We love Pathway! My daughter is in 8th grade this year and we have been going to Pathway for the…read morepast 3 years. She has blossomed and grew in her confidence and academics greatly. Such a loving and supportive community! Highly recommended to any family with kids who need alternatives to learn and grow!

Pathway School has truly been a gift and a blessing for our son…read more He entered Pathway in 5th grade after attending public school, where he struggled with ADHD, dyslexia, slow processing, and orthographia. Traditional classrooms often left him feeling frustrated and unseen, and his confidence in reading and learning continued to suffer. Since joining Pathway, everything has changed. Their personalized learning approach, combined with small class sizes and genuine care, has helped him improve his reading by four levels over just two years. More importantly, he feels seen, heard, and encouraged to embrace exactly who he was designed to be. We're especially grateful for the school's strong Christian foundation and values. Every teacher, aide, and staff member leads with compassion and a heart for these precious children. Pathway also does an exceptional job partnering with parents, offering regular, transparent communication about his growth and progress. We give Pathway our highest recommendation--it has been truly life-changing for our family.

I really wanted to love this school, but our overall experience was very disappointing…read more In my opinion, the school maintains a narrow model of 'ideal' student behavior. From what I observed, they are quick to flag children who do not fit this specific mold, often suggesting professional assessments as the primary solution for behavioral differences. I also had concerns regarding supervision. I would receive incident reports that lacked any true insight into what actually happened--situations that likely could have been prevented with better oversight and supervision. For a full year, my child was miserable and would cry every morning, dreading school. After changing his school, the transformation was immediate. Seeing my child thrive in a new environment made me realize the issue was the school. Another major concern was how feedback was communicated. On multiple occasions, teachers raised negative comments about my child directly in front of him, which is entirely inappropriate and not how concerns should be addressed. These conversations should be handled privately with parents--not in a way that can embarrass or impact a child's confidence. What was even more troubling was hearing my son's peers repeat the same language to describe him--terms I had previously heard used by his teachers. That was very telling. It strongly suggests that the language modeled by staff was being picked up and repeated by other children. Therefore, I would have to agree with the shaming and scolding reviews left by others. On a practical note for parents: avoid sending your children in any nice clothing or shoes. In our experience, new items were constantly ruined by the dirt on the playground. Overall I would not recommend this school and I recommend not to be fooled by the pretty magical environment.

My twins have been at Willowbrook since preschool and will be entering 6th grade next fall. They've…read morethrived in every way here....academically, emotionally, physically, etc. The social emotional learning they've been introduced to has been phenomenal. The minute I set foot on this campus for a tour I fell in love. The campus embodies the natural Laguna Beach spirit, surrounded by animals, beautiful trees, a creek, quaint buildings, birds, and happy kids! We've grown close to several families throughout the years thanks to all the activities held on campus. The class sizes are small which was the main reason for choosing private over public. The meals are healthy and delicious. The staff is so wonderful. The commute is 15-20 minutes from Irvine.

LPPP in Mission Viejo was recommended to us by a friend who had her 3 children attend and are now…read morealumni. We did a walk-through of the school and didn't need to look anywhere else. Our son started with the Parent & Me classes. It was a great way to ease kids and parents into the world of play-based preschool. The Parent & Me classes are led by Teacher Jackie (all the teachers are amazing, btw) and she not only prepares your child for preschool by focusing on the child's well-being and social emotional skills but the parents as well on managing expectations around this age and how to help reinforce the lessons learned at LPPP by implementing them into your home. I can honestly say that attending these classes made me more comfortable when it came time to start the 3-year-old classes and initiate drop offs. Our son now attends the 3-year-old class and is really thriving. We watched our only child learn how to engage with other children and follow direction better. He's now formed friendships with his classmates. He loves learning about different cultures, exploring the sciences, and listening to stories but his favorite is still playtime. Parents also continue to be educated at monthly meetings in order to support their children inside and outside the classroom. LPPP is special in that it gives the parents opportunities to engage and contribute to the school. It has been such a blessing being there to watch my son learn and grow at LPPP. We've already signed him up for next year!

When I say this school is an OC hidden gem, it's an understatement! My daughter had the privilege…read moreof attending Lppp for the last two years and I'm beyond grateful. I have never met a group of teachers that  cared so much about each individual child's needs. Our first year there, my daughter was struggling with transitions especially during pick up time. Teacher Jackie went out of her way to come up with a plan to help my daughter. She would also walk with us to our car to help minimize any additional behaviors. I don't know many schools where the director of the school will walk you to your car to help with your child's transitions. Any emotional or behavioral concerns the teachers will come up with a game plan and implement it to help your child grow. The support they offer is unmatched. Also, every month is educationally play themed and so much fun for the kids. My daughter was excited everyday for school. She loved lppp so much. Everyday I dropped her off, I knew she was in good hands. They also had monthly parent night where all the parents would get together and teacher Jackie would go over topics to help us parents implement support strategies for our kids. When I say this school cares, I mean it. It was truly a magical two years that I am forever grateful for.

My daughter has blossomed in the last two weeks since she's started attending preschool here!…read more We chose this school purely based on how my daughter's face lit up during the tours. We toured a few schools and she did not like any of them until we visited this school. Ms. Pei and Ms. Betty from the bilingual classroom were both so warm and welcoming, and made my daughter so excited about starting school from the first time we toured their class! Before starting school, she was so shy and timid and would often avoid playgrounds with too many people. She would hide when people say hi to her, and run away from kids who tried to play with her. Ever since she started school here, she suddenly became a social butterfly! And she would wake up every morning excited to go to school and play with her friends! We seriously are so happy and thankful for all the teachers here for caring for our daughter and helping her overcome her social anxiety!

We started sending our precious baby, M, here when she was 9 months old. She is now 14 months old…read more We chose LNMC because without exception, the staff are so warm, welcoming and thoroughly trained in authentic Montessori education. (Any school can use the Montessori name, so just because a school says they are "Montessori" does not mean they implement it correctly or to a quality standard.) if you want the true Montessori experience, you will definitely want to tour this school. Baby M lights up every morning when she sees her teachers, and even though she misses us when we leave, I always have *complete* confidence and peace of mind leaving her there because I know she is loved, and her physical, cognitive and emotional needs are more than met. Teachers are flexible and understanding and communicative about the many particular and constantly changing needs (feeding schedule, switching from bottle to cup, encouraging solids and naps, etc) of Baby M. In the infant room, they support and follow whatever daily schedule your child follows at home. M did have trouble napping in a classroom at first (because she just wants to keep playing with everyone) but she is napping well now. The school feels like a community. Even the teachers of the older kids know Baby M and always say hello to her (we typically have to stop a couple times on the way to her classroom in the morning because she is a very social baby and wants to give the other teachers morning hugs). The school also hosts various celebrations, such as "Muffins with Mom" for Mothers Day and "Donuts with Dad" for Fathers Day. For Muffins with Mom, I got to hang out one morning after drop off to eat muffins and fruit with M and the other mothers. It was lovely. They even set up a back drop for Mother's Day for us to take a picture together and regularly send kids home with product art on holidays. I am not the biggest fan of product art (vs process art) as a learning tool, but I admit I LOVE these keepsakes and will keep them forever. We also had the opportunity to volunteer at the Scholastic book fair and to purchase books for M's classroom. Ms. Athana and Ms. Danielle (administration) keep the school very secure, the children safe, help support teachers on the daily and in their professional growth, and are always approachable. They are so kind and patient with our "new parents sending our baby to preschool for the first time" and other ongoing questions/concerns. (We had raised concerns about M not napping, which they completely understood and helped us resolve.) Other notes: the classrooms are very clean, well-organized, full of cognitively stimulating materials (but not cluttered) and have beautiful natural light. There is a kindergarten classroom if you want the option for your child to go the Montessori kindergarten too. The front door can only be opened with your own personal code (love the security), and check in and check out are done using the Procare app (easy, convenient). You will get daily updates via the app about when your child is eating, sleeping, and when they've had diaper changes. Teachers will also occasionally send photos of what your child does during the day. It is a nice connection to have to them throughout my workday. Clearly, we (and Baby M!) love this school. I highly recommend a tour if any of these positives resonate with you. If you do so soon, Baby M will likely greet you at the door of the infant room .

I adopted a puppy last March and was looking for a dog trainer. My neighbor recommended I contact…read moreJulie & Bruce and called them not only "true dog whisperers" but also incredible people who run a learning academy. I was considered "out of area," but they made an exception for me and drove the distance to train my puppy. They were confident that after 4-6 sessions my dog would be good to go. That sounded very promising to me! I've never hired a dog trainer before so it was an incredible learning experience for me. Bruce is a phenomenal instructor. He educated me that communication and hand signals are key, along with repetition and consistency. My dog wouldn't be who she is today if it wasn't for him. Many people become frustrated with their dogs because there is a lack of training. I wish I could give them 10 stars. You truly won't regret hiring them for your fur baby!

We are so proud of our Son Atlas. He's been going to Ms. Armenta's for 2 months now and we have…read moreseen wonderful improvements! We are really impressed with his ability to work hard and hold attention for a solid hour each week. We are proud of our bright 4 year old. I'm grateful to have found Armenta Learning Academy. Unlike large establishments, they were able to customize a learning plan unique to my son. They can easily change things up if something is not working. They have lots of different options to keep learning fun! Both Ms. Armenta and Ms. Harms are very dedicated, kind and great at what they do. They know well how to make the kids feel seen, heard and loved.

Both are kids have been here. This place is god send. The owners are the best and the teachers are…read moreso great. Especially Ms Zinat In infant room. Our kids are happy here and always excited to go. Our lives would be different without them! Love them and lucky to have found them.

This place has been such a blessing to our family. We had our daughter there since she was 2 years…read moreold up until she transitioned to Kindergarten. They treated our child like their own and were so kind to her and our family. They also prepped her well for Kindergarten which made the transition for our daughter extremely smooth. I can't recommend this place enough. If you have doubts, don't, they will take great care of your little ones.

I truly can't believe the growth we've seen in our daughter since she started here at the end of…read moreJune! In just a little over two months, her reading and comprehension have improved from a 1.7 level to over a 2.5, which has been incredible to watch. I also really appreciate the regular check-ins and the attention they give to making sure each child is progressing and staying on track. The tutors are all wonderful, but we especially love Ms. Lisa! She has been amazing with our daughter. The facility itself is beautiful, clean, and new, and I feel completely comfortable leaving my child there, which is so important as a parent. Tutoring is definitely an investment, but for us, it has been absolutely worth it. The amount of growth we've seen in such a short period of time has exceeded my expectations. I'm so happy we found this place and would absolutely recommend it to other families!

My 2 kids love going to tutoring here this summer! It's their favorite tutoring place so far of the…read moreones we've tried. It's also a new and clean location. The kids also love the reward system and have been incentivized to work for the prizes. We also like the package options and it can be used between siblings. We highly recommend it here!

My younger child graduated 8th grade at VDA this summer. I agreed with everything Allison said in…read moreher previous review. As a parent of two strong STEM kids, VDA provided the best Language Arts in Orange County and was our only viable math solution after exploring all public/private options. We are deeply grateful VDA allows self-motivated students to accelerate while building a solid foundation. By graduation, my kids completed all high school math curriculum, respectively, placing into the next math level on high school placement tests. In our experience, VDA teachers are collaborative, and offer actionable guidance. Here are some details about our experience: Lower Grade Math: VDA uses Singapore Math, which I find far superior to Common Core, as an engineer. To schedule math at the exact same time across all classrooms, each elementary teacher adopts one grade level. Faster paced math learners can move up one or even multiple grade levels. This flexibility was crucial to keep my kids challenged and engaged in school math. Middle School Math: High-school Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 follow Singapore Math 6A/B. To deliver quality, two middle school instructors (math/science) plan availability outside class schedules. Regular track takes 3 years to finish Algebra 1, spending significant time introducing functions and quadratic factoring. Seeing this pace, my older child decided to move to the advanced track (one curriculum per year). Instruction occurs in 30-minute sessions 3 days/week before or after school. During regular class, students work independently or collaboratively at the back of the room. My kids adapted seamlessly. Though VDA opens doors to all rather than cherry-picking, it crafts the best possible setup given its resources. LA: look at their schedule posted online. Departmentalization tells everything. Ms VanDamme, Mrs Steele, Mr Lewis, Mr Cobra definitely built a great foundation to my kid's writing and literature analysis skills. Two Tips for Prospective Parents: Accreditation: Many public high schools do not accept unaccredited math/science credits from VDA. If returning to public school, it is an option to arrange accredited coursework through another institute. VDA accommodates, but plan ahead. No-Homework Policy: Great for reducing daily friction, but can hide learning gaps. We supplemented 30 minutes of competition math at home for math modeling training and study habits, plus 15 minutes of daily reading outside of class reading assignments to cultivate a lifelong reading habit. I will miss the Friday morning coffee tradition with other parents and all the teachers who are more of mentors in enlightening my children's education. Thank you.

As parents, we all seek the best educational and developmental environments for our children…read more After 3 years in public school, we realized that both of our kids were getting lost in the large classes and needed a small school environment to thrive. We sought out a school that with small classes, stimulating curriculum, engaged teachers, and a supportive social environment. Vandamme Academy has exceeded on all levels - and we only wish we had enrolled sooner! The small classes and overall school environment are what first brought us to Vandamme. We love that each grade level has only one class with roughly 15 students. The homeroom/subject matter class structure makes a huge impact in that it allows students to form relationships with multiple adults (and role models) at school. As we approach the end of our first year at Vandamme, we have seen how much maturity and confidence our kids have gained through these relationships. It is also clear that the teachers truly get to know each student's learning style, personality, strengths, and areas of need. The rigorous academic program is thoughtfully designed by Ms. Vandamme and the teaching staff in a way that challenges and inspires students. We love that the teachers specialize in subjects that they are passionate about. In doing so, they pass on their interest onto the students, so that students become interested and engaged in each subject. Just last week, I was blown away when my fourth grader asked to go to the library for books on Shakespeare's works. Beyond academics, we love Vandamme's positive and inclusive social environment. Students seem to come from diverse backgrounds and neighborhoods throughout our county, and the school staff does a great job of modeling kindness, inclusion, and respect. I've had the privilege of volunteering at two school events and chaperoning one field trip this year. In all instances, I've been so impressed with how responsible and respectful all of the students are. The food is also wonderful! While we don't order hot lunch every day, my kids always look forward to Chef Faustino's healthy and delicious creations. We are so grateful to Ms. Vandamme and the entire staff for providing a learning environment that not only enables ours kids to excel academically, but also build character and confidence.