I thought I wrote a review a few years ago but I guess not, so here goes... this is an excellent…read moreplace to send your daughter if you want her to develop PTSD. The "therapy" I underwent here made me an obedient child for a few months, but it soon became clear that all my underlying issues were not addressed, along with developing trauma that I still struggle with today (many years later). If you are looking to send your child here (or to any residential treatment facility) I urge you to first look into the Troubled Teen Industry and Breaking Code Silence.

know that most people reading this are scared parents who want to keep their kids safe. As someone…read morewho went here, this is not somewhere you want your child. Therapists constantly give girls creepy compliments like "you're going to make a wonderful mother", "you'll be a wonderful wife" (this is to underage kids) and do not try to address the underlying trauma and mental illness that is causing most of the behaviors kids are in here for. This is doubly true for lgtbq kids, I had multiple girl who were shamed for their sexuality, one girl was banned from talking to her best friend because they were "getting too close", another was forced to sleep on a couch in a room apart from other students because she happened to be gay. I'm glad I was in the closet while here, because an unspoken part of the program was "acting straight." Mormon values are so entrenched in this program, they view your kid as a future wife and mother and nothing else. While here I was forced to run miles until I had an asthma attack (multiple times), was socially cut off from the group for losing items like paperwork or actions like leaving hygiene products in the shower. Once, when my mother flew halfway across the country to see me she was barred because I had left a tube of toothepaste on the counter. This kind of system creates a panic response to any small mistake a kid makes, and the fact that enforcement of any rule varies based on (largely) how much staff like you means that you're never sure what kind of punishment is coming, or how harsh it's going to be. I still have anxiety over making small mistakes, and it makes it hard to take the small risks necessary to thrive. Social isolation is common, group shaming is part of the program, fat kids were made to feel ashamed for their weight, one girl who had slept around at home was told by staff she was "probably going to die from an STD," and if you don't share in group, the staff will encourage the other students to bully you until you crack and spill. Therapy is manipulative and unhelpful. My therapist (Pepper, one of the programs directors) told me he was worried that "if I left early I would get into an abusive relationship." Threats of what would happen if you left early were common, often many going so far as to tell kids that they'd be dead within a year. Also- know all phone calls and communication with the outside world is monitored. So if you do send your kid to this school, everything they tell you is filtered by staff. They will cut the phone lines if a kid complains about the program at all, it happened to me multiple times. In terms of success rates, I can tell you that a fair amount of graduates are doing okay, but it had nothing to do with how well they did at the program. In fact, it's mostly the opposite. The ones who are now dead were often some of the most awarded kids in the program, while the only person I know to successfully run home to LA is now living her best life. If you're looking to find a safe place to give your kids structure and the help they need, this isn't it. This is an unpredictable whirlwind of manipulative and unsanctioned therapeutic practices that will bring your kid out cosmetically better for a short period of time. I still have nightmares about being here. I wish I could recommend an alternative, but every program I know of is similarly bad. Just know that these people want your money, not to help your child. While there are some staff who are genuinely kind and want to help, their efforts are hindered by the program and the people running it. Check out programs through accredited mental hospitals, they have some government oversight and were actually helpful to me when I was struggling

Small school creating a real community feeling for children and parents. On our second year of our…read morechild attending and couldn't be happier with the advanced curriculum, awesome faculty and the 'it takes a village' mentality. Friends with kids in public schools in Sandy and WJ are always surprised how 'advanced' the curriculum is however my child doesn't seem to be aware she's 'advanced' since it's what all kids are doing at her school. Surprised by how many non-Catholic families attend but understand since this school provides a nurturing and healthy environment for all kids, those parents don't seem to mind the classes daily prayer and required school Mass their children attend every Wednesday. Loving, supportive and safe environment that provides a child an above public school education with focus on whole child, not just how to pass tests. What's not to love?

5/5 Stars - The Best Decision We Ever Made…read more Before we found Grace Lutheran, we had a really hard time finding good, consistent care for our son. Even when we did find something promising, frequent staff turnover or class transitions would downgrade an average situation to a below-average one. I can't tell you how many times my son would cry during drop-off and pick-up. He also came home with scratches and bites almost daily--understandable for two-year-olds, but it was excessive. The final straw came when he moved up to a new class and the care quality dropped again. That's when I reached out to friends for advice. Two friends highly recommended Grace--one who had since moved out of state and another who still sends her son there. She told me it was the best move they ever made. Funny enough, my husband also attended Grace in 4th grade and always had amazing things to say every time we drove by. We scheduled a tour and instantly felt like we had found the right place. We moved our son to Grace when he was two. He's now four, and we also started our daughter there this past September when she turned two. It's truly the best decision we've ever made. Neither of our kids has ever cried at drop-off or pick-up. In fact, it's the complete opposite--my son runs into class, thrilled to start his day, and my daughter leaps out of my arms without even saying goodbye. They've never come home with a scratch or bite. Grace is special. It's not just a school--it's a community. The teachers genuinely care about the children and are passionate about early education. My son's preschool teacher has gone above and beyond to prepare him for kindergarten a year ahead of time, using creative and engaging learning activities that not only meet curriculum goals but also support the whole child--nurturing their creativity and emotional development. I truly cannot express how much we appreciate this school. Grace Lutheran is a gift, and we are so grateful to be part of it.

Pastor Macinelli is a wonderful man! I love attending church here, the congregation is very…read morewelcoming, and always willing to assist fellow church goers and community members.

Here's a review from a someone who actually attended Peruvian Park, some insight for ya :)…read more So, I went to this elementary school only for 6th grade. My friends and I had all been at Ridgecrest Elementary the previous years, but their Advanced Learning Program (ALP's) was ending so we all moved to Peruvian Park to continue our advanced learning, but with a different program called SALTA. I had a teacher named Mrs. Alexander. From what I remember, I liked her as my teacher; however, when I look back at the yearbook packet I made for school, apparently I put "the teachers were mean". I actually went back to Peruvian Park three years ago to visit with her and ask her a few questions about a story book we made during the school year (I was doing the same concept for a competition in high school), and she was so helpful. I really did enjoy my time in her class (I know I'm weird, I actually used to enjoy school when I was younger). One of my best memories were the 6th grade dances. I remember getting all excited for them and learning class dances for them. We also did a Thriller performance for the parents for Halloween, which was really fun! We performed a Charlie Brown play and a recorder performance. I, also, learned how to play the ukulele; Learning how to play the ukulele at a public school is pretty impressive. During the school year, we had a couple big project. We had to crochet/knit hats for newborn babies in the hospital or something like that. We could also keep a few hats for ourselves. I really enjoyed making the hats and I actually used the hats I made for a couple years as well. We made huge candy bar posters. Also, we made actual binded story books. I remember spending a lot of class time on it; we drew pictures and made the story line and everything. The teachers laminated the covers to create a nice book with clean binding and sharp covers. Near the end of the school year, we made a yearbook packet. I still have mine and look at it every once in a while. I'm still friends with some of the people I went to school with in 6th grade and actually I met my best friend, Vivian, in 6th grade. We're still best friends to this day. One of the most memorable things about Peruvian Park and my time there were the friends I made and the events that happened. Out of all of my years in elementary school that was my most "drama filled year (on an elementary school level)". This might have been because I was in 6th grade and kids around that age are prone to be more into that stuff, but it was my most eventful year. The environment at Peruvian Park did seem a bit more "wild", but of course it was not crazy, it was just more eventful... The people who attend a school always set the type of environment, so it can change year-by-year. The people at Peruvian Park were kind of different than the people I met in my other elementary schools. There was greater diversity. At my previous elementary school, the "white" population was more prominent; for example, I was usually the only Asian in that class. However, when I attended Peruvian Park, there were a couple Asians other than me and I was even shocked to see them the first day of school. Peruvian Park had a greater mix of races and ethnicities when I went there. I enjoyed the diversity because I did want to find more friends who were other races to expand my horizons instead of just Caucasian friends. Overall, 6th grade was my best elementary school year. We did lots of fun projects in class, as I mentioned before. My education was advanced, even as an elementary student; I took advanced math ever since 4th grade and this accumulated over the years, so by the end of high school I took Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB/BC and AP Statistics. I, also, did orchestra in the mornings starting from 4th grade, continuing through 6th grade, and accumulating over the years, I became the concert master of my orchestra by 10th grade. The diversity in students was a lot greater than the other elementary schools I had been to. The friends I made at Peruvian Park stayed with me throughout the years and I met one of my most valuable friends there, my best friend. The memories I've made have stuck with me because they created an impact on my life. I have only Peruvian Park to thank and especially my teacher, Mrs. Alexander.

Very disappointing experience. Instead of communicating with a parent to clarify a misunderstanding…read moreinvolving a 4-year-old child, the school immediately escalated the situation to DCFS. Parents deserve communication and transparency before assumptions are made. I expected better judgment and professionalism from an elementary school.

Waterford was great for us in one way. My daughter became mysteriously ill pretty much for an…read moreamount of time in junior/senior year. It affected her cognitive abilities and she was forced to miss a good amount of school as well as special events of senior year. The kind, discreet response of the teachers and administrative staff blew us all away. They were fiercely protective of her. My daughter is pretty private but the students and their parents who knew were equally as amazing! Character was high with the kids (they didn't gossip much like you might find at another school, held her confidences and, as a result, feel like the school will forever be in my heart. The only issue that holds me back is that I feel it can be very rules heavy, a bit punitive (kids were expelled and punished for little). It lacks a vibrant social scene, can be a bit provincial in its academic and enriching offerings and can tend to mute students from sharing thoughts and expressing themselves. The last thing is that students don't really head committees or initiatives in junior or senior year... they really should and parents should be nowhere to be found. High school is the time to try new things and fail. Prom committee, the school store, a real school newspaper...They really aren't encouraged to as the parent body leads all. This proved tougher when my daughter went off to high school. Other than that, great school with great classes and teachers, special kids and- for the most part- a wonderful, warm parent body. Thank you Waterford!

After 4 years of sending our kids here, we have learned enough about the ultra-private and…read moreconservative ways in which the Board of Directors, and the Head of School run the school. It is so far reaching that kids can be expelled because of their parents behavior (reference the Waterford Code of Conduct). We are seriously thinking of moving our kids to Rowland Hall.