We enrolled our child at AAM excited about the schools' arts focus and community. Unfortunately,…read moreour experience was deeply disappointing. During the school year, multiple children in the TK class were involved in incidents that were not handled appropriately by the classroom or administration. The situation ultimately resulted in a teacher facing criminal charges for "willful cruelty to child", along with documented concerns involving multiple children. As parents, it was incredibly difficult to continue sending our daughter into an environment we no longer felt confident in her safety of the school or PUSD leadership's judgment. Our concerns extend beyond one classroom or one teacher. In our experience, Principal Dr. Hill did not provide the level of leadership, transparency, or accountability we expected when seriously concerns were brought forward. We repeatedly left conversations feeling that our concerns were minimized rather than addressed directly, an dour confidence in the administration quickly eroded. Parents, teachers, and aides had all brought up concerns to the principal before the teacher's actions escalated to a criminal level. She did nothing to prevent harm coming to students. To be fair, there were a few positives. Our child loved making friends and there are caring staff members who genuinely want the best for students. However, trust is foundational and once that trust is broken, we could not justify keeping our child there. We ultimately withdrew from the district entirely. Every family's experience will be different, but I believe prospective parents deserve to know that serious concerns arose during our time there and to ask detailed questions about school culture, supervision, and how concerns are handled before enrolling.

I went to this school and, this school is very fun. For 5th grade we had many exciting activities…read more We went to Knotts Berry Farm and it was amazing! All the staff is so comforting ! The teachers are amazing and kind. The school is very diverse and lots of people fit right in. The first time I went there was fun and amazing. I fitted right in with all the students and made many friends. I hope for the best for all the students! If I was you I would definitely enroll my child!

Where do I even begin with this amazing place? IMA is truly a gift to children, parents, families…read moreand the entire community. First and foremost, the teachers are stellar! They are incredibly talented, caring, and passionate about teaching children-not only foundational academic skills like reading and math, but important life skills such as cleaning up after themselves, problem solving, independence and responsibility. I truly feel like we found a treasure in IMA. Although I am sad my first child's time there is coming to an end, I am incredibly grateful for the educational foundation he has received. I know the skills, confidence and love of learning he has developed at IMA will have a lasting impact throughout his life. Thank you, Mrs. Sollito for such an exceptional job of creating an environment where children feel safe, loved, supported and excited to learn. IMA is such a special place and we cannot thank you enough for all you have done for our children!

Our family has been part of the IMA community for the past five years, and with our youngest now…read moregetting ready for TK, it's bittersweet to say goodbye. If you're looking for a school where the owners and staff are 120% dedicated to creating a safe, loving, and nurturing environment for your children, you've found it. Their kindness, patience, and genuine passion for what they do are evident every single day, and those values naturally rub off on the children. We truly believe our kids are more kind, empathetic, and confident because of the environment IMA created. We feel incredibly fortunate that both of our children were able to attend IMA. The fact that they prioritize siblings during enrollment was also a huge blessing for our family. The teachers and staff are simply wonderful. They consistently go above and beyond, especially during the summer program. Every week is filled with exciting activities like petting zoos, magic shows, carnival days, pony rides, and so much more. You can tell how much effort goes into making each event special with all the decorations, treats, and thoughtful details for both the children and their families. As working parents, we also found tremendous value in their extended early drop-off and late pick-up hours. It gave us much-needed flexibility, and our kids genuinely enjoyed being there, even if it's past 8 hours. Having them in the same program year-round (with scheduled holidays) made life so much easier and helped keep our family's routine consistent. We also felt the tuition was an incredible value for everything the school provides. More importantly, every interaction with the staff was met with understanding, warmth, and genuine care. They always made us feel like part of the IMA family. We will truly miss IMA and everyone there. Our children were incredibly lucky to grow up in such a nurturing environment, and we will always be grateful for the love, support, and unforgettable memories they gave our family. We wholeheartedly recommend IMA to any family looking for an exceptional Montessori school. It has been one of the best decisions we've made for our children.

Our family discovered Waverly by accident, but it turned out to be one of the best things that ever…read morehappened to us. We were late in touring and searching for schools, but as soon as we stepped onto the campus, we knew Waverly was the right home for our girls. There are very few schools that take a strong stand on Progressive Education, Social Justice Education, and truly focus on helping kids be curious and grow into independent thinkers. Waverly recognizes my children for who they are and welcomes their curiosity. Every day, I am grateful that they are in a place where they will develop into vocal adults who stand up for their beliefs.

We have been at The Waverly School for four years with our two sons. One is in middle school and…read morethe other in elementary. I cannot speak highly enough of Waverly and how it has shaped our sons into the vibrant and ethical young men that they are becoming. Waverly has a heavy focus on social-emotional education and social justice alongside academics. For a small school, their arts, music, and extracurricular programs are also outstanding. But, what makes a school is the people - the community of teachers, administrators, support staff and families - and that is where Waverly shines the most. Waverly is more than a school. It is our sons' village, full of other adults that inspire them and are great role models to them.

I love this school. My daughter is enrolled in the Toddler program and started last year when she…read morewas 2yrs old. My daughter is very happy there - she does the full day and the aftercare program. She will be continuing this year with the same teacher. The guides are thoughtful and so experienced. I feel supported as a parent and I have learned a ton about how to interact and deal with difficult situations that come up in toddlerhood (potty training, sleep transitions, picky eating, boundary pushing, etc). It has helped me keep my sanity. Additionally, the parent community is awesome and the school events are thoughtful and fun.

Read the contract before you enroll. It's insane. There are clearly dedicated teachers but also a…read morelot of turnover. Having attended 2 of the AMI accredited preschools in the area, OKMS was my least favorite of the two.

It's been a few years since we graduated from Our School and we are still so happy with our…read moredecision to send our daughter here. We visited recently and everyone still remembered our daughter's name and anecdotes about their time shared together. Everyone here is just so generous and loving; Im so grateful they exist in our community.

Our daughter started going to Our School in April 2023 when she just turned 2.5 and fully potty…read moretrained (required). And now she is going to be turning 5 this summer and graduating! Time flies and I couldn't be more thankful for the wonderful women who make this school so special. It is truly a safe space and a home away from home. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this place. Where to begin? I've toured a lot of preschools before seeing Our School and I instantly fell in love with how cozy and intimate the environment felt. Some of the other schools felt a little too "corporate." Here, there's no app or portal. Just good old fashion face-to-face chats with teachers and Ms Janel. They genuinely foster a sense of community so it feels like you are a part of the school too. In general, the school is well structured and organized. The staff ensures a good mix of boys and girls and will move kids up classes when they are ready socially and emotionally. Our daughter started off in Ms Yolanda's class, then Ms Doretha's class, and now in Ms Tiff's class. She has so much fun! She's grown so much socially and academically. The school gives you a booklet of the work they do everyday and it's such a treat to see how much they progress over time. I have no doubt she is more than prepared for kindergarten. The school also has a saltwater pool and my daughter swam everyday in the summer as an extracurricular (additional fee). This is her third summer swimming and is swimming like a fish. In the fall and spring, the school offers dance and gymnastic and pizza Mondays year-round for an additional fee. There's tons of fun activities that Miss Tiff does to make school so engaging and exciting. But above all, they all know your child SO well that you know they are truly paying attention to each child everyday. And during the Eaton Fires, Miss Tiff opened up her heart to make school feel as normal as possible and made sure the Our School families were cared after. Pajamas days, lunch provided for all students, donation drives for affected families, she did it all. There is so much intention and humanity built into this school and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. It's going to be really hard to say goodbye.

We've loved our experience here! One of the most incredible things to witness has been watching my…read morechild grow socially and emotionally in such a natural, confident way. She's learned to advocate for herself, speak comfortably and respectfully with both adults and peers, and genuinely connect with other children by meeting them where they are. Most of all, I deeply appreciate the school's philosophy that childhood should be slow, meaningful, and protected. There's such a thoughtful respect for children here, and it creates an environment where kids can really thrive. We feel incredibly lucky to be part of this lovely community.

This school is so wonderful. My daughter was known and seen. I could tell she felt supported as she…read morebranched out and tried new to her things. She learned how to include others, she learned she could do hard things and she made lifelong friends. and me as the mom, I got the community I have been craving in motherhood.

We learned early on how incredibly important and foundational the learning ages of 2-5 were going…read moreto be for our son's growth. Until the age of two, we were able to nurture his love of creativity through art, get him engaged in reading and music, and keep him active and independent while learning at home, but his social-emotional growth needed a community like Modern Schoolhouse to truly develop. We met another family at his favorite playground that had an AMAZING experience at Modern Schoolhouse and their daughter, who was academically gifted and raised with similar philosophies, was thriving under their care. We enrolled and discovered for ourselves that Modern Schoolhouse was indeed an absolute gem for child development. Our son entered after turning two, and he was very shy/reserved at the time. The talking, dancing, singing, bilingual artist that blew us away with his funny ideas and love of learning at home, needed help expressing himself in the larger group. Over the next several years, Leonardo was able to grow and thrive his ability to emotionally self-regulate, from having a 'safe space' at home to being able to identify what he was feeling and how to 'calm his body,' to listening to others and respecting common space. What we didn't anticipate was not just the top quality of the school, the clean aesthetic spaces, and the exceptional teachers (Teacher Alicia from class 3 was truly amazing!!), but also the like minded and kind community that became a key part of our son's social life. During our son's first years at home, we studied Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia- instituting some principles of each in our approach at home. It wasn't until we met Sue and her philosophies at Modern Schoolhouse did we see some of these same philosophies embodied in an American child care setting; and we must have interviewed or toured at 5 or more local schools before finding Modern Schoolhouse. The core beliefs consist of the idea that children are competent, capable, curious individuals with hundreds of ways of self expression. The role of the school and family should be creating a structured, clean, and aesthetic environment that is conducive stimulating exploration and discovery. Teachers in this sense guide and foster collaboration rather than just 'delivering information.' Giving our son a new challenge was hard at first, but Sue and her staff were quick to offer suggestions and outside resources so we could reinforce some lessons at home, especially around his development of social/emotional skills like managing anger, dealing with disappointment, and learning to communicate when he needed space. He also was given the chance to learn how to build relationships and have positive interactions with new friends. Each 'season' and month had different themes that would be clearly delivered in monthly/quarterly emails along with chances to meet with teachers on child progress in key development areas of language, tracing, use of scissors, how to put on shoes/jackets, counting, class participation/listening, and emotional self expression. By class 3 (3 years old and above), our son was giving 'show and tell' presentations, using the 'sharing bee' to discuss their weekend, and playing inventive games to stimulate imagination and curiosity. Through the use of brightwheel, we were always shown photos and videos of our son having fun with friends and doing some fun activity. The school also offered many events at the school such as the "annual art show," "parent and me" day, and music sessions from Teacher Gaia culminating in a student led music performance (the cutest!). This year all the 4 classes made their own animal costumes and acted out various Disney themes. It was extraordinary to see him flourish and thrive under Teacher Alicia in class 3, who is truly remarkable for her ability to connect to kids and meet them where they are on the journey. By the end he was more confident in his presentations and even singing his favorite Disney songs Karaoke style to the class! Everything ended on a wonderful note with his graduation and small speech to parents and the graduating class. We were given an opportunity for a graduation photoshoot and his 'family book' with messages from all of the teachers as a keepsake that he created during his time there. As he graduated before many of the others in class 3, everyone created a special hand painted art for him with with the handprints of all his friends. It is bittersweet to go onto the next chapter, but he graduated school scoring high in every single metric of development, and he easily was interviewed and accepted into an international private school. Thanks you for being such a key part of his childhood journey and we hope to stay in touch with Leonardo and our growing family!

Our daughter was a founding student at Modern Schoolhouse in Eagle Rock. She attended TMS from when…read moreshe was 18 months until she graduated as a 4-year-old (when our family moved from LA to Denver). It's difficult to capture the gratitude and appreciation we have for Sue and her team in words. Modern Schoolhouse was an integral, joyful part of our family's life for several years. The teachers expertly crafted a safe, nurturing, and rigorous environment that provided a strong foundation for our daughter to blossom and grow. I feel like we will always look back on our enrollment at Modern Schoolhouse as one of the best parenting decisions we've ever made. A few things stand out about TMS: CURRICULUM - Our daughter was enrolled in full-time childcare for a year prior to Modern Schoolhouse. However, it was unclear whether her previous caregivers were working toward any kind of goal (e.g., Kindergarten readiness) or if she was learning anything. That changed the instant we enrolled at TMS. I remember feeling skeptical when Sue asked us to purchase a special pack of flashcards. However, a few months later our 1.5 year-old daughter was recognizing the alphabet and making letter sounds at home. We were legitimately shocked! Preschool years are so important for kids to develop foundational skills and get broad exposure to different topics. Modern Schoolhouse delivers a learning experience that feels ambitious, but not forced. Our daughter was always engaged with the current unit (e.g., marine life, camping, etc.) and excited to go to school. That is the best feeling as a parent! The regular assessments and parent/teacher conferences helped us understand her progress and make a smooth transition to our new school in Colorado. CARE - At the same time that preschool aged children are exploring new academic concepts, they're also learning how to interact and play with other children. Modern Schoolhouse does such an excellent job helping their students communicate, manage their emotions, and engage with their classmates. At TMS our daughter learned things like how to ask for space and differentiate between good vs. bad choices. Teacher/staff transitions are inevitable and unavoidable in early childhood learning. What stood out to us about TMS was the quality and consistency of the team over the years and across classrooms. The teachers at Modern Schoolhouse helped us through the various ups and downs of life with a toddler and major transitions like potty training. Now that we're no longer enrolled at TMS, we're realizing that we took for granted how proactive and responsive the teachers were with their communication. The "ouch reports" from the playground, the quick responses to questions, it's all so important for parents - especially if this is your first childcare experience. COMMUNITY - Lastly, I want to highlight the broader Modern Schoolhouse community. Our daughter became very close with several other girls in her classroom and over time we became friends with their parents as well. TMS families are diverse, kind, and welcoming. I appreciated the music day potluck, annual art show, graduation, and the various other ways that Modern Schoolhouse brought everyone together to celebrate the students. Thank you Modern Schoolhouse! We will forever be grateful to you for the positive impact you had on our family.

My children all have different personalities and needs, but they are all thriving at Aveson. We…read morelost our beautiful campus in the Eaton Fire, but we're settling in at our temporary home, co-located with Alma Fuerte Charter on the former site of Cleveland Elementary. Despite it all, our kids still love Aveson, and we're still here because the community is wonderful and we share the values of the school. Aveson focuses on social-emotional learning, project-based curriculum, and personalized mastery. In practice, what that means is things like: -- Classes that begin with a short mindfulness exercise to help kids transition into a new task. -- Time spent teaching even little ones about how the brain works, and how to process big feelings. -- An emphasis on kindness and mutual respect, in how teachers interact with students, and how students interact with each other. -- A "safe spot" (cozy corner) in each room, for kids to go to if they're having a tough time or just need a quiet moment. -- Projects that are very open-ended, that all kids can get something out of regardless where they are in their growth. All grades do a lot of writing (and/or drawing, for the little ones) and learn about editing and proofreading--always useful, regardless of your level. Grades 3-5 do Passion Projects, where kids learn about the many steps in researching a project and present on it at Celebration of Learning, the twice-a-year open house. It's really cool to see the growth from year to year as the kids better understand how to research, find cooler and cooler topics, etc. They build a lot of skills while doing something they care about. -- Small groups in the core curriculum classes (Literacy and Math), so kids can work at their level while the teacher and an aide float between groups. In a math class, it's typical to have groups working at multiple levels, ranging from extra support to working ahead. In grades 1-2, the teachers have organized reading groups that each have a dedicated aide or teacher. -- A Healthy Living class, where the wonderful and warm Ms. Arlynn teaches garden and cooking. My children will try foods in her class that they'd run away from at home. And there's nothing as beautiful as starting a school morning at a garden. -- At 2nd grade, a camping trip to celebrate moving from the younger division (TK-2) to the older division (3-5). On our old campus, the campout would be on campus, which was a thrill for the kids. This year, post-fire, a parent organized a fabulous trip to Trask Canyon instead. At 5th grade, students celebrate the end of their time at school with a trip to Catalina that was their first sleep-away trip. The kids have an incredible time and come back with a new swagger. The time since the fire has been so hard, in so many ways. A lot of families in our community lost their homes or have been displaced long-term from standing homes. Some of our families have had to leave the school because of where they've had to move, or because they needed their children back in school faster than the school was able to pivot to a new location. The school is in transition as it recovers, and I suspect it will be for years to come as we figure out where we'll be long-term. But the spirit of what makes Aveson great is still here: the classroom experience. The amazing Ms. Weinstock, in 5th grade, helped her students process the fire by creating a unit on first-person historical narratives, reading accounts of Pearl Harbor and the Holocaust, and encouraging students to write their own accounts of the fire. They wrote poetry--odes to things they lost. As a class, they kept learning while also processing and grieving together. Things like that were happening in every grade. We have phenomenal advisors and caring staff, and that means so much. If you're reading this, you're probably looking for a school, and I do agree with the negative reviews that, if you're socially conservative, you might not agree with Aveson's curriculum and culture. It's a welcoming space for a diverse community, and teaches a curriculum with anti-racism and affirmation/acknowledgment of LGBTQ+ people as some of its values. My children did have questions, and sometimes misunderstood things, but talking things out at home has always been really fun and interesting, and also something I've learned from a lot. I don't think that's age-inappropriate, however; kids are capable of learning complex things if you're willing to talk and keep talking as they grow. For me, the fact that they teach these values is something that I was hugely excited about when I learned about it, and it's a piece of why I love the community. Despite everything it's been through, it's still such a beautiful school.

This school is very unorganized! They don't hire appropriate applicants for the job , no one…read morecommunicates with each other so the info you get from one person may or may not be correct . I asked to be a part of the independent study program and after I kept telling them I don't want her in I go in person one week before school they told me that she has to go in person because of her IEP . They never withdrew her even though I asked them to and they confirmed via email . I guess they are desperate for enrolled student numbers . I ended up going with ilead exploration and it was a smooth process with very organized and professional staff . Wonderful teachers and IEP programs that are done online . It was super easy to enroll her and everyone knew what they were doing . So grateful for ilead . Do not enroll your child at Aveson !!