Our child has been in Room 3 since he was 2 years old, and it has been such a special experience…read morefor our family. Over the past two years we have watched him grow, learn, and gain so much confidence thanks to the amazing teachers. Also, all the teachers in Room 3 are incredibly kind, patient, and truly care about the children. They create such a warm, safe, and nurturing environment where kids can learn and thrive. The admin team and the other teachers are also so sweet and welcoming. Everyone at the school has always been supportive and caring. As parents, it means everything to know our child is loved and supported every day. We are so grateful for everything they have done, and we will always recommend this school to other families.

The teachers in room 1 were complicit in the violence and bullying of our 4 year old who has been:…read morepunched in the face, kicked, hit, pushed and teased at BCM continuously by the same kid over the course of the school year. He's also been pinned down and hit by other children. He's come home crying, missed a lot of school and woke up crying from having nightmares because of the bully. They started out as friends and then the bully began to get physical. It continued to escalate over time even after my wife spoke to the teachers who had no idea what was going on in the first place. My child kept getting hit and bullied so my wife asked the teachers to separate the kids. Then, our son got punched in the face. We were so patient and so understanding. My wife was a die hard supporter of our sons teachers in room 1. We trusted these people, this school, with the safety of our son. My wife reached out for help/answers multiple times, but they assured her everything was under control. However, they NEVER told the other kid's family and then lied to them when my wife had to contact one of the parents. They did not keep our son safe and he did not feel safe. They robbed the other family the ability to help their child navigate through any developmental needs by keeping this a secret. The owner and staff admitted guilt, wrongdoing and they apologized to us for concealing the matter from the bully's family - the history and the severity of the situation - that spanned six months. They waited until the end of the year to say that the bully was leaving the school - that was their solution to our little guy getting bullied and hurt for so long. The teachers in room 1 promised us that they would tell the bully's parents the truth but that never happened. We told them we'd finish the school year (last two weeks) and then remove him indefinitely. They apologized and said they were sad to see us leave the school but they understood we had to save our child. They apologized for not acting sooner. It could've been so simple, but it was too little too late. After my son got punched in the face on Monday, two weeks before school ends, more violence ensued on Tuesday. He got a bloody nose some how on Wednesday and, after our parent-teacher conference earlier that day, the teachers were distant to him. He cried and refused to go to school the rest of the week. He didn't understand why his teachers told him to go "bye bye" as we had not explained how he would be uprooted from his regular routine. The teachers and the room mom deleted my wife from the classroom app out of nowhere. That signified that regardless of the apologies and admission to being complicit in violence against our son - we were no longer welcome. My wife wrote a yelp review and the head of PTA threatened her and my 4 year old saying that he will be blocked entry into any other school in the area. She threatened our family saying will be blacklisted from the community and face legal action as well as other consequences. This grown woman, the head of BCM PTA, threatened my son and bullied my wife after our son has already suffered so much physically, emotionally and mentally. There has been an outpour of moms reaching out to my wife. Some genuine and some pretending to care while sharing their horror stories of Room 1 violence yet avoiding to be seen with our family in public. This school BCM, the teachers in room 1 and the head of PTA are an embarrassment to the private montessori education system. Don't punish my wife for protecting our child. Don't punish my 4 year old child for wanting to be friends with his classmates even if they bully and beat him.

We have 2 kids who have been at the elementary school for a year and I have been so impressed by…read morethe school. They have an incedible staff of skilled and loving teachers, administrators, and support staff and they have solid processes in place to keep parents engaged and informed. No school is perfect and Valor is no exception, but they get the right things right. We are so happy to have found this gem of a school!

I loved VCA!!! My daughter started Valor in 6th grade and she just graduated this month. She had a…read moregreat middle school experience! Their middle school program offers small class sizes, field trips, sports, electives, and much more. My daughter made lots of friends and loved most of the teachers. She got good grades all throughout her middle school years and earned academic honor roll and other achievements both academically and for sports. During her 8th grade year, her class did a very memorable missions trip and went to DC. She told me that it will be a year she will never forget. The staff was great and very supportive. Mrs. E did a wonderful job in her new role as the principal. Coach Phil is a special person who was always available to the students when they need someone to talk to. He was a great coach, pe teacher, and yearbook teacher. My daughter loved coach Phil and I am so grateful for him. Mr. Shook was another favorite. He taught science and history. My daughter enjoyed him because he would always crack jokes and make everyone laugh. Mr.Shook was a great teacher, however, sometimes, I think he should keep his political opinions to himself. That was the only thing that kind of made me uncomfortable. The other thing relating to staff was the staff turnover. My daughter had a different English and math teacher every year. Which was annoying because she would build a strong relationship with them, then they left and she would have to rebuild. I understand that isn't the schools fault. But it did interfere with math and her math grade. Overall, my daughter and our family loved Valor! We highly recommend this school if you are looking for a small close-knit Christian school community. We felt safe sending her which was a big deal considering the unfortunate times that we live in. Thank you Valor for all the wonderful memories and for providing my daughter with a great Christian middle school experience. Please let me know asap when there is a Valor High! :)

Your child will get a private school education for a public school price at this school. The…read moreteachers actually care about the kids learning and improvement. If you are lucky enough to get into Open School, take it up. It's really worth it. We are sad to leave this year, we've been there over 7 years with sibling years. We know that we had an amazing experience there. My middle schooler has thrived after going to Open. I wasn't sure how she would do since Open is constructivist and doesn't subscribe to traditional schools, she did amazingly well. She has learned to be a "thinker" at Open. thanks!

Although my son just started this year, my husband and I are extremely grateful and appreciative of…read morethis incredible school, teachers, and principal. The community has been extremely friendly and welcoming. Besides a free public education, he also has private drum lessons from the amazing music teacher. We could't be happier.

We have had our son (3.5 yo) at Manhattan Academy for the last year and it has been such an amazing…read moreexperience -- all around SO great. We had him at another place prior to moving to Manhattan Academy and we could NOT be happier. We will be enrolling our daughter pretty soon, as soon as she turns two. We love the campus, the teachers, and much more. Thank you to Manhattan Academy for doing a great job

My kids attended Manhattan Academy from the Infant Center through Primary. We have loved everything…read moreabout MA. The staff is wonderful and invested in giving the kids a really great foundation and fun education. The Director is super involved, knows all the kids by name, and really cares about the kids. My kids have learned so much and enjoyed every classroom they have been in. Infant Center: We initially chose MA based on the infant center. Ms. Wroten has been the director in the infant center for years and she is a wonderful teacher. We loved that the teachers will ask you for your individual schedule for your child. All of the other places we toured had a set schedule that your infant needed to adjust to. You give them the schedule for feedings and naps and they will stick to it. The teachers provide updates throughout the day in real time (and pictures!) and they communicate with you about everything. Even in the infant center, the teachers will incorporate activities that encourage development. And I always appreciated the art projects and over the top projects for Mother's Day and Father's Day. We always trusted the teachers and felt that our kids were safe. Our kids flourished in the infant center. Toddler Community: The Toddler community is really the jewel of the school. A really welcoming and cute space that is separate and really special. We got to know all of the teachers in Toddler (most of whom have been there for years) and loved every single teacher. The teachers potty train the kids at a pretty early age. It made the potty training at home super easy. The teachers are very involved in the kids' development at this age - teaching them so many important foundational skills. We saw tons of growth here. Our kids had Ms. Campos (Cornejo) and Ms. Schott - both really amazing teachers - they genuinely care for all the kids and teach them so much. They hold conferences with the parents about your child's growth, areas of improvement, things to look forward to. Of course there are fun activities as well. On top of the motor, language, and cognitive skills they learned in toddler, they also learned to be kind, confident, polite, and friendly. Primary Community: The growth and development in the primary community is off the charts. Again, the teachers are amazing. Ms. Alcaraz is one of the best teachers I have ever known. She really cares for all of her kids like they are her own. Everyday I was amazed at the things the kids learned in primary. The development of reading and writing skills is really amazing. They also offer tons of activities that enrich the kids' experience - music, outdoor environment, spanish. I wish I had such a well rounded education myself at that age. The kids love the program, love their teachers, love going to school. I can't speak highly enough of our experience here.

You know, for LAUSD, it's pretty good. There's a core group of parent volunteers that really do a…read moregood job of upgrading what could be a serious problem school. The faculty and staff have their hearts in the right place.

I am a parent in the local neighborhood and I am always impressed with this school. I visit it…read moreeveryday and see the children an staff. Everyone is friendly and helpful. The teachers are the best I have ever known and willing to take time to solve any problem. The front office staff and volunteers are dedicated. I am so happy to have this wonderful school in my neighborhood.

Our family has been part of the Journey of Faith Preschool community since 2020, and after six…read morewonderful years, it's hard to put into words how grateful we are for this school. When I first applied, we were more than 100 spots down on the waitlist. I checked in regularly, hoping for an opening, and when the opportunity finally came during the pandemic, I felt incredibly fortunate. My oldest daughter was ready to start preschool, and from day one, we fell in love with Journey of Faith. Since then, both of our daughters have attended. Our youngest started at just five months old and will be heading to kindergarten next year, which feels incredibly bittersweet. Throughout every stage, the teachers and staff have created a nurturing, supportive, and joyful environment where our girls have truly thrived. The education they have received has been phenomenal, but what stands out even more is the genuine care, love, and dedication shown by everyone at the school from the teachers and administrators to the chef and support staff. Every person contributes to making Journey of Faith feel like a second home. We are so thankful for the friendships, memories, and strong foundation our daughters have gained here. Journey of Faith has played such an important role in our family's life, and we wholeheartedly recommend it to any family looking for a loving, high-quality preschool experience.

This school is a special place. We dropped off our first baby when he was six months old and, as…read moreany parent knows, that experience is so scary, stressful, and emotional. You are entrusting strangers with this tiny, precious human that's quite literally your heart walking (or crawling) out in the world. From day one, these teachers have slowly and delicately transformed from strangers to friends. It's been so clear and obvious how much these women love and adore our children. They care about their well-being and their overall development! There are lesson plans, extracurricular activities, classroom parties, so many fun events for both students and parents to participate in and enjoy. We just had our second child a few months ago and have so much peace of mind knowing that she will be in great hands when a spot opens up for her. Thank you JoF School! We are so grateful for you all.

Agree with the more recent comments - don't let the older negative reviews deter you! The current…read moreadministration is top notch - the director Hillary is wonderful and so are all of the teachers and staff. Our two year old runs into her classroom with excitement every morning and doesn't want to leave when we pick her up at the end of the day! The curriculum is fantastic, as are the extracurricular activities and family events. You won't be disappointed.

Please please don't let the reviews of the past cloud your decision. MSMB is top notch - the…read moreteachers, administrators, and support staff are all warm, caring, and want nothing but a great environment for your kids to thrive in. We were a bit hesitant after reading the reviews, but upon speaking with the staff and other parents, we decided to enroll our second kid (2.5yo) and we've absolutely loved it. Our kid is quite shy in new environments and separation anxiety is still high. The teachers and staff are always so warm and welcoming in addressing him to make him feel safe and loved. He now talks about Ms. Hillary and his teachers like they're his friends. For context, we moved this past summer to MB from San Francisco, where we had our first son in multiple private preschools due to covid. Of all the different places we've experienced, the communication, structure, staff, the wide range of activities, and the warmth of the admin especially, have all been top notch. We also had our kid in another preschool in MB prior to this where he was having a hard time, so we toured a multiple other places to look for alternatives all across MB and El Segundo. I can honestly say that you won't get a better team than MSMB. I echo all other positive reviews as well re: the Band app, the campus, the community, extra curricular, etc.. If you're on the fence because of the reviews, please take a visit for yourself and experience what the school has to offer before you judge based on the reviews of parents that are no longer associated with the school.

Let me start with the positives. Wonderful families. Neighborhood feel. Loving staff. However …read more.. the principal has GOT to go! This man genuinely hates women. The way that he treats the moms over the dads is some 1950s kind of stuff. When we met with him, he ignored me and basically just spoke to my husband. But that wasn't enough to make me dislike him. I just thought he was trying to "bro out". However, as our year progressed, he was disrespectful to a single mom during morning lineup. She was so upset, she cried afterwards and ended up leaving the school because of him. I had several issues that I didn't like how he handled them. I tried to speak to him but he was rude and manipulative to me the entire time. When my husband got involved he implied that I was "out of control" and to keep a better handle on his family. Lastly, let's talk about how he doesn't care about the children. He prioritized Covid over everything. The parking lot was a wreck and people were speeding. A mom brought it up at a PTA meeting worried someone might hit a child. He responded "Well I'm taking temperatures I cannot police the parking lot". So he did nothing about it. I mean I didn't want my children to get Covid, but I certainly didn't want them getting hit by a car either. He never stood up for the kids to have them go back to school even once other schools were opening in late 2020. He wanted to stay home because he was scared for himself, so he took an entire year away from the kids until they went back for a few hours in March 2021. I am completely shocked that this man is still allowed to be a principal. He runs the school like a dictatorship and moms are scared of him so don't argue. Anything he does people talk amongst themselves but feel helpless to stand up to him. Toxic. Toxic. Toxic. We obviously left the school due to him and he alone. Some tips: 1: stay away from this man. He is NOT your friend if you are a woman. 2: He is 5'4 max so I don't know why people are scared of him but they are so just know if push comes to shove you can probably take him.

Having my children attend this school with the last one graduating recently, I feel I can honestly…read morewrite this review with the last 10 to 13 years in hindsight. The overall quality of the education provided was pretty good. There are some really good teachers with a few being exceptional. There are also some bad teachers too. Unfortunately the exceptional ones have either retired (like the former 8th grade teacher Mr Laner) or have moved on to other schools simply because of administration issues. Like many have stated, the administration is sorely lacking and that all falls squarely on principal Watson who lacks the proper skills and judgement to be an effective leader. Is this a good school? Overall, yes as a local private Catholic elementary and middle school. Were my two girls happy being part of this school? Yes, they created a lot of long lasting friendships and developed good solid religious values through the curriculum. The campus itself has gone through some wonderful improvements through recent renovations, but it could benefit and really flourish with a new principal and a fresh start..