Winston has elevated my child's educational experience. Responsive leadership, engaged administration and curious and supportive educators.

My daughter is a 10th grader and has had a wonderful experience at Winston. The smaller class sizes, variety of clubs, dances have made it a great high school experience. I am very happy we found Winston and truly appreciate the teachers and administration. read more

My daughter started here in 9th grade and at the time it felt like a lifesaver. A lot changed for her and was expelled in the 12th grade. She had some behavior issues and a lot of it was due to losing a family member -I feel like it could have been handled much more appropriately but . This was devastating to her just 6 months shy of graduating. We were left with no options but a very depressed child that we thankfully found excellent therapy for. The therapy on campus was useless. If you are in Poway unified please reach out to their special education team. They have an excellent program called empower at RB high school-they embraced my daughter and she will be graduating with some summer school. Many parents send their children here because we feel like it's our only hope -there are other options and unfortunately the experience was very poor. PS they let her do online school for one month post expulsion -however my daughter was so devastated when we told her she wasn't coming back she refused to log on -completely failed my child read more

I enrolled my child in the Winston School because of their reputation for academics (A-G approved classes!) and transition program (Life skills! Internships! College readiness!). They said they would tailor their instruction to my student's unique strengths and learning disabilities. Instead, my child fell through the cracks. What is worse is that they gave my child passing grades and credit for classes where no work was done, and nothing was learned. The result: My child graduated with a high school diploma, completely unprepared for either work or college. Winston swept my concerns under the rug, and swept my child out of the school system. Teachers at Winston are compelled to pass all students, regardless of whether or not they do any assignments. So your child will graduate at age 18, whether they have learned anything or not. In California, students can stay in high school up to age 22 if they have not completed the requirements for graduation. But if your child's school says they "earned" all of the credits, they will graduate and will no longer be eligible for any special education services. Period. Even if your child cannot write all 26 letters of the alphabet. Winston will graduate your child out of their IEP, and you will have to figure out how to teach the alphabet to your 18-year-old. All. By. Yourself. These are facts: * My child has a diploma from the Winston School, with credits for A-G approved college prep courses that supposedly prepared them for coursework at the University of California system. * My child does not know their address or phone number. My child can't remember what comes after P in the alphabet song. My child can't carry on a conversation with neurotypical peers. My child cannot write coherently. My child cannot keep up with the most remedial courses available at the community college. * My child will never get special education services ever again. I'm on my own. Don't let this happen to you. read more

This has been a lifesaver for our student with learning disabilities and ASD. The teachers, staff and administration are all beyond fantastic and supportive. My daughter has attended for 3 years now, is a 11th grader and feels so much more confident about her learning abilities! The student: teacher ratio is amazing! I have really appreciated the small school environment because if we have a road block or challenge, the teachers all communicate with each other so well! Winston also has great resources and occupational therapy staff that support and create socialization programs for children with social challenges and we are so grateful for that! It really is a tremendous school and we are so lucky to be part of their lovely community! read more

I love it here. I'm currently an 11th grade student graduating in 2020 it's the best. They have basketball and a softball team. They play in the capses sports league against other special needs schools in San Diego like Sierra and springall academ. Campus is getting upgrades like new furniture,pool table foosball table, ping pong table. Parents can pre order kids lunches form Ki's restaurant with Ki's school lunches. Go Bulldogs!!!!!!! read more

The Winston School is great! I saw what Richard G (a former student) wrote & felt compelled to counter his negative review with my own positive review. I don't know any student that loves their school all the time, even my daughter has had bad days at The Winston School. Does this make The Winston School a bad place? Heck no! My daughter, as countless others, have had amazing experiences AND education at The Winston School. The public school my daughter was in was horrible, bullying, cramped classrooms, no real assistance to a child with multiple learning disabilities, anxiety & depression. I have watched my daughter turn from an unsure little girl, crying with stomach aches, to a confident, strong & smart young woman, who just became her seniors class secretary!! I couldn't be more proud. I'd like to take the credit for this, but no child is not greatly impacted by their teachers. My daughter, all the students at The Winston School, and all the parents, are so very lucky to have the incredible teachers and administrators at The Winston School. My daughter would not have excelled & matured the way she has - this is due to The Winston School being a part of our village, because it truly does take a village. Thank you everyone at The Winston School. If anyone is looking to send their children here, please reach out & I'd be happy to answer any questions. read more

My son was struggling in public school & falling through the cracks. He hated school. When he started in 5th grade, he said the best thing about Winston was that "I don't feel stupid like I always did (at his public school). The teachers and administrators are amazing. They see my son (now finishing 9th) as a whole, with everyone coordinating to provide him with the best education possible. He is not a typical kid and he frequently got the message in many areas of his life (especially school) that he is not okay as he is. At Winston, however, they see through the bluster. They don't just accept or tolerate him, they appreciate him for who he is. Probably more importantly, they help him to appreciate himself for who he is. read more

There has never been a day where I would regret my years as a student at The Winston School (1992-1999)! With the small class sizes, one-on-one attention by the faculty to help when needed was a huge plus for me as well!! Even though I give my two thumbs up to everyone that has made my alma mater a success (both in the past and present), I do have to especially acknowledge the following: Dan Peragine (Art) Arnold Kairdolf (PE) Mark Kimball (Headmaster) Gan Kimball (Reconstructive Language teacher) Ron Takeuchi (Summer History Teacher/Assn't Headmaster) Mary Sterling-Torretti (English professor) They deserve the greatest honors for providing me the strength and support of where I became as soon as I graduated in 1999. As past president of Winston Alumni Association, I have seen a tremendous amount of growth that Winston has given to many more students. My biggest dream is to hope and open up a special education center/program (just like Winston), where my foundation will provide services for special needs students from 1st grade thru college in tutoring, counseling and much more. families will even benefit from my foundation by attending workshops, lectures and more. In conclusion, my ultimate goal is to complete this dream by 2025 and really provide the same support that was given to me from Winston. I encourage all families with special needs children to look into what Winston has to offer. It will be one of the best investments in your child's life!! Kevin M Stone '99 Past President of Winston Alumni Association read more

Let's start off by saying if I could give this a 0 star, I would. This school is nothing but liars, jerks and clueless idiots. I do not suggest you put your kid in this school even for visitation, due to the fact they will probably lie about your kid in the email they send after visiting. The school is really old and very unorganized. They encourage behaviors that is totally inappropriate! The teachers are very untrained and are just HORRIBLE! Every 5 star review on this page is fake, they are made by the same person using different accounts to boost reputation. This school needs to be shutdown! It's too old and to much of a shit hole for a learning environment, never mind the down syndrome kid that was compared to a normal kid on looking similar according to the principal. For the safety of your kid this school is horrible please stay away from it (there is mass bullying at the school aswell) read more

5 start for the aft teacher (dan the man) 0 stars for putting me in biology (did biology the year b4 and passed) so i sat in class all year not doing any work. 4 stars for being a small school... (lose a star cuz its DAMN small school, less than 100 students). 5 stats for the kiln in the art room (kepr us warm in winter, the school is old) good school for special needs students (not for normal students). read more

I have seen my kids change because of this school. We have been through every scenario that our school district has proposed to us and nothing has ever worked. That all changed when the kids started to go to The Winston School. It is highly recommended by professionals all over San Diego and that is how we found out about it because of it's great reputation. If you have kids that have unique learning differences and want their "light" to shine when it comes to education, then this is the place for your student. read more

After years of struggling in public schools and total failure of the public school system to provide an educational environment that supports my son's learning disabilities, The Winston School has been a perfect fit for my son. The small class size, acceptance of differences and patient teachers has contributed to my son having some of the best school years. His self-esteem has improved along with his grades. There is no place like this school. I'm so grateful for this school. It has changed my son's life! read more

I graduated in 2012 and have bittersweet feelings of this establishment. I've heard there is a new headmaster now. When I attended it became apparent that they were only interested in children whose parents "donated" money to the school or kids who were sent by the school district. We were on the "financial assistance program" which costs you an affordable $1,000 a month!! If you can't pay full price when an issue arises between any students they always side with whoever has the most money or who is the most "profitable" to the school. I don't know where the "donations" were going but they definitely weren't going towards remodeling the school I saw mice running around in the math room. And don't even get me started on community day which is basically a disguised way of saying "free child slave labor to fix the school so we don't have to pay for it." Everywhere you looked it was some gimmick to either get you to donate more money or try and use you in some way. When my family finally found out what was going on I was expelled because I got in trouble with a couple of kids but they were seen as more of a profit as I was so they used me as a scapegoat to make the parents of the other students feel better. The lessons they were teaching were the same thing I was learning in 7th grade when I was supposed to be in 11th. The teachers were nice and accommodating to my needs but the education was outdated and the buildings in shambles. I hope everything changed with the new headmaster because it almost took a lawsuit to get my high school diploma. I loved some aspects of Winston but there was more to be desired. -a winston alumni student of 2012- read more

This school is just ok. It should really be shut down they are doing really shady things such as graduating students without properly preparing them for college level studys. That means if your attending Winston school you better be prepared to end up practically illiterate once you graduate, and you will have to relearn everything and more once you start college. Most of the students who graduated have eather dropped out of college or never attempted to try. All the teachers are mentally unstable, the bathrooms are outrageously filthy. The playground has never been updated with new equipment, and the computer room is a joke. All the counselors that they hire are interns, thats right, they don't even hire real counselors. There is also a huge turnover rate for teachers here. you can expect to have a different teacher every month. Theirs also constant fights among students and teachers. Also outside people will actually just walk through the school distracting the students as if they think the place is some sort of park or shortcut. And the people in charge of this school do nothing. I actually couldn't believe it once i saw it happening, I didn't realize people could be so inconsiderate of private property. Its hard to believe this school is still in business. My opinion If you want your kid to succeed send them to a good public school that has real qualified teachers and counselors. read more

The Winston School is not just a school but a family. The staff and the students work together to learn the best teaching/learning styles. The amount of communication, flexibility and understanding is hard to imagine until you see it in action. I am so proud and honored to be a member of this academic family. read more

The Winston School saved my son's (and my) life. I truly believe that. Before we found The Winston School, we tried all sorts of different schools. Public school, charter school, tutors, online school, 3 different schol districts in one year. None of them fit. The first day at The Winston School, my son told me "it felt like home." They recognize my son's high intelligence in some areas and severe learning disabilities in others. I remember getting "the look" at other schools. Why couldn't I get my son do the work? He is lazy, etc. The Winston School is truly a team, along with the parents and child. There is never blame, only a team working together to help the student. He is thriving there and if I ever won the lottery, The Winston School would be at the top of my list to give a million dollars to! Thank you Winston! read more

Best decision I ever made was to put my child in this school...It's been years, but never too late for a review. He graduated 2nd...Would have been first in his classif he hadn't been late so many times...Went on to a Fabulous University in Ohio, now has a great job married with children. Winston had a fabulous staff, challenging curriculum, kids were able to work at their own speed...Great aides..I hope it's still as academically challenging as it was in the late 90's. My son was a throw away at the large public school he attended...Even though he was extremely bright. My son didn't fit in the mold of public school teaching. Winston saved him, and let him prove his high academic ability! If in doubt, take a tour and sit in the classes. Certainly worked for my son. read more

Fantastic small non-public School for kids with several types of learning differences, from dyslexia and dysgraphia to ADHD and Autism and anxiety. The teacher to student ratio is small, so there's lots of small group and individual attention. The whole school is about 100 kids. They offer lots of great elective classes that the kids really seem to enjoy, including music, Spanish, computers, art, as well as "Winston Unplugged," an after school fun program (outdoor games, ping pong, billiards, cards, etc). They have all kinds of fun and community service type of activities, blended into the learning, from Spirit Month which includes team color days, food drives, field day, a walk-a-thon, and more, to beach-clean ups, and so on. They have OT, SPeech/Language, counseling services as well. The Winston school honestly gets better every year (this is our 4th year). read more

why I give this a 3 is the lower school was good the first 2 years 4-5 but 6th was horrible the 4-5 grades ruined it for the 6th graders but I am in 7th Now and these kids are misfits I should give this a 2 but this school does not get 98% of the kids Into college very very minimal homework my friend who got kicked out he was in 9th and he was put in 12th and this school is to easy the campus is discussing its campus is old not worth 21,000 dollars the parking lot is crap and but the principle does not care there was vaping on campus they did not care they did not do anything I'm leaving the school DO NOT PUT YOUR KIDS IN THIS SCHOOL read more

Winston School Rocks. Our son j joined Winston for 8th grade and graduated in 2011. He's challenges were all over the map, academic and emotional. We have worked with the Winston staff and continue to work(currently attends post high school program) to develop a curriculum that addresses all of our concerns. We are thankful to so many of the awesome staff at Winston for helping us help our son reach his fullest potential. read more

The Winston School has been the most beneficial life changing experience of my daughters educational endeavors. After numerous Public School programs failed, they gave up and considered my daughter a lost cause. The Winston School picked up the pieces and rebuilt my daughter into a confident, productive student that now will see her dreams realized. My daughter attended other non public schools and none did more for her self esteem and advanced her education than The Winston School. After 5 years at The Winston School my daughter went from being a 1st Grade level student to a 11th Grade level and is now on a College bound path. She went from being a wall flower to a school leader that now has the foundation to support her for a successful future. This is all due to the individualized attention and educational programs that addressed my daughters exclusive needs. I would highly recommend The Winston School to all that have struggled to find a solution to what the Public School system is unable to achieve. read more