When we first moved to Davis, we assumed our kids would go to one of the great public schools here…read more-- that was part of why we chose this area. After the first few months, with 27-30 kids in our son's class, we observed that it was hard for him to get individual attention, and during our first parent-teacher conference, it felt like his teacher didn't really know him. A friend mentioned Peregrine, and at first we weren't sure -- especially because of the tuition. But when we visited, the campus immediately stood out. There were tree forts, gardens planted by students, zip lines, hay bales, and ample space to run. It just felt alive. Our son absolutely loves it there. Every morning he sprints onto the playground before we can even say goodbye. The teachers know him -- really know him. Within the first two weeks, they even noticed he was having trouble pronouncing certain words and suggested we check with our pediatrician about a speech evaluation. That early attention made such a difference. We've also been amazed by how intentional the academics are. He has one-on-one reading time twice a week, small group literacy sessions, and a class library full of graphic novels like Dog Man and Zita the Space Girl that keep him excited about reading. His progress has been incredible. He learns outside -- rain or shine -- with teachers who guide gardening, cooking, ceramics, and project-based lessons. The school celebrates different cultures through music, food, and dance, and the meals are cooked right on site and actually healthy. What stands out most is how much the teachers care. They communicate proactively, notice social dynamics, and address things right away. It's clear that he's seen, supported, and surrounded by people who genuinely care about his growth. After his first week there we received a detailed assessment of his reading and math levels with handwritten notes explaining areas of improvement and where we can help him further. This sort of detailed individual feedback really showed how they truly took the time to get to know our son. We also really appreciate the weekly class emails we get from his teachers. They summarize what the kids learned that week in reading, math, and other subjects -- along with photos and little anecdotes. It's such a thoughtful touch, and it makes us feel connected to what's happening in the classroom day to day. In addition the teachers are always accessible before and after class for us to discuss concerns and questions that arise. As the more financially cautious one in our family, I wasn't sure how we'd feel about private school -- but seeing how happy and curious he is now, it truly feels worth it. Watching him grow, ask questions, and grow his love of learning has been such a gift. One thing we've learned is there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to school. Davis has so many great options -- I'm just glad we found one that fits our son so well. We ended up enrolling our daughter there at the preschool as well!

This is our forth year at the Peregrine school: my daughter started at 3 years old in their…read morepreschool and now she is in their elementary school. I wanted to share our experience from this most recent school year. The school's full-day kindergarten program has small student-to-teacher ratios, a nurturing environment, a terrific teaching team, and an immersive project-based curriculum. My daughter was in a classroom of 12 children and three teachers. Two of the teachers swapped places depending on the subjects that were taught that day, so there were always two teachers with the kids. The school created a trilingual program where the kindergarteners were learning a bit of Spanish and Mandarin in addition to having the core curriculum in English. What I particularly appreciate about the language component is how the teachers wove in cultural literacy into their lessons along with language instruction. There are many things that set apart this kindergarten program from others. Six hours of daily programming allows teachers to create a rich experience filled with language arts, math, science, gardening, cooking, music, and movement. The program allows you to drop off your kid at 8:30 am and pick them up by 3:15 pm with before and after school care available to those who need it; instruction takes place between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. Children are served healthy, nutritious, and well-balanced meals that are prepared on site and given at snack time and lunch. The food is so good that my child begged me to get a recipe from the school chef for a "lentil dish that is better than candy." The school's acre of gardens and play space allows the children to learn and play while being surrounded by beautiful nature. Kindergarteners spend at least an hour outside each day. Additionally, the school has three teacher specialists who work with the students weekly in the areas of gardening/cooking, music, and movement. The incredible food program coupled with the gardening lessons exposed my child to lots of new food that she was resistant to try before. My daughter particularly enjoys the kale and peas she gets to eat straight from the school garden. This past year the class got to go on five field trips to visit the Davis food co-op, a farm in West Sac, and attend three events at the Mondavi center. (This does not include many smaller trips to the playgrounds and parks near the school.) The Peregrine school also arranges for performances around Chinese New Year and other holidays on the school site. Towards the end of the school year, as part of their science unit, the class got to watch caterpillars hatch out of eggs and transform into butterflies. Children also witnessed the entire lifecycle of silkworms ending with moths laying eggs. I feel lucky to have this kindergarten program available in our town and I wanted to share our experience in case this may be a good fit for other families in this group. The Peregrine school offers instruction at all elementary grade levels through sixth grade in case you have an older child and you are interested in their program.

It's a very good school all teachers are nice but sometimes the kids can be weird and annoying.read more

This school is great. I went here for Kindergarten all the way to 6th grade. Priscilla Moore was…read morenice. She worked in the C-16 room. Sheryl Sharp was nice. April Seto the therapist was nice. Len Fingerman my 4th grade teacher was nice. Mrs. Pehlke my kindergarten teacher was nice. My 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Batha was nice. My 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Ortiz was nice. My first grade teacher Lisa Simmons was nice. My 6th grade teacher Mrs. Raubach was nice. My 5th grade teacher Michelle Stellmacher was nice.

Didn't like this school had a negative impact on my child's mental health.My child's teacher would…read moreuncomfortably touch my kids shoulder and never asked for consent or if they were okay with it.my child felt targeted.

Was charged assessment fee and then told there was no room in the class. Was told there was room in…read moreanother class I was interested in. Was told admissions/administration would call me back within day or two to answer my questions. Several days later and still haven't heard back from school. It's deceptive to charge assessment fee when admissions knows there isn't room available. Bad business practice not to return calls as promised.

Talked to Kelly by email many times. I was available 3 out of the 5 days they operate, in order to…read morehave a tour. Wanted to tour the campus to see if the school is right for my kids. Kelly could not set that up. But asked me for a multi-year commitment before I even had a chance to see if the school might be a good fit. It wasn't the only problem, but the the strangest. In my mind that sums everything up. A school with a sense of importance above the children and families they serve. It is not unusual for a school such as this to have this attitude. It is simple disappointing. Remember, if the person set up to interact with you when making an enrollment decision is unhelpful and inexperienced, think what the kids will get. Enrollment for the first time should be the honeymoon period.

Wonderful caring staff. The teachers are so amazing. There are Montessori classes at this school as…read morewell if that type of program interests you.

Wonderful school with excellent, compassionate teachers and a culture of inclusivity. Their…read moreMontessori program is top notch, too!

This school is awesome! I got to be a student intern here during my undergrad in a 2nd/3rd grade…read morecombination classroom with a really TALENTED and AMAZING teacher. She is still one of my contacts until today. Man, maybe I'm biased because the kiddos in my classroom where so freakin adorable and smart. There is a nice big black top for the kids to play, including a play structure and a field. There are always yard duties out. The cafeteria also has an outdoor area for sitting, so it's nice to have both. The secretary and office personnel were always friendly, and I can't say that about every school. The other teachers I talked to were also nice. Plus, one of my friend's mom works here =)

My kids went to this school for a couple of years and then COVID hit and their ability to manage…read morereally showed their true colors. The school is incredibly liberal and leftist progressive!! I mean it is Davis CA. The principal at the time (Heather Church) is very wishy-washy of when she wants to follow the rules and guidance of the diocese and private school systems versus the Davis public school system. If you have an issue with the school and take it all the way up the chain of command to the Superintendent/Regional Director Catholic School Department just know they are of no help in resolving issues and parents speaking out.

Awesome school! Some conflict, but it is well managed as soon as noticed. They have good hot lunch…read morethat you fill out a week in advance with minimum of 5$. They have a nice playground, and in PE you play good things like soccer, basketball, dodge ball, and pickle ball. Would recommend if you want your child to have a good experience with God, or whatever religion you have. They welcome everyone here.

Parking here is an absolute nightmare. The passenger loading zone is only for older kids but…read moreparents with small children are expected to find parking elsewhere (often times deep into neighborhoods or far down Anderson) and walk in. So you have two options, show up very early to find a decent spot and stand around for doors to open or risk being late.

The only thing I agree with the previous Yelper on is the chaos regarding traffic and parking…read morearound the school during pick up and drop off times (which I have seen to be a common problem around most schools). So it does get quite frustrating in the morning when people are double parking or parking where they are not supposed to. The easiest way, and what I usually do, to avoid this is to get to the school earlier if you can. One of the reasons this school has more traffic congestion is that the students who go to Cesar Chavez Elementary live throughout Davis. This means that unlike most other schools in town, most students do not walk or ride their bikes to school. In terms of the school itself, the Spanish immersion program and teachers are great! Whether the parents speak Spanish or not is not an issue, it is the children who benefit from the program and the teachers are very supportive. The school has a library, computer lab, science labs for the 4-6th graders, and the usual district music programs for the 4-6th graders (strings and band). I believe they even started a choir that meets in the mornings. My oldest is in sixth grade here and she loves it. She can now speak, read and write ver well in Spanish! However I have had friends who decided that Chavez was not a good fit for their child after a year or two.

I don't think I can say enough great things about this school!…read moreBoth of my kids have gone here and the staff is the best I've encountered anywhere. They truly care about every kid and get to know you and your family. They appreciate each child's gifts and let him/her shine. They also focus on making the day play based, while fostering growth in other aspects - social, emotional, physiological, etc. It's also amazing how the pre-K class has more "lessons" snuck into the curriculum, considering it really is all centered around playing. My kids (and my husband and I!) have made life long friends thanks to the community that UCNS nurtures.

Seriously could not be happier with UCNS. The teachers are phenomenal, kind, communicative, and…read morecompassionate. One of the amazing things about UCNS is the hygiene! They have such great hygiene policies that my two sons were so rarely sick from school it was incredible! Best choice we made for preschool!

I have been interning for Pat King, a 7th-9th grade Algebra and Pre-Algebra teacher of this school,…read morefor over a year now and I absolutely love it :) She also teaches Algebra Clinic, a new program they implemented this year for students who are a little more behind than their peers. I believe that it's working because my students have been making great progress since I first started tutoring them. Great staff, great teachers, great students! Definitely recommend student teachers to check this school out.

Now, no one liked their junior high school. Most normal people are just glad they survived it…read more This review gets four stars for Beverly Maul. Don't you remember that horrible teacher who videotaped all the young girls' pre-pubescent breasts? That guy literally stunk. She kicked him to the curb. Thank you, Bev. More young girls survived junior high because of you.