From day 1 to several years later, Helios has been a wonderful & warm community for the whole…read morefamily. A place where our kids are loved and encouraged to grow. Not once did our kids want to skip school, and this is from someone who used to dread Mondays. We have easily toured 50+ elementary and middle schools up and down the Bay Area over the years...public, private, charter, prestigious, tech-forward, venture-backed, STEM-focused, etc. We felt the most at home at Helios. On my first visit to Helios I was blown away at how naturally close the kids were and told myself I want my kids to be part of that, because I was a bit of outcast growing up. For me the #1 thing about a school is whether the kids are loved. It's not just about the programs, reputation, resources, and growth - although Helios does very well in all these areas now and keeps getting better. Placement of students into a high school that is right for them is particularly impressive. So many memorable teachers at Helios have blessed our kids and encouraged their natural interests in animals, spelling, flag football, rock climbing, etc. Our somewhat shy but gifted kids really have blossomed, and for that we are tremendously thankful to the entire Helios community of teachers, staff, leadership, and parent volunteers.

Helios is this warm fuzzy school, where the teachers work their butts off to figure out how to help…read moreeach kid learn and be happy, with excellent academics too (somehow, without the stress). Is it perfect? Nah. But on the things that matter -- SEL, academics, community, teachers, etc -- it's pretty wonderful. I like organization, so here goes: * Academics: Exceptional (without the pressure!). Literacy and math are both leveled. For math, kids are grouped by skill level rather than age -- so my little 2nd grader trots off to the 7th grade class for math. He is finally happy in math! Literacy is broken into different literacy circles, with differentiation with it. * Learning approach: Helios approaches education with a focus on projects and themes. Each grade band focuses on a theme, which gets integrated into history and science. At the end of each semester, they do a "Celebration of Learning" (like a portfolio). I was super impressed by what they'd done. I had one kid who went through our local public school for kinder and now our other kid is at Helios kinder. The difference in depth is remarkable. * SEL: Helios uses the Six Seconds curriculum now. This is a formal class, as well as integrated into other parts of the curriculum. Every time I walk into the classroom, I can see the lessons being applied. It's legit. * Community: Tight-knit, nice community. Supportive. There is NO showing off about how smart your kids are (I've seen this in some gifted communities). On the contrary, parents are quite open about their kids' challenges. * The kids: Kind, with a diversity of personalities: quirky, sporty, social, shy, etc. I've never heard of bullying. When I've heard of kids being mean, it's been minor one-offs and taken very seriously [but empathetically] by teachers / administration. * Teachers/administration: this is one of the most amazing things. We've been elsewhere. In some schools, it's "here is how we work; hope that works for your kid." If you're lucky, you get a school where there's a little flexibility to accommodate your kid. Helios is the first place I've seen where the first tier question is, "what does he/she need? Let's figure out how to do that." There are so many examples I can cite of teachers going way out of their way to help my kiddos. * Campus: it doesn't look too flashy. It's big enough and the kids like it, but it's not like Nueva's. But it does have some pretty awesome things. The wilderness village, for example, is amazing. It's like this outdoor field/wooded area where kids can use tools to build stuff (like Berkeley's Adventure Playground). If that sounds neat (it is!), it's actually so much more. It's an all year thing, and that fundamentally changes the dynamic. What's happening is that they're developing almost like their own little civilization. They vote on rules, have self-assigned jobs (my son's is to make paint from grass and strip sticks), and are recently introducing a currency system. Perfect? Of course not. There are some minor things I'd change. But it's pretty darn great. The issues some other reviews allude to are over now. Yes, there were some administrative issues a few years ago -- I watched it from the outside - that led to a lot of chaos and negative things. Then the toxic aspects that caused the issues left (key people, etc) or were fixed (training, etc). And it led to many positives, like removing roadblocks for Helios to revamp its literacy and SEL program, bringing in a more effective head of school, etc. It's an unfortunate chapter from the past that Helios has now, truly, left behind. Now? It's this awesome school which really, truly cares about its kids -- backed by great academics, legit SEL, a supportive community, and lots of cool activities.

Challenger Sunnyvale is an excellent school and I highly recommend it. Challenger is well known for…read moreits rigorous academic curriculum but what has impressed us most is how personally invested the teachers are in helping every child succeed. The teachers take great pride in helping students reach Challenger's high standards while remaining kind, patient, and supportive. We are particularly grateful to Mr. Wellersdick, the head of the elementary division. My son is very active and Mr. Wellersdick took a great deal of time to talk with him and understand him personally. They even connected over the fact that they both have twin sisters and that shared understanding of how having a twin sister can create difficult dynamics for a young boy helped build deeper trust. He built a genuine rapport with my son while also setting clear and firm expectations for classroom behavior. He was gentle, encouraging, and firm which was exactly what my son needed. Over the course of the summer program, we have seen tremendous improvement in our son's behavior and attitude toward school. Most importantly, he has expressed interest in transferring to Challenger Sunnyvale. I have always told friends that one of the best ways to evaluate a school or daycare is to observe how your child reacts. If a child is constantly crying and asking to be picked up early, that may be a concerning sign. But when a child does not want to leave at pickup time and even asks to attend the school permanently, it speaks volumes about how happy, supported, and engaged that child feels. The fact that our son is asking us to transfer him to Challenger Sunnyvale says everything about the wonderful way the teachers, staff, and administrators care for and guide their students. We are extremely thankful for the positive experience and strongly recommend this school.

Our experience with Challenger School (Sunnyvale campus) has been deeply disappointing. While the…read moreschool emphasizes academic rigor, our recent experience raised serious concerns about how student safety, behavioral incidents, and exceptional family situations are handled. There were repeated concerns involving inappropriate behavior toward our child that were known to staff. However, the response remained limited to warnings, without a structured or proactive resolution. This lack of escalation or preventive action was concerning. The situation became even more troubling during a genuine family emergency that required our child to be with us. The school's approach lacked empathy and flexibility, and decisions felt rigid and disconnected from the realities families sometimes face. Additionally, decisions following the incident were made with limited transparency and without meaningful parent involvement. The overall process felt unilateral, with little opportunity for discussion or consideration of context. As a result, we withdrew our son from Challenger School with immediate effect due to concerns about accountability and unilateral decision-making by the school management. We urge other parents to monitor their children's well-being closely, as these issues may not be apparent in day-to-day school life. Awareness and proactive communication can help avoid situations like ours. We hope the school reflects on this experience and improves its processes around bullying prevention, incident handling, compassionate handling of family emergencies, and parent communication.

Our daughter has been at Stratford for the past 2 years, and we truly could not have asked for a…read morebetter early learning experience. Starting preschool at just 2.5 years old was emotional for us as parents, but from day one we felt reassured that our daughter was in caring and capable hands. The love, patience, and attention shown to the children every day made a huge difference in helping her feel safe, confident, and excited to learn. Over these two years, we have seen tremendous growth in her communication, confidence, social skills, and curiosity. We especially appreciate the thoughtful guidance during parent-teacher conferences, where we received valuable feedback on her strengths, areas to support at home, and advice through important transitions like Preschool, Pre-K, and TK. That partnership and support meant a lot to us as parents. We also want to sincerely thank Ms. Ruchi for the warmth, kindness, and positive energy she has brought to the classroom over the past 6 months. Our daughter always speaks so happily about her, and it is clear how much she genuinely cares for the children. What we love most about Stratford is how much effort the school puts into creating meaningful experiences for the kids. From classroom activities and celebrations to performances and special events, every detail helps build confidence, creativity, and joy in learning. Watching our daughter proudly participate in performances and come home excited about school has been incredibly special for our family. We are deeply grateful to the teachers and staff for creating such a nurturing and supportive environment during these important early years.

My daughter attended Stratford School - Sunnyvale De Anza Park for both the preschool and pre-K…read moreprograms, and we could not be more satisfied with her experience and growth there. She was enrolled in the bilingual program for both years, and it has been an excellent experience. She developed strong skills in both Mandarin and English, learned a great deal about Chinese culture, and also became very confident in her English communication. All of the teachers and staff we met were extraordinary. They were caring, responsible, and experienced. The classroom teachers paid attention to small but meaningful details, from reminding me to take care of my daughter's cracked lip, to helping her find a lost item, to sharing practical and helpful advice on how to support her writing skills at home. The school administration and leadership team were also very responsive and supportive, whether it was helping with sunscreen application or answering my questions about the new school year. The program offers strong academics along with a rich variety of activities. My daughter loved all the events, from Show and Tell and clubs to the egg hunt, book fair, and more. I was also especially impressed by the school's emphasis on art and music. They have performances at least twice a year, and the children always do an amazing job. I have been so happy with everything she learned at school. Stratford School - Sunnyvale De Anza Park also gave my daughter a very strong SEL foundation. Her teachers helped her learn how to share, care for others, and build positive social habits every day. We also truly enjoyed being part of the Stratford community as a family. My daughter built friendships both inside and outside the classroom. She made many friends, and our families often stayed in touch and spent time together outside of school. There were volunteer opportunities for parents, but everything was completely optional, and there was never any pressure if parents were busy. Overall, we had a wonderful experience at Stratford School - Sunnyvale De Anza Park and would highly recommend it!

Our family has attended Cherry Chase for over five years now and we can't say enough great things…read moreabout the teaching staff, the administrators, and the community!

Awesome elementary school. Great teachers and Principal. Extensive parent involvement…read more Especially in these days of budget cuts, the well run Sunnyvale School District has managed to avoid layoffs. If you don't believe me, check out the test scores as well as the property values and rents for houses and (relatively few) apartments in the school district.

Our daughter joined this Stratford through summer camp. When we toured different Stratford…read morecampuses, we were especially drawn to this one for its natural greenery and "just-right" size. It's calm and easy for kids to settle in. Looking back, we feel genuinely fortunate and grateful for the principal, the Director of Preschool & Kindergarten (Ms. Sandeepa), and the teachers, who truly make this campus stand out. You can feel the heart and intention Ms. Sandeepa brings, and how thoughtfully she uses parent feedback to make the learning journey even more special. I've been impressed many times by the activities she intentionally designs to support children's social-emotional growth, something that matters so much to young kids and might not be emphasized in every Stratford setting. Our daughter enjoys her learning through art, singing, games, and hands-on experiences like exploring the garden and different materials. We also LOVE the Mandarin afterschool program and the teachers. A good leadership team matters so much for a campus. We are happy with our choice and would highly recommend Stratford Washington Park to parents who seek an inclusive learning environment with natural greenery and professional while caring faculties to be with your children 80% of their awake time during weekdays.

We've had a wonderful experience with the Stratford Washington campus preschool program. Teacher…read moreSupriya and Teacher Richa are incredibly patient, caring, and supportive, and they create a warm and positive environment for the kids. We also really appreciate Ms. Connie and Ms. Grace, the Mandarin after-school preschool teachers. They are kind, engaging, and very responsible, and they make learning Mandarin fun for the children. Overall, we are very grateful for all the teachers' dedication, kindness, and care!

Wow - these reviews are really old. Bishop is a great school and I'm happy to send my 2nd grade son…read morehere. The principal and assistant principal are very positive and set a great upbeat tone for the campus. I *think* they've only been in leadership since 2019. (My son started Kinder in 2020). Bishop has dedicated teachers and staff and a culture of leadership and personal agency. I love there there are many male teachers here. Positive male role models make such a big difference in children's success and outcomes as adults. The teachers run many of the after-school activities (e.g., ukulele, coding, cooking and fractions, leadership) and the amount of care and love they put into supporting the students' school experience is really inspirational. Low scores are largely correlated with the socioeconomics of the community since it's a neighborhood school. Bishop is a Title 1 school, meaning it has a high percentage of families that have low socioeconomic status (SES). In Sunnyvale School District, Bishop has the highest percentage of low SES students (60.2%) and highest percentage of English Language Learners (50.9%). A constant goal is more family engagement, especially amongst Spanish-speaking families. It's really difficult to involve families whose schedules don't allow for extra participation or funds to be spent at school. The cultures of many families in our school don't have the same kind of norms of school involvement as is common in a lot of American schools. Many families in our neighborhood choose private schools or the two choice schools in our district which has a very significant impact on what families are left at the school. While it has the highest needs, Bishop also has the lowest community resources. Our PTO budget is a fraction of some of the schools in South Sunnyvale. I believe it's the responsibility for those of us that have the privilege of being more involved in our children's education to step up by supporting our public schools as well as we can. Maybe it means creating a display to show off your heritage at the multi-cultural festival; perhaps you can help clean up popcorn after a school movie night; maybe you can mark laps on the back of kids' shirts during the Walkathon. All contributions to the school are significant, appreciated, and the form the school's culture. I love that my son (and my daughter in two years) gets to spend his days with kids that aren't just like him. Attending Bishop - our neighborhood school - is preparing him for "real life" with diverse people. I believe in public schools. I hope that others in our neighborhood will also consider sending their kids to Bishop. If you're considering sending your kids here, do it.

Absolutely horrific school. The "school day" is all about playing, drawing, exercising, and…read moreunsupervised time-wasting (kids playing around, again), and feeding kids 1990's processed food, only interrupted by a couple of kindergarten-level classes (in an elementary school). The most worthless part of it is the afternoon program called KLAS, which is all about collecting government support and grants to provide the school some extra funds, but most of the staff does not care to effectively help your kid (with a very few exceptions). Our kid kept bringing home the homework, because there was no effective help given in the afternoon class (which is meant for helping kids with homework and learning). Kids don't feel comfortable asking for help, and the staff remains completely unaware (or ignorant) of that. They expect the books and the parents to do all the teaching and kids to learn on their own. Why? Because they don't truly care and let kids do nothing but play. All they do is play. Play, play, play and play. Do everything in your power you can to stay away from this shameless low-level institution. It's an embarrassment, even by California elementary educational standards.

Good learning experience And my kids learn multiplication…read moreat 3 grade Gets Crome books at fifth grade

This school is on a downward trend and FAST. The admin put in place a No Homework policy that has…read morebeen an unmitigated DISASTER, but now that the teachers are used to not having to grade homework, they are in absolutely no hurry to get back to a sensible policy. The teachers (with a few notable exceptions) are not very communicative with parents and really don't seem to care about the students at all. The cost of private school in the area may be high, but if this is your only other option, it is worth it to avoid this school.

I really love the school, but now I'm going to middle school. Time has passed. This was definitely…read moredefinitely! A FIVE STARS I really love this elementary. Thanks to Mr. Murphy. And mrs. Arnold. And even mrs. Hayes. Even the principal everybody was nice. When I got lost. And I don't know where I can go the really nice people help me out. They try everything they can so they can actually find my parents. I LOVE THIS SCHOOL! But time have changed I have already graduated already thank you very much Ponderosa you mean a lot to me.

5 stars for the school that made me into a Superstar, literally! Our mascot was the Superstar,…read morewhich was kind of vague. I mean, there was no one dressed up as Michael Jackson, Madonna, George Michael or Mary Katherine Gallagher leading cheers at our rallies. Thinking back now, it was a good way to build up self-esteem in little kids. We were all treated as superstars and we learned to constantly give each other praises. It's scary to think how quickly time has gone by. Like it was just yesterday, I can still remember the little boy who used to chase me around our room during nap time in kindergarten, my 2nd grade crush, my 3rd grade pen pal in Portland, my 4th grade county book faire win, my entire 5th grade year devoted to living like ship crew on the CA Thayer, and my awesome win in the 5th/6th grade Class President race. Oh yes, I had dreams of being the first female President. I had so many fond memories of going to school here. I made wonderful friends, and amazingly still keep in touch with a few of them. My teachers were all fantastic. They always encouraged my passion for art, and I had so many opportunities to express myself creatively. Come to think of it, I don't think I'd ever been entered into so many county competitions and gotten so many awards for my art. My creative juices have definitely decreased over the years. Now, I have friends who have children who are in elementary school. I have 2 friends who are now teachers at Ponderosa. If you live in Sunnyvale near Ponderosa and have children, you can count on your children building a great foundation in education here. Make sure you cherish your time with your kids, because I can only imagine how quickly they grow up.

My son attended Rainbow Montessori from age 4 months until 3 years old. We have nothing but great…read morethings to say about the infant and toddler rooms. My son is always happy to see his teachers and friends when he gets to school, and has grown a lot in speech development and math. We definitely recommend Rainbow!

My son has gone to Rainbow for more than a year and love it! He loves his teachers, his classroom,…read moreand all his friend there. He has really thrive in the nurturing Montessori environment that rainbow offers. I am really grateful for the love and care they have giving him so far.

Amazing school and fantastic caring teachers . We love it here . The staff is also very nice .read more

The children here seem to get along with each other very well. The school offers after school music…read moreinstrumental classes and art classes. There are movie time when students can only join if they have a ticket, and fundraising events for the school. Students run around freely and play sports in the playground after school. Sufficient parking and spots for picking up kids too.