As a parent, choosing the right high school felt like one of the most important decisions for our…read morefamily and I can honestly say that Carondolet has exceeded our expectations in every way. From the very beginning, the sense of community stood out. The teachers are not only knowledgeable, but genuinely invested in their students' success. They go out of their way to support each student individually, whether it's academic help, college guidance, or just being there as a mentor. My daughter feels seen, encouraged, and challenged in the best possible way. Academically, the school offers a strong and well-rounded curriculum with plenty of opportunities for students to explore their interests, whether that's advanced classes, arts, athletics, or extracurricular activities. There's a real emphasis on developing confident, well-rounded young adults, not just good test-takers. What I appreciate most is the environment. It's supportive, inclusive, and motivating. Students are encouraged to be themselves while also striving for excellence. There's a healthy balance between academics and personal growth, which has made a huge difference in my daughter's confidence and independence. Communication with parents has also been excellent. We always feel informed and involved, and it's clear that the administration truly cares about both students and families. If you're looking for a high school where your child will be challenged, supported, and inspired, I highly recommend Carondolet. It has been a wonderful experience for our family.

My time spent at this school was so informative. I learned that I was " less than" the boys…read moreattending the school associated with Carondelete, De La Salle. There was a distinct difference between how the boys were treated and how the girls were treated during my stay at Carondelete. I was a student there a long time ago. Far before Yelp! however I feel that my experience needs to be shared with prospective students and their families.. I would never, as an alumni send my daughter to Carondelete. Save your money. This school will teach your daughter that she is less than her male schoolmates. For example, during a coed civics class the boys claimed that the woman victim in the famous Miranda case (the case that enshrined the right for every suspect to be informed of their legal rights in a language they could understand) should have been raped if she suffered such an offense! This conversation was glossed over by the school administration. No pupil or instructor suffered any disciplinary action. In fact, by being offended by the assertion that the female victim in the Miranda case should have been raped rather than have her purse stolen, I was made to feel like an outcast. I can not stress it enough. If you value your daughter's autonomy and her sense of self, do not send her to this school.

Background: We are a family of 5 with 3 elementary aged students (4th grade, 3rd grade and 1st…read moregrade). We live in Orinda which is known for top rated public schools. Unfortunately during COVID, public schools moved to a distanced learning program and was unable to quickly pivot to a safe in person learning environment. We switched to Queen of All Saints in the middle of the school year and have been very happy to see the care the school has put into COVID safety (plexiglass desks, masks, etc). Review: We have been incredibly impressed with the staff (everyone from front office to teachers) and the beautiful way the school interweaves the importance of being a good person is into the curriculum. Starting with the front office - when you talk into the building you are greeted with the warmest smile from Patricia Francisco. She is genuinely happy to answer all your detailed questions from what school uniform day it is to which form is needed for enrollment. 4th grade - Mr. Santana. My eldest daughter consistently comes home excited to educate us on the really fun things (e.g. anatomy of eye, California gold rush, etc) she is learning in class. In 4th grade the students do a mission project and we were given the Santa Cruz Mission which was really cool because we were able to go to the mission and see it live - a very fun covid safe activity. Lastly I have emailed Mr. Santana after hours with questions about school work, etc and he always responds incredibly warmly with a lot of detail. 3rd grade - Ms. McMillian. I should also note that as a family we do not practice religion. This school has really inspired us to get more involved in religion and I love that our kids have been introduced to religion through the school. During lent, the kids were asked to do "nice things" - in this case, write a letter to a lonely person. An elderly neighbor had passed away during COVID. Inspired by the lent choice board, we thought it would be a good idea to send a card and flowers to the spouse. She was incredibly touched by this gesture. 1st grade - Ms. Pacheco. Along the same theme of being a good, outstanding human, Ms. Pacheco's class room put together Easter baskets for a local nonprofit.

I sent/sending all my kids here from TK-8th. & YES it's not FREE, We worked hard for their tuition…read morefees & expect the best for them! First, my daughter graduated at QAS, she didn't do well academically, most of her classmates are unfriendly. It's OK.. I thought it was OK! now she's in high school she finally had the courage to tell me on why she wasn't doing well. It is because of bullying, she wasn't happy with the MEAN GIRLS, then boys on their batch are misbehaving too much to the point they missed out too much activities. No one can tame them. They didn't do much out-of-school activities. NO CARITAS on their batch. Bullying are mishandle and no resolution at all. NO GUIDANCE COUNCILLOR/ Counseling. Some classes are taken out slowly.. NO MUSIC, NO LANGUAGE & ART CLASS/ Spanish, they took out the MOTIVATIONAL Speaker (Principal said no budget/ they are very expensive) School gatherings are taken out too. Good thing they kept the BOO BASH because that the only big event in school which families can use their MANDATORY HOURS. I just never liked some PACE STAFF who acts like an employers during volunteering hours. They acted like they are inheriting QAS... like literally.. EVENTS supposed to be fun were parents happily working together building haunted house / cooking & not monitoring them if they are doing something or NOT. To be there instead of going to work is something , don't make it hard for parents to volunteer. It used to be fun years ago when parents meet-up during events. We laugh , we enjoy , we are building good relationships & always looking forward for the next events. Now they have this tactless PACE which I don't know for some reason she is always screaming.. so to me, just go to work if your boss is better than the PACE President.. or else these PACE STAFF eyes will be on you during the whole time. Now my daughter is doing great at Carondelet , she's making friends , she's happy , she's loud & doing great academics. Currently, I still have 2 boys in QAS, & hopefully the new Principal will do better with the BULLIES. Treating evryone fairly & handles issues carefully... I heard someone said that it's becoming to look like POLITICAL DYNASTY... if you know what I meant by that. some parents complaining about the standard of education is not what it used to 5-8yrs ago.. kids struggles in High School? I hear that a lot lately. MATH teacher Miss V , is good she gave my daughter D grade thanks to that! gave the boys A, fair enough because YES the boys are smarter. Mrs. SURA, my son said she is a good teacher Mrs Clark... very nice & caring teacher We missed Miss.GILMAN we need more teachers like her. She's tough & caring to her students. PE COACH? He must be doing something great to still be there after 5yrs. Secretary Francisco, very helpful & her smile puts her where she's at right now... FRONT DESK OFFICER you will always be greeted with a smile. 4-6yrs ago.. best teachers MISS BUTLER MISS GILMAN MR. O MISS MACMILLAN who inspired Kirsten to go on... Mrs. GRAY Secretary MUSIC Mrs. Davis who handles ALL PLAY. & PACE best President Christine NACA!

I am a student at Silverwood and I think the rule No physical contact with other students is very…read moreabsurd. I have been yelled at by a teacher because my friend was leaning his head on my shoulder. Other kids get yelled at because they got up without asking for permission. We are not allowed to lean on each other or hug.

Silverwood is awesome! Especially the janitor Steve! Silverwood is so welcoming and supportive!read more

This school has been a blessing to our family! We discovered the school when my daughter was…read moreentering fifth grade. We were both unhappy with the public school and looking for an alternative. I still remember the day we pulled up to the school. My daughter saw the sign...pre-school to high school...and she said, "That's it. I'm staying here until I graduate from high school." So while we were talking to the principal about fifth grade I also asked about the high school (I plan ahead). Here we are, years later, and I am the parent of a high school senior. She loves the teachers at the school. They are trusted adults. She feels she can talk with them and ask for their advice. The teachers have a wide mix of backgrounds, so there are lots of points of views. This is so important as young adults start to pull away from the family and look for external role models. There is a feeling of trust between students and teachers. Parents are involved in the school. You will feel as if you have an extended family at this school (especially important as a single mom...many willing hands during an emergency!).

Our pre school daughter goes here and she loves it. She's grown in all aspects including her faith,…read morewhich has been a joy to see. It's a loving environment and we are very happy to have here at CCCS.

If I could give the school 10 stars, I would. I love how it's a very parent involved School, the…read moreteachers are incredible. The staff is amazing and it's very obvious that everyone working here cares about the well-being of the children and the school dynamics. We are second year end and the journey has been excellent thus far.

My son complains that the lunch ladies are very rude and yell at you if your fast walking and the…read morefood is very bad my son choked on one

We love this school. Ever since we arrived, the staff has been incredibly warm and welcoming…read more They provide a loving and nurturing environment for children and my son is so happy here. Academically, it's accredited and offers so much. In kindergarten, my son had a full array of subjects: reading, social studies, science, mathematics, music, Spanish, library, and computers. There are 2 kindergarten classrooms and each has its own potty, which is really nice. We LOVED Mrs. Fustukjian! She was the biggest blessing of a kindergarten teacher we could have ever hoped for. She's super organized, firm, but ultra loving to each child. My son thrives in a structured environment and she really helped him to grow. The thing I liked the most was that whenever there was conflict between students, she always took the time to collect the facts and then addressed the issues accordingly. She made my son feel significant and important because he always felt heard and understood. She made our first year at WCCA great and put all our concerns at ease. The PTF (parent/teacher fellowship...their version of PTA) is very involved and supportive. There are a ton of events they put on throughout the year that gives parents an opportunity to volunteer to support the school. They're amazing and as my kids get older, I can't wait to get more involved. Needless to say, all my babies will attend. We've checked out Christian schools between Dublin/Pleasanton all the way up through to Walnut Creek, and we weren't able to find a comparable school that's both Christ centered and academically excellent. It's an awesome reflection of the church (First Baptist of Walnut Creek) and together, it's a great family oriented community to be a part of. I totally recommend checking them out for your littles if this is what you're looking for.

I am sharing our recent experience to help other families who value clear communication, accurate…read moreenrollment information, and active safety protocols: First, student safety is completely minimized. My child is being repeatedly bullied by the same boy, pushed from behind and had tan bark thrown at them. When I brought this to the director, she completely dismissed it, claiming the boy just "doesn't know how to express himself," and offered absolutely no solution to keep my child safe. Second, the management is incredibly dishonest and unorganized. They cut the fall schedule from 5 classes to 4 because a teacher is pregnant. They knew this when we enrolled in February, yet the director hid it from us and just copy pasted her weekly emails without mentioning the cut. We only found out two months later because we asked. When we brought up our concerns, the director simply offered to refund our last couple of weeks and send us on our way, showing they do not care about a child's stability. Furthermore, they gave us contradictory stories about enrollment, telling me in person that we were first on the waitlist, but telling my husband we were fifth. Every family deserves to feel completely safe, informed, and supported in their preschool community. I hope sharing these facts helps you find the right, transparent fit for your little one.

As a graduate from Eagle Peak myself, this school has been one of the best things to ever happen to…read moreme. I've been at Eagle Peak for eight years, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life. Not only did I learn much more than I could have from a public school, it was also incredibly fun. Some of the friends I have made at Eagle Peak, who I have known for years, will probably end up being my friends for a long time from now. The Adolescent Program (AP) took all 34 of the 8th graders, and all 26 of the 7th graders, and made us into a community through a variety of fun activities. We all know each other as though we were best friends, and there's hardly any fights between us, and when there is the teachers are great at working them out. During AP I not only learned a lot about math, science, social studies, and language arts, but also about myself. Through AP, I have become braver, stronger, more outgoing, and better at solving my own problems. On a field trip, we hiked 16 miles from the heart of San Francisco to the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was hard and long, but everyone made it, and I learned how much stronger I was than I thought. I would highly recommend staying in Eagle Peak until you graduate. Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary (1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade, and 4th, 5th, and 6th grade, respectively) were also great for me. During those years the teachers taught us not just what we needed to know, like addition and subtraction, science, basic geometry, cursive, and a lot more, but also how to make friends, how to keep them, how to settle arguments, to express gratitude, and so much more. However, Eagle Peak may not be the right school for your child if they have difficulty applying themselves to their work. The whole system only works if the students are trying to learn, much like a regular school. However, in Eagle Peak there is a much less stressful atmosphere, so some kids might just not do any work, which is hard for the teachers, because they can't exactly follow children home and force them to do homework. The only reason Eagle Peak worked for me was because I learned to apply myself and to care about my work from my parents, and then, later, my Lower Elementary teachers. Overall, though, Eagle Peak was a great school, and personally, I don't think there could have been a better school for me. Sincerely, Roland

EPMS is a wonderful school. My son has been attending, and he truly loves it. Prospective families…read moreshould keep in mind that this is a Montessori school, where some of the most important elements are mixed-age classrooms and student autonomy. Coming from a traditional school myself, I disliked sitting at a desk for hours listening to a teacher, with only short breaks between classes. At EPMS, children have much more freedom in the classroom, and I believe this helps them enjoy school rather than see it as an obligation. Student autonomy also builds a strong sense of responsibility--they're not just running around all day There is a clear structure and flow in the classroom, and everyone knows what to do and when to do it. What I love most about EPMS is the customized learning plan for each child, based on their individual level. Every child moves at their own pace, and their work during class is adjusted accordingly. The mixed-age classrooms really support this approach. If your child is more advanced in certain subjects, they can both receive help from peers and help others. The school offers a thoughtful balance of academic and emotional learning. If you are looking for a highly competitive, homework-heavy environment with constant academic pressure, EPMS may not be the right fit--and that is exactly why it works so well for our family. I have not heard of a single bullying incident in our class, and the school is very strict about this. The children are respectful toward one another and toward their teachers, and conflicts are handled in a healthy and constructive way. Dianne Adair is also fantastic and does an amazing job with the after-school activities. Compared to public schools, where 30 students are often crowded into one classroom with a single teacher, EPMS feels like a much better option. While private schools are another alternative, I appreciate that EPMS admits students through a lottery system, allowing children from diverse backgrounds to learn together.

My son has enjoyed this school, for the most part, since joining in Kindergarten. The school itself…read moreis very nice with lots of caring teachers. I believe we have only had one not so caring teacher and one really bad principal but the current principal is amazing. He does a great job in communicating with both parents and his students, and we couldn't have asked for a better individual to lead the school. Our son has one more school year to go before he moves away from Parkmead and we will be sad to go.