Unfortunately there is a lot of covert and overt forms of racism here. This is a major failure upon…read moreadministration which serves to breed even more stigma and discrimination toward marginalised communities. It's a shame that with access to so many resources to teach in a place like Lafayette that something as poisonous as racism is present and reinforced amongst this context where kids are supposed to be educated. It's sad and key players like Brian mangold and the owners of the Behavior Management Solutions Company (which has a contract with LUSD) and provides the school with "behavior therapists" (many of whom are not registered with the BACB, the credentialing authority who oversees those credentialed in Behavioral Psychology) do nothing to address the presence of racism and derogatory remarks which are race related on the campus. In addition, they recently rolled out their Counseling Enriched Classroom and it is not ethically up to standard, employees have chosen to leave because of this and parents have little to no awareness of what goes on in there. The director of LUSD hired the current Counseling Enriched Classroom teacher (Phillip Eddy) because they were friendly with one another, and the teacher came from from a non-public school which is a completely different setting, the teacher has little to no psychology knowledge / credentials and is "leading" the space (How can you pride yourself in providing trauma-informed care when you do not have the knowledge or skills to do so). I would consider all of this before allowing any kids to go into a space like this and choose better because the bar being so low is detrimental to their development.

They try to arrest your children for missing less than a third of a full school day. Not the best…read moreplace for insecure developing tweens if you ask me.

We are Grandparents to 3 children at this wonderful school. We have attended many great events here…read moreand volunteered in the classrooms. We have witnessed first hand the beautiful community and Catholic education that is fostered at this super school. Our Grandchildren are thriving. We also educated our grown 3 children with Catholic education and are Blessed today with healthy wonderful happy families. The sacrifice is totally worth it. John and Jill Brunold

I wanted St. Perpetua to be a great fit, but our experience was disappointing…read more The school may work well for families looking for a very traditional Catholic environment, but if strong academics are the main priority, I would look closely before assuming this is a better option than the local public schools. In our experience, the administration seemed much more focused on uniforms, skirt length, Mass, and rule-following than on whether students were actually being challenged. There are some genuinely good teachers there, and I don't want to take away from them, but overall the academics felt inconsistent. It also feels like the diocese does not invest enough in teacher pay to consistently attract and keep top talent. And unfortunately, that shows. I'll also just say that the overall leadership of the parish/school gave us an uncomfortable feeling at times. The pastor in particular gave off a strange vibe that made the environment feel less warm and welcoming than we had hoped. For what families pay, I expected St. Perpetua to feel meaningfully stronger than the public school option. For us, it didn't.

What an amazing school with amazing staff. My son went here form summer camp and it has been such a…read moretreat. Only downside is that it's full and we are only able to attend a couple times a week and my son looks forward to it each day he goes. Everyone is thoughtful, patient, and kind.... what more can you ask for?!

My son has been attending Merriewood for the last 6 months and I am not even sure where to begin…read morewith how incredible Merriewood is! My little guy has grown in so many ways! The staff is kind and genuine, the facilities are gorgeous and offer many things for the kids that no where else offers. Chickens roam and the kids can collect the eggs, the garden is incredible and the kids love picking fresh fruit and veggies..... After looking at dozens of places this was the ONLY one I could see myself sending my baby to and I am so glad I did!

As a parent of a child with learning disabilities and anxiety, finding the right middle school was…read moreone of the most important decisions our family made. Looking back on the past three years, I can honestly say that this school exceeded our expectations in every way. From day one, the teachers and staff created an environment where my child felt accepted, understood, and valued. Their patience, compassion, and willingness to meet students where they are made an incredible difference. Rather than focusing on challenges, they recognized my child's strengths and worked tirelessly to build confidence while providing the support needed to succeed. What stood out most was the school's commitment to inclusivity. My child never felt singled out for needing accommodations or extra support. The teachers fostered a culture of kindness, respect, and understanding that allowed all students to feel like they belonged. Whenever anxiety became overwhelming, there was always someone willing to listen, encourage, and help navigate difficult moments. The growth we witnessed over these three years has been remarkable. Academically, my child developed stronger skills, greater independence, and a genuine belief in their ability to succeed. Socially, they formed meaningful friendships and became much more comfortable participating in class and school activities. Emotionally, they gained resilience, self-confidence, and coping skills that will benefit them far beyond middle school. We are deeply grateful to the teachers, counselors, and staff who invested so much time, care, and dedication into helping our child thrive. Their support helped transform middle school from something we feared into an experience that prepared our child for the future. I cannot recommend this school highly enough to families seeking a nurturing, inclusive, and supportive environment for their children.

Our family has had our share of different schools and learning approaches over the years, including…read morepublic school, private school, and homeschooling. We know what a big difference the right environment makes. NLA is a fantastic place that manages to combine a lot of fun with good discipline--something that is usually hard to imagine for middle schoolers, but they do it perfectly.  The teaching team is incredibly dedicated, and the school is backed by an amazing principal, Ms. Cassie. She is full of energy and charm and is the school's true driving force. Ms. Cassie knows absolutely everything that is going on and keeps a close eye on every detail. She has a wonderful way with the kids, balancing a warm connection with being strict when she needs to be. Communication with parents is incredibly fast; whenever you reach out with a question, you hear back right away, which is something I have never experienced at any other school. We also love how flexible the school is in the best ways. If a student cannot attend in person because they don't feel well or need to travel, there is always an option to join the class online rather than missing it completely. This is incredibly helpful for families. Also, with math, they evaluate each student's level and will place kids in a higher class if they are ready for a bigger challenge, which is a big plus in my book. The students here are a truly great group of kids, and the school environment is very welcoming. One of the great things about the school is how all three grades hang out together. During breaks, school events, and field trips, the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders all mingle naturally. You see mixed groups of friends everywhere, which makes it much easier for kids to fit in and make friends quickly.  My child comes home from school happy and chatty - what more can I ask for? We love the community and structure of this school and highly recommend it to any family looking for a great middle school experience.

The school's location is perfect with downtown Walnut Creek right there. School parking is tight,…read morebut a back lot accessible via Whole Foods offers additional coveted spots. Las Lomas needs to be torn down and rebuilt as a 2 story school with a larger green space and a full size pool like Northgate. The old buildings are in disrepair with plexiglass replacement windows and underground pipes rerouted over the tops of buildings. The facilities have out lived any aesthetic charm they once had. Watched kids hide under the pull out steam grates to smoke pot. Told them to get out, but obviously it wasn't the first time they've done this given the amount of crap down there.

Very disappointing school from a parents aspect. So many unanswered emails to teachers last year…read moreand most have voicemails that are full. School is totally impacted and resources are scarce for communication. My son was told repeatedly he cant see his counselor as she has 600 students that take precedence over him. Nice. At this point I just want him to graduate and move on but very disappointing experience and poorly ran. Side note- not even relevant but when you walk into the admissions office I dont really think it is appropriate to see the WC police officer that resides there periodically with her feet up on the counter where I check in with someone. It just looks unprofessional even if there is not much for her to do, get your feet down!

My son goes there, and my other son went there. Great school for all types of kids (very smart,…read morestruggling, average, etc.) I feel teachers are attentive, but try to push kids to be independent. Maybe too independent. 6th grade staff strong. Principal seems active. New facilites are nice.

One star for selling me candy & soda - minus a star for making my teeth rot…read more One star for Mr. B & Mr. Powers (both no longer there *tear*), minus a star for the science teacher who said I wasn't smart enough for Advanced Biology in H.S. ( I was the top of my Adv. Bio. class, thankyouverymuch) One star for an awesome music teacher (Ms. Musiel - I love you!), minus a star for those hideous gym clothes and stinky locker rooms. One star for building that insanely huge (much needed) gym after I graduated, minus a star for covering up the area I used to hang out with my friends with said gym. One star for a neat little outdoor track to walk around, minus a star for lining us up by assigned number for gym class like some sort of pseudo-Nazi regime. One star for decent music at school dances, minus a star for the awkwardness that ensued. Stone Valley isn't a perfect school, but I do have a certain fondness for that painful time that is pubescence (terrible word, isn't it?) and an even greater fondness for the fact I will never have to live through it again.

The decision was made to send my son here because I had such fond memories. Other than the parking…read moreof course. The teachers were great and experiences priceless. The school has since degraded, which I suppose is to be expected with budgets, but the leadership team is very poor as well. Campopiano is juvenile and not equipped to be in a position of authority as his mentality is still very much a high schooler himself.

Wonderful school with teachers that care, students that listen, and a community that truly cares…read morefor one another.

We highly recommend Bentley Upper School. Our son just finished his senior year, and the growth…read morewe've seen in him is hard to overstate. A few things that stood out to us: - Teachers truly see their students. Not just academically, but as whole people. -Creativity and rigor live side by side. Kids are pushed and trusted at the same time. - The culture encourages kids to show up as themselves. Our son found his voice here. - He's felt held, seen, supported, challenged, and loved. He arrived still figuring out his relationship to learning. He's leaving curious, confident, proud of who he's become, and headed to Harvard in the fall. That outcome is a credit to the teachers and culture here, and to what this school does for kids when they're given the space to find themselves.

This review is based solely on the tennis courts…read more This is our 2nd tennis tournament at Bentley and I love the nice and clean lay out. It's conveniently located off the freeway and very easy to find. After all, it is only 3 exits away from our house. I love that there are lots of trees surrounding the area, with beautiful blossoms. Early morning air is nice and refreshing. Might even convince myself to come out and take a nice stroll someday, which I rarely do. So good luck to me on that thought... Parking lot can get a little crowded when there are a lot of parents here to watch their kids play, but there is also street parking available. The people in charge of the tennis tournaments are good and fair. Unfortunately, seating arrangements aren't as comfortable as one would like, but it's a kids' tournament...we're not expecting pro tennis treatment.