Sport L.'s experience doesn't reflect the Redwood Day School that I send my kids to. Redwood Day is…read moregreat in so many ways, from the teachers, administration, the beautiful campus, and a true sense of community. I have two kids at the school, and I am grateful that I made the decision to send them here for these very important years of their education. For math, the school uses a hybrid form of Singapore Math, which for most parents seems very different from what we learned, but it works (and has success metrics - students in Singapore have one of the highest math mastery in the world). They use a different model in the Middle School for the 6-8th span that equally prepares students for higher level math in High School. Redwood Day has ways for kids who need or seek more in math - my kids are always challenged. They also have a Math Olympiad program and programs/staff to help students who may need additional support. I have never found Redwood Day to be lacking in helping my kids learn, grow, and master math. Culture and celebrations are also very integrated at the school - which celebrates everything from Latin, African American, Asian American, and Jewish Heritage months to Women's History. The school is having something for Ramadan, and I know they have also hosted a Shabbat dinner in addition to other cultural celebrations. All to say, Redwood Day is super inclusive, and my kids come home learning a lot about their friends' cultural traditions - just a couple weeks ago, they did a Holi event. No school is perfect, but I believe that Redwood Day is always evolving, changing, and listening to the parent community. For discipline, I'm thankful for the social and emotional learning that starts in K and goes through 8th. Even as 5 year olds, kids learn about choices, options for dealing with conflict, and what and how to make different (and better) choices when there is conflict. I don't know what the prior post means about authoritative discipline, but long gone are the days of that type of discipline model. My kids (and these next generations) need to learn self-awareness, self-regulation, critical thinking, and agency in working out their own differences - with the guidance and oversight of teachers, coaches, mentors, and role models. Personally, I much prefer that my children talk through issues with their friends, take accountability, practice humility, and have the support of trusted adults to help them navigate challenges. Not everyone is the right fit for any school - and as a parent, it is absolutely on us to ensure that we find mutual synergy with the school, teachers, faculty, and community. For me, Redwood Day was the absolute right choice for my kids - and I know they are more because of it.

Sometimes I get parents who reach out and ask me more about redwood day school to them I say we…read moreleft here and went to Berkwood Hedge School in Berkeley where my daughter thrived. We made it though covid with an amazing pivot to outdoor classrooms and my child didn't miss a beat. She's now in a public middle school: wise, self assured, kind. confident and getting straight A's. I believe her courage and strong sense of self come from the education she received at Berkwood Hedge School. If you're looking for a truly inspiring progressive independent education check them out. Not as many Bells and whistles but what matters is there the heart and the academics.

St. Paul's Episcopal School in Oakland is AMAZING! A strong academic program paired with real…read moreworld skills and an inclusive environment make for an amazing learning experience. The community and education at St. Paul's are top notch!

St. Paul's Episcopal School (SPES) in Oakland has been an incredible experience for our family as…read moreLGBTQ+ parents with two kids attending. From the moment we joined the school community, we've felt welcomed, valued, and supported in a way that's truly meaningful to us. SPES is not just a school--it's a place where diversity and inclusion are celebrated, and every family is embraced. The teachers at SPES are extraordinary. They are kind, engaging, and genuinely invested in each student's success, creating a supportive and inclusive environment where our kids feel seen, respected, and encouraged to thrive. The school also provides ample resources, from state-of-the-art technology to classroom supplies, making learning accessible, engaging, and exciting for every child. What stands out most about SPES is its unwavering commitment to diversity. The student body reflects a wide range of backgrounds, and this rich diversity is woven into the fabric of the school's culture. Weekly Friday chapel gatherings are a highlight, bringing the community together to reflect on shared values and showcase the unique voices and perspectives of different grades. These gatherings create a strong sense of belonging and unity, making every family feel like an integral part of the school. At SPES, diversity and inclusion are not "marketing taglines" or a box to check--they are fundamental to who we are. The school was founded 50 years ago in response to the civil rights movement, and these values and principles are deeply embedded in our DNA. They guide everything we do, from the way we teach to how we build community. SPES also excels in social-emotional learning through its "People Power Skills" framework. This program equips students with the tools to navigate relationships, practice kindness, and build empathy. It's inspiring to see our kids not only learning these skills but also applying them in their daily interactions. The framework helps create a respectful, supportive environment that prioritizes emotional growth alongside academic success. As LGBTQ+ parents, we deeply appreciate how SPES fosters an inclusive atmosphere where all families are welcomed and celebrated. Our kids are growing up in an environment that values compassion, diversity, and acceptance--qualities we hold dear. It's a school where they feel safe and proud of their family, and that means the world to us. St. Paul's is a place where academics, culture, and emotional well-being come together seamlessly. For LGBTQ+ families--or any family looking for a school that truly embodies inclusion and excellence--SPES is an outstanding choice. It's been a wonderful home for our kids and our family, and we couldn't recommend it more highly.

I think that the new principle has definitely changed things for the better. I'm excited to see…read morewhat else he comes up with that is new and creative. The parents and community have been really reacting well to him....very good thing. I went here, my middle sister went here, my best friends went here, my youngest sister goes here, my younger cousin as well. Its just a really good place to raise your kids. Not just because of the school, but the community around as well. Laurel district ROCKS

We sent our 5 year old to Laurel for kinder mainly just because it was the local school, but it has…read moreturned out to be a great experience. The teachers and staff and principal all seem to genuinely care and be good at their jobs, and it shows in the happiness of the kids. As an example, my kid for some reason we may never know was scared to go into the lunch line at the cafeteria, and therefor wasn't eating lunch. I mentioned this to the principal who happened to be outside before school and he took us right at that moment to go meet the lunch lady and practice going through the line, and then when we got to class I told the teacher why we were a couple minutes late the teacher said he would walk with my son into the lunch line that day. He's been eating school lunch every day since. He plays better with other kids than he ever did in preschool. Oh, he also reads at a 2nd grade level (but I get part of the credit for that!). They have a pretty awesome brand new playground, a garden, fieldtrips, music class, (optional) parent meetings and volunteer opportunities, and a pretty good budget for a public school. We'll be sending our second kid here in a few years once she's old enough

My experience with Northern Light School was extremely disappointing. After removing my child and…read moreenrolling them in another private school, I could clearly see how academically behind my child was. The difference in curriculum, expectations, homework, and preparation was obvious. For a private school, the product does NOT match the price tag. The curriculum did not compare to what my child receives now. Homework was poor, and I often felt like I had to teach my own child at home. Parents should not pay private-school tuition and still have to teach the curriculum themselves. There is a serious lack of transparency. Parents should be able to see student work, testing scores, academic progress, and meaningful statistics. Conferences and Back to School Night provided very little substance. Parents should not have to guess where their child stands academically or be discouraged from seeing what is happening in classrooms. I also had concerns about teachers being mean or treating children poorly behind closed doors. When concerns were raised, I felt administrators made excuses, defended the behavior, and ignored the concerns. Constructive criticism was not welcomed, and I felt administration and teachers became defensive instead of working with me and became very unprofessional, to the point not speaking and other administrators acting in same rude manner! There were also inconsistent school-wide rules and expectations. I strongly disagreed with the school's approach to ADHD and neurodivergence. From my experience, there was too much emphasis on pushing the idea of neurodivergence and encouraging children to question whether they were neurodivergent. Children should be supported without being pushed toward a label or agenda. I also felt Northern Light had moved away from the professional-family environment I originally associated with the school and was accepting families who did not seem aligned with the professional, academic, and behavioral culture I expected. The facilities are old, staff appeared burnt out, and the school needs fresh leadership, including more male leaders. There needs to be accountability above administration and a place for parents to be heard. After transferring my child to another private school, the academic difference became undeniable. My child is now receiving stronger curriculum, expectations, and preparation. Moving my child was the right decision. Northern Light needs more transparency, accountability, stronger academics, consistent rules, better leadership, and a serious evaluation of whether the education actually justifies the price.

I am an alum of NLS from a single parent home in East Oakland. From there I went to Marin Academy…read morefor high school, received a bachelor's degree in economics from UC Berkeley, last year I received my MBA from Stanford University, and I currently work at Google. I would not have achieved any of those things without NLS. I split my elementary school years between public school and private school, so I'll speak to what makes NLS special. From my perspective, many schools (public and private) can provide a strong academic foundation. NLS was just as good as my strong public school in that regard. What I gained from NLS is belief in myself that anything is possible. It came from the dreams fulfilled that line the walls, the stories told at morning circle, and from teachers and administrators truly caring about what I wanted to be when I grew up. And in a practical sense, the school provided access, access to the most elite prep high schools in the U.S. Before NLS, I had not even heard of the majority of them. NLS represents a turning point in my life in terms of building confidence, ambition, and knowledge of opportunities that were previously unknown to me.

I sent my child here for less than a full school year, from the age of two to close to three years…read moreold. It's a beautiful school with great teachers. All that you want out of a Montessori education is here. He got a lot out of it and usually wanted to stay at the end of the day. He learned many interesting skills and they took good care of him. The only reason we left is that we had to move far away. Why 4 stars? In a word, it's expensive. The tuition is really high. It costs more than college. One kid at the age of 2 going full time was $1791/month. Add to this various fees. Also add to this that they are closed usually several times a month, and you have to find alternate child care or sometimes they have alternate care for $80/day (!) on top of the regular tuition. If you want to pay for a lunch through their program, it costs $6. Granted, it's organic and locally sourced, but seriously, $6 for a 2 year old's lunch that consists of a few steamed vegetables and a tiny slice of pizza? It was a drawback for me.

I really was impressed with this school for the two years my daughter attended. Her teachers worked…read morewith her, especially when her behavior got squirrelly during the worst days of my divorce from her abusive father. I LOVED this school. I raved about it to anyone who would listen. However, what happened at the end of her second year has led me to give them this negative review. My ex was on the hook for school fees per court order so he went in to the headmistress Helen Campbell and the business manager Nancy Haskins and told them I'd forged his signature. They had just offered her a 66% scholarship so she could finish her kindergarten cycle and prevent even more upheaval in her life. Rather than talking to me about it, they broke the contract and categorically removed her financial aid and dropped her enrollment. I could have straightened the whole thing out, even provided them with a copy of the forensic document examiner's report that I got after the fact showing my ex had manipulated them, but they weren't interested. To add insult to injury, they knew they were in trouble for breaking the contract so they made up a bunch of stuff about me in a letter to Community Care Licensing and distorted events that had actually happened to make me out to be a problem parent and that was why they broke the contract only weeks after they'd signed it. They provided a copy of this letter to my ex, who used it in custody court and then proceeded to make life even more miserable for me and my children. I was never informed by the school exactly why they'd dropped me. I just got a short, hostile phone call from Nancy Haskins that said it was all my fault and I could have prevented it if I'd wanted to. I didn't hear the "real" reason until my ex filed their letter in court as an exhibit in a pleading. During the first year that I was struggling to survive after leaving my husband, and dealing with his reindeer games, my daughter's teacher was very sympathetic, telling me that if she "had to choose a side, it would be mine." She compared my ex to Hans Reiser, whose children with Nina Reiser had also attended GLM. I can't help wondering if they treated Nina Reiser like they did me, and pulled their support from her when she needed it most. Sad to say, this teacher also ended up writing a distorted letter about me and that betrayal hurt the worst of all. I'm pretty sure I glimpsed her at Summitt Hospital last week; when she saw me, she turned around and walked the other way as fast as she could go. So at least she has the grace to be ashamed of herself. An apology would be nicer, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm most angry with this school and their unprofessional treatment of my child because they completely dropped us from alumni lists so we don't get invited to things like the Back to School Carnival, and all the parents of my daughter's friends started avoiding us and wouldn't set up play dates with her. I think it's despicable that my poor kid, who needed stability in her life, lost not only a stable educational situation, but all of her beloved friends in one fell swoop. This is after taking thousands and thousands of dollars of her savings for her education the previous two years. I guess once the money ran out, their concern for her welfare ran out too. They made all this noise about wanting only what is best for my child, and then stabbed her in the back in a most despicable manner. Nancy and Helen, if you're reading, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. I hope that all parents reading this review think long and hard about getting involved with this school. The underhanded, malicious behavior of the administration of the school is something that should be avoided. In a word, sleazy. There are schools just as good for less money.

The school may seem nice and the staff may seem nice as well but if you have a child that has a IEP…read moreI WOULDN'T recommend the school at all. They keep them separated from the rest of the school in the back. There is no other staff that checks on them they're very understaffed. The kids are running around and screaming. There's no structure. It's a pretty dangerous environment for kids with special needs. ms walter always seemed stressed overwhelmed, and doesn't enjoy her job. if you are a parent and your child has special needs and they go there I would recommend to just go and sit in the class for one day and see for yourself!

This school is a Gem. All teachers are very dedicated. Because it's small, everyone knows each…read moreother and practice and teach their values of "safe, respectful, responsible". My little one loved the trees around and peaceful neighborhood, the garden, the playground, field, the library and his friends. You can tell the principal, teachers and staff care about the kids, and there are always other adults assisting around for special education and enrichment activities. Wish we could have stayed longer and support the PTA.

Wonderful Preschool! We've been at Growing Light for the…read morelast few years and love the school, teachers, and other families. Ms. Awa (the school director) leads a fantastic staff of dedicated teachers and we always feel that our kids are cared for, safe, and getting a great education. So happy that we are part of the GLM community.

From the moment we first walked into Growing Light Montessori School (GLMS), we knew it was the…read moreright place for our family. Our child attended for the past 3 years (recently graduated), and we couldn't be happier with the love, patience, and creativity that the administrators and teachers bring to the classroom every single day. What stands out most is how every staff member truly sees the kids. They don't just supervise; they nurture. Our child comes home excited to tell us about art projects, science experiments, songs, and new friendships. We've noticed such growth in confidence, kindness, and curiosity since starting here. The communication with families is also outstanding. Ms. Awa (school director) takes time to personally check in and always makes sure we feel informed and heard. The teachers send updates and photos that brighten our day and make us feel connected to what's happening in the classroom. It's clear that GLMS is more than just a school... it's a community! The small touches (from thoughtfully prepared activities to celebrating each child's unique personality) make all the difference. If you are looking for a preschool where your child will be safe, inspired, and truly cared for, I wholeheartedly recommend Growing Light Montessori School. We feel so grateful to have found this school!

I have found this school to be full of staff that are very thoughtful, intentional, and loving of…read morethe larger community that they serve. The founder/head Michelle is a passionate leader who is in her purpose and it jumps right off of her when you meet her. I strongly recommend Pear Tree as they really do an exceptional job of wrapping around the youth. They promote and build a strong sense of community and ownership of the youth's educational advancement here. My plan is to bring others to this environment. Our son loves it here. Fred Tatum

Our daughter has been enrolled in Pear Tree as a preschooler and is now a 4th grader. We loved the…read morepreschool so much that we were ecstatic that director, Michele Hamilton, decided to grow the preschool into a separate elementary school. We've watched the school grow from just a handful of students to its current enrollment and its new location in Montclair. What we love: Montessori curriculum - we have had a rethinking of the state of education in the United States. It is not set up in any capacity to create critical thinkers and dynamic creators which is what the future economy will require. Montessori in the way that Pear Tree implements it allowed our daughter to consistently test 2 grades above her level, while allowing her the opportunity to become an awesome drummer with Pear Tree's musical enrichment. With a no homework policy, she has ample time to explore her love of reading and is an avid bibliophile. This love of reading usually starts to wane around the upper grades as kids struggle with the rigors of grades-based academic performance. Social Justice emphasis - the kids are being exposed to history and sociology from the context of social justice. Focus has been on pre-colonial history and ancient civilizations in the primary grades. Project based learning, group and individual research papers have allowed our daughter to put context in her history lessons. This year, climate resilience as the number one social justice cause, has given our daughter the ability to look at our current situation and actually come up with solutions with her class. This has been done through in-house video and audio content creation. Small class sizes - with no more than 16 students in a class along with a teacher and an aide, our daughter has always felt supported. She came into the preschool shy and timid and is now a vocal leader at school and outside. We don't think she would have found her voice in a class of 30 or more. When it comes to raising kids, no parent's decision-making is perfect. But our decision to be at Pear Tree was perfect for our daughter.