While preparing to teach American Literature at Huashan High School in Korla, China this Fall, I have a had the unique opportunity to do my prep work at Balboa City School, a college preparatory K-12 school on the western border of Balboa Park in San Diego, California. Each day I have observed students engaged in small classes, working with their peers and teachers who do not just disseminate information or "teach to the test", but are emphasizing the importance of questions such as "....how, why and what if...". This type of teaching encourages students to expand their minds and critically and think about how to arrive at logical solutions. In my opinion, this style of teaching is becoming more and more rare these days, with many schools focusing on test results only. Balboa City School encourages its students to use their Critical Thinking skills to solve real world problems such as which engine to use in a rocket and bookwork too. This higher form of critical thinking is very important for the future of our children as they navigate through their school career to college and into their chosen careers. While working in many schools for the last 12 years, I have seen the decline in using interesting education activities, such as Balboa Park, Old Town, local museums, etc. At BCS the students are exposed regularly to Balboa Park, Old Town, museums, the world famous San Diego Zoo among other educational resources that enhances their education experience while at BCS. Examples of this "think outside the box" teaching is seen everyday, the BCS classroom doesn't stop at the four walls of the classroom, the typical BCS classroom extends beyond the four walls. Going into the community and using all that San Diego has to offer, whether its studying in a museum about an era in history, or observing animals at the world famous San Diego Zoo, in a way much like Socrates taught his students. The students study for the SAT, build rockets for national contests, study robotics, develop original video games, among other many interesting and compelling subjects. BCS is a uniquely different school, it focuses on the student, not only as an individual, but also as a team member in the classroom, the classroom experience extends beyond the brick and mortar of the school building. The staff constantly is encouraging the students to explore "outside the box" in their way of thinking, which better prepares them for the world read more

I will have 3 children at Balboa City School this year. One who is starting his 5th year at Balboa. One that is starting his third year and last is starting her first year. We have visited the majority of the private schools like Winston etc but chose Balboa All three kids scored highly on the CA STARS test while in the public school systems so it was not that they could not do the work in the public school. Balboa provides a smaller classroom size, more individual attention and greater communication with the parents. . The administration has always been responsive to us and has bent over backwards to help us with any issues that have arisen with our kids. As our eldest put it best when he said" I am comfortable there". That's what Balboa does, it makes the students more comfortable and they respond by learning more. One of my son's friends father is in the Marines. He was relocated to North Carolina. They were back for a visit in June and repeatedly said how much they missed Balboa. They new school they are at requires a ton of homework but not really paying attention to whether the child is learning. There son they said had been behind significantly when he entered Balboa and when they moved he was performing at grade level. Not all schools work for all people. Balboa has definitely worked for our kids. read more

My daughter was studying in a very modern public high school with very nice facilities in San Diego. But just couple months ago we started to explore and interview private schools that we hope the setting and teaching style can really help her find what are most suitable for her and can show her that she can exce in what she is doing. After visiting several private schools near our area we finally found that the Balboa City School is our daughter's best choice. The director of the school, Dr. Stephen Parker, is truly a mentor to his students through his very personable and motivating (encouraging and positive to kids) teaching methods. We learnt that through his eyes, each kid has his or her respective talents that can be envouraged and used to help a kid become confident on learning and comfortable in school. We gave up a brand new public school and private schools near our area to drive through traffic everyday to allow our daughter to attend the Balboa City School because we trust our efforts will really benefit our daughter if she is confident and comfortable in a school that is not an information dump but an institution to help our daughter to become motivated and know how to learn for her lifetime. read more

I have taught (substitute) all over San Diego and Riverside Counties. I have been to many public schools, charter schools and private schools, but the culture, student population, teaching approach and leadership at Balboa City School is unique and effective. The class sizes are small, giving the teachers a lot of time to learn about their students as individuals. The access to technology is top of the line. There is a sense of community that I have not seen at other schools, clearly the atmosphere is not lost on the students, because they are all highly motivated young adults. The diversity of the student population is interesting because it gives students from different types of backgrounds a chance to intermingle in an intimate setting without the judgement of peers that often comes with larger public schools. Overall, this is a great environment both academic and social. read more

I've taught STEM subjects in several private schools in San Diego County the past three years, and recommend Balboa School for its student centered approach to instruction. Balboa School has a low student to teacher ratio (10:1), providing a diverse educational environment that emphasizes high academic standards. 80% of the teachers have advanced degrees and offer 8 AP courses, including AP Physics and Calculus. Physics, chemistry, biology, and environmental science classes conform to NGSS. The music and art programs promote exceptional creativity and are enthusiastically attended by all students. The boys basketball team, coached by former professional players, won the McDonald's Basketball Classic "CHAMPIONS BOYS" El Paso Texas the past two years. Students receive individualized, differentiated instruction that insures academic growth and achievement. read more

I stumbled upon Balboa City School, not knowing where to turn, only knowing that my son needed out of public school in a very big way. He is a bright boy, but the public school education he'd received up to now (he's in 9th grade) made him feel like he was the biggest dummy alive. The website stated they could turn Fs to As, and spoke about education delivered with a mentorship philosophy. We decided to try it, and to see where it would lead. After 1 month, my son is indeed succeeding in school, finding new purpose, is so much happier, connecting with his new teachers, making new friends, and is truthfully a brand new kid. At this point, we couldn't be happier with the success we've found working with the administrators, teachers and staff at Balboa City School. It is the answer we'd been searching for. read more

My son has attended Balboa City School, the elementary school program, for the past 5 years. The small class sizes are awesome (the entire school staff know him by name) and the individualized education is amazing. He is learning so many things beyond the traditional reading, writing and arithmetic. Like going to plays at The Old Globe theater, like Chinese week, like chess camp, like computer programming, like growing and eating vegetables. My son tests in the 95% in vocabulary for his age, and I attribute that to the fact that they expect more from the students and give them the curriculum to have them achieve more. I would highly recommend this school for anyone who is looking for a different type of education for their children besides drill and test, drill and test, drill and test. read more

My name is S. W. and my son attended Balboa City School until this year when he graduated. He is very smart and a upstanding gentleman. And upon graduation he has decided to to major in writing at college. He discovered a love or writing while at Balboa City School. What is most surprising is that he had been told that he "could not learn math". And so, he had not really worked at math for a long time. In 10th grade he was still doing 5th grade math. He had no confidence but by two classes a day he was able to pass all the math requirements for graduation and he off to college. If you had asked me if this was going to happen I would have said no. I have the teachers and staff at Balboa City School to thank for teaching my son how to work and not quit and believe in himself. read more

It is my first year as student th Balboa School. I love it so much! The teachers are very kind and fun to be with. They explain things very well so that I can completely understand. The students are very welcoming and alway invites me to sit with them. This year we went to Legoland, sea world, six flags and many more. I recommend this school to any student. There are also small class rooms, so that you get one-on-one attention with the teachers. I used to have problems with math and could not understand the basics of it, but after a the first few weeks I feel like I can completely understand how and where to use it. This school is the best ever! Updated: The school has a really good academic standard and a 10/10 diverse population. read more

I have three kids at this school. One going on 5 year, one on 4 and one is in her first year. While many of the students have learning challenges that does not mean they are not smart or gifted. My kids scored in the advance on the CA Standards test. We left the public schools due to bullying and the lack of understanding kids with challenges. My oldest just took the PSAT and score in the 95% bracket. My other son was doing the same math in 6th grade that his sister who was in 7th grade was doing at an exemplary public school. The staff has been incredibly helpful to my kids and working with me on their education. The director has worked to help us with a very challenging problem with one of our kids. read more

I read the accreditation report to this school. And the reviewers said that it is a, "educational gem" of San Diego. The classes are small, the teachers are highly motivated, every student has a computer if the want/need it. And the students are very very bright. What is best, however, is that the students feel and are valued as important members of the community. And, being across the street from Balboa Park means that they can take full advantage of the theater programs and museums. If you are looking for a school that can really engage your child - this is it. And they have classes from grade k through grade 12. read more

I have been enrolled at Balboa School for only 3 weeks and I think this is a perfect school to improve as a student and athlete. There's lots of opportunities to have fun and to interact with others. This school is very different from the past schools I went to. Balboa really focuses on improving academically and to improve as a person in general. You can learn many things inside and outside the classroom especially with your classmates who come from all over the world. You can really learn a lot from them. I would really recommend Balboa for education and especially if your an athlete. read more

My wife and I went for a tour with our daughter. The principal/director was quite the talker. He spoke of how he alone is the answer that families should seek for their teenagers. We saw high school students completely out of control, yelling, throwing food, swearing, etc. One student even threatened a teacher. On a positive note the principal did intervene. Our tour ended so he could tend to the violent young man. We spoke to an education advocate who said the school is primarily filled with students that have behavior problems, discipline problems, emotional disorders, etc. read more

Balboa School is a great small, private college-preparatory school for students who are looking for an alternative to public education and/or charter schools. The small class sizes and teacher mentorship allow for high levels of student engagement. Balboa School values diversity, creativity, and mastery, and with the addition of the international program, students attend from all over the world. Students are given many opportunities for creativity, including music, art, and film studies. The teachers are all extremely experienced, kind, and committed to the success of their students. read more

My son attended this school for 6 years ago and the experience has stayed with his whole life. My son was a very difficult child in many ways. When we first got to this school I could tell that was a different place then any other school we had been to. The teachers and staff came from all walks of life. This school and staff afforded my son every opportunity to succeed. Now that I am in my mid-thirties and a parent of a child with behavior problems I often find myself saying things to my son that I learned at this school. I only have good things to say about this school. read more

This is one of the best schools my child ever attended. The students are very very polite and well mannered. They even greeted me and escorted me to the office when I first visited! The level of teaching is fantastic! And yet the teachers and administrators always seem to have time to meet with me if I have a question. My child has learned advanced robotics, and earned first place in a programming contest, and he has learned how to build rockets that soar 800 feet. Most importantly, he has had a first class curriculum. read more

Even though I have only been enrolled into Balboa school for only a few weeks, it has been an amazing experience. The students and staff treat everyone with respect with no regards to how different they may be from each other. This school is perfect for anyone that wants to be successful in life as a student athlete like me. Before transferring I had only heard good reviews about this school and now I see why because this school is the closest you could ever get to a perfect school. read more

Academically speaking, Balboa School offers a lot to each student. The courses are challenging and really help develop their thinking skills, rather than just memorizing a bunch of facts to get good grades. Teachers here really care about what you write - they rarely, if ever, just slap a grade on. Good grades are earned solely by showing the teacher your thought process. It is a great place to be! Amazing environment, helpful teachers, and everyone are eager to learn new things! read more

I love this school. So many things about it ensures that you feel like part of the community and the school does a wonderful job emphasizing the balance between academic and extra curriculum. Their biggest concern is the week being student and student's preparation for an adult life. Many of the lessons focus as much on learning how to be organized and independent as they do in material, and as a result, the students are the most mature I've seen. Wonderful school. read more