My 2 sons started attending A+ a few months ago. They are enrolled in the DI program…read more(Mandarin+English) Previously, they were in the school afterschool program which lacked the resources to help my kids with Mandarin. They still came home with a bunch of complicated HW every evening. All they really did was play for a few hours. Since enrolling, not only are my kids coming with finished HW, they are also getting extra supplemental academic exercises in, Mandarin, English and Math. My older kids iReady math assessment improved by 222%, the younger one improved by 187% for the end of the school year.

Our 1st grader has been going to A+ for the past 6 months and she absolutely loves it. Her math and…read morewriting has improved significantly and we couldn't be more proud. Ms. Cherry and her staff are fantastic in supporting and helping our little gal grow!

They have no idea when they even would open ... I walked in with my siblings to inquire and show…read moreour interest to them we have our children to enroll ... the guy at front looked nervous as we asked questions then he called someone to come name Yashaicaac not sure if we got the name right since she was not all informed about our questions but we felt that she just was a bit off and rude . The gentleman himself looked very uncomfortable but unfamiliar with their school rules himself ... this place is a joke !!!!! My sister said the lady ... she was just plain nasty since we are concerned about our children's safety and education. She had nothing to say but I only work here I don't make the rules we were like omg !!!! Run people don't take your kids here !!! Complete colossal disaster here ... they have no clue what they are doing nor do they have valid educated folks with empathy and support for our children... Very sad !!!! Indeed !!!! Wow This is disgraceful....!!!! Yet they talk about how they want to expand we're like please don't .., You will mess up our kids, our future & our families shame on YOU all!!!!

One of the best schools around the corner. Very nice staff members and showed great politeness to…read morethe students and people. Definitely recommend this place and welcomes walk in too.

NEO Fine Arts Learning Center is undoubtedly the foundation of my work ethics, effective study…read moreskills, and values. I attended NEO from first grade to eighth grade for the entirety of the academic school year and summer. 1) Homework and Concepts Assistance: What I like about NEO is that every grade level teacher checks in with every individual student to complete homework assignments and prepare for upcoming due dates/tests. They make sure that you truly understand the concept at hand even after you finish your homework. 2) Academic Excellence Workbooks and Worksheets: NEO prepares English Writing and Comprehension workbooks and Math workbooks beyond the school curriculum for students. These especially help when preparing for honors classes! 3) Safety: Throughout the countless times NEO picked me up from school to the academy, I never once had a safety issue. 4) Extracurricular Programs (Piano, Go, Spanish): I started being a musician with the piano program, and I stayed a pianist for the past 14 years! I loved it. 5) Ms. Kate, the principal and founder of NEO, is a disciplined and resilient woman, who exemplifies hard work and truly cares for the welfare of each student. If you want to have your child excel in his/her academic endeavors and growth as a person, this is the academy you should trust

I strongly advice parents to carefully consider sending their children to this afterschool program…read more During my child's time here as a middle schooler, we found the staff to be inexperienced and ill-equipped to manage classroom settings; they seem to employ young adults who just graduated high school (and particularly former students of this very afterschool program) who have a severe lack of tact and professional oversight. My child was often bullied by multiple students here, and she had to face those same bullies once she entered high school. These employees are not accredited educators and they themselves often encourage certain behavior from these students, even going far as gossiping with them.

My two boys have been attending Academicise for years, both for summer camp and after-school…read moreprograms. They truly enjoy being there. The teachers are responsible, helpful, and supportive. The kids not only finish their homework on time, but they also receive extra practice packets to strengthen their learning. The summer camp is reasonably priced and thoughtfully organized, with creative weekly themes that keep the kids engaged. The food provided is nutritious and rotates biweekly, always including protein and fruit. You can tell they care for the children as if they were their own. Mr. Calvin is especially wonderful, he's very responsible, kind, and always willing to help. He communicates clearly and genuinely puts his heart into everything he does. We're so grateful to be part of this program!

Hands down one of the best, if not the best, after school programs in the SGV. This is a…read moregenerational family business with decades of experience in after school care. We like that Mr. Calvin (the school director) pays close attention to children's behavior and the way they talk. I have observed the children who attend the school, and they are all "good kids". Mr. Calvin also encourages healthy snacks which is very important to us. We joined Academicise for a few years now, and there's not a day when homework is not completed. Even when my kid had to miss the program for 1-2 days due to sickness, the homework is always completed by the due date. It is a huge relief for working parents. They also provide extra packages which are slightly higher than the current grade level. Vans with seatbelts are also available for pick up. We are very happy with Academicise. My kid enjoys it a lot too.

Driving up the foothills in the shadow of the recent bobcat fire, I wondered how safe is the air…read morequality and where is Alverno? Then it appeared two massive iron-rod gate doors which lead to the grounds of this majestic campus. It's what I would assume the mansion of great expectations once was. There are strawberry and oaks trees for acres and a linear koi lily pond. So here the history lesson: it was once a mansion which consumed hundred of acres of land. As time marched on, as it does hundreds of plots of this plantation-Spanish styled looking mansion were sold-off. Creating the adjacent neighborhood of Sierra Madre. Including, a large plot to this now existing school, Alverno. The mansion is host to the girls drama classes and plays: Bravo! I can't speak to the school or the educational quality but as a shooting location it's Ethereal. Such a delight and an endless time capsule of history. The city of Sierra Madre was wonderful and welcoming. And this feature film we are shooting which I can't say much abt, truly will be the stuff of legends.

The high school closed down unfortunately due to poor management. They claim it's declining…read moreenrollment but none of the other high schools are closing down. they took the money in donations and tuition from families who are expecting their girls to be invested in the school. They never let the parents know they were in financial trouble. that was wrong and I don't think the whole story because the new principal now says at public meetings she is going after much younger students because that is where the money is. It's sad when a school has to focus on the their heads giant salaries and not the students once the Covid funding stops. On the plus side it's a very cheap school Unfortunately they have a lot of interest in holding weddings (almost every weekend) and filming (even during school hours) on the campus. I wouldn't want my kids around strangers when they should be getting educated. My nieces enjoyed a good high school 30 years ago. My grandnieces and nephews have not at the new Alverno. Their parents pulled all three kids out. They felt the education was lacking compared to other schools. And are now enrolled in and very happy. The staff seems ill equipped. Some teachers are nice others seem very disgruntled. they really don't seem happy to teach there. It comes across to the children. some teachers are just there because the kids are getting discounted tuition and that doesn't make them qualified either. There is a mentality between those who have which are a lot against those students who have less. So much for Christian teaching The new Alverno is not the school that it use to be. The school require the kids to enroll in a sport so they can claim they have a big sports program. More fees. I find it misleading especially upsetting for kids who have no interest in their team sport but would rather compete in something more individual or that the school doesn't have (like gymnastics). Or in participate in the arts. Every time one turns around there's a fee for something (Jagothon,field trips, fundraiser in school hot dog lunches) so the school isn't as inexpensive as initially thought. They constantly want money for some sport courts. They have lot's of land but lack the accoutrements a proper school like a gym with showers, an updated cafeteria, a proper theater, etc. Their hand is out throughout the year. This makes the tuition more expensive in the long run. They really should have skipped allowing the new lower school to come in and worked on improving the high school. It ruined the campus

Do your due diligence before you bring your family to this school. Don't be swayed by the pretty…read morecampus and the catchy motto. For 26K you deserve to know what you're getting...and what you're not.

I just saw my review from 13 years ago, when my kids had been at Gooden for 3 years. Update: Both…read moreof my kids graduated from Gooden (2016 & 2018) and went on to competitive high schools & colleges. I still strongly feel that their time at Gooden gave them a phenomenal foundation. They've been confident to advocate for themselves, considerate and respectful throughout their education journeys. AND as I predicted years ago, they are still very close with the friends they made, as am I. It truly is a special school.

Caring and supportive staff with excellent teaching skills. My nieces had to pull their children…read morefrom a competing Sierra Madre "Catholic" school with a nice mansion but that was all it offered. The kids have been so much more enthusiastic about their learning and the environment at St. Rita's. The school is established and that says a lot. I think they hit a rough patch when a past principal was fired, took staff and the student roladex to start the competing school. St. Rita's seems to have weathered the upheaval and are strong. My family really enjoyed their inclusive nature. One family is a practicing Catholic but the other not and says no one makes a big deal about it. Both say they feel very happy with their choice of St. Rita. No one seems to shun my one niece who goes to a church closer to where she lives. That says a lot about acceptance too. I toured the school with them. I could just tell the staff knew what they were doing. They discussed their methodologies and how they handled the different learning abilities of their students. Looking forward to their grandparents day, debate tournaments, theater and other events they offer. This school has so much more than just a sports program. There is a variety of opportunities for each of my grand nieces and nephews that do not require they be in a sport. Their PE program is well rounded. I am not sure if St. Rita's has an immense budget but from what I could see the teacher's and staff are creative. No child is lacking from talking with returning families. My kiddo's are making friends and the families we met are delightfully involved. No one is pushing their agenda or sticking their hand out for money all the time. So far so good.

I don't normally review things, but I have had a horrible experience with the school. Many of the…read moreteachers are very unprofessional with their students and the lack of discipline baffles me. Some of the teachers were caring, but I find it preposterous some of the things that others got away with, like blatant favoritism. I do know some of the staff members were fired, but based on previous years, they just cannot find competent people to hire. Also, according to my child's experience, things I've heard from other parents, and events I've witnessed myself, many of the children here get away with terrible behavior. I have heard so many horror stories of children saying racial slurs and micro aggressive comments, but none of them have faced actual punishment, besides maybe getting marked. If you are looking for a small, cozy Catholic school to send your children to, St. Rita is not that.

I was very hesitant to put my kids there at the beginning, but oh boy I was so wrong. The teachers…read moreare absolutely amazing, professional, knowledgeable, passionate and extremely accommodating. The Director is so involved and knows everybody by name, Mrs Washington is very attentive and always on top of everything. The teacher assistant are also very sweet and helpful. My kids learned so much and went into so many field trip ( aquarium, Arboretum, parks, etc) I wish they will have more grates here but I am Absolutely happy and thankful to all the staff of this great school. Everybody goes above and beyond specially Mrs Anne and Mrs Muñoz.

This is a lovely school with great teachers. We enrolled our little guy this year and he is…read morethriving. He loves going to school everyday and has tons of friends. He gets lots of outside time in addition to creative indoor time and they feed him two meals and two snacks. I really could not ask for a better place for my son. Don't be turned off by the old building, the teachers are a real treasure and work miracles with their budget.