I wouldn't be surprised if Yelp takes this review down (FOR A 2nd TIME) but that would be incredibly disappointing, considering this platform is meant for people to share all experiences, not just the positive ones. The administration at this school is fully aware of how poorly they've treated their staff. Instead of addressing the issues, they seem more focused on hiding the truth. For this matter my daughter will not enroll in this school. The front staff are so rude! They need to be trained on proper customer service. And the principal is rude as well. They all need better training! But what's done in the dark always finds its way to the light. To any parents considering this school please think twice. For the sake of your children and the educators who deserve better. read more

Merryhill has been a wonderful experience for our family. My son thrived under Ms. Charu's thoughtful and dedicated teaching--she truly brought out the best in him. The staff and school community are warm, supportive, and create an environment where kids feel encouraged and excited to learn. We're so grateful for the positive impact this school has had on our child. read more

We are beyond grateful for the incredible love and support my child has had received his first year at Merryhill. From the very beginning, he felt welcomed and safe, and that warm environment made all the difference. Every teacher played a part in helping him grow, but a special thank you goes to Ms. Vlamis- your kindness, patience and encouragement truly left a mark on his heart. Watchin him blossom this year has been such a joy, and we credit so much of that growth to the amazing staff who believed in him every step of the way. Thank you for shaping not just a student, but a confidence and curious little human. read more

The atmosphere. The principal has her favorite teacher and if you're not one of them she fires them. They haven't had a music or technology teacher since last December, and it doesn't seem like she plans on getting any. And because of that, there wasn't much of a holiday show. They canceled the spring show, which everyone loved! This school is not what it used to be. It's going downhill with the new management. Don't waste your money. read more

Mrs. Smith is a great teacher who genuinely cares for the students' well-being and academics and have a great passionate heart for teaching. She truly goes far and beyond her paid duties:)! read more

We feel very fortunate that our daughter has Miss Renuga Vaithilingam as her teacher. She is extremely sincere and caring, always making sure the students feel supported and understood. I especially appreciate the way she teaches at the students' own pace, ensuring they not only learn but also enjoy the process. My daughter feels happy and confident in her class, and as a parent, that means the world to me. We are truly grateful for the dedication and personal attention she gives to her students. read more

I'd like to start by pointing out that other negative reviews have been removed recently... That being said, I had two kids go through this school from Kinder to 5th grade. Up until 2 years ago, I was recommending it to anyone who asked for a private school recommendation in the East San Jose foothills. My reviews would have read similar to any of the other reviews circa 2016 - 2019. However, with the transition to the most recent principal and front office staff, the entire experience has spiraled into nothing more than an over priced (think chocolate soft serve) show. Starting with the obvious, we were paying full tuition for services that were not provided. The music teacher left in December '24 and there was no alternative music instruction provided. The kids were playing "Guess that song" in the time allotted for music instruction. Similarly, the technology teacher went on maternity leave mid year with no substitute, no technology instruction provided. During the time allotted for technology instruction, the kids were playing on a web app (Tinker) - if they were fortunate enough to have a login...a new student went weeks watching over the shoulder of their peers because they couldn't access the program themselves. What made the experience worse is the lack of accountability and poor service provided by the administrative team. Looking for help with a class, advice on how to help a a kid struggling in a subject? They don't do that - as a matter of fact, they instead refer you to public school. Your kid is getting bullied in class? Don't expect any actual action. They will talk a good talk and make promises that go unfulfilled, all the while your child who used to love showing up at school and enjoyed learning winds up dreading going to school every day and is so distracted by the constant name calling and exclusion from their peers that they struggle academically. Your child gets injured during recess? Don't hold your breath on a notification...and don't expect any empathy from the office staff when your child goes to request an ice pack the next day because their knees is so bruised and swollen that it is still sore (mind you they walk up and down stairs for class). Unless of course you are one of the favored few...then the office staff will be happy to hold and entertain your infant while they fail to greet and/or direct other parents during pick-up. I could go on, but I think this covers the gyst of their failures. I would not under any circumstances recommend this school to anyone. Our children are precious and this is not a place that nurtures their spirit, encourages academic development or cares about their social and emotional health. *Edited because my emoji was removed ..lol, and I had a typo. Otherwise, I stand by my original post. . read more

I observed a lack of equality among staff members that affected morale and teamwork. Leadership often seemed inconsistent and unresponsive to these issues, I believe the school would benefit greatly from stronger, fairer leadership that promotes inclusivity and supports all staff equally. For that reason I will not be enrolling my kids! read more

Summer camp was great and now we're into the school year with our first born! He's cleaned up his penmanship and started reading books to us all by himself! Couldn't be happier! Can't wait to see what other great achievements and milestones he will reach at this school! read more

I only have praise for Merryhill- the principal Ms. Cooper is amazing; however, I understand she left recently and this makes me sad. However l'm sure her assistant principal will be just as amazing. My child attended Kindergarten and we plan to return as soon as we are able. No bullying issues and Ms. Cooper would never let that fly. read more

Our experience with Merryhill, has been Outstanding. After a year of kindergarten, at a different highly marketed private school, where my daughter was told she cannot keep up with the curriculum, she hated school and would often cry before being dropped off in the morning. The summer following Kindergarten, she was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. On the recommendation from a coworker, we toured the Merryhill school. From the outset, we were impressed. The curriculum was on par with the other school, and the diversity of the experience was clearly wide ranging. Once the school year started it became even more clear that the principal was highly engaged with all the students, and that between her and the teachers, they would bend over backwards to assure that the accommodations necessary for my daughter were in place. Unlike my daughter's former school, we were able to work with her teachers to assure that through her school work and tests, she could demonstrate what she had learned, instead of putting her into a cookie-cutter educational system that tests in only one way and does not accommodate for her needs. As she has entered the third grade, we could not be more thrilled with the Merryhill experience and the staff at the school. My daughter has gone from hating school to not being able to get enough. Her grades continue to maintain at the highest level and she scored above her grade level in standardized testing. Her confidence in both her academics and her social interactions continues to grow. I sincerely believe this is in big part due to the efforts of the Merryhill staff. While every school and every environment is not for every student, parents should be doing their due diligence in assessing the most appropriate direction for their child. We are incredibly fortunate to have found Merryhill at a time during which we had numerous questions. A great big thank you to Merryhill Elementary School. read more

4 years ago, chatting with co-workers who lived in my area, I was persuaded to look into Merryhill (at the time Pre-school because my son was entering Kindergarten the next year). Both co-workers had children who went through the school and they had nothing but amazing things to say about the staff and teachers. In fact, the alums I know, went onto Bellermine, Presentation. I toured other private schools in this area and to be honest, they scared me a bit, too much emphasis on studying and moving above their level. Academics/life balance: I want my children to excel at academics but there is a fine balance of making sure it is still fun because let's be honest, they have 12+ years (hopefully they will want to go to college so tack on another 4+ years) to want to keep at it. Having well rounded and respectful children is at the top of my list of priorities. Here, you might say, well, you're putting your kids in a private school so how well rounded are they? Another important feature I needed out of the school was a sense of community and not a bunch of entitled kids and parents. I have to say, the children at the school have a good sense of respect for everyone and the teachers & faculty reinforce this behavior. Because, let's face it, in the Bay Area, we can easily get lost in keeping up with the Joneses. Academics: My children are current students (2nd grade and Kinder) and they both have been identified by their teachers to take on more challenging work than some of their peers. I really appreciate the fact the teachers will go above and beyond to give my children this attention because this is more work for them, to create another set of lessons because they recognize my children can be pushed a little further. Communication between teachers and parents is awesome, I get a weekly email and if I can't find the flier on a upcoming project, they keep their classroom site up to date so I can print it out at home. Specialities: Another awesome feature of the school is the fact they still get time with art and music, something that is starting to disappear from schools today. They also get time with Spanish, computer and P.E. After school care (for extra fees) gives them more chances to do things like: Mad Science, Sports Club, STEM/Robotics Club (a BIG Favorite at my house), cooking, Zumba. Are there things I wish they had, sure. But it is pretty low on the list, like, grassy field for kids to play. Sadly, I am planning on moving out of the area; it is with a heavy heart, my children won't be returning. They may never have a principal who truly loves them as much as Ms. Cooper does and from the front office staff to teachers, they have made an positive impact in the lives of my children that I will be forever grateful. read more

Our son had started on the preschool side when he was three years old. Then he transitioned over to this elementary side. What we thought was to be an easy transition proved more difficult as our son had some separation anxiety. But with the help of Mrs. Cooper and her wonderful staff of teachers and assistants, our son got through the tearful first few weeks of Kindergarten. Flash forward to the present day where he is now a 5th grader, and on the honor roll! Looking back now, we truly feel our son has a solid foundation to excel in the world thanks to this Merryhill School with all the great teachers and staff. It really does take a village to raise a child, and we are so happy to have chosen Merryhill as our village! read more

This has been an excellent school for both my children. The principal has built a vibrant community of energetic teachers and staff, and continuously seeks opportunities to connect with parents and partner closely with them to create a safe, welcoming, and academically challenging environment for all students. A child who attends Merryhill San Jose will practice collaboration, leadership and discipline to their studies. A sample of the extracurriculars have included chess, robotics, choir, and track and field. Open to all, these clubs have blossomed into yet another arena for students to practice skills such as teamwork, inclusion, and responsibility. As an involved parent, I have come to rely on my parent network at the school - a group of hardworking and committed moms and dads that our family has come to know as friends. That is the real value of this school. In this busy Bay Area lifestyle, that we take time to acknowledge one another, check in, and appreciate the challenges of parenting our children in this day and age. We all need help. And Merryhill has been a place for us to receive an open ear when we step up and ask. It is on every parent to speak up and advocate for their child. Doing this with the team at Merryhill has been the best decision our family has made for their education and personal growth. read more

There are a lot of private elementary education choices in Silicon Valley. So many choices, so hard to decide. My wife and I have been through the process of choosing a private elementary school for our daughter and after careful consideration of most of the top providers in the valley, we chose Merryhill Elementary in San Jose. My daughter has been with Merryhill since Kindergarten and is currently in 5th gade now. Our reasons for choosing Merryhill over the competition are as follows: 1) A very strong academics program that is standardized to Noble Learnings national academics programs in all their private schools (of which Merryhill is one). They have a formalized honor roll system for grades 3-5 and while the GPAs required are high for the honor rolls, a good percentage of students consistently make honor roll quarter after quarter. They use Stanford Achievement Testing to evaluate the progress and performance of students each spring. Most importantly... they do not teach-2-test, they use testing to actually validate student progress for a given year. Our daughter, year after year, consistently tests a full grade above level on the testing, and I give a lot of credit to Merryhill for this. 2) Academics are strong at all the private schools we explored. Academics are important, but they are only one facet of a total education program. Merryhill differentiates well against it's competition by offering not only strong academics, it provides a balance focus for the children in building social awareness, positive life choices, respect and integrity of interaction between students as well as student and faculty. The school also conducts many extra special events during the year that are both fun and educational for the children. It is very much a holistic approach to education for the children to prepare them for ALL aspects of life, not just strong academics. 3) The faculty at this school are excellent. They are fully engaged with the children, and since every child is a little different, it's great to see the faculty take the time and care to address the needs of all children on campus. Every faculty member in fact knows every child by name, aptitude, likes/dislikes, and interests. Bottom line, the faculty at Merryhill San Jose cares deeply about each and every child. This is true for the leadership team, the teachers, and the support staff. 4) It's a smaller school, generally around 120-150 students, so the classes generally smaller (12-15). This insures plenty of personalized interaction and attention for each student. In some cases if a larger class (16-24) for a grade (due to enrollments) occurs then the Principal insures that the teacher has multiple support staff to ensure that every child continues to receive the same quality of instruction and attention to specific needs of each child. The principal of the school is passionately driven to insure that all the children receive full quality and attention in their education. Nobody gets left behind at Merryhill, and frankly a majority of students excel at Merryhill in my observation over the years. May daughter loves going to Merryhill school. I like that. The principal and staff are very well engaged with parents and I have had consistently great partnerships with Merryhill staff in working with my daughter as she progresses in education. I like that. No school is perfect, and there are always issues that can come up during a childs education at school. Merryhill staff is very approachable and willing to work with parents on any challenges that a student may encounter. They also listen to parent feedback and when an issue is raised, they are both responsive and accountable. I like that. Most schools are pretty much just schools. Merryhill is different. Merryhill operates like a very well functioning village of students, staff, and leadership. I like that. I would freely recommend this school to any parent seeking a private elementary education for their child. But please, don't take my word for it... take time to visit the campus and meet the staff and learn all about their approach to learning and assisting your child to become outstanding citizens in society as they grow up. read more

Our son Dylan has been attending Merryhill School since pre-school. When they are very little and barely able to communicate, we, as parents want to protect our children and give them the best possible education mixed in with the very best environment. We found that here at Merryhill School. As with any cautious parent we came to Merryhill with some trepidation: - What are the teachers like? - Does the school only care about academics or are they truly interested in our child's well being? - What are children taught as acceptable behavior towards other children? - Will the staff actually get to know our son by name and personality and treat him as one of their own? - What are the academics like? - Will it be challenging enough yet provide a 'well-rounded education' to foster the child's individuality? Granted these may seem like some outrageous requests but of course when it comes to your children, everything regarding their welfare is reasonable. So we gave it a chance and stayed the course. We live in one of the best neighborhoods in the area and have some great public school options but we chose to put our son in Merryhill from preschool all the way up to the 5th grade because of the CONSISTENT and GENUINE care this school provides, all lead by the incredible Principal Karen Cooper. She and her "village" of teachers and caregivers all believe in the same thing, which is to give your child the best possible learning experience of their lives. Simply put THEY CARE! We have been through some scary times when our son has fallen and slightly injured himself on the playground, to an occasional child playing a little too rough, and even through what was considered "The Worst Storm of the Century" in the Bay Area. But through it all we have never been disappointed with how Principal Cooper and her village were able to pull through and give us the piece of mind when we needed it the most. It is very easy to get frustrated over a single incident when something happens to your child but if you want to put them somewhere that you know they will end of safe, be given an incredible education, and be surrounded by staff who care, choose this Merryhill school. We appreciate Principal Cooper's relentless love, care, attention, and education that she gives to the students every single day. We absolutely love this Merryhill school and this life shaping experience will be with our son for the rest of his life. - Very proud parents of our son Dylan and truly appreciative of our extended family at Merryhill School. read more