We played soccer here early Sunday morning. There's a nice ocean view from the field and plenty of…read moreparking but it was way overwatered. Everything was soggy and the ball didn't move very well. The field hadn't been striped in a long time. Sidelines were impossible to judge even if you were right on top of them. Someone on the home team should've spent a little time getting this field in order. And the parking area was closed off when some of the earlier parents arrived. They had to wait for someone to open the gate.

The Best in the West! An amazing start to any students school journey. Amazing faculty and grounds…read more Arts and sports have not been cut since the amazing parents have joined together to keep their kids well rounded. Across from Crystal Cove and the Pacific Ocean!

When our family joined Harbor Day School four years ago, we hoped for a strong academic foundation…read morefor our children, but what we found has been so much more. Harbor Day has become an extension of our family, a place where our three children are not only challenged intellectually but also supported emotionally and socially in every way. The teachers here are extraordinary. They know each child deeply - their strengths, quirks, and potential, and they truly want every student to become their best self. What stands out most is how intentionally the school focuses on the whole child. Academic rigor is balanced with lessons in kindness, citizenship, and community. My sons have learned to think critically and act compassionately, skills that matter far beyond the classroom and that we see demonstrated when we travel and encounter different societies and cultures. The breadth of experiences offered continues to impress me. From science and technology to wood shop, Spanish/Latin/Mandarin, art, and beyond, the curriculum encourages curiosity and hands-on exploration. Every day, my children come home excited to share something new they've discovered or built. As a parent, I've also found a meaningful sense of belonging through volunteer opportunities and parent enrichment programs. Although we don't live in the immediate neighborhood, I've found that volunteering and participating in parent enrichment opportunities have made me feel deeply connected to the school. The families and faculty are warm, welcoming, and united by a shared commitment to helping children thrive both academically and personally. We are so happy with our decision to have our children at Harbor Day School. It's a place where children are seen, valued, and inspired, and where families feel truly at home.

Harbor day has been wonderful for my children 's growth both educationally and as people. The…read moreteachers care about the students both in classroom and outside the classroom. The Harbor day community has been very welcoming and nuturing . It's been wonderful for our family.

One of the best K-8 schools around. I've had kids attending for 15+ years and they all love the…read moreplace. Teachers, administration and staff are always helpful and interested in a very caring way about how the children are doing. Parents are a huge help always volunteering and trying to make the school better through the PTA or the School Foundation which is different from the district set foundation. This all helps keep the kusic, art, technology and nursing in tact compare to other schools.

Our experience has been differentiated. As with many things in life, the exterior - the facade…read morelooks wonderful. The structure is new, clean, and the school receives so many donations that it can offer many extras such as chrome books and computers in every section of the school. But you do need to be aware of the layer underneath the facade. I am not saying that Vista Verde is a bad school, but I am saying that you need to be aware of the type of parents that are at the school and the atmosphere. Many of the children tend to be rather spoiled. I am not sure if that is the reason why certain staff - including the current Assistant Principal - feel compelled to have zero tolerance for normal age appropriate child behavior, such as rough playing etc. Zero tolerance means that routinely, almost on a daily basis, you will find children - mind you young children ages 6, 7, and 8, sitting in the front office, being punished for normal play which the administration considers inappropriate. (because they are scared of parents? I do not know). Not only are they missing recess, but receive a paper to fill out with many points to write about what good playground behavior would be. Further, sometimes methods of shame are used by giving the child a clipboard to run around during recess and write many - in one case 24! - sentences of what constitutes good playground behavior. These seem methods used many decades ago and they humiliate a child. When asked the recess supervisor said that they want to "scare them just a little bit from early on" so that they don't play rough when they get to middle school. We translate that as meaning that they systematically break a child's spirit and ensure that the child follows their rules like a robot - with zero tolerance as stated by one teacher. I am not sure if this atmosphere has started with the new Assistant Principal and Principal or if this practice has always taken place with many parents simply not knowing what is going on. That being said, I am aware of some parents who have noticed or experienced the above mentioned and are leaving the school - we are also leaving. I suppose the moral we will be taking with us is that not everything that seems glistening is truly as shiny as it looks.

Good school. Worth moving to neighborhood. Amazing location safe and great…read more Thank you.

It's been a while since I was there, but it's a great school. Safe and extremely caring staff and…read morefaculty. I can't thank everyone enough who mentored me through there.

My children absolutely love it. The teachers and the principal are wonderful. The school yard is…read morenot like school and I like it very much

i like that there are nice teachers and david burke is the nicest principal because if you just…read morefollow directions the teachers will be so good to you they will be very nice to you

Ms.Marie is an amazing director she does an amazing job with keeping the school safe & teachers…read morehappy

What a beautiful school, very excited to start my son after the holidays. The Director was so…read morewarm, welcoming and very knowledgeable and educated. The facility is nicely spaced out and was very welcoming. They had a cute little garden, and everything looked clean, organized and very well ran. I highly recommend a tour.

I've been very impressed with the academic development my son has experienced in just one year of…read morePre-Kindergarten. As a result, he is more than adequately prepared to start Kindergarten in the Fall. The teachers and administrative staff here are so genuinely kind to the children and parents. My son is excited to go to school every day and doesn't stop talking, all the way home, about every detail of his day. His teachers are warm and welcoming and demonstrate a very high level of patience and understanding with the children. I have been most impressed, though, with the curriculum that has been introduced to my son during his time here. Mathematics, literature, science, art and music. All around, it's just a wonderful experience and I feel absolute confidence that my son is being well cared for while he's away from me.

This playground was recently remodeled and is right ON THE BEACH. It has a play structure, climbing…read morestructure, swings, etc it also has volley ball courts, basketball courts, handball courts. Loved it.

The kids are very stuck up and hard to be friends with. Everything is about the money competition…read more Once a teacher yelled at my daughter in 5th grade to go get help because she was having personal problems at home and would cry at school almost every day.