6th grade boutta end…read more Top 10 things this school year: 10: Easier than elementary school 9: New things to learn 8: Short Wednesdays 7: Beginning Strings 6: History class 5: Cool teachers 4: Mr. Kimball (music teacher) 3: Class periods (no more sitting in the same room for 4+ hours like in elementary) 2: Meeting new friends 1: Mr. Johnson Honorable Mention: Fun school not boring. (only sometimes boring) IMPORTANT NOTE: Boys in P.E. always get let into the locker room (at the end of P.E.) about 5-10 minutes after the girls get let in. It is not fun to change with 3 minutes left. Also, the girls got free locks at the beginning of the year. Yeah I don't get it. On the last academic week of school, me and my friends sat in front of one of the doors at the buildings. The staff said we could not sit there anymore because there were girls that left trash there all the time. Before I sat there with my friends, (beginning of the year) I sat at another spot which I also could not go to after the assistant principal said we could not sit there anymore. This school is good, just these few things make it worse. Also kids curse very openly and loudly in class and the teachers rarely punish them.

School is fine if your kid tows the line and is a kid who doesn't need any extra…read moreHelp or has any kind of needs such as a 504 plan or IEP. My daughter struggled so badly we had to take her out as she wasn't learning anything at a point in which she became Physically sick. We pleaded with the teachers and the staff To work with us to help her and they just ignored us to the point we couldn't keep Her there anymore. Her mental and physical health declined badly. She's in a private school Now making straight A's and feels like a normal middle schooler again. If your child has any needs do not send them Here unless you want to be ignored. The amount of negligence here is astounding.

I went here from 2004 - 2006 and I was bullied quite a bit…read more The fact that I came to look at this page and see reviews of people talking about their kids getting bullied even to this day breaks my heart. I see that it hasn't gotten any better. I had some good times too and all, some of my teachers were really cool, but still.

The school is just so ghetto. There are so many incidents of bullying and the staff just simply…read moreignores it. There were girls mocking an autistic kid and nothing was done about it. The adults at the school simply don't try to protect other kids, and it's just upsetting. There'a also a teacher that bullies her students and the first time she was reported nothing happened.

As a parent of a student who has been attending Manzanita for 4 years since Forest Kindergarten (…read morenow in 3rd grade ) and another child that is soon to enroll - We are so grateful to have this amazing school so close by. The campus is incredible, grounding , and inspiring for the students and parents - who get to spend time on the land , connecting to nature and learning in symbiosis with the world around them. We have seen our daughter flourish in the last 4 years - first in her confidence, creativity and sense of self - and then in her academics . Her teachers have worked incredibly hard to overcome any challenges she has experienced - gently encouraging and finding the best ways for her to learn. The community is strong and the school works hard to involve the parents in the culture and learning experience. Our personal primary goal as parents is to raise happy and healthy children who will have the ability to adapt, listen and learn in their future. We are very happy with our experience at Manzanita and can't wait to continue our journey under Big Rock.

Simply an outstanding educational experience in every way. Manzanita is an entirely new model for…read morelearning, one that doesn't neatly fit into any established category. Students learn on the land and from the land, supported by teachers trained as mentors for a truly personal, close-knit experience. Your child will be seen, known, and understood here. They will be taught how to think, not what to think. They will be prepared to show up as their most authentic selves. They will be exposed to a curriculum that is much more nuanced and engaging than most people can imagine. Your child will be in community with people who are committed to making the world a better place and often live lives far outside the mainstream. The lunch program is incredible. Tour the school to experience firsthand. Truly amazing.

This school saved my life. There's no other way to put it other than simply that. I could write a…read morenovel just outlining the lengths Louisville went to to help, support, and empower me. I was a transfer student and was struggling immensely during my high school years. I most definitely had what you would call extenuating circumstances. I don't know any other school or community that would've invested so much time and dedication, and jumping through hoops (quite literally ) to not only making sure I earned a diploma, but also making sure I was comfortable, happy, and thriving the entire way. Louisville is where I found art. The arts play a significant role in the well rounded education here. Little did I know at the time, but this introduction into fine arts would in fact provide me with a steadfast purpose in life. I'm now currently a graduate student pursuing my MFA in Sculpture. And I undoubtedly credit Louisville with any and all successes I've had since my graduation in 2014. My little sister is now a senior at Louisville, and I know the school and community has touched her heart just as much as it's touched mine. As much as it's touched my family's for that matter. I've seen her thrive and grow into a spectacularly beautiful young lady. I am one incredibly proud sister and am so looking forward to seeing her graduate this May. In essence, Louisville truly gave me the education, friendship, love, artistic expression, self-confidence, and about every other tool one could name, to go out into the world and succeed in all my pursuits. It will always remain my second home and I can't imagine a greater education for any young woman looking to better herself and the world around her.

My daughter graduated in 1998. I think Louisville is why she is still a good Catholic. She is…read moremarried to a Crespi graduate. They have been married almost 20 years. They have 3 kids who they are raising Catholic. She is a school teacher. He is an attorney. I think they gave both turned very well.

Do not take an ACT test at this school. They have a complete disregard for the amount of time our…read morestudents put in to preparing and trying to achieve their colllegial goals. For September 2025 test they had a band practice right in the middle of the test. When approached the band said they had every right to be there. The test administrator assured me that it was a one time mistake and it would be fixed for October. Sure enough, the band started playing again and their adult representative did not care about the gravity of the testing situation. I am disgusted and this was our last chance for an ACT test before merit scholarships are awarded. Shame on this administration and the band teacher.

They care about each student, teachers are amazing and counselors are the best in the valley high…read moreschools

Both my teenage sons attended public elementary school, then went to Topanga Mountain School, then…read moretransitioned successfully back into public high school at El Camino. TMS provided a nurturing haven during the middle school years which has made my kids more resilient, better citizens of the world, and confident advocates for themselves and for others. Here are some of the experiences my boys had: - going on at least three one-week camping trips each year - learning to cook for themselves and to shop for their camping group on a budget - taking elective classes in pottery, archery, swimming, fencing, and aerial silks - composing and performing original songs during the music trimester - practicing public speaking in a variety of formats, from in-class debates to presentations to full-length plays - sitting in "council" and honoring the feelings and values of their classmates, even whey disagreed with them - burning off energy by playing soccer, basketball, and "mushroom tag" after lunch each day - exploring DTLA via public transportation - evaluating what constitutes a reliable source in traditional media and on social media - gaining an appreciation for nature through weekly hikes - feeling they had an actual relationship with their teachers (with whom they continue to stay in contact) - mastering the five-paragraph academic essay - working in small groups at a pace that was appropriate to their skill level, especially in math - graduating with a strong sense of self Sending my sons to TMS is one of the best investments I have made in their education and their personal growth. The only caveat I would offer is that, due to its small size and flexible curriculum, TMS tends to have more last-minute changes than a traditional school. There is no such thing as a "typical" week at TMS; the teachers may adjust the day's schedule if an issue arises and they feel the kids need to process events in the news or resolve interpersonal conflicts which impact the entire group. I f this to be a virtue, but if you are expecting rigid consistency, it's best to look to a more traditional school.

TMS has been a gift to our son and our family! Middle school can be difficult and distressing for…read moremany kids, but every morning my son wakes up excited to go to school. I've talked to other parents, and the sentiment is the same: kids love TMS! TMS is a mixture of appropriately challenging academics (with some room for individualization because the school is small), social-emotional development, the arts, and outdoor education. The school goes on four trips a year, and I love how the curriculum is integrated into the trips. For example, last year, they read a book that took place at a Japanese internment camp during WWII, and then they visited the actual camp during one of their trips. Also, there is a focus on making the learning applicable to the "real world." For some of the trips, kids are divided into groups, given a food budget, and work together to plan their meals and buy food. There is also a great community feeling amongst the parents at TMS. There is also a culture of kindness and acceptance at TMS. All-in-all, I am confident that my son will emerge from his middle school experience self-confident, ready for high school, and equipped to make the world a better place!