This school was not on our radar when we were looking for an alternate placement for our moderately…read moreaffected son. He started here in third grade, and some of the behaviors we were having issues with were spitting, hitting, elopement, throwing tables, chairs, stripping off his clothing, breaking windows, etc. (sound familiar?) His elementary placement had been a nightmare. We were picking him up from class every day, and he was expelled from school because they don't have the resources to care for a child like our son. The spectrum school was the one everyone talked about, and we were very unimpressed when we visited that school as we searched for alternate placement. Tucked away in an office park, admittedly it was a slight turn-off, we met the staff and his new instructor (to be). It was well lit, student art lined the halls, the staff and teacher were welcoming, and every person there was as sharp as a pin. We were so impressed, it was like night and day different from any placement he had before that time. We couldn't wait for him to begin, and for the first time for as long as we could remember, we felt optimistic. With a full-time behaviorist, language pathologist and occupational therapist; not to mention real 1:1 (or 2:1 or 3:1 when needed) staffing coverage, they assured us we would never receive a call to pick up our son because he was acting out. They didn't. They do not react to behaviors, they extinguish them. We are moving out of state, and the first thought is how terrified we are of the possible placement he may have as he finishes eleventh grade and completes his senior year; especially when we think back to how bad it can be. BUT, we are so optimistic about our son's future because ABC has given him the tools he needs to cope with whatever challenges face him in the future. We know we will be able to help him with whatever placement because he is a very different person now than he was when he entered this school. At one time we thought we would need to place him in a group home before he became an adult simply because his behaviors were out of control. Now, we KNOW that he will be able to transition into adulthood in a very organic way, and when the time comes for him to move out with some "room-mates", it will be because of a mutual understanding, not because we are unable to control him. His time at ABC is what has helped to make this possible. The workability program has given him a great sense of pride and accomplishment, and when he moves into the transition program as a young adult, he will be ready. We will miss them terribly, and we hope that this helps someone who is looking for a good placement for a child on the spectrum. They know how to help your child.

As an advocate and special educator of 24 yrs, I highly recommend this school. Great, professional…read morestaff. Great atmosphere and powerful learning going on. Age-appropriate skills development

I found Rosaura using Yelp! From the beginning she listened to my concerns for my daughter, she…read moreunderstood my concerns & feelings of helplessness. After speaking on the phone, we set up and meet. She assessed my daughter & came up with a plan. I was excited! I was not let down. Rosaura has been patient with my daughter, understanding & gives just enough push w/o being overwhelming. In my opinion Rosaura is an expert in her field. My daughter has learned how to read because of Rosaura. I have also learned many things from Rosaura. She is a great tutor/teacher and an excellent source of knowledge for parents struggling with dyslexia.

Our student made great progress in fluency while working with Rosaura. Our student completed…read morethrough book 3 in the Barton material Rosaura uses. Rosaura also supplements with fun tactile based learning tools to help form a strong phonetic foundation for her students.

A magical place! My 6-year-old son is autistic and it was such a relief to be welcomed by a team…read morethat just gets it. The space is super clean and feels like a kid's dream. There's so much to do, climbing, building, exploring, getting wiggles out, and even a quiet room to chill. You can tell the folks behind it really thought through everything. The vibe, the décor, even the website feel so neurodiverse-affirming. They have tech to help build community around members too. We live in Novato so the distance makes a membership tough right now, but I'm hoping we can join in the summer when school isn't in the way. I'd love to see Spirited Play Labs expand to more places as this is the future IMO (please come to Novato, I'll help!). For families like ours, where typical play spaces can feel stressful or isolating, this place is a true gem, welcoming, thoughtful, and hopeful for the future. Thank you!!!

We've been coming to SPL for years, and it has always been such a positive experience. The play…read moresessions with Lia mean so much to us. we truly appreciate her patience, guidance, and support. Every visit, we notice progress. My daughter used to play only by herself, but now we see her becoming more independent and interacting with Lia, which fills our hearts. As a mom of a child on the spectrum, I know how hard it can be. My daughter doesn't have friends, but when we come here, she has one. In other spaces, the stares that come with her stimming can be so difficult to ignore, but here at SPL, we feel safe, accepted, and not judged. That sense of belonging is rare for special needs families, and we are so grateful to have found it here. I love how the staff embraces inclusion and acceptance. it shows in everything they do. I truly wish there were more places and programs like this for our kids, because families like ours need community.

It has been over 1.5 years since my last review, and we love the school as much as we did when our…read morechild started school 2+ years ago! Everyone on staff has been incredibly easy and pleasant to collaborate with, and responsive to my questions. The school expanded over the summer to add 2 more classrooms, so that Burkard now has 6 classrooms: K/1, 2/3, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7/8th. Having experienced a few private schools and a public school between my 2 kids, I am confident this is the best environment for my child, for both academic differentiation and SEL support. It's often lamented that parents have to choose the least bad educational option for their 2e kids, but I truly believe this is a great option. We were fortunate enough to be with his amazing 2/3 teachers for 2 years, and have a new set of teachers we love this year, too. Speaking with parents across grades, they also think highly of their teaching teams. My son continues to thrive academically (measured by his overall engagement, as well as MAP testing), and we are very happy with the math differentiation he receives. Each year, I have been pleased with the attention and care the staff takes to make sure he's challenged at the right level. They take great care to plan engaging lessons across ELA, science, social studies and SEL, and incorporate hands on projects regularly to extend their learning. My son regularly shares interesting facts he learned in class! Math is a subject he continues to be passionate about, so I reach out to the school annually for math acceleration. He is given math assessments at the start of each year to determine the appropriate placement, and is given the option of joining a higher level class, or doing independent study in his classroom. We opted this year to have him join the higher level math class on a modified schedule, and we are grateful for the ability to choose the right option for him. The daily SEL teaching is also very well done. Many schools don't have the ability to go in-depth with SEL, but our BT has devised fun games and exercises for the kids to put their SEL knowledge into practice. It was so sweet to hear that my son's 4th grade class taught new recess games to the K/1 class! The BT's keep a close watch throughout the day, so the students are able to learn and play in a physically and emotionally safe environment. When conflicts arise, the staff is there to help the students resolve the issue in an appropriate way. We get daily reports, and twice monthly newsletters sharing what he's learning, so I know he's receiving a high quality education. If your child is at a school that is not meeting their needs, I encourage you to tour the Burkard School. It is truly a gem of a school!

We found TBS about three years ago and it is quite surprising that there aren't more schools for…read morebright kids who have significant social & emotional challenges, including mood disorders. We unfortunately found very little real understanding and expertise along the way, moving from program to program, from school to school, in every case deeply involved with the IEP process. Then we decided to try TBS. The results have been nothing short of amazing. Our student's self-esteem and emotional intelligence started to grow from the start and has continued to grow ever since. No more calls asking us to come quickly, the benefits to our entire household have been pretty incredible, across parents, siblings, and friends alike. When your student talks to you about how the kids at school are 'just like me', when they express a sense of belonging and common purpose to thrive in the face of big emotions, you can only smile and reflect on the journey. ...and imagine what it's like for other parents to understand you, understand your child, and understand so much of the details of the journey. The TBS community, made up of students, teachers, and parents is one that sees your child as deserving, powerful, and good.

Hiring Adrienne as an educational advocate for my daughter has been the best decision for my family…read moreand my daughter's right to an education. In the spring, I started the IEP process for my child, with concerns about dyslexia, autism, and pencil grip. Fast forward to the beginning of the next school year, and my daughter had been escaping the classroom. Since this was an "emotional issue," not a learning one, I was concerned I would not ask the right questions to get her help with her anxiety at school. Enter hiring Adrienne. When Adrienne reviewed our spring evaluations, she noticed several missing tests. She pointed out that if my daughter scored low in this, they should have done follow-up testing for that. The testing they missed conveniently showed all of the early signs of dyslexia. By the end of our last IEP meeting, my daughter now has services tailored to how she needs to learn for her visual perceptual skills and phonological processing delays. Adrienne even fought for additional time and won, adding additional goals. Adrienne asks clarifying questions to the IEP team that I would not have thought to ask. She does so in a friendly, professional manner. If you are contemplating hiring an advocate, please call Adrienne!

Adrienne has been amazing support for us during our son's IEP process and taking responsibility for…read morenavigating this difficult journey. She guided us along the way and made very good suggestions. She is responsive, trustworthy and dependable. I would recommend her to anyone who is struggling through school's IEP process and needs a competent education advocate. We are glad we found her!

My three year old son has been with Miss J since January of this year. She has played a major role…read morein his potty training, speech, academics, social skills and the list truly goes on. Miss J is extremely nurturing with the children! When I was searching for a daycare for my son and we spoke over the phone, you can actually HEAR the love she has for the babies. I have never once had to be concerned about the safety of my child since he's been in her care! Thank you Miss J for all that you have done and continue to do!

Jannika cared for my daughter for 3 years. She was my daughter preschool teacher and she continued…read moreas private care to help me finish school. She is so loving! What a gift Jannika has been to our family.

Great place for children with disabilities of all types. The teachers are ALL professional and…read morehardworking. They are caring and patient, but will also push your child to strive and reach their potential and goals. I LOVE this place! I will continue to support this center! Thank you to all the teachers especially a WONDERFUL teacher named Ms. Patty!

Great Teachers and Staff. Both my boys attended here and are doing so well! Thank you to all who…read morework here and helped all our kiddos thrive!

My son attended Core academy for four years, and unfortunately, our experience was extremely…read moredisappointing. By 6th grade, he was still reading at a 2nd-grade level, despite the school's promises to help him catch up. It wasn't until we hired an outside tutor that he finally began to make meaningful progress. He was also repeatedly bullied, and the school failed to take effective action. The bullying only stopped after we made the difficult decision to leave. Academically, he never learned basic skills like division, even after four years. There was a constant turnover of teachers new faces every few months and the leadership was ineffective. If my son said a bad word, he was forced to sit in the principal's office all day, doing absolutely nothing educational. There was a serious lack of supervision; he would often come home with bruises and clearly explain who was responsible, yet the school never followed up or addressed the situation. Since switching to Stern School in San Francisco, the difference has been night and day. He's thriving academically and emotionally. Next school year, he'll be attending JCHS with A+ grades across all his classes. This has shown us what a truly supportive and effective educational environment can look like.

Core Academy is an awesome school with a really positive and supportive environment that helps…read morestudents succeed. Lainie is fantastic--she's caring, dedicated, and makes a huge difference for everyone there!

Review is for their summer program - my highly functioning child spent the summers here and it's a…read morelovely experience. We do the whole day program. The small size classroom setting really helped. It is more on the expensive side as a summer camp but I do think it's worth it! Sara does a great job to make sure new parents are familiar with the school and the staffs helping out during the summer camp. Although they don't do field trips during the summer camp, they go to the local library and the playground a couple blocks away from the school each day. That worked out for my child during the summer. It is sad that we outgrow the age - but I love the amazing work that Sara has put into the Sequoia Village Schoolhouse. I do wish we have more offerings like Sequoia Village Schoolhouse throughout the city/area. So many highly functioning autistic children are often overlooked, especially during the summer time.

Very nice owner, safe space for kids who need more support than public schools can offer. Most…read morekids have serious needs and it's frequently a temporary placement, it's sad that our system is so broken and that many privates discriminate but it's wonderful that schools like this assist when there is a gap in education. This is a home based school, great for kids who need low stimuli, not a fit for us but wonderful nonetheless.