Our journey with Hill Country Christian School began in a unique and very personal way. I first…read morejoined the Hill Country family as a middle school girls volleyball coach in 2019 and was later hired on as a teacher in 2022. What I couldn't have predicted then was how much joy this place would bring to my family and me. Very early on, I knew in my heart that I wanted my own children to experience that same joy, love, and purpose. One of the most beautiful things about Hill Country is how the school truly lives out its mission: to know your child, love your child, and prepare your child. The teachers go above and beyond in caring for my child not just academically, but spiritually and emotionally. Every day, I see the intentional ways they invest in him, and it's deeply moving as both a parent and an educator. The spiritual growth I've witnessed in my son has been incredible. He's only in Pre-K, but already he's learning to pray, engaging with God's Word, and building a foundation that will last a lifetime. Hearing him pray every night before bed, without prompting, is one of the greatest blessings I could ever ask for as a mom. What makes Hill Country especially impactful is how every subject is taught through a Biblical worldview. It's not just about teaching math or reading; it's about teaching truth, character, and purpose. Our children are learning to love Jesus through every lesson and every experience. This matters so much to our family because we want our children to grow in their relationship with Christ, not just know about Him. Hill Country creates endless opportunities for families to be involved and serve together. It's a place where students and families are encouraged to be the hands and feet of Jesus in every area of life. That kind of culture is rare. If I had to choose one main reason to recommend Hill Country to a friend, it would be this: community. You will find a deeply caring, Christ-centered community here. We support each other in tangible ways through prayers, shared meals, encouraging words, and acts of kindness. It truly feels like family.

We had a very disappointing experience at Hill Country Christian School. My son struggled to stay…read moreengaged and focused, and instead of working with us as parents, the principal, Tracy, took it upon herself to intervene in ways that crossed boundaries. After I had specifically told her I would speak with both the teacher and my son's pediatrician, she removed my son from class and told him directly that he needed to see a doctor for his behavior. When I picked him up, he was crying and asking, "What's wrong with me, Mom?" No child should be put in that position, and that conversation should never have been had with him -- that was my responsibility as his parent. This was not an isolated incident. I had emails to teachers go unanswered, and overall the partnership we expected from a private school simply was not there. Since leaving, I've learned that other families have had similar experiences, where the principal seemed to push an ADHD diagnosis despite disagreement from teachers and parents. In our case, both my son's third- and fourth-grade teachers at HCCS and his pediatrician did not believe he had ADHD. When my son transferred mid-year into public school, the difference was night and day. His new teacher said he was incredibly bright, just likely bored, and he immediately began thriving. He made straight A's, came home happy, and was excited to return to school each day. The contrast showed me that the problem was not with my son but with the way he was being handled at HCCS. We expected much better from a private institution, but sadly, our experience was one of disappointment, lack of communication, and a principal who placed her opinion above parents, teachers, and even doctors.

I've had 2 of my girls go to The Fellowship for Pre-K and will plan on sending my 3rd child as…read morewell. Miss Rhonda was a favorite teacher, very loving and my children have thrived with her. I appreciated they were tracking my kids progress from the beginning of the year did an assessment and then showed me the improvement at the end. The class sizes are good. And I appreciated the playground is private and shaded, during those hot days. We looked at 9 preschools before deciding on this one. They fill up fast!

I am not sure why, but I felt that I should give a shout out to this place, because I feel that I…read moregot so lucky with finding it. I have had several people recommend Fellowship Christian Academy before I even started looking around. I started bringing my kids here when they were three years old. Their teacher was so great, so so great. Even after they moved on from her class they would give her a huge hug every time they saw her in the hall. Now they are in the 4-year-old class and meet three times a week, and it has been such a great experience for both myself and my kids. So much that I already want to have my youngest go next year since the other two will be moving on to kindergarten, and it's such a warm place where the staff are so helpful and friendly. I'm sure that the director doesn't know my name, but she definitely knows who both of my kids are, and she is always willing to talk to me whenever I have a question. She also meets with the kids each week during chapel, which my kids have really loved. There are so many places to take your children to, and they range so much in quality as well as affordability. The Fellowship is such a great price, I believe, for what I get, and I have never had anything but a positive experience there. I know my kids are safe with the staff, and I especially love their teacher this year. I can see how much she cares for these kids. We have seen her a few times at the market and she greets them, genuinely happy to see them. It's such a reassuring, peaceful feeling knowing that your kids are in good hands.

We tried this school for one of my children. I didn't agree with many things at the school; their…read morepolicies don't require teaching licenses, special education and learning disabilities aren't a priority. Some teachers are barely available for meetings with parents and the outside therapists that support special needs. But really, expect to provide almost everything yourself that your kid needs here. And you might be mocked anyway for bringing or providing it for your child.

We have three children at HFCS--kindergarten, 3rd grade, and 6th grade--and we have been extremely…read morepleased with our experience. Our kids are not only happy but also thriving in their learning. What matters most to us is that they feel safe and are growing in their faith. We are so grateful for the dedicated teachers and administration who make our children feel truly valued and loved.

I love World Bible School. not only is it FREE BUT, you are paired with an individual and they…read morehelp you learn and study the Bible. it actually makes you a little more committed to want to study. most importantly they back everything up with the Scriptures. I recommend you to try it out for yourself.

I completed the course and became a study helper. The course work is easy but not too easy. It will…read moretake time and effort to complete. A certain amount of dedication will be required. The coursework is mainly look-up questions straight from provided bible verses. Well-organized. You'll gain a good overall understanding of the bible. So often many people criticize the bible saying it is full of contradictions. I believe this is because they have not read it in context. This bible study will help anyone see the beauty, the power, the majesty of God's word and will for man. I highly recommend this free course.

Our family loves St. Francis School (SFS, a pre-K through 8th-grade private nonprofit…read moreinterdenominational school operating for 30+ years near the ACC Highland campus in north-central Austin). After a mixed but ultimately disappointing experience in 1st - 3rd grades at a crowded, overpriced, chaotic start-up foreign language immersion school, our family needed a fresh start. Our once confident and joyful learner of a child had been reduced to an overstressed student who loathed school and struggled through hours of tedious homework each night. St. Francis provided the small, truly diverse and welcoming community environment we wanted for our child, with a balance of challenging academics, ethics reinforcement, and attention to the nurturing & development of the whole child by experienced educators who really know how to differentiate instruction to many types of learners. This approach has totally turned around our child's experience of school and his learning & achievement have skyrocketed over the past 2 years. His school grades are now more in line with his always high standardized testing results, and homework no longer comes to tears! Another parent reviewer said it well when she described the diverse and "unpretentious atmosphere" at SFS. Every imaginable demographic is represented in both the student body and faculty. People are kind and friendly and welcoming, and individual differences are celebrated. Every time I'm on campus, I just feel inspired and hopeful. Because SFS keeps class size (max of 15) and total enrollment (around 400) in check and teachers love the place so much they stay for decades, the small, cohesive "neighborhood school" feel is maintained. Huge props go to the incomparable founding head of school, Barbara Porter, who has since 1985 guided SFS on its core mission of "excellence without exclusivity." SFS backs that sentiment up by supporting 25% of the student body with scholarships and charging one of the lowest private school tuition rates in the Austin area, while consistently graduating their students into the most competitive public school magnet programs and private high schools. Another wonderfully unique feature among area private schools is the SFS Learning Center, where students with special needs can receive tutoring and additional services to support their success in school. Kids with learning differences are fully integrated into SFS classrooms and are able to thrive as part of a truly diverse school community. At the same time, a large proportion of the student body would be described as "gifted & talented," demonstrating highest performance in academics, the arts, and sports. Each Friday morning, an optional hour of "chapel" is held in which the entire student body and faculty, as well as any parents & family members who wish to attend, gather together in the gym to share an uplifting community-building and/or character-building assembly or pep rally to celebrate that month's achievements. It's not actually religious (although some religious content is shared from time-to-time; the school is named for St. Francis of Assisi, after all). The 8th-grade year culminates in a transformative Spring Break trip to Italy to visit the hometown of St. Francis (among other sites), and the kids raise all of the money for the trip themselves over the course of their years at SFS. I could say much more about all the reasons we love SFS, but if you are considering private school or are just looking for a better school for your unique learner, I encourage you to take a tour and see for yourself. Curriculum and other details are available on the school website at http://www.stfrancis-school.org.

Well run institution with a great culture…read more Pro: - Long Term: with over 35 years in operation, they've had time to build a strong program that will last through economic downturns. - Culture: teachers, students and parents are fully bought-in to the schools values (see school site for details). - Student attention: lower than average student/teacher ratios plus a dedicated, free-standing tutoring building adjacent to the school. Con: - Playground: nice but not inline with the quality of the rest of the institution. - Admissions: it's a centrally located, high quality private school in a growing city, meaning demand is high Personal lessons from our school search: After spending 12 months searching for the 'best school', we realized the importance of finding the 'best school for our child'. Initially, I was too tied up in rankings to spend the time to understand what was important for our family and how that lined up with each program. In the end, we loved the goals at St. Francis of (1) excellence without exclusivity, (2) a meaningful commitment to diversity and (3) attention to the needs of every student. Covid-19 update: School is really stepping up to deliver for students in a difficult time. The teachers are really going above-and-beyond.

This is an amazing school. The teachers are experienced and caring. They truly have the students'…read morebest interests in mind. My child has learned an incredible amount of Chinese and Math over the past year. I am eternally grateful for Ms. Zhang and Ms. Wu for spending extra time with my child when he was struggling. I particularly also appreciated the advice they gave to me to help my child. I cannot say enough good things about this school. If you are wondering if you should send your child here or not, don't hesitate. Your child will be well taken care of here.

Taught me absolutely nothing. Lessons were extremely basic and poorly made. The uniform policy is…read morevery strict (I was sent home a few times because I was wearing shorts on a skirt day, for example), and the garments themselves are incredibly overpriced and poorly made.

This is a true college preparatory school and that is only a portion of it. I have two children…read morewho started here in kindergarten. One will be a senior, the other a 9th grader. Both have made National Honor Society, received recognition in extra-curricular activities, and are taking college level courses. This is culture at Brentwood, to work hard and push past personal limitations. They are being prepared for college and life but still are allowed to be kids and have fun. I have my kids here for 3 reasons: 1) the academic expectations are substantially higher than most public schools and many private schools so being taught at levels well beyond the standard will set them up for success in whatever they choose to do, 2) they can participate in any extra-curricular activities they want to be in, 3) it is a Christian school, meaning the moral and ethical standards they are held to are high. The community is great as well which makes it even better for parents and students. Is it perfect? No, but if you want the best for your kids, academically, spiritually and help them grow to be strong minded adults who add to society this is a place for them. Brentwood students compete and win at high levels in state competitions for academics, arts, sports, etc. Tuition is less than many other private schools yet they are still at or near the top in academic ratings and categories. It has been a great investment in our kids.

My son started his preschool classes in 2022 and I was so hesitant to put him into school. After…read moretouring the establishment, meeting Steffani, seeing how wonderful the school is I fell in love. I knew my son was in good hands. My son wasn't speaking too much before starting school but after his first year he was speaking full and complete sentences and writing. The teachers there are amazing! They all either had their own kids go through FFP or have taught there for 10+ years. Everyone just seems to be one big family there. My son is now onto kindergarten and my daughter will start her first year there come August. I have nothing but nice things to say about FFP and the wonderful people there.

First Foundations served as our family's first experience with preschool, and for that we are so…read moreextremely thankful. Our shy little daughter just blossomed at this school, to the extent that our friends and extended family remarked on the change in her confidence and demeanor. I'm admittedly a pretty anxious mama bear and I am still, a year later, so shocked at how seamless the adjustment to going to preschool felt for both my daughter and for myself. There were no tears from my little one when I dropped her off, but on more than one occasion she was adamant that she didn't want to leave the school when I picked her up. I could write paragraph upon paragraph, but I'll try to keep it short and sweet because I know firsthand how much energy it takes to search for that perfect fit. Here are some of the aspects that stood out to me! - The whole entire staff here is so wonderful. The director, Mrs. Wilkins, truly pours her heart into her school. She knows and loves each child and greets them by name. She also personally ran my daughter's lunch box/jacket/show and tell item down to her classroom on the more than one occasion that I completely forgot those items in a sleep deprived haze. Our daughter's teachers, Mrs. Gamoneda and Mrs. Pallota, were so kind and loving. Our kiddo can be stubborn, and she started the school year insisting that she didn't want finger paint on her hands. Mrs. G and Mrs. P worked with her, encouraging but never pushing (they even asked my husband and myself if there was any sort of alternative glue or paint she might find more tolerable), and our daughter was beaming with pride when she presented us with a finger painted keepsake a few weeks later. I said I'd keep this short, so bullet points for the rest. - All of the teachers are very qualified. - The school is clean and the teachers had the children wash their hands several times every day even in a pre-coronavirus world. - There are all sorts of fun theme days, class parties and a Christmas program. - This was my daughter's takeaway from our initial tour - two playgrounds! Here is my takeaway - two safe, age appropriate playgrounds that are fenced in. - In addition to the classroom, the children attend Chapel, Spanish and music class (we had the opportunity to observe a bit of the music class on our tour, and the kids were having so much fun). - A perfect combination of play based learning and learning skills that will be needed in kindergarten (our 4 y/o is now able to write her name but she had a lot of fun at school too) - The teachers incorporate super cool activities (a volcano, a caterpillar that turns into a butterfly, a classroom full of tents, reading Biblical stories via blacklight) into their daily lesson plans. - The school is safety minded. This was huge for me. - If you have a baby on your hip, everyone will help you. :) There is a wonderful drop off program, actually, in which teachers are in charge of getting kids from your car. It's very safe and coordinated well. - The school has a bridge program and a kindergarten program. This is actually how I learned about First Foundations. It's seriously the best school, and the only thing I would ever change about it is that I wish our kids could attend for a couple more years.

In 2013, the female rabbi and her congregation welcomed me with open arms. The rabbi surprised me…read moreby actually inviting me to participate in the Torah ceremony. I first declined saying I only saw the ceremony once or twice, but they didn't mind, so I accepted. I feared doing things wrong, but everything went okay. I learned some fascinating new things. The rabbi told me their particular congregation blended Reformed and Conservative Judaism. I found it particularity edifying when they contrasted Judaism with Christianity. The rabbi said many people have converted from Christianity to Judaism. She said unlike Christianity, Judaism "does not teach we have a stained soul, but a pure soul."

We are a URJ Reform Jewish Congregation Synagogue and Temple located in Cedar Park, TX (northwest…read moreAustin). We are a diverse, inter-generational and multicultural community, celebrating that there is more than one way to be a Jew. We strive to create and nourish a kehillah kedoshah, a sacred community. To enhance the meaning of our lives as Jews, we strive to foster the reciprocal connections between the Temple and its congregants. Children and adults, individuals and families create a multigenerational community participating in traditional religious and social activities, lifelong Jewish learning, and the larger Jewish community. The vision of Congregation Shir Ami is to be a beacon of Torah, a spiritual home, and a loving community, infusing the presence of God into our congregants' daily lives. Our services and classes meet at 3315 El Salido Pkwy, Cedar Park, TX. Contact: communications@shir-ami.com or 512-585-2895