Where do I even start? The moment my son set foot in this school, his life began to change. Not…read moreonly because of the school, but mainly because of his amazing teacher, Mr. Rubio. This school gave my son hope, encouragement, and the motivation to continue his education and strive for his very best. Mr. Rubio believed in him, encouraged him, and helped him see that he is capable of achieving more than he thought. As a parent, seeing that change in my son means everything to me. I am truly grateful to this school, and especially to Mr. Rubio, for making such a positive and lasting impact on his life. Thank you for believing in him and helping him believe in himself. He graduated and is now currently a college student. I give this school and the entire staff all the recognition it deserves as it thrives to help their students and families succeed. Thank you a million, I am forever grateful for each one of you. Love, The Nelson Family

Excellent School with fantastic teachers. Charter schools were a perfect choice for both of my…read moreboys and Altus is really caring about my kids success. With Altus - my kids are college prepared! At Altus the teachers are very helpful. Every time my son needs help, he can text a teacher and gets a response within minutes. The centers are open for extra help if needed. I can't say enough about Altus

I am so so SO incredibly happy that we chose Barnard for my two girls, currently in 1st grade and…read moreTK. I had always hoped we could bring mandarin regularly into our lives and this is working well for us. Not only is my oldest comprehending chinese and learning to read and write (half of the day is in chinese!) but she actually enjoys learning it. We have had amazing teachers and the PTA is incredibly involved and supportive. This is a solid school for parental involvement. Partly because all the families choose to be there with intention (it's a magnet school). I really appreciate the diversity of the student population, makes us feel at home as an ethnically mixed family.

I spent nine years as a parent at Barnard Mandarin Magnet Elementary School (2013-2022). My son and…read moredaughter both completed the K-5 Mandarin immersion program and now are in high school and middle school respectively. My kids loved the school, its teachers, and the three different principals that were present during their years there. My kids have an incredible knowledge of the Mandarin language and of Asian culture. We have visited China three times. Interacting with locals has been a positive and joyous experience. We plan to continue with the Mandarin immersion program through high school. But there is so much more to Barnard than just Mandarin. The school offers an excellent, well-rounded ELA, math, and science curriculum. Their extra language skills only enhanced their engagement and absorption of other topics. The PTA offers a ton of wonderful extracurricular activities. My kids learned so much, made great friends with diverse families from throughout San Diego county, and collected terrific childhood memories of the many great times at Barnard. Highly recommended!

The challenges and experiences our child enjoys are experiences that bond friends for life and…read morebuild positive outlook that helps the children to excel to their highest as well as learn German! He has a high regard for his classmates, teachers, & SAY instructors. His vocabulary has grown exponentially since starting as well as as his physical development has been on track! All this culminates to his ability to have self control for longer stretches. The classmates he has are all supportively each other. The jobs the teachers give the children help each focus or stay engaged in each's particular way. Let's just say We are Ecstatic for our son to be at AEA!

If you're looking for a quality school environment for your child-- my recommendation is to look…read moreelsewhere. Our experience with a kindergartener. --The school experienced much upheaval last year when the beloved Principal of over a decade, was fired, no explanation given. She was just "gone". -- the school makes it very difficult to have informal conversation with a teacher. Parents are not allowed inside the gates, so they rarely have the opportunity to have a casual "check in". This makes for a very impersonal relationship and lacks fluidity between school and home. -- If you're interested in the 50/50 German immersion, last year the SDUSD approved a change in the charter, which alters how German will be taught, and how often. The German teachers are the best-- they hold that school together, but who knows now that changes to the school charter have been made, exactly how much input they will have -- the uniform code is ridiculous, and enforced sporadically. Our kinder wore the wrong colored skirt on the second day of school and she was sent to the office to change . A simple note home would have been far more preferable than to frighten and humiliate a five year old in a new school -- this is a minor point, but one to consider. If you're picking your child up in the afternoon, plan to be in the pickup line for 20-30 mins, occasionally longer. Their drop off/pick up system is highly inefficient. --Our child was hit with a basketball, not once, but twice in the head by accident, by an older child. No msg from the teacher, school nurse, nothing the first time. The second time the hit was hard enough to cause a nosebleed, and she was sent to the office, but still no note from the teacher. --The instruction was "all over the map". Homework packets were sent home, rarely was it ever checked, some lessons were turned in that required the child to explain their homework to the class, but the teacher never acknowledged their work. This certainly sends the wrong message. Parents of kinders were told that homework was "optional". Also, at the beginning of the year, at orientation our child's kinder teacher announced that she would be attending every soccer tournament, ballet or piano recital-- to our knowledge she never attended a single one. There is massive building expansion going on at the school. With quality already at an abysmal level, adding more children does not seem to be a good direction for the school to go. --This is not to disparage all of the teachers at AEA, but our child's kinder experience fell far short of expectations. She is now in a different school and has already participated in several back to school events that have brought exuberance towards school, and helped ease the transition of being in a new school environment. I would definitely not recommend AEA, San Diego.

An Amazing Christian School!…read more Our kids have been attending The Rock Academy for the past three years, and we couldn't be more grateful for the experience. It truly is an amazing Christian school where students are not only receiving an excellent education, but are also encouraged to grow in their faith, character, and relationship with God. The teachers and staff genuinely care about their students and go above and beyond to create a loving, supportive, and Christ-centered environment. We have seen our children grow academically, personally, and spiritually during their time at The Rock Academy. What we love most is that the school feels like a community--a place where faith, education, and strong values come together. We are so thankful for all the teachers, staff, and families who have made these past three years so special for our children. We feel truly blessed to be part of The Rock Academy family and highly recommend this school to any family looking for a Christ-centered education.

Can't say enough good things about this school! All three of our children attend and have been…read moreattending since the Early Education Preschool. We currently have an 8th grader, 6th grader, and a kindergartner. From the front office to the teaching staff to the leadership, all have been and are exemplary. This school doesn't just focus on the high importance of academics, but also its moats our children's faith as a believer in Christ. Their mission statement is to develop and encourage Do Something Christians, Dynamic Communicators, and Deep Thinkers, and I've seen it accomplished in those who have graduated. I believe they also have a very high college acceptance rate of over 96%! Lord willing, I hope all three of our children graduate from this amazing school and their top notch programs! Thank you Rock Academy!

I cannot thank all teachers, PTA and staff members enough for their enthusiasm for supporting the…read morekids here! They are warm and treat us like a family literally. Love their VAPA program and tons of activities and performance opportunities. Recommended.

My daughter's education here was fine. My daughter dealt with bullies since arrived in 2nd grade…read more She used to be the smiling kid all the time but this school changed her. She was always blamed by all for it. Like when kids found out she was gay. She was told to keep to herself. She never felt like she could be herself here. Even last school therapist thought she had too much computer time. I am a good parent and know I have a highly intelligent kid.

My grandson Attends City Tree. I cannot say enough about the wonderful staff and excellent…read moreeducation he is getting.

As a foster dad, I was searching for a stable, loving environment for my foster son, somewhere he…read morecould feel safe, supported, and celebrated. My brother's family had a wonderful experience at City Tree School, so we reached out right away. From the first visit, we felt the warmth and professionalism of the entire team. One of the things we appreciated most was the peace of mind that came from their safety measures. There are two passcode-protected entry doors and a cheerful morning security guard who greeted the children while ensuring a secure environment. The Brightwheel app was another huge plus, letting us receive photos throughout the day so we could share in his learning and milestones. Academically, he made an important leap forward, getting back on track thanks to the dedication and encouragement of his teachers. Small preschool class sizes, around 10:1, meant he received individual attention, and he was celebrated at the Friday award ceremony, something he still talks about months later. Even into the summer, he fondly remembers his preschool teacher. As a downtown urban school, there is no large grassy field, but City Tree makes good use of its space. The rooftop playground is exceptionally safe and well-equipped, with a full basketball court, a separate playground with a play structure, and a first-floor courtyard where kids can ride tricycles and enjoy fresh air. Our son also loved trips to the adjacent garden across from the school, where he learned about plants and beneficial bugs. When foster funding ran out, City Tree stepped in without hesitation and offered a scholarship so he could remain in this amazing environment. This was not just financial aid, it was an act of genuine care that told our family, "We are with you in this." That decision allowed our foster son to keep his friends, maintain his routine, and continue growing in a place where he felt safe and valued. It is a kindness we will never forget. Director Sara Delgado and Academic Director Jennifer Nguyen were present, engaged, and personally invested in our son's success. Sara was there throughout our time at City Tree, regularly processing his growth with my wife and his preschool teacher, offering encouragement, and supporting us through each stage. Jennifer brought thoughtful academic insight, having interacted with our son herself, and was able to speak to his progress with care and specificity. Their leadership creates a school culture where children are known, supported, and inspired to grow. In a time when some approach faith-based schools with caution, City Tree quietly lives out its values through consistent and compassionate action, teaching character through example, not just words. Overall, City Tree was far more than a preschool for us. It was a lifeline of stability, care, and genuine love during a critical chapter in our foster son's life.

I attended for four years and thought it was a fine experience. It prepares one for college, which…read moreI did not attend, but I was ready to go to work having my basic in. I started my own business and have done well for 40+ years. As to the fact that it is an "all boys school" that simply meant, less distractions. Sports are huge at Saints and a big part of most students life, from watching to participating. Worth the money? I would say definitely YES! Discipline, morals, ethics and fantastic Three R's. very worth a look. Take a tour and you will be pleasantly satisfied.

I wish i could rate this 0 stars!…read more I had the WORST time here! I joined in 9th grade a couple of years ago and the bullying started only 3 minutes in. I got called slurs on a daily bases multiple times a day by many different kids. I was bullied so relentlessly that i couldn't even make it past November Break my 10th grade year and that was after wanting to leave the school 2 weeks into my 9th grade year. I had one friend who watched someone come up to me and say that i should go to bible study group so that they can "fix my problem" referring to the fact that I'm gay and then that friend brought me to that bible study group where they tried and failed to convert me. After this I only had two or three friends out of the whole school who didn't betray me the rest of my time there There were many other worse things that happened at this school that I will get into during therapy but not a yelp review I HIGHLY suggest that if your child is not a football playing asshole then DO NOT send them here ESPECIALLY if they are queer or different in anyway cause they will picked on until they can't take it anymore! Leaving this school was the best decision I've ever made for myself, my mental health, and all over well being as a person. The teachers I had were the only good part of this school and I will stand by that till I die. I highly suggest rethinking this school if its on your list to check out!

I love this school my daughter went here for kinder and first and she loved it. She misses this…read moreschool so much and still till this day says she wants to go back. If we didn't have to move she would still be going here. The only thing that I didn't like was how small the school is and the parking but besides that it's wonderful elementary school. The teachers are really involved in the care of each and all their students. I also love that they had an afterschool program and a huge fair every year. We are planning on moving back closer just for this school and fair. My daughter loved her teacher "Mrs. Repaire" in the year of 2024 kindergarten English class. Thank God we never met the former teacher which we heard in 2023 was a nightmare, "Mr. Kruel" his name says it all and we heard he got fired also for being mean to the the kindergartners.

Our family had a deeply troubling experience at John Adams Elementary School during the 2023-2024…read moreschool year, specifically with my son's kindergarten teacher, Mr. Kuehl. From the very first weeks of school in August and September 2023, my son began expressing distress about his classroom environment. He often told me that his teacher yelled at him and his classmates. I tried speaking with Mr. Kuehl on many occasions, but he was often irritable and dismissive. I once arranged to quietly observe my son's class; the teacher appeared visibly upset that I was present, stating that my presence "messes up the classroom dynamic." The principal, Ms. Decy Piña, later insisted that I volunteer at lunchtime instead, rather than in the classroom. My son also reported telling Mr. Kuehl about another student hitting him, only to be told, "I don't care." The most upsetting incident occurred when my son came home crying, saying that Mr. Kuehl grabbed his lunch pail from his desk, threw it on the floor, and then yelled at him to pick it up. He described feeling both sad and scared. I contacted the principal immediately after this incident, and my son was excused from multiple days of school until a meeting could be arranged with both the teacher and the principal. At that meeting, Mr. Kuehl denied all the allegations. The environment was tense, and I found his demeanor to be defensive and hostile, further reinforcing my concerns about his ability to regulate his emotions around young children. Principal Piña sat through the meeting emotionless. This was my son's first year of kindergarten -- it should have been a positive learning experience, but instead, it was a nightmare. Not only were we navigating our first year of school, but I was also seven months pregnant, dealing with the stress the school brought on. We ultimately decided to transfer my son to another school because Mr. Kuehl was the only English teacher. If we stayed, he would have been placed back in his classroom or moved into a dual-language class, which was not the right fit for him. A few parents privately expressed concerns about this teacher to me, sharing that they knew of students who had been moved out of his class. After we left, another parent reached out to tell me that her son, still in that classroom, was experiencing the same, if not worse, treatment. I never received an apology. I contacted the district, but they simply forwarded my complaint back to Ms. Piña, who never followed up with me. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend this school without significant changes to staff training, communication, and accountability. Young children deserve a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment, unfortunately, that was not what we experienced here.