This school is a little hidden gem in the middle of Santa Clara. We are very, very, very happy we found it. Staff is very kind and helpful. Teachers are very nice and experimented. It's a catholic school and it's a very welcoming environment to anyone: all ethnicities, backgrounds, religions... They will not force you to something or treat you differently because of A or B. What I really like is indeed how diverse it is and that it also offer a good "work-life balance" for the little ones. St Lawrence offers a good education, with values and has a great after school program. It is competitive the right amount for us. I visited several other private schools but they were either not diverse, or way too competitive, 1 fit all style, and with too many helicopter parents. I want my kids to have a nurturing childhood, discover different kinds of people and not develop little robots that would do 5th grade maths in 2nd grade. It is so easy to fall in that trap, especially now and here in the Silicon Valley. What I also loved is that they offer Spanish, Drama and art (with a real specialized teachers) embedded in the curriculum. They have a recreative after school program (Crafts and games), but they also offer thematic programs (chess, programming, art, magician...) for a small extra fee. They have a competitive swim team on site (amazing!). Some things had to be stopped during Covid (after school, swim team), but it is my understanding that these will re-open in September 2021. Cost wise, it is way more affordable than most private schools in the Bay Area, and you can apply for aid as well. The school re-opened part time in Oct 2020 and full time in Jan 2021. Was such a help for the kids (and parents) I imagine. The only "complaint" I would have, is that they should do a little more anticipation and be better at organizing or setting up things (for example pool reopening, Science teacher coming in person etc.) But I blame most of it on a challenging 2020 year - for all of us. Thank you Mrs Lares, the Principal and the entire St Lawrence team! read more

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Not good Not really not at all. Don't trust the teachers and aides. They can smile while gossiping and laughing and making fun of the kids. They think they're so cool. They are not. Just really immature and self important. It's all about them. Ps if Carina is still principal she encouraged bullying and I saw ad heard her myself. "Now is not the time " during class time. Next thing you know someone is getting ganged up on on the playground. She's a piece of work. She makes herself that way. She's loony I have many more examples. When half the class is crying on the last day of school something is wrong. So they promoted her. Sick. read more

St. Lawrence, that's our school, the more we yell, the more we rule! I attended in 8th grade only as we were in a family transition and my mother chose St. Lawrence elementary and the girl's high school for my older sister. It was the best thing to happen at the time and we went on to both graduate from Archbishop Mitty. I went back to visit Santa Clara in 2007 and I actually walked the grounds and really felt nostalgia. read more

I enrolled my child in St Lawrence School Summer camp. It was his first day at their camp this year. They close at 5:00pm but unfortunately my work client had been delayed causing me to be late in pick up and got there at 5:08pm and the lady about my age over 50, dark hair, scolded me in front of my son and another young girl staring, " we close at 5 o'clock!" And " we charge $5 dollars a minute and you need to sign him out" and abruptly put down an item on the table with a facial expression that was angry. Later in the car, my son had expressed feeling bad and stated he felt she spoke to me rudely. Is this the type of behavior staff at that summer camp display in front of children or others? This is unacceptable behavior and role modeling for children. read more

Muy buena escuela, los maestros bien preparados y son muy amables. Me gusta el contenido que enseñan

My daughter came for summer camp. I am so disappointed this year. The supervisor is not reasonable. I don't recommend this camp to anyone. Plus they don't address about bully. My daughter told me she got pinch from other kid. Supervisor just ignored me and said they will have feeling session next day! Come on. Student got bullies and replied me like that. read more

Saint Lawrence Elementary and Middle School is simply amazing. This is a community driven school. Parents, children and teachers are all invested into making it the best experience possible. From Summer BBQs, Run for Fun to Crab Feed there are plenty of activities to keep everyone excited and involved. Our daughter has made leaps and bounds academically and socially. She is safe, appreciated by her teachers and peers, and feels that all the kids are equals. The teachers make everyone feel special. I love that they switch up the room to keep things fresh. From science, music, art and math these kids are challenged daily. As hard as it can be to leave your children to go to work, it eases our heart to know our daughter is in great hands. read more

St Lawrence Elementary and Middle Schools is an all in one site. Next door is the parish and the high school. Your kids could literally spend their entire childhood at this one location! Each elementary grade has 1 class. Each middle school grade has 2 classes. Total school student body is just over 300. The academy high school next door has about the same number. The school has a swim team with their own pool. The school also has a real science lab. read more

Saint Lawrence Dual Language Catholic School - Elementary Schools Near Me - Santa Clara, California

I have two young boys currently enrolled in Saint Lawrence Elementary. I work full time and also have them attend after school care. Initially I was concerned with leaving them so long in after school care and felt guilty for having to do so, but my kids love it. They are upset if I pick them up too early. My boys have made lot's of great friends. The teachers are fantastic and the school fosters a strong academic environment that's well rounded in arts, physical education, science, technology, math, reading etc. My oldest son took a programming class offered through the school last Spring which he loved and now he continues to code. The parents are also down to earth, friendly and most are very involved in volunteering to support the school and their students. read more

My son started Kindergarten this year and he has had a great experience. My husband and I are extremely thankful to all the teachers for doing such a wonderful job with our son. We strongly recommend this school and your children will love it. read more

I have been part of the St. Lawrence community for almost 40 years. I started as a Kindergarten student and spent 10 of my school years here. My 2 kids now go to school here and we love the teachers and staff. The environment they create is always fun, nurturing and educational. My parents have been parishioners for almost 40 years and the St. Lawrence community has always been a second family to me. Going to church every Sunday and seeing the same faces is always a blessing. read more

Both my younger sister and I attended SLEMS from K to 8th grade (graduating class of 2001). It's actually ironic to be 'yelping' my childhood school. I spent roughly half of my life there! Looking back, I am thankful my parents were able to send me to school at St. Lawrence. I believe my sister and I turned out for the better due to it. Our residence would have dictated us to go to a rather poor performing school district had my folks not opted to send us both to private school. When we were attending (I am not sure how it is these days) the classes were roughly 30-36 kids. I was in the same class of 36 kids (plus or minus 1 or 2) from kindergarten to eighth grade. The same group of kids I spent my childhood with then went on to high school with me! The majority of my eighth grade class ended up attending Archbishop Mitty High School. From what I remember of St. Lawrence was being more involved in religion, which was odd when I transitioned into high school because even though Mitty is a catholic school they deemphasized religion a lot compared to what I was used to. At SLEMS I remember going to mass at least once a week, prayer services twice a week, and praying before recess/lunch/before we started class and before leaving. I'm not sure if it is still the same as back then but that was my experience! While being with the 30 or so people your entire childhood could be a blessing...it also could be...not so great. In public school you can blend in and recreate yourself you can't exactly do that in the private school setting. Regardless I was content with my time at SLEMS, it holds a place in my heart for being my other childhood home. Would I send my future kids there? I'm not quite sure. I certainly remember my folks struggling with the rising tuition at the time. read more

SLEMS has been a great fit for our family. I have 2 kids in the elementary school and both of them love going to school. This makes mornings at home so much easier. The teachers have been great. Both kids feel challenged and are doing well academically. I also can't say enough good things about the extended care staff and activities they offer such as cooking, art, chess, piano and swimming all on campus. It makes life so much easier for the working parent when you find a place your kids like and you feel they are in a caring and safe environment. read more

I attended K - 8th grade at St. Lawrence with my younger sister. We are both better off for it. When I was there I did not appreciate the quality education I was receiving. In high school though (we both ended up at AMHS) it became apparent how much higher our education was even compared to other Catholic schools in the area. Having the separate Middle School is a huge plus. Not only does it give you an opportunity to learn with more students and switch classrooms which makes the transition to high school that much easier, it also allows you to take on more responsibility. Another draw (at least it was for my parents) is the after school program at St. Lawrence. All students can stay after school at the Day Care for elementary kids and Teen Center for the Middle Schoolers. The after school centers provide an hour of "homework time" where everyone has to do at least part of their homework and the adults and Academy kids help with any questions the kids have. There is also a thriving Boy and Girl Scout groups directly on campus. If you have a child with disabilities, St. Lawrence is a very supportive environment. My sister is hard of hearing and St. Lawrence helped educate my parents on what she needed to thrive (this was pre-internet days and pre-ADA) and then worked with my mom to educate my sister's teachers on what they needed to do. An advantage of being in smaller classes that do not change very much year after year is that when my sister's 1st grade class was educated on why she had her hearing aide after that any year that a new kid tried to make fun of her the class would shoot them down. For those students who had ADD and ADHD I remember teachers going out of their way to work with them and help ensure they completed their work. Currently I teach Catechism at St. Lawrence and use their classrooms on Sundays. St. Lawrence has and continues to be at the top of technology for learning. There are smart boards that teachers have which go way beyond the days when my teachers had projectors and laser disks. Also students are introduced to iPads and laptops early on to gain computer skills at a young age. Mrs. Hunter the Librarian there who has been at St. Lawrence since I attended is marvelous at doing more than introducing students to books. She facilitates learning how to conduct research, explore subjects you are interested in, and always stays up to date on the newest books for all age groups. In short, St. Lawrence is worth the money. You will be giving your child a well rounded education along with sending them to a school with parents who are also committed to their children's education. read more

My daughter started at St Lawrence in Kindergarden and is now on her last year there, 8th grade. By far, it is the best decision our family made to send our daughter there. It is a safe, loving, nurturing environment with focus on high academics. Smaller class sizes allow for plenty of individual attention. The teachers are amazing and the community as a whole has been a true blessing for our family. My daughter swims competitively and we are on the Swim Team (USA Swimming sanctioned team), located on campus. For working parents, there is after care right on site, for a very nominal hourly fee. We will deeply miss our St Lawrence family when we move onto a Catholic High School. read more

My oldest daughter graduated from St. Lawrence 3 years ago. We were highly satisfied how well the school and her teachers prepared her for her preparatory catholic high school of choice. Compared to her classmates that came from other catholic elementary and middle schools her preparation in English and Science was far more advanced which aided her in many ways writing reports, preparing projects and much more. Her younger sibling who attends St. Lawrence right now and just started the 6th grade is looking forward to her middle school experience. One more item to mention is your awesome summer camp each year. One of the best! read more

This has been the best decision for my daughters' education. The entire community is welcoming and they have made my entire family feel supported. I highly recommend this school especially for a home away from home in their child's education. read more

We transferred our daughter from a local preschool to St. Lawrence Pre-K, and it is night and day. The teachers at St. Lawrence are so warm and caring, while providing a rich curriculum even at such a young age. My daughter went from occasionally dreading school to loving it. The St. Lawrence parent community is also quite active and tight-knit. It is exactly the type of community I have been looking and hoping for my daughters as they grow through their elementary and middle school years. read more

We have two children attending St. Lawrence Elementary & Middle School and I can not say enough good things about the teachers and community here. Our children are well cared for and their education is second to none. Top ranking accreditation, private library, art, drama, music, Spanish, STEM Classes, Cornerstone, Sports, Swim Team, Camps, Extended Care - really I could go on and on. I feel so lucky to have found this gem of a school. read more

This school is a gem. Teachers deeply care for their students and as a whole, it is a tight knit community.

Had a terrible childhood because no one was aware of bullying. My hideout was the library during recess and lunch but apparently the"librarian" had to take her lunch break too and we only had access to the library once a week. read more

We're happy to be here in a wonderful community. New principal, Mrs. Lares listens to everyone and staff are very nice and friendly.This is a great school with dedicated teachers. read more

If you do not start your child in this school at a very early grade (1st or below) or if the child isn't religious don't send them to this school. They will be bullied, socially outcasted by not only students, but faculty & teachers. The faculty does not care and is well aware of what goes on, but they downplay and whole situation. My child literally wanted to commit suicide from how awful he felt attending this school and eventually tried to. To this day this still brings tears to my eyes from knowing how bad he felt and that I didn't take him out of the school sooner. He has never had a problem making friends and fitting in ever at any school he's attended. "The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency." Tell me if this school sounds even close to those morals... He dreaded going everyday from the hate and toxicity from everyone in the community. He literally asked the priest at the school for help and got nothing. The administration did do one thing however they had the teacher announce to the entire class to stop bullying my son and everyone laughed and my son broke into tears. If you want to see ur child sad, upset, and depressed, like I said send them to this school. read more

Love this small gem of a school. My daughter just graduated from 5th grade and was there for 8 years for 2 years of Pre-K, then K-5. My son has been there for 6 years and is in 4th grade. We are not Catholic but the school and community have always been open, loving, and welcoming. We've made lifelong friends here and the other families are super friendly and nice. The teachers have all been wonderful, from the amazing Pre-K program all the way up. Now that my daughter is in public middle school, she's amazingly well-prepared academically. In addition to the core subjects, there's usually science lab, music, art and drama. There are some team sports in later grades and there's usually some after-school activities. There's also an active PTA, a great after-school care center, a full-time affordable and fun summer camp with daily swims, and a swim team/pool on campus. In their time here, my kids learned to swim, participated in all kinds of school events like the christmas concert, church christmas pageant, talent show, multicultural day, halloween festival, walkathons, run for fun, dine-out nights - there's a real emphasis on family and community which has really enriched our lives. read more

What a great school! My son went to the Middle School and now I have 5 grandchildren from K to 8th. The 8th grader has attended this school since Pre-K and we are very impressed with the education she has received and also more importantly the reinforcement of the values we're trying to teach them. The teachers are wonderful and caring and the administration is proactive in addressing needs as they arise.There are many extracurricular activities and sports to choose from. You couldn't find a better place for your child. read more

As an alumni of Saint Lawrence, I knew the only place I wanted my own children to go was here! The school is a small, tight-knit community with great class sizes and student-teacher ratios. I love the extra curricular fun, community building events and most of all, that my children come home happy and are thriving academically! read more

I have a daughter in the 8th grade and she has been going to this school since Pre-K. I also have 2 other children, another daughter in 3rd grade and a son in Kindergarten. So I think I have gotten a good sense of St. Lawrence. Let me start with the pre-k. Mrs. M is the most amazing woman. She has many teachers aids that help her out who are all amazing, but she has been with the school for many years. She taught my oldest daughter and she still looks back at pre-k and has amazing memories of her time there. She has touched the hearts of many students. As for the rest of the school. The teachers are all amazing. They keep great communication with the parents when its needed. The school and it's staff are also always making sure that they, every year, are keeping updated with the latest and best technology to benefit not just the students but the parents as well. They have this amazing online program where you can receive daily grade updates and homework assignments. Year round they also have amazing fundraisers that are more fun than I could have ever imagined and I am always bummed out if I have to miss one. I would absolutely recommended this school. I would not have put 3 of my kids through it otherwise. read more

SLEMS is an amazing school. Being an immigrant family to Silicon Valley, our older two children started around 2005 and graduated 8th grade, and we have our last child now in 4th grade. We have seen the commitment of teachers, staff and parents to make every child achieve their best regardless of their socio-economic or religious background. We are fortunate to have a school such as SLEMS in Santa Clara which has allowed myself, my wife and children to grow together. We have taken part in afterschool music, scouting, flag-football, basketball, track programs and other events. The service projects and RunforFun events are great community building events. On the academic front, we have had great teachers that challenge our children and I like how the school emphasizes a home-work and family time balance for weekday nights. My 4th grader has no more than 30 mins- 1 hr of homework and loves going to school. read more