Hi I give James Madison 5 stars because its an amazing school teachers are great and passionate…read moreabout teaching

I was a little apprehensive to put my child in a San Leandro school because I always heard negative…read morethings about the area. I grew up in Orinda which has some of the highest school rankings in the state, in my head I thought that san Leandro would never compare. I will say that my fears/ doubts got put to rest when my son started attending James Madison. Right away my son felt included and like he was part of the community.. I will say the reason that my mind changed was because of Issac's teacher, ( Mr. Baird) and ( Principal Grotke)! Principal Grotke is the kindest man, he smiles at you and has conversations with you.. he really cares about his students and the families of his students. He would also look out for the school and ask parents if they could volunteer or help in any way. Principal Grotke is a very caring, loving person... he's a very peaceful guy. He radiates peace and good energy... I know his job is tough.. I see some parents who break rules and don't follow school procedures... He has always had an optimistic disposition though... Mr. Baird has also made me appreciate this school. He is really nice, mellow, and patient... my son has learned so much from him.. My son now cares more for the environment and animals... This school is so lucky to have Principal Grotke and Mr. Baird.. it is so important that children have supportive people who can help them foster their dreams and help them aim for the stars. My son is lucky that he has crossed paths with these two wonderful people... and that they have helped him build such solid foundations.

So we haven't officially started yet, but I am beyond impressed with Woodroe Woods already!! I…read morenever write reviews but I was compelled to write this because of the exceptional service I've already received. I visited 5 other preschools before landing here. I was looking for a place with experienced, loving teachers and I felt comfortable the moment I walked in. Unlike other places I visited, the teachers here are 100% engaged with the kids (playing on the floor, sitting in the tiny chairs doing a craft, talking to kids on the playground, etc). I was also looking for a place that allowed a lot of physical activity as I feel that is super important for the developing brain. This place has a huge yard where the kids can run around, ride bikes, play in the sand, etc. On top of that, the office staff and director genuinely love children and understand all the fears of a parent sending their kid to preschool for the first time. When I took a tour, I was amazed at how the students ran up to hug the director and she knew them each by name!! The staff are super accessible and have let met visit 3 times with my daughter so she is familiar with her teacher and the environment. Even though I know she will probably still cry the first few days, I can tell she's going to thrive here!! Besides the atmosphere, experience, and quality of care these people provide, I am also impressed with the different schedules they offer! When I was searching online, a lot of places had set days for 2 or 3 year olds and would often make you pay the full 5 days even if you only wanted 3! This place is ideal if you have a part-time or per diem job because they offer a variety of different schedules for part or full days. This place has been a God-send already. Looking forward to hearing about my daughter's fun adventures here! UPDATE - 10 stars!!! Yes, this place has proven to be exceptional. My daughter did cry at first but now loves it. I've seen her totally come out of her shy shell and she's learned to make friends and become more adventurous. I'm amazed by the crafts she comes home with and even though this is not "academic" based she is learning plenty of life skills which I think are more important at this age. She knows the seasons, days of the week, spelling, simple math, patterns, etc all through play, crafts, reading, and fun activities! The teachers continually prove to be flexible, caring, and enthusiastic. A few perks I didn't think of before is that it's on a large campus so on rainy days they have access to a big multi-purpose room so they can still run around! They also only use their own subs (which are mostly retired teachers from Woodroe Woods or veteran parents) so even the subs are familiar to the kids! The staff here are tight-knit and supportive... they never appear burnt out or apathetic like I've seen at other places. This is a slam dunk!!

Looking for a place where your kid can thrive both in and out of the classroom? Well look no…read morefurther! At Woodroe Woods you immediately feel a sense of 'home' when interacting with Maria and a Becky in the office. They make registration easy and hassle free! In the preschool rooms the focus is on developmental and age appropriate explorative play in a safe, warm and encouraging environment. When you reach the Pre-K rooms, you know that your kid will be set up for success in life by creating a space that encourages learning without any pressure, but while also teaching social skills and setting boundaries. Focus is on imaginative play, freedom of choice in activities, lots of outdoor activities and each week has a clear goal. This year's art exhibit turned FUN-raiser was amazing and showcased the various styles of art and famous artist they had been studying. Special shout out to our fantastic pre-k teachers Julie and Tori for an incredible year and an amazing summer program with a new focus each week from great outdoors, to pirates, to bikes and bouncy houses and more. Can't wait to be part of the and experience the elementary program!

If I could leave 0 I would…read more The principal covers up for staff mostly the (custodian, & kindergarten 1st grade teachers) who treat the kids with no respect, yelling and punishing them in a wrong way. My son had a horrible time with teacher and custodian at this school. Only good thing was the friends he made.

This school is horrible and shows little to no attention to the kids there. My kid started 3rd…read moregrade and since day 1 was being bullied by 4 kids that are easily the worst kids in that school. It's something my kid, wife and myself worry about every single day. It went from name calling(vocabulary I didn't know kids that age had) to physical. The teacher, principle and yard duty supervisors have been made aware of the situation MULTIPLE times and NOTHING has been done to correct the situation. The principal claims to be doing all she can but does not say what and nothing shows. Most recently it escalated to these kids using my sons friends to set him up to get jumped with one of them pushing him down and putting his knee on my son's back and then stomach, making it hard for him to breath. I don't know what is going on at this school but it is a joke, not a single kid has been suspended or expelled and the principal always claims to be too busy to speak to my wife. Looking into transferring my child to a different school and will be reporting this to the district. Going to look into getting this on the news as well to expose what is going on in this school.

St. Felicitas Catholic School is a wonderful place to work. Rooted in God's love, we are able to…read morepractice our faith in a safe environment. I have truly enjoyed knowing the many wonderful families in the community. We are all like family! The students are treasurers I am so blessed to teach!

St. Felicitas school provides a welcoming, safe, and academically challenging setting for students…read more We have been with the school for ten years, with one child having graduated last year, and a second currently in middle school. To be clear - I don't believe there are any perfect schools. As with any community of this size, there are many differing opinions, backgrounds, and goals. Constant conversation and compromise are needed. It is for this reason that I give St. Felicitas five stars. We have had many changes and challenges over the past ten years, and in our experience the staff here is wonderfully open to feedback and conversation, which have ultimately resulted in decisions that best benefit the school community as a whole. As with all families, we have experienced a few personal tragedies over the years, including loss of family members. I truly believe that the environment at this school helped my children to face these difficult times feeling supported and safe, and helped them to heal with a trusted community. Members of our staff have also experienced very difficult family losses recently. It was incredible to see how the school came together to support these teachers, through prayer, meal planning, and bringing their families together with our community to help them heal together. St. Felicitas provides a good balance of religion and academics. Students regular attend masses and prayer services, and perform community service, such as helping to host "Young at Heart" for the older members of our parish. In middle school, students are required to perform a minimum amount of community service as part of the curriculum. Parents are also expected to volunteer a certain amount of hours during the school year, which I believe is a benefit. Through this we have formed some amazing friendships with other parents as well as the staff, and as a result truly feel that our voice is heard. As with anything in life, you get back what you put in. This is a community that believes strongly in giving back. My older child is now a freshman at St. Joseph Notre Dame in Alameda. In her first week, she was moved up from Freshman to Sophomore math as she had already mastered algebra while at St. Felicitas. SJND is an academically rigorous school. Thanks to the education she received at St. Felicitas, my child is finishing up her freshman year with a 4.2 GPA. Four of her fellow graduates also moved on to SJND. In the first semester of their freshman year, all five were recognized with "high honors", which requires a GPA greater than 3.5. St. Felicitas is not a 'fancy private school'. It is a tight-knit Catholic community of very hard-working families. If you are looking for a school where your child will learn academically, develop spiritually, learn the value of hard work, and be well prepared to move on to high school, this is the choice for you.

St. Leander School has been a second home for my children for many years. I currently have a 14…read moreyear old in 8th grade and a 10 year old in 5th grade. The teachers are great, especially the middle school teachers and 5th grade teacher who is also the VP. The teachers are responsive and address any questions I have. My 8th grader recently took the HSPT and interviewed with the Catholic HS of her choice. During the interview, the principal from the HS said she loves Saint Leander and all the kids that come from Saint Leander. It really is a close knit community full of diversity and respect for everyone. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, my kids finished the school year virtually. All teachers did a great job keeping them engaged. I took them out for the following year and enrolled them in public school. Both kids were much more advanced in reading, writing, math and science than their peers in public school. Once in person school was available both kids begged to return to Saint Leander. They are much happier to be back!

My son has been going to this school since Kindergarten and absolutely LOVES it!! He's now in the…read more6th grade. As a parent and school board member I love it too. The staff is very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating ensuring that no child is left behind. It's a small but mighty community with wonderful families. I recommend to any family interested in sending their child to a faith-based learning environment.

Can't even park anywhere without getting honked at by STAFF and YELLED at. Beware of the lady with…read morethe grey Lexus and short hair she will yell and honk at you if you're in her way. Let's not forgot this is an elementary school with young children. The anger over parking space is out of control at this school. They need to get more organized.

Teacher are okay. A lot of goose poop and fun because there are movie nights and fun activitiesread more

they don't keep very good records at all!! very unprofessional!! there are a handful of great…read moreteachers in this school but over all my children will not be attending this school again if I can help it! PLEASE DO NOT automatically side with the staff if your child gets in trouble investigate the situation yourself or things can get ugly for your child and your child will be labeled by all staff!! GOOD luck !!!

CMA is a true gem. As an elementary school teacher with a degree in early childhood education I was…read moreextremely picky when it came to picking a school for my own kids. Their program is academically rigorous, fun and engaging. The school itself is tidy and organized. My daughter was rarely sick while attending her first year which I credit to their cleanliness. Most importantly, the incredible teachers! You can guarantee your child will be cared for, respected and nurtured in the best way possible.

Our little guy has been attending Children's Montessori Adventure since he turned two, and has now…read morebeen there a little over a year. He loves it. We love it. The teachers are so deeply kind and caring, and they are so supportive of the children. They focus on empowering kiddos to make good choices and helping them learn responsibility. It was actually quite hard for us to get in, but unusually due to the TK expansion they have a couple extra spots this year! If you are looking for a place for your young child to learn and grow I don't think you can do better than CMA.