Hello! As a kid who attended this school for 5 years and is…read morenow entering 7th grade in a different city, I can reassure you that I am well educated most students reviewing schools only tell you the cons of it, which isn't helpful. So, I am bound to give you a completely honest review. Since most 5 star reviews are from 50 year old dads who have never experienced what the school is like once you're actually a student and that it's all sunshine and rainbows everyday. To begin with, the school is pretty awesome. Art vista, science, and the library are like no other. Even though I love my new school district, nothing will ever beat the library they have at Hacienda. The field is HUGE and great for younger children to play in. Although I'd never choose to have hot lunch, I've always gotten breakfast. The food is amazing. Especially the mini pancakes. MOST teachers and staff and especially my counselor were super helpful throughout the years, and I would recommend this school to those around me. But of course--like any school, there is a downside to it. Now obviously, I'm not going to start rambling about how "annoying" teachers are, or how much work they give us, or the dress code, but this is rather a warning for those like me with learning differences. I have really bad anxiety, and a learning disability, so most days at school were rough for me. Of course, I had good days, but staff need to care less about scheduling assemblies ABOUT kindness and shift their attention to actually helping the kids who are being bullied and left unnoticed--because just acting like everything is fine and not doing anything at all only causes more problems. And who wants their kid to be in a school that feels like walking on eggshells every day? Nobody. At all. Most kids in my grade today most likely loved this school. And no, I am not saying that their opinion is wrong, but if you are looking for a school with a FRIENDLY community--that is something that is something that the school does not have. So please, think twice before trying to get your kids in this school. You may be saying "but it isn't the schools fault that the kids are mean!" Well, fun fact, if the teachers get irritated, they can also be the same. And no, I'm not talking about getting your phone taken away because for some stupid reason you thought that breaking school rules would be quote on quote "funny."(you know who you are.) Speaking from personal experience, some teachers cannot care less about learning differences, or your children's mental health--but rather care more about the money they're receiving after each day. Of course, not every teacher is mean, but it would be much more helpful for some teachers to care a little more about their students. In conclusion, summing up everything I have said in this review, I can assure you that this school is in a safe environment, and is most likely one of the best schools you'll get in this neighborhood. But, please pay attention to your children as they grow older at Hacienda. You never know what is happening behind closed doors.

I wish Yelp had a 6 star rating that you could give to one thing. This would be mine…read more The only non 5 star reviews are from somebody who TOURED the school and an anonymous coward. That pretty much tells you all you need to know. This is the best school I have ever heard of, let alone seen. My eldest goes here, and her sister starts Kinder soon. When you pick the kids up they want to go play on the playground with friends. They are crestfallen if you pick them up more than 5 minutes before closing at the YMCA. This is a special community and it is infectious. If you don't win the lottery don't despair. Both my kids were waitlisted to start and got in by Sep so it does happen. As for the big class sizes, it's more friends for your child.

The YMCA childcare program at Booksin has a great team of teachers who care for their students and…read moretheir safety. They are trained and supervised by a select group of professional childcare directors who are hired by the South Valley YMCA (which manages the Childcare programs in San Jose Unified District). They are also required to take CPR and First Aid training courses in case of emergencies. While their childcare program is a little bit pricey compared to its competitors (Engenius, Kingdom Crew, etc), the benefits with the YMCA are worth it because the teachers help the kids have fun while learning about honesty, responsibility, caring for others, and how to solve conflicts between each other. They also offer financial assistance for those who need it (check with South Valley or the website). It also has a good learning curriculum and a variety of summer programs, which kids can enjoy. Of course during the mid-pandemic, the teachers will make sure to wipe down the classrooms throughly as well as the materials and toys. Right now, they are required to teach kids how to wash their hands properly. Overall, I definitely recommend the Booksin community to register their kids with the YMCA After School Childcare program and the Summer programs.

Great school and great students. Some of the parents hinder the atmosphere with unrealistic…read moreexpectations & idiotic behavior.

Have heard stories that teachers and principal there not supportive to kids who need a bit more…read moreattention. How sad.

I went to school here from '06 until I graduated from '09. Honestly, if I had the guts to say that…read morewe should move I should've made that decision. I've been picked on a whole lot by the students and don't seem to know anything about including those that were different from the "normal kids". Even the teachers were bystanders. Like any school that has high ratings, but I'd have to say that anyone that's giving it such a high rating is most likely overhyping how good the school really is.

Since only parents are giving reviews on this school, here's a review from a former student…read more The original vision for this school was great, they wanted to raise up "Esthers and Daniels" and incorporate the truth of God's Word into the education, and give advanced classical education. At the beginning of the school, they did exactly that and there weren't many problems from what I understood. Then the staff started to get swapped out which caused a complete change in their vision and God being taken out of the center. First, half of the teachers and staff are not qualified to teach and not socialized properly with children. The principal Jere Allen choked a 6th grader with their hoodie all because of his OCD about not wanting them leaning on a certain fence. "I love making kids insecure," are his words, right after he yelled at kids for talking on their way to class. This guy still hasn't been fired by the way. Just know if you send your kids here you will not win with the staff EVER. If you're not involved in the staff as a parent, you'll be talking to a brick wall with every question or complaint you have. They'll crucify your kid for the wrong colored socks but let their own kids wear whatever they want and pass them even if they fail a class. If your kid is getting bullied by a staff kid or favored kid, I promise you that nothing will be done about it. And the highschool is even worse than elementary. Multiple students had complaints because they advertised it as a "rhetoric high school" and then proceeded to take out the only rhetoric class they had. Then they heard the students complaints, did nothing about it, then accused them of spreading gossip. There is no advanced education in the highschool or any AP classes, and a diploma from here will not get your kid into anything except bible colleges. It's never an easy choice, but I encourage parents to do proper research before sending your kids here. There are many more options if you want classical education for your kid. Don't rely on school to parent your kids or teach them truth of God's word, they need you for guidance. School should not be a place where your kid is placed in a hierarchy, they are there to learn, and teachers are there to teach. I don't know much about the current elementary school but I know that CCA's advertisements for the high school are a complete lie. This is an authoritarian school, not a Christian discipleship school, but if you want that and think that it's best for your kid, go for it. Lastly, if you are looking for a teaching position here, I don't recommend it either. The admin mistreats the teachers just as much as they do the students. If you're curious, read CCAs indeed reviews. There's no doubt that almost all of the the teachers at the school were amazing and genuine Godly leaders for the students, but they leave the school almost immediately after joining because of the horrible mistreatment, and they can't protect the kids from the admin who abuse their authority every chance they get. Its a toxic environment for everyone.

Uff... not welcoming school at all. Not impressed with the school, teachers and staff.read more

The recent issues in the middle school here are very sad. Inexperienced and power hungry…read moreadministrators are ruining an otherwise vibrant and exciting learning environment. We hope this can be corrected before the school goes further downhill.

I just have to write a recommendation for Almaden Country Day Schoo!. We have been there for 2…read moreyears and have had a GREAT experience. They came highly recommended and I was obviously looking for a school with academics as a priority. Math and Language Arts are THE integral part of the school day. I feel confident my child will be more than ready for the most prestigious high schools. One hundred percent of this year's graduating 8th graders applying to private high schools were accepted I just heard. Wow. The hands on Science program and "Maker's Space"(which teaches children coding, robotics, 3D printing, electronics, etc.) are both phenomenal and I cannot say enough about their Art, Music, P.E., Theater, Foreign Language and Library programs. The difference however, with ACDS is its focus on each child. The moment I enrolled I knew I was entering my child into knowledgeable hands under caring and dedicated teachers that would encourage his gifts as well as continuing with academic rigor. Whether it be their after school sports or enrichment programs as well as the over 40 electives in middle school, he would find "his" path. Since that day, my child has broadened both in his academic knowledge and most importantly, his self confidence. He is an 4th grader and loves his school! The tenured teachers, under an exceptional Head of School, encourage self exploration and provide the opportunity for each child individually to find their path while still adhering to curriculum. No school is perfect and I am totally aware...but they ask. In a yearly survey we are asked, How are things? How can we do better? Does your child feel challenged and accepted? Do you feel a part of your child's education and development? Do you and your child feel a part of the community? (Along with much more!) Its other accolade is their TLC program which is one of the only specialized programs of its kind in the Bay Area. It provides 4:1 ratio for children who need small group education (within perimeters) in Math, Language Arts and Social Studies while integrating for other studies into the larger classroom experience in preparation for high school. It is a supportive environment with specially trained teachers that allows children to feel confident in their learning. My child has benefitted tremendously from this program while still feeling accepted within the larger program. ACDS has intentionally planned for seamless transitions within children's daily routines. I encourage anyone interested to go to their website or an open house and see for yourself. I encourage you to talk to other parents! Several! Or even the kids (whom by the way give the open house tours.). Your school choice is a big decision I know. I was there. The more information the better so you can make the decision what is right for your child and your family. ACDS was the right choice for mine.

My two daughters have attended OOS, and we love it! I want to say a big thanks to the…read moreadministration, they are just great! Any concerns or questions which we ever addressed to them were always resolved. No matter what question we had, we always saw friendly staff which is open, ready to help, and resolve any situation in the best way. Academics are great, which is big deal for us. After OOS, kids attend highly selective high schools, and doing great at rigorous classes; which is again a great compliment to OOS teachers for good preparation. OOS does a great job at helping their 8th grade students with the high school admission process. The school community is wonderful, great families, many of which became our close friends. The classes are small, allowing each student to grow. There are always lots of opportunities for parents to be actively involved in school life, but it is not mandatory if your busy life does not allow you to do it. Highly recommended this school!

I was a student at Old Orchard from Kindergarten to 8th grade and I can confidently say it played a…read morehuge role in who I am today. The OOS community is incredibly warm and welcoming, and the teachers are dedicated to helping every student succeed. OOS deeply values students' social-emotional wellness and provides a space for students to explore their interests and grow beyond the classroom. Some of my best memories include working alongside classmates on community service projects and bonding through school trips ranging from historical museums in the Bay Area to hand-on archaeology in Colorado! I My experience here was truly unforgettable and I highly recommend Old Orchard School.

We are very happy with our experience at Stratford! Our son has been attending Stratford at the…read moreAlmaden campus since kindergarten. All his teachers, Ms Sangeetha & Ms Allie (K), Ms Shilpa (1st grade), have been excellent at encouraging our son to do well and have also provided critical feedback when needed. Our son adores his teachers and has made friends that hopefully stay for lifelong. We also like the balance Stratford offers in terms of academics and extra-curriculars. One minor feedback for the school would be to improve the summer program as our experience has been alright thus far. More creative program options would be nice. Overall, very happy with Stratford Almaden.

We are very happy with our experience at Stratford. Our daughter has been with Almaden Startford…read morefrom KG. She had a great teacher Ms Negar for KG, who transformed our shy kid to blossom into a social butterfly. This year, we have Ms Shilpa for her 1G and can't be more happy for her attention and support. The key testament to the teachers is when the kid says her teachers are the next best to her parents. The campus provides a well rounded experience exposing the kids to various cultural and social activities. Ms Pardeshi and Ms Nedar have been very instrumental in providing necessary leadership and support. We strongly believe the early years make a strong foundation and glad to have such wonderful teachers in her life - Ms Shilpa and Ms Negar.

Our daughter has gone to Harker since their inaugural preschool class started . She loves it and so…read moredo we . Teachers are great and after school programs are plentiful . Even though it takes an hour to get to school we think it's worth it.

What a wonderful school! My son finished Kindergarten here, and is now in 1st Grade. He loves…read moreschool and always impresses me with what he's learned. We've been particularly happy with the emphasis on deeper conceptual understanding of material, so it's not just rote memorization and regurgitation. Word problems were a significant part of Kindergarten math, and I'm positive I wasn't doing word problems that early when I was a kid. The teachers and administration are very receptive to feedback and concerns that inevitably crop up during the school year. We've been happy with the way they've handled issues, and clearly customer service is an important part of their philosophy. Tuition is on the higher range of private schools, but in this case you truly do get what you pay for.

Holy Family School has beautiful grounds and a great gym. Setup like a public school where…read morestudents have lockers. School is good about sharing event photos online that helps build a real strong community. Tuition runs $8k per year. 455 students.

This school is not for my child. She had depression back then of learning, maybe it was difficult,…read moremaybe the way the teacher gave her hard time, she tended to plug her hair, doing fingers movements while sitting. Her grade was not good, school did not helping, told to get tutor outside. When the second grade teacher reported about her problems, she kept her eyes rolling, the way she did made me felt she looked down on us. One day, my daughter was supposed in infront of the class to speak about famous character, she supposed to wear costume, but I did not buy it on time. The teacher called to send her home at 11:00 am without letting her to stay and learn performance from other kids. Teacher said no need, " I will send you the video of others", but, I had not received any video. This is called discrimination or what? Why she not allow her to stay and learn. And that was it, I changed school. This school I had to pay money, returned nothing. My daughter had much help and improvement when she went to Rocketship. They can provide one on one help, later group help. They use different method somehow my daughter grade went up, no more plugging hair, no more stressing movement. She is fine now with As abd Bs. Again, this school is not for slow students, they don't have patience to deal with them. Period.

Although we ultimately chose a different school for our child, I want to share how impressed I was…read morewith Hillbrook's admissions process. From start to finish, the experience stood out in all the best ways. During our initial visit, I noticed something remarkable--several students came up and hugged the admissions officer. It was clear that the kids not only felt comfortable but also genuinely connected to the adults on campus. That kind of warmth and trust speaks volumes about the school culture. Throughout the process, the staff had multiple thoughtful conversations with me and invited our son to visit the campus more than once. It wasn't just about evaluating our fit for them--it really felt like they wanted to ensure the school would be the right fit for our son too. Everyone we interacted with was incredibly kind, transparent, and generous with their time and insights. What really set Hillbrook apart was how open and communicative the administration was. In a time when many schools can feel closed off or overly cautious, Hillbrook was refreshingly honest and forthcoming. That kind of openness is rare and deeply appreciated. Even though we didn't enroll, I left the process with a very positive impression of the school and the people behind it.

The best school but it does cost a lot. Though if you do have the money it is…read morereally nice.