When my son was 4 I started looking into local public and private schools to find a place that would support his beautiful spirit, embrace his inquisitive nature and be patient with his tendency to wiggle. In two weeks I toured 7 public and private schools. Courtyard was the last school on my list and I almost cancelled because I was a little burnt out and honestly hadn't seen anything major differentiating any of the other schools from one another. But I mustered up the energy to attend the informational interview and I left in love with this school. I went to meet with the principal armed with my arsenal of academic achievement questions and ready to grill him on how he was going to prepare my four year old for college. The principal immediately stopped me and told me first he wanted to tell me about how Courtyard supports social and emotional growth of the children, then we will discuss academics. My jaw hit the floor. A school that fosters social growth and focuses on nurturing its student's emotional well-being? What is this utopia?? I got out my checkbook and left with having secured a spot in TK with the fabulous Ms. Mattson. My son spent a magical year in TK and we thought for kinder we'd try our local school for financial purposes. We made it 8 days into the school year before realizing the mistake we'd made and quickly transferred back. The atmosphere at Courtyard is like walking into a warm hug. The new principal, Principal Krause, is thoughtful, considerate and is the most dedicated principal I've ever seen. I know every day when I drop my son off that he is going to be loved, academically challenged and fed nutritional food (did I mention they have a profession chef who makes lunches EVERY DAY???) I am so thankful every single day that I want to that Courtyard meeting. It is truly such a blessing to my family to have my kids attend this incredible school. read more

Extremely disappointing experience. We registered and paid for our son a week before camp. At no point during registration did anyone notice that he supposedly did not meet the age requirement. We dropped him off on the first day, left the campus, and then received a call telling us we needed to come back immediately to pick him up because he wasn't old enough. If a child is ineligible, the registration should be rejected immediately--not after payment has been accepted, parents have arranged their schedules, and the child has already been dropped off. Having to return and remove your child from camp after they've already started the day is completely avoidable and reflects a very disorganized enrollment process. The age requirement is technically listed on the website, but it's buried in a bullet point and is easy to overlook. More importantly, the registration system should verify a child's age before accepting enrollment and payment. We were left scrambling to find last-minute childcare, and our son was understandably confused and upset after being turned away. Thankfully, another camp was able to enroll him on short notice. This experience left us with the impression that Courtyard School's administrative processes are poorly managed. I hope they improve their registration and enrollment procedures so that no other family has to go through the same experience. read more

We are a Chinese family, and Mandarin is primarily spoken at home. Consequently, my son is bilingual in both Chinese and English. He's currently completed one year in a Kindergarten class at an elementary school, which operates in a 100% English-speaking environment, and he's thriving. My wife recently moved to Sacramento from the Bay Area for her job, so we're now looking for a new private school for our son. The Courtyard School is one of the options we're considering. When I initially called the school, a very kind and helpful 7th or 8th-grade teacher (whose name I can't recall) answered my questions. Ms. Fatima Lewis was equally gracious in our subsequent email exchanges. We were upfront in our communication, stating in an email that 'English is not his strongest area yet.' However, we then received a rather abrupt final notice from the school's principal, the esteemed Ms. Melissa Krause. The entire reply read: "Hello, I hope you are well. Thank you for your interest in Courtyard School. We do not have an ESL program so I don't think we would be the best fit for your daughter if she does not have a foundation in English. Thanks" I was quite frankly furious after reading this email, for two main reasons. Firstly, she naively assumed my son's English proficiency was poor. Secondly, throughout our entire email correspondence, we consistently referred to our 'son,' yet she inexplicably mentioned 'your daughter.' My wife, possessing a much calmer temperament than I, still managed to respond politely, even attaching the recent English assessment results from our son's current elementary school. Despite this, we received no further reply. Given these interactions, I am compelled to question the qualifications of the school principal, particularly regarding her reasoning and evident lack of attention to detail. Fortunately, this was the only school we contacted that didn't invite us for an on-site visit. read more

Courtyard has been wonderful for our kiddo in kindergarten this year. It's very socially supportive and fosters a love of learning, so much that our kinder kid came home and wanted to work on his reading skills. It's a special place. read more

I'm the parent of a kindergartener and a 3rd grader who have been at courtyard for the last year (since beginning of TK and grade 2). Moving our kids to Courtyard was the best decision we have made for our family. My kids are seen and respected for who they are, and I have watched them both blossom into creative and curious little people. D&D club, ASL club, Spanish, art, performance opportunities, field trips, after school care, on site after school music lessons, no take-home homework (all done in after school study hall)...I could go on and on. Teachers and principal have addressed any challenges that come up with care and compassion. I love this school, and my kids do too. read more

"Mom, I understand it now... I can see that Courtyard is not just my school... it's like my second home. My family is there. When can I have my family and life back?" It's way past 10 p.m., week 6 into the quarantine. My 8 year old can't sleep - can any of us? All she wants in this life is to go back to school. To the place she calls her second home. We've been going to Courtyard since 2016, when my daughter started in TK. I say "we" because it's not just an 8 year old kid attending school... it's the entire family being a part of a community. As I like to say, and at the time of penning this review: 727 days of school and not one of them started with "I don't wanna go". How many parents can say that? As soon as I walked into Courtyard for my original tour I could feel the energy and environment of caring all around. The kids (pre-COVID) would get hugs and requests for updates on their loved ones: "How's your dad's arm healing?" "Do you wanna run your lines for the play?" Having been raised in South America, and used to a lot of connection and community, this place felt like home. And it has been for the last 4 years. Granted, this is all different due to the pandemic, but Courtyard is doing an amazing job with online learning and engagement; they even offered 8 weeks of summer camp with all CDC guidelines in place - it was a huge success and you could tell kids were thrilled to be back. Have I mentioned the exceptional principal, teachers that know kids and education, amazing staff, multiage classrooms, enrichment classes & before/after care and breaks that are included in the tuition, a renowned chef prepping scrumptious lunches? Yes... it's all that and more. If all goes according to plan, with a small student body and cohorts we will be able to be back on campus soon. I would say I can't wait... but it's my 8 year old that has her backpack at the ready, by the door. read more

Courtyard Private School - End of year postcard for friends and family. 727 days at the time of this review... and counting... - Elementary Schools Near Me - Sacramento, California

Courtyard is a school that really seems built with the working parent in mind. Before school daycare, after school daycare, breakfast, lunch, and winter and spring camps are all included in the cost of tuition. As a family with two working parents, I can't even tell you how awesome it is to pick my kid up after 5 pm and have him complain that I'm picking him up too early because he wants to stay longer. Super convenient location for people who work downtown too.... easy to drop off your kid on the way into work. The teachers and the administration are very responsive and seem to really care about building a community. Class sizes are small and it feels like everyone who works at the school knows who your kid is. If you, or someone you know, is looking for a place in Sacramento to send their TK-8th grade student, I highly recommend checking out Courtyard. read more

We absolutely love Courtyard! We have 2 kids at the school and have been a Courtyard family for 6 years. I can't say enough good things about the school. My children continue to thrive there, not only academically, but also with regard to their social/emotional skills. The Principal, teachers, and staff are wonderful and nurturing. It's truly a community. The hands on learning approach, that includes lots of field trips, really promotes and encourages my kid's continued love for learning. The tuition includes breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, before and after school care, as well as winter and spring camps, for those days that regular schools would ordinarily be closed. It's absolutely perfect for working parents! If you're on the search for a good school for your kids, I highly recommend contacting them for a tour. read more

My daughter has attended this school longer than any student in its history. We have been at Courtyard for 11 years (2 years of transitional kinder through 8th). In prior times, we were very happy with the Courtyard experience and any problems that arose were quickly and effectively remedied. Which is why it makes me so sad to see the school in the state it is in. The current administrator, who took over this year, refuses to meet with parents to discuss anything. I and numerous other parents have made repeated requests to meet with the "CEO" (he changed his title from principal) to discuss the middle school curriculum. The middle school is new and understandably needs some fine tuning, but the "CEO" adamantly refuses to even listen to parent experiences or work to make the middle school adequate to prepare our children from high school. He offers lip service, and pretends to care. But when you ask for actual action or discussion as a prelude to action, there is nothing there. Many students in my daughters class pay for private tutors because they are not being effectively taught in class. A year or two ago the school lost a large percentage of its students due to administrative turn over and drama. Now, many more parents are talking about pulling their children from Courtyard. Sutter, a public school, is far superior. I've spoken to more than one family who left Courtyard for Sutter, and their kids are doing better all around. Better socially, better academically. Do not waste your money sending your children here. If the school doesn't fail in a matter of years (worst case scenario), your best case scenario is to be paying private school tuition for a sub-par education and administration that is unresponsive. read more

Just a quick update - my son just completed his kindergarten year there and we are still SO happy with the school. Courtyard is such a nurturing school that focuses on the whole child. My son's growth emotionally and socially over the past two years has been so amazing to watch. Not only is the education customized to his skill level, the entire administration from the janitor, to the chef, to the principal all know my child by name and support his needs however that may look. So excited to continue our journey into the first grade! read more

In its 40th year of operation, Courtyard"s learning environment is designed to nurture social and emotional development as well as individualized academic achievement. The children also benefit from before and after school activities, extracurricular opportunities, chef prepared on-site meals and a safe closed campus. Working parents benefit from available extended day care hours and camps offered for times school is not in session. School staff and teachers try to make it a point to know student and family members by name. We have two grandchildren now attending Courtyard and both seem to love it, as do their parents. read more

I'm a nanny for 2 kids that go here and what I can say is that the campus is small, but nice. There are nice employees that work here. They also do camp in the summer where it's just like an after school program which is an all day thing. Even all the way to 6 pm. From what the parents tell me they really like this private school. And the kids love it as well. read more

Our son has been attending Courtyard School for five months and we are happy we have chosen this school! We started with TK last school years and our son is now in Kindergarten. This school is very different from many other schools in this area. This year, they have introduced a new multiage class concept which is amazing! As we just started at school, we heard about the recent changes in administration. Some families and teachers left the school in the past year. But we are sure that for our family and first of all for our child this is the right place to be. Despite the fact that our son has started school at the end of the past school year, we have observed a huge development in his personality. He has learned a lot and it makes him fun! Children in this school are handled as children, they are not forced to achieve educational goals, they are not trained to pass the test. Learning appears here as a natural process and a result of curiosity and play. They spend a lot of time playing outside and interacting with each other. Our son has so many new friends and he can't wait until the weekend is over to see them again. Everyone in this school knows my son by name, he can go with his questions to any teacher, EDC stuff and even to principal and vice principal. As parents, we always can meet the principal or vice principal to discuss our issues. This school also offers before and after school care as well as summer camp. Aftercare program offers a lot of different activities for kids, it can't be better. Our son loves his school and is always sad when it's time to go home. And this is the most important thing for us! We can highly recommend this school! When we drop off our child in the morning we know, he is safe at this place and he will have fun. Amazing teachers, amazing principal (Mr. Piazza), amazing staff! read more

My child has being going to Courtyard for the last two years. Academically she is performing really well. But just as important, she loves her school. It's common for her not to want to leave when it's time to go home. read more

Our experience with this school both in normal times and during covid has been top notch. The teachers take the time to really get to know each student and cater the curriculum with L+1 learning groups to ensure the learning is at the right level to engage them. I also love the on-site food as my daughter tried so many foods with Chef Matt that she doesn't at home. The clubs (spanish, art, music) are so engaging my kid never wants to leave even when I pick her up after 5! With covid the online learning has been surprisingly engaging and my daughter looks forward to it daily! read more

Both of our children (10 and 8) have attended CY since kindergarten and we love it! For our working family, where my wife is on call regularly and I travel for business, the convenience of having a school with early morning hours to 6pm, meals included, and extra-curricular activities on-site is huge for us. With the all-inclusive cost we know we don't nickel-and-dimed so we like that too! We also love the small classroom sizes, great teachers and staff and always-positive atmosphere. Our kids thrive here, period. read more

Courtyard school is a wonderful, small K-8 school. The school is very convenient for working parents, offering high-quality pre and after-school care. They even offer gourmet meals to take home! Courtyard is strong on academics, and helps children to develop great social skills to navigate all of life's social challenges. The staff and teachers know each student and are very communicative with parents. I never have to worry that my child is thriving. I am confident that my child's years at Courtyard will prepare her well for high school and college... and more importantly will show her how to be a kind, compassionate person with the social skills she needs to succeed. read more

I love this school! It's a sweet little private school, that has already impressed me with their curriculum. My son just started in Transitional Kindergarten, and I've noticed that the kids get a lot of attention, and the parents' questions are addressed quickly. It's small, one class per grade, so the adults know all the kids' names, and the kids are really monitored in class and during recess, lunch, etc. And importantly, my son loves going to school! read more

We are so happy to be a part of the Courtyard Family. We have two kids enrolled (1st and 4th grade) and we have been so impressed by the teachers and staff. They consistently create a caring, warm and welcoming environment and my boys are thriving! We are so grateful! read more

Our kid has been attending Courtyard for 3 years now. We are so happy with the decision we made. Courtyard is a beautiful community where everyone knows everyone by name. Parents come together to help in anyway possible and students are happy and excited to go to school. I love that they are teaching kids how to adore going to school and with that method kids "scores" are above and beyond the mark in our city. Our kid loves to learn and go to school. The communication between teachers and parents is always an email away. I love that they are engage with your kid even after school is over and it is a team/ community building strong leaders for the future. The school's tuition includes breakfast, Lunch, snack, field trips, winter camp and spring camp. Summer camp is additional but is by far one of the best prices in town and the activities and themes they offer has the kids interested and wanting to be at school all summer long. We can't wait for our almost 4 year old to start school in September with our other kid. read more

My son loves his school and his teachers. He has especially grown close with his homeroom teacher, Ms. Mattson, and his P.E. and afterschool activities teacher, Ms. Jesse, even recently referring to each as his friend. I am very happy with my experience with Courtyard. I was looking for an enriching and loving environment to support my son as he transitioned from preschool. I could tell Courtyard had a special vibe when a student ran up and hugged Principal Krause during my school tour. I have watched my son progress from not wanting to hold a pencil to becoming a prolific artist. One of his favorite activities is writing small picture books that he then "reads" back to me. He has also become eager to volunteer for activities in class. Ms. Mattson provides an engaging curriculum. My son especially enjoyed the "world tour" where each month they learn about a new country including the USA, Australia, Italy, India, Japan, Brazil and Egypt. She had interwoven learning about the countries with language arts, math, science and art. I feel I have learned a lot as my son has come home with stories of his worldly adventures. As a busy parent I liked the all-in-one package with before and after school care included at the same location along with breakfast, lunch and snack. I felt the parent community is welcoming and I have enjoyed the opportunities to volunteer and give back. Finally, I am so thankful for how Courtyard so quickly stood up the remote learning experience via Zoom. Each day there has been morning line, homeroom, Spanish, P.E., and Art to keep the learning going. The support and communication has been great. read more

Great small school for our 2 boys! Teachers are caring and patient, curriculum is vigorous yet creative. Although it is private, it is a great value for working parents as beforecare, aftercare, breakfast and lunch are included in tuition. As well as free after school clubs. My son loves the robotics club! There are cooking and music clubs as well as others. Homework is done after school with tutors so the students do not bring it home for us parents to nag at them to finish. We love the school and so do our children! read more

Courtyard is a small community that runs a student-centered educational environment. I have had the pleasure of working here teaching middle school for the last few months of this year, and I have loved it! The students and staff are amazing and the food is great. I wish I were working here next year. read more

Courtyard School is amazing! I mean, I personally would know because I go there! Other schools may have a great learning experience but they usually don't have anything that makes them stand out. Courtyard not only has a wonderful learning experience and inspiring staff members but, we have electives! (private schools tend to not have electives but- hey! They do! You have absolutely no reason to not come check them out! Great learning experience, inspirational staff members, and SUPER kind students that will most likely want to be great friends with you. You may think that it doesn't get any better, but onca you come check them out you will find out what really makes them SPECIAL! GO . . . COUGARS! read more

Wonderful people, great student body, very focused on making our children great students, great people, good friends. The whole concept makes sense and is executed daily. Thank you Courtyard!!! read more

I have two children enrolled in Courtyard Private School. We choose to send our children to the school because of the great learning environment and the emotional support for the students. While we acknowledge there was a turn over in administration and with the teachers last year, we believe the heart of Courtyard is in tact and stronger than before. Our children to love to learn and they feel empowered and nurtured at Courtyard. read more

Our son has been at Courtyard for five years. We originally chose the school because of legendary individual teachers - we had friends with older kids who raved about their child's experience with Courtyard teachers. What I appreciate now, in addition to the teachers, is the focus on social and emotional development, and its really high standards and expectations of kind behavior. It makes Courtyard a nurturing environment. read more

Both my kids have been at Courtyard since July 2019. I don't think I have enough words to express my gratitude and appreciation for Courtyard. We visited a variety of public and private schools in the area and I felt as if Courtyard was custom made for us: It's not just a school but rather a community. The teachers and staff are passionate, highly skilled & educated. They are not only concerned about the students academic progress but also their emotional well being & strength of character. The curriculum takes into account each learners individual level in different the different academic subjects. (Make sure you ask the principle about the L+1 groups). Other uniquely wonderful elements of Courtyard is the meals they offer at school: healthy and freshly made by Chef Matt. Both my kids are also allergic to dairy and the fact that they offer vegan options for each meal of the day was huge bonus and gave me so much peace of mind. They are very accommodating for kids with allergies. Also the extended hours makes a huge difference for full time/full day working families. Because of this there seems to be a seamless transition from "school" to "aftercare". My kids don't even see it as aftercare but rather the fun part of the school day where they can play more with their friends and do fun crafts and activities. The principle Ms Krause is nothing short of magical. She is a kind, very professional and uniquely gifted to work with children. During COVID she was very proactive in supporting the families as well as keeping the school afloat. Frequently updating us as families & being proactive in reaching out to appropriate agencies. We started this school year with an incredibly organized, well thought out and structured Distance learning program & hope to be opening soon. read more

My son and daughter have had stellar experiences at Courtyard. It is the teachers who make the real difference here. Oh, and the "child whisperer" otherwise known as Ms. Krause (now the Assistant Principal). I've visited many other private schools in the area, and they all seem so generic, cold and concerned about teaching to the test, not teaching lifelong skills about how to be a thoughtful, intelligent and engaged human being. In their marketing pitch, they'll explain that Courtyard offers an environment somewhere between the academic rigor of Brookfield and the artistic charm of a Waldorf school. But I truly think Courtyard stands on its own as the right approach to education that includes common core as a component of the curriculum but in a creative way that involves a lot of play. You get one shot at childhood. At Courtyard, there is a clear ability for students to develop into the best versions of themselves. While there is a lot of focus on academics, the teachers approach education in a creative way and incorporate art and science into the classroom. It is at Courtyard that the students develop a love of learning. The older students look after the younger students, and the kids seem extremely happy. While there is a new leader, it is the teachers who make the world of difference at Courtyard in the end. Speak with them and you will see dedicated individuals who truly care about the students. read more

Wonderful school. My child has been going for three years and is flourishing. At its core, Courtyard develops the child as a whole person. There's a strong sense of community here, and as a consequence, almost a sense of citizenship. The children, parents, and teachers all know each other. In addition to having teachers who know your child and tailor curricula accordingly, the school boasts a strong before/aftercare program. My child is active before and after school and almost needs to be pulled away from activities when I arrive near 6 pm. (When one considers the cost of aftercare programs alone, Courtyard starts looking like a bargain.) The school has excellent options for the working parent even when school is out. To top things off, the food program is best-in-class and features an actual chef, who even prepares take-away healthy and delicious dinners some days of the week. Would highly recommend taking a look! read more