As a child in the 1990s, I attended this school from 1st grade to 5th grade. There were some ups…read moreand downs, but I mostly enjoyed my experience at Forest Hill Elementary School. That was until my fifth-grade year. In what was easily my worst academic year ever, my fellow schoolmates accosted and bullied me time and time again. The teachers knew it was happening but generally did nothing about it. I don't know if that was because they were unsure what to do or didn't care. When the end of fifth grade came, I was relieved to put that class behind me. Unfortunately, my troubling experience at that school left emotional scars on my character and self-esteem. Seeing how this was in another time, I can only hope that FHES is a much better place now. Many schools take stauncher action against bullying and are less tolerant of it than they were in the 90s. Because of my experience, I can't recommend this school no matter what others may say. If I had to go through my childhood all over again, I would have pushed harder and sooner to transfer schools before being emotionally marred.

Great school, wonderful staff, caring principal, fantastic teachers, and they have the best…read morebefore/after school program.

Maybe few years ago it was good but noticed how this school doesn't do much to involve children…read morewith anything First principle is lazy doesn't even acknowledge the help, teachers or anything doesn't add them to any events but of course her self No field trip shirts baker school has this principle is to cheap and field trips are horrible and they're very tacky barely any Not enough enrollment so they doing combo classes School district lets this school and Moreland do whatever they want Office staff Karla is wonderful Linda is rude lady who I don't get how she works there with children. They force you to stay with a teacher u don't want. (Nope if I'm not ok with it I'm changing it!!!!)

worst school for my kids, my son went to this school and im having problem that i can't drop my…read morekods at school because of i got surgery and no one was helping me instead they report me to the court. I hate this school so be aware parents and be careful they dont care about u they care about themselves and not ur kids not helping i wish i took some video by that time and show how they the school are bad.

On our initial tour of the preschool, I immediately felt the warmth of the community and their…read moregenuine interest in understanding what our family was looking for. Coming from another school, we knew which areas had felt lacking for our daughter. When we voiced those concerns, the preschool director was incredibly reassuring and made us feel that the school truly partners with families--meeting each child where they are rather than trying to fit every child into the same box. After two years in the preschool, we saw those words come to life. In every area--from academics to social-emotional growth, and in the thoughtful incorporation of Christian values that align with our home--we witnessed the school's commitment in action. This made the decision to continue into elementary an easy one for our family. The entire school community is warm, genuine, and deeply knowledgeable. We are so grateful to be part of a place where our children are both nurtured and challenged to grow.

In the midst of a public school system that seems bent on pushing parents out of the raising of…read moretheir own children, SJCS is all about partnering with parents. They're a Christian school for Christian families and that results in a great community where people hold similar values. They also have stellar academics; the bi-annual standardized testing they participate in shows that not only do they excel compared to the state average, but they exceed the average of private schools on all categories, in all grade levels! We have all 3 of our girls enrolled there (Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grade). Beyond the basics, they have got great art and music and drama and computers and maker classes that the kids all get to experience. When we took a family trip and were walking through the National Museum in London, the girls were excited to recognize a painting that they had been discussing in art class. They also do plays and musicals at all grade levels and Ms. Miller arranges entertaining, original works for them to do. I'm especially excited about the ways the school works public speaking into the curriculum. As early as 3rd grade students are giving short presentations before the class and one of the culminating moments of 8th grade is giving a 20 minute "Ted Talk" in the auditorium, in front of the whole middle school. Surely this is the cause of some nervousness in the students, but the value of developing these skills young is so immense! Next year, we're looking forward to the no-cut sports that start in 5th grade. Our daughter isn't a great athlete but I look forward to the lessons of hustle and teamwork. Other schools have sports programs but they are often only for the students with well developed skills rather than being open to all. Also, starting in 4th grade, they have over-night trips. Our oldest just got back from a 2-night "Gold Country" trip. Many schools have impressive class trips, but they are often a large additional expense. SJCS's trips are subsidized by the fund-raising efforts of the school and so the cost is kept minimal. Other schools may brag about their programs, but then you find out that there's a waiting list and a lot of additional cost for those programs. We haven't decided where we will send our kids for high school, but SJCS has guaranteed admission with both Kings Academy and Valley Christian. Personally, I like the idea of keeping them in the smaller middle school at SJCS where they have a chance to be a mentor to the younger kids via the Buddies Program rather than having them on a campus with high schoolers before they're at that point themselves.

Although we ultimately chose a different school for our child, I want to share how impressed I was…read morewith Hillbrook's admissions process. From start to finish, the experience stood out in all the best ways. During our initial visit, I noticed something remarkable--several students came up and hugged the admissions officer. It was clear that the kids not only felt comfortable but also genuinely connected to the adults on campus. That kind of warmth and trust speaks volumes about the school culture. Throughout the process, the staff had multiple thoughtful conversations with me and invited our son to visit the campus more than once. It wasn't just about evaluating our fit for them--it really felt like they wanted to ensure the school would be the right fit for our son too. Everyone we interacted with was incredibly kind, transparent, and generous with their time and insights. What really set Hillbrook apart was how open and communicative the administration was. In a time when many schools can feel closed off or overly cautious, Hillbrook was refreshingly honest and forthcoming. That kind of openness is rare and deeply appreciated. Even though we didn't enroll, I left the process with a very positive impression of the school and the people behind it.

The best school but it does cost a lot. Though if you do have the money it is…read morereally nice.

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

My wife and I found Canyon Heights Academy (CHA) more than 3 years ago when researching pre-schools…read morefor 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.

We came to St. Francis Cabrini after attending another diocesan school for the last four years, and…read morewe have truly been blown away by SFC - what a difference! From the moment we joined the community, we have felt incredibly grateful that we made the decision to make this our children's school. The teachers are absolutely incredible - seasoned, knowledgeable, kind, and, most importantly, they genuinely care about the children. You can feel how invested they are in their students, not just academically, but in helping them grow into confident, compassionate, and well-rounded people. The SFC community is really special. It is inclusive, supportive, kind, and caring, and people have been beyond welcoming this year given we are a new family. There is a true sense of community here, and it is clear that families, teachers, and staff all share a genuine commitment to the children and to one another. The kids are truly kind to each other - it shows that this community values kindness above anything else. It is not lost on our family how lucky we are to be part of the St. Francis Cabrini community. We feel incredibly fortunate to have found this school, and our only regret is that we didn't start our kids at SFC in TK! We couldn't be happier with our experience and would wholeheartedly recommend SFC to any family looking for a school where their children will be known, cared for, and loved!

Our son has been at Saint Frances Cabrini for four years, and we've loved it. The classes are small…read more(about 20 kids in each class with two classes per grade) so the teachers really get to know each student and give them the attention they need. The campus is gated and feels super safe, which is such a relief as a parent of an elementary school student. The teachers have all been wonderful, caring, patient, and really dedicated. Our son has grown so much here, both academically and socially, and he's made amazing friends. The parent community has really stepped up too! Everyone's so involved and supportive. The recent Cabrini Carnival was a huge success and such a fun event--it reminded us that this school isn't just great for the kids, but for the whole family. We feel lucky to be part of such a positive, close community.

My son recently graduated after attending Old Orchard from K-8th grade. He and his classmates…read morebenefitted from teachers who challenged them, a culture of excellence, and a diverse, tight-knit community where students felt comfortable bringing their whole self to school. Very different than what I remember from my large, public middle school experience! He and his classmates were all accepted to their top choice high schools with placement in honors and advanced classes, and I have no doubt that they're all very well prepared to succeed in high school and beyond. We loved everything about the Old Orchard experience from the school's seamless response to Covid, the inclusive sports program, investment in arts and language, and diligent preparation for high school admissions process.

My two daughters have attended OOS, and we love it! I want to say a big thanks to the…read moreadministration, they are just great! Any concerns or questions which we ever addressed to them were always resolved. No matter what question we had, we always saw friendly staff which is open, ready to help, and resolve any situation in the best way. Academics are great, which is big deal for us. After OOS, kids attend highly selective high schools, and doing great at rigorous classes; which is again a great compliment to OOS teachers for good preparation. OOS does a great job at helping their 8th grade students with the high school admission process. The school community is wonderful, great families, many of which became our close friends. The classes are small, allowing each student to grow. There are always lots of opportunities for parents to be actively involved in school life, but it is not mandatory if your busy life does not allow you to do it. Highly recommended this school!

I was scrolling through the yelp a couple of weeks ago and noticed very disturbing personal attack…read moreon a particular teacher in sjms. My child graduated from this school and I had personal interaction with Dr. Santha. From my personal experience, some of the very negative Yelp reviews don't seem to reflect the Dr. Santha I have known. She is kind, caring, and genuinely committed to doing things the right way. She can sometimes be demanding when it comes to the quality of work, accountability, and professional ethics, but I see that as a reflection of her high standards rather than a negative. I believe it's important to consider the broader picture and make your own judgment based on misunderstanding. Overall, I have found Dr. Santha to be a thoughtful, principled, and dedicated professional, and I'm grateful for my experience with her. But some parents are over involved and manipulative. Overall the campus life for my child was good.

This review is specifically about our experience with 5th grade at Stratford San Jose Middle School…read more(SJMS), which serves students from 5th through 8th grade. Unfortunately, the academic experience in Math and Science was extremely disappointing. The year got off to a difficult start when the original teacher was let go after about a month. A substitute then taught the class for another month, but the instruction was also not effective. Once a full-time teacher was in place, we still saw very little actual teaching of Math and Science concepts. As parents, we frequently had to teach these subjects at home to make up for what was not being covered adequately in the classroom. This is not what we expected from a school where we are paying for a quality education. We raised our concerns with the principal, but unfortunately, the situation did not improve in any meaningful way. We received assurances that changes were being made and that we would see improvements, but our experience did not reflect those promises. This review is only about our 5th-grade experience. Based on our experience, we were very disappointed with the quality and consistency of Math and Science instruction and would not recommend the 5th-grade program based on what we experienced.