We cannot say enough good things about the community at Woodland School. From the moment we began…read morethe admissions process, we felt like more than just another application. The Admissions Director, Melanie, is truly exceptional. She went above and beyond to support our family, showing incredible flexibility and genuine care throughout the process. Beyond the administration, the school itself is impressive. We fell in love with the beautiful, sprawling outdoor campus--it's such a rare and refreshing environment for kids to learn in. One of the most striking things we noticed was how confident and articulate the students are; their comfort with public speaking is clearly a testament to the school's curriculum. We also spent a lot of time admiring the Maker Lab, which is easily one of the best we've seen. While our family's personal circumstances shifted and we couldn't enroll this year, Woodland remains at the top of our list for any family looking for a balanced, high-achieving, and supportive environment

Absolutely terrible terrible school. If I could give it 0 I would. The years I spent here were the…read moreworst in my entire life. None of the teachers want to be here they are all underpaid and regularly complain about their salary. While I was there I would consistently hear teachers say "I can't answer that that's above my pay grade" or joke about how they can't afford to pay for anything. Many of them were just bullies and put no effort into teaching us. The teachers also have no control over the students with classes being so hectic that lesson plans would get put on pause. If you are a smart student you won't be challenged here, if your a student with learning disabilities you will get NO support. The campus is laughably small and unclean. The buildings are in horrible condition with middle schoolers learning in portable classrooms. In my opinion it kind of feels like they just added the middle school on in the 80's to make more money. The food is horrible but the kids are even worse.

The Windmill School has been a long standing institution for early childhood education in Portola…read moreValley. With roots along Alpine Road, the school moved to their new campus a handful of years ago, and serves families in Portola Valley and adjacent communities. The physical space is specially created for young learners with indoor-outdoor environments and large spaces for community gatherings. Our family has been extremely pleased with the school! Our two little ones have made friends, learned good habits, and been supported by the wonderful teachers and administrators of the school. With healthy community relationships, growing programs for the youngest learners, and a decades long track record, I'm sure Windmill will continue to be amazing in the future!!!

AMAZING place. Best preschool on the peninsula...I almost don't want to review because I don't want…read moretoo many more people to know about it. Teachers seem to care in a genuine way. Love the other parents. The negative review by Marion V below is silly. Given she misspelled some words and used incorrect grammar, I don't think she should judge a school!

Choosing a school for your little one is such a stressful experience, but Harper makes it very…read moreeasy. We've been with them for two years now and have had nothing but good experiences. The admin staff, especially Ms. Lopez, is amazing and really cares about the students. Ms. Lopez is "on the ground" enough that she knows the kids names and they all say hi to her when they see her. The preschool teachers, Ms. Gwen, Ms. Margaret and Ms. Kim, are phenomenal. They approach any issues with kindness and sensitivity. They are also firm with the kids and set good boundaries and routines. Finding that balance is typically difficult, but they do it with finesse! The curriculum here, even with the preschool class, sets the kids up for success in higher grades. It balances play and fun with learning. From letter recognition to name writing to "STEM" - via tiny science experiments - music and Spanish, outdoor play and story time, they do it all. Since day one, my child has been excited to go each day and has thrived in the Harper environment. The learning progress I've seen, especially at such a young age, is astounding. We love Harper and appreciate all the staff very much! We hope to be a Harper family for a very long time to come!

Highly, highly recommended for elementary school! A lot of…read morethese reviews are for the daycare/pre-k programs, but I'd like to review the Elementary program, which is newer and smaller. Our son joined the Kindergarten program halfway through the year in Jan '25. He had been at a well-regarded RWC public school, but unfortunately he struggled there with behavior, academic, and motivation issues. Basically, he was slipping through the cracks. He was regressing academically, and most worryingly to me, he was starting to hate going to school. He started at Harper at the mid-year break. There was certainly an adjustment period - the Harper kids were *so* far ahead academically. But, the curriculum is individualized and the support was tremendous. It was amazing how quickly he improved on all fronts: behavior, academics, and motivation. He literally sprints from the car to class each morning. He is so excited and talks about what he learns constantly. He has developed a positive attitude, curiosity, and emotional maturity beyond anything we could have hoped for. Ms. Shaynee, his teacher, is an absolute rock star. We feel so lucky to have had her as his teacher. The class size for elementary grades at Harper is absurdly small right now. Like, 5-10 kids. At first, I thought it would be weird. But it's actually a wonderful number for this age, and it makes Harper such an incredible deal. It's obviously a new school and a new program, and I'm hoping it grows with him as he progresses through the grades. Overall, if you are looking for a private elementary, I just can't recommend Harper enough. No private school in this area is cheap, but I feel we get incredible value for our dollar. The fact that the aftercare is so affordable helps. Also, we hear that if you have multiple kids there then the cost goes down a lot.

I went to Las Lomitas for kindergarten through 3rd grade and LOVED it!!! This was a…read moreprivate-school-like-public school experience. The teachers were (and continue to be!) unbelievable, the campus is gorgeous, the students enjoy fabulous resources, and the student and parent population is amazing. I believe that Las Lomitas and then La Entrada for grade 4 - 8 (with most of the same classmates) greatly prepared for high school academics. However, it did not prepare me for a large, un-"sheltered" high school (Menlo-Atherton High School). I am still in touch with some of my kindergarten classmates which I think is pretty amazing since I graduated from college a few years ago... Sometimes I wish I could re-live my Las Lomitas days! I also attended Las Lomitas's summer program which was great too!

My kids aren't students at Las Lomitas School, but we are frequent weekend visitors of its…read morerelatively modern and well-kept playgrounds. The climbing structures are targeted to the school's 5-8 year old population, but as such, they make a perfect, challenging-but-not-too-dangerous option for my 4 year old. (The 8 foot drops are, however, a bit on the advanced/dangerous side for my 2 year old). Like most area playgrounds, this one's grounds are covered with wood chips -- not my favorite surface, but workable. The campus also supports a large-but-cracked asphalt area that includes basketball courts, but that we use for bike training. The campus' many smooth ramps also provide a fun backdrop for both biking and tag games. I can't provide personal commentary on the school, but will pass along that I've heard only good things from local parents and that the school's test scores paint the flattering picture you'd expect of its Menlo/Atherton population: http://school-ratings.com/counties/San_Mateo.html

This is just for their pick up process. They are extremely strict in their rules. I don't mind…read morebeing strict, but the lady enforcing the rules was very very rude. I would say snappy and aggressive. We all want to get in and out, but there is no need to bite someone's head off for asking a question.

Walter Hays is one of 12 great elementary schools in the Palo Alto Unified School District…read more Wonderful staff & dedicated, talented teachers. Great programs in music, art, technology & science. This school is located on the corner of very busy Middlefield & Embarcadero streets. Its nice that there is always a crossing guard during peak school times when children are going to and from school in the mornings & afternoons.

A great public school that is as good as private if not better…read more Great Staff and teahers, very very safe, academically advanced. Clean and vast. One start was taken out because of number of students in class, I wish that could be reduced. Other than that a great school.

Shout out to Amanda Ferreira what a wonderful teacher and person she really is. She is what every…read moreteacher should strive to be.

Trinity has truly helped my kids find their place in a warm, caring community. The teachers each…read morebring something unique, and the staff are always present and ready to help. The parent community also plays a big role in the school's operations. Kids feel heard, supported, and of course, academically challenged. If what you see on the school's website aligns with your vision for early education, chances are you and your kids will feel right at home here.

Our child is currently in 1st grade at Trinity, and we love the school's heavy focus on whole child…read moredevelopment and SEL. The academic focus is strong without the high pressure typically seen in Bay Area Schools. The Math is differentiated to be challenging and engaging. The teachers are very nurturing and truly care about the children.

Nixon is one of 12 great elementary schools in the Palo Alto Unified School District…read more Wonderful staff & dedicated, talented teachers. Great programs in music, art, technology & science. This campus is much different then the other elementary schools in Palo Alto. The classroom building here are not your standard 'L' shape. This school site sits on a small hill.