PWS is a beautiful school that nurtures children's development by providing a holistic education…read morethat protects childhood in the early years and develops critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence. The curriculum is well rounded, academic and progressive, centered around the child's development. The diverse community is one where families genuinely connect and are deeply involved. The relationships students have with their teachers is very special. Teachers get to know them well and care for their education. I highly recommend this school

PWS has been the most incredible learning environment for our child and family. We cannot recommend…read morethis program, these teachers and this community more highly.

Brian Griffeath-Loeb has been an incredible support for our kids--starting in elementary school,…read morecontinuing through college, and now helping one son with preparation for grad school. He really connects with our boys, meeting them where they are at each moment in their development and helping them recognize their strengths while finding ways to work through learning differences. Brian listens first, then offers thoughtful guidance. He's great at tailoring his approach to each of our sons' learning styles--whether they respond better to visual or auditory cues, and often they need both. He's calm, reliable, and he has made himself available when we need feedback or have questions as parents. One of our kids went from feeling completely lost in elementary school to graduating magna cum laude in college, and Brian played a huge role in that journey. He even helped them learn how to work with their teachers, whose styles didn't quite match their own. Brian truly goes the extra mile, and we're so grateful to have him in our corner.

My daughter had a wonderful experience working with Brian at Evergreen. He knew how to explain math…read moreand chemistry in a way that made sense for her brain. And we also appreciated the college prep summer classes; they really helped her get ready for organizing herself for her first semester of classes!

An absolute gem of a school! My kids and I are so happy we found it. It is academically strong, but…read morein a positive and uplifting way. I'm particularly impressed by their genuine commitment to the social and emotional development of the children. The children of all ages play together in the school yard; it's like the idyllic 1980s neighborhood kids. As a parent, I love being able to be part of the school community as a whole, chatting with parents in the school yard before class starts and giving hugs before my kids go into their classrooms (no car line drop-off!) The co-op requirements are surprisingly do-able, even as a single parent who works outside the home for compensation, and I appreciate the feeling of giving back to this community.

We switched our second grader to Friends Western in February 2024 after it became apparent that it…read morewas a better fit than our school. We are coming to the end of the third-grade school year, and our third grader has experienced increased confidence, a lifting up of strengths, and targeted support in areas that needed growth. Even though this is a small community, I'm awe-struck at the dedication of both the administration and the teaching staff. The school's overall approach intertwines tried-and-true teaching techniques, evolving educational modalities, social justice, and the needs of the students. Their enrichment and exploration programs aren't boilerplate; they are well thought-out. At first, the parent participation seemed daunting. Still, I realized that while families of all beliefs comprise this community, the school's social-justice-inspired Quaker philosophies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship have made collaboration seamless.

I always assumed my daughter would start school in TK, but when she turned 1.5, I kept hearing…read moreabout programs for two‑year‑olds. I was hesitant--especially because of the cost--but decided to attend a community open house to learn more. That's where I first met Miss Emmy. Her warmth and genuine kindness immediately stood out. After talking it over, my husband and I visited HRNS. Initially we were hesitant about the co‑op commitments, but we instantly fell in love with the bright, welcoming campus. We had toured another school, but nothing compared to the warmth, openness, and sense of community we felt at HRNS. Meeting the teachers and seeing how the children were supported made it clear our daughter would be in good hands. Miss Emmy explained parent expectations honestly and clearly, and everything felt manageable within such a supportive environment. Even though we have someone who could watch our daughter at no cost, we choose HRNS every day because of the community we've found. The teachers and parents have embraced our daughter with patience, care, and encouragement. Watching her continuously grow into her own person has been a joy, and she genuinely looks forward to going to school and moving to the "next door" each year. We will be sad when her time at HRNS comes to an end, but incredibly grateful for the foundation the school has given her--and us. If you are considering HRNS, know that you've found a true gem in Pasadena, ready to welcome you and your child with open arms.

I cannot praise this school enough. We love HRNS. We have had two of our children attend over the…read morecourse of the last four years. The love and care shown by the teachers and staff, the community that goes beyond what we could ever imagine, and the knowledge my children have acquired is unmatched. I was nervous about participating in the co-op setting, but afterward I realize what a privilege it is to be a part of this community and watch my children thrive and learn. They have grown leaps and bounds. I am so thankful for the TK program and Miss Julie and Miss Jenny. My children's confidence and skills were mastered through them and the school's play to learn strategies. My now first grader thrives at school because of what she has learned here. So thankful for HRNS.

I cannot put into so many words, without the help of ChatGPT to say how much we love Bridge…read moreMontessori. So bare with me... Our son went to the Pasadena campus, off of Lake Avenue for over a year, and will continue to attend every summer and every break if his current school (because we moved and are no longer local, but will make the drive) is on opposite breaks. He started during their summer program before TK, went for TK and then half the summer after that. He enjoyed his teachers, his friends, and the school. He has excelled so much that he's way beyond his years in math, reading and writing. He really is starting kindergarten strong. They truly are a gem and I'm sad we moved and he won't be attending on a regular basis, but glad he's had such great teachers and made such sweet and amazing friends. They have set the bar very high for us. We have been recommending the school to every one.

My daughter just graduated from Bridge after 3+ years, and I wish she could stay for years to come…read more I have several Montessori preschools to compare Bridge to, since my older child went to 3 different ones in Southern California. None of them holds a candle to Bridge. The community at Bridge is very down-to-earth. I've made some of my closest parent friends from amongst this great group of families. I would attend birthday parties and enjoy everyone I spoke with upon meeting them. Sierra Madre is also a wonderful and welcoming community for all kinds of families, and I think that also contributes to the great vibe at the school (and at the Pasadena campus!). The educators at Bridge are also fantastic. My daughter, who went in shy and fussy, came out confident and caring, and beyond ready to go to TK. The subject matter at Bridge is age-appropriate and so thoughtful. My 4-year-old is still talking about their exploration of South American countries this past year. It made a big impression on her. The educators are all kind and so sincere. Kids can work with a few different educators across classrooms each day. They love these teachers. From what I've observed, these teachers are practical, highly organized, and treat each child equally. A very expensive preschool we attended for a while in Los Angeles would gush about children to the parents, then put on a very different face in the classroom, choosing favorites and barely bothering to get to know most of the children. But not here. It's been the opposite. I also appreciated that parents weren't asked for additional money all the time for things like shows. Bridge puts on two excellent showcases each year, and if anything is asked of parents, it's a few dollars at most. To go back to that Los Angeles preschool, the kids would put on "shows" quarterly, and each time, families were required to pay $75 or more to cover costumes for essentially unorganized chaos on a makeshift stage. Bridge, quite the contrary, respected families' time and resources and put on great shows that we truly looked forward to attending in the summer and spring, which gave children confidence and something to be proud of. A lot goes into making days and various celebrations for children each month special at Bridge. I'm just going to miss it so much!

Like so many parents in the Pasadena area researching private schools, we did alllll the tours. We…read morehadn't heard much about Saint Mark's and always assumed from the name that it would lean heavily religious, which wasn't something we were looking for. We also didn't like that it ended at 6th grade (something we later decided was actually a plus). Toward the end of the touring season we decided to stop in simply because it was close to our work. I am not exaggerating when I say we walked out of that little school under the shady pine trees like "this is The One". Coming from a strictly play-based non-academic preschool, we really wanted to continue letting our kids be kids, learning through play and curiosity. But we also knew we wanted them to be challenged academically. And not to sound boastful but we have nice kids; we wanted them surrounded by other nice kids. I didn't want my kids to lose their sense of just being nice, kind humans. What we found at Saint Mark's was a balance that really worked for us. Academics are strong, learning is hands-on and meaningful, and the kids are still excited. Their teachers clearly care about them. The kids are happy. And nice. Polite and well spoken. During the tour, they looked like they were having a good time being at school, laughing, joking with friends at lunch, singing on the way back from recess. Overall we've been really happy since enrolling. We are now in our third year here. Watching what they do, even in Kinder, has been impressive. They have Writer's Workshop and write diary entries about their Halloween class pumpkin decomposing in a tub for months. In another unit, they raised tomato hornworms we brought in from our garden and watched them transform into hawk moths, documenting the whole process. For Valentine's, I offered to drop off homemade pink play-dough to our worldly first graders (an homage to my pre-k co-op years), assuming they'd say the kids were too old. Instead, they embraced it with rolling pins and cookie cutters. The teachers are so special and genuinely know each kid as an individual, even across grade levels. Small groups in the classroom let kids learn together at the same level, wherever that may be. When my DK-er had a rough start to the school year, his teacher rearranged the daily schedule to help him feel comfortable/safe and wrote me daily emails of his progress. And speaking of progress, I never expected that it would be normal for a progress report from his teacher to include a personalized letter detailing his personality, strengths, leadership, character... It was just so unexpected and thoughtful. I'll admit that when we enrolled, I was focused entirely on academics, student/teacher ratio, kind teachers, diversity, outdoor space, and letting kids be kids. While Saint Mark's checked all those boxes, I didn't realize how special the community would be. They interviewed us as parents and not just our kids, which felt like they care about building a community of families with the same values. (I joke that I would vacation with almost any of these families, and we could definitely get through a zombie apocalypse together) Socially, there are grade-level parent parties in the Fall so you can get to know the other families, sans kids. There are events like the Fall Fest with petting zoos and bounce houses and bake sales and confetti eggs, there are potlucks and picnics, book fair, hikes. There is an annual gala fundraiser where parents can let loose for the night, as well as smaller socials that make it easy to build friendships. There are ways to be ON campus: classroom jobs and PA positions and many ways to give time/talent/donations. You can sign up to stuff red envelopes for Lunar New Year or hand out hot lunch on campus and spy on your kids while they eat. After the fires we did consider relocating. And while it may seem unusual to be temporarily housed on another campus, our kids do get to use the beautiful outdoor spaces, fields, gym and basketball court at EF. What I was initially worried about has become somewhere the kids love to be. We did still have moments of doubt about relocating or not. Ultimately Saint Marks was a big factor in our decision to stay. I know it's wild to think elementary school is what kept us from jumping ship, but we stayed in the Pasadena/Altadena area because of this school. Our kids love it and we love it for our kids. We plan to remain living locally through sixth grade because of the school, and probably longer after hearing where the 6th graders matriculate to. We're really looking forward to the rebuild. We feel incredibly lucky that we found this small, somewhat under-the-radar school almost by accident. It's hard to explain how great the culture is here until you walk through the classrooms and campus and talk to some of the students, parents, and faculty. Like any school it won't be the perfect fit for everyone but for our family our experience has been very very positive.

Dear school seekers, Ultimately we chose Saint Mark's for…read moreour children because it displays balance- we see both modern ideas surrounding whole-child social emotional culture with a more traditional classroom/academic load and structure. Saint Mark's has true authenticity when it comes to role-modeling what community means for our children. The Episcopal elements of school feel universally welcoming to all. As a multi-racial family, we feel very at home with Saint Mark's where DEI is not a department, an option, or a fad but a natural part of the school's identity. When we chose the school we were intentionally seeking academic rigor for our kids; and because the school embraces differentiated learning groups, we know our kids will get what they need in all subjects. The children have lots of movement throughout their day with a wide variety of subjects to explore. The school maintains boundaries with being responsible, respectful, and safe which allows all the students to take risks and lean-in knowing they have a foundation of structure and support behind them. I have noticed our children's imaginations have been flourishing due to their time at school. The teachers are joyful and friendly which invites a warmth. The parent-community is strong (and fun) which is deeper than a good time when we realize we are showing our student-body what it looks like to work-together and create something bigger that everyone can enjoy. The leadership prioritizes modern changes to education while keeping the jump-ropes and math text books in close reach. To open a new campus about six weeks after the Eaton Fire is a true symbol of how strong the community is. Come and tour! All the best, Melissa

We LOVE Highland Park Montessori! The director is awesome and you can tell that she TRULY cares…read moreabout what Montessori means. Her passion for making sure the students excell will blow your mind. -- When she shared her experience in running other Montessori schools in New York we just knew that we were in the right place. We receive so much more than any other school we've looked into. Our child is excited to go to preschool every day and we can tell she's learning so much. So happy to have found them.

Here's what I can say about Lilo and her style of teaching:…read more She leads with love and respect for the child, always. Our son learned from her for almost two years and her patience, support and belief in him allowed him to grow exponentially in that time. She is consistently creative with her lessons, incorporating art, music, and yoga, which we loved seeing our son incorporate into his non school time activities. He has used the breath work he learned from Lilo to calm himself down during moments when it is needed. He has even taught us to take a moment to collect ourselves! That is because of Lilo. Lilo takes the time to get to know a child and will incorporate their passions into lesson plans. Our son loves trains and train lines, so she worked with him on his writing and spelling by allowing him to create a train line using the words he wanted to learn. She is incredibly creative and in tune with every child. No one size fits all approach with her! We appreciate how level headed Lilo is when dealing with children and the emotions that they have. She is patient and allows for a safe, loving space to work through what those emotions are and at the end of the day she understands that each child is working through things on their own timeline. She expects respect and love from children (as that's what she leads with), but ultimately is realistic with expectations. Children are children and her chill is infectious. Lilo creates a safe, loving environment that allows for children to flourish. If our son didn't have to grow up we would be with Lilo until the end of time!

My two children have been a part of the St. James community since 2018 and our experience with the…read morenursery and PreK programs has been incredible. The teachers are so supportive and genuinely take the time to get to know each child. Each school year is filled with educational events that my sons were so excited over: fun with bubbles, learning about sea life and wildlife through experiential presentations with real animals, history through music presentations- it's an endless list of memorable activities for the kids. The parent community is equally special and incredibly supportive. While so many parents dedicate their time and talent to our community, I have always felt like whatever time and effort I have to offer to our community is absolutely enough and always appreciated. Every family I've interacted with has been so kind, and I've felt personally lucky to have this community.

All four of our children have attended this world class school. It's a gem! Children are challenged…read moreto play, explore, and be creative everyday in dynamic classrooms, outside in nature under the beautiful mulberry tree and amongst the herbs, veggies and flowers of their community garden. The diversity of physical activities, dance, art, language and STEM after-school programming enriches their growing minds and bodies! The families here thrive in-part beacof the fun parent community and lifelong friendships made.