style and loving care that he is receiving. It is a dual immersion school so the children learn half the day in English and the other half in Spanish or Chinese...whichever track you choose for your child. The tuition is reasonable. My daughter will start T-K here next year as well. read more

Our daughter has gone to All Souls World Language School for 3 years now and I cannot say enough great things about it-- we LOVE it! we love the principal, the curriculum, the community of families, the nurturing care of the children, the faith based philosophy, the diversity of cultures, language and religion... read more

I have 2 children at All Souls' Mandarin dual immersion program. The school has two tracks: Mandarin/English and Spanish/English. The entire school is dual immersion, so the culture of the school supports multiculturalism and personal growth for the students. That is an unique environment offered by this dedicated dual immersion language school. The school principal is dedicated, conscientious, and responsive. She puts in long hours, and really goes above and beyond. The staff also cares about the kids' growth and health/safety. This school promotes healthy eating and lifestyle for the kids. I think any personal rant against the principal is unjust. She is intelligent and fair minded, who cares about each kid. Staff knows all the kids in the whole school. The parents are very engaged, and makes the effort to form a friendly community. Many of us know one another. I think that is also quite unique about All Souls. I would recommend All Souls for parents who want dual language education for their kids. I personally feel that adds a lot to enrich the kids' experience. read more

My daughter will attend this year for kindergarten and I already love the school. It's a great school. Principal is so friendly and professional. The environment is welcoming and overall I just love it. I am glad I will be sending her there this school year especially since it's walking distance from my home. read more

We went inn for the tour and met with Principal Fuller. My fiancé and I agreed this be the school for our son who would be starting 2nd grade we explained how is in a 90/10 dual language program he wasn't doing too well so we thought here be perfect as they offer 50/50 Spanish/English . We turned inn all paper work it's been a whole month and still haven't came to a decision. They just left us out to dry no news nothing yet. My thing was if it's a no just tell us don't leave us in the dark. Pretty much the silence told me it was no seemed like waste of 25$ to test my child. read more

My child was enrolled in the TK program at All Souls School. The staff is highly competent, and very present for both the parents and children, alike. They offer an immersion program in both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. If you are searching for an immersion program in a private school setting, for your child in the San Gabriel Valley area, look no further. The cost is HIGHLY competitive, compared to others in the area. This is a Catholic school, though the staff and families are diverse in both religion and ethnicticity. I hope to see this school thrive in the future in the way it truly deserves. read more

My family has been at All Souls World Language Catholic School for 4 years and I couldn't be happier with the school. My oldest began in Kindergarten and my youngest is in his second year. I felt very compelled to write a review after reading some of the negative reviews. Their comments in no way reflect the school or the principal. Over the last 4 years we have seen this amazing school grow each year. Each year the school develops systems that accommodate the growth of the school. As parents we adjust to the new systems and work collaboratively with the school to improve them. In my 4 years at the school I have never encountered a situation where I have felt my kids were not in a safe environment. On the contrary, the school staff and administration have created a safe, loving and nurturing environment. I have worked in a local school district for the past 12 years and have worked with many principals. Ms. Carrie Fuller is among some of the best administrators I have known. Not only is she a hardworking principal that goes above and beyond for this school community, but she is also always willing to listen to parents and open to their feedback. Mr. Ly's comments towards Ms. Fuller are so incredibly disrespectful and don't at all reflect who she is as a school leader. To write another post almost year later about a school that he does not have any connection to is also quite strange. His insinuations that the school did not give him the contact information of the other families in order to cover something up is beyond paranoid. It would be a breach of privacy to give out that information. All Souls is a loving community with a great group of staff and parents that are not only supportive but deeply engaged in creating a safe and academically rich place for students. Each morning the students engage in a morning prayer that stresses the importance of being respectful and kind. It is a place where children embrace diversity and work together to be build a better world. My children are flourishing in this dual immersion environment. My oldest is reading, speaking, and writing in Spanish. My youngest is already reading in Spanish in Kindergarten. As stated earlier, I can't say enough great things about this school. Having our children at All Souls brings us peace of mind and great joy as parents. read more

All Souls School has two separate dual immersion programs: Spanish or Mandarin-Chinese. My son is currently in the Mandarin dual immersion program where 50% of classes are in English while the other 50% are taught in Mandarin. Although this is a Catholic school, neither my husband nor I are religious. When we initially decided to enroll our son, we weren't sure how that would affect our child and our family. Here's what I can tell you -- if you are Catholic - great! Your child will be learning about religion and faith. If you are not Catholic - great! Your child will be learning about religion and faith. There is nothing wrong with your child learning about the Catholic religion even if you are not Catholic. Your child will be exposed to one of the most popular religions in the world. I wish I knew more about various religious beliefs and cultures for my own education, but just never had the exposure. I am happy my son is able to learn about God, Virgin Mary, Joseph, etc. and the religious meanings of Christmas and Easter. Religion is very ingrained in the American culture and it will benefit your child to learn about religious beliefs. There are many good concepts taught along with those religious beliefs, so keep that in mind as well. Don't let the fact that this is a Catholic school deter you from sending your child to the school! All Souls is an EXCELLENT school. Ms. Fuller is an A+ Principal. All of my son's teachers are highly educated and credentialed as well. They truly care about my son's progress! You can't find a better group of faculty and staff. Since my son attended the school in the past year, he is more willing to speak in Mandarin than ever before (English has been his primary language). The dual immersion program works! Format and curriculum of each day are well thought out. I love the 15-min morning assemblies. Many of the activities during morning assembly are done in all three languages throughout the year. Birthdays are celebrated by singing the Happy Birthday song in three languages. I remember attending a birthday party of a student at an indoor playground and hearing the kids sing Happy Birthday in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. I was in awe! You won't find that anywhere! How awesome is that??? (All Souls is the only Catholic school that offers both Spanish and Mandarin tracks at the same campus.) Morning assembly also gives the parents a chance to stay for a prayer, pledge allegiance, or enjoy special events. In addition to the regular curriculum, PE is offered twice a week. Parents also have the option of paying for additional enrichment classes such as dance, robotics, piano, dance, drums, etc. The enrichment classes are offered after school so they don't have to attend the enrichment class on weekends (yay! save me time on the weekends). After school care "Panther Care" is also offered until 6pm for a very small daily fee. Parents of the school are also awesome. They form a great community and unconditionally support the school. Lots of great fundraisers, but also lots of great events. I am amazed at the events the parents put together - very professional and impressive! The parents are so talented! Yes, be expected to pitch in but you will enjoy every minute of it. I can't say enough good things about the school. If you are looking for a dual immersion program for Spanish or Mandarin, this is it. Tuition is very reasonable and you can also apply for financial aid (if available). The tuition isn't any more expensive than any other daycare you might send your child to, so you might as well send your child here to learn another language. Don't hesitate. Enroll your child here if you are considering the school. I strongly endorse the school!!! (And no they didn't pay me.) read more

My daughter attended kindergarten this year and our other daughter is going to attend t-k in the fall. We are amazed at our daughter's progress and how quickly she has learned to read, write and speak Spanish. The small class sizes ensures individual attention, great care by all of the staff and a loving environment. read more

Our grandson has attended All Souls School for two years and it is a wonderful, learning, caring environment. It's classroom sizes are small and the teachers and staff are all energetic and full of great ideas. It is an immersion program where students study English and then have the opportunity to be in Spanish or Mandarin language classes. He is learning so much! read more