Fantastic school for faith, formation of the apostolic and intellectual child. Ages 18 months to 14 Grade 8.

My wife and I found Canyon Heights Academy (CHA) more than 3 years ago when researching pre-schools for our first child, and have been hooked ever since. We now have our boy in 1st grade and our girl just started in pre-k. There are many aspects that make this school the best Catholic school in the south bay by far, but the ones we value the most are: 1) Integral formation: many private schools focus on academics to the point the kids look overworked and bored... even though well achieved academically. At CHA, the integrated curricula go through all aspects of human formation: intellect and values, integrated in a seamless way. What's more important is that children at CHA develop a love for learning that goes beyond the classroom. The result? CHA children are not only well versed academically, they're forming their conscience and values that will make them successful -and happy- in life. 2) Community is the blood: school is an extension of your family, and at CHA, we feel at home. Other families are generous, participative, and loving. The principal (and his family), teachers and other staff members are dedicated, kind and readily available to discuss any issues or concerns you may have. Truly unheard of nowadays. 3) The pre-school Montessori program is amazing: children are curious and playful, and CHA encourages them to play and learn in their Montessori classrooms. All their teachers are trained in this methodology and do an fantastic job. 4) Faith is not only accepted, but expected: in other schools, we have sadly witnessed how faith is diminished to a "religion" subject on Fridays for 30 minutes, while principals ask you to attend mass as a "pre-requisite" to qualify for special rates. In public schools, we're at a point where faith is not only banned, but mocked, and our children are target of bullying because of their faith. At CHA, faith is part of our lives and strengthens the individual. Not an after thought! Overall, we are truly enjoying our time at CHA, and can't tell you how lucky we were to have had stumbled upon this school. We really hope that we may be able to continue to attend this school for years to come. read more

Canyon Heights Academy - Elementary Schools Near Me - Campbell, California

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An amazing community almost like a second home for children. My daughter started her at the age of 2 in Early Montessori and is now 5 and in Kindergarten and I have nothing but good things to say about the school. It's a community oriented school so if you have time, you can get involved as much as you like and there are lots of events for parents at the school. Parents are extremely helpful and a very welcoming community. Virtues are given a lot of importance in the development of children and they learn what's right and wrong very early on. Children are children, however any bad behavior is addressed right away. Academics are par excellence without adding too much pressure on kids and the right amount of homework. Lastly, there's so many activities at school and performances children participate in that they lose stage fear very early on. read more

Canyon Heights Academy - Elementary Schools Near Me - Campbell, California

Four children in attendance and CHA is our second home, an extended family...wouldn't want my kids going anywhere else because no other school environment beats where truly amazing Catholic culture meets happy people who love learning. read more

So this review is coming from a past student that has attended this school. This is not my real name as I want to keep it private. I graduated from this school and I just wanted to get out as soon as possible. There were A LOT of things that were wrong with this school. When you get to middle school there are these things called "lunch studies" which means that if you didn't do your homework for a class you would be forced to stay inside a classroom and complete it during recess. You are forced to spend your only 30 minute break in an 8 hour day inside a classroom doing more work. Not only did this exhaust many many of the students and made them not put attention during classes, but it encouraged unnecessary stress along me and many other of my friends. Then there's the teachers. There are a wonderful selection of teachers in cha, but most of them are gonna be your kids' worst nightmare. The P.E teacher (Mr. V who is still hired somehow) has been known to be harsh on his students, as he has favorites, treats the ones who aren't like trash, he once called one of my friends a curse word and then denied it, and during his classes he would allegedly inappropriately look at the girls. Then there was my theology teacher (who no longer goes to the school) who once told one of my friends "you're going to hell" over one of her personal beliefs. Then there was Carla Yanez, she also doesn't work at the school as Covid hit but she was every students headache. She was rude, always made students feel bad about themselves, treated many students harsh when they had a personal problem. Then there's Mr. Pham (who still goes there), I remember him yelling at one of my classmates, he would humiliate him, yell at him, make him feel uncomfortable. This happened in every class. He was fired but later re-hired because there were not any available replacements for middle school math. Then there's the new principal, according to my friends she is your typical rude and mean principal. She measures girl's skirt lengths, once got a student expelled because he kept breaking a rule (that didn't deserve to be as bad as an expulsion at all) and that caused people to protest that she'd be fired. She will have no respect for your kids and will only treat them as pets. If your child ever has any mental health problems they will not help. I can promise you they will not care at all and will not give you any type of help. Moving on to high school preparation. This school will help you apply to the private Catholic high schools in the area. And that's it. This school will not prepare you for the stress and anxiety you can phase. I was not prepared for high school at all, as cha sticked to a specific system. When I entered high school it was hard on me to adapt to the new systems and the new mental health challenges and more work I had to get used. ALSO if your child is going to a public high school moving forwards. THEY WILL NOT HELP YOU. This is only 1/4 of the things that I (and many other students who are still attending the school) have gone through. The only positive outlook I have is the friends that I made and a handful of teachers. Coming from a students' perspective, you do not want to send your child here. read more

I was going to bring my child to this school. They did an assessment on him for 30 minutes and claimed that they did a thorough assessment. Most children would have anxiety when they first go to a new school, let alone being tested by a stranger. After a week, I received a letter at home stating that school cannot accept my child because he will not be successful at this school. One, this is not a public school; we are paying you to teach my child. Two, how can it be a thorough assessment when you assess my child for 30 minutes only? Three, by rejecting to admit my child to this school because of HIS best interesting is bulls***. He does not even know whether he likes the school yet. Click on this link through greatschools.org and you can see 92% of the students are Caucasians. Is it a coincidence that my Asian child is rejected? Think not. https://www.greatschools.org/california/campbell/15165-Canyon-Heights-Academy/ read more

Our family joined the CHA family for the 2015-2016 school year. We had realized her previous school was no longer fitting our needs and we were delighted to find such academic excellence at this Catholic school. Our daughter has flourished in this supportive environment. She has regained her enthusiasm for learning and her academics have improved considerably. The school offers lots of different extra-curricular activities and sports, as well as many wonderful activities throughout the year. Parents are also actively involved with many aspects of the school and it really does feel like a close family. Our experience after one full year at CHA has been wonderful. The educators and staff are warm and genuine, and we have had nothing but positive interactions. This is also the first school where I am seriously considering putting the bumper sticker on my car, now that's commitment ;) read more

Our family searched for a school where our children could attend all the way through middle school. Our oldest child has attended CHA for almost 6 years, starting in the pre-school at 3 years old and our youngest started at 18 months old with the newly formed Mommy and Me program a couple of years ago. We found Canyon Heights Academy (CHA) after searching through several other Catholic and private schools in the area and we felt that CHA was a great fit for our family for many reasons. First, the Mommy and Me program is a great way for younger children to be exposed to the Montessori focus of the pre-school. It was a great transition for my son to go from that program right into the pre-school without any concerns. His transition was very smooth and the faculty do such a wonderful job of keeping certain consistencies from one year to the next, so the transitions from Mommy and Me to Pre-school to Kinder and beyond become very easy for the students to handle. Second, we have been so pleased with the school's Integral Formation which focuses on the students' overall development, not strictly on academics as too many other private schools do. Academics is important at CHA and their test scores and the fact that the 8th grade graduates are accepted in their choice for high schools are evidence of that, but academics is not the sole focus of Integral Formation. It's the total human formation, including intellect and values, that helps students in life, going beyond high school and college, to make the right decisions throughout their teenage and adult lives. Third, the community at CHA allows families to be a part of the school in a way that many other schools do not allow. In other words, many other schools may have requirements for family/parent participation or volunteer hours. All of the voluntary efforts at CHA are truly voluntary and not a requirement by the school to fulfill some mandatory hours. Parents who volunteer truly enjoy their efforts and it shows. Finally, the curriculum is developed by the school and not by the state as is the case for all public schools and most, if not all, of the other Catholic schools in the area. We have really enjoyed seeing how all of these things have had such a positive experience for our children and we have been so fortunate and blessed to have such a great school for our children to attend! read more

Updated my review so I could add it to the list of San Francisco Bay Area All Boys and All Girls schools with the caveat that the school is co-ed, but the classes your son or daughter are in are same gender and tailored to the way boys and girls learn differently. Canyon Heights, SF's Stuart Hall for Boys and SF's Convent of the Sacred Heart Elementary School for Girls are the only elementary schools in the San Francisco Bay area that offer same gender education. If you need more insights on how gender affects the way the brain learns check out Dr Brizendine's book, the Female Brain (and yes it is written by a very educated female scientist). read more

We're a family that moved 3 kids to Canyon Heights Academy from our local public school, at the beginning of the 2010 - 2011 school year. This was a difficult decision given that the kids were very happy at their former school. And who's looking for opportunities to add expense and a commute into their complicated lives? But my wife and I wanted more than the local schools could deliver. We wanted more intellectual development - not just memorizing facts for standardized tests - but learning to think critically about issues and problems, and then being able to effectively articulate their views. We wanted a school where kids were more actively involved in service activities - to their family, their community, and to God. We wanted a place where kids learned how to be good citizens, to take responsibility for themselves, and where they would recognize right and wrong and be challenged to take the (often) tougher path. And, of course, we wanted a school where spiritual growth was a sincere priority that received daily attention. This is the basis of the Integral Formation model that Canyon Heights Academy employs. It's NOT just a place to send your children to get into that prestigious high school, but rather a place committed to forming good, well-rounded, and happy kids. No place is perfect, and Canyon Heights Academy lacks some of the bricks and mortar charm of other private schools. They don't have vast computer labs, there are no ivy covered buildings, and no gymnasium. But what they lack in these areas, they more than make up for with dedicated and talented faculty, staff, priests, and a community of families that is very inclusive and immediately welcoming. Bottom line: our kids are very happy, thriving, and developing in ways that would simply not have been possible had we not made this move. We feel truly blessed to be part of this wonderful community! read more

There are so many things that have made CHA a great school for our son. He went from having 36 in his class to 16 when we transferred him to CHA a few years ago. Although he didn't want to move, we saw that CHA could offer him much more to reach his potential. When his older brother at Bellarmine High School saw the work he was doing and heard him talk about the classroom conversations, his friends, and teachers he said he sincerely wished he'd been able to go to CHA. If we'd known about it, he would have! The teachers are passionate, the sports programs are passionate, the opportunities for public speaking and faith formation are wonderful too. read more

CHA has a wonderful and diverse community and the smaller class sizes and focus on integral formation help the school stand out from the rest. 2 of our children have graduated from CHA and one child is currently enrolled. Both of our graduates have excelled in high school and college thanks to CHA. read more

I have toured a lot of Toddler Care programs in the south bay area looking to find the proper care for my 18-month-old daughter and Canyon Heights Early Montessori Program truly stood out from the rest: Above all else, I've found them to be truly committed to the real Montessori approach (and not simply toss in the name Montessori for the sake of advertisement or use it as a coverup for unreasonable discipline or bad management): They are NOT strict, harsh, etc. They are kind, caring, and very nurturing and truly focus on what toddlers do need which is kind but clear leadership. The teachers are highly skilled and focus on developing an entire child (a person with healthy Emotional, Mental, and Physical Development). If you want a purely academic-based environment that disciplines your child to count backward from 100 to 1 in five different languages, this is not a place for you. If you are looking for a place that allows children to walk around like little tyrants while the teachers have their heads in their phones (and cover this up by misusing the term "play-based" approach), this is not a place for you. I was worried about their methodology and approach on religion, as our family tend to view religion as a highly personal matter. I found that they focus on fundamentals of being a human (Having Compassion and understanding, Showing kindness, Acknowledging a good in every moment, Having inner peace, Connectedness with nature, etc) than trying to fill up a child's head with dogma ( e.g. We are good, everybody else is bad, or not as good as us, etc) Yes, they did have an assessment, which the teachers essentially observe and interact with the child while the child plays with her/his peers at the playground, etc. What fascinated me was the teachers' assessment of my daughter (her strengths, her weaknesses, etc) were right on point!!! It was as if someone has asked me to tell them about my daughter. I seriously found it fascinating that they have been able to discover this much about my daughter during such a short period of time!!! This put me at ease that they know and care about what they are doing. I also LOVED the diversity of children in their Early Montessori Program. (Oversaturation of any particular culture or ethnicity is not a favorable factor to me). Moreover, through a colleague at work, I did reach out to some of the parents whom their children had previously attended the Early Montessori program at Canyon Heights and was amazed to hear their children literally called it "the best place on earth". Usually, children aren't as keen about attending any kind of "school". Last but not least, I found all the staff and management to be genuinely kindhearted ( a very rare quality). They don't just act nice for the sake of being the face of the program. They truly are understanding and compassionate people who actually care about children and their families and put their heart and soul into the program. The areas of improvement for the program would be an update to their facility. For example, it would be nice to have a window where parents can observe the child from the outside, without children seeing them from the inside, or a UPF covered outdoor play area to protect the children from harmful rays while they play outside (they do apply sunblock for them though upon request), etc. A lot of places that have these privileges and use them as their selling point fell short on executing their adopted child development approach properly (A facility might look modern and excellent on the paper, but their teachers and staff don't do their part to utilize them properly). Canyon Heights is the opposite. It does an excellent job on the execution part but can really use an update in making their facility a bit more modern and up to date. read more

We immediately fell in love with CHA's preschool a few years ago for our 2nd son. The graphical teaching enabled his ability to relate things beyond his age. He also showed much stronger organization skills than our 1st son who didn't attend this preschool. Our 1st son has always been considered as high potential but would not deliver consistently. His wakening started at CHA after being transferred from another bigger, private middle school. At CHA, the life had been difficult but transformational for him and his parents. In the end, he made all his grades on his own. Now he is at a very competitive high school. CHA's "integral formation" teaching has tremendously benefited not only children but also parents. It has made us to reflect and realize that our children's trouble often comes from parents' own ignorance no matter how accomplished we are at our profession. The teachers are highly qualified in their subject fields as well as being role models for our children. The courses can be tough but set right foundation. Some kids may need extra help to serve a specific purpose. I know some extraordinary students have had tutors since very young age in order to achieve extraordinary results for future. The parent community is extremely supportive. We learned, no matter how good a school is, the parents who know specific needs of their children should never outsource education completely to the school. read more

My husband and I LOVE Canyon Heights Academy!!! I see that a lot of parents have already said how wonderful the school is, so maybe it would be best if I share just a few examples of how they have proven to me that they truly are as good as it gets :-). - Posted by a mom of a 4 year old preschooler at CHA - -First and foremost, the content that the students learn is amazing! It is really exciting to have your 4 year old talk about visiting St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It is also remarkable to see that a preschooler can actually comprehend place value. This was evident when out daughter told everyone at her grandma's birthday party that her Grammy was 6 ten batches and 3 units (63). (If you go on a tour of the pre-school, you will see this amazing introduction to number sense first hand.) -We also receive a weekly newsletter that tells us what is being discussed in class, and what questions to ask to initiate conversations about the content they are learning. The newsletter also contains information about the virtue of the month and examples of how we, as the parent, can help the child to be virtuous at home. -The teachers always go above and beyond. My daughter's teacher has gone the extra mile many, many times....she has e-mailed my husband and I priceless stories about the way that she shares her knowledge in class (things we wouldn't know about otherwise), she has shared pictures that she has taken in the classroom, and when my daughter was out sick for a week, she e-mailed to see how she was doing. The parent-teacher conference we just had with her was incredible as well. She shared so much about how our daughter learns and understands things, and gave us insight on how to work with her at home. -One of my very favorite things about the school is the monthly talks that the principal gives. It is called Spiritual Perspectives on Parenting. To put it simply...this talk helps the parents to understand why the school does what it does and why they seek to form the whole child: academic, spiritual, apostolic, and human. These talks help to educate and form the parents in these areas as well, so that we can support one another. These are just a few highlights :-). Words alone can not express how unique and amazing the community is at CHA. I have met some great families here. My husband and I have made friends that I am sure we will have forever. I hope this helps all of you in your decision making process. read more

This is a Leadership school. The curriculum is from National Education Consultants so it is different from the routine California State Standards. If you are trying to compare Canyon Heights Academy to almost any other school it will be an "apples to oranges" comparison. The academics are accelerated at Canyon Heights and the students do more than just "learn", they are actually taught how to think, both critically and abstractly. Philosophy will be added to many of the grades this year. The students also work on writing and reciting oral presentations 5-6 times a year. In the middle and upper school they produce film documentaries. Character formation, Catholic formation and community service are emphasized as well. This will be our 8th year at the school and we have all of our 3 children enrolled. Our children look forward to going to school each day. read more

POST HERE BECAUSE THE OTHER SITE FILTERS YOUR REVIEWS! Love this school! The only missing piece is the gym, but in a K-8 setting, I'll take the small class sizes (typically around 15 kids per class) in exchange! Lots of individualized attention, lots of excellent teaching. I-Pad program is a huge success. Middle schoolers make film documentaries on their Mac's and learn all kinds of things from teamwork, directing, cinematrography, editing, writing....Teachers and all staff are great role models. This school works on the individual. Walk on campus and you will see the definition of JOY on these kids faces. Truly remarkable. read more

I am very happy to have my kid at CHA, attending PK. I feel that my kid is in a safe, good, inspiring, properly educational and nurturing environment. I think I had visited about 10 PK Montessori programs and I believe this is the best. I highly recomend read more

Love Love Love my school - been here for 7 years - transferred my son from another catholic school with 30+ kids in the class in first grade - he is now graduating this year and after shadowing in the freshman classes this year feel he is totally prepared for entry and said he thought all the freshmen classes looked easy compared to what he was doing. Daughter is in 5th grade and has been there since pre-school. Love the small classroom sizes, the traditional curriculum, the great community of parents, how the teachers are willing to work with and your child to set them up for success. As a school there have been some hiccups in growing pains but they have all been weathered well. Love that the Junior High is going to Ipads exclusively for homework, projects. read more

Are you desparately looking for a good school? I have found a great school! Canyon Heights Acadmey is the school for your child if you want him or her to go out into the world and do great things! I have looked at many, many schools and none compare to Canyon Heights Academy. The foundation they will receive will impress you daily! Their academics cannot compare to any other school. Their mathematics include Singapore math which really is the way to teach children mathematics. Their writing includes "Excellence in Writing" which makes them incredible writers. Their small class sizes and strong teachers really make the difference. Although the academics have exceeded my expectations, Canyon Heights Academy has more than academics to offer my children. They are preparing them to do great things in the real world and to be able to have an intelligent conversation with a colleague when they are grown. I feel blessed to have my children attend this school and I am a teacher who is not easily impressed! read more

Canyon Heights Academy is an environment where children flourish in all aspects of school and life. Our child entered CHA in Middle School and has benefited tremendously from the emphasis on developing analytical, abstract, and critical thinking skills and on the ability to transmit those thoughts and ideas through extensive written work, verbal presentations and speeches, and multimedia presentations such as student produced Saint videos and an annual student film festival. We recommend the school highly. Our child has excelled academically and has been accepted into the John Hopkins University's Center for Talent Youth program. The Theology and Catholic Formation curriculum is exceptional in its richness and depth. While we are grateful for the academics, there are additional aspects of the CHA education that are equally or more important. Daily, we see how the Integral Formation approach produces leadership qualities and develops the children intellectually, morally, spiritually, and apostolically. This is especially evident through the Middle School Service Program, which though mentored, is led and run by the students. Through their own initiative they have been performing great apostolic works which far exceed imposed service "requirements" of other middle and high schools. This program is one example of forming young leaders with a strong sense of charity who look beyond themselves and to those in need in the local community. read more

My daughter has attended Canyon Heights Academy (CHA) for the past 6 years. We visited many schools in the Bay Area before attending CHA, and it only took one visit to see what a special school it is! Canyon Heights Academy has excellent academics, great individual attention and small class sizes. The teachers are amazing!!, and we are very grateful for all they do!!. The School Principal will go out of his way to meet each family, and he always makes sure that he is in contact with all of us. We are VERY grateful to our School Principal! Thanks to him and his great staff, the school has grown so much in the past years! We are very lucky to be in a school that teaches our kids great academics, apostolic life, values etc. After being at the school for 6 years, I could not even imagine my daughter attending another school. CHA has been chosen to be the Best School in the area because it is!!!. Founding CHA was a blessing for our family, and I am sure every parent at our school feels the way we do! read more