Our family is in our ninth year at St. Brendan School and it's been wonderful. From the time they were little through having an 8th grader, our kids have thrived, gaining solid academic preparation, well-rounded interests, and a sense of belonging to a warm, welcoming, and active community.   The teachers at St. Brendan are terrific at all levels, starting with the expert Kinder teacher who helped set up one wiggly five-year-old for success and taught another to love reading over Zoom in COVID, all the way through Middle School teachers leading sophisticated discussions of novels and social issues and shepherding kids though high school applications.  When our kids have needed support, the teachers and the Principal, Mrs. Young, have been there and all along, our kids have been seen for who they are, cared for, and championed.  I also love that as a Catholic school, discussions around service and social justice are integrated into daily learning; our family is Catholic but many St. Brendan families aren't and the focus is largely on common values. St. Brendan also offers a wide range of opportunities for kids to learn teamwork and leadership and to expand their horizons, from successful but inclusive sports teams, to a spring musical that levels up every year, to a popular scouts program, and lots more.  The art program at St. Brendan is a standout; all grades have class weekly and the students make some truly remarkable pieces. That said, what really makes St. Brendan unique is the emphasis on togetherness and community.  The older kids look out for the little ones, with each upper grade student assigned a little buddy they spend time with throughout the year, helping our middle schoolers stay playful while learning responsibility.  Every family contributes service hours to the school, meaning parents are highly invested and present every day.  Our collective efforts add to the offerings for the kids and in the process, we've gained wonderful friendships and a sense of belonging.  I can honestly say there is always something fun happening at St. Brendan! As we start to look to the next chapter, we couldn't be happier to have found this amazing school. read more

Our Experience at This School - A Deep Disappointment We enrolled our son at this private Catholic school with high hopes, trusting in its mission to protect and nurture the children of God. Unfortunately, our experience was deeply disappointing and concerning. This situation happened approximately one year ago, and as parents, we were devastated. It took us a long time to fully process everything that happened--not because we didn't care, but because our top priority was always to protect our son and make sure he was emotionally safe. The pain caused by what happened didn't affect only him--it hurt us deeply as his parents and family. We had to rely on loved ones for emotional support to cope. Now, after time and reflection, we feel able to speak about it because this should never happen again. When our son faced conflict with other students, the school's response was troubling. Instead of fairness and compassion, his teacher reacted with harshness. Her behavior was relentless and cruel toward a 12-year-old child. That conduct was inappropriate and did not reflect Catholic values of safety and respect. As a teacher, her role should have been to guide and support students--not judge or take sides. She clearly took sides, damaging the trust our son had placed in her. He initially felt safe and confident but felt betrayed. She never tried to talk with him about what happened or gave him a chance to explain himself. We were also disturbed when the teacher held a private conversation with our son without informing us. That happened during questionable disciplinary action, which we found unacceptable. We are concerned she held a personal grudge against him--something no school should allow. No child should feel singled out or intimidated by a teacher. It became clear she did not want our son in her class or at the school. She bullied him and damaged his self-worth so deeply we worried for his mental health. He no longer felt safe; he felt scared, anxious, and uncomfortable. He feared constant judgment, which made learning impossible. We also saw a divide between students who started young and those who joined later. New students were not treated equally or supported fully. This extended to extracurriculars--our son was excluded from sports for lacking experience, which left him isolated and discouraged. Eventually, we had to enroll our son in a new school. Transitioning to middle school was hard enough; being pushed out of a school he loved made it even harder. The school should be ashamed of how this was handled. No one stood up for him, and a teacher abused his trust and undermined his success. The school claims to follow Christ's example and hold high moral standards. That should include compassion, protection, and forgiveness. But these values were only words, not reflected in actions. The school failed to protect our son and allowed personal biases to guide decisions. Because of all this, we made the difficult decision to withdraw our son immediately. It was heartbreaking, but we no longer believed he was safe in that environment. We hope the school reflects and makes changes to prevent other children from suffering similarly. Based on our experience, we cannot recommend this school--especially for students entering in later grades. read more

We have heard great feedback from numerous parents in the community, so we were thrilled when our kid made it to St Brendan's. She is currently in first grade and even despite the rocky COVID ERA, was impressed by the continuous communication and constant effort to keep our kids somewhat normal. What I mostly love is the sense of belonging to this school which is essential not just to the students but to parents and staff - whether you are catholic or not. Definitely would recommend. read more

We live in a big city and oftentimes we barely know our neighbors so in looking for a school for my kids, I wanted a place where we can have a sense of community from the parents and faculty. We had a few options and visited a few schools during their open house. I knew in terms of academics, St. Brendan ranked highly. However, the warmth and energy we felt at St. Brendan School during their open house was telling and so the decision was easy at that point; we picked St. Brendan and continue to be pleased with our decision to have our kids (1st & 2nd grade) attend this school. read more

I have two kids at St. Brendan and we love this school! It has outstanding teachers who really put in a ton of effort to make learning engaging for the kids, even during Covid. The academic program is excellent but there is also such a sense of joy and fun here. It's an excellent school for sports. I think the best thing about SBS though is the sense of community here. Everyone looks out for your kids and it really feels like a small town school in the heart of LA. I'm so glad we found St. Brendan! read more

St. Brendan is a an absolute gem: in the heart of urban Los Angeles, yet the community feels like a sweet suburban Catholic elementary school. My children are currently in 2nd and 4th grade and we are so happy here. From outstanding academic standards to a warm and welcoming community, the school does a stellar job of raising smart, kind, wonderful little human beings. One incredibly special program the school has built is the "buddy system" for both families and the children themselves. Each incoming family has a buddy family they can ask absolutely any question they have from common concerns like curriculum/staff questions to simple don't-be-afraid to ask questions like how to pronounce a teacher's name. Also, each kindergartener is paired with an 8th grade buddy (as well as 7th/1st and 6th/2nd) which gives the kids on both sides of each friendship such a special experience. I will never forget walking down Larchmont St. and watching an 8th grader instinctively high-five my kindergartener, giving him such happy confidence. We have talented, friendly faculty and staff, great sports and extracurricular programs, a fantastic hot lunch program, inspiring community outreach opportunities, impressive student council-led assemblies, and tons of social/community events that keep our kids and families excited to step onto campus. As the saying goes, "it takes a village" - and St. Brendan is a great one! read more

I attended this school for years I care not to disclose, but I keep hearing about SBS after all these years so I decided I may as well say something. I was bullied without repercussion for the entire K-8 experience with complete ignorance by the faculty. Some of the teachers would even add to the fire, like ripping my test because a student looked at me. Given this has been a decade, but that mental trauma is something I to this day have to face in the mirror. read more

St. Brendan beautifully balances being a Catholic school in a diverse (both racially and socioeconomically) neighborhood. What makes St. Brendan special is that embraces the wonderful lessons from the New Testament. For example, "love thy neighbor as thyself." This foundation is why we chose a Catholic School. However, the school is located in the heart of LA. That creates a parent community that prioritizes equity and inclusion. We have two kids at St. Brendan and love being part of this special community. read more

We have two children at the school (3rd and kindergarten this year) and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. The teachers are wonderful - rigorous, experienced, and kind. The community is a terrific strength - both welcoming and active, with many opportunities for both kids and parents to connect with others, help out, and get support. The students are hard-working and nice! We couldn't be happier to be here. read more

Saint Brendan's is a great Catholic School! Both of my children graduated from Saint Brendan's and went on to top Los Angeles High schools and top universities. SBS gave them a great foundation and the kids have no trouble getting accepted into Loyola, Immaculate Heart, Marymount and the other private high schools. I love still seeing the SBS kids in their uniforms in the Larchmont neighborhood. They are always polite and well behaved. I also have always appreciated that the school puts a real emphasis on community outreach, getting the kids involved in charities and social justice. Happy to see that Saint Brendan's is still thriving. read more

I currently have three children enrolled at the school ranging from Kindergarten to 7th grade. The school has high expectations for all students but the environment is caring and encourages individual growth. I especially appreciate the fact that the emphasis isn't just on academics. My children are learning about things like community service and social justice. At this school, faculty, staff and parents have come together to form a wonderfully supportive environment. As parents, we watch out for each other's kids. And, at school, I know the teachers really care about the well being of our children. read more

Our family is so fortunate to be in our 11th year at St. Brendan School. The values that are instilled in the students by the administration, teachers and other families are my favorite part. St. Brendan has a wonderful community with so many fun events for students and parents too. I can't imagine a better school exists in the LA area for an academically challenging environment that also develops thoughtful, caring children into young adults. read more

There are so many great schools in the same area. We chose St. Brendan School mainly because we have been parishioners at the church for a few years before our daughter was born, so it was a no-brainer for us. However, St. Brendan School met far and beyond our expectations. Our daughter who is now in 1st grade entered kindergarten last year (2021) when schools went back to in-class. She only had a few months of pre-school due to the pandemic, so we were concerned how she would adjust. The kindergarten teacher and teacher's aides are by far THE BEST. At the time I actually wasn't too concerned with academia, but more the emotional and social support by the staff due to the pandemic. The kindergarten staff helped her thrive academically, but also her spiritual and social growth which was more important for us. The entire school staff are warm, kind, and all understand the importance of community which is what St. Brendan School is best known for. The parents I have met so far will go above and beyond not only for their own child(ren), but for ALL the students. It truly is a close-knit family environment. We also have two neighbors whose children transferred from other nearby schools to St. Brendan and are now all attending prestigious high schools. St. Brendan not only is a great school academically, they also guide students to be respectful, have manners, to be responsible, and to support their fellow classmates. Lastly, we live across the street from a different elementary school and every day at drop-off and pick-up, it is chaotic! St. Brendan has THE most organized drop-off and pick-up that makes it SAFE for the children and parents. We absolutely LOVE St. Brendan School. Go Bears!! read more

Neighborhood school with great socio-economic diversity, strong academics, and commitment to supporting character development and service to others. It takes a village to raise a child, and a parent couldn't ask for a nicer group of families to be there for the collective group of kids. read more

This school is only great when things are running perfect and your kids are being perfect according to their standards. Teenagers are going through stuff and they don't know how to deal with it. This place is headed by hypocrisy! If your child does not abide by strict Catholicism, your child will banished without question. This is no exaggeration and really happened. My child has been traumatized for yrs for nothing. They're lucky they did not catch a lawsuit! read more

Wonderful school and the best choice in the area. We're not Catholic and I don't feel the school is overly religious (like another poster said). The kids are very well cared for and the school community, including staff and parents, are wonderful. I would recommend the school over any other public or private school in the neighborhood. read more