My children have only attended the SWS high school, but we love it. They are focused on learning…read morefor a lifetime. It is a college prep curriculum and, as our children have been going there (we have been part of this community for over 7 years, but Waldorf educated family for the past 14+ years) I have noticed a definite shift from the "artsy" reputation it may have had in the past. It really is a college prep school, yet stays true to the Waldorf curriculum in terms of human growth. And, as with all Waldorf schools, the arts are very alive with fine arts, theater and music all well integrated into the program. This is not your average high school: there is no football team, no cheerleading squad, few electives. It isn't typically American in those ways. Waldorf has enriched our family in endless ways: I will forever be grateful for this education. Update: November 2013 My oldest has been graduated from the high school and on to college for about 2 1/2 years now. She is now actually thanking me for this schooling: she realizes what a blessing it has been to her. That says so much about Waldorf education!

I want to be clear that this review is only for the summer camp, as my daughter attended two…read moreseparate weeks at Sacramento Waldorf School throughout the summer. Her first week was absolutely packed with fun activities. They did tie-dye, a color run, and even took a hike to the park. She absolutely loved it, and it felt like there was always something going on. The second week was a little different. There didn't seem to be as many planned activities, and she mentioned having quite a bit more downtime. It wasn't necessarily bad, but after such a fun and activity-filled first week, I think we were both expecting a little more. The campus itself is really nice, and one thing I appreciated was that there weren't a ton of kids in her camp group. I want to say there were around eight kids, which made it feel smaller and more personal. They also had a really fun potluck, and I've heard they sometimes take bike rides to a local coffee shop, which sounds like such a fun little adventure for the kids. Overall, my daughter enjoyed her time there, especially that first week. I just wish the activities had been a little more consistent from week to week. If both weeks had been like the first one, this easily would have been a 5-star experience. Helpful tip: If you're signing your child up for multiple weeks, just know that the activities may vary quite a bit depending on the week.

I wish every family had a school experience like ours!! We are a family that came to St. Mel in…read moreKindergarten and only have 1.5 years left... wish we had more. The teaching staff is fantastic, they understand kids all have different needs and they go far above and beyond their typical teaching day. We especially want to give a shout out to the middle school team... what a dynamic trio they are :) Here is a little excerpt of an email we sent them personally: "While it may not seem that you are doing anything above what you normally do in a day I want you to know that for us, as a family, you are going above and beyond. Teaching is not just delivery of content, teaching is compassion, empathy and sometimes its talking nervous moms and dads off of a ledge (speaking for myself especially). You have together made this year another learning year and you have treated **** and our family with empathy, kindness, and love. Thank you for all you do. I wouldn't have **** at any other place and I wish all parents could have the experiences that we have with the three of you." Thank you St Mel for the fantastic learning, experiences, and life lessons!! Thank you Mrs. Nagel for keeping all of what happens at St Mel going strong from year to year... you are a gracefully intelligent leader.

The school is run down, class sizes are above 30 in the lower grades. The administration is one…read moresided and pompous. The teachers rotate frequently since a new principal has been installed over past few years. Can't keep a teacher if they tried. It's their way or the highway. I wouldn't place my child here for FREE !

Okay school, some of the teachers really do not care about their students or the student's future…read more There was really bad bigotry on campus (in 5th and 6th) when I went there myself. There wasn't much diversity in the school either, at least when I went there. The school as well doesn't handle bullying well. Not to say there isn't teachers who care about their job and their students (like Mr McClure) but overall, if you plan to send your child here, don't. There are better schools in the area

Shelley Coates, my sons teacher, is absolutely horrible. She has been so difficult to work with and…read morethe school has done nothing about it. She has no personality and should never have become a teacher. She seems miserable in her life and seems to take it out on our children.

The school moved about two years ago, so some address entries have yet to be changed to their new…read moreIllinois Avenue location. The reason why there is a waiting list to get in is because this school makes learning fun. Well, fun is not the right word, I suppose interdisciplinary is more appropriate. My daughter who is in first grade loves school to the point that she doesn't like weekends. I am hoping this attitude continues throughout her scholastic life (it was not the case with me!). Parental involvement is in every aspect of the school, so if you do not wish to get involved with your child's school, then this is not the school for you. At least two hours per week is required in the lower grades and I have been told that as the kids get older, it is not as necessary. Also there is a mandatory monthly parents meeting that averages about 1 - 2 hours. Fieldtrips are about twice a month, sometimes more. Again, parents volunteer to be a part of the fieldtrips as there is not school bus to take kids to the outings. However, the kids absolutely LOVE IT! Orangevale Open (OV) is considered to be a performing arts school. Kids can participate in drama and at one point there was a choir. I don't know if it will be coming back or not. The students are assigned a "buddy" or mentor starting from Kindergarten. Wow. What an interesting concept to learn! And the older kids get to see what it is like to tutor younger kids. Whenever I tell other parents about the school, the first question they ask is, "Is it a private school?". Technically it is not, but we pay on average $60 a month or so for all the field trips and activities. Very inexpensive when you compare to private tuition costs.

The school is amazing... The current principal just doesn't…read morefit at OVO. He never learned the OVO way-he should probably leave. He has verbally discriminated against special needs children in front of many parents.

One of the most important things at a school is the quality of work the teachers put in and we've…read morereally had some awesome teachers. Ms. Coon, Ms Enriquez, Mr Roe, and Ms. Smeck to name a few. These teachers really do their job. I'm an inter district transfer and considered going back to my neighborhood, but every year I get a great teacher. The principal is great. She can't bend a child over and spank their butt. She does everything she CAN do to keep our kids safe from bullying. Great school.

My children has been fortunate to experience some good teachers. Luhrsen has left with a new…read more principal on board. Is it me or Broyles not friendly with the students and parents? Just an observation. A little acknowledgment goes a long way.

My daughter is going on 2 years here at this school and it's the best school in the district bar…read morenone! She even likes it probably more so than I do Teachers and staff are all caring and attentive to the students and their needs, it's a really close knit community that is also very very welcoming. The principal is always doing random super friendly and funny things for the students, it's completely the opposite of the elementary school experience I had, I remember being scared if my principal, but principal Zeltvay gives high fives on Fridays and last thanksgiving dressed up as a turkey. I'm so glad my daughter is here, I'll keep her here forever if I could lol Thanks GRDC (go miners!!!!)

hi-ya! clean, safe…read moreand convenient to let the kids play and learn. the school is adjacent to a park and for the most part I've never really seen folks be irresponsible and leave pet droppings behind and excessive litter behind. the school is in a nice neighborhood and isn't all gated up like I've seen some public schools. parking and child drop-off in the mornings is good reasonable, but is worst about 8:20...so don't be late.

I went to Skycrest in the 70's and Mr Ferkovich slid the kids acting up down the hall in their…read moredesks til the desk hit the brick wall and he would yell "now go to the office!" Mr Melvin Stitt the Principal fully backed Mr Ferkovich and yelled at parents to fix their kid. We had time out boxes when kids were being jerks at recess because shaming was a way of life, not shunned like the other commenter positioned. If your kid is a jerk the sooner the world knows the better. Then maybe your kid will fix their selfish attitude and become a proper member of society. Always know this; sometimes your kid is the problem.

I'm speaking from personal experience I used to go to this school. The teachers are nice but some…read moreof the students are bad influences on other kids. Some kids will try and convince the other kids to swear and disobey and all the teachers do is have them miss out on a recess. Nothing really changes. One thing that really bothers me is one of the teachers there made a student write a letter about lying to their parents because the student forgot a paper, the teacher shamed them for forgetting one piece of paper. The proper way to discipline children is not the shame them.

St. Mark's is a friendly, welcoming environment where the priority is teaching with Christian…read morestandards and values in every subject. You don't have to be a church member, or even a Lutheran, to attend. The teachers and staff make new students and parents feel welcome, and help them fit in. Our student was new in the fourth grade, and very shy, and her teacher and classmates were so helpful with her adjustment. There are also regular activities for all families that bring a high level of community to the school. The academic level of learning is high, and the classroom environment is geared toward teaching students to be self-motivated and organized. Technology is used to enhance learning regularly. Students are involved with sports, music, the arts, and drama, as well as a school newspaper and choir club; there is truly something for every student. The sports and physical education at St. Mark's reflect a priority, and set the bar for excellence. The students regularly exercise, run, and play outdoors, as fitness is important at this school. There is an amazingly professional basketball program during the school year, as well as summer sport camps. The coaches are fantastic. As parents, we are so glad St. Mark's goes up to 8th grade. The students coming out of here to go onto high school are well-balanced, healthy, confident, and joyful.

It's such a special school! They provide a great education and a wonderful community.read more

This school is absolutely amazing!! 3 of my kids have attended,1 is still enrolled and 2 have sense…read moregraduated, 1 a year early. The faculty is incredibly knowledgeable and really care about the student's success. On top of typical curriculum, they teach them life skills, like how to stay within a budget at the grocery store. They also teach them music, art, and go on field trips monthly. Additionally, they do not give homework but encourage family reading time. And more importantly, during parent-teacher conferences they not only discuss areas of improvement but also what they plan to do to help your child succeed. I can't say enough about the school. I definitely recommend coming by to do a tour and see all of the amazing things they have to offer.

My son has been attending Almondale Academy for a little over a year. One of the first things we…read morenoticed about the campus is how spacious and serene it is. It has so much outdoor space for the kids to play and explore, and the fact that there are visiting peacocks and chickens wandering around just adds to the charm. My son loves bringing home little nature "souvenirs" like feathers and cool rocks and sticks he finds at school, and they've become prized possessions in his room. The atmosphere is really calm and peaceful, which makes it a wonderful learning environment. The small class sizes are another huge plus and allow the teachers to give each student the attention they need. The staff here genuinely care about the kids, both academically and emotionally. I've been amazed at how the teachers, staff and even the other students have really helped my son come out of his shell. Despite being previously enrolled in preschool, he was quite shy and introverted when he first started kindergarten. He's now really flourishing and every day I can see the positive impact everybody at Almondale is having on him. I can't say enough good things about the staff and teachers. They're kind, attentive, and genuinely care about each student. My son isn't just another kid in a classroom; the staff and teachers truly take the time to understand his strengths and challenges and work with him every day to help him thrive, which is something I really value. Almondale Academy has been a perfect fit for our son, and I'm so glad we made the choice to enroll him here. If you're looking for a nurturing, supportive, and academically solid school, I highly recommend checking it out.