We have been a KLS family since 2016. I have 2 boys, both who started in Kindergarten. We have…read moreseen much change throughout the years but I am truly feeling the strongest I have ever about KLS this year. I truly believe we finally have the right team in place to lead us into the next phase. The team genuinely cares about the kids and what is best for them. Especially in light of the current crisis, we have seen the team unified, communicate often + clearly, ready/able to execute a move to distance learning that executed pretty flawlessly (considering everything), adapting to feedback from students/families, transparency in communication and most important leadership during difficult times. Thank you KLS! What a journey it has been. We are grateful for all that you do.

My daughter has attended KLS for a year and a half. The school's approach to learning fits very…read morewell with our philosophy of bringing up children. Grouping students of mixed ages into independence levels is something that I wish more schools adopted. Focus on mastery is another thing I like. We also liked the extensive use of placement tests to figure out the right level of classes for students. Small class sizes made it easier to learn new concepts in an effective way. If your child needs to learn at a different pace (faster or slower) than the regular progression of grades would allow in a school with big classrooms, you will love how the curriculum is tailored to each student. My favorite class was the studio which combined interdisciplinary knowledge into a a sequence of projects under a single theme in a school year. One things that some families may have a hard time adjusting to is the pace of changes. This is a "lab" school which means that new ideas are introduced to improve how the school works and if the ideas don't work well, they are replaced with new ideas. This also causes a higher then ideal turnover in staff but I think that this may be a good price to pay for access to innovative teaching.

Ventana School is a truly wonderful school and I'd give it my highest recommendation. It starts…read morewith the leadership, who are a passionate group with a founder's mentality and a strong philosophy on how to inspire lifelong learners. And, this ethos and commitment extends down the line, through the teachers, administrative staff and the students themselves. I am blown away at how well each of the teachers understands the Ventana goals and curiosity-based (Reggio) method of teaching, and how they can explain how classroom structure, lessons and activities relate to it. And at how the kids understand it, and apply it. This is not just a stale mission statement taped to a wall somewhere. It's a real intellectual commitment and culture, and it shows. We've been at Ventana preschool for a couple of years, and a few other great things stand out. First, everyone cares. The environment is nurturing, and beyond that, deeply invested in the long-term success of your child. Second, the parents community is wonderful. We've met great new friends through the program, and been delighted by the way people show up to activities and care for each other with the parent groups. And we've found folks to be pretty down to earth for a Bay Area private school (and we've seen a couple other programs, so this is at least a somewhat qualified comparison). Lastly, we've seen the kind of kids that graduate out of the program. The Ventana philosophy really seems to deliver. The leadership recently noted that in an incoming Stanford class, there are 3 Ventana alums. 3 students out of a single-class graduating size is impressive. More impressive is how well-rounded the 5th graders are. They are articulate, grounded, capable of holding complex abstract extemporaneous conversations with adults. We look forward to the rest of the journey for our little one!

This school is such a gem! If you are looking for something super traditional, full of worksheets…read moreand conformity, then this is not the place for you. However, if you value kindness, hands-on learning, collaboration, joyfulness, and creativity, then Ventana is a tremendous option. I have had three children graduate from the school, and have a fourth currently there. All of my children are very different learners - whether seeking extra challenge and depth, or needing some learning support - and they have all thrived at the school. Ventana's real secret is the way that they get to know and treasure your child. Children at Ventana feel 100% seen, heard, and respected by adults. They are treated as competent and so they respond with competence, which is a key and transformative tenet of Reggio Emilia education. The social-emotional curriculum is intentional, consistent, and effective, and graduates of Ventana know how to conduct themselves in all kinds of social and group settings. All of my children have consistently received praise from their middle and high schools about their ability to get along with others in both social and work/project settings, which was one of our primary goals for their education. Another critical piece of a Ventana education is the confidence of their graduates. They are all children who know exactly who they are, are proud of that identity, and have no hesitation in advocating for themselves. We also have high standards for academics and did not want a school that focused on SEL and soft skills at the expense of academics. We have been very happy with the rigor of the academics, and our children have been well prepared to go on to top private middle and high schools in the area. Singapore Math is a very intuitive and effective curriculum, and our kids have graduated "ahead" in math, without any outside work or tutoring. The writing program is particularly robust and produces sophisticated and enthusiastic writers. The art program is just awe-inspiring - the art the kids create is unique and meaningful, led by an amazing art teacher. My kids adored the tinkering program, as well as music and lots of fun afterschool classes like robotics and sewing. The preschool is full of wonder and charm. Academics are taught in organic, intriguing ways through the Reggio Emilia-style emergent curriculum. For example, one class was enthralled by the Golden Gate bridge. They studied the architecture then built a replica out of blocks and recycled materials. When one student was afraid that their creation might be "cleaned away" by the cleaning crew at night, they decided to write signs asking that it not be thrown out - and learned about their letters. They practiced numbers and one-to-one correspondence by setting up a working toll both and counting tolls. I wanted my kids to feel magic and joy when they were in those critical early years, and to come out loving to learn for the sake of learning itself - and this is exactly what we got at Ventana.

Excellent Christian, classical education...My daughter has been attending for over 5 years...High…read morequality teaching and supporting environment. High recommended.

After having to move to another city & distance this past summer, our little daughter had to leave…read moreCanterbury Christian School after attending K5 & 1st grade. We've tried another Christian school closer to our new home & workplace. After 5 days of the new school, our little family decided to drive a distance just so our daughter can be back @ Canterbury Christian School. Canterbury is where she thrives, grow, learn, & be happy. The other school was very nice, but they are missing a detailed education curriculum, discipline, sincere care for every child from all teachers & staff, mannerism, respect, a very different culture. Canterbury Christian School has a much higher standard in education & culture than a typical Christian school. There is no comparison. They are like family. The Canterbury parents are extremely friendly with Christian values. The Canterbury culture is exceptional & therefore I & our little family would recommend this school to all. Your child's core foundation will affect them for the rest of their lives so picking the right school is extremely important. We are thankful to comeback to the Canterbury Family!

I attended Pinewood a couple years ago. I am now at an elite university on the East Coast…read more I think that Pinewood is excellent because the teachers are able to provide you with one-on-one attention. Very good for college recs obviously. Public school ones might be very general... Anyways, teachers will help you during lunch and even after school, when they are not being paid. I think it's cool how they have math help hours after school with Mr. Green (if he even works there). My favorite math teacher was Ms. Walters (Genius lady :) ) Overall, the homework is not that excessive, and, more often than not, if we are ahead of the material, we can use the time to work on assignments for a portion of the class. The English department is good, however, I would appreciate it if they would have been stricter on us. Honestly, the longest paper I ever wrote was a 10 page paper for AP US Gov, and we allocated class time to write it. In English the longest paper was about 5 pages. I wish that the length and standards for papers would increase as one takes more advanced courses. The English department prepares you well for writing 25 minute essays for AP exams, but does not prepare you for 10-20 page papers you have to write as a college freshman at top colleges (Ivy leagues, top LAC, or top UC's). Please add a writing intensive course for seniors that IS NOT GRADED, that way students can learn to write college level papers without feeling so much pressure. Just make it a graduation requirement. The Spanish language department seemed to be more demanding than the French language department. I think because Ms. Schmidt was very very strict. I think she retired now. However, Mr. Tezlaff and Madame Daniel were/are very approachable and would always practice French with you whenever you need. They want you to succeed on the National French Contest and do well on AP French! Merci beaucoup mes professeurs. If your child does have a learning disability, the school will accommodate with longer test times, separate exam rooms, and sometimes extra hours of help with a teacher, so long as you can provide a paper verifying the disability. Also, of course disability is confidential information and students are not let known of classmates' disability. It is very common for children at PW to suffer from social anxiety, test anxiety, and depression though. Extracurriculars such as sports were really fun and the coaches (thanks Craig and Jackee) are really passionate! My main complaint is that the school lacks racial diversity. Of course this is because those who can afford the school are primarily White and Asian (South Asian as well as East Asian). When there were black and brown students (some of whom are on academic/athletic scholarship) many would feel ostracized and out of place and often leave after freshman year. Please provide counseling services/ extra funding for students of color. I specifically remember always having to pay tons of money for new uniforms (they would change each season) and new equipment. I would have appreciated it if there was fund that could help scholarship students with sports/extracurricular fees.

I went to Pinewood during the 80's, from kindergarten through sixth grade. I am still good friends…read morewith several people from my class, none of who stayed at Pinewood through high school. I say this because we feel like the best education we got, and the hardest we ever worked in K-12, was during our Pinewood years. What stands out to me is the fact that Pinewood did a wonderful job of enabling us to develop academically as well as artistically. They found a balance between the phonics-based Carden method, daily reading groups, math, science, and social studies classes, and the singing, drama, P.E., and art classes. Whenever I see Beatrix Potter books I flash back to 1st grade, and what would I do without my vast collection of oil paintings and clay sculptures of horses made during seven years of art, or my memories of being in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and "The Velveteen Rabbit" on the Pinewood stage. Pinewood was also strict in the sense that we feared the "demerit" and worse, "getting ten" which meant you had earned ten demerits that week and would have to see the principal. I think from that we learned responsibility and how to respect others, from our peers to our teachers. From following others in my class through Facebook updates and periodic announcements in the Los Altos Town Crier, I know many of us have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and earn PhDs in subjects like bioengineering, computer science (or English- me- maybe that's liability to the Pinewood reputation, hah). However, most of us also came from the kind of high achieving, upper middle class, occasionally dysfunctional families that make those kind of achievements seem average, and admittedly, I was a little bit of a snob coming out of Pinewood, thinking only bad students would "have" to go to a UC instead of an Ivy. In those ways, Pinewood isolated us from the realities that not every kid could have their own pony or live in their own estate, and that could certainly be held against the school, our parents, and us. Knowing what the tuition is now, I don't know how people can afford to send one, let alone multiple, kid(s) there, and I wonder if the class-based elitism is still pervasive. Weighing those two sides of the coin- the fantastic academic and artistic education against the narrow exposure to others from any other socio-economic or religious backgrounds (most of the kids in my class were from the dominant Pinewood Mormon families)- a Pinewood education might not be the right choice for everyone. However, I am still grateful for the academic foundation I received there, and the real world came anyway, after I left Pinewood.

Great school, wonderful community. They really care for the children and their development…read more(personal and academic). I could not recommend more this school. Thank you St Joseph and all their teachers and administration.

I love this school! This is my daughter's second year. The…read moreteachers have not only been good, they have been EXCEPTIONAL! The classes are small so there is frequent interaction with my daughter's kindergarten teacher. Students get to know other students and parents get to know other parents. We enrolled in this school after looking at several options and this was the best decision we made! In addition to academics, our daughter is receiving character development through the emphasis on community. The parent network is strong and many volunteers take an interest in their children. During parent-teacher conferences, I noticed great attendance from both mothers and fathers. Parents socialize together frequently. My daughter has built many friendships. My daughter is in the early years of school, but even middle and elementary school kids seem to know her. She feels super special when older kids say hello to her, which they do often, as the kids here are so polite! There is strong academics at many schools, including this one. This school sets itself apart in everything else! It's the best school.

Our family has had such a wonderful experience at LACS. From the very beginning, it was clear that…read morethe staff truly care about each student--not just academically, but spiritually and emotionally as well. The teachers are incredibly dedicated, creating a nurturing environment where children feel supported, encouraged, and inspired to grow. Our son has absolutely thrived here. He has gained confidence, developed strong character, and built meaningful friendships within a community that emphasizes kindness, respect, and faith. The integration of Christian values into everyday learning has made a lasting impact on him, helping shape not only his education but also who he is becoming as a person. What stands out most is the sense of community. Families, teachers, and staff work together in such a positive and uplifting way. There's a genuine feeling of belonging that makes this school truly special. We are so grateful for the love, guidance, and commitment the staff pour into their students every day. This school has been a blessing to our family, and we wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a supportive, values-centered education.

LACS has been great for my daughter. The staff and faculty are loving and care about the…read moredevelopment of my child as a person as well as academics.

The state of the running track at this establishment is subpar. It is worn down to the asphalt…read moreunderneath in many places. I hope it gets redone soon.

This is a very nice school with a big campus. Teachers and students are both helpful here. This is…read morea high school but it looks more like a college.

I think that it is great that all the kids get a lot of opportunities because they have lots of…read morespecials like drama, music, P.E , and others. The teachers are very nice and are very supportive. The teachers are very friendly, helpful. and very flexible. My neighbors attend to Bullis north and love it! They think that it is much better than the other schools. One thing I really like about this school is that they still go to overnight field trips even though it is a public school. The school has lots of fun activity's and you should go to that school.

it is my school and it has such great friends I've been here for years . so fun and I th you should…read morebe here

I attended MVA and it really changed the course of my life. I made lasting friendships and grew in…read moremy relationship with God. I had never known any teenagers before that actually showed they loved God and respected Him and weren't afraid to show it. I now send my teenagers to MVA and they have had so many opportunities. The classes they need are available to them, there are so many leadership opportunities and volunteer opportunities for them here. The teachers have been great and easy to communicate with, very dedicated and understanding. Being a smaller size in number gives more students a chance to play sports and join other extra curricular activities as well. While all of the academic programs are all great, my favorite thing is that they have a worship time in the chapel everyday. The students also visit the churches and sing or play in the worship band. I am thankful to God for providing MVA, He is leading in this school and I pray He continues to bless the school, the families, and the community. I absolutely recommend MVA

Both of my teenagers attend to this private school, definitely I'm more than happy to recommend…read morethis great Christian high school.

This place is really clean and the teachers are nice. They seem to keep the students attention and…read morewell behaved which makes for a great teacher.

Our daughter has been at Bowman for a year, and our whole family loves it! The individualized,…read moreself-driven learning approach at the core of Montessori has been terrific for her, and the year-round schedule and late-day pickups have been great for us as working parents. Since we started during Covid, we don't really know much yet about the larger school community, but all the families we've met have been lovely -- and from so many countries around the world! Our daughter is learning about art, world cultures, geography, science and history while also making steady, stress-free progress in reading, writing and math. She has great relationships with her teachers and friends, looks forward to going to school every day, and is becoming more responsible and independent, in part through her "jobs" at school and her role as one of the older kids in her multi-age classroom. Bowman's leaders have been amazing through Covid, and they are clearly recognized as Montessori experts across the US. We were a little hesitant at first about the structure of the Montessori "method" and the level of intense devotion you encounter online about it, but having seen how our daughter has thrived in the Montessori environment, we're pretty much total converts. We have wonderful public schools in our area, but the idea of transitioning our daughter from full-time preschool into a 3-4 hr/day, 9 mon/yr TK program was really unappealing, for her and for us. That's a big part of what led us to Bowman in her TK year, but it's the quality of the educational and developmental experience at Bowman that has us staying for kindergarten, and almost certainly beyond.