This Elementary School is too cool, hahaha. The school is a little over crowded and we can all see…read morewhy, the teachers and staff are pretty awesome! Nestled in the quiet residential neighborhood of Marble Estates, the staff is caring, professional, and the kids who go here are awesome too!

I was here from 2nd-5th grade and most of the staff are great, but the lunch ladies are my worst…read morenightmare. I totally recommend every parent out there to enroll their child to this school. It has a very nice campus, is from grades to Kindergarten to 5th Grade, and has terrific teachers, there is also a park right next to the school.

A lot has changed since my original review, when my child was in kindergarten at St James. New…read moreteachers, new staff, new principal. But what hasn't changed is that while my child is at school, he is safe, happy, learning and growing up to be a good human in this difficult world. He always has, and continues to acquire skills and traits at school that I feel are important beyond academics, such as being of service, being a confident speaker, good social skills, empathy for others, and a respect for his environment/community, just to name a few. Since my last review, we have had the pleasure of having Mrs. Hofmann in 1st grade, Ms. Nakae in 2nd grade, and currently Ms. Flores in 3rd. We have enjoyed all of them as teachers. Mrs. Hughes is still going strong as the kindergarten teacher as well. We also have a new principal this year, Mr. Kim. Mr. Kim has truly been an amazing leader so far. I am so grateful to have him at our school. The office staff is also wonderful. Our school community may be small, but it is filled with families, staff, and teachers who truly care about making these children's elementary and junior high experience a great one. Nothing ever stays the same, and that is okay! We are fully embracing the positive changes that are happening at St James. I am honestly so happy that we chose this school community for our child, and will continue to do all we can to support the students and the growth of the school, as I know it can only continue to get better and better!

St. James Catholic School is truly a special place. The sense of community here is…read moreunmatched--families, staff, and students all support one another. The teachers and staff are warm, attentive, and truly invested in every child's growth. Their dedication shows in the students, who are consistently cheerful, respectful, and kind. It's a privilege to be part of such a supportive and uplifting school community.

Review #1024 2026-094…read more Opened in 02/1957, Madrona Middle School is 1 of 8 middle schools serving students in grades 6 - 8 in Torrance Unified School District with Dr. Sue Key, Principal, at helm since 02/2024. Per U.S. News & World Report, the 26:1 student-teacher ratio is on the higher side, & the reading level is stronger than the math. GreatSchools.org shows a 20% Algebra 1 participation rate with a strong 95% pass rate. Under Dr. Key's helm, Madrona Middle School earned South Bay's BEST Public Middle School in 2026, following recognitions for FAVORITE school in 2025 & BEST in 2024. After participating on behalf of his elementary school's math & academic pentathlon teams (placed 2nd on both) this year, my 10 YO 4th grader wanted to map out his future academic career & research his options, even though Madrona MS is the natural progression from Hickory ES. His interests are vast: Academic Pentathlon, CJSF (CA Junior Scholarship Federation), Coding/Robotics, eSports, GATE, Math Club/Math Field Day, MathCounts, Science Olympiad, Spelling Bee, etc. I scheduled a 30-min. tour in 05/2026, & it was led by Dr. Key; the short tour ended up being almost 90-mins. It was a detailed & informative tour of an impressive campus with plenty to offer for academically strong students (refer to posted photos of School Brochure & Class Selection Reference Sheet)! I particularly love that their classrooms post a door sign of the teachers' contact, sponsor, & education info (e.g. Mrs. Heather Hallsted teaches Science 8 & Science Olympiad, sponsors Madrona Family Night, & earned a B.S. Biochemistry & M.A. Curriculum & Instruction from UCLA, CSU Bakersfield, CSUDH; Mrs. Nancy Ton teaches Science 7, PLTW Design & Modeling/Computer Science App Inventors/Automation & Robotics, sponsors esports & earned a B.S. Liberal Science & M.S. Science from CSULB & CSUDH). What's great for working parents is that students can be dropped off as early as 8:15 AM & go to study hall before the 1st bell. Subsequent to the tour & info received, I learned the following week that Hickory Elementary School will be offering an accelerated math summer program to prep interested & qualified students for the Accelerated Math 6 in fall. My son took the accelerated math this summer, & qualified for Accelerated Math 6 in 5th Grade. It's been a month, & he's maintaining a 4 (out of 4) on the math quick checks. M's plan is to follow his elementary school's progression to Madrona Middle School since they hit most of his interests on the checklist. Last school year (2025 - 2026), MMS placed in all 3 grades at Math Field Day: 6th - 2nd Place, 7th - 3rd Place, 8th - 2nd Place. M plans to tryout for Math Field Day again this school year & is strategically recruiting his team for a 3-peat win for 5th Grade, & hopes to bring the same team to Madrona Middle School for continued success.

5 STAR this school is great it has a lot of activity's and its a great learning potential!read more

Review #995 2026-065…read more Let me preface that this review is for an event that was held at/hosted by South High School. Opened (3rd) in 1957, South High School is 1 of 4 high schools serving students in grades 9 - 12 in Torrance Unified School District; according to their website, they're the #1 ranked high school in TUSD. The school also rents its space to Asahi Gakuen, a weekend non-profit Japanese language school. Did you know "American Beauty" was filmed at South High School during 1998 - 1999 winter break? For 2025 - 2026, the school is helmed by Principal Jim Evans & supported by Assistant Principal Dr. Tera Black. The 2026 TUSD "Academic Pentathlon" was held at South High School, hosting since post pandemic. It's an annual academic competition for 4th - 5th grade students that tests their knowledge on multiple (5) subjects: math, science, social science, art, literature. Winners receive medals & trophies for their school. Unlike Math Field Day, there's no county (LACOE) competition since it's primarily for middle school students. My son competed for 1 of 4 spots representing Hickory Elementary's 4th Grade Team. The hour-long competition consisted of 2 teams of 4 (comprised of 2 4th grade & 5th grade students) for their school to answer 50 questions; it was announced at the end that there were 49 questions due to an error. There was a short break at the midpoint of the competition, & another at the end while the scores are tabulated. The school's score is the calculated mean of their 2 teams. Unlike Math Field Day, there's no "trail mix" snacks offered during breaks so we gave M a quickie snack at home before the competition, & added a granola bar in case he needed a little lift. The auditorium wasn't as packed with competitors... I think maybe 1/2 of TUSD's elementary schools participated? Though it was standing room only with all the parents & families out to support their children. 2026 Academic Pentathlon Winners 1st: Victor ES (40.5 points) 2nd: Hickory ES (38 points; so proud of my l'il guy & his teammates!) 3rd: Towers ES (35 points) No back-to-back wins for Hickory ES (placed 1st in 2025)... M plans to come back next year to help regain the honors before he graduates. =D Congrats to all the lifelong learners... great job!!

Now, let me tell you that my kids do not go to this school, but if I lived in the area they would…read more We were there to go to their wonderful and new theater to see a play for Special Needs kids, of which my grandson is one. The people working there were so nice and patient with all 4 showings. It was put on by Anchorless Productions and the Friendship foundation. First, parking is so easy right in front to the theater. The theater itself is beautiful and spotless. It is comfortable and seating is easy. They are great with disabled people and are just super nice. They have it all, from the cool curtain to a super sound system. We were so lucky to be able to use this venue for the play. Before the play we walked around just a little bit, a lot of it was locked as it was a weekend, but the football field is so pretty and there is a tennis area. I think this school does a lot of performing arts. I wish all schools looked like this.

Resource? opportunities? nonexistent. "Tutor service" aka den is just kids who want put that they…read moretutor on resume. Athletics basically non exist. Lunch? option cut short because lack students. Mental Health? all focus on robotics the only time the wellness center open is during lunch. Academic, Classes? your best bet is to send your child to another school the options here are just too limited and they only care about students on whole, not individually. If you really look for "rigor" take classes at another school because anything we can do other school has that and more. And if you do come or send your children's here, add dual enrollment classes those will be your best friend, has way more variety. teachers are overkill.

Love the school! If your focus is strictly just academics and a little bit on the extracurricular…read morethis is the school. Kids love the school and their program, parents expect more even though kids are on full load. Ask the kids about their school experience, not the parents!

LB Tutoring is a great learning environment. My experience was very positive and worthwhile. Ms. LB…read morehelped me all through high school and even while I was away at college. She is also willing to listen and help problem solve other issues. She is a great person and became part of the family. I strongly recommend this place for any help with school no matter what subject.

LB Tutoring Academy is an excellent environment for students of all ages! The after school homework…read moregroup provides support in all subjects while teaching students to take accountability for their own work. As a teacher, I have seen students improve their ability to break down assignments and problem solve through the steps for long term projects. It is a positive and safe space for students to get the help they need to be successful at any level. It's exciting to see students return to get help with outside of school activities including, driver's education courses, CBEST study sessions, as well as college planning and long distance college tutoring.

The kids in general are fairly well-behaved. However, there are still lots of children who have…read morezero respect for adults or other students; they do whatever they like and there are no consequences.

I came to this school 30 years ago as a kid and I am so proud that both my son's had the chance to…read morecome here too. When my son started Kindergarten he was the only kid in his class that could read and write and it was all because of this preschool. The teacher's are great and it's just an amazing little school. The only down side is that your kid must be potty trained in order to go there. Other than that I highly recommend this preschool.

I was part of the cross country team and unfortunately saw firsthand how strong favoritism…read moreinfluenced team decisions and recognition. Many athletes worked hard but were overlooked unless they were one of the coach's clear favorites. Even basic encouragement, like a simple "good job" was not given to everyone. Instead, praise was reserved for a select few, leaving others feeling unvalued despite their efforts. When I respectfully addressed this even as an alum, I was met with a hostile response and completely shut out. I had hoped for reflection and respect, but instead received defensiveness and dismissal. This is not the example of leadership or character that a youth program should be built upon. A coach who discourages hard-working athletes, fails to recognize everyone equally, and responds to concerns with hostility should not be in a position of guiding young people. Leadership should inspire, not divide. At one meet, after a mile time trial where I struggled badly and was visibly upset, I heard him say, "I am so proud of you guys." I asked, "Are you sure about that?" because it felt insincere given the lack of encouragement many of us experienced. In a race in Hawaii, while I was in tears and trying to reach my parents, I was told, "I don't care, cheer on your teammates please." That moment made it clear how little empathy and support was being offered to athletes who were not among his favorites. Please see attached for records

The gym doesn't have A/C. Large fans places on the gym floor but if you're a spectator be ready for…read morea sauna session! Parking wasn't so bad since it was after school hours.