Our daughter has gone to Harker since their inaugural preschool class started . She loves it and so…read moredo we . Teachers are great and after school programs are plentiful . Even though it takes an hour to get to school we think it's worth it.

What a wonderful school! My son finished Kindergarten here, and is now in 1st Grade. He loves…read moreschool and always impresses me with what he's learned. We've been particularly happy with the emphasis on deeper conceptual understanding of material, so it's not just rote memorization and regurgitation. Word problems were a significant part of Kindergarten math, and I'm positive I wasn't doing word problems that early when I was a kid. The teachers and administration are very receptive to feedback and concerns that inevitably crop up during the school year. We've been happy with the way they've handled issues, and clearly customer service is an important part of their philosophy. Tuition is on the higher range of private schools, but in this case you truly do get what you pay for.

Wonderful school and community for our two children. Feel so very blessed for the experience. Tim…read morewas the BEST! Thank you all! - Warm regards from Terry, too- Valerie Houghton

My grandson is 10th grade now and he's been experiencing some wonderful things educationally…read more He's got good grades and exceptional skills and lots of new friends. He said he would like to finish school there

First, there were 75 reactions to my original post plus I received many messages from families who…read morefelt mistreated. I just want to express my deep sorrow for every family who has been mislead and mistreated by this school. It has been devastating to get a glimpse of the dark reality. Final update: this school is even worse and more corrupt than before, in my carefully considered and humble opinion. We had a deeply concerning and disturbing set of interactions with the new director, Luthern. I remain proud of the way that we handled our interactions, and very bothered by the way he treated us. Furthermore, we undetstand that they are removing and/or drastically reducing the nature campus component of their program which was a huge part of the draw in the first place. We are thrilled that this chapter is permanently closed for us. We finally found the most outstanding school for our children, and we will never look back. Good riddance to a poorly run institution with what we believe is an unethical and corrupt administration. And by the way, the "Gifted Qualitative Assessment" is manipulable. It's largely based on parent surveys, and which parent searching for a school for gifted children won't see their kids as gifted? We all do. Your best bet if you're not a founding family is to make sure you have a ton of money and that you are willing to part with in their capital campaign, and always tread cautiously when it comes to expressing yourself authentically.

Having a preschool aged child, I speak to many families about their interest in Tessellations, so I…read morethought it'd be helpful to share my experiences with children in both the K-8 and preschool programs. When my son was struggling in a more traditional education setting (with boredom causing other issues), and as we thought about the skills and traits to nurture in an evolving world, we found what we wanted with Tessellations. "Challenging experiential education" is a core part of Tessellations' mission, and I see it everyday in the projects, conversations, and enthusiasm for school. I've seen the growth in my children's capability and confidence in tackling new problems, and their continued curiosity. It's amazing to me that in 4th grade, my son and his friends can talk excitedly about the latest non-fiction book they are reading, which could span many subjects. One of their favorite games just involves taking turns talking through imagined adventure scenarios. (And that's when they're not being active - I hear that most of their recess and lunch is spent playing dodgeball across many grades.) Video game addiction is pervasive in these times, but I feel we have a haven from it here. The kids have so many interests that gaming is just one of many. Social emotional learning ("SEL") is a priority at Tessellations, and though many schools now say they focus on this, it can be an elusive goal. One evidence I see is how kids (K-8) play together across many grades: this requires empathy and adjustment. I believe that this is promoted by the general culture, the kinds of kids here, and mixed grade classrooms. The preschool program, called Tessellations Children's Center (TCC), started just last year, has been equally wonderful for our younger child. The teachers, who are engaging and observant, supervise almost a full day of free choice time, play-based learning, and novel activity options. Recently they planted vegetables, learned about space, drew self-portraits, and experimented with pendulums. Note that TCC is separate from the K-8 school, and kids must go through a separate admissions process for Kindergarten. Although my kids have loved the school, I'm giving 4 stars since it's been a bumpy ride, and I feel for those who've been affected. We've had growing pains and changes in leadership as we've grown to Pre-K through 9th in just four years. Many admin (and parents) have felt stretched thin as they balance competing needs. As we evolve from a startup to a larger, more established school, there will continue to be bumps. During this time, I'm so grateful to the amazing teachers, and staff, including our new & experienced Acting Head of School, pouring their hearts into the school and mission. Even though Tessellations has grown incredibly quickly, it is just one school, and not enough to handle the tremendous demand for progressive and gifted education, especially in the Bay Area. I hope we will see more schools that cultivate the love for learning and holistic development like this one.

Teachers really care for the kids. The curriculum is at a higher level than the public curriculum…read more Yet, the low student to teacher ratio means the teachers can see and help each child. Tuition is also less than other private schools. This is also a mandarin immersion school that teaches traditional bo po mo fo which we love. The parents do not need to speak the language at home and there are many families that do not speak Mandarin. Overall, great place for kids to learn and grow.

We are absolutely thrilled with our experience at Mandarin Academy, and we couldn't be happier with…read morethe progress our son has made since starting Kindergarten this year. One of the most remarkable aspects of Mandarin Academy is the speed at which our son has started speaking Chinese at home. We are a non-Chinese family. Within just three weeks of starting, he was already bringing his newfound language skills into our daily conversations. Another key factor that sets Mandarin Academy apart is its small class sizes. In these intimate settings, every student has the opportunity to actively engage and participate in the learning process. This focus on individual attention and participation is invaluable when it comes to mastering a new language, and we've seen firsthand how it has benefited our child's language development. We also got a spot offered by Cupertino Union School District (CUSD), but after experiencing what Mandarin Academy has to offer, we made the decision to withdraw and stay with Mandarin Academy. Main reason was the big class sizes at CUSD (20+ students) which makes it hard to learn a language. The higher standards, personalized approach, and dedication to language education at Mandarin Academy were simply unmatched, and we believe this is the best place for our child to flourish.

My two daughters have attended OOS, and we love it! I want to say a big thanks to the…read moreadministration, they are just great! Any concerns or questions which we ever addressed to them were always resolved. No matter what question we had, we always saw friendly staff which is open, ready to help, and resolve any situation in the best way. Academics are great, which is big deal for us. After OOS, kids attend highly selective high schools, and doing great at rigorous classes; which is again a great compliment to OOS teachers for good preparation. OOS does a great job at helping their 8th grade students with the high school admission process. The school community is wonderful, great families, many of which became our close friends. The classes are small, allowing each student to grow. There are always lots of opportunities for parents to be actively involved in school life, but it is not mandatory if your busy life does not allow you to do it. Highly recommended this school!

I was a student at Old Orchard from Kindergarten to 8th grade and I can confidently say it played a…read morehuge role in who I am today. The OOS community is incredibly warm and welcoming, and the teachers are dedicated to helping every student succeed. OOS deeply values students' social-emotional wellness and provides a space for students to explore their interests and grow beyond the classroom. Some of my best memories include working alongside classmates on community service projects and bonding through school trips ranging from historical museums in the Bay Area to hand-on archaeology in Colorado! I My experience here was truly unforgettable and I highly recommend Old Orchard School.

My daughter attended BISV elementary and now the middle school. The school claims students get 10…read morehours of homework weekly, but the reality is 25 to 30 hours. That's 3 to 4 hours on weekdays and 6 to 8 hours on weekends. There's no coordination between subject teachers to spread out assignments. My daughter is a strong student who keeps up with the work, so this isn't about struggling. It's simply too much. Other parents report the same experience. There's no time left for extracurriculars or family. The principal has not addressed parent concerns on this issue. I regret enrolling my daughter here.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

We applied this school. We have an interview and we waited 15 minutes until we call them and they…read morejust ask a admin to interview us randomly. The original interview is 30minutes but we only had 15 minutes in a rush. Very bad experience. How could they forget the interview

Our family has had such a wonderful experience at the Winchester campus. My daughter has been here…read morefor two years now from Pre‑K, Summer School, and TK, and the experience has been consistently positive every step of the way. It is a small school with a true family feel. Every teacher knows the students by name, and that sense of care is felt daily. The office staff is very responsive. Any time there has been a question or issue, we have always received a quick response and prompt action. The elective teachers deserve special recognition as well. Ms. Jeannie (Science), Ms. Edith (Spanish), and Ms. Zoe (Music) have all done an amazing job creating hands‑on, engaging lessons that truly keep the kids excited and involved. Most importantly, we cannot say enough wonderful things about my daughter's TK teacher, Ms. Weiss. My daughter absolutely loves her, and when I asked why, she said, "Because she listens to everything." That alone speaks volumes about the level of care, respect, and attention Ms. Weiss gives her students every single day. She is incredibly engaging, warm, and thoughtful, and she goes above and beyond to make learning fun by celebrating all kinds of occasions, decorating the classroom with her own amazing props and costumes for all the children, and going all out to make the school year special. Ms. Weiss is truly one of a kind. We have seen tremendous growth in our daughter under Ms. Weiss's guidance. Academically, she is excelling in reading and math, and her writing and reading skills have made huge strides. Even more meaningful is how genuinely interested she now is in reading and writing outside of the classroom. We have also seen amazing growth in her interpersonal skills such as confidently greeting others, engaging with new friends, and learning how to reason and communicate thoughtfully. All of this is thanks to Ms. Weiss and the strong foundation she has helped build during these critical early education years. We are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she has had on our daughter's growth. While we are so sad to be leaving Ms. Weiss's class soon, we know the lessons, confidence, and love of learning will stay with our daughter for life. I also want to give a special thank you to my daughter's Pre‑K teachers, Ms. Sonal and Ms. Gauri. They did an incredible job setting a strong foundation in phonics and helping her transition from daycare into a more structured school environment. The early support was crucial to her confidence and success at the school in the beginning, and we are so grateful for the role they played in shaping her learning journey. Lastly, we are also so grateful for the extended day teachers who have been such a big part of our daughter's experience. Ms. Holly during Summer School and Ms. Hibah during TK have been absolutely wonderful. They keep the extended day program fun and engaging with creative arts, activities, and fresh ideas, which makes it feel less like "extra hours" and more like an extension of the school day. As parents, it gives us so much comfort knowing our child is in caring, creative hands even after regular school hours.

Stratford Winchester has been an amazing experience for both my kids. My daughter has been here…read morefrom Pre-K to 2nd grade and my son was here for preschool. All of their teachers have been amazing, caring and made sure the right values were passed on to all the kids. We loved the small family feel in this campus where we know all the teachers and the leaders of the school know every family and genuinely care for the well being of all the kids!

Villa Montessori has been an incredible experience for our kid. The teachers have been patient and…read morethoughtful in helping him build structure and routine, and we've watched him grow so much since starting here. The classrooms are always clean and well-organized, and the parent volunteer program is something we especially appreciate, it gives us a real window into the classroom and keeps us closely connected with the teachers. A special shout-out to Mrs. Lin, who is truly exceptional at what she does. She's warm and kind with the children while also being firm in the best way, gently guiding them through the Montessori approach. You can tell she genuinely loves the kids and the work. If you have a 2-5 year old, this is such an enriching environment. We feel lucky to have found Villa Montessori and would recommend it to any parent looking for a nurturing, thoughtful preschool. Five stars!

Villa Montessori is the best thing that has happened to our family. This is my 4 year old's second…read moreyear at Villa and he started as an extremely shy and sweet kid with no previous day care or school experience. In the past year, he has blossomed into an independent and assertive child, and he has learned a lot both academically and socially. Villa has an amazing ratio of 1-8 (3 teachers per classroom of 24 kids) that sometimes falls to 1-6 or 1-7. They are a true Montessori school, and the child stays with the same teachers for all the years. My son's two main teachers, Mrs. Fan and Mrs. De Silva, have been with the school for over a decade. My son has received a lot of individualized attention and loves his teachers. I think he would like to live with Mrs. Fan if given the chance. :) The teachers at Villa are extremely good at what they do and very passionate about Montessori education. When I went in for "observation day," each child was doing a different "job," so the teachers were managing 24 different activities, but everything was still very orderly. Even the tiny 2.5 year olds knew the rules and everyone knew to clean up. We really appreciate how diligent our son has become with washing hands, tidying up spaces, and wiping surfaces! Director Lin's leadership is also really exceptional. She is extremely organized, responsible, and sets clear expectations for the kids and parents. I love that the handbook, documents, twice-a-year report cards, and paperwork are all in good order. She is also very hands-on and I have seen her consoling a crying child in her lap, spoon feeding another child during lunch, and taking the time to talk with the kids individually. I am so impressed that she takes the time to get to know every one of the forty-some kids at Villa. She works many many hours at Villa and commutes from an hour away. Villa is not just a job for her - this is her life's purpose. Everyone at the school is very responsive and excellent with communication. Karen (who manages most of the administrative tasks) and Director Lin will usually respond to messages on Brightwheel within a few hours. We really appreciate how they take parent concerns very seriously. The flexibility of programs at Villa is also great - they have AM program (9-12 pm), PM program (1-4 pm), PM plus extended care (1-5 pm), full day (9-4 pm), or full day plus extended care (9-5 pm). I feel very lucky to be able to enroll my child in a half day program so that he gets a few hours of school every day, and we still get enough hours to go on an adventure together outside of school. One really brilliant and unique thing about Villa is that their after-school program (school ends at 4, there is another hour of after school until 5 pm) teaches the children Mandarin Chinese! I enrolled my son in the after school hour just for the Chinese class - Mrs. Fan and Mrs. Liu are both excellent Chinese teachers from Taiwan. I sat in on one class to see what it would be like, and was astounded that all of the kids had excellent pronunciation. Chinese tones are very difficult so it was really surprising to see a room full of non-Chinese kids speaking perfect Chinese! Lastly, the other Villa families also makes this place special. Villa is a non-profit with a governing board that is made up of parents. We really appreciate the parents that have taken on this responsibility. We have also made many friends at Villa, and really appreciate the sense of community. We truly couldn't have asked for a better preschool experience and will definitely miss this school when our son graduates!