After writing a 2 star review on this school based on my true and honest experience, I get a very disturbing phone call from their director Kapil M. He wanted me take down my review. He accused me of bullying his school with my Yelp Review. I am just telling the truth. Please look at my previous reviews where I gave them 4 star. I had all the excitement and hopes at this school and was shattered after realizing the lies that were fed to us. Right now I am enrolled at our school district. My intention for coming her and our attraction for attending this school is because my son loves science!!! After seeing how he replied on my review, it is a lie that they hired staff. They state that they hired staff...Nope staff was not hired and that's the reason why they couldn't give me an exact start date. When they sent their psychologist to my transitional IEP meeting, their representative flatly told my IEP team at my district that they will not be able to provide services at the level they are providing. My IEP is also recorded and was disclosed before the meeting started. All members in that meeting is 100% aware that they are being recorded. When a public charter school makes promises that they will fulfill services like a public school district, and at a recorded IEP meeting they say they will not??? It really questions the accountability and the process for kids with IEP. Sounds like they cherry pick, which special kids they will have enrolled. Or maybe we are sounding like a business.... Because Mr.Kapil told me take my review down because it is ruining his school reputation. Sir, it's a public school and this is my experience with the admission process... Yes, they have all the field trips to make their school look great and all the extra activities. How about accountability? Teacher experience? Ask the how they deal or prevent with bullying? You will notice they tend to dodge the question. When I asked about the teachers, I am told that they had alot of applicants that applied so therefore they have teachers that want to teach and they highlight that they get county retirement and benefits. But they don't tell you the experiences of their teachers. They look really young, which is fun and great but I think having experienced teachers at a school is also very important. Bullying question... They answer by telling us they hired private investigators and no bullying was done. So how about the prevention? If you go to other review sites, you will see accusations of bullying in this school. Overall the idea presented at this school is amazing! STEM based. Lots of activities. Large member of the PTA, which alot of them are their own employees. ;) Alot of attraction to come to this school and that is why we applied. Go to your local school district. Ask the question of STEM and activities before jumping to come here. There are many charter schools to choose from here in South OC such as Journey, Community Roots, Oxford. How are they run? How are they accounted for financially? Money laundering is very common for people who run charter schools. Do your homework? See what best fits your family. Unfortunately this school wasn't a good fit. And sadly we had promises that were made but on the record during the transitional IEP meeting with the school district, it was very clear, they will not provide the services.... read more

OCASA Elementary School - LIES! They didn't have hired staff. They went to my school for the transitional IEP, on the record they said they will NOT provide services. - Elementary Schools Near Me - Laguna Niguel, California

I absolutely love this school, I love the fact that they are treat you like a family. They care so much. We've been here since third grade , both of my kids are having a good experience, Kapil the founder care so much he just added a program from tillys organization helping kids communicate and learn how to handle stress I was so impressed and I really appreciate it so much . read more

We left our 3rd week at our home public school. My 1st grader liked his teacher. But, He sat all day and was bored. Now , 1 month at Ocasa. My son is excited every morning. Gets himself dressed for school. No more tears in this house over school. With science and art being the focus of Ocasa the sky is truly the limit. 1 field trip a month On campus Astronomy night PE every day Arts 3-4 times a week theater Arts, visual Arts, music Art(my son likes the Drummer) Science there working on Catapolts can't wait to see his smile after that day of pumpkin launching. OCASA is New less then 2 yrs old. with that they are Learning. We hope to be apart of OCASA as it grows and blooms with my child. Good things to come. read more

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Our family can't say enough good things about OCASA. The staff is incredible and my kids are excited to learn. They get to learn by doing (not just hearing about or memorizing) and that is what makes it "click" for them. The speciality teachers for technology, arts/music and spanish are an extra treat in addition to the top notch lead teachers and assistant this school offers. We are so grateful to have our kids in this school! read more

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I've been waiting to write this as I keep pinching myself wondering if I'm dreaming. After a rough start to 4th grade when we changed schools from private to public, we decided to give OCASA a try. Our daughter loves art and science so we hoped it would be a good fit. We are so impressed after her first 2 months. She LOVES going to school since the hands on projects are so fun. She has made some smart friends. The science projects are beginning to engage her leadership skills. The music program is fantastic and she can't wait to get home to practice. And she looks forward to the monthly field trips. The communication app is amazing for parents. The PTSA team is filled with ambitious and friendly parents. We honestly are so happy to have found this community of engaged families. The campus is not great, but the environment is warm and loving and I hope the school district someday acknowledges this amazing school and assigns it a better home. If you're looking for something more unique in your child's schooling, please visit an upcoming tour and check it out! read more

My daughter started OCASA kindergarten at the beginning of this year. She went to a small pre school for 2.5 years and we really struggled with the decision to send her to a public school. We wanted to send her to a small private school as she is very shy and sensitive and we feared her getting lost or bullied in a larger school environment. My daughter LOVES this school. She looks forward to going everyday, loves wearing her uniform and clearly feels like she's part of a school family. She is thriving and learning so much. She has an AMAZING teacher and aide that clearly love her and all the kids in her class. She's been on at least 5 field trips and she comes home spouting interesting facts about so many things. She can count to 15 in Spanish and knows all her letters, numbers, and is starting to read. She's doing addition, subtraction and knows amazing facts about our past Presidents, History and the Solar System. She walks around singing "The Grand Old Flag" and knows the entire songs lyrics by heart along with many others. Not all schools are for everyone, and we definitely had our concerns about OCASA after seeing some negative reviews on line. After almost a year we now feel like we hit the jackpot and got into something great on the ground floor. All school have growing pains especially a school that's brand new, but we believe that for our child its been the right choice. If you want a perfect, predictable, typical school environment OCASA might not be for you. But if you want a growing and thriving environment for your child to learn, explore and thrive in new and different ways....I would suggest you check this school out and give it a chance. read more

Horrible Horrible school. My daughter attended 5-8th grade there. It was great at first. Let's just say safety of the student is not a priority. They are more concerned with getting funding and putting on a dog and pony show. read more

We switched from our local public school to OCASA and my child was thriving just after a few weeks. Fantastic teachers, classmates & opportunities to grow. read more

Our experience at OCASA has been a great one. Our son is really enjoying kindergarten. The curriculum is highly engaging and we love the emphasis on art and science. He looks forward to "ArtsQuest" on Mondays, which is music class. The children are introduced to instruments, world-renowned musicians (like Duke Ellington) and learn how to read music. Our son has made progress learning how to read and is excited to go to school every day. read more

We love OCASA! The teachers and staff have become part of our family. Our child is confident and thriving. She is learning 21st century skills such as critical thinking, media literacy, and how to collaborate with her peers. (a skill many adults still lack) The program has offered her a natural way to link her innate creativity to traditional disciplines like science and math always working towards creative problem solving. I can't think of a skill more valuable to her adult self. I highly recommend Orange County Academy of Arts and Sciences. read more

Our daughter loves her school! Comes home with a smile on her face daily and we love the stem program. Also, she has a speech delay and there is amazing help with it! Amazing school! read more

My children have been at OCASA since it opened 3 years ago. They love it! The hands-on learning and the music, art, and engineer programs have inspired their interest in school and they never complain about going. It's been a great fit for our family! read more

As a parent, the experience has been great, but more importantly my children are happy, challenged and eager to go to school each day. The ability to learn at a more individualized pace and experience hands-on science, art, music, etc engages them at a level that's exciting to watch. read more

OCASA isn't just a school it's a collaborative community! The staff and parents are dedicated to the children's education and positive life-skill development. I'm happy to finally see my child's needs being met and finally thriving! read more

My family is very thankful to have been a part of this school. My sons have thrived socially and academically. They love going to school every day. They are never bored, always engaged, learning hands-on, love their teachers and happy when they come home from school each day. Their teachers are innovative, inspiring and kind. read more

We are really happy with our choice to attend OCASA. Our daughter who is in first grade has had a wonderful experience. All the teachers at the school are amazing people who go the extra mile for the students. The learning is very hands on which has been so nice. We have been on 4 field trips already this year compared to the one we did last year at a traditional public school. My daughter wakes up excited to go to school everyday and as a parent that's one of the best things you could hope for! read more

Our 1st grade daughter is thriving at OCASA. This is her second year there and she loves going to school. Her reading and math skills are above grade level and she loves the science curriculum so much that she wants to be a scientist when she grows up now. She also loves the music and arts program and I am happy that there is a PE program too. read more

* Pretty good teachers in the lower grades * Upper grades unfortunately share a classroom without a wall - yikes! They need more space for middle school! * Somewhat disorganized - always running late to planned activities but somehow get it done * A LOT of bullying, positive reinforcement program is being into place, that I agree with the other reviewer, only works on kids without "behavioral" problems. * The school doesn't have to tell you what they are doing about a "bully" but they could give you the time of the day. But they don't, so yes, a LOT LOT LOT of awesome families have left. So sad - common sense to make parents feel welcomed and listened to. :( * Challenging Math program, although everyone pretty much hates the senseless Common Core, they also incorporate Montessori Math and ST Math and Think Central to strengthen their skills. * Our teacher is on top of things and is always open to discuss any issues we have. Can't wait for this school to grow and become more stable in many ways! read more

Our 2 sons are very happy at OCASA. Their interests and curiosity have increased. They like their teachers and aides and have made many new friends. There are so many parents who give a lot of their time with the many programs and they do it with a smile. We are looking forward to a permanent location for OCASA! read more

Lovely school .my daughter is going there and they do a great job.I wish they had more homework and more focus on math.

My son loves attending OCASA. This school has changed my son's attitude toward learning. He is excited to go to school and says school is "fun". It's amazing to see how engaged he has become. He loves the interesting speakers at school assemblies, field trips, art projects, dissections in science lab, hands on learning, and so much more. Above all, the teachers and staff are friendly, truly care and want to be there. read more

We were initially hesitant to choose a charter school because we believe our traditional-local schools are great, however, the longer we are here, the more we see the differences. No school is perfect, public or private, but at OCASA I've seen a dedicated team of administrators and teachers that are creating a new environment for students to enjoy learning. Some of the differences I've noticed are things that used to be "normal" in an education. We go one field trips, almost once a month, to some really great and inventive places, that drive students curiosities. We have an amazing extra curricular team that includes an amazing full time music and arts program, a "Makers Lab" instructor, and a Spanish teacher. Every lower level class has a lead instructor and assistant which makes the teaching ratios much more manageable. And the lead teachers take the time to work with you on addressing your students needs individually versus forcing them into a singular model. And finally, our ARC approach exposes the students on every level to real world applications. From exploration, research, innovation and to presentation, the students learn how to work in a team exploring various topics. Like with any school, there are some challenges, and I've had to decide what is important for me and my family. Ultimately, that has come down to my children being engaged with the teachers and the content, feeling like I have people who care about their development, exposing them to things that are beyond my knowledge and providing a safe environment for learning. All of which are accomplished at OCASA! read more

We had a terrible experience with this school and are happy now that it is finally being looked into.

My boys have excelled at OCASA; they did not want the school year to be over! As with any school, especially a new one, I had a very realistic approach and fully expected there would be growing pains. I love the vision of OCASA and the main thing is that my children are happy and they are loving learning in this project based setting! read more

We couldn't be happy at OCASA!!! My daughter is thriving and LOVING school!!! The staff have been nothing short of incredible and they've made the transition to this new school such a great experience. They are all so dedicated to the students growth, safety and well-being and it shows. My daughter comes home everyday excited for the next. She's learning in a way that our local public school just doesn't offer and the parent involvement is by far the best I've ever seen. Thank you OCASA!!!! read more

We made the decision to send our son to Kindergarten here after attending preschool/PreK for several years at Montessori schools. It was a tough choice as there are many excellent schools around but my gut feeling after the school tour convinced me that this was the right fit for us. The Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Sullivan, is new to OCASA this year. She is absolutely brilliant and has young children of her own. I love all of the lessons she is doing and my son comes home excited about the projects he did in school - so much so that he actually replicates them at home and teaches us what he learned! It is also worth mentioning that his teacher is an excellent communicator - through the app I know I can message her at any time and will get a response within a few hours, and she doesn't hesitate to reach out to let me know my own child's accomplishments of the day or if there is anything else I need to know. I should add that all the staff are excellent communicators, including after school program staff, and I love that even within a few weeks everyone I've interacted with on staff knows my son by name/even teachers passing by who aren't his teacher take the time to greet him by name and talk to me. The afterschool program also deserves praise. My son does not want to leave when I go to pick him up! The staff makes sure they are actively engaged in learning activities or other creative independent play - all while actually having fun. It is so much more than other afterschool programs I have seen...no glorified babysitting here! The afterschool program administrator, Kerianne, is great. She is right there every day with the kids and knows all of them by name...its a good feeling to know that the people you are trusting with your children are 100% engaged! And 'Mr. Richard' also deserves a mention - he's great with the little kids and clearly loves what he does. I can't say enough good things about the school and the afterschool program. I think it is also worth mentioning that of course we did our research and saw some of the earlier reviews, so we went into this with a grain of skepticism (but also don't tend to base major decisions solely on what the internet says). We are so happy that we trusted our gut! I'm sure there were some bumps in the first year - but the OCASA that I am sending my son to today in 2018 is a quality education and an absolute goldmine. I am happy we got in before everyone else catches on to what a great school this is and we are truly enjoying the experience of being an OCASA family. read more

My son has been with OCASA for 2 years. So far we didn't have any issues and he is very happy there. He is always very excited to go back to school after a break or a weekend. I love their program and amazing teachers. Overall a great school! read more

All three of my children absolutely love their new school! We were nervous taking our twins out of private school to start 4th Grade this fall, and worried how the transition as the new kids might pan out. Our kindergartner would be starting fresh, but we were still curious for his feedback as well. All three of our kids absolutely adore their teachers, their friends and most importantly the stimulating curriculum offered that is keeping them engaged and loving to learn. They look forward to school. The opportunity to play instruments, hands on learning experiments in science and maker space labs and the many impressive field trips that have been planned make learning FUN. Our kids are getting more out of OCASA than they had from their private school - and that is saying a LOT because the bar was set very high. We have no doubt we made the right choice for our family and are grateful to have found this magnificent school. read more

From Administration to the Teachers to the Teacher Assistants to the PTSA, this school is all about community and we could not be happier with being a part of OCASA. Our son has excelled, made tons of friends, gained confidence and gets upset on the days he CAN'T go to school instead of begging to stay home. The added music program this year is phenomenal and the exposure to all things STEAM related has really boosted our son's desire to learn and he is so much more observant of the world around him. We love OCASA! read more

Our oldest started Kindergarten this year at OCASA and he loves it and so do my husband and I. His teacher (Mrs. Norris) is caring and accessible when I need her. My son is learning so much and in a way that is fun for him. He has music weekly and gets to go on field trips. The entire staff is friendly. I can't wait until my youngest gets to also become an OCASA Rocket. read more

Not only am I a parent of OCASA, but I am also an employee. However, this review is based on my parent perspective. My son has developed in his self-confidence dramatically this year. He is very proud of his accomplishments and always wants to do his best. This is because his teacher consistently provides positive support for him in the class. She has made learning fun and engaging, and he enjoys going to school each morning. My son has become more independent because he is encouraged to think for himself during school hours. He has made some great friendships as well. The entire staff is amazing and truly support their students academically and socially. Students are given individual attention and thrive on positive feedback. read more

My daughters attend OCASA and absolutely love their school day experience and the afterschool Beyond the Stars program. The hands-on, experiential learning experience at OCASA keeps them engaged, and their teachers, peers, and administrators complement their day-to-day activities. read more

My son endured educational abuse at this school. His 4th grade IEP was illegally violated and he was dumped outside his 4th grade classroom daily with handwritten scribblings of addition facts, instead of his 4th grade math work. His IEP goals-written only a few months ago before summer vacation- were to work on "4th grade level math curriculum with his peers in the regular education classroom." When the mainstream setting overwhelmed him, no follow-up IEP meeting was suggested to us to adjust the IEP to our son's needs in a healthy, professional, and LEGAL manner, as is his educational right by law. As his parents, we were NOT NOTIFIED, as is our legal right, that there would be a change in his educational environment or to his IEP math goals. When our son told us he was being dumped on the lunch benches with addition facts scribbled on pieces of paper, we obviously requested to observe our son in his educational environment. We made numerous requests to observe our son in his classroom. OCASA DENIED US OUR LEGAL RIGHT TO OBSERVE OUR SON in his educational environment, obviously in an attempt to conceal their illegal and unprofessional treatment of him. read more