ETA: The new leadership team is amazing. The school went through some challenging times, but it's…read moreback to feeling like a home away from home again.

Think hard, don't lie to yourself... Does your child need a bit of support academically? Do you…read morethink they might? Do you want small class sizes? Are they on meds that need to be administered at school? Are they Neurodiverse (Dyslexic, Anxiety, ADHD, Autistic, Dyscalculia, etc.)? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, this school probably isn't for you. We really loved the school when the kid was younger. But, partway through the lower school, supports and amenities suddenly got a lot more scarce! The Middle School is even worse. Were the staff at fault? Usually not. Decisions were made and the kids that needed a bit of help paid the price. There isn't a school nurse. They have remodeled some of the specialist-type classrooms to convert them into classrooms. There has been quite a bit of staff leaving in the last 5 years. There isn't a real 9:1 kid to teacher ratio in practice, they use alternative accounting practices including counting staff members like the librarian (kids see the librarian for an hour or less per week while most teachers rush back to their rooms for preparation time leaving the librarian often alone with the kids). Teacher assistants in the lower school are not necessarily full time and are often pulled from class to cover teachers and things like playground duties. The administration is actively trying to add more students per class, and more classes overall, as all administrators are prone to do. In short, while it is a beautiful school, it isn't for everyone. Try not to be dazzled and ask the hard questions. See if this is right for your family. It is an expensive question to get wrong.

I would never recommend this school. The Administration is a joke. Mrs. Zamira does what she wants,…read morehow she wants, with no accountability or concern for the children. The Principal Mrs. Hofstrand allows it. My children had the worst experience here. They enjoyed the primarily and intermediate schools but completely lost interest in school when they came to the Junior High. My daughter quickly learned that thanks to Mrs. Zamira you can't sing happy birthday to your friends, you can't link elbows, and that they cannot recognize breast cancer awareness month because according to the Vice Principal, the kids are not mature enough.

My daughter started middle school here and it was the best decision we made. We're very happy with…read morethe staff, the teachers' great curriculum, and safe environment. It's a real blessing to be a part of this community.

My son loves St. Frances Cabrini! He is in his first year there. The teachers are great, the…read morefaculty are great, the other families are great. You really feel like you are part of something special here! We also really like the faith based virtues that are taught at the school too. (Respect, Integrity, others) We love this school and the decision to send our child here!!

John Dower is the name of this school. My initial thought from appearance is that the building from…read morethe outside lacks luster and looks a bit creepy. I hate that I prejudged. Once I toured the school the property seems to be well maintained. This includes the classrooms. The staff was welcoming and friendly, which is important to me. The principal seems to be quite involved. I was honestly horrified by the low scores of the school however I have come to learn that parent involvement plays a large roll in the success of your children. Last but not least, I am pleased with the structure and curriculum.

Hate it so damn much Friends call me DEEF…read moreJus cuz those are my grades don't mean it doesn't hurt 5 stars

Henry Foss IB World School is a gem! Our student is getting an excellent education with access to…read moreboth AP and IB coursework. The staff works hard to connect with students. They volunteer their own time to serve as sponsors for activities or provide extra academic help. Our student loves that Foss is a smaller school. She participates in clubs and sports that may be less accessible at a larger school. We also value that the student body is diverse at Foss. We are so thankful that Tacoma Public Schools offers the IB program at Foss High School and would recommend the school to any student that would like an academically rigorous high school curriculum.

Two years in and currently have had a terrible experience here. I've gotten bullied physically and…read moreemotionally, and this year is only worse. Phones are off limits the whole day now, (we used to be able to use them at recess) which means less talk with family as well. Would not recommend you send your kid here.

Daughter has had two physical bully incidents and both down played to misunderstanding by both…read moreprincipal and counseller.

There are numerous schools in this district. My son has…read moreattended two of those-here are my reviews for each: Evergreen Elementary School on Fort Lewis- 1 star the teachers obviously did not want to be there-or should have been teaching different grades. the principal was more concerned with following steps then actual problem solving. I pulled my child out of this school because of these issues and moved him to a school that I had to drive 20 mins 2x a day for drop off/pick-up. Lakeview Hope Academy- 5 stars! Loved, loved this school. This is a truly wonderful elementary school. The teachers and staff are all very dedicated to each student and will go beyond what is expected. I transferred my child here in Kindergarten after the horrible experience at another school. His K and 1st grade teachers were very helpful with the transition, and everyone worked to get him the support he needed. Unfortunately, We had to move out of state after 1st grade. Starting 2nd grade in a new state was hard for my child-we contacted his 1st grade teacher for tips, and during her summer break she not only sent helpful emails to me and his new teacher but also followed up with phone calls. It was very obvious that she cared about my child and getting him off to a great start. The front desk staff were always friendly and very helpful. ESL staff is also wonderful. This school is in a poorer neighborhood and that is obvious during pick-up time. However, it also means that they have great state funding. To me, the teachers and staff obviously wanted to be there and wanted to make a difference. It was worth the 20 min drive 2x a day for me to know that my son was in a loving environment.

DO NOT GO TO THIS SCHOOL smart pass don't work tried to go to bathroom shit was locked and my pass…read morewas going run away go to lakes

We switched from public school to LCA and are grateful for the experience. Our children have…read morereceived a better education than they received at public school and in a much better environment - not only are other students respectful during class but teachers care about the well being of the students. Our kids are very athletic and we have one that is attending a D2 school on athletic scholarship and our other children are competing in sports and getting play time and those sports that LCA does not offer, like Lacrosse, they are able to play through our neighborhood high school. We have been very pleased with our experience here.

Would give zero stars if I could. Please don't send your kids to this school. The teachings do not…read morereflect the Bible and represent hateful, discriminatory views. If you don't want to cause trauma to your kids, don't send them to Life Christian. As a former "lifer" and one of the few student athletes to go on to play D1 sports, and someone who's family has been a large part of the church for 4 generations, I can speak with certainty the trauma this place causes. I've watched it decline more and more since I graduated. The grade level education does not meet the level of education at public schools and especially does not compete with other private schools. Many students who left Life Christian felt under prepared at other schools because of the gap in education. Math and science programs are purposely under funded. The nepotism, rampant misogyny and over sexualization of young women, and unhealthy power dynamics should send any parent running from this institution.

SCB is a built in family and support system. Academics are rough in middle school but I've heard…read morethey are well prepared for Bellarmineultimately it would be impossible to find the education and core values anywhere else in the PNW. So thankful for this educational experience for my kids.

I went here from age 5-14 (2000-2019). The middle school religion teacher was bigoted and made the…read morefemale students uncomfortable. Easily the worst teacher i've ever had.

First to review this is awesome! This is my hometown where I met Humam T. and raised my fout…read morekiddies too... we have great schools, Trader Joe's and enough coffee spots to keep us happy. We miss living here.