If you are struggling to find a school that "gets" your neurodivergent child, look no further. We…read morewent from daily battles and school refusals to a son who now comes home beaming, sharing everything he's learned. The team here is incredible--think " true angels" and "big teddy bears" with expert teaching skills. They've replaced my son's frustration with pure confidence. Ms. Kathy in the elementary department is a true hero! We are forever grateful to Pine Hills for giving our son a place to finally belong and thrive. 5 stars isn't enough.

I'll admit, when our home school district first recommended placing my child at PHS, I was very…read morereluctant. I read some reviews online that were, frankly, horrifying. So with a lot of reservations and misgivings, I set up an appointment to tour the school and meet with staff. My initial, still somewhat skeptical reaction to the visit was that it "wasn't as bad as I expected." His shadowing days were rather mixed. The first day, a Wednesday, was "awful" according to him and he got in the car crying and refused to ever go back. But after a cooling off period, I got him to try again on Monday and he had a wonderful day and told me how much he loved it. That was six months ago (give or take) and my son has now been enrolled since the summer program in 2022. He is doing so well both academically but also in his behavior. I believe two things are the overwhelming contributors to this: 1) his class is quite small and he is finally getting the attention he craves (that has often prompted inappropriate attention-seeking behaviors in the past). 2) Negative behavior doesn't give him a free pass to go home for 2-3 days or a week (with a suspension). In addition to these, he is also rewarded, praised, and recognized (attention, attention, attention!) for good behavior. Importantly, he is gaining much-needed confidence and learning to ENJOY school. He also tells me that it is so nice to feel like his classmates "get" him. His teacher, Miss Kathy has done amazing work with him and is a great communicator with the parents as well. The other staff are wonderful as well. In particular, the Dean of Students, Mr. Wallace is deeply engaged and puts his whole heart into connecting with students and improving the school and its programs. I am so glad that I overcame my initial reservations (and my son's!) so that he's a chance to learn to be a better student and have a positive school experience.

Incredible humans work here. Such a diverse and caring, intelligent and compassionate group. We…read moreare incredibly fortunate to find Thriving Minds Learning Center for our kids. Thank you!!!

Love, love, love these ladies! My 11 yr old has severe Dyslexia and ADHD. Consequently, she…read morestruggles with Math and Reading Comprehension. Nique is her tutor and she is awesome! Great energy, warm and friendly and her tutoring is on point. Andie is great too!

Leigh was truly a game-changer for our IEP triennial meeting. It was the first IEP meeting that was…read morea collaborative effort, and didn't feel like we were on oppositional sides with the IEP team. She really set the tone from the beginning and signaled collaboration. She also held the team accountable to how they wrote IEP goals and made sure they truly supported our kiddo. For once, we finally got most of the supports our child needs, but it also felt effortless because Leigh is such an incredible IEP family coach and professional. A Million Stars, if I could give them. She made all the difference for our child.

Taylor is the best special education advocate l've ever worked with. She is kind, compassionate and…read morepatient. Not to mention so incredibly knowledgeable. She made it feel easy and doable to navigate the San Jose Ca school system for my son. She's the person you want on your side in IEP meetings . Thank you Taylor!

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 a student at Old Orchard from Kindergarten to 8th grade and I can confidently say it played a…read morehuge role in who I am today. The OOS community is incredibly warm and welcoming, and the teachers are dedicated to helping every student succeed. OOS deeply values students' social-emotional wellness and provides a space for students to explore their interests and grow beyond the classroom. Some of my best memories include working alongside classmates on community service projects and bonding through school trips ranging from historical museums in the Bay Area to hand-on archaeology in Colorado! I My experience here was truly unforgettable and I highly recommend Old Orchard School.

Kristen Petrick has been an amazing blessing to my son Christian. When Christian was diagnosed with…read moreautism I was a bit lost didn't know where to start and I'm so grateful for Kristen becuase she went above and beyond and built a strong bond with Christian. Thanks to her leadership and her passion and dedication Christian was able to work on his goals and he met them. From non verbal my son qualified for to be on mainstream and I don't know where Christian would be today if he wasn't for Kristen and her team. Thank you for your patience and your kindness. Highly recommend Kristen !

I am an OT from Germany working with Kristen for almost 2 years now and she is incredible in her…read morejob. She loves what she is doing and gives all her efforts to the kids. Together we taught a 6-year-old boy with Autism how to ride a bike and how to tie his shoes. He is also able to prepare his own little snacks and meals now, f.e. he can make his own PBJ Sandwich. He is able to write his name and all the letters of the alphabet, since Kristen worked with him on these tasks. I learned a lot from her as well. She showed me how to deal with the behaviors and tantrums and she showed me how easy it is to work and to teach new skills during the day. I love that she works on chores, dressing and all the things that make life for the kids easier and more independent. She is well organized and always thinks two steps ahead.

If you're looking for support for yourself, or your child with special needs, this is a place to…read morecome to and ask questions! Most of the staff here has a family member with a disability so they're able to understand the unique experiences that come from raising a child with a disability and connect with people with that perspective. There's no judgment here, just information, resources, empathy, and empowerment. - webinars, support groups, online learning - check out their website to see the list of things they can offer. Most services are free. They have a support staff that can provide information about community resources, working with the regional center, early start programs, educational systems, accommodations and modifications, individualized, education programs, and more. They keep your information confidential. Reach out to them if you have a child with a disability, and have questions!

I have special need thank you for creating BFF project where we can have a safe place to have fun…read moreand make you some good people

Our family has had such a wonderful experience at the Winchester campus. My daughter has been here…read morefor two years now from Pre‑K, Summer School, and TK, and the experience has been consistently positive every step of the way. It is a small school with a true family feel. Every teacher knows the students by name, and that sense of care is felt daily. The office staff is very responsive. Any time there has been a question or issue, we have always received a quick response and prompt action. The elective teachers deserve special recognition as well. Ms. Jeannie (Science), Ms. Edith (Spanish), and Ms. Zoe (Music) have all done an amazing job creating hands‑on, engaging lessons that truly keep the kids excited and involved. Most importantly, we cannot say enough wonderful things about my daughter's TK teacher, Ms. Weiss. My daughter absolutely loves her, and when I asked why, she said, "Because she listens to everything." That alone speaks volumes about the level of care, respect, and attention Ms. Weiss gives her students every single day. She is incredibly engaging, warm, and thoughtful, and she goes above and beyond to make learning fun by celebrating all kinds of occasions, decorating the classroom with her own amazing props and costumes for all the children, and going all out to make the school year special. Ms. Weiss is truly one of a kind. We have seen tremendous growth in our daughter under Ms. Weiss's guidance. Academically, she is excelling in reading and math, and her writing and reading skills have made huge strides. Even more meaningful is how genuinely interested she now is in reading and writing outside of the classroom. We have also seen amazing growth in her interpersonal skills such as confidently greeting others, engaging with new friends, and learning how to reason and communicate thoughtfully. All of this is thanks to Ms. Weiss and the strong foundation she has helped build during these critical early education years. We are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she has had on our daughter's growth. While we are so sad to be leaving Ms. Weiss's class soon, we know the lessons, confidence, and love of learning will stay with our daughter for life. I also want to give a special thank you to my daughter's Pre‑K teachers, Ms. Sonal and Ms. Gauri. They did an incredible job setting a strong foundation in phonics and helping her transition from daycare into a more structured school environment. The early support was crucial to her confidence and success at the school in the beginning, and we are so grateful for the role they played in shaping her learning journey. Lastly, we are also so grateful for the extended day teachers who have been such a big part of our daughter's experience. Ms. Holly during Summer School and Ms. Hibah during TK have been absolutely wonderful. They keep the extended day program fun and engaging with creative arts, activities, and fresh ideas, which makes it feel less like "extra hours" and more like an extension of the school day. As parents, it gives us so much comfort knowing our child is in caring, creative hands even after regular school hours.

Our daughter started TK at Stratford Winchester and, in Ms. Weiss' class, has had a great…read moreexperience so far and truly loves going to school. Ms. Weiss makes learning fun and engaging with weekly themes and celebrations (Mickey's birthday, Curious George, Harry Potter, Halloween etc.), plus impressive decorations and activities. You can tell she genuinely cares about every kid, and she makes it super parent-friendly too - she'll even provide costumes for events, and the birthday celebrations for each child feel really special. We've also seen a noticeable improvement in our daughter's early reading skills and art work. Extended care has also been a big plus. Ms. Hiba is hands-on, keeps the kids motivated, and uses little rewards (like stickers) that actually get them excited. The office staff is always friendly, and the leadership is very present. Ms. Swathi (Head of School) and Dipali (Assistant Director) greet families at the gate daily - sounds small, but it makes a huge difference and really shows how engaged they are. The school feels small, tight-knit, and perfect for young kids, and events like Winter Wonderland (Santa), the winter program, and Diwali are always well run. Overall, we're really happy and excited to have our daughter continue her learning journey at Stratford Winchester in the coming years.

Scott is a very positive person. From the initial consultation to the in-home visit, he was…read moreattentive, professional, a great listener and created a sense of trust right away. He took the time to understand our concerns as the school system can really be a lot stressful. He responds to emails quickly which makes the communication a lot easier and reassuring. We look forward to working with him through the IEP process. Highly recommended.

Navigating the school system can be intimidating, but Scott gave us our voice. He is professional,…read morecalm, and super responsive. He helped us secure a solid 504 plan as well as crucial Home Hospital instruction for our child that was so crucially needed during his recent post surgery recovery. If you need someone to fight for your child's education, he is the person to contact. We are so thankful to have met him!

Our son has been evaluated by DLS a few years ago for learning differences and ADHD and we have…read morebeen attending regular therapy sessions here ever since. John Fleming is the kind mastermind behind the center and its approach to helping children and parents alike. We call him a gem of a human, truly. His precise and detailed IEP has helped our school so much, is easy to follow and most importantly allows our son to thrive at school. We were blessed to be matched with our phenomenal therapist Anne-Laure Grigsby who we absolutely love and who became such an invaluable part of our family in regard to our son's educational journey. Anne-Laure is highly professional, knowledgeable and extremely supportive in every possible way, but more than that, she is very patient, kind, loving and intuitive in customizing his sessions to what is most needed at any given time. Anne-Laure has a gift of always putting our son in good spirits even though he suffers from depression while teaching him and helping him with challenging tasks. He has improved so much, gained confidence and genuinely enjoys his sessions on a weekly basis. We are so grateful to DLS for all the improvements and will continue with our sessions for as long as needed.

My son has been attending Ed Therapy for ADHD and learning differences for nearly 2 years. I cannot…read morestress how invaluable our twice weekly sessions are with Sujatha Srinivasan. John Flemming has reviewed school assessments for us and consulted on our IEP. I don't want to think how much more of a struggle this would be without them. Forever grateful for the work of this organization.