My two daughters have attended OOS, and we love it! I want to say a big thanks to the administration, 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! read more

I was a student at Old Orchard from Kindergarten to 8th grade and I can confidently say it played a huge 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. read more

Our son attended Old Orchard School for 10 fantastic years (preK-8th)...including during Covid. I can't say enough about how wonderful the experience was for him and our family. When you have an Old Orchard student you are inherently part of a kind and caring community of teachers, staff, parents and kids who care about the whole student, prioritizing social-emotional-learning early and often. At the end of each year I marveled at how prepared our son was for the next grade. And now, as an OOS graduate, our son is completely ready for the academic rigors of a top high school thanks to the foundational love of learning fostered throughout his years at OOS. read more

Old Orchard School - First day of Kindergarten - Elementary Schools Near Me - Campbell, California

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Horrible administration that ignores the bullying issue and has zero tolerance for any complaints. A much older troubled student with learning disabilities was placed in the class who bullies the younger children. 3 students have left this year and the administration continues to protect the bully who gets Non passing grades and slows down the learning for other classmates. You may get lucky, but not worth the risk... There are much better schools out there. If you complain, you are targeted by the administration. This has happened for years and the class has dwindled in size. So, you have a choice to have your child bullied or complain and the administration will do everything to make sure you don't stay. This isn't a good choice for students who are weaker. It's unfortunate since the teachers are actually pretty good, hence the second star. Additionally, the school is run out of the Campbell community center who last year had a janitor arrested for child molestation. The bathrooms are wide open as well as the campus which makes for a unsafe environment. It's a matter of time before something more serious will occur due to the lack of security. read more

Old Orchard School - BBB rating reflective of the school - Elementary Schools Near Me - Campbell, California

My daughter has attended OOS for 3 1/2 years now and is currently in the 5th grade program 2023. We moved to OOS from public school in the 2020-21 school year due to complications in the public program due to pandemic. This is a nurturing small school community full of professionals who care. Class sizes are small ranging from 14-18 per room at the lower school, and up to 24 at the upper school. Programs at this school tend to be a little ahead of public in math and on target with public in other subjects. Based on testing, my daughter saw her reading and math improve 3-4 grade levels in the first year of attendance due to more personal attention, less reliance on computers to do the teaching and genuine staff interest. At OOS teachers and administration function as a team working toward helping each student be the best they can be. I want to rebut a few things said in a few reviews I noticed below. (1) This school has had some bullying issues LIKE EVERY SCHOOL out there. (I have taught in public schools where many rather than one issue go unhandled and at this school it was actually handled.) My daughter was in the class being referred to in another review and I would like to say that I saw the staff work hard with the families to resolve things and I saw the bully leave the school at the end of the year after plenty of attempts to resolve the situation...the staff were not "ignoring the issue". (2) Regarding teaching credentials, one review noted that "a lot of the staff are not credentialed teachers" - private schools are not required to hire credentialed teachers so this will be true at many privates, especially lower schools, (equivalent of elementary schools). As a person who holds a K-12 teaching credential in the state of California I have no concerns about the quality of teaching I've seen at Old Orchard. I do not know credential statuses of the teachers (my guess is neither did the writer of the other review) but my daughter is learning what she needs to learn and enjoying learning, she feels safe and heard. I know that OOS upper school graduates regularly go on to the high schools and colleges they desire 90% go to top schools of their choice so I think we've covered any concerns on this front. If you are considering OOS make an appointment to tour the school and have your student do a shadow day. It will be obvious right away how amazing and special this program truly is. I'm so grateful my daughter has been a part of it. read more

Pros: - Spanish class is amazing and both teachers relate really well with the children - No advanced sign up for after care - car line is convenient but inconsistently staffed - Art class is good and the teacher is great but there should be extra support so he can run his lesson more efficiently - little teacher turnover Cons: - very few are credentialed teachers and no expectations of extended education - they do not accommodate special needs children nor offer services for them - supervision is lacking - children roam freely and are expected to supervise themselves - parents who donate more money to the parent board are treated better - photos do not represent the student body. It's quite diverse but the pictures do not reflect that. - grades are based on behavior and not on achieving academic goals - the teachers are not held accountable for actions read more

Our teachers are doing such an incredible job with our distance learning program. The transition to Distance Learning was incredible fast and is providing the most complete program I have heard about. My two kids are engaged, in real online classes from 9am until 3pm. There are real quizzes, real tests, art, student council, guidance groups and EVEN PE. It is probably the best distance learning program in the nation, if not the world. How lucky are we? Thanks Old Orchard School. read more

Not only did I teach art and kindergarten at Old Orchard School for 10 years, I attended as a student from grade 2 through grade 7. This school has never lost it's charm, it's community, it's amazing spirit of celebrating each child for who they are as an individual person. Old Orchard made me who I am today.. it's a true gem. read more

Community is often thrown around as a buzzword. I'm used to hearing it about anything relating to children. So when I first joined Old Orchard School and one thing they endorsed was a sense of community it was a given, who doesn't advertise that? After a year at Old Orchard School I have to admit, "community" really does describe the relationship between teachers, parents and students. My child is recognized not only by his teacher and peers, but also by the administration and all the parents in his current classroom. In return, I also know all the parents and their children in my child's class. We all are invested not only in our own child but we are invested in the entire class as well. It's nice to know that you can reach out to others when you need it. Another important component of any school is the academics. When looking for a school we didn't want our child to receive an education that would focus solely on competition and straight A's. We actually wanted something balanced and I strongly feel that Old Orchard provides that balance. They have a strong math program and a strong reading/writing program (my child is in 2nd grade). Yet, there is an excellent music and drama curriculum that encourages their acting skills by putting on plays throughout the year. The art program is quite impressive and explores their creative side. PE is a fun blast and Spanish class is a challenge worth the time. Overall, the curriculum is well though out and we feel our child is learning in a very supportive environment. The administrative staff if stellar! They are incredibly responsive with any questions. One of my favorite things is that they are very approachable and on campus (often I just stop by the office to say "hi"). I really appreciate how they take care of school matters. Overall, my child loves this school. Sometimes he has an off day but I am so happy that for every one bad day he seems to have 30-40 great days! I can't recommend this school enough, we love it and it's a perfect fit for our family. Side note: Old Orchard School rents the space from the church, it is not religiously affiliated to the church next to it. Some people mistakenly think they offer religious studies, but they are two separate entities. If you have any specific questions please feel free to PM me. read more

Old Orchard is a wonderful and special place where the whole child is the focus and the teachers and administration provide the support children (and families) need to grow and learn. I had the pleasure of exploring Old Orchard recently. From my first phone call, I was met with a kind and supportive attitude. They took the time to understand what my family was looking for in a school and the needs of my son. Besides offering excellent academics, the middle school is part of the amazing Campbell community center which offers so much. My son spent two days shadowing and made friends quickly. The teachers challenged him academically and provided a calm and nurturing environment. Although we ultimately decided to go to a school that offered an even smaller class size better suited to my son's needs, it was a difficult decision because of the warmth we felt from Old Orchard. I know my son would have thrived there as well. I recommend Old Orchard to any family who seeks to place their child in a great school that build a foundation for success. read more

I've been hesitant to post a review about Old Orchard, because one of the most appealing things about it (to me) is its cozy size. I kind of don't want it to get "discovered", for selfish reasons. Let me start with a quick anecdote. When I was evaluating schools, I walked into Old Orchard one day in the middle of the day. Within 30 seconds of standing in the courtyard, a teacher had approached me asking if they could help me. This is a small, safe community. Strangers stick out. I really like that. When I transferred my daughter out of Appleseed Montessori school, she was in Kindergarten and I was noticing that she wasn't getting a lot of attention from teachers. She wasn't excited about school. The educational program seemed weak. And when she started to develop a stutter that was the biggest red flag and I immediately realized we needed to find her another school. I pulled her out in the middle of the year (the middle of a semester actually). We looked at all the schools in the south bay from the most expensive top-rated ones like Harker on down. Price-wise, Old Orchard isn't the cheapest, and it isn't the most expensive. At $21,700 per year, you can compare with Harker which is $34,678 for elementary school. I don't like schools that have a strong focus on grades at a young age. The most important thing you can learn in school is *how to learn*. Our daughter loves going to school here. She loves her teachers, her friends, and all her classes. She has homework four times a week, but not an excessive amount. She usually finishes it up in less than half an hour per day, and then we review it together. Every teacher and staff member I have ever talked to here has been extremely authentic, kind, and respectful. I might be one of the youngest parents in the school, but I have always been treated with total respect. I really like everyone who works here. I love their art and drama teachers / programs especially. Very talented teachers that do a great job getting the kids to love the arts. It gives me so much happiness to see my daughter get so excited about art, music, and theater. They have great local field trips that they do as well, and I've been happy to join for a couple of those. Now our daughter been going here for over a year. She's flourishing in 1st grade, and I feel grateful to the Old Orchard community for this. read more

We have been a part of Old Orchard School's family for 4 years now. Our kids are in K2 and third grade this year. We only have positive comments to say about the school. The teachers are fantastic (very dedicated, loving and enthusiastic) and every one of them sparkles! All classes are relatively small, especially the lower grades. The students have a lot of personal attention. They know everyone on campus even across different grades and consider school as their second home. Our son knew all our daughter's classmates and teachers even before attending through participation in multiple family activities and field trips. He was anxious to join the school when he was old enough. Both our kids love to go to school every day. Every year is unique, amazing and memorable! OOS has a very supportive environment nurturing a love of learning. At OOS, math is taught in depth; writing and reading is learned very fast and early. Spanish is introduced in the very beginning in K2 and taught daily throughout the years. The school has a good balance between technology and hands-on experience: they start working on IPads in K2, but still have enough opportunities to improve penmanship, and begin cursive writing in the third grade. The curriculum is challenging, but executed in a very entertaining way. The kids have a lot of involvement. They have personal "free choice time" during the day, which is important for personal development. OOS focuses on public speaking and character development. It is perfect for our kids. They both were super shy. When my daughter came to K2, she couldn't say "Hi" without hiding behind me. I can't recognize her now performing on stage and speaking freely in front of her class. Kids may participate in after school programs, a very friendly environment to know each other better across the classes and participate in art, chess playing, cooking and robotics. OOS has an established volunteering organization with parents coming to read a book, organize field trips or camping trips and arrange special events. read more

My daughter transferred to Old Orchard as a third grader and attended through 8th grade; she's now a junior at a local college prep school. My son is in the fourth grade. My wife and I are big fans of Old Orchard. It has a great curriculum and committed faculty. The kids are bright and the schoolwork is appropriately challenging, but without competitive pressure. That combination can be hard to find in this area. The art, drama and music programs are led by professionals, and Spanish is taught 5 days a week starting from kindergarten. Parents play a big role in helping the school deliver lots of extras: advanced technology, field trips (including overnight excursions) and numerous special events. If you're looking for a school that feels like a whole community that's committed to the education of the children, this might be the right place for you. read more

My children are in the Lower School here and are thriving. It has always felt to me like a big family where the students, teachers, administrators and parents know each other well and can communicate easily. The families are friendly and unpretentious and supportive of the other children at the school. Teachers here have a long track record of staying. They get to know the kids (and any siblings) well. I heard one faculty member saying once, "we try to get to know everyone on a first name basis, and we ask ourselves, 'do we know the grandparents' name? The dog's name?'" My kids have small class sizes (one class per grade), and at first I wondered about this. Would they have enough options for friendships? It hasn't been a problem, and in fact has made for a sort of sibling-like relationship between the kids and their classmates, where they see each other through the roller coasters of childhood and becoming adolescents, and ultimately hang in there with each other because they know each other so well. The Project Cornerstone program is shared with each class, where parent readers read a monthly book addressing a social issue and create a lesson plan around it so the entire Lower School has the same language about how to treat others (how to share, not bully, how to stand up for someone, respecting diversity, being empathetic, etc). The parent league is very motivated to provide more enrichment experiences (field trips, great assemblies) for the children. Starting from the youngest grades, kids get Spanish lessons all or most days. The art teachers are fantastic. Thank goodness there's a tech program and they're showed how to submit some homework via iPad. The music and drama program has saved me from having to sign kids up for drama outside of school. There are aides for each grade even with low class size so that the teachers can have the time and support they need to teach creative and interesting hands-on lessons. My kids *love* learning here. As they get older the homework does become "more", but so far it's been manageable and they're working above grade level. I could rattle on, but that's where I'll leave you. We are super happy here. read more

My three sons all attended pre-kindergarten through 5th grade at Old Orchard School. There is not a day that goes by that I don't feel grateful to the staff for their service to my children. It is truly amazing. My sons are 22, 21 and 16 currently and their success is due greatly to Old Orchard School. It's a small school, one class per grade. There is a family atmosphere developed because of it's size and the caring staff. The parents help out with school lunches and other activities. Chaperoning was a joy for me, driving the noisy, fun and polite kids to an amazing array of learning opportunities from dining in a french restaurant to visiting the pumpkin patch. The academics are top of the top. This is what's so amazing to me as well. My sons excell in Math, reading and writing because of the diligent and excellent instruction experienced at Old Orchard. My sons all learned French from pre-K through 5th, which was really wonderful to see and hear. I made wonderful friendships with the parents and my sons all made dear friends which they were able to grow up with through their years in elementary school. It was an investment that continues to pay off for the rest of their lives. I had no idea when I enrolled them that I would be so very grateful I chose Old Orchard School. read more

We have been a part of the OOS family for 6 years now. Both of my children love this amazing school, its caring teachers and staff. The classes remain small and supervised by two adults, a teacher and assistant. As a result, every student gets a lot of attention. The school's cozy and warm environment encourages a passion for learning and curiosity in students. Both of my children study eagerly now and go to school with overt enthusiasm. OOS has a strong math and science program paired with PE and Spanish instruction every day. The school promotes confidence and independence through public speaking - what both of my kids lacked due to their initially shy nature. I'm kept informed by repeated notifications and newsletters not only of my kids progress, but also of field trips, special events, assemblies and guest speakers that engage the kids in culturally-significant activities. The ways OOS benefits young scholars is endless! More recently, though, I am so very grateful for the OOS staff's heroic efforts in keeping the school running despite COVID 19's reign. The teachers were/are amazing! Through a combination of on-line and in-person learning they accomplished the impossible: continued giving a high level education introducing our kids to a new teaching environment and adaptive procedures always with big smiles on their faces and a can-do attitude. That's the kind of role model kids need. read more

With our 3rd and youngest child graduating this year we'll be closing out a 13 year stretch at Old Orchard. So it probably goes without saying that we like the place! But beyond great academics, where I think they excel is in their consistent and well-coordinated approach to student development. In the early, formative grades, the focus is on warmth and support to build confidence. In 2nd through 5th grade, they progressively build self-sufficiency skills. And finally in middle school they are given both the freedom and responsibility to demonstrate these skills. All of this with a strong support structure to give a boost to students who may be falling behind. So in the end you have happy students who are more than ready for high school and beyond. And just to re-iterate what others have mentioned, their handling of the "school-from-home" situation this spring has been truly remarkable. After a few days of down-time for planning they were essentially back to full- day online instruction. read more

This is my granddaughters' third year at Old Orchard School. It's the perfect school for her and I'm so pleased with the education she is receiving. read more

Field Trips here are awesome, the teachers are great, and it's small, I don't like big schools it gets o noisy at lunch.

In reading one of the reviews I was shocked to see what one parent wrote about the "delinquent kids "and" Southpark" mentality of the teachers. That kids swear and use profanity at teachers etc. HOW RIDICULOUS CAN YOU BE??? Whatever parent wrote that about Old Orchard clearly had a child who did not fit in to the relaxed and understanding, yet highly academic, genius,( if you will) environment provided and they needed someone to blame for this. How fabricated it all is. Could any business working with kids get away with that if it were really true-NO WAY!!! I have been a part of Old Orchard for 10 years and have never heard or seen anything like that. I often see kids hanging on the teachers arms for hugs and I love how they deal with conflict through talking it out and giving the kids better tools to deal with their issues in the future. The junior high kids are very friendly and have a great relationship with the teachers and staff and turn out to be great people that give back to the community. The fact that there is a 1 to 12 ratio for playground supervision at the lower school is amazing in itself, and nothing falls through the cracks. If your child wants to learn and be creative and safe then Old Orchard is the place for them all the way up to 8th grade !! read more

My son attended Old Orchard for two years (4th-5th grades) before moving to a public junior high this year. I'm happy to say that I found OOS to be a very good school. It fundamentally lives up to its self-description of being "a year ahead" of the regular CA public school curriculum. In this it is comparable to, say, Challenger, but without the attitude or political agenda. The latter is actually what attracted me to the place, it is remarkably free of ethical or political biases, beyond the expectation of a reasonable behavior. There is also no shortage of gifted students. Academically, the arts curriculum is a little bit too regimented for my tastes, call it a "coloring within the lines" approach, and there is certainly an emphasis on drama and writing more than music. That said, in my experience, History, Language arts, and PhysEd are strong, and Math and Science are competently covered, albeit the latter isn't very hands-on. Many of the kids have also participated in parent led Math Kangaroo and Robotics clubs to find something more inspiring. It seems that most of the graduates end up going to the local Catholic high schools, and that the curriculum is designed for success there. The only real limitation is the size of the school, e.g. my son was in a class of 17. Great, one might well say - and indeed the concentration is good in many ways. The down sides are the physical facility, and that there really isn't room for tracking. For example, no guarantee that Geometry would get taught in 8th grade, or that there'll be enough boys to field a basketball team. That all said, I've met a lot of poised, capable and confident kids with justifiably proud parents, so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the school. My thanks to Principal Cox and all the faculty. read more

My son has been at Bellarmine for two years now, after attending Old Orchard. Having my son attend this school was one of the best decisions we have ever made on his behalf. Old Orchard kids come out of the school knowing how to study, organize their time, and be good kids! The great math and Spanish classes really make the adjustment to high school easy. read more

I have 2 kids at OOS- an 8th grader and a 6th grader, we have been with the school for 8 years now. I cannot say enough good things about the school, the staff, the program and how the school is run. The academics at OOS are top notch. The extra curriculum and enrichment programs are plentiful and fun. Btw, I am writing this review in May, 2020 - we are in lock down, self isolating and all schools in CA are closed. OOS is in session. Our staff and teachers took 1 week in the middle of March to prepare and setup online school. And so starting on March 23rd our 2 kids "go" to all the classes via Zoom. The schedule is modified, the classes are shorter, but, there is instruction time with the teacher present, there are tests, homework, projects, PE (yes, every day for 30 min), enrichment classes (my kids take art), etc. The school goes from 9am-2pm, study hall from 2pm-3pm. The kids are on track to finish their respective grades as they were on June 11. That's the level of commitment the staff and teachers have at our school. I highly recommend OOS to anyone looking for a private school. read more

This is an amazing school. My daughter attended here for 9 years (Kinder-8th) and will be leaving at the end of this school year to go to HS. Every teacher has been exceptional - I mean, really going above and beyond in the way that they teach, as well as the personal attention that they give to students to make sure that they grasp all of the concepts. The teachers and the administration really get to know each child and children feel really cared for and valued - there is no "falling through the cracks" at Old Orchard School (OOS). The year 2020 has been extremely challenging for schooling, but OOS rose to the occasion. When they had to start teaching remotely for the rest of the school year (3 months), they did a quick pivot and instituted all of their teaching online. This means they did actual instruction - teachers on Zoom leading class for 6 class periods/day, followed by office hours in case the students needed extra help (that they could not get in person). Compared to many other schools, this is phenomenal. My daughter (and our family) has had such a great experience at this school in many ways- academically & socially - that she is now fully prepared for HS. We are not worried that the HS transition will be hard for her because of the stellar academic foundation she has received. We will surely miss this school and I highly recommend it to anyone. read more

My daughter has been at Old Orchard for pre-K, K, 1st and now 2nd grade and I could not be happier. As an educator, myself, for the past 30+ years, I am very particular when it comes to my daughter's education and I feel that there is no way that it could be any better. Every one of the staff is superb, classes are small and the kids get individualized attention. The addition of Spanish, Art, Music, Drama, etc. is just icing on the cake! read more

I have a son in Kindergarden now and will continue to keep him there through 8th grade. It was a struggle because we live in a very good school district, however, our K program was only 1/2 day and because I was working, he would've been in after care more than school. We were referred to Old Orchard by friends and couldn't be happier! My son loves it! I love that the focus is on education, but also the arts (art, physical education, music).. They offer drama programs as well as after school sports. I look forward to the next 7 years! read more

My daughter went here from K thru 8. It is a wonderful school and a very nurturing environment. It definitely served her well as she is currently a Junior at Cal and doing very well there. read more

One of the best schools in the South Bay. Very child oriented and centered. Kids feel loved and at the same time learn a lot. The education is far ahead from public schools. All the teachers are great! My older one will be 5th grade soon and my younger is going for preschool. I hope we will be able to afford it as it is pretty pricey. read more

Old Orchard is a treasure of a school - you get a charming, comfortable & welcoming feeling at the quaint lower school where little ones are empowered and experience a world class education. The middle school is situated at the well appointed Campbell Community Center in the heart of historic downtown Campbell. Old Orchard provides the perfect setting for a diverse student body with many opportunities for strong academics, leadership, sports and community service involvement. Director, Ms. Weston, enthusiastically supports the Old Orchard community. Staff and teachers are warm, friendly, fun and accessible. High Schools love Old Orchard graduates. read more

Love, love, love Old Orchard! Small classes, great teachers and a wonderful atmosphere. My daughter loves coming to school each day, and I am constantly amazed at how much she is learning... and more importantly, how much she is loving to learn. read more

I have had two kids go through Old Orchard and I have been beyond pleased with the results. One highlight is that the classes stress interdisciplinary learning. For example, in first grade each child writes an "I Have a Dream" speech in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. After about a week of working on their speech and painting a watercolor portrait of Dr. King, each child gets up and delivers their speech to the class. So they are writing, doing public speaking, learning art techniques, and learning about civil rights - all at once. In fourth grade the kids learn about California history and go panning for gold. In older grades, the kids learn about fossils and bones and go on an archaeological dig. They also take classes in video editing and robotics and programming, and each child programs their own Android app. Talk about good career training! Finally, the teachers are top-notch and the classes are small, so each child gets loads of personal attention. I highly recommend this school. read more

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What a great school! I have been involved with several schools in the Bay Area and have to say that Old Orchard has by far the highest quality and most effective group of teachers and staff I have seen. Yes, the academic and enrichment classes are great. But what makes Old Orchard special is that the staff really care about the students. The small classroom size and devoted teachers allow each student to feel a special connection. My daughters love going to school and to me, that says it all! read more

My son started Kindergarten this year and we love it! Must have toured 15 schools before finding Old Orchard, and once found, that was it. Decision made. Such a gem with considerable academics, experienced and effective staff who take wonderful accountability for each student's education, and of course, the great student to teacher ratio (10:1 this year in K). What grabbed my attention during the Open House was (1) curriculum is one level up in all grades, (2) phenomenal level of penmanship is first grade, (3) the outstanding artwork all around the school. Since then, also add: Old Orchard's computer program- students are learning how use the computer programs to create programs, artwork, pics. Music taught daily. Spanish is taught daily at all grade levels with an instructor who is fantastic at engaging (go to an open house and watch the students hands all fly up to answer!). The class sizes are small. There are tons of high quality field trips with no shortage of parent volunteers. A good mix of male/female teachers, and I love how the teachers, classroom aides, and even the business manager take accountability for way more than their titles imply. Amazing school, fantastic curriculum, and classrooms full of kids who love to learn. read more