My daughter attended from TK to 7th grade. Like other reviews, this is not an ordinary school. It is fundamentally not an In-N-out style magically changing your kids into whatever parents wish. Parents have to participate in all activities in order to learn skills to teach your kids and others. Definitely a good school if you care about your children's education and willing to invest your time and effort. They are not focusing on grades but on cultivating a love of learning and reading for their entire life. I know for some people this could be unacceptable. Education is not just teaching a parrot to talk. To learn how to learn: Reading, writing, logic, and math have to be consistently practiced within your family -- better not to depend solely on any school. If any school can teach your kids self-motivated learning before K-8, it's already very successful. My wife and I learned a lot every year, and those lessons are still part of our daily life. "mistake can be a beautiful oops" If you attended any public school you know how it felt when they acted like DMV. That is why we put our daughter in D2. "Prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child." read more

We decided to withdraw from this school shortly after Labor Day Weekend. One of the main concerns arose when I was showing a family member how to pick up our kindergartener -- we discovered the school building was completely unlocked at 9 PM on a Monday night following the holiday. Not only was the main entrance open, but the atrium providing access to all the kindergarten classrooms was also unsecured. That raised significant concerns about safety and building security. Additionally, we heard from multiple returning parents that teacher quality varied significantly, and there was a noticeable trend: returning families' children all seemed to end up with the most sought-after teacher. It gave the impression that there might be favoritism or uneven distribution of classroom placements. Another concern was the dynamic between some teachers and parents. It felt as though staff were hesitant to be candid, possibly out of fear of upsetting families. We were told things that didn't line up with our own observations about our child -- mostly overly positive feedback that seemed designed to reassure rather than inform. The environment gave off a sense that the school was trying hard to maintain enrollment numbers, possibly at the expense of honest communication. While we know no school is perfect, these issues were serious enough for us to feel that it wasn't the right fit for our family. read more

My child was bullied by another classmate and the school didn't help at all with the situation. They never told me what was going on. I just found out because my son exhibited a change in behavior after school. And they wanted to avoid me talking to the other parents. The structure of the school building is horrible. There are two classrooms side by side, separated only by a curtain, so whenever one class is watching TV, the students are noisy, or the teacher is speaking loudly, everything can be heard in the other classroom, making it difficult for the kids to concentrate on their activities. read more

Our 5 year old joined this year. Great experience so far. We all like the teacher and he is looking forward to go to school everyday to meet his classmates. read more

This school is no good. I never wanna be part of a school like this again. All the teachers I had targeted me and never showed any love and care for a lot of students, read more

As a former student who had been here for less than a year (i was 7 at the time), i have a lot to say. I remember a teachet named "Heather" who would scream at us all the time and had the fattest attitude and didn't have a real passage for teaching. Principal Mickie was just so rude and disrespectful and made up lies to my parents. The kids there were rotten too. very dirty campus, mean staff, and overall a crappy school. read more

As a student alumni of this school, I felt it had not prepared for Middle School and High School. The first years of D2 were life changing, it molded me to the person I'd become. My previous school to D2 was all about rules. It taught me to always follow the rules, however it impacted my sense of initiation. D2 taught me how to advocate for myself, which I'll never forget. Everyday I would look forward to always playing and having fun, but I felt academic lessons were not prepping the students for the next level. This type of learning is great for grades 1-3, but grades 4-6 were flawed. When I finally left D2 for a private school, I learned it had not prepared me for that setting. Everything at my new school had to be reviewed in a matter of weeks. I will always respect and give love to D2, but I would like to caution the lack of academics held there. read more

We just completed our 3rd year here and I could not be happier. The school runs on a Reggio Emilia-inspired philosophy and creates a supportive and positive environment for the students. My child is happy and excited to go to school each day. The students are given a lot of autonomy within the larger structure. They are taught to self-advocate and problem-solve. If all children had access to this type of school we would have better outcomes as a society. The parent participation component has been a lot of work, but it is very rewarding. You connect with the other parents and children and it creates a real sense of community. To be there and see what goes on at school with your children on a regular basis is a huge privilege. Highly recommended. read more

My family has attended Discovery Charter School 2 Falcon Campus for the last 5 years, and I am very happy with the progressive education my children are receiving! Their teachers have been amazing and are given more freedom to teach students important topics that have been pushed out of today's public classrooms in addition to covering standard core curriculum. They're able to follow the children's lead for curriculum, and present opportunities to engage in hands-on activities including many field trips. One concern I had about specific academic needs not being met was swiftly addressed and adaptions were made, with the support of teachers and the director. Teachers don't ignore social and emotional needs in the classroom and really get to know the children holistically. We receive amazing multi-page anecdotal report cards, that demonstrate their knowledge of our children. We also have thoughtfully planned conferences and are able to communicate with the teachers easily. Discovery provides the opportunity to stay with teachers for multiple years (looping). This honors the relationships between teachers, children, and parents, and further supports child development. We've been blessed to get to know teachers deeply and develop real relationships. The focus on social-emotional learning is also echoed in the discipline practices at D2. Parents participate in the program, and everyone is on the same page, responding to the children using Positive Discipline techniques. The leadership provided by Miki Walker, our director, is appreciated! She knows the children and what is happening for them, is very responsive to parents and their concerns and works to problem-solve. She listens to her teachers and appears to support them fully. Most of the parents regularly volunteer, and there are a lot of opportunities to engage with the school community. My friendships with fellow parents are strong, and we hang out at school events and beyond. You can really create a village here, something that is so needed in this area in particular. My children are excited to go to school because their needs are met, not ignored. Learning is fun and curiosity is encouraged. I am excited my children are enjoying their education, as their experiences will likely result in life-long, engaged learners. I highly recommend you check D2 out! read more

My daughter was enrolled at this school from August -November as a kindergartener. Without getting into too many details, I would not recommend this school. We left because our daughter was being mistreated by 2 other kinder students. I wanted to speak to the parents but this school has a rule about parents talking about what happens in the classroom staying in the classroom and the teacher is the only one who can get involved. Parents confronting parents was frowned upon. I regret not talking to the parents of the child who manipulated and hurt my kid - I tried to follow the schools policies but her teacher wasn't great at handling conflict and recommended a book for me to read and said all the things my kid was experiencing was normal. My kids personality started to change and she began to shut down emotionally. We pulled her and it was the best thing. After over a year of being out of this place I recognize that my daughter was being bullied and she lost trust in adults because the adults at this school failed her. She spoke multiple times with not only her teacher but other staff as well. My husband and I even had multiple meetings with the principal. We even reached out to my kids preschool teacher and asked about the behavior our daughter was having and they said it sounds like an unhealthy environment. Putting your kid in school and trusting others to keep them safe is a huge ask - I think there's some great people at this school but unfortunately sending my kid here was a huge mistake. I have a friend who had a nearly identical experience the same year. Not a surprise. I'll leave you with this- I saw a child rip and throw a book across the room and blame the child sitting next to them for being the reason they were upset. The child with the outburst was sent to the counselor and came back with a sensory toy and the kid who was humiliated wasn't spoken to or taken aside to see if they were okay. This lack of care contributes to insecure kids and mistrust in adults. This school is big on "student advocacy" - sometimes adults need to intervene and mediate. When I said this I was told by my kid's teacher "our school isn't for everyone". It was a heartbreaking time as a parent. read more

Brand new school is its only draw back. Otherwise it would get 5 stars. If you want a whole child education that already has "Common Core" well figured out then this is a great charter/parent participation school for you. Your voice and your child's voice will not only be heard but be critical to how the education experiences are created - truly that is a gift. read more

My son and daughter have been attending this school for 3 years. We LOVE the philosophy that the school uses to incorporate socio-emotional development in addition to academics. Our teachers have been amazing, the best I've ever experienced. I highly recommend Discovery 2 Charter School. read more

My daughter is one of the founding students. I am also a teacher, who has taught for 20 years. Over the years her education has been inconsistent. Ranging from very organized teachers who had a clear view of the curriculum to teachers, who had no plan and was just trying to survive the classroom environment. This lead to major inconsistency in my daughters learning. This could be said for many schools, but most typical schools have a set curriculum from grade to grade, D2 does not. The issues I have experienced is a lack consistency, accountability, and unclear assessments. The report card system needs more accountability. It starts off with a learning story of the student, but this requires the teacher to have a clear understanding of the child and their academics, thus I find it hard to believe that they are accurate or relevant, my daughters was more surface level and dealt more with her personal skills. The report cards next part focuses on literacy skills and math. Observed and practiced skills in these areas are mentioned. There is no exact statement, which says what your child has mastered and what they need to work further on. This would require a system of clear assessments, which are not present in most subjects. Only in the CPM math system they use. read more

Could not be happier about this school! It is a huge answer to prayer!! A former teacher myself, I felt desperate when it was time to find a school for my son. School that really thought about the child as a whole. That worried more about teaching a child to learn instead of just passing on information. School worried about creating lifelong thinkers, problem solvers, and emotional intelligence. A school worried less about test scores and what parents think, and more about creating a love for learning. A school where parents participate and are a community. I could go on and on... Amazing. Feel so blessed to have my son there! read more

Second year family at this school... It has potential but it feels like they are not quite there. The teachers and parent volunteers are wonderful. As for actual employees (other than teachers) there are only three. Suzy who runs the office seems to hold a "not my job" attitude which is tough when you are one of three employees. Maybe we rubbed her the wrong way and she holds a grudge? Oh well. Initial parent communication lacks a little bit as well. You kinda have to stumble across things as you go. Haven't decided if we are going to stay at this school or not. read more

My kids LOVE Discovery Charter School 2 and had wonderful teachers so far!! We love their school events, all the wonderful field trips and overall, the parents/community is just so amazing. My son has been attending the Homeschool program for the last 4 years and is thriving. It's a hybrid program where he is in school 2 days a week and at home 3 days a week. It's the perfect match! The school is still fairly new and hiccups are expected but every year seems to be getting better and better. The philosophy is definitely not for everyone but if you enjoy parent participation, and want hands-on, developmentally appropriate, whole-child education, this is a great school for you and your children. read more

We were a founding family for this school. My son attended here from grades 1-6. Staff we have worked with have been caring, kind and collaborative. This school has an excellent elementary program that actively works with parents to support students to be engaged and to be lifelong learners. Academics did depend on the teacher that is assigned. We have been lucky as our son had collaborative teachers, however, his 5th grade teacher Mira Stauffacher stood out and was the most effective from our experience. She was able to work with him to differentiate math (for which he was two grade levels ahead- he went to Stanford Math Circle and the Russian School of Math) and also was able to close any gaps in both reading and writing as evidenced by a large jump in his CAASP scores after 5th grade. He spent his final year at D2 last year as a 6th grader and only left the school as he was offered a large scholarship to CAIS school this fall. D2 built his confidence and developed his problem solving skills including social problem solving. We will always be grateful to D2. read more