My daughter is wrapping up the third grade at ACDS. Our family has been with the school since her…read morefirst grade year. It's interesting to note how I just mentioned "our family" in reference to ACDS, because it's true - from the start it never felt like it was just my daughter being welcomed into a classroom. My husband and I were also ushered into a community of parents, children, teachers, administrators, and staff that truly are a community. This sense of familiarity and care, right from the start, was welcome. We looked at ACDS for my daughter after having been with a couple of other schools in the region that seemed to emphasize academics above all else. Academics are of course important, but I also wanted my daughter to have the chance to play and explore other possible interests. ACDS has a full complement of enrichment and extracurricular activities. Science, art, drama, music, you name it. There's a choir and a band. And every year every grade puts on a theater production, which I'm hoping next year can be done in the brand new Event Center. When school closed for COVID in March of last year, ACDS was ready for it. They moved their entire educational program online within a matter of 3 days, and it has been going strong ever since. When the school reopened for in-person learning in the fall, they continued the remote learning option alongside it. My daughter is presently the only child left online in her class, though she will be returning to school next week. Her teacher has been in close touch with me to make sure that she feels included and supported. The real gift is that my daughter has felt she is an active and important part of the community no matter where she physically is in relation to the school. And speaking of the teachers, wow! Dedicated and enthusiastic sound cliche but I assure they are not. The thought and energy they put into their lessons, especially even across two learning platforms, is phenomenal. If they had a high school, I would be planning to send my daughter. But for now I will just enjoy the stellar preparation she is getting for whatever step she chooses next.

We had a very disappointing experience with the middle school program. In my experience, the…read moreenvironment was particularly difficult for families seeking a supportive and inclusive approach, for example for students with learning and attentional differences. If your child is energetic, social, and learns best through encouragement, engagement, and positive reinforcement, I would encourage you to ask detailed questions of administrators and parents about the middle school's approach to these students before enrolling. I was particularly concerned by what I experienced as an excessively punitive and anxiety-producing approach to discipline and academic expectations. At times, the way students were treated appeared to undermine their confidence and enthusiasm for learning rather than support their development.I was also disappointed by the gap between the school's stated mission and what our family experienced in practice. There appeared to be limited attention to students' social-emotional needs, and I found the administration insufficiently receptive to families seeking additional support or collaboration with outside resources.Overall, the middle school experience had a lasting negative effect on my child's confidence and relationship with learning. Families considering the school may want to ask specifically about learning support, counseling and social-emotional resources, disciplinary practices, and how the administration works with families whose children learn differently.

We've had such a great experience with Challenger Berryessa! Josh attended this school from the…read moretime he was about 3.5 years old, and unfortunately we had to discontinue last year after we moved. This summer, he came back for their summer program, and he absolutely loves being back! He really enjoys all the activities and learning, and comes home happy and excited to tell us about his day. A special shout-out to Ms. Preethi and Ms. Prerana -- Josh loves both of them, and we really appreciate how caring and wonderful they are with the kids. It's been so nice to see Josh back at Challenger Berryessa and enjoying his time there again. We have a lot of good memories from this school and are very happy with his summer experience!

Started sending my 3 yr old boy to the 1.5 month summer pre-school to get ready for the Aug…read morepre-school as we stayed really close in the Berryessa area. There had been a lot of feedbacks and playground talks among parents that Challenger had a very strict culture and tough curriculum that not every kid can handle and adapt. The feedback is that usually boys that have high energy and too active will get into trouble a lot. To our surprise, he loves the school just after 1 week and always looking forward to going to school in the morning, we also see a big difference in his English speaking ability and his independence in behavior. We are assured to let him continue with this school for the next coming years. We want to give special thanks to the 2 teachers Miss Hemanth and Miss Sonali for their loving care and coaching, we can tell he is very happy with them and there is the strong teachers-students chemistry we observed. Kids usually are very pure and express directly what they feel so we are very assured when he nods and say he likes his teachers and wants to go to school. From what I see so far, I believe Challenger has a very strong track records and is well managed across all their schools to groom the students to be academically strong and independent character especially needed in the competitive Bay Area. No wonder Challenger had been listed as one of the top private schools in US.

What a great day! I was so impressed with OSD School's commitment to supporting its community. The…read moreschool provided food and daily house hold items (like shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, blankets, and more) for the students and their families during the holidays, which is such a thoughtful and generous gesture. It truly shows that OSD is dedicated to taking care of its students and their families both inside and outside the classroom. We are so lucky to be part of such a caring and positive school environment!

I'm extremely disappointed with the overall quality of this school. Unfortunately, our experience…read morehere over the past few years has been frustrating and discouraging for several serious reasons. First of all, the leadership is completely unstable. The principal seems to change every year, and that lack of consistency trickles down to the rest of the school. It's hard to feel confident about any long-term improvement when the administration is constantly changing. Beyond academics, the school really doesn't offer much extracurricular activities which is a missed opportunity for students who want to explore interests outside the classroom. But by far, the most concerning issue has been how poorly bullying is handled. My child has been bullied--physically and verbally--by the same student for three years in a row, ever since 2nd grade. Even though they've been in separate classes since 3rd grade, the bullying continues at recess. We've reported this multiple times, and nothing meaningful has been done. No disciplinary action has been taken against the student responsible, and we are baffled as to why the school refuses to take stronger action. To make matters worse, when my child finally stood up and defended herself after being hit, she was the one who got in trouble and was warned she might be suspended. That kind of response is incredibly unfair and discouraging. It sends the message that defending yourself is more punishable than being the one causing harm. Yard duties are also a major problem. Either they're not present during conflicts, or they simply ignore the situation altogether. When someone is hurt or gotten into arguments, they were nowhere to be found to supervise the kids or just stood by doing nothing. There are also some strange and frustrating inconsistencies with staff behavior. On one occasion, my child stepped on a roach and was told not to kill it because "it's nature"--yet the school doesn't apply that same level of care or concern to the kids who are being harassed daily. A teacher once even told the class that a rock is a living thing, which is just flat-out incorrect and makes us question the quality of education being provided. We've also had some concerns about the overall school environment. For example, there were a few instances of theft in my child's class, but it didn't seem like the teacher was able to address them effectively. Every year, the good kids my child connects with end up transferring to other schools, and now we're starting to understand why. The ones that stayed doesn't like the school either. Over the years, we've noticed that several families who value a positive learning environment have chosen to move on, which has made us wonder if ongoing issues are prompting those decisions. When I ask my child if she misses this school, she immediately and firmly says 'No' without hesitation -- which, to me, speaks volumes about her experience there. This school desperately needs better leadership, more active, caring, and responsible staff, and a serious commitment to creating a safe, nurturing environment for all students. Until then, I would not recommend it to any family.

Our experience with Merryhill, has been Outstanding. After a year of kindergarten, at a different…read morehighly marketed private school, where my daughter was told she cannot keep up with the curriculum, she hated school and would often cry before being dropped off in the morning. The summer following Kindergarten, she was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. On the recommendation from a coworker, we toured the Merryhill school. From the outset, we were impressed. The curriculum was on par with the other school, and the diversity of the experience was clearly wide ranging. Once the school year started it became even more clear that the principal was highly engaged with all the students, and that between her and the teachers, they would bend over backwards to assure that the accommodations necessary for my daughter were in place. Unlike my daughter's former school, we were able to work with her teachers to assure that through her school work and tests, she could demonstrate what she had learned, instead of putting her into a cookie-cutter educational system that tests in only one way and does not accommodate for her needs. As she has entered the third grade, we could not be more thrilled with the Merryhill experience and the staff at the school. My daughter has gone from hating school to not being able to get enough. Her grades continue to maintain at the highest level and she scored above her grade level in standardized testing. Her confidence in both her academics and her social interactions continues to grow. I sincerely believe this is in big part due to the efforts of the Merryhill staff. While every school and every environment is not for every student, parents should be doing their due diligence in assessing the most appropriate direction for their child. We are incredibly fortunate to have found Merryhill at a time during which we had numerous questions. A great big thank you to Merryhill Elementary School.

I went to this school from kindergarten through fifth grade and here are my thoughts. it's been…read moreyears since i've graduated but there's this thing that has been bugging me. when i went in to third grade, there was this thing during lunch called "silent time". we would have 15 minutes to talk to our friends while eating, then the last 15 minutes it NEEDED to be dead silent. we can't make eye contact or laugh with our friends if we wanted a full recess time. i get it the school wants children to focus on eating, but even if you're finished eating you can't even play rock paper scissors with your friends if you don't want to get in trouble. smile, not a full recess. what am i supposed to do when im finished eating, slump with my head down like a depressed child?? why couldn't i just be homeschooled if i didn't want to talk with my friends ?? Sure the education was pretty good until it came to the point where most of the good teachers left. i hope the new principal turns this school around.

The 5 stars are for Mr Max, Miss Krystal, Ms Andy, Ms Madhavi and especially Ms Naila. We enrolled…read moreour child into pre school for the very first time & couldn't have been more nervous, coming out of the pandemic. Everyday for the first week, my child cried with anxiety. The comfort Ms Madhavi & Ms Naila gave him, warmed my heart. The changes that we've seen in him are dramatic. My child can put on his own jacket, write letters/numbers, knows how to do some basic math & sings all day long! He used to be extremely shy, but now he's opened up so much. He comes home and tells us that Ms Naila helps him at school. What parent doesn't want hear that?? We are keeping our fingers crossed that Ms Naila will be our child's summer program teacher. Overall, tuition is a little hefty, but we are happy with his development under Ms Naila's care.

Ms. Naila is the best PreK teacher! She goes the extra mile to ensure each child shows progress and…read moremakes learning fun! Highly recommended for the start of children's learning journey.

What a wonderful school! My son finished Kindergarten here, and is now in 1st Grade. He loves…read moreschool and always impresses me with what he's learned. We've been particularly happy with the emphasis on deeper conceptual understanding of material, so it's not just rote memorization and regurgitation. Word problems were a significant part of Kindergarten math, and I'm positive I wasn't doing word problems that early when I was a kid. The teachers and administration are very receptive to feedback and concerns that inevitably crop up during the school year. We've been happy with the way they've handled issues, and clearly customer service is an important part of their philosophy. Tuition is on the higher range of private schools, but in this case you truly do get what you pay for.

Our daughter has gone to Harker since their inaugural preschool class started . She loves it and so…read moredo we . Teachers are great and after school programs are plentiful . Even though it takes an hour to get to school we think it's worth it.

Looking back on this place, I'm glad i moved to a different school. First off, why were uniforms a…read morething? I know it's to fight against gangs or whatever but like, it is an elementary school???? No one is gangbanging at 3rd grade. Second, the school lunches sucked, like really sucked, they all tasted bad except for the pizza. Everything but 2 lunches taste bad in my new school, and i can just get a second option. Third, the teachers, only a few were ok, the rest were not, but one specific P.E coach threatened to break my finger. Im no Saul Goodman but i think its a crime to threaten a minor. when i was like in 3rd-4th grade. same coach also did not appreciate how i did cursive, a useless skill. WHEN I WAS IN LEARNING LAB! SHE DOESNT EVEN TEACH THERE! MIND YOUR DAMN BUSINESS LADY! While on the topic of the learning lab, all of those teachers sucked. Don't even need to elaborate. Field trips next, these were one of the only good parts about the school. Science camp in Livermore was cool and so was the one in Saratoga i think. Great america was also cool.

Christmas in the Park with Rocketship Mosaic Elementary!! Scavenger Night!! How does Jake get to…read morebe so lucky to be a rocketeer?!! This school is the best! Not just academically but also when it comes to kindness, love, care, and character building for all the children modeled by teachers and staff. Even though it is not a religious school, I feel there are more love and compassion in this school more than any other religious place I've been to. Everyone, the principle, teachers, staff, students, fellow parents, all are so caring and making every member of the school feel so special and loved. Children need love! I feel so good dropping Jake's off each day at school and he loves going to school so much! Alexander keeps saying how come Jake's school is so cool and all Jake's teachers love him so much!! They also organize a lot of cool events. They want the children to be well rounded. The school relies heavily on staff and parent volunteers since it does not have much funding and it serves mostly low income students. Yet everyone serves with all their heart !! Still contemplating on moving Alexander over to Jake's school. ROMO with all our hearts!!

The YMCA childcare program at Booksin has a great team of teachers who care for their students and…read moretheir safety. They are trained and supervised by a select group of professional childcare directors who are hired by the South Valley YMCA (which manages the Childcare programs in San Jose Unified District). They are also required to take CPR and First Aid training courses in case of emergencies. While their childcare program is a little bit pricey compared to its competitors (Engenius, Kingdom Crew, etc), the benefits with the YMCA are worth it because the teachers help the kids have fun while learning about honesty, responsibility, caring for others, and how to solve conflicts between each other. They also offer financial assistance for those who need it (check with South Valley or the website). It also has a good learning curriculum and a variety of summer programs, which kids can enjoy. Of course during the mid-pandemic, the teachers will make sure to wipe down the classrooms throughly as well as the materials and toys. Right now, they are required to teach kids how to wash their hands properly. Overall, I definitely recommend the Booksin community to register their kids with the YMCA After School Childcare program and the Summer programs.

Great school and great students. Some of the parents hinder the atmosphere with unrealistic…read moreexpectations & idiotic behavior.

Overall a pretty good school. They offer drama and other activities for the kids at a young age…read more They also have many after school programs that are very inventive and unique that should help with your kids imaginations. Overall, a nice school for your kids.

Great schools and teachers! The front desk ladies are super rude! They have an attitude and they…read moredon't even try to hide it. Everyone is super sweet except those two at the front. Really bring the energy down.

Awwww.. Im glad this school is still around even though its now a different name and a different…read moreprogram I miss San Jose... The old San Jose.

It's a great school with teachers who are dedicated to their work. It's flawed due to the lack of…read moreresources provided by the district for programs that promote individuality through art, music, theatre, etc. The students who attend this school are primarily low income and are learning English as their second language. I'm proud to be an alum of Bridges Academy and current college student at Cal Poly SLO.