I transferred my child from Highland Christian School about two years ago, and after having time to reflect on our experience--especially during and after the COVID period--I would like to share an objective review covering both strengths and areas of concern. First, regarding teacher resources, the school had some good teachers prior to COVID. However, many experienced teachers left after COVID, likely due in part to compensation and possibly other factors. Following this turnover, the school appeared to face significant staffing shortages. In response, the school hired individuals with limited formal teaching training, including classroom aides and, in some cases, individuals with personal connections to existing staff. Some of these individuals did not appear to have formal teaching credentials or licenses. This created inconsistency in instructional quality and classroom management. I am aware of families who withdrew their children after learning that their child's teacher did not have formal teaching qualifications. Second, the school appeared to have limited social-emotional support resources for students. There did not seem to be access to counselors, psychologists, or other professionals trained to support children's emotional and behavioral needs. Social-emotional support is essential for children's development, especially during challenging periods like the post-COVID transition. I also heard reports of students struggling with behavioral or emotional needs without sufficient professional support. This contributed to some families choosing to transfer their children to other schools. Third, the school's physical facilities were limited. The playground and parking lot shared the same space, which raised safety concerns during drop-off and pickup times when children were moving near vehicles. Outdoor recreational space was small, and there was no dedicated soccer field. While there was a basketball hoop, overall physical activity space was limited compared to other schools. One positive aspect is that the school provides Bible-based education, which may be meaningful and valuable for families seeking a Christian-centered environment. Overall, while the school may meet the needs of some families, our experience led us to seek a different educational environment. Since transferring, my children's current school provides licensed teachers, stronger social-emotional support resources, and more adequate facilities for both learning and physical activity. We have been very happy with the transition. read more

I do not recommend it. My son and I had the worst experience ever when he turned two y/o and was transitioning to a different level and wasn't fully potty trained yet. He had a few bathroom accidents, and I always provided lots of new and clean underwear and asked his teacher to discard the soiled ones in the trash. To my surprise, every time he had a bathroom accident (not often), the "number two" was sent home along with the soiled underwear, and many times, it messed up my washing machine. When I questioned the administration, she simply made fun of me and told me that if I wasn't happy about it, I was welcome to pull my son out of the school. She shook her shoulders like she didn't care about it. It wasn't a healthy Christian attitude and environment. The same treatment wasn't applied towards different races there. I always wondered why. read more

Head of school said (at the school orientation 2021-2022): "They are kids, sharing everything, holding hands, hugging each other ... we cannot worry about that much ... " "Its the school teachers we need to worry about, if they got Covid, no one will teach your kids you know ..." "We will wait and see what happen, we dont have plan yet ..." read more

Highlands staff has become family. The teachers truly care about my kids' growth and have taught them everything from writing to etiquette, and most importantly, how to have a relationship with God. I trust the school with my kids and that is not an easy thing a new parent can do! Other parents who have brought their kids here and have moved to new schools have mentioned that their kids are advanced in their classes and have excelled through the years because of Highlands. While I am sad that my son will no longer be in the preschool, I know he will have great memories and friends from his time there (and he will get to experience Academy). Thank you, Highlands, for all that you do in our community!! Praying that you can continue to make an impact for future students to come. read more

I am surprised that this school is still around and running. As a former student, I have witnessed quite a few objectively questionable things about this school -- especially for a "Christian" school: -A Pastor/teacher who watched pornography, sometimes in the classroom.  (the pastor/teacher in question was reported to the school by a friend of mine.   Although currently no longer with the school, he was given a "retirement party" rather than being disciplined for his actions). On the other hand, another teacher, who assisted with reporting this incident, was terminated for whistleblowing. -Teachers that were allowed to teach their own kids (son/daughters).  One kid was given an award at an end-of-year awards ceremony for being the highest academic achiever by his mom who was his 8th grade math teacher -- go figure.  Complete disregard to conflict-of-interest. -I observed a few middle and high school teachers, go along with students and verbally bully and make fun of other students, such as laughing at the kind/type of clothes they wear during spirit days or non-uniform days, and being a bit too friendly towards certain students -- even teachers going to students' homes to "hang out," teachers chatting with students, being friends on students' social media accounts, etc. -along with the two aforementioned points, there were blatant favoritism from admin and teachers towards certain students and complete disregard toward others, especially between students with parents employed with Highlands church or school, including an administrator changing grades for her son. As a adult now, looking back in retrospect what I've observed and experienced as a child and former student of this school, it was very concerning on what this school got away with over the years. read more

I very much disliked the environment that this school created for my daughter. My daughter and many students got sexually assaulted and the school did everything in their power to not expel the kid that assaulted them. One of the middle school home room teachers would bring politics into the classroom. During election year, this teacher asked my daughter and her science class who they would vote for when they were 12 and knew nothing about politics and even though they're legally allowed to do this, i didn't feel that it was right and I felt that parents who are considering to bring their child here should also be aware of this. I also didn't appreciate how the staff would overlook racist behavior from students. The education was great but the environment and the community was toxic and caused my daughter to almost dislike Christianity. Highlands needs to fire some staff!! read more

My daughters began attending Highlands at 18 months. I can't say the school is perfect. The school has been doing an excellent job keeping up with the constant challenges the pandemic has presented. And trying their best to keep the school and community safe. Their leadership have thought ahead in terms of safety and security by building a coded gate that encloses the school. Safety and security has been a top priority at Highlands. In addition, they are keeping their courses and adding electives instead of cutting back. Between office support staff, to classroom teachers, we are happy with Highlands. read more

At first I thought this school was too big and overwhelming for my child. I still decided to try it out. My child was in Bear, Tiger and eventually in KC class. They have nut free options and careful with snacks and lunch which was provided (preschool director is good- she was a Mexican lady but I dont remember her name). My child flourished with discipline, singing on stage, and phonics. read more

This School is A nightmare I cant wait for the year to end. Racial Favoritism , oh and if you child doenst belong to the staff relatives forget they will get any good treatmcero comunication , my child feels unsafe there . very few good teachers , cero parent involvement. So Dissapointed my child is very stressed and doesn't like to go to school anymore that is to be so concern of. So many incidents and administration cant do anything . they dont answer phonecalls grrrrrr . So upseting. I wish I can do cero star. The secretary is very unprofesional , disrespectul and shows favoritism and rude as wll If you are not Philipino you are not welcome. read more

Our daughter attended Highlands Christian School from Giraffe Class (preschool) until 5th grade. Excellent staff and teachers, and most importantly, our daughter thrived and was happy during her time there. Highly recommended! read more

I remember attending this school from 2nd to 3rd grade many years ago, and what an awful experience it was. They instill the word of the Bible in every subject they teach. They brainwash you from such an early age, to think that nothing else matters but the concept of "God" itself. Even certain celebrations like Halloween were forbidden topics, instead replaced by the term "Harvest Day". In the old days when Scholastic book order forms were popular, books such as "Harry Potter" were crossed out by pen by the teacher before being distributed, because any book related to sorcery or witchcraft were forbidden. During Easter, I remember one teacher saying that the concept of the Easter Bunny was a figure created by the devil himself. If you want your child to flourish, become a creative and productive member of society, for God's sake please avoid this "school" like the plague. read more

Our Son attends Highlands for preschool and we love the school. Everyone from the teachers, administrative staff and security are very nice, courteous and attentive To both the parents and the children. I was hesitant at first due to low reviews and no one we knew attended or heard of Highlands. I'm glad we took the chance. As first time parents to our only child, it's very stressful finding a school that will give you peace of mind especially if your child has to go there all day for the whole week. Any concerns I had regarding the drive Thru pick up drop off system or a misaligned step my son tripped over twice was promptly addressed and taken care of. You never want to be that parent but you also have to be your child's advocate until they can be their own. The staff at Highlands never made me feel like that which I'm eternally grateful for. The curriculum is also outstanding. We were given weekly notice of the weeks learning (one week included counting money!) I don't think I learned about money in preschool in my day. Even our Pediatrician was impressed with his schoolwork. Our Son will go there next year for Kindergarten. Give them a try. If you're concerned about costs, ask them about assistance. As a disclaimer, I'm not getting any compensation or tuition discount for this review. I just want to help another parent in their search for a preschool in our area. It was very hard for me when I was doing my own research. read more

Great school. I have 4 kids enrolled here since 18 months old and we love it! Amazing community and great learning environment for the kids. read more

This school goes above and beyond to communicate with you as the parent and lets you know your child is in great hands every single day! All staff members are lovely and pleasant to interact with! read more

8th grade graduation is justa round the corner- Super thank!!! As I am finally OVER with this school. I felt bad for some parents, thankfully WE managed to finish my daughter Volunteer Hours to send out before the due date. But, surprisingly or should I not be surprised with the constant UN-ORGANIZED Administration of this school- Recently I received an e-mail 3 days before the graduation that if the students not done or not submitted their volunteer hours diploma are not to be given during graduation. I understand about that sort of clearance but this should have been send out or inform all the parents/student at least 2 weeks of notice not 3 days before graduation. Then the sad part is. This lady who sends out e-mail to all parents to check REN-WEB whether if your student is still subject for completion of this volunteer hours. Here I am anxious parents receiving this e-mail and checking the REN-WEB, what else can you expect from Highlands Admin- REN-WEB website is not showing any tabs of information to check all these information where we can see how if the students are accumulated their hours or and a date that we can input the remaining information for completion. Sadly, this lady excuse was you probably using mobile Ren-Web. I just send out her e-mail saying I am not using mobile/cellphone base to check Ren-Web. Its funny I dont even downloaded any Mobile/cellphone Ren-Web app , instead Im using Mac Computer that has compatibility checking Ren-Web information What Im trying to say is, I hope before they send out this kind of information to all parents/students make sure all sorts of information are prepared and manageable to al especially to the parents so we can have a chance to fixed it. Unfortunately, Ren-Web has an incomplete information and hopefully Highlands Administrations should stop justifying their mistakes instead make it work for all especially to the parents which in the end it is beneficial to the school and students. read more

Both my son (5) and daughter (3) are currently in HCS preschool and I think I can never find another place like HCS that supports parents and loves our children. Teachers are patient, caring, and have extensive experience with children. Staff are welcoming, supportive and organized. Communication is transparent and clear. As a parent, I'm very satisfied with my kids' and my experiences in HCS, and my kids will be in HCS for kindergarten. read more

Very happy parents here. Our son has been attending Highland Christian for about 1.5 years now. We could not be happier with the school and staff and most importantly the growth of our son! He is 5 now and finishing up kinder college. This school met all our expectations and goals for our son. We feel very comfortable and confident as he transitions to kindergarten soon. We highly recommend Highland Christian School! You will not be disappointed! read more

I attended this school from Preschool through 8th grade. I would not recommend this school to anyone. Academically, I have no qualms. Where my concern kicks in is regarding the emotional and social health of students. As a student at Highlands Christian Schools, I was subject to the blatant favoritism and borderline abuse of the teachers. This school is rife with bullying, and the teachers only serve to emphasize this. Teachers, in an attempt to be "cool", would follow the students' lead and pick on less popular students. I was yelled at, had things thrown at me, had my stuff thrown out onto the roof, and was even told to kill myself. I was blatantly ignored when I brought up a sexual assault incident. I was punched twice in the head in front of a teacher, only for the teacher to laugh and ignore the situation. When I didn't have school supplies, I was laughed at by the teachers. When approaching teachers about bullying, I was told to handle it myself. When informing the administration that another student had threatened me, I was informed that it "would be handled". This student was in my class the next day, and for the next rest of the year. I was constantly being accused of being a liar or being told that I could not succeed in life. Now, years later and after a lot of therapy, I have learned that what I experienced was not right, and you should not let your children have to deal with that as well. I still have residual trauma from my time there, and am still working on overcoming the pain and horror this school put me through. read more

My daughter who is 3 has been going here since she was 15 months. I love this school. I feel like most of the teachers are really caring of their students. They teach my daughter songs, letters, numbers, helped potty train her, etc. I've had nothing but good experiences here. We are expecting another one on the way and we'll be putting baby #2 at Highlands as soon as she can be admitted. read more

Highlands christian is now combined with Alma heights in Pacifica. http://highlandschristianschools.com/pressrelease/index.html read more

Decent preschool with so so personal attention but low cost and decent food. 1-2 teachers often struggle with the number of students, and they always direct any questions to the principal, who is usually clueless... still they provide a good value for the money. Maybe a bit heavy with the whole religion thing if you aren't into it. read more

I really love the school and everyone that works here. My son goes to the preschool here and he's been here since he turned 2. This is a Christian school, and so they are very Bible based- Bible stories everyday, and pray before their meals. Every morning I drop off my son, his classmates would run over to give him a hug, and I see them doing that for all their classmates. I also see the children throwing away their own trash after eating their snacks, and a lot of please, thank you, and no thank you's. If you are a parent looking for a more academically focused preschool, then this may not be the school for you. But I'm so glad I brought my son here because I believe at this age it is more important for him to have a strong social and emotional development, and Highlands Christian School is doing a phenomenal job. Their teachers are all loving and caring and I know it's genuine, as I started coming to the church in the last year and I see many teachers volunteer at the childcare during Sunday service. You know they must love what they're doing if they would come on their day off after already being there for 5 days of the week! I trust and feel safe having my child growing up in a loving and inclusive environment like Highlands. Oh, and did I mention their fabulous breakfast and hot lunch everyday?!? read more

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I was honored to participate in Highlands' recent ad: https://youtu.be/TffYsRx3yGw as a graduate of HCS! I attended HCS from Kindergarten all the way through 8th grade--- at which point there was no option to stay since they hadn't opened a high school yet. I remember having a wonderful conversation with Mrs. Vernita Shelley towards the end of my 8th grade year where I got to share with her how sad I was to have to leave and I even said that Highlands should open a high school-- I'm glad they eventually did! My HCS experience gave me a foundation that not only propelled me through to Princeton, but continues to bear fruit in my life. I'll always, always be grateful for my time there! read more

My daughter goes to this school now, it's going on 3 months... I love it here, it's such a family atmosphere and all the kids are always happy! My daughter loves her teacher miss Josey... She is so patient and shows such love and care to those kids, she knows how to get them all to sit down and listen without being so stern... I love all the art work I get from her and it's all over my wall at home. Kids really learn here and have tons of fun while doing it. I highly recommend this school! The best choice I have made with my daughters childcare and education. read more

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Our boys started at Highlands preschool, and my oldest just finished 1st grade. Every teacher our boys had were very loving and caring for them and kept good communication with us whenever we had questions or concerns. The support staff were always very friendly and helpful. There were some concerning peer interactions with our oldest, which was immediately addressed and resolved by his teacher. Our youngest started there at 22 months and I give sole credit to his toddler teachers for getting him potty trained, we didn't have to do any of that. Even through the pandemic, I felt they did the best they could and follow county guidelines appropriately. Sure there were hiccups, but nothing egregious. It is very bittersweet to leave this loving community. Our oldest was recently diagnosed on the spectrum, and I appreciated the leadership meeting with us and being transparent about not having the capacity for special services (private schools don't receive govt funding to provide this like public schools do). I felt that they were very invested in both my kids (spiritually and academically), and only want the best for them, even if it means having them attend another school. My kids thrived here and I am thankful for what they have learned from Highlands! read more

My son has attended Highlands Christian School since he was a little guy going through Kinder College, Kindergarten and now first grade where the plug had finally been pulled. Due to personal circumstances with my ex wife he has been pulled for public school now. However, I do owe this institution a review for the time they did have him. They've honestly been a huge reason my son is who he is today, and not just academically. The school believes in core values which made our son compassionate, thoughtful and above all else a smart loving individual. The teachers here are very in tune with the students since the classes are small and keep us parents involved on a much more intimate level than you would get at most school these days. I'm thankful for all their help, and what they do for these kids. So if you're against religious practices, or have a problem with your child reading the bible you may want to pass. Although if you're religious and want your kid to have a great education you should really consider this school. read more

My child has been at Highlands Christian School for 5 years. First few years, no doubt, was nothing but awesome! Parents were well informed of upcoming events, calendars, sport schedules, field trip dates, etc.. But ever since the school is under a new superintendent, Mr. Miranda, it's a totally different story. School with lack of and or last minute communication to parents involving school performances, summer camp schedules, athletic program schedules, after school music classes, and even our child's last report card was mailed out 1.5 month after last day of school. In return, parents would receive multiple emails reminding us to pay on time with Registration Fees, Student Fees, and first school month Tuition! Totally ridiculous! Can't remember when was the last time I've seen Mr. Miranda had a smile or even greeted any parents in the hallway. He would avoid any eye contact or small talks with parents and students. Very unfriendly! Sadly, Highlands is more of a Filipino family owned business now. You will know what I'm talking about when you find out Administrators/Teachers are all related one way or another. Will not recommend this school as it is not as well organized and structured as before. read more

RUN DO NOT WALK. Do not send your children here. Terrible experience. My son was getting frequent tension headaches. Teachers impatient and do not explain assignments clearly and when the kids ask questions, they get yelled at so they are afraid to speak up. Then when parents go to the administration, you and your child are accused of fabricating things. Administration and teachers have a very close friendship so administration will not listen to parents' concerns. Not a healthy environment. Seem to only care about your tuition check. read more

Great school academically. Highly faith based school. Only thing I did not like about it is the cosmetic part of the classrooms. No windows, I felt claustrophobic. They really need to update, which is why I did not give it a full 5 stars. Also, the children are very sheltered, teachers do no give them a chance to pick themselves up. If you like your kids to be very protected bring them here. If you want them to live a little (get a little hurt, man up, etc), don't bring them here as it is a very sheltered school. But it works well for me because I am very overprotective Of my kids and I am into the academics part. Those who I know who graduated from this school are highly intelligent and very respectful, which is what counts for me! read more

My daughter's been here since preschool, and I have nothing but good things to say. The staff is friendly, and my daughter's thriving, coming home daily with new skills that I forget how old she really is. What's most important to me is how excited my daughter is to go to school everyday. Thank you, Highlands for helping me raise my daughter! read more

They have a great preschool curriculum. My daughter been attending Highlands since 3 yrs old and she's in the Kinder College class now (4 1/2). We are enrolling our 3 yr old son this summer as well. They have great flexible hours from 7-6 pm if enroll full time. It's a blessing for working parents. It's not a daycare because the kids really do learn A LOT! The teachers are real compassionate and care a lot about their students. The biggest plus for me is that they're super sanitized. I have seen the teachers sterilize/wipe down all their toys before class. They're extremely organized as well. My daughter was being picked on by a boy in her class. (kicking her chair, hitting her) We spoke to the Director Melanie and she took care of the situation right away. Instead of moving the boy to another table right away she wanted my daughter to learn how to speak up and let the teachers know. They eventually moved him to another table after 2 weeks. The reason why I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because I would like it if we had parent-teacher conference just to see our children's improvement/progress report. That's the only downside to the school. There's no parent involvement very simple- you pay the tuition and they take care of your child. It's a very safe and happy environment. read more

A while back, there were several reviews that were negative about Highlands and now I see only glowing reviews...I wonder how that is. Heres the thing: if you only care about your child being academic, go to Highlands. If you want some warmth mixed in with the learning...go elsewhere. My son, at four years old, went to the preschool at Highlands. I went to Highlands for junior high school and high school and I felt at the time they were great to kids. My school years there were sort of a joke, I got away with murder (I guess they wanted the tuition more than anything so they never got rid of me) and there was hardly any homework. Well gee, that changed! My four year old son was expected to READ and write like a first or second grader. His main teacher was cold and hard on him. My God he was only FOUR! Its weird....the school is Christian but they sure didnt have a Christian attitude about the kids there...My son, now eight, STILL remembers how he was treated at Highlands. When we drive by there he will point and say "mommy, they were so mean there" I definitely blew it by putting him there. My younger son went to St Andrews and had a wonderful time. I wish I had put my older boy there too so he could at least have had a good time, being he was so young. In my opinion, if you want your child to feel warmth and peace as a very young child, go elsewhere.. Remember, they are JUSt babies!! St. Andrews is a wonderful preschool. when I thanked them for their kindness of my younger child, I broke down and cried because my older was treated with such coldness.; read more

The school orders KFC and Pizza without any health vegetables for lunch some times. And I think this is NOT acceptable

I attended Highlands since I was a baby and (at the time) could not wait to leave after 8th grade. But looking back I have to say, I learned so much and had such great encouragement from teachers and coaches. The education and skills I learned at Highlands have continued to be useful (even in my adulthood). I couldn't have asked for a better school and now I'm thankful. read more

Ah highlands. I attended this school for 6 years. I received the best education a person could get. As it is Christian, everybody is so friendly and helpful. However, at times, they can get close-minded. They refuse to accept evolution because they believe that it talks about the creation of life. That is a common misconception. Evolution is not about the origin of life. It is a term explaining the change in populations over time. There is uniform policy. A typical class size average would be about 40-50 students. Student-teacher ratio would be from about 20:1. I believe that if you want your child to have a good education in elementary and junior high, this is the perfect school to go to. This school helped me get into Saint Ignatius. It helped others to get into Sacred Heart, Mercy, and Notre Dame. Highlands high school has recently combined with the high school of Alma Heights Christian Academy in Pacifica if my sources are correct. If you want your child to have a good high school experience, I would advise you to investigate your other options. Typically, Christian schools are the best in education for an elementary or junior high school student while Catholic schools are superior in the education of a high school student. Highlands is good if you have a child in elementary or junior high. But please check all your options if you have a high school student. read more

I wrote a review about my grandson's awful experience as opposed to my daughter's good experience and it is now gone. There was another review similar to mine about another boy in the preschool who had a terrible time in the same type of way. Shaming, intimidation, bruises and marks with lame excuses always blaming the child. Teachers and directors aligning against the child and parent. It is a total shame, since this was once a great preschool. My grandson is finally regaining confidence, losing the fear he had received from his "teacher". She was so demeaning, obviously not interested in children, and had no patience. She was defended by the director while she made an example of him in front of his class for nothing. We all know he's no angel, but the things being said are not the things we would expect to hear about him. I hope this review does NOT get removed again after a month on here. What a crock. read more

I would have to say that Highlands Christian Schools is amazing. Both of my children graduated from Highlands and moved on to Alma Heights Christian Academy in Pacifica. They absolutely LOVED it; since the time they were in pre-school until the time they graduated. I, myself, am glad that I sent my children there. Highlands has a very safe environment, has a high curriculum, and the teachers are absolutely amazing; everything about it is great! If you want to send your child to a Christian School I definitely recommend Highlands. The administration is cooperative and wonderful. read more

If you are looking for a christian school and high on academics, Highlands Christian School is the way go. If you decide to stay for there high school or apply somewhere else, Highlands Christian speaks for it self when applying to Serra, St. Francis, S.I., or anywhere in the W.C.A.L. schools. My older son made it to Serra when they knew he was from Highlands Christian in San Bruno because the kids are well disciplined in school work, behavior and manners. read more

My child was attending highlands for two years and I pulled her out as soon as she turned kindergarten last year. Highland's preschool has a high turnover of teachers, which shows that the teachers are leaving because of a better working environment else where. The teachers are 50/50, some teachers truly cares about the kids, and some seems like they just see your kid as a paycheck. Most of the teachers all look unhappy and overworked. I gave Highlands a pretty good 2 out of 5 due to their flexible hours, which is great for working parents. There had been numerous times, in which my child came home with scratches and bumps on the face and body, and had no explanations or accident paperwork. And if you bring up questions or concerns to the directors, they do not welcome your concerns, as if it was all made up. With the tuition you pay, and the lack of care, I cannot give the preschool more than 2 out of 5. The remaining long term teachers and directors are friends outside Highlands, so good luck with the Open Door Policy, as they gossip about your child. I have read other parent's comments regarding the Directors of Highlands Preschool, and how condescending they are. The reviews were from 2013 and 2011, and it is still the same. Definitely lacks professionalism and training. read more