We had high hopes for North Creek Academy, but the TK assessment process was incredibly…read morefrustrating. Expecting 4-year-olds to already be writing and recognizing letters feels academically misplaced for a Transitional Kindergarten level. What's worse is the inconsistency--it's clear the "rules" don't apply to everyone, as kids who can't yet write their names are accepted while the process remains a "black box" for everyone else. It feels more like a biased "who you know" system than a transparent evaluation of a child's readiness. We also noticed during our tour that the school's diversity is very low. In today's world, we want our children to learn in an environment that reflects the broader community, and we didn't see that here. Definitely something to consider if transparency and inclusion are priorities for your family.

I would like to add a star and acknowledge all the wonderful members of the NorthCreek community…read morefor contacting me to let me know that Esther McClellan's appalling behavior does not reflect the community as a whole. Their kindness means a great deal as we had just moved to the area and Esther's gang really affected us negatively. Also, many have come forward with their own stories of their children being treated poorly by Esther. I'm collecting these stories anonymously and plan to file a complaint. If you have a story about Esther that you'd like to share anonymously, please contact me privately. Many thanks, Christine Patellaro

We've been a Seven Hills family for over five years, and I truly can't speak highly enough of this…read moreincredible school. Our daughter started in 4th grade and is now thriving in 8th; our son began in Kindergarten and is currently in 4th, and both of them have grown in such distinct, beautiful ways thanks to this school's Whole Child approach. What stands out most is how deeply seen and known my kids are. Teachers and faculty don't just know their names, they know their learning styles, personalities, quirks, and strengths. There's a genuine warmth and intentionality that permeates every interaction, from the classroom to the carline. Our daughter was always more cautious and slow to warm up (nothing wrong with that!), but over time, Seven Hills helped her find her voice. She's now confidently volunteering for public speaking opportunities and participating in leadership roles like the Student Ambassador program. The Middle School program has been phenomenal and it's given her a strong academic foundation and the confidence to advocate for herself. One of her favorite subjects has been science, thanks to their incredible Middle School lab and interactive curriculum. She'll often tell us about the experiments they're doing, and it's clear she's not just learning science, she's experiencing it. One of our favorite traditions is the Buddies Program, where older and younger students are paired up for the year (think: 4th graders with Kindergartners). Watching my kids grow into both the mentee and the mentor role has been incredibly touching. They read together, do projects, and genuinely form bonds that span grades and years. We also love the family-friendly events that bring everyone together, from community dinners to beginning-of-year teacher phone calls. These touch points make us, as parents, feel like we're part of something bigger, not just dropping our kids off, but truly participating in their educational journey. The curriculum is rich and thoughtfully designed. My daughter learned about World War II in history class -- and then walked through the beaches of Normandy during the school's immersive Europe trip. It's the kind of education that sticks for a lifetime. The arts are equally valued: my son is learning ukulele in 4th grade, and my daughter is playing guitar in 8th. The annual plays, music programs, and outdoor educational trips -- it's all there. My only complaint? I just wish Seven Hills went through 12th grade. The transition out is going to be tough, not because she isn't ready, but because the bar has been set so high. After five years of academic growth, rich leadership experiences, and meaningful social-emotional development, my daughter is heading into high school capable, and deeply grounded. Honestly, I'd keep my kids here forever if I could, but alas, even magical places like this have to end at 8th grade!

Bad experience with this school. Unprofessional admission staff do not waste your time and money…read moreon this school especially for Asian Family. Due to time conflict, I send an email to request a different time, never received a response. The person over Zoom is not a pleasant person to talk with

I've had at least one child attending Indian Valley Elementary School since 2002. For a smaller…read moreschool in a chronically underfunded small school district, the teachers and staff here do an awesome job. It's a clean, safe school with experienced and caring staff, and a lot of parent involvement.

Indian Valley Elementary has surpassed any expectations I had coming here. My family has moved…read morehere from another state and the staff and teachers here have made sure that my children are feeling welcome, safe and adjusted to our move. Trude (office manager) has been the best! she has even called after a few weeks to see how we were all doing. Beautiful setting and great kids. I have been very pleased with our decision to go here.

Absolutely love this school. My son has thrived and actually enjoys going to school. Both teachers…read moreand the rest of the staff have been wonderful. Very involved and caring. I read a few comments complaining about the Biblical views, well, this is after all a Christian School that teaches Biblical truth and not a watered down version of it. Berean actually applies the Bible as God has commanded, so it is appropriate that the school is against certain behaviors and actions. As a parent I appreciate that and my son seems to find it a great place to be. This school is truly a gem for believing parents and teenagers in the Bay Area.

I attended Berean for both my freshman and sophomore years, and unfortunately, my experience there…read morewas extremely disappointing. As a student of color, I often felt unwelcome and unsupported. Throughout my time at the school, I experienced repeated bullying and racist remarks from other students. Despite these incidents being brought to the attention of staff, little to nothing was done to address the situation appropriately. What made the experience even more upsetting was the clear favoritism shown by staff toward certain students. Discipline and school policies, especially the dress code, seemed to be enforced unfairly. I was dress coded numerous times for outfits that other students wore without consequence, which made the treatment feel inconsistent and discriminatory. The environment at the school became so toxic and emotionally draining that I eventually transferred to another high school because the bullying had become unbearable. Instead of feeling safe and supported in what should have been a positive Christian environment, I felt isolated, targeted, and silenced for most of my time there. In my opinion, the school did not reflect the values of Christianity, such as kindness, fairness, compassion, and inclusion. No student should feel forced to leave a school because of bullying, racism, or unequal treatment.

This school is awesome! I went here for middle school. Mrs…read moreVaiana is a amazing principal. It's her last year being principal. Mrs Stull is the principal now! Im now about to be freshman next school year!

The new principal is so bad , two faces，no respect to the others！very not professional，when she…read morecoming talk to the parents does not even introduce herself，

My daughter joined the Firetruck Room at OFS with Katie (her primary caregiver) and Maylis, and it…read morehas truly been a transformative experience for her -- and for us as a family. We came from a more traditional daycare setting where she stayed fairly quiet and reserved for nearly a year. Within just a few months at OFS, she was thriving. Now, after two wonderful years, she's graduating as a confident, empathetic, and wildly creative kid whose true personality was clearly nurtured and celebrated by every caregiver she encountered. One of the most impactful aspects of OFS is their primary caregiver model, which gave our daughter a deep sense of safety, stability, and trust. Their project-based curriculum, where kids vote on topics they want to learn about, empowered her to take ownership of her learning and develop a curiosity that astonishes us daily. She now teaches us about the world -- even how to take care of it! Sofia, her current primary caregiver, went above and beyond to support us with things like Kindergarten readiness. Through joyful play, she introduced foundational math and reading concepts that she now uses in everyday life. Her thoughtful assessment gave me clarity and made completing public school enrollment paperwork a breeze. Beyond the classroom, OFS fosters a strong sense of community. They host events that bring families and teachers together, and over our two years here, we've built lasting friendships and support systems that I know will extend beyond preschool. We are endlessly grateful to Katie, Sofia, Maylis, Judy and the entire OFS team. This school has been a foundational chapter in our daughter's life -- one filled with joy, growth, and love.

This is an overdue and very long but very well deserved review of the special place this is OFS…read moreWalnut Creek! We absolutely cannot say enough wonderful things about Old Firehouse School in Walnut Creek. We were on the waitlist for a little over a year and we are so glad we held out for our spot! It was beyond worth the wait! From the moment we first toured, we knew it was something special and that feeling has only deepened as our son continues to thrive at OFS. He is graduating from OFS this summer and will enter Kindergarten this Fall. One of the things that immediately stood out to us was the school's primary caregiver model. This was very important to us and to my knowledge OFS is the only preschool in the area with this special model. Each child is paired with a dedicated caregiver who truly gets to know them and builds a deep, nurturing bond over the years, not just with the child, but with the whole family. This consistency and emotional safety has made such a difference in our son's confidence, sense of security, and joy at school. It's clear the staff understands how essential these early relationships are for lifelong trust and emotional development. Our teacher, Maylis is a true gift! She is such a special person and is the epitome of a dedicated educator. In Maylis' care our son and his class have been encouraged to explore their own ideas and curiosities in collaborative, creative ways. The projects she has them participate in are so impressive. I don't know how she gets a classroom full of preschoolers to engage so deeply in each lesson with such passion, it is truly magical to see! Maylis has helped our son learn to stretch his thinking in beautiful, and creative, age-appropriate ways. Our son comes home full of questions, ideas, and stories from his day, proof of just how engaged he is. The rest of the staff at OFS Walnut Creek is equally as exceptional. The entire school environment is warm, joyful, and promotes independence while also encouraging classroom belonging and connection. We honestly wish every child had the chance to attend Old Firehouse Walnut Creek. We often say we'd send our son here through elementary and middle school if we could, that would be a dream! This school has given him the most magical, foundational start, and we're forever grateful and will be so sad to end our time at OFS this year. Thank you, OFS Walnut Creek!

We've been part of this school for two years, and from the very beginning, we knew we had found…read moresomething special. We've been with our teacher for two years and feel incredibly lucky. The teachers here are experienced, dedicated, and deeply committed The director is always present, kind, and attentive. Nothing goes unnoticed, and the children are always cared for. As parents in the LGBTQ community, we didn't expect to be embraced so openly, but this school and its families welcomed us with warmth, respect, and authenticity. That has meant more to us than words can express. What makes this place even more meaningful is how much they invite families to be part of it. Whether it's story time or the incredible Cultural Fair, pride, you're not just a spectator--you belong. We feel incredibly lucky to be part of this community.

We paid a $135 waitlist fee and were told we'd be contacted when enrollment opened. We never…read morereceived any updates or an enrollment packet, and months were wasted waiting to enroll our son in a Montessori program. Meanwhile, the school began openly enrolling students while we were left on the waitlist with no communication. The only time we heard anything was when we reached out ourselves, and even then the responses were vague and provided no real information. After multiple calls and emails requesting an explanation and a refund, we've received no response. This lack of transparency and follow-through is unacceptable. The experience left our family feeling uncomfortable with how we were treated and questioning how families are selected from the waitlist. We are still requesting a refund for a process that was never honored. Unethical and a scam business. Reported to the CA Dept of Social Services.

I was looking up information on lindamood-bell for my son, since this is how I was taught 20 years…read moreago and was surprised by the reviews. My parents took me here after second grade when I still could not read and I went from a kindergarten reading level to a sixth grade reading level after a few weeks over summer. I came back to school with a better understanding of how to read, spelling, vocabulary and English in general then the kids that used to make fun of me. They gave me confidence, a sense of accomplishment, and my school took me out of the remedial reading program and put me in the gifted and talented one in third grade. They were able to help me when my school had basically given up. Many of the information still sticks with me today. After lindamood-bell I became an avid reader and now read a few books a week, my favorite hobby. The staff of that time was great and I even remember the receptionist taking me to a store nearby for some quick new clothes when I spilled chocolate milk all over myself during lunch break. After I "graduated" one of the owners gave me "the trumpeter of the swan" with a nice note to me inside. Granted this was 20 years ago but my parents often say it was one of the best ways they ever spent their money. My mother still raves about them to anyone who will listen.

Hi... Before I ever start working with someone I want to know that they can help my child and that…read moreI won't have to sell everything I own or ever will own to get the assistance. They told me that they recommend 5 days a week session, 4 hours long each day. I cant imagine putting my kid in 4 hours of tutoring AFTER a full day of school. He's only 7. So I talked to them about how they would help him. They told me about the test for 300.00 that's normally 695.00. Ok, a few dollars, but doable. Then they told me that there rate 109/hr. Wait... 109/hr X 20 hrs = 2000 PER Week. Are you Kidding me. Ok, I will sell my house, car, all my possessions so you can help my kid. At this point it didn't matter. Unless you were well Heeled, this program is NOT for you. It's too bad. Maybe this program is exceptional. But unless I sell all my organs and everything I own, I can't do it. But wait, then I would be dead anyways. I wonder if they sold Real Estate before this... Shocked and wondering when people who care for kids above money will ever come forth?

You can put your child into a regular daycare, and that would be fine. Or you can put them into…read moreAnna's, and truly give them a magical entry into this world. From baby goats and baby chicks that they bring in, to the fruit trees in the backyard that the kids can pick, to the warmness and kindness of all the teachers, this place is the only way to start a child off.

We have been at Anna's for a year, from when our little one was 1 to 2, and I could not imagine our…read morechild anywhere else. The teachers are incredibly caring, creating a warm environment that balances structured and unstructured play and learning. Anna emphasizes healthy food, yoga, and connection to nature and animals. Anya has a wonderful early childhood philosophy, radiates positivity, and has endless energy; she's basically a modern-day Mary Poppins. Our kiddo is always so happy there, and we feel like we have a co-parent. We are forever grateful for the love, guidance, and joy that Anna and her teachers bring every day.