Review is for their summer program - my highly functioning child spent the summers here and it's a…read morelovely experience. We do the whole day program. The small size classroom setting really helped. It is more on the expensive side as a summer camp but I do think it's worth it! Sara does a great job to make sure new parents are familiar with the school and the staffs helping out during the summer camp. Although they don't do field trips during the summer camp, they go to the local library and the playground a couple blocks away from the school each day. That worked out for my child during the summer. It is sad that we outgrow the age - but I love the amazing work that Sara has put into the Sequoia Village Schoolhouse. I do wish we have more offerings like Sequoia Village Schoolhouse throughout the city/area. So many highly functioning autistic children are often overlooked, especially during the summer time.

Very nice owner, safe space for kids who need more support than public schools can offer. Most…read morekids have serious needs and it's frequently a temporary placement, it's sad that our system is so broken and that many privates discriminate but it's wonderful that schools like this assist when there is a gap in education. This is a home based school, great for kids who need low stimuli, not a fit for us but wonderful nonetheless.

My family has been with Sherry Spencer for 4 years. When our son, Liam was first diagnosed with…read moreAutism, Sherry was one of the first people we talked to about his diagnosis and getting him services outside of the district. She has been with our family ever since and has really fought for Liam at every turn. When we first started with her Liam's behavior was starting to go extremely downhill to the point where he was hitting and biting, he even gave me a black eye. Today he's in 2nd grade, is one of the sweetest kids I have ever met and is incredibly happy. I think some of Sherry's greatest strengths are: -parent training -putting a tailored program together that meets the need of your child -working with insurances to best meet the needs of the family -finding other services and programs that would be beneficial to the family

Sherry Spencer started working with our family when my son was 3 years old. I believe the most…read moreimportant thing that she taught me, as we began this journey with Rowan, was not to put limits on his potential. Sherry always had high expectations for Rowan, pushing the boundaries of what he could do to encourage him reach for the next logical step. She kept a strong focus on Rowan's intellectual and emotional growth, developing programs that supported both.Sherry was always friendly and supportive to all she interacted with, whether it was family members or therapists in training. In addition, she trained school aids, and assisted to teachers with program development. She blended different types of therapy, with approaches and techniques that utilized the best of all. Her creative thinking has stimulated ongoing positive expectations for Rowan.

Tree Frog Treks offers supremely inventive summer camps for kids K-5 with a focus on science and…read morenature. Kids meet up in Golden Gate Park and then disseminate into groups- or over-the-bridge organized day trips- to spend lots and lots of time outdoors hiking, exploring, collecting, drawing and creating art from objects in nature. Every week has a theme (this week was "Climate Pirates, 21st Century Conservationists!") with events and activities organized around that week's theme. Whether it's getting your kids excited about nature and the ecosystem by dressing up as pirates and picking up trash as "booty" to see what can be reduced/reused/recycled or a day trip to Pescadero to learn about watersheds, every day is a fun adventure. I've never seen my child get so dirty or have so much fun outdoors. A very talented staff of counselors insures your child is safe and well-cared for. All seem to have college degrees in biology and the sciences- and all are early 20-something's to keep up with energetic groups of youngsters. (I couldn't do it!) There are 7 groups (from Roly Polies to Pythons), broken up by age group in groups of about 16 children. 2015 cost was $425/week for full day camp 9am-4pm. There is before and after camp care for an extra, reasonable cost. I highly recommend this smart, fun, high energy camp that will both happily engage and exhaust your little darlings!

Our 6 year old daughter just completed a 2 week summer camp with Tree Frog Treks at the Christopher…read morePlayground location, and we were very impressed with the entire experience! The camp counselors - Najia, David, and Zita - were awesome. The kids were outdoors and active all day, learning about nature and the environment. Our daughter really enjoyed the field trips to Ocean Beach and Marin. As a 2 working parent family, we also appreciated the 9-5pm full day coverage (the only thing better would be an 8:30am start)! I'd highly recommend this summer camp, and look forward to returning next year.

My experience at Wings Learning Center was extremely unprofessional and deeply disappointing…read more During my time there, my interactions with the program director were some of the most challenging I've encountered in any workplace. In my personal experience, her leadership style felt harsh, dismissive, and misaligned with what a supportive work environment should provide. I also found that the HR practices did not offer the support or fairness employees typically expect. When staff raised concerns, the environment often felt intimidating rather than collaborative, which made it difficult to feel safe speaking up. Like most work places always document everything. The leadership culture I encountered made it a difficult place to thrive.

This place is a life changer for our son who is on the Autism spectrum. He's been going to Wings…read moresince he was 6 years old and was non-verbal. He's 18 now and can communicate verbally. Wings team of Teachers, OT's, Speech Therapist and staff have seen to his special needs and have helped with his communication and focus and he has the ability to follow simple direction which has helped him at school and home. We've been very fortunate to have him attend Wings.

Hands-down Terry is someone you want on your team! Whatever it is you are trying to accomplish in…read moreyour career, academically, in life - Terry is an amazing coach, mentor and friend. I met Terry when I was in a post-bacc program. When I started the program I had no confidence in my academic abilities and was struggling with severe anxiety when studying for my classes. I came to Terry explaining that I wanted nothing less than to have confidence in my abilities and to get A's in the program. I added that I simply did not think it was possible and that if he couldn't be direct in solving the issue that he should not waste my time or his. All I can say is that Terry delivered. What I admired most about how he worked with me is that he never got offended nor did he take things personally when I would tell him a technique or an approach was not working. He instead had a way of being patient, listening to my concerns, analyzing what went wrong and coming up with creative solutions that were tailored specifically for me. Suffice to say I accomplished all that I wanted in the program. Furthermore, I think the best take away from my time with him is that what I learned has been sustainable. Two years after having finished the program I have accomplished more than I ever thought was possible because of the confidence in myself he fostered through our work together. If you are looking for someone to be your ally and your advocate in accomplishing what you want in your career or your academics, Terry is the man for you! You will not only learn specific techniques on how to accomplish your goals, you will also gain a great mentor. I am grateful to have met such a dedicated and passionate individual that truly cares about the success and well-being of his students. I highly recommend Terry!

This review is from my friend SC-SF:…read more "I met Terry while I was in a post-bacc program and have grown to know him as not only a fantastic learning coach, but also a trusted mentor and friend. He was a leading contributor towards my efforts to strengthen my learning skills, and essentially taught me how to "re-learn" how to learn. His approach was never condescending, but was still firm and gave me the accountability that I needed to thrive. I highly recommend Terry to anyone who would like to strengthen their learning abilities and realize their true potential. As I am applying to health professional schools, I know I will continue to use the skills I learned from Terry to help me become a successful student and professional"

This organization is amazing. They are looking for need in their local area and internationally in…read moreways that are holistic and neurodiversity affirming. No human is considered less than nor are they left out. On a side note, if folks see reviews from Brian C. on here, it is a smear campaign run by a sour ex. He used to be a big supporter. We all know how that goes.

I have been working with the special needs population for decades. The caregivers and the entire…read morefamilies are affected when the needs of one family member deplete energy, time and funds. Kiera Rain's idea for California Brainwaves provides a short and long-term solution for this growing problem. She is setting up a family facility so that the person with a brain disability can get care and the family can have respite time, all in one place. She is thinking out of the box and into the future!

My adult son goes to Mark to address ADHD challenges It's only the first session and so far so…read moregood. Mark was able to explain how the ADHD brain works hence the challenges. We will keep going to see if it helps my son.

Mark & Olga are wonderful- Mark really connected with my…read moreson. He uses his interest to really engage him in the process. I saw improvement in my son's motor skills, mind body awareness & connection, balance and regulation. We have going through multiple rounds of sessions and will continue to go.

A magical place! My 6-year-old son is autistic and it was such a relief to be welcomed by a team…read morethat just gets it. The space is super clean and feels like a kid's dream. There's so much to do, climbing, building, exploring, getting wiggles out, and even a quiet room to chill. You can tell the folks behind it really thought through everything. The vibe, the décor, even the website feel so neurodiverse-affirming. They have tech to help build community around members too. We live in Novato so the distance makes a membership tough right now, but I'm hoping we can join in the summer when school isn't in the way. I'd love to see Spirited Play Labs expand to more places as this is the future IMO (please come to Novato, I'll help!). For families like ours, where typical play spaces can feel stressful or isolating, this place is a true gem, welcoming, thoughtful, and hopeful for the future. Thank you!!!

My 16 month girl has been pushed and attacked by older kids multiple times over the last few…read moremonths. Kids are getting more and more violent in this place. As neurodivergent individuals, they may simply be seeking connection and interaction, or they might be oversimulated. But where are their parents and staff members? The lack of adult supervision is leaving younger children vulnerable to injury.

I love Speech Goals and the entire team!! Even the other parents that attend the therapy sessions…read morewith their children. Everyone is so supportive. My son was given an Autism diagnosis at Stanford Children's hospital, which at first I was in denial because the doctor's didn't even interact with my kid. Desperate to get a second opinion, I went to the GGRC to get my son evaluated at home with the social worker and Speech Goals director, Jasna Cowan. I know neither of them of doctors, but they both reassured me that Max has a delay in Speech, not autism. From the first day Max started his therapy to today, I see a huge change in Max and his behavior. He is now 6 months into his therapy and he's starting to make more vocal sounds. Only a little sad he said "papa" before "mama", but I'll take it if it means that he's trying his best to communicate. He is on his last 6 months of therapy and I am really anxious to see his progress. I know I will be sad when Max turns 3, but I am really grateful to have the opportunity to have Max attend Speech Goals to get him ready for pre-school next fall. I am super appreciative of all of Max's therapists: Ms. Gaby, Ms. Lauren, Ms. Tiana, Ms. Julie, Ms. Brandy, Ms. Kimberly, and Ms. Jenny who have all worked with Max on a regular basis. Also the entire staff, especially Maria and Michael who are always so helpful and welcoming. And Jasna for being so amazing!!!

My son came to Speech Goals for several months and attended a weekly group session with Miss Kathy…read more Kathy is great and creates a welcoming and fun environment for the kids. Each week, she would try and incorporate different activities that would appeal to the kids but still help them come out of their shells and develop their language skills. A lot of exercises would be around finding things around the room and helping the child name it out loud to build their confidence in using their words. There were also other set routines built into the class, such as the hello/goodbye song, playtime, snack time, and then music time. I've interacted with different members of the staff and other speech therapists through Speech Goals since my time here and I've been very impressed with the professionalism and genuine level of care everyone has for the kids that come through the program. The only thing I would wish to change is the level of parental involvement that is required. We came for two hours each week, which was really very difficult to do with a full-time work schedule. In fact, we qualified to come twice a week, four hours total, but I knew there was no way I could commit to doing that. It would be nice if there was an option where the classes were either shorter, or the parent could drop off the child and pick them up when class was over like some other speech programs do. Especially when a good amount of the two-hour block is spent during playtime, where the kids get free play in the facility's indoor play area. There is definitely a benefit in helping kids get their energy out and build their gross motor skills but I'd rather focus the time there on the specific exercises targeted toward his speech and take him to the park after work hours for playtime. But overall, Speech Goals can be a very valuable place to go to to help address early development needs for your toddler. Thank you for the partnership these last few months!

This team is phenomenal. Truly... my son had not yet been diagnosed with anything, but I knew his…read morespeech was in trouble. I did a bit of research and found Amanda and her team. We worked with both Amanda and Alli over four years, and my son made tremendous progress in his expressive language and speech pragmatics. The team is not only dedicated to making speech fun, but they attend regular workshops and conferences to keep at the cutting edge of new techniques and protocols, applying what works best for their little clients. We moved to the East Bay, or we'd still be with BASS. Fingers crossed that they open a location here!

We LOVE Amanda!!!…read more Before we found her, I did my research and contacted many speech therapist in our area, granted our son was not a severe case, most speech therapist I inquired about already had him on a strict lesson and weekly attendance schedule even prior to assessing him. I was turned off by that immediately. When we contacted Amanda I immediately felt comfortable and reassured that she was the best fit for us. There was no pressure or immediate schedule or routine because she really didn't know what he needed until she met him. She has a way with our son that not only makes him comfortable but makes his learning and therapy fun. Thanks to her he has come a long way in a short amount of time. She really cares about him and his progress and provides play activities that will best enhance his therapy sessions. Lj always looks forward to seeing her and playing with her, she really takes the time to get to know your child and helps establish a set goal. This is why we believe he is doing so well, she is really great and we highly recommend her!!!