I wanted a school where my kindergartener could work at his own pace and be seen as an individual, not just a birthdate on a cutoff chart. As an August baby, he will always be one of the youngest or oldest in his grade, and we kept running into schools--both public and private--that wanted to place him in TK rather than kindergarten. Whittier Friends School gave us another option. He gets to learn and grow at the pace that is right for him, in a wholesome environment that emphasizes fairness, individual growth, and community. What has impressed me most is the people. The teachers are incredibly caring and attentive, and the parent community is genuinely involved in the life of the school. It feels like a place where families know one another and adults truly know the children they're teaching. I'm so grateful we found WFS. read more

Our 8 year old son always had a difficult time at the schools he was previously in. When my wife and toured Whittier Friends School and met the staff, we instantly felt that " this is it" feeling and we were right! The way the teachers pour their knowledge, love, and kindness into the kids is a Godsend! They have amazing field trips, creative ways of teaching, small classes for a better learning experience, and a strong encouragement of parental involvement. Our son can't wait to go to school the next day! It brings us so much joy knowing that he is excelling at such a high rate. This is his second year and he will continue to attend Whittier Friends School for as many years as he can! read more

This is a small but amazing school. Multi age small classrooms cultivate a culture of tolerance and cooperation. The small student to teacher ratio ensures dedicated and through lesson plans where students are taught in a classic lesson then pencil to page reinforcement style without screens and a lot of teacher/ student interaction. Computers are used occasionally and sparingly. This as a positive because eye contact when speaking, problemsolving and communication skills are built while learning. We get a report about how the day at pick up that include the day's class activities, behavior and reminders about any school activities or meetings that are taking place or upcoming. The school takes lots of field trips that encourage learning outside the classroom and apply to the current curriculum. This school fosters a culture of scholarship, good citizenship, physical, mental and emotional health, and tolerance. Each child is encouraged to be his or her own unique and wonderful self in a gentle and structured environment. I am so happy we found rhis school and so happy with my son's academic progress. He will be attending this school until he ages out. read more

Both my daughters attend preschool at Whittier Friends School and they both enjoy it very much. Their teachers, aides, and administrative staff are all kind, respectful, and compassionate. My youngest daughter had a bumpy preschool start, and the entire staff was incredibly patient and empathetic. My daughters have learned so much!! We are very happy with their academic progress and we are thankful to everyone at WFS. read more

My son came here for 4 months. He did great. I had a few issues with one teacher. But Ms. Rosie was AMAZING. I love her. However my issue has to be with the safety of the children. For the past month 3 homeless people have been sleeping in the parking lot right near the preschool. No email had been sent regarding the situation & it seems as though no action has been made to remove them. It is clear that at least one of them is on drugs & no parent should ever be scared to put their child in their car seat because your back is turned to these people. Also, the back gate is unlocked at all times which leads to the alley/parking lot. It just makes me feel very uneasy about my child's safety. Which is why we decided to pull him out. Other than that he did amazing there but his safety comes first to us. read more

I've been at Whittier Friends School for my whole life. It is truly an amazing place. Everyone there is like a family. The way they teach things makes them interesting. This school has made me passionate about learning. We take lots of field trips. They are always very enriching. We often go to the theater and I think it's amazing that the school is igniting a love for it. We recently went on a hike in hills and got to experience the wildlife. Overall, it is a great place to learn for students of any age. read more

I really enjoy this school and hope that others can experience all the supportive staff and students. I love how well they adapt to your level of learning and social needs. read more

I witnessed a teacher aide smack a lil girl on the arm who was having a tantrum because she refused to take a nap. I reported it to the principal and she assured me she would address the situation with the parents and aid.... I wouldn't want my kids there..... read more

Our son is thriving here and we love the wonderful teachers! It is a small school with a nice family vibe. Learning is inspired and kids benefit from lots of positive attention from teachers. They have an unbeatable student to teacher ratio. Additionally, the older kids help the younger kids instilling leadership, co-operation and confidence for all. My son isn't afraid to talk to older kids or anyone! His genuine love for learning (probably a natural thing) has been gently encouraged by all of his teachers starting with Miss Carmen and Miss Cindy in pre-school and on up to Miss Marielle and Miss Cassie. Students enjoy frequent field trips, starting with various cultural events at Whittier College and on to places like the Natural History Museum, the Aquarium of the Pacific, etc. Whittier Friends School also has great day care and I'm so glad they recently added Spanish to the mix with Miss Rocio. Great job! read more

When I first walked up to the school's building for a tour of their preschool, I must admit I thought twice before walking in. It just didn't have the colorful, welcoming feeling I'd expect from a preschool. Once I entered onto the school grounds, I was pleasantly surprised. Their outdoor area was not only clean and organized, but provided different landscaping that's perfect for a child to explore. They have a grass area, a sand area, concrete for a water table/chalk, a garden, wood chips under the slide, and a couple of trees on one end. The classroom was and continues to be CLEAN, and neatly organized with learning materials. I emphasize clean because I know how difficult it is to keep classrooms clean and it is an important factor in keeping children healthy, especially as full-day students nap there. There are currently 2 qualified preschool teachers in my son's classroom for about 12 students. They divide the students into 2 groups for small group and I love that there's a sensory activity every afternoon (I feel children learn best when using their senses to explore foods/materials). I also like that students are exposed to different holidays when most public schools are moving away from it. For Christmas, my son's teacher taught them how to sing holiday songs using sign language! They even hire work study students from a local community college to assist in the classroom, making the adult to child ratio even better. Breakfast and snack are provided, but parents must take a lunch for their child every day (one day a month there's an option forbuying your child a lunch). Although the elementary teacher is credentialed and they are working on expanding the school to include students up to the eighth grade, they do not currently have a school psychologist, nurse, speech/language pathologist or any other licensed staff to work with students who may need special assistance. The staff does keep up to date with current child development research and work hard to meet students' individualized needs in accordance to that research. With public schools being overcrowded, a parent who has a child with a disability may find this small school to be a better fit in meeting their child's special needs. Finally, the principles the school is guided by (Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, and Equality) are values I hope to instill in my child for a lifetime. read more

Whittier Friends School is a wonderful school. My son is now in 5th grade but he started with the school in pre-school. Whittier Friends is a unique environment that has provided him not only with an excellent education but helped instill the kind of values that I think are very important; kindness, and fair play. He is in a small classroom. He gets individual attention. I love the annual science fair and the many field trips. His curiosity is encouraged and his teacher is open to his individual needs. I feel very lucky that we found the school. It's been great for my son. read more

My son started here in July, and WOW - he has learned so much in the three short months he has been at this school. All of the staff is friendly and teachers here are truly invested in the children. They are NOT just there to babysit, as I have seen at other preschools - they engage with the children and seem to use every minute as some type of teaching tool. Tuition is VERY reasonable, and they really make a concerted effort to keep costs down. read more

Great pre school! My daughter learned so much here. The staff ( miss Cindy and miss Sarah) are incredibly sweet and caring. It is a warm, fun, and educational environment. read more

If you are looking for a small school with big values this is it. The classes are small, the individualized attention is great. Our son started in the 6th grade, and they have now expanded to the 8th grade. By the last quarter of 2013 he had progressed into 8th grade level math, and math was something he has always struggled with. They offer many field trips and activities throughout the year, science fairs, annual spaghetti dinner and raffel that was a great success this year. The kids did a performance from Shakespeare "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that was pretty entertaining. The kids are taught respect, cooperation, and team work. The curriculum is taylored for each child so that they can progress without being stressed about falling behind. All in all you can't go wrong with Whittier Friends School. read more

My 4yr old son has been attending Whittier Friends school for over a year and loves it. The teachers and staff are friendly and really care about the kids. My son has learned so much in the past year. This is a school and not a daycare. I really like that the teaching environment shows the children to respect and be thoughtful of each other. The tuition is very reasonable, especially if you are working and need the extended pick-up time. read more

My son is entering 7th grade and it's his second year at Whittier Friends School. I just wish I found this school sooner. He has matured so much within the last year. Wow...what a difference a school makes. His teacher listens when he has something to say. At Public School, it was just the opposite. He was ignored because the teacher did not have time for him due to class size of 32+ kids! My son basically just shut down and kept to himself, which lead to low self-esteem. At Whittier Friends School, my son feels important and has built up his confidence again. There are only 8 kids in the class and the teacher has the time to spend with each and every one of them. He participates and contributes his thoughts and ideas in class. Also, important to me there are NO bullies at Whittier Friends School. Not one! The kids are able to be kids and have fun. Concentrate in class and enjoy coming to school without worrying about being bullied. I highly recommend Whittier Friends School. You won't be disappointed. read more

Whittier Friends School is an amazing school. My husband and I have three children, two who have attended public schools. We were so dissatisfied with the large class size, little to no one on one attention , and the lack of teacher enthusiasm. So we set out to find a better school for our youngest son. Whittier Friends gives our boy everything we were looking for , smaller classes, individual attention , kindness , and most of all the Teachers show your child how to learn in a positive manner. The children learn public speaking from a young age and so enjoy being able to write there school plays and make all the props . there is a Science fair every year where the children do there own research make a diagram or model to go a long with the report. This school is just amazing for parents who want a delightful environment for their child go grow in. Don't let Th small look of the school steer you wrong , it is lake family here. Love this school. read more

Our son goes to this school. One of the best things we like about the school is the individual attention paid to the students. When we first started at the school, we noticed its cleanliness and that the staff was incredibly friendly, energetic, caring and always willing to give of themselves for the good of the school. It's a unique environment where the students education comes first. We like the incredibly low student to teacher ratio. This means that your child will not get "lost in the shuffle". Field trips are always educational and the kids have an absolute blast! read more