This school was horrible, they hired a predator without doing the right background checks and a lot…read moreof the teachers are rude to students or just don't teach them what they need to teach (one teacher specifically taught they're class what they weren't supposed to learn and that stunted the students knowledge for the next year) . This school is bad at hiring good teachers and the students being forced inside the cafeteria during lunch is cramped and uncomfortable

The teachers aren't that nice and the school is in poor condition and dirty as heck they need to…read morefire most of these horrible teachers

I'll be honest - this place nearly drove me insane. It's not a happy place. I attended 2014-2018…read moreand I hated most of it. There were a few teachers I loved - but they are actually gone now (moved to different schools) such as Mr. O'Haire (math) and Mr. Seipel (PE - weights class) who moved to schools closer to where they live. The teachers, for the most part, were good and cared about the students to an extent. My issue lies with the other students. This place is infamous for the student community, which, in short, was not enjoyable, for the most part. While I did make some lifelong friendships, I do not miss 80% or more of the people I knew. As well as teachers, most administrators were okay. And DVHS has the best proms/balls in the bay area. Also, DVHS is academically superior. I was an average student at DVHS, with a GPA around 3.7, only a few Honors/AP courses. I had friends with over 4.5s, but also knew people with under 3.0s. I believe this place is a top 10 public high school in California, academically. The struggles I've had in high school made my time in college a breeze. College is so easy to me because DVHS was just so hard. I went from average at DVHS to (well) above average at my current school (which is certainly not prestigious like an Ivy League or UC school, but is a decent school indeed). If you plan on going to a small liberal arts college or a community college after graduating DVHS I think you will have a really easy time. I know many people currently (2020-2021 high schoolers) that transferred to Cal High or other schools because of how notoriously bad DVHS is. I actually switched to Venture Independent Study next to DVHS (public, part of SRVUSD) in the middle of my junior year and only took 2 classes at DVHS for the last 2 years (concurrent enrollment for AP calculus and a science class). My diploma is technically Venture and not Dougherty Valley. Of course I miss high school sometimes, but I am certainly glad to be done with that period of my life. Also, if you are 16-19 and know someone from DVHS, I would try to go to prom with them ;) My prom in May 2018 was memorable, definitely my most prominent (lol, no pun intended) memory of this place.

Former student here, would definetly recommend sending your child to a different school like cal…read morehigh instead. The staff is the biggest issue at this school. Teachers and counselors (apart from a select few) do not teach well and students end up having to basically self study whole courses. Staff also think students are beneath them and don't resolve issues that come up during the school year. The college and career counselor Mrs.Theobald, probably the most important person at that school because she manages internships and volunteering opportunities through the school, was the main reason I left this school. A mistake on her end (not telling me that the due date of an application was actually before the written date) made me lose an important internship opportunity, and when i went to turn in my application, she put the blame on me for not turning it in earlier (i turned it in 2 weeks before the date written). I even sent a long email to her about how i felt about the whole situation to which i got a one sentence response and no follow up or apology. That situation made me realize that i would never succeed academically if i stayed in dvhs. The school's staff has been kept based on seniority, not quality, so most of the teachers are bad, and counselors are very unhelpful and never actually try to solve problems that students have. The school might be rated high on a state level but it's because the students work so hard by themselves, so don't be fooled by the high ranking, this school has many issues.

The Athenian school is a special place. My son plays sports and I have travelled to many Bay Area…read moreprivate schools for matches. No schools have campuses as beautiful as Athenian, not College Prep, Bentley, or even Nueva. Athenian's 75-acre campus is at the foothill of Mt. Diablo, it is a bit remote but the beautiful campus rivals some small colleges. Campus aside, I feel the teachers really try to make learning fun, and the kids are all happy going to school there. The academics are pretty rigorous, but the kids don't feel stress out. In a small class of 12-15 students, my son can't hide or cruise. I see improvement in his communication skill and work ethnics in just a few months. Sports are a big deal in Athenian and get a lot of supports from parents. My son made a lot of friends from joining different teams. I have run into many talented Athenian kids in arts, musics and sports. Some get recruited into top universities in their junior years. The school puts out a lot of events for parents to participate, mingle with the kids, and get to know each other. There are parents bookclub, coffee / hikes, Student plays, Jazz night, culture nights, and homecoming night. Some of the performances are opened to the public, I encourage you to come and see for yourself. One review talked about director of admission. Chris has left Athenian a couple years ago. All the staffs I interacted with are nice and receptive to new ideas. Another reviewer highlighted guest speakers and domestic/international trips. I couldn't agree more. There are so many learning opportunities that made me jealous (I went to UC). Every semester, alumni would come back to share their college experience. One common theme is how well Athenian has prepared them and they are thriving in top 20 universities. If Athenian kids can survive 3 weeks camping in the Death Valley and the Sierra, other adversities will seem easy to them. If you want your kid to be well-rounded, resilient and have a diverse group of lifelong friends, Athenian is the perfect school. https://www.athenian.org/athenian-blog-and-news

After years at The Athenian School, the pattern is hard to miss and it's not a positive one…read more Academically, there are visible coverage gaps. Teachers are reassigned across subjects in ways that feel reactive, not intentional, and it shows in uneven rigor and depth. Oversight appears inconsistent, with little indication of sustained evaluation or development to ensure instructional quality. Staffing stability is also a concern, midstream departures and changes have impacted continuity in the classroom or elective, which matters from a student and parent perspective. The rubric/grading shift, framed as "equity," ends up compressing outcomes. In practice, it reduces differentiation between students and lowers the ceiling rather than raising the floor. Strong students aren't pushed; weaker outcomes are normalized. It can also reward students who closely match what a given teacher is looking for, rather than those demonstrating deeper or more independent mastery, narrowing, rather than expanding, meaningful academic rigor. Communication is another friction point. Parents receive a high volume of emails from multiple sources, with information spread across messages and platforms. Important details can be difficult to track, especially for those already managing full schedules and inboxes. School climate is also worth examining. In our experience, our teen encountered peer interactions that raised concerns around inclusivity and respect for differences. We did not see clear communication or follow-through addressing those situations or, at best, limited transparency or parent dialogue when problems arise. More broadly, the student body and staff do not reflect a high level of diversity, which may matter to families. Programs like AWE are positioned as unique and distinguishing. There are committed people involved, but the program carries additional cost and execution issues (recurring when talking with previous parents). At the institutional level, the school feels adrift. We've learned of the loss of the boarding program this year, ongoing turnover, and shifting priorities all which suggest a lack of clear direction and raise a straightforward question: what, exactly, are you paying for? College counseling reinforced that concern. Guidance leaned heavily toward "safe" schools, with little appetite for thoughtful risk. We chose to override it and our teen was admitted to a school labeled "unlikely." Bottom line: our teen succeeded, but not because of the school's systems. It was largely in spite of, with limited added value from the institution. For families considering this school, go in with eyes open. Ask direct questions about staffing stability, grading philosophy, program execution, and how information is communicated to families. The answers matter, look for clear, concrete answers, not just polished or well-rehearsed responses.

I went here around 2011-2014 and I kinda miss it. I made some good memories. Loved Hancock geometry…read more(despite it being my most difficult class and not an A grade, it was fun), Osborn core, and band with Hoover! Last I checked, Ms Hancock teaches at DVHS, Mr Osborn became an administrator (principal or vice maybe), and Ms Hoover became an admin at DVHS so I guess my experience with them is no longer attainable. Great America and Disneyland with band, and Six Flags for graduation, was great!

Admin staff are rude and hand out humiliating punishments for the most minor mistakes . Teachers…read moreshow a lack of interest in being at the school . Counselor had an incredibly bad attitude . I don't recommend you go to this school unless you want teachers with an attitude , rude staff , and stress .

this school sucks when they dont feel like helping your child they put them in special ed and have…read morethem fend for themselfs for the rest of high school.

As a high school soccer referee, I will be writing reviews for all the fields I officiate at…read more Although you give 1 - 5 star ratings for Yelp, I will be making five separate ratings and the overall average will be the final Yelp rating. The following is my rating for Cal High: Field / Turf Condition * Field configuration *** Lights * Seating *** Scoreboard ** OVERALL RATING 2.0 Note: The northern end of the field the lights are fantastic which I assumed was paid for by a cellular phone company since there is a cell tower under the lights. All the other lights need to be replaced with LED. Turf needs to be replaced. Wear & tear from football, soccer, lacrosse and track.

Expensive? You betcha. What price do you put on an education…read morefor your most precious asset? I have a daughter that was literally drowning in public school, I personally would pay twice the asking tuition based on her dramatic turnaround. By the way, this is day three. The acceptance process is arduous, and there are no underachievers accepted. Finally, a true college prep in the East Bay.

This school had a lot of fun events. Students enjoy going to the school with lots of energy. School…read moreteaches the students well and my kids have a blast.

Ms. Mona is one of the most dedicated teachers I've ever met. She has years of experience and…read morewisdom. She is truly invested in each child's growth, development and success. I have sent all three of my children to her over the years and we strongly recommend her school to anyone who is looking for a high quality academic program balanced with a nurturing and loving social emotional environment. Her preschoolers are well prepared for elementary school and are often doing kg/1st level work before they've even graduated preschool. She helped developed excellent foundations for all of my children before elementary school with an emphasis on manners and respect. Her program is reasonably priced as well.

We feel so lucky to have found Tassajara Montessori for our son and even more grateful that he's…read morehad Ms. Mona as his teacher. She's one of those rare teachers who truly puts her heart into everything she does. You can feel her passion and patience in the way she connects with each child. Our son has truly flourished in her class. He has grown not just academically, but also in confidence, independence, and how he interacts with others. Ms. Mona has this amazing way of nurturing each child's strengths while gently helping them grow in areas they need. She consistently reinforces good manners, kindness, and social awareness in such a natural, meaningful way. The values and life skills she's taught our son have laid a strong foundation that will stay with him for years to come. She's had such a lasting impact on our son. We can't wait to send our younger one to her and see him thrive the same way. We HIGHLY recommend her school to any parent looking for a thoughtful, empowering start to their child's educational journey.

(Date: 2023 - 2025 since this school might change)…read more As someone who came here from 6th all the way to 8th grade and just got promoted.. I can say that this is a great Middle School to take your kids in. Teachers are friendly and nice, Learning American History was fire, and lastly.. the wellness place was the perfect place to be if stuff goes kinda wrong. You'd be able to play with fidgets or draw on the whiteboard. Teachers in PT-12 carried me in 8th Grade and made good friends. Although.. - Pros: Nice Staff and INSANE Artists that draw on the whiteboard. (Most Art are from a Roblox Game called "Forsaken" and hey, it's nice.) - Cons: Students would roast the living hell out of you in the locker room, make false rumors, and gaslight. In conclusion, mind yo damn business unless if it's with your friends.

I'm not here for the school. But we have basketball open gym every Monday 7-10pm and Friday…read more9am-12am. Coming out of COVID this was a GEM of a find. It's literally 80-100 people spread out across three full courts for three hours. It's basketball heaven for almost any level of player (not for super new hoopers and probably not for former professionals). But it's a good mix of skill levels and most of the people are super cool. Made a lot of friends through open gym basketball here just over the past 8 months.

My daughter started school in the summer of 2024 and she could not be happier. All of the teachers…read morehere are caring, nurturing, and very happy to be working with kids. Her TK teacher, Ms. Swarnali, has really created an environment geared towards fostering a joy of learning. The kids do science experiments, arts, writing, reading and so much more. My daughter is leaps above other kids her age due to her TK with Ms. Swarnali!

I started my daughter in Preschool at Harper at 3.5. She had not been to school before, and I was…read moresuper nervous about this transition for her. She started with Ms Mamta, who was amazing with the transition. She was so patient and accommodating to all of her big feelings. She very quickly started loving school. She is currently in Ms Swarnali's class, and she has truly blossomed, she is truly exceptional! From the very beginning, Ms. Swarnali has created a warm, nurturing environment where she has felt safe, encouraged, and excited to learn. Ms. Swarnali consistently uses positive reinforcement to guide and motivate her students. Her approach has helped my daughter grow not only academically, but also emotionally. I've seen tremendous improvements in her confidence and the way she interacts with others -- changes that I credit directly to Ms. Swarnali's support and teaching style. It is clear that Ms. Swarnali is deeply committed to the well-being and development of her students. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had her as part of my daughters early learning journey.