My niece really enjoys her friends and teachers at this school. The school isn't too big, so it…read morehelps kids make friends, I think.

Amazing school! This is my first charter school I ever went to and it was a great first experience!…read moreThere are three Tracks and different ways you can attend school. The teachers are really nice and understanding and the campus reminds me of a Montessori school, swings, dirt and gravel.

Wonderful school. We love that they offer pre-K through high school, so the kids aren't losing all…read morethe friend's they make between elementary, middle, & high school. The kiddo has also really been enjoying the additional Elementary classes outside of the regular classroom, such as music, art, P.E., & chapel. The elementary school has a fun new playground. The kids also enjoy checking out what's growing in the garden! Highly recommend for Christian families!

I went to Calvin from 6th grade up to 10th grade, before finally opting to transfer to a nearby…read morecharter school. Calvin is a small school. It has grown, but it's still small. There are benefits, of course, such as small class sizes, individualized attention, and open dialogue between teachers and students. However, it also has its downsides. Please look at this list of criteria (created by me): Is your child considered "troublesome"? Is your child struggling with any sort of mental health issue? Is your child not Dutch/Caucasian? Is your child not a teacher's pet? Is your child not often a popular kid? If you answered yes to any of those questions, Calvin is not the place for you. I am not a troublesome student. I graduated high school with a 4.11 GPA. I got A's in almost all my classes no matter what school. However, I did struggle with my mental health starting freshman year, which is ultimately the reason I left the school. I received the label of being a "depressed kid" and was never able to shake it, and I ended up taking that on as my identity. I transferred to get a fresh start from the teachers and the students, and I did much better once I didn't have that label following me. There isn't blatant racism at this school, but in my class all the Dutch girls sat together, and all the non-Dutch girls sat elsewhere during lunch. I am not Dutch, so I sat elsewhere. The Dutch girls didn't say you couldn't sit with them but weren't welcoming to any newcomers in their group. There were no other friend groups in that grade. That's also pretty much how it went for every grade. Calvin has diversified since then, but the saying "if you ain't Dutch, you ain't much" is well-known and I would say it is true. All the Dutch students were favorited by the teachers as well, but that's because most of the Dutch kids had their parents go to school there, so they were really just "legacy" students who were automatically favorited. The trick for getting good grades is to be a teacher's pet. If the teacher doesn't like you, you're screwed. I was a teacher's pet, and I was able to finagle my way out of several bad grades by gaining sympathy from the teachers. If you're not a teacher's pet, Dutch, or a popular kid, you're going to have to do a LOT of hard work to get good grades that other kids get simply by having parents who went to the school. Most of the teachers were amazing. Shout-out to Mr. Marriott, Mr. Bakker, Mr. VDP, Mr. Beutlich, Mrs. Lapka, and Mrs. Lundgren. They made learning fun and were genuinely such kind-hearted people. I always felt safe around them. However, as with every school, there are teachers that aren't great. The history teacher, when I was trying to explain my ADHD to him in regard to the accommodations plan I had, just kept telling me, "Oh, it's like my tinnitus". He also refused to accept my accommodations plan to break up a 100-question test into two parts. When my mom reached out, he told her that the class has a B average, she's never taken the class, and would I be receiving a modified diploma? I took an incomplete for this class and retook it my senior year at my new school. I got an A+. Also, they do present that 100% of their students go off to college. However, that's not actually true. I had a friend who ended up faking that she was going to go to college (she wasn't) so that it would look like she was in the graduation ceremonies. They even got her college merch from the college she was supposedly going to attend. I would have never known had I not been close friends with her. This school has its secrets. Teachers were quietly removed from the school for reasons that were pretty big deals, such as inappropriate communication with students and emotional outbursts at students. As for the principal. I thought he was great... because my beliefs aligned with his and he took pity on me. Yes, he does meet with students with the blinds open for all to see. We once all saw a student get his backpack searched for drugs in the office. Whether or not he had drugs, the blinds should have been closed. His office is in a common passing place so everybody can and will see. The principal seemed to like me a lot, so we got along and I liked him, but I can see how others wouldn't like him. He is adamantly anti-LGBTQ+, which can be expected at a Christian school, but he expressed this in an unkind way. God still loves those that are LGBTQ+ and this principal did not express that. Last thing! I hope your kid loves public speaking. My class had to give 7-10 minute speeches with no notes... apparently, this is not a thing in public schools, and my class was graded quite harshly. Anxiety was not tolerated. It's good to learn public speaking, but 10 minute speeches without notes on subjects kids aren't passionate about? That's harsh, especially for sophmores. This was for sophmore year. I am ultimately glad I left this school, but I believe others can thrive here... just check that checklist!

First time I've ever reviewed a school but they seem to be lacking in them, so I feel I must…read morecontribute. Our son started going to OPE after beginning in another elementary school in Encinitas in 2nd grade. We thought he was doing pretty well in the other school but after he transferred, we started seeing C's and D's instead of his previous B's. He was also seemingly unable to control his talking in the new environment, so we had him assessed and placed on a prescription and provided IEP support. Fast forward to 6th grade, and he is back on track with A's and B's and even getting recommendations to take honor classes next year in Middle School. I whole heartedly recommend this school. They have great teachers with high standards, amazing IEP staff to play catch up with students that need it, and their counselor Chastity is so wonderfully involved and truly cares about these kids with her whole heart. So thankful that we moved to Olivenhain in time to correct the course of our child!

Great school for rich kids, some of the staff seem a bit high on their own crap as well. I heard…read moresomeone at the front desk refer someone away because they 'sounded' lower income. I went to Mission Estancia and never got shived, come on, its all north county. At least its new and shiny.

Great school all around; feels like family. Caring and supportive teachers and staff, they create a…read moregreat learning environment. Our kids have grown up here from kindergarten through 8th grade.

We are so very impressed with Pac Rim. We left Cardiff, a neighboring district that is just as…read morewonderful, after 15 years with our other kids and our youngest had to switch elementary schools when we bought our new house. They were welcoming right off the bat. Mr. Tubbs set up a walk through tour before we decided to buy and his first teacher made him feel so welcome with notes on his desk from every child in the class once we did. COVID hit and he had little opportunity to really connect with new friends, but Carlsbad District has maintained getting these kids safely into in-person class as quickly as possible from the beginning. Mrs. Hartman has seen him through this incredibly confusing year (from at home learning to cohort half in and half out learning to full time all kids in class learning). Kudos to a teacher who successfully navigated all the changes for her kids impeccably, softly and efficiently. He says although he misses his friends, whom are still only 10 minutes away :), he is so glad he made the move. He feels welcomed, comfortable, challenged and accomplished. Not to mention, their PTO gear is pretty awesome!

We love this wonderful elementary school. People say that all of the elementary schools in Carlsbad…read moreare good but Pacific Rim has been exceptional. Pacific Rim is a "California distinguished school": "A California Distinguished School is an award given by the California State Board of Education to public schools within the state that best represent exemplary and quality educational programs. Approximately five percent of California schools are awarded this honor each year following a selection process."---via Wikipedia. I attribute much of what we love about this school to their wonderful principal, Robert Devich. It's the trickle down effect. This principal has ZERO tolerance for bullying. He enforces the rules here with strength, a love of truth, wisdom and compassion. This man is a loving father in his own life and brings that same level of warmth and accessibility to each of the students. He's a very visible presence on campus and coaches the kids (who need extra help) in math during certain lunch times. The caliber of teachers here is terrific. No disgruntled lifers simply treading water until retirement. They have special side programs designed for the kids at every grade level. These teachers are enthusiastic and dedicated to the kids. Some of them even arrive to school early (every single day) to answer homework questions for their students. Unlike the two other (San Diego) elementary schools our children attended, Pacific Rim's outdoor lunch court is sheltered from the elements with protective patio curtains on all sides as well as a roof overhead. from passing birds. This lunch table set up comes in particularly handy on windy or drizzly days. The kids can eat in comfort and their tables are protected from any possibility of insects as well as from droppings of local birds. Workers scrub off and disinfect every single lunch table at the end of each lunchtime. This school boasts excellent test scores. Their carnivals, numerous special events and family night events (tented sleep overs in the game field) are fun for everyone.

Great school, I highly recommend PRS. My daughter loves it and the teachers are great.read more

My daughter started 9th grade at PRS and couldn't be happier. The school environment is welcoming…read moreand the teachers build connections with their students beginning on day one. With under 14 students per class, my daughter is an active participant and getting so much more out of her education. We are proud to be part of the PRS family.

I went to this school from the first grade to fifth grade, and I recently just graduate! I cannot…read moretell you how much I love this school and it offers so many great stuff for your child! Do not ever hesitate to send your child here, all the teacher are kind, smart, and resourceful. They are always here to help. And the school campus is awesome with a great grassy field, big basketball courts and swing sets for little kids! The school is very clean and the library has a beautiful wide selection of all books! Students are well behaved and there aren't any fights at this school!

I was so nervous about my son starting school but I truly couldn't be any more thankful for such an…read moreamazing and loving teacher, Mrs. Rhoades made me feel like he was her own child, she is so caring and has so much patience we were beyond blessed with having her as his TK teacher, the staff is just amazing, Janice in the front desk is such a sweetheart she has the best customer service and she knew My son Andy's name as soon as he walked through the front door, if you are looking for a good school I deff recommend this school, you will not be disappointed, best choice my husband and I ever made.

This school is really stepping things up this year. More teachers will be using classroom sets of…read moreiPods and iPad minis this year to engage and challenge the students. There are lots of fabulous electives offered like robotics, art, BVTV, ASB, AVID, band and more. My daughter cannot wait to go there next year.

My daughter loves this school. Although we heard some concerning things, it has been far better…read morethan anticipated. Of late, the school has had several in house threats and in some cases delayed notification of parents. This was the only concerning part for us, but the principle seems to have caught on that this may not fly with the majority of parents.