My daughter has been at PAE since 8th grade (she's going into Senior year 2025/2026 school year)…read moreand this school has been amazing for her. She's dyslexic and had struggled in public school with teachers that didn't have the bandwidth to work with her and help her learn. That caused severe social anxiety that made it harder for her to focus... it was a negative spiral. The teachers at Pacific Academy really took the time to get to know her and appreciate everything that she does well while pushing her to be her very best even in areas like math that are harder for her. She now has a 3.8 GPA, is taking AP classes and applying to out of state 4 year colleges with B.S. programs in zoology. She loves to read, leads a D&D group, plays tennis, is on the student council (ASB). This is a kid who struggled to read at all in the 2nd grade. The school is really small. Sometimes I worry that it's too small. But it's a big wide world out there and she does theatre with a different group and volunteers at a rescue and has friends from her co-op charter school (that closed and also didn't have a high school). In the end, the kids at the school are kind, most of them are a little quirky too and above all there is a strong culture of acceptance. If your child is a little different, artsy, smart but not thriving in a public school, socially anxious, or driven to succeed and not being challenged, you should totally check out Pacific Academy. They take a 1:1 interest in each student' success, they are flexible and yet they hold their students to high standards. It's small but mighty. We love it.

I enrolled my child at this school last year, and it was a very bad experience. From middle school…read moreup, classes are mixed with much younger students all the way to high schoolers in the same classroom. The older kids openly bullied the younger ones, often in front of the teacher, with no consequences. According to my child, teachers were passive-aggressive toward each other, which created a tense and unhealthy atmosphere. The principal also controls what teachers are allowed to tell parents, so you may not get the full truth about what your child experiences during the school day. I would not recommend this school.

LCVPK is the absolute best! Our 2-year-old son attended M-F/full-time and was in the Caterpillars…read moreclass with Ms. Jackie and Ms. Lani. Our son loved his teachers and would often continue repeating their names when he got home lol. This was our first daycare/school experience for him (he was previously at home with grandparents), so we were a little nervous how the transition would go. He took a few days to acclimate to the new environment (especially at drop-offs), but soon started to blossom and play/interact with the other kids and teachers, especially Ms. Lani who we appreciated would calm him in the mornings. We always felt our son was safe, well taken care of, and learned a lot from socializing with his peers. I loved that the school was located in a part of Carlsbad with such a quiet and calming atmosphere, tucked away from the busy road and next to lots of trees and greenery. The staff was always friendly (especially Ms. Jeanne and Ms. Erika) and supportive of one another. I'd often see them all pitch in (including the front desk staff) to watch/play with the children whenever needed and rotate around the day to the different classes. Our son especially loved the play area and fun outdoor activities, from bubbles to building blocks, and would usually come home with lots of sand in his shoes, which meant he had a fun time! I would have loved to receive more photo updates (maybe one a week), just to have photos of him playing throughout the day. I understand this is because the teachers spend most of their time with the children rather than taking/uploading photos, which is nice to know they're focusing on the children. The only reason we had to leave was because my husband got a new job in Orange County, so we had to move out of the area. I really felt like LCVPK was more like a mini-family away from home for our son. On his last day, his teacher and classmates even made him a glitter poster saying "We will miss you" and took lots of individual photos together, which was so sweet! I wish I could just transport LCVPK with us. If you're able to get a spot here, it's completely worth the wait!

La Costa Valley Preschool & Kindergarten has truly been a second home for our family since my son…read morefirst started back in 2020, and as this is our last year here, I'm more emotional about it than I expected. Both of my kids have grown up at this school, and watching them thrive in such a warm, loving, and nurturing environment has meant the world to us. The teachers and staff aren't just educators -- they are genuinely caring people who know each child personally and make them feel seen, safe, and celebrated every single day. When I see my kids run up to their teachers and hug them because they've missed them, it warms my heart. Ms. Jackie has touched both of my kids' lives in such special ways. Ms. Julie prepared my son -- and is now preparing my daughter -- for kindergarten with so much patience, warmth, and dedication. My son is even coming back to read to his sister's class, and Ms. Julie couldn't be more excited to welcome him. Ms. Denise and Ms. Maize are both excellent, and my daughter still talks about them all the time! And then there's the joy of Ms. Mandy and her vibrant personality that lights up the room. All the ladies at the front desk (Janice, Erica, and Jeanne) greet us with the kindest smiles every morning -- they truly start our day off right. As I prepare myself for our last year here, I feel incredibly grateful. LCVPK has shaped my kids in the best possible ways, and it has shaped me as a parent, too. This school will always hold a very special place in our hearts. If you're looking for a preschool/kindergarten that feels like family, this is it. We were lucky to be part of this community, and we will miss it deeply.

Staff and teachers here go above and beyond! From the first day and everyday you step on to campus…read moreyou are greeted with warmth and enthusiasm. My daughter started here in the third grade and has thrived both socially and academically. She is now in 5th and we have been so happy with her progress. Everyone here has been so positive, kind, and professional and all lead by example. I have been thoroughly impressed with the administration, teachers and the foundation. Parent support has been amazing as well. I can 100% say that sending her to Rhoades has been one of the best decisions for her! Thank you to everyone at Rhoades!!

We are so grateful for The Rhoades School supporting our son with a midyear transition. What stood…read moreout the most in the application process is the kindness and genuine care shown to our son. The environment is incredibly welcoming, not just for students but for families as well, which made the transition smooth and reassuring along with the small class sizes. It's clear that Rhoades values both academic growth and emotional well-being, and we're so grateful to have found this school!

We have nothing but great things to say about his preschool! From the director to every teacher and…read morestaff member, everyone is truly amazing. They greet both me and my daughter each day with such warmth and kindness, and it makes a world of difference. The facility itself is beautiful. The classrooms are engaging and thoughtfully set up, and the outdoor aww is large, well-maintained, and has great play equipment. My daughter is so happy every day she attends and absolutely loves all the fun crafts and activities they do. The only small downside is the limited hours for the 2 year-old preschool program, which may not work for families needing longer days. That said, the director went above and beyond to try and accommodate our family's schedule, which we truly appreciate! We are so grateful to have found such a wonderful, caring school and highly recommend it

This is a great preschool. Our daughter who turned five during the school year had Mrs. Pallavi,…read moreand I can't stress enough what an amazing preschool teacher she is. The academic/creative/play balance was just right for us - the crafts she brought home regularly were awesome, Mrs. Pallavi had them working on their letters and numbers and a few more advanced things by the end of the year, and our daughter made and played with fun friends. Anne Marie and Barbara were always friendly faces (and helpful) greeting you whenever you arrived. Overall, it was the perfect first school experience for our daughter. She is without a doubt ready for kindergarten next year.

This is my child's third preschool (because of moving) and I can't recommend this place enough. The…read moreteachers are so loving and nurturing. They truly care about each child. My kid is always so happy when he gets to school and when i pick him up, he even asks if he can stay. I love that they get a lot of time outdoors with a lot of grass and a big playground. We are so grateful for this school and all the teachers!

Our family loves Lighthouse! The staff and teachers are incredible. They love all the kids so much…read moreand both of my children absolutely love going to school everyday! The school is safe and secure, with a beautiful grassy area and playground where the children love to play. The kids are so sweet and the teachers go above and beyond to create healthy friendships and foundations. Lighthouse does so many amazing and creative things with the kids and my children always come home happy! Lighthouse fosters a beautiful community, it feels like family

Absolute most wonderful teachers and staff, and such a special place. Both my boys went there…read more(newer Olivenhain location) and I can't recommend it enough.

Love this school. They take such good care of kids and meet kids where they are. They value play…read moreand understand that drive problem solving and long term success.

I work for the encinitas union school district for their after school program, ASPIRE. I have to…read moresay the staff at ECC is extremely welcoming and helpful to anything we need. Also the janitor is incredibly hard working and always willing to lend a helping hand. Angie is an amazing site lead and her passion for the kids really show. Love working at this site! Happy kids, happy day!

Our son started kindergarten here this year and so far he loves it more than he even loved his…read moreMontessori Preschool. He is challenged appropriately by the daily lessons, has a great time on the playground and loves the after school program. The teachers are excellent in terms of communicating with parents and managing the children in class. There is enough structure so that everybody learns, but not so much that the children can't explore and learn independently. The parents and PTA groups are also extremely active and help keep critical programs in place through fundraisers and volunteer work. Our son is a smart kid and my wife and I did a lot of research before settling on this elementary school. So far, we feel as though we've made the right decision.

We have thought a lot before writing this review which mostly reflects how we felt about…read moreAspirations at the end of our almost 5 years with the school. We ended up leaving because despite having had such a long time with the school, it became obvious to us at the end that we weren't valued as a family and that our little one wasn't truly seen as a whole person. We had one child start in the Bambini (baby) room just before COVID, went back after COVID and continued all the way through until starting Kindergarten. We had another child that spent a couple years here before just leaving this year. On a whole, Aspirations feels like a Instagram dreamspace - the Emilio Reggio style learning emphasizes the environment and it truly shows. As a parent, you know your child is surrounded by beauty. The art show feels special (although you eventually come to realize how much "teacher guidance" the final auction pieces actual reflect). The gala is also exciting and fun (when it happens). The playground is spacious and beautiful. Our years through Aspirations meant our kids have been in almost every room and in reflection there were great teachers and there were so-so ones and almost every year there was at least some unexpected teacher turn-over in the middle of the year. We ended up leaving because the first time we had any issues, we were surprised at the inflexibility of the administration and unwillingness to work with us. We requested that our little stay with friends in transitioning to a new class, shared the difficult family/life events that were affecting her and had the admin team tell us that they were not going allow her to change classes that despite the fact that the requested class was not yet being filled (they wanted to keep spots open for newer families/kids). Additionally, they weren't even willing to come up with a alternative plan (ie she could move to that class if someone transitioned out). The finality of "administrator knows best" was a slap in the face and made us finally look around and realize that this was one of the most expensive schools around, does not provide lunch, and its premium for the "extended care" (4-5pm where all extended care kids get placed with another teacher for that last hour, sometimes a different one daily) was not the standard everywhere.

I toured today with my 15 month old grandson and was in awe of the director, teachers & facility…read more Outdoor learning was as enriched as the classrooms with bridges, slides built into hills, riding toys, and of course art!