Exceptional, child-centered, high expectation administration and teachers. A highly collaborative school with parents. Your child will love it at MVA - and, so will the parents. read more

I wanted to like this school. But unfortunately far too many points keep going against it. One my child came home and informed me the other children were using racial slurs toward a POC a child. The front desk lady is incredibly rude and unhelpful. I've had to ask for school records several times. They sent home my son's year book with him to dad's house, even though I asked for the front desk to hold it since I purchased. I always feel out of place and discriminated against whenever I step foot into this school. There is no sense of community. Would not enroll my child again. read more

My daughter attended Marble Valley Academy for 3 years. It was such a special place and I feel like it helped shape her into a more confident young lady! I really appreciate what Marble Valley gave to our family, so many fond memories! read more

Marble Valley Academy is by far the best choice I made for my girls. I know there are many schools to choose from such as charters (still public) , public, and other privates. To us it was a no brainer to pick MVA. When meeting with Mrs. Crangle, I knew this was a home for my two kids. She listened with open ears to understand what I wanted for my girls socially, emotionally, and academically. With the small class sizes 12 to 1...... yes 12 to 1, I can have full confidence that my girls get the care they need in their academic environment. MVA is a SAFE place for my girls to thrive in. I know there is no other place I would want my kids to be at!!!! read more

w school and the field trips are so much fun and the teachers are great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have waited several years to write this review. Let me tell you why. When my daughter was in first grade and attended public school, she came home one day and told me she thought she was dumb. She attended a great public school in El Dorado Hills, with fantastic teachers. She struggled a bit academically, and was given extra care and help - which sounds great - except for her is wasn't. She was taken out of regular class to get help in math and reading. She felt different and she felt like she must be dumb to need all the extra help. And, quite frankly, the extra help didn't really have any effect. She continued to struggle. I knew she would probably eventually catch up academically, but I also knew that the public school experience was negatively impacting her self esteem. And, if you don't have confidence in yourself, all the academic acumen in the world isn't going to help you. We gave the public school one more year, and at the end of second grade, we started looking into other options. We selected Marble Valley Academy based primarily on a fantastic meeting with the principal, Gwen Andrus. Gwen is an amazing educator. So, our daughter started at MVA in the third grade. From the beginning, I had some hesitation. The school was small. I mean small. Her third grade class had 8 kids as I recall. As she started third grade, we immediately noticed that the homework was considerably less than public school. This was a blessing in many ways, but I worried that the school was not as academically advanced as other schools. There was standardized testing at the end of the school year, but there really was no real emphasis put on it - again, a blessing in many ways, but it also concerned me for some reason. Despite my concerns, our daughter never faltered at MVA. She got straight A's that first year. She continued to get straight As and she never had any problems with math or reading or any other subject again. She thrived socially. She joined singing and dancing groups. She learned to speak in public confidently and with poise. I know what you are thinking. I thought it too: "This school is not academically challenging. This school is just a place that coddles our kids and makes them feel good about themselves." I mean, how could my child go from being academically challenged to getting straight A's, seemingly overnight? And that is why I've waited six and half years to write this review. I wanted to see if MVA was really just coddling my child for the sake of self esteem. I wanted to see if all those A's were really C's in the "real world". I wanted to see if she would have the academic tools to succeed beyond MVA, I wanted to see if she would maintain that confidence and poise in the much larger world of high school. So, here we are in high school. Our daughter just finished her first semester as a freshman at St. Francis High School in Sacramento. All A's. This at a college prep high school! She is fearlessly meeting new people and making friends. She is joining clubs, and trying out for the school play and the tennis team. She is experiencing and beautifully handling failure and teenage drama. I'm not going to say MVA is solely responsible for her achievements. But, MVA did, without doubt, cultivate everything she was possible of achieving. They gave her a manageable class size, where she didn't need extra help because there was plenty of time in class to get help. They taught her to organize her thoughts and time (she's a master at budgeting her time for homework, even though MVA never gave her much); they taught her how to exploit her strengths and how to overcome her weaknesses. In short, MVA addressed THE WHOLE CHILD. So, for us, MVA was a fantastic choice. If you are considering MVA and have the same concerns I had, I encourage you to take the plunge. It has made all the difference for our child! read more

5 STAR RATING all the way & then some! I'm a very proud and blessed parent of two amazing daughters that started MVA as preschoolers and continued through 8th grade graduation. I have been one of the many parents that have talking this EDH school UP for over a decade & a half to family & friends. My initial intention was only to enroll my eldest daughter in preschool-kindergarten at MVA, however MVA's unique approach to teaching/learning was so wonderful, magical & beyond my imagination/expectations that my husband and I were hooked from the very start! The amazing faculty & kids became family to us through the years. In my families opinion, MVA is truly the BEST SCHOOL in the world! read more

I went to to the second grade play today in your school. There was no social distancing or masks required. 1/2 of the people there did not have masks on and the chairs were side by side. It's not bad enough that you expose your students and teachers to this but you are also exposing the community. I would not have stayed if I wasn't double masked and vaccinated. This is a terrible way to teach your students by example. read more

Staff AND students are incredible! What a blessing to have such an amazing school for our children. Teachers have such a way of making the school a fun, yet safe learning environment. We love you MVA!!!! read more

We absolutely love Marble Valley Academy. Every child is treated as an individual and the staff and teachers guide them to become amazing people and students. The teachers truly care about every child and make their learning environment a successful one. We toured a lot of schools in the area- and we decided on marble valley because of the class sizes and teachers... marble valley really is everything you want for your child. read more

As a parent, I have been very impressed with this school. My son went to the local public middle school before my husband and I decided to make the switch to Marble Valley Academy. We were looking for a smaller class size where my son wouldn't be just another number. We were also looking for a more well rounded education that extended beyond the normal subjects. Mrs. Andrus, the principal, sat down with me prior to my son being enrolled and talked about what we were looking for in his education/ development and their school philosophy. I had a very good feeling about our decision based on that conversation. I quickly recognized that she is not only an outstanding administrator, but also a talented educator. In addition, you will see her announcing a choir performance one evening and the next day cheering on the soccer team. I don't know how she does it, but she loves those kids and is truly amazing! So as we anticipated, moving from public to private school was an adjustment for our son. He came in nervous about friendships,appearances, and grades, because that was what he was accustomed to at his prior school. He soon realized that everyone at this school was friendly, accepting, and allowed to be a kid. He also recognized that the kids work with each other vs. compete against each other. This makes for a true learning environment. So refreshing in our community! My daughter is graduating 5th grade in one week and I have already enrolled her in next years 6th grade class at MVA. She has shadowed 2 days and has been thrilled by her experience. She said she doesn't even want to have a summer vacation and just wants to start at Marble ValIey.:-) read more

I could not recommend the school more strongly. My children have not only growth in academic proficiency and confidence, but they now love going to school. We love how they are treated by their teachers and how the teachers create a wonderful environment for the kids. My children have also had a chance to participate in sports, drama and music programs which would not have happened at a public school. I love that my kids love learning and love how they feel about themselves because of their Marble Valley experience. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the school. Alan El Dorado Hills read more

We moved to EDH for the sole purpose of our kids attending Marble Valley Academy because our kids were lost and floundering in traditional public school. Marble Valley's small class sizes, minimal homework load, nurturing environment, focus on the thrill and enjoyment of learning (instead of on passing a test or a government-driven curriculum), and desire to do everything possible to make the children feel loved and to see them succeed cannot be paralleled. The principal seeks out my daughter every day at the beginning of the day to say something positive to her so she gets the love and recognition that helps her have a successful day. The teachers will text me pictures or messages to let me know how my children are doing and to communicate any ideas they have that will help. We value MVA, for our children, above all other school choices. read more

If you are looking for a strong academic environment for your child in the El Dorado Hills/Folsom area, then Marble Valley School is the best choice. With its amazing spiral curriculum, my kids retention and love for learning has been greatly enhanced and only grows each year. I am so impressed with the staff as well as the commitment of the Academic Director, Gwen Andrus. They are teaching these children in amazing ways through collaborative learning as well as as hands on curriculum. My kids never want to miss a day. The test scores are high, but most importantly each of my individual children are learning how to study, remember and process information in many ways. Check it out. I promise you will not be disappointed. Your child will love it from the day they start and never look back! read more

We have found Marble Valley to provide a moral, kind, child-centered, child-friendly, high-quality, well-rounded experience. Our son started at the beginning of 6th grade and is now graduated. We transferred from another private school which our child had attended since kindergarten. Although our child was in excellent academic and social standing at the other school, we were looking for a more full academic and social experience and to give him more personal and intellectual freedom in his school day. Upon making the change to Marble Valley, we saw our child blossom. The way he began to speak to what he was learning was much deeper and more satisfying to us. And he was happy to go to school each day. Compared to other schools both public and private, Marble Valley's teaching method might seem a bit unfamiliar -- they supplement their curriculum with experiential learning, rather than relying exclusively on rote learning and mounds of homework. The children are engaged in activities and discussions that reinforce their learning and allow them to develop their own intellect, rather than being merely downloaded facts and reiterating and internalizing the teacher's point of view. I would say that the middle school writing instruction is second to none. Our child's standardized test scores have been relatively constant year to year (well above average), but, since attending Marble Valley, we find that his understanding of the subjects now seems fuller, and he is more engaged in the process. And he was readily accepted into a private high school. The teachers and administration seem invested in my child's success and happiness. I highly recommend this school. I would add a a few qualifiers. If you like lots of homework assigned to your child, you will not be satisfied -- most of the work is completed at school. Also, understand your own expectations with regard to high school math placement. This school will work well for you if your expectation is that your child will take Algebra 1 the first year of high school (this is the level at which the majority of kids enter high school). If your expectation is that your child will start high school at a math level more advanced than Algebra 1, you need to have a detailed plan outlined to you by the principal and the math teacher, previous to enrolling. Also, if you are a parent looking for an abundance of school-centered social opportunities for yourself, this school is probably not for your family. However, if you are looking for an environment where your child can be true to their own nature and get genuine learning experiences, this school will fit the bill. Do not be misdirected by the registration and tuition costs that are lower relative to other private schools -- based on our experience, the school provides an exceptional value and would be a bargain at any price. read more