We couldn't be happier at St. Mary's. Our children benefit from incredible teachers, a caring staff…read morewho knows each child & family by name, and a supportive community that feels like family. I'm grateful for the education, values, faith & strong connections our children have received from St. Mary's School

I am beyond impressed with St Mary School. The level of education provided is outstanding, with a…read morededicated team of teachers who go above and beyond to ensure each student's success. The smaller class size fosters a strong sense of community and each student gets the attention they need to thrive. St Mary's emphasizes faith, academics, character development, values, respect, responsibility and teamwork.

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.

This is for the administration for being non responsive despite starting application process…read more Extremely disappointing with the admissions.

I have had the great pleasure of being a part of the Casa community for 5 years. My older child…read morewent through the primary program and completed kinder last year, and my daughter will finish kinder next spring. Throughout our years there we have been able to work closely with a majority of the primary teachers -and they are all amazing. Attentive, warm, thoughtful, patient, kind-they encompass all of the traits that I believe are important for teachers to possess. Both of my children have different personalities, and they were both able to thrive in the primary programs. The school provides a safe and loving environment where they are able to explore their interests, develop friendships, and master early childhood skills (like reading, writing and mathematics). The school fosters and promotes new interests, and they do a wonderful job of teaching the children so much more than just academic subjects. My children have learned about and been exposed to different cultures (their holidays and foods for example), countries, plants and animals and how to take care of their belongings. The school also has a wonderful sense of community-they offer multiple events throughout the year where all the families can come together, they host singalong events biweekly where the parents can join, and they make it very easy to be involved with the school as much (or as little) as you like. If I ever have a question or concern the teachers/head of the school/staff in general have always made me feel heard, and like my opinion is important. My entire family has benefited from our time at Casa (in more ways than one), if you are considering a Montessori education or looking for a primary program then I highly recommend visiting this school.

We moved here from the east coast a little over a year ago. We have my daughter in kindergarten…read moreand my son in pre k and we could not be happier. From the teachers, church, extra curricular and community outreach we couldn't imagine having our children attend any other school. Highly recommend for any parents looking for a school/nurturing community!!

Sacred Heart School of Saratoga is a fun school. Their robotics team placed really well this year…read more This school was founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (same ones that run Notre Dame college up on the peninsula). The school currently has 350 students. The parish and school is located across the street from St. Andrew's Episcopal School and just down the street from Saratoga's library.

Hello! As a kid who attended this school for 5 years and is…read morenow entering 7th grade in a different city, I can reassure you that I am well educated most students reviewing schools only tell you the cons of it, which isn't helpful. So, I am bound to give you a completely honest review. Since most 5 star reviews are from 50 year old dads who have never experienced what the school is like once you're actually a student and that it's all sunshine and rainbows everyday. To begin with, the school is pretty awesome. Art vista, science, and the library are like no other. Even though I love my new school district, nothing will ever beat the library they have at Hacienda. The field is HUGE and great for younger children to play in. Although I'd never choose to have hot lunch, I've always gotten breakfast. The food is amazing. Especially the mini pancakes. MOST teachers and staff and especially my counselor were super helpful throughout the years, and I would recommend this school to those around me. But of course--like any school, there is a downside to it. Now obviously, I'm not going to start rambling about how "annoying" teachers are, or how much work they give us, or the dress code, but this is rather a warning for those like me with learning differences. I have really bad anxiety, and a learning disability, so most days at school were rough for me. Of course, I had good days, but staff need to care less about scheduling assemblies ABOUT kindness and shift their attention to actually helping the kids who are being bullied and left unnoticed--because just acting like everything is fine and not doing anything at all only causes more problems. And who wants their kid to be in a school that feels like walking on eggshells every day? Nobody. At all. Most kids in my grade today most likely loved this school. And no, I am not saying that their opinion is wrong, but if you are looking for a school with a FRIENDLY community--that is something that is something that the school does not have. So please, think twice before trying to get your kids in this school. You may be saying "but it isn't the schools fault that the kids are mean!" Well, fun fact, if the teachers get irritated, they can also be the same. And no, I'm not talking about getting your phone taken away because for some stupid reason you thought that breaking school rules would be quote on quote "funny."(you know who you are.) Speaking from personal experience, some teachers cannot care less about learning differences, or your children's mental health--but rather care more about the money they're receiving after each day. Of course, not every teacher is mean, but it would be much more helpful for some teachers to care a little more about their students. In conclusion, summing up everything I have said in this review, I can assure you that this school is in a safe environment, and is most likely one of the best schools you'll get in this neighborhood. But, please pay attention to your children as they grow older at Hacienda. You never know what is happening behind closed doors.

I wish Yelp had a 6 star rating that you could give to one thing. This would be mine…read more The only non 5 star reviews are from somebody who TOURED the school and an anonymous coward. That pretty much tells you all you need to know. This is the best school I have ever heard of, let alone seen. My eldest goes here, and her sister starts Kinder soon. When you pick the kids up they want to go play on the playground with friends. They are crestfallen if you pick them up more than 5 minutes before closing at the YMCA. This is a special community and it is infectious. If you don't win the lottery don't despair. Both my kids were waitlisted to start and got in by Sep so it does happen. As for the big class sizes, it's more friends for your child.

The YMCA childcare program at Booksin has a great team of teachers who care for their students and…read moretheir safety. They are trained and supervised by a select group of professional childcare directors who are hired by the South Valley YMCA (which manages the Childcare programs in San Jose Unified District). They are also required to take CPR and First Aid training courses in case of emergencies. While their childcare program is a little bit pricey compared to its competitors (Engenius, Kingdom Crew, etc), the benefits with the YMCA are worth it because the teachers help the kids have fun while learning about honesty, responsibility, caring for others, and how to solve conflicts between each other. They also offer financial assistance for those who need it (check with South Valley or the website). It also has a good learning curriculum and a variety of summer programs, which kids can enjoy. Of course during the mid-pandemic, the teachers will make sure to wipe down the classrooms throughly as well as the materials and toys. Right now, they are required to teach kids how to wash their hands properly. Overall, I definitely recommend the Booksin community to register their kids with the YMCA After School Childcare program and the Summer programs.

Great school and great students. Some of the parents hinder the atmosphere with unrealistic…read moreexpectations & idiotic behavior.

We have 2 girls in k and 2nd grade at McAuliffe, both love school and flourish here. Its our 3rd…read moreyear with the school. We as a family love the school, each teacher and IA that we've had here are absolutely amazing, they see each child - their strengths and challenges they work with the children, they seem to love what they do and it is reflected on the children. The respect, social emotional support and collaborative environment is truly exceptional, one of a kind, and I see how it allows children the emotional availability they need to focus learn and thrive. The parents involvement makes it a village, and I believe- it takes a village. Aiding on campus and in their classrooms, has strengthened my connection with my children and their friends, and their friends' families. The community is amazing, we share similar values, and as a family we feel surrounded with like minded people. We help each other and each other's children, we notice them we pay attention when they are struggling or sad and we support them with tools we learned from the School's unique parents training program, where we learn to communicate to get cooperation and support kids confidence and well being, help navigate more tricky social situations that otherwise could have had a big impact on our kiddos'.. The training I got here has helped me become a better person and a better parent, feel more capable solving conflicts and support children resolve conflicts, teaching them essentially how to listen and how to help others feel heard, how to come up with thoughtful solutions by themselves, and execute them, to eventually learn how to resolve conflicts on their own.. I wish I learned that when I was a child. Academics alone does not have the impact that critical thinking and communication tools and independent problem solving have on a person's well being and success in the world. So schools that teach both have a huge advantage in my view. The academics here taught thoughtfully while using variety of elements for kids to grasp a deeper understanding and a strong foundation that is not relying on tedious memorization, but on curiosity and learning by experiencing. After hearing from alumni children it sounds like that type of foundation they got here gave them an edge over their peers in a more fast past complex academic environment. Win win :) This school is a gem! Highly Recommended!

This school is a gem in the CUSD…read more - very low risk of bullying. Bullying happens anywhere and in a setting where doors are closed (most schools), it's hard to stop it. At McAuliffe there are eyes and ears everywhere (teachers, parent volunteers, Ia) , so this behavior is stopped very quickly - risk taking. This is one of the pillars. In first grade, for example, I saw kids raising hands asking for help with spelling during writing class. The teacher told them to write the first draft using everything they knew (phonics) and not to stop because they didn't know how to write a word perfectly. (The teacher showed them the correct spelling in the second draft). This is brave spelling and another example where risk taking is encouraged in every curriculum - small group teaching helps kids learn better. In other schools, it's 1 teacher for 20 some kids. My friends have volunteered one day in their kids' class and they were horrified: Kids unable to focus. Literally one student was disturbing the class every 5 seconds. Both my friends felt sorry for the teacher.

My daughters went here for K-1 and 1-2 at the Campbell and Hamilton campuses. They were both in…read morethe mandarin immersion program and I was pleasantly surprised on how much they learned both reading and writing in Chinese. By the end of their first year, they ere able to easily read short books in Chinese, and write short messages (like thank you cards) all in Chinese. We don't speak mandarin fluently at home but we're still able to somewhat help with homework. Their math program is also very advanced, and now that my kids are set to go to public school, I'm confident Springbridge is at least a year ahead in their math program. The teachers in both K and 1st grade (and 2nd grade, where my oldest attended) are all very caring, attentive, and communicate well with the parents, which was appreciated. They worked with us to figure out ways our kids could grasp concepts they had trouble learning. Their detailed reports for parent teacher conference showed they were deeply involved and interested in my children's education. In addition, the community and camaraderie of the parents and teachers is another factor in why we loved the school.

Springbridge International School is a place where my two children are receiving a high-quality,…read morebilingual education. They have been at Springbridge since 2016 and both love the school. The school curriculum in is offered in English, Japanese, and Mandarin, and is delivered in such a way where students learn meaningful lessons, in two languages, that stress academic, cultural, and personal development. The faculty are passionate educators who embrace the mission of developing young minds in ways that are interesting and challenging to the students. After some issues with the facilities in the early days (such as locations, size, access to good sunlight), the facilities we have now are now top notch - secure, with good light, plenty of room, and large playground areas for the kids to get out and RUN and play!!! The administration has done a very good job through the COVID pandemic. They were able to rapidly transition to remote learning and despite some minor hiccups (which we all experienced at first) the learning continued - with the added benefit of my wife and I having the opportunity to see and hear what and how our girls were learning. It was at this point we truly understood and appreciated that our hard-earned dollars were being spent wisely and to great affect. Last year when the school reopened for in-person learning, the protocols set in place were adequately strict and strictly enforced. Classes were held outdoors and the kids were maintained in cohorts to minimize the risks of any widespread exposures. The use of masks was mandatory without exception even when on spacious playgrounds. The rules were/are clear and uniform for all grades. With the recent surge in Omicron, we are voluntarily back to distance learning until the surge passes. As parents we are responsible for providing our kids with every opportunity we are able to provide. My wife and I are not rich. We're working class people from working class families. Financially we'd be far better off if our kids went to public schools and in our area of San Jose there are some well-rated schools. While we toil away and struggle at times, we know we are doing what is best for our kid's future. They are both bilingual, in touch with their Japanese and American cultures, and are receiving advanced level education from this fine private school. Added Note: When I use Yelp I usually look at the most recent reviews...but always find myself drifting toward reading the negative reviews too. I did that for Springbridge as well. There are a couple of negative reviews and I think I know one of them. Everyone has a different experience and that's fine. Not every student and not every family will have the same opinion, nor will they have the same experience if there is a misalignment in key areas like respecting the rules, embracing the mission, or you or your child having a disagreeable outlook or personality. This school is a community and your child and my children are not special, they're members of a tight knit community where learning is the priority, delivered by trained and caring people, in clean and secure facilities.