Academically single sex but socially coed - the best of both worlds. Convent (girls school) and…read moreStuart Hall (boys school) have separate classrooms but share the campus and resources. Really amazing administration and leadership - very active in building connections and on going projects between the boys and girls. They all know each other. My children have so many resources - reading specialists, math specialists, etc - that allow for differentiated learning within the classroom. For example, it is common for children in the same class to be learning at different math levels. While we are not religious, my favorite thing about the school is their global approach. The children are very educated about current events, world religions, world languages (Spanish, French, Mandarin, Latin), art, and music (Music Conservatory program). While academics and teachers are top notch, the global approach and emphasis on school community is very impressive. We love the school and all our kids are thriving! Also, great sports program!

I volunteered at the Stuart Hall for boys, a Catholic School of the Sacred Heart, as part of Bay…read moreArea Scientists in Schools in 2017. Two of my fellow graduate students from the Earth and Planetary Science department at UC Berkeley and I prepared and gave an interactive lesson and experiment on earthquakes and geological faults to a class of boys. Students interacted with the handout we prepared electronically via tablet technology and we broke the students into three groups, one with each of us volunteers. The students in my group were well behaved, contributed to group discussion, and not afraid to partake in the hands-on experiment. On the whole I had a good experience. One of the other volunteers was male, the other female, and I am female. I had no issues getting the male students to pay attention, nor did the other male volunteer, though we were both geophysicists and earthquakes fell in our realm of graduate studies. The other female volunteer, a geochemist, said she had a little difficulty with the students in her group, but not bad. Our conclusion was maybe it was related to our knowledge background and area of study in graduate school and how that translated into our teaching style, though there were lingering concerns it might have been related to her being female.

My two children have been attending Marin Waldorf School for three years, starting in preschool and…read morekindergarten. They are currently in kindergarten and 2nd grade. In the beginning, we chose this school for its strong and nurturing environment, where every detail--from the physical space to the daily rhythm--is thoughtfully designed to support children's growth and learning. Over the years, our appreciation for the school has only deepened. We are especially grateful for the dedication and care of the teachers and staff, who not only support each child as an individual but also foster a sense of community among the students. Contrary to some misconceptions about Waldorf education, this school offers a progressive approach that truly prepares children to be thoughtful, engaged citizens in the modern world. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a special school community.

Our son is currently in kindergarten at Marin Waldorf School, where there are two teachers for…read moresixteen students. He can be shy, but he quickly formed strong bonds with his teachers and made friends faster than we expected. Within the first week, we noticed a real shift. He became more confident, independent, and better regulated at home. It truly felt like he had been longing for something he finally found. The school's emphasis on rhythm, storytelling, singing, nature, practical work, and the seasons suits him beautifully. He especially loves starting each morning with a short run near the ancient oak tree before circle time. The time spent outdoors has been incredibly grounding for him. The campus spans ten acres, with plenty of space for the younger children to explore and a separate area for the grade school students. The parent community has also been a wonderful surprise. Families are welcomed with coffee and tea at drop-off, which creates space to connect with other parents and the staff. There are also parent groups, music evenings, lectures, and seasonal festivals throughout the year. Most importantly, our child is genuinely excited to go to school each morning. As busy working parents, we feel very grateful to have found this school. We would wholeheartedly recommend Marin Waldorf School to families looking for a warm, nurturing, and thoughtfully run early childhood program.

Huge waste of money and time! My daughters took eight lessons with this unhelpful prep course. One…read moregained 0 points and the other gained only 50 points. When I asked if they could offer something to us, because of the lack of results, he blamed my daughters and he said he would offer nothing to help with a future test.

My 16 Yo and I learned about Marin Test Prep at an MTP planning seminar (see website for free…read morevideo). We spoke with the presenter before and after the event, and my child immediately embraced the idea of MTP as a partner. The SAT/ACT test is a critical factor in the Univ. admissions evaluation. In order to optimize test prep, it is crucial that the test taker engage and commit to giving it a best effort and follow the program (including the incremental work which is mostly just taking actual test sections and reviewing the results with the MTP partner). We were fortunate enough to be able to work with Adam, who quickly helped my child realize that we would probably score better on the "Old" SAT, and mentioned that we could still take the "Old" SAT (something we never heard before) My child took an ACT practice test at Marin Test Prep (free 4-hour proctored test) and an SAT (Old) practice test to confirm which test worked best. Adam developed a customized study and test prep process and with a weekly 1.5 hr study session and follow up practice tests at home, I am certain that the score on the initial SAT will be significantly higher than it would have without MTP's help. Thanks to Adam's insight about the "Old" SAT, we also have a chance to re-take the test if needed. Working with Marin Test Prep has increased self confidence and decreased stress and anxiety about the test. By the time the results of our high school PSAT are available, we will have taken a practice SAT, practice ACT and 1 (or two if needed) SAT tests (w/in 3 mos) Marin test Prep offers some great advantages for students: The tips and tricks that always boost scores Understanding of the test "flows"; if you understand the test design you will score higher An evaluation of test preferences (SAT vs. ACT) with customized prep process and an Individualized 1:1 test prep support (which was an important aspect in our case) It sounds like the other reviewer might have wanted a group session, and had challenges getting the test takers committed and aligned with the process. In order to optimize your benefit from such a partner, the prospective test taker needs to embrace the process. In our case, the partnership has significantly reduced stress and anxiety, increased self confidence and will result in a higher test score. All in all, this was a great investment to prepare for the SAT and one which offered scholarly insights that will be leveraged in the future.

Excellent staff, clean and safe facility, friendly service, I have experienced many years with 2…read morekids at this place and very happy with our time here, our kids always loved the teachers, activities, art projects, the yard/play structure and school work provided, highly recommend this preschool and greatly appreciate the foundation they have helped provide my kids.

We feel so fortunate to have worked with Jen on the college admissions process. I just dropped my…read moredaughter off for her first year at Middlebury College, and feel overwhelming gratitude for Jen being with us on the path that led her there. The college is a perfect match, and one that she hadn't initially considered. From the outset, Jen established a trusting relationship and authentic rapport. We live in a different state, so all of the communication was by email and FaceTime. Each time my daughter finished a session with Jen, she was full of options to pursue and the confidence and encouragement to proceed. Jen listened to her ideas, provided constructive and timely feedback, and helped to expand her thinking, all in ways that felt collaborative and respectful. My daughter doesn't readily connect this way with many people, so I know that Jen has a gift of being relatable. Best of all, having my daughter work with Jen removed me as a parent from the inner workings of the process. I knew she was in the best of hands with Jen, and was able to focus on supporting her through her senior year and beyond. Our younger child just started her junior year and will definitely be working with Jen. They are different kids, and I am confident that Jen will seamlessly tailor her approach to fit her needs as well. We look forward to round 2 together! Whatever your child's needs and goals, I would highly recommend Jen's services.

Mike is a great math tutor for high school students. He is extremely professional and is known for…read morehelping students improve their grades, particularly in advanced algebra and calculus. He creates a great learning environment in his home office and is very reliable. Highly recommend him!

My daughter, a high school junior, has had a number of math tutors over the years. None come even…read moreclose to the pedagogical excellence and 'touch' of Mike Kennedy. My daughter went from a lowish B to a high A (if not the highest grade in her class, nearly so). I am an attorney and ex-college professor myself - someone who's endured, and compelled others to endure lessons. Although as they say, "results may vary", for my money, you can't do better than Mike.

This is a great school…read more I believe that a school's performance is a function of several factors. My non-exclusive list of factors includes the students, faculty, administration, and parent community. This school does a great job in each of these categories. Extremely supportive administration and many great teachers (especially first, second, third and fifth). We did have a poor experience with a fourth grade teacher that tended to scream rather than correct - but she is no longer at the school. I strongly recommend Strawberry Point School.

Brightworks is a truly magical school! It has been a place of complete transformation for my child…read more As a seasoned educator who has taught in public and private schools in both the U.S. and internationally, I can confidently say that the Brightworks ethos and pedagogy embody what children need to thrive and succeed in our ever-changing world. We came to Brightworks when my older daughter was in 4th grade (also known as the Quartz band). She had previously attended another wonderful school--where my younger daughter continues to thrive--but it simply wasn't the right fit for her. By 3rd grade, she was taking three half-hour "bathroom breaks" each day, essentially the equivalent of cutting elementary school. She was being bullied by peers, had grown to hate the process of learning, and was beginning to believe that she was "dumb." She was also nearly two grade levels behind in reading. After exploring many schools, we discovered Brightworks. It wasn't flashy, but it immediately felt like the right place for her. Our first day was challenging. Although she had struggled at her previous school, she also found change difficult and was resistant to starting somewhere new. She refused to enter the classroom and instead ran up a tree in tears. The teacher (collaborator), Shirvan, responded with remarkable patience and warmth, reassuring me that my daughter could join the group whenever she felt ready. The administrators were equally phenomenal, offering compassion and support when they could see how embarrassed and overwhelmed I felt with my "spirited" child. About four hours later, she finally joined the class. Within just a few days, she loved school so much that she was sad when the day ended and disappointed when holidays approached. After each winter, spring, and summer break, she was thrilled to return. Within a year, she progressed from reading at a 2nd-grade level (e.g., Dog Man) to devouring upper elementary and middle school novels such as the Wings of Fire and Warriors series. She came to love school, the process of learning, her teachers, and her peers. She transformed from a wilted flower into a blossoming tree. The ethos of Brightworks is to meet children where they are and to approach learning through real-world contexts that spark their interests. Science and math are taught through hands-on exploration and authentic problem-solving, while reading and writing are developed through both personal interests and guided learning around social justice topics. Students gain genuine critical thinking skills alongside practical experience using shop tools. The multi-age, schoolhouse model allows older students to care for younger ones, fostering responsibility, empathy, and meaningful mentorship. Every collaborator is dedicated to guiding each child to become the best version of themselves. I only wish that all teaching and learning could be approached in the way Brightworks does.

Our son is 8 and in the middle of his 3rd year at Brightworks…read more We couldn't be happier about how the school has supported his learning, both socio-emotional (he is high energy and we were worried he'd be seen as a 'bad' kid at a traditional school) and academic (particularly reading, where he's been a bit slow, but now is right on track and loving reading). Brightworks' approach is project based. Not just doing projects *in* classes--like the science class doing a science project about earthquakes--but doing interdisciplinary projects *instead of* classes, with a greater degree of fluidity and flexibility in time and approach. The school has a strong maker and tinkering culture. We also don't have things that more traditional schools have, such as tests or grades, though we do have parent conferences and documentation of progress in several key areas (like a swim school report card). The kids do NOT sit at individual desks. A lot more time is spent outdoors, and we're in the Presidio, so there's tons of nature to explore. The kids aren't organized into typical grade levels, like K, 1, 2, 3. Instead they're in "bands" of up to a dozen kids each, giving the school more flexibility in placing kids in the group that they'd most benefit from being in each year, with less stigma if a child is "skips" a grade or is held back. The school's approach is naturally well-suited for kids with different needs. E.g. the focus on meeting every kid where they're at, individual learning trajectories, and being able to take the time that the kids need rather than being tied to a fixed daily or weekly schedule with lists of specific learning objectives. We've gotten great and entirely non-judgemental support for our son. That said, as a small school and as a private school, not every need or circumstance can be accommodated and we have seen a couple classmates over the years with, e.g. dyslexia or autism, move on to more specialized schools. (If your kid has special needs, I would ask about it; we do have many neurodiverse and other kids with particular needs that are doing great and seem well supported.) One thing that exemplifies the school is our annual Maker Marketplace where anyone in the community can sell things-like crafts, food items, gifts, or even carnival games or other experiences. It's entrepreneurial and community-forward, and there's a fair amount of open-endedness in what is possible. Maker Marketplace is a bit chaotic and a lot of fun and learning, and to me that really is the Brightworks way.