First, there were 75 reactions to my original post plus I received many messages from families who…read morefelt mistreated. I just want to express my deep sorrow for every family who has been mislead and mistreated by this school. It has been devastating to get a glimpse of the dark reality. Final update: this school is even worse and more corrupt than before, in my carefully considered and humble opinion. We had a deeply concerning and disturbing set of interactions with the new director, Luthern. I remain proud of the way that we handled our interactions, and very bothered by the way he treated us. Furthermore, we undetstand that they are removing and/or drastically reducing the nature campus component of their program which was a huge part of the draw in the first place. We are thrilled that this chapter is permanently closed for us. We finally found the most outstanding school for our children, and we will never look back. Good riddance to a poorly run institution with what we believe is an unethical and corrupt administration. And by the way, the "Gifted Qualitative Assessment" is manipulable. It's largely based on parent surveys, and which parent searching for a school for gifted children won't see their kids as gifted? We all do. Your best bet if you're not a founding family is to make sure you have a ton of money and that you are willing to part with in their capital campaign, and always tread cautiously when it comes to expressing yourself authentically.

Having a preschool aged child, I speak to many families about their interest in Tessellations, so I…read morethought it'd be helpful to share my experiences with children in both the K-8 and preschool programs. When my son was struggling in a more traditional education setting (with boredom causing other issues), and as we thought about the skills and traits to nurture in an evolving world, we found what we wanted with Tessellations. "Challenging experiential education" is a core part of Tessellations' mission, and I see it everyday in the projects, conversations, and enthusiasm for school. I've seen the growth in my children's capability and confidence in tackling new problems, and their continued curiosity. It's amazing to me that in 4th grade, my son and his friends can talk excitedly about the latest non-fiction book they are reading, which could span many subjects. One of their favorite games just involves taking turns talking through imagined adventure scenarios. (And that's when they're not being active - I hear that most of their recess and lunch is spent playing dodgeball across many grades.) Video game addiction is pervasive in these times, but I feel we have a haven from it here. The kids have so many interests that gaming is just one of many. Social emotional learning ("SEL") is a priority at Tessellations, and though many schools now say they focus on this, it can be an elusive goal. One evidence I see is how kids (K-8) play together across many grades: this requires empathy and adjustment. I believe that this is promoted by the general culture, the kinds of kids here, and mixed grade classrooms. The preschool program, called Tessellations Children's Center (TCC), started just last year, has been equally wonderful for our younger child. The teachers, who are engaging and observant, supervise almost a full day of free choice time, play-based learning, and novel activity options. Recently they planted vegetables, learned about space, drew self-portraits, and experimented with pendulums. Note that TCC is separate from the K-8 school, and kids must go through a separate admissions process for Kindergarten. Although my kids have loved the school, I'm giving 4 stars since it's been a bumpy ride, and I feel for those who've been affected. We've had growing pains and changes in leadership as we've grown to Pre-K through 9th in just four years. Many admin (and parents) have felt stretched thin as they balance competing needs. As we evolve from a startup to a larger, more established school, there will continue to be bumps. During this time, I'm so grateful to the amazing teachers, and staff, including our new & experienced Acting Head of School, pouring their hearts into the school and mission. Even though Tessellations has grown incredibly quickly, it is just one school, and not enough to handle the tremendous demand for progressive and gifted education, especially in the Bay Area. I hope we will see more schools that cultivate the love for learning and holistic development like this one.

We have been a KLS family since 2016. I have 2 boys, both who started in Kindergarten. We have…read moreseen much change throughout the years but I am truly feeling the strongest I have ever about KLS this year. I truly believe we finally have the right team in place to lead us into the next phase. The team genuinely cares about the kids and what is best for them. Especially in light of the current crisis, we have seen the team unified, communicate often + clearly, ready/able to execute a move to distance learning that executed pretty flawlessly (considering everything), adapting to feedback from students/families, transparency in communication and most important leadership during difficult times. Thank you KLS! What a journey it has been. We are grateful for all that you do.

My daughter has attended KLS for a year and a half. The school's approach to learning fits very…read morewell with our philosophy of bringing up children. Grouping students of mixed ages into independence levels is something that I wish more schools adopted. Focus on mastery is another thing I like. We also liked the extensive use of placement tests to figure out the right level of classes for students. Small class sizes made it easier to learn new concepts in an effective way. If your child needs to learn at a different pace (faster or slower) than the regular progression of grades would allow in a school with big classrooms, you will love how the curriculum is tailored to each student. My favorite class was the studio which combined interdisciplinary knowledge into a a sequence of projects under a single theme in a school year. One things that some families may have a hard time adjusting to is the pace of changes. This is a "lab" school which means that new ideas are introduced to improve how the school works and if the ideas don't work well, they are replaced with new ideas. This also causes a higher then ideal turnover in staff but I think that this may be a good price to pay for access to innovative teaching.

These past four years of having my children attend MCS have been the best school years as parents…read moreand for our children so far in our lives. We thank the staff, parents, and students for being so supportive of our children during their attendance.

My daughter just graduated from Miramonte. Great school! Very friendly staff and caring teachers…read more Amazing principal!

My daughter has been going to Heritage Academy for 5 years now and we are so, so happy to have…read morefound this school! This is truly a place where the kids are seen and known individually; not just in academics, but across their whole personality. Helping the students develop spiritually, socially, emotionally, and academically are top priorities for the teachers, and in our experience they have consistently done an exceptional job in every area. This is a very special place where children are treasured and treated as a "heritage from the Lord".

Wonderful school! My wife & I were looking for a school for our daughter to attend. We were…read moredelighted to have found this hidden gem of a school. The class sizes are small, so a lot of individual attention & specialized learning. The teachers & staff are outstanding. We could not be happier with our decision. Highly, highly recommend.

We've had a wonderful experience with the Stratford Washington campus preschool program. Teacher…read moreSupriya and Teacher Richa are incredibly patient, caring, and supportive, and they create a warm and positive environment for the kids. We also really appreciate Ms. Connie and Ms. Grace, the Mandarin after-school preschool teachers. They are kind, engaging, and very responsible, and they make learning Mandarin fun for the children. Overall, we are very grateful for all the teachers' dedication, kindness, and care!

Our 4-year-old daughter absolutely loves her Mandarin class at Stratford Washington, thanks to Ms…read more Grace and Ms. Connie. It's not just about learning Chinese--they really bring in the cultural side too, which makes it so much more meaningful and fun. You can tell they genuinely care about each student and their growth. It honestly makes me so happy to see my daughter enjoy learning the language at such an early age.

Imagination Lab is a truly unique school that doesn't get enough recognition for its innovative…read moreapproach to learning. Unlike traditional schools that often rely on outdated teaching methods, ILS was designed from the ground up to help kids truly thrive both at school and in the modern world. The school focuses heavily on project-based and student-directed learning. This approach not only makes learning more engaging and fun but also cultivates creativity and independent problem-solving skills that are essential for success in today's world. Instead of adhering to a rigid, predetermined curriculum, ILS takes a refreshingly flexible approach. They try to meet kids where they are, both individually and as a group, ensuring that each student remains engaged and appropriately challenged. One of the most innovative aspects of ILS is their mixed-age classes. This setup offers greater flexibility and creates a unique learning environment where younger students can learn from older ones, and older students develop leadership skills by helping their younger peers. The school's philosophy emphasizes positive experiences and reinforcement, understanding that nothing hinders learning more than making kids hate school. There's also a strong focus on social and emotional development, ensuring students treat each other with kindness and respect. As a result, kids genuinely love attending ILS - even those who struggled in more traditional educational settings. The school organizes many fun social events (including some open to visitors), and every semester culminates in a learning exhibition where students showcase their project work and participate in performances. These events are wonderful celebrations of the children's brilliance and creativity, perfectly highlighting everything they've learned. With only about 40 students total, children get much more individual attention, and the staff truly listens to families and tries to accommodate our needs. If you partner with them, they will partner with you, including in challenging situations. While ILS's approach arguably benefits almost any child, it's particularly valuable for students who are somewhat "outside the norm," such as gifted children or those with other learning differences. Although not specifically specialized in giftedness or any type of neurodivergence, the school's philosophy, openness, and flexibility make it naturally more accommodating and suitable for these students compared to conventional schools. Last but not least, the parent community at ILS is incredibly welcoming and close-knit. We all know each other and have become friends, adding another layer of support to the school experience. The tuition isn't cheap, but it's comparable to other private schools in the area. Financial assistance is available for qualifying families, and the tuition includes aftercare until 6 PM - a fantastic feature that my son loves so much he never wants to leave! Bottom line: If you're looking for an educational environment that nurtures creativity, independent thinking, and a love of learning while providing individualized attention, Imagination Lab is a great choice. P.S.: There are some negative reviews that seem concerning. I don't know what may have happened in the past, but that has not been our experience, nor do we know of any families who had such a bad experience.

We are very happy with ILS and think it's an outstanding environment for our child. Socially, the…read moreschool offers a lot of opportunity for kids to interact, play and explore together. The mixed aged groups provide opportunities for the younger kids to learn from the older ones and for the older ones to coach and mentor the younger ones. We have regularly seen our kid go to the older children for support or comfort which warms my heart every single time. Academically the school is very flexible and adjusts content to our childs strengths and weaknesses. For example, our child is studying next grade math and spends more time practicing writing and drawing which are a bit of a challenge. The school also nurtured a great community for families and it's fun connecting with the other parents and siblings.

Great school, wonderful community. They really care for the children and their development…read more(personal and academic). I could not recommend more this school. Thank you St Joseph and all their teachers and administration.

My daughter is blessed to be attending her second year at St. Joseph and we intend on staying…read morethroughout 8th grade. I've always wanted her to attend a Catholic school and after spending just one year with St. Joseph, I am positive that it is one of the best decisions I've made for her yet. St. Joseph's community is so inclusive that we feel like part of one big intertwined family, regardless of grade. Not only is my child thriving academically from extremely attentive teachers, but also, she is being guided to uphold morals and values that I truly feel are helping her grow into a kind and successful human being. School faculty are constantly looking for new ways to improve and asking for feedback from parents, truly showing they care! Mrs. Placencia, Mrs. Usis, and Mrs. Holmes have been incredibly kindhearted and attentive to all of our needs. Every morning we are greeted with warm smiles and positive energy. After school, my daughter is ecstatic to tell me about what she learned and how much she adores her friends and teacher Ms. Villagomez. Now that we are on summer vacation, my daughter is counting the days until back to school! Cannot recommend this school enough, I am confident that my child is in extremely capable and loving hands. So proud and grateful to be a part of this wholesome learning environment. Thanks, SJMV!

Our daughter has been at Stratford for the past 2 years, and we truly could not have asked for a…read morebetter early learning experience. Starting preschool at just 2.5 years old was emotional for us as parents, but from day one we felt reassured that our daughter was in caring and capable hands. The love, patience, and attention shown to the children every day made a huge difference in helping her feel safe, confident, and excited to learn. Over these two years, we have seen tremendous growth in her communication, confidence, social skills, and curiosity. We especially appreciate the thoughtful guidance during parent-teacher conferences, where we received valuable feedback on her strengths, areas to support at home, and advice through important transitions like Preschool, Pre-K, and TK. That partnership and support meant a lot to us as parents. We also want to sincerely thank Ms. Ruchi for the warmth, kindness, and positive energy she has brought to the classroom over the past 6 months. Our daughter always speaks so happily about her, and it is clear how much she genuinely cares for the children. What we love most about Stratford is how much effort the school puts into creating meaningful experiences for the kids. From classroom activities and celebrations to performances and special events, every detail helps build confidence, creativity, and joy in learning. Watching our daughter proudly participate in performances and come home excited about school has been incredibly special for our family. We are deeply grateful to the teachers and staff for creating such a nurturing and supportive environment during these important early years.

My daughter attended Stratford School - Sunnyvale De Anza Park for both the preschool and pre-K…read moreprograms, and we could not be more satisfied with her experience and growth there. She was enrolled in the bilingual program for both years, and it has been an excellent experience. She developed strong skills in both Mandarin and English, learned a great deal about Chinese culture, and also became very confident in her English communication. All of the teachers and staff we met were extraordinary. They were caring, responsible, and experienced. The classroom teachers paid attention to small but meaningful details, from reminding me to take care of my daughter's cracked lip, to helping her find a lost item, to sharing practical and helpful advice on how to support her writing skills at home. The school administration and leadership team were also very responsive and supportive, whether it was helping with sunscreen application or answering my questions about the new school year. The program offers strong academics along with a rich variety of activities. My daughter loved all the events, from Show and Tell and clubs to the egg hunt, book fair, and more. I was also especially impressed by the school's emphasis on art and music. They have performances at least twice a year, and the children always do an amazing job. I have been so happy with everything she learned at school. Stratford School - Sunnyvale De Anza Park also gave my daughter a very strong SEL foundation. Her teachers helped her learn how to share, care for others, and build positive social habits every day. We also truly enjoyed being part of the Stratford community as a family. My daughter built friendships both inside and outside the classroom. She made many friends, and our families often stayed in touch and spent time together outside of school. There were volunteer opportunities for parents, but everything was completely optional, and there was never any pressure if parents were busy. Overall, we had a wonderful experience at Stratford School - Sunnyvale De Anza Park and would highly recommend it!

Very gifted and dedicated teachers. They really tailor to what the student needs. Cannot recommend…read morehighly enough. Can accelerate the pace for faster than average learners, or adjust those who need more support. Both our children loved it and attended 1-3 years full time. Have recommended to other families who now go full time and say their student loves learning again. Our students have been very successful in college, too.

My son who is neurodivergent graduated from School of Independent Learners this year. We decided on…read moreSIL after considering various options that did not need his needs. We are very pleased with the quality of education that he received. The 1:1 model of instruction worked very well for him due to his unique needs. The teachers are passionate about what they do and this helped develop a love of learning. The principal Ms. Pham is caring and always available to help. Overall our experience was a very positive one, and I highly recommend SIL.

Backup repost from 11 months ago…read more "I'm giving four stars because I do not think the issues and censorship I experienced are an atypical response from a school. When I tried to bring light to bad deeds, I was suspended and threatened with expulsion. I never encountered physical violence. Bad deeds included severe emotional abuses, motivated by sexism, from older staff here. This and sex-based victim blaming - resembling misogynistic patterns - contributed significantly to suicidal my thoughts. Dehumanization was added through transphobia. Newer staff were less problematic than integrated ones, suggesting the administration's leadership is a source of problems. Last time I interacted, the administration did their best to manipulate the image to feign their innocence at all costs. These issues are adult topics, which adolescents like me ideally would not face; my experiences occurred about one year ago, and while I have learned to better describe them, I am not mature enough to understand the issue's whole systemic contexts."

As the parents of two high schoolers that could not be any more different, we have a deep…read moreappreciation and respect for the value of Palo Alto Prep (PA Prep) and their amazing educational staff. While one child has thrived in a traditional high school, our eldest did not. They are an amazing creative thinker but also challenged with the headwinds of a variety of learning and related social challenges. While they also handled middle school well, even thrived academically, to say that traditional high school was a train wreck is an understatement. We needed help as a family and PA Prep was there. Thankfully we discovered PA Prep through our engagement with the The Bodin Education Group (also highly recommended). After a careful evaluation of options (Bodin know them all!) and engagement with the team at PA Prep we could see that our son would benefit immensely from all that PA Prep is, and all that it offers to students like them. Is it perfect, absolutely not. But the positives for a student/young adult like our son far far FAR outweigh any minor drawbacks. The great: 1. Incredibly intimate teacher/staff/student relationships. You want your child to be known and know their school staff, they will. The ability to cater and focus on what works for your student is incredible. 2. Incredibly capable and proficient teachers who know how to work with students for whom regular school isn't a good fit. 3. Patience, understand and flexibility. Need to take a "break" road trip with your student on a moments notice? PA Prep understands and accommodates with complete understanding. 4. Diversity of classes and programs to engage an out of the box learner. From art, outdoors to flight training. Just because it's small doesn't limit the exposure of options for your student, lots to offer including independent project programs to nurture student led initiative. The realities (not bad but worthy of mention): 1. It is small, and high school is high school, no matter where you attend. This can sometimes magnify any typical social dynamics. The staff is incredibly attuned to this, but you also should be as a parent. It is important to recognize this is still high school and immediately addressing issues is critical, the staff is exceptional at partnering on this. 2. There is a diverse population of students with a diverse set of backgrounds and needs. With this comes the realities of all their experiences, lives and challenges. Your student will be exposed to this, as they would in any high school, it isn't a fully sheltered and manicured but it is absolutely safe. It is incredibly important to stay aware of this as a parent. I will ensure you the staff is very experience and aware also, together this can help any student navigate the realities of high school life safely and holistically. 3. Passion, intent and caring are the hallmarks of PA Prep staff and teachers. Organization and "manicured administration" perhaps not so much the strong suit. Do not go in expecting perfection in communication, organization or logistics. I promise this is ok, and everything is handled with the best of outcomes for the students. If you are used to the polish of a "elite" private/public high school you will notice a difference here. My strongest advice for a successful PA Prep tenure is to invest in your parental (and student) relationships with staff, they are both open and available. This will help your student, and family, easily manage what is lacking in any size, scale, capabilities on this less critical administrative front. In closing: We loved PA Prep, we could not imagine our son achieving high school success without it. For the right student this IS the right place. Attend one graduation ceremony and that is all it takes to see how different, special and wonderful Palo Alto Preparatory School is for its staff, students and families!