It has been over 1.5 years since my last review, and we love the school as much as we did when our…read morechild started school 2+ years ago! Everyone on staff has been incredibly easy and pleasant to collaborate with, and responsive to my questions. The school expanded over the summer to add 2 more classrooms, so that Burkard now has 6 classrooms: K/1, 2/3, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7/8th. Having experienced a few private schools and a public school between my 2 kids, I am confident this is the best environment for my child, for both academic differentiation and SEL support. It's often lamented that parents have to choose the least bad educational option for their 2e kids, but I truly believe this is a great option. We were fortunate enough to be with his amazing 2/3 teachers for 2 years, and have a new set of teachers we love this year, too. Speaking with parents across grades, they also think highly of their teaching teams. My son continues to thrive academically (measured by his overall engagement, as well as MAP testing), and we are very happy with the math differentiation he receives. Each year, I have been pleased with the attention and care the staff takes to make sure he's challenged at the right level. They take great care to plan engaging lessons across ELA, science, social studies and SEL, and incorporate hands on projects regularly to extend their learning. My son regularly shares interesting facts he learned in class! Math is a subject he continues to be passionate about, so I reach out to the school annually for math acceleration. He is given math assessments at the start of each year to determine the appropriate placement, and is given the option of joining a higher level class, or doing independent study in his classroom. We opted this year to have him join the higher level math class on a modified schedule, and we are grateful for the ability to choose the right option for him. The daily SEL teaching is also very well done. Many schools don't have the ability to go in-depth with SEL, but our BT has devised fun games and exercises for the kids to put their SEL knowledge into practice. It was so sweet to hear that my son's 4th grade class taught new recess games to the K/1 class! The BT's keep a close watch throughout the day, so the students are able to learn and play in a physically and emotionally safe environment. When conflicts arise, the staff is there to help the students resolve the issue in an appropriate way. We get daily reports, and twice monthly newsletters sharing what he's learning, so I know he's receiving a high quality education. If your child is at a school that is not meeting their needs, I encourage you to tour the Burkard School. It is truly a gem of a school!

We found TBS about three years ago and it is quite surprising that there aren't more schools for…read morebright kids who have significant social & emotional challenges, including mood disorders. We unfortunately found very little real understanding and expertise along the way, moving from program to program, from school to school, in every case deeply involved with the IEP process. Then we decided to try TBS. The results have been nothing short of amazing. Our student's self-esteem and emotional intelligence started to grow from the start and has continued to grow ever since. No more calls asking us to come quickly, the benefits to our entire household have been pretty incredible, across parents, siblings, and friends alike. When your student talks to you about how the kids at school are 'just like me', when they express a sense of belonging and common purpose to thrive in the face of big emotions, you can only smile and reflect on the journey. ...and imagine what it's like for other parents to understand you, understand your child, and understand so much of the details of the journey. The TBS community, made up of students, teachers, and parents is one that sees your child as deserving, powerful, and good.

Late post: I recently moved out of the area but when I was looking for a school for my school age…read morekiddos, this place was perfect. I really like how they have the small classroom sizes. The staff are all really nice, caring and supportive of the kids needs and accommodations. I like that they are in a school site and have close proximity classrooms and a playground. The best part was that each kid has specialized curriculum. It is so important for my ASD kiddos to have the variety a typical school setting. If you are looking for a school that goes above and beyond, check this place out. I hope I can find a school like this in my new city.

My daughter attended this school for a year when she was 13. The teachers are amazing. They…read morereally get your kid. The environment is uplifting and bright. Kathy and Heidi brought my daughter out of a deep hole and created an environment where she could shine. Their program is behavioral based. Although they do provide strong academics, their emphasis is on social and emotional therapeutics.

My son is going to FCSN for more than three months and they r the best . My son loves to go there…read moredaily and they care like family .

The staff here really cares about their adults and children with special needs that use this…read morefacility. They do fun activities with the children every day from 4-5 pm. They give them snacks and free time with puzzles and out door equipment while they wait for the daily activity. With the equipment they have they work well with the children. If you walk in on a random day you may see teenagers gazing at a wall, these are volunteers, there to fulfill their community service requirements. I have met a few volunteers that are great with the kids and excited to work with them, but for the most part they just sit there, which is not the staff's fault. My favorite activity that they do is music class, where a couple of volunteers come with bubbles, tambourines and music to sing and dance with the children, everyone has so much fun! Ms. Campbell, one of the directors is the absolute sweetest woman I have ever met, who deals so well with the children and their behaviors.

I came here with my son for a special event. The place is spacious and there were a lot very unique…read morelarge scale toys for children to play with along with many helpful staff members. There are many developmental toys and activities which the children had a blast exploring. The space was very clean and well organized! I saw the staff actively tidying the space, assisting with the different payment features, and engaging the children. They offer memberships, as well host private events and various therapies that are held on site. It's a one stop shop. Their memberships can be covered by the Regional Center or funded through Self Determination program, but of course, you can pay of pocket. The owner Lindsay is extremely knowledgeable and helpful! This San Ramon location is their first location, but have since expanded to two more sites in Berkeley and Belmont. They also have tables for parents to have a break or work at which is very thoughtful. When I went also had a smaller tot area as well as an inclusive, larger space for all. Overall, this is a wonderful facility that fosters inclusion and a welcome addition to the area.

Passionate, involved staff who are invested in child development education and practice respectful…read moreparenting practices. The environment is safe, not overstimulating and well planned out and organized based on the type of play. It offers quiet/calm corners and ample seating for adults. Snack areas are well maintained and complementary water and sink access for dishes. The staff do their best to get to know you and your children and their fees are very reasonably priced. They also offer members only events and classes which is great. We appreciate how flexible their membership structure is for daily sign ups on sessions. It's especially inclusive for us neurodivergent folk while providing a fun, safe space for all. We've been coming here since my 4 year old was 7 months old, SPL is our second home!

My son attends Athena. He really struggled in the local public school that did not cater to his…read morelearning needs. We have seen a huge improvement in our son since attending Athena. He is more confident and has developed a love of reading. The teachers are first class and devoted to the children. There is a strong emotional / social learning component. The school recently received WASC accreditation which is a testament to the quality of the school. And the Head of School and administrative staff are excellent. I highly recommend the school.

Now that our family has fully stepped away from Athena, I feel it's important to update my review…read more We chose Athena because it presents itself as a school uniquely equipped to understand and support exceptional and twice-exceptional children. Unfortunately, our experience ultimately left me questioning the depth of that expertise when a child's needs become genuinely complex. The gross mishandling of a difficult situation involving three girls--and what I experienced as a profound lack of understanding of the dynamics involved--was unacceptable. But even more concerning was how Avery's exceptionality was handled when her emotional and regulatory needs became more challenging. At one point, when staff were struggling with Avery's needs, the proposed solution was that we pack more food for her. Far more troubling was a conversation I had with Athena's full-time social-emotional learning specialist. She asked me what Avery's favorite treat was. Not understanding where the conversation was going, I told her Ghirardelli caramel chocolate squares. I was then instructed to bring a large bag of them to school so staff could use chocolate when Avery's emotions became too intense. I was stunned. I immediately emailed the relevant staff and suggested that rather than teaching a six-year-old to turn toward junk food when difficult emotions arise, perhaps we could help her regulate through movement--something as simple as getting her body moving or having a dance party. And that is the part I want prospective parents to understand: this wasn't really about chocolate. It was about the thinking behind the intervention. Children with complex nervous systems need adults who are curious about what their behavior is communicating. They need help identifying emotions, tolerating distress, regulating their bodies, and developing skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Using a highly rewarding food to interrupt difficult emotions struck me as completely at odds with what I believed we were paying a school specializing in exceptional children to provide. Over time, I developed an increasingly troubling impression: Athena appeared far better equipped to celebrate exceptionality when it was interesting, gifted, creative, or relatively easy to accommodate than to understand it when it became messy, emotionally intense, or genuinely difficult. But that is precisely when expertise matters most. I want to be fair: there were people at Athena who genuinely cared about Avery, and I remain grateful for the kindness and affection she received from individuals who connected with her. There were positive experiences, and I won't erase them simply because our overall experience ended so disappointingly. But if you are considering Athena specifically because your child is twice-exceptional, neurodivergent, emotionally intense, or requires sophisticated social-emotional support, I would encourage you to ask extremely detailed questions. Don't just ask how Athena celebrates exceptional children. Ask what happens when your exceptional child is dysregulated. Ask what interventions are actually used. Ask what training the people implementing those interventions have. Ask how the school handles complicated peer dynamics. And most importantly, ask what happens when your child's exceptionality stops being easy. For our family, the gap between the school we believed we were choosing and what we experienced when our daughter truly needed its expertise became impossible to overlook. A school built around exceptional children shouldn't merely welcome their exceptionality. It should know what to do with it.

Is awesome I love it..all the staff is amazing so cheerful and so much fun always so much love..read more

This school was not on our radar when we were looking for an alternate placement for our moderately…read moreaffected son. He started here in third grade, and some of the behaviors we were having issues with were spitting, hitting, elopement, throwing tables, chairs, stripping off his clothing, breaking windows, etc. (sound familiar?) His elementary placement had been a nightmare. We were picking him up from class every day, and he was expelled from school because they don't have the resources to care for a child like our son. The spectrum school was the one everyone talked about, and we were very unimpressed when we visited that school as we searched for alternate placement. Tucked away in an office park, admittedly it was a slight turn-off, we met the staff and his new instructor (to be). It was well lit, student art lined the halls, the staff and teacher were welcoming, and every person there was as sharp as a pin. We were so impressed, it was like night and day different from any placement he had before that time. We couldn't wait for him to begin, and for the first time for as long as we could remember, we felt optimistic. With a full-time behaviorist, language pathologist and occupational therapist; not to mention real 1:1 (or 2:1 or 3:1 when needed) staffing coverage, they assured us we would never receive a call to pick up our son because he was acting out. They didn't. They do not react to behaviors, they extinguish them. We are moving out of state, and the first thought is how terrified we are of the possible placement he may have as he finishes eleventh grade and completes his senior year; especially when we think back to how bad it can be. BUT, we are so optimistic about our son's future because ABC has given him the tools he needs to cope with whatever challenges face him in the future. We know we will be able to help him with whatever placement because he is a very different person now than he was when he entered this school. At one time we thought we would need to place him in a group home before he became an adult simply because his behaviors were out of control. Now, we KNOW that he will be able to transition into adulthood in a very organic way, and when the time comes for him to move out with some "room-mates", it will be because of a mutual understanding, not because we are unable to control him. His time at ABC is what has helped to make this possible. The workability program has given him a great sense of pride and accomplishment, and when he moves into the transition program as a young adult, he will be ready. We will miss them terribly, and we hope that this helps someone who is looking for a good placement for a child on the spectrum. They know how to help your child.

I found Rosaura using Yelp! From the beginning she listened to my concerns for my daughter, she…read moreunderstood my concerns & feelings of helplessness. After speaking on the phone, we set up and meet. She assessed my daughter & came up with a plan. I was excited! I was not let down. Rosaura has been patient with my daughter, understanding & gives just enough push w/o being overwhelming. In my opinion Rosaura is an expert in her field. My daughter has learned how to read because of Rosaura. I have also learned many things from Rosaura. She is a great tutor/teacher and an excellent source of knowledge for parents struggling with dyslexia.

Our student made great progress in fluency while working with Rosaura. Our student completed…read morethrough book 3 in the Barton material Rosaura uses. Rosaura also supplements with fun tactile based learning tools to help form a strong phonetic foundation for her students.

I love all the team leaders in this after school program. Unfortunately, the school doesn't…read moreprovide parents any information about it and I have to do all the research on my part. When I finally got a hold of someone, the program was already full but I was told to register my son anyways and that they usually always had drop outs and they expected to have room for him. Within two days I got called that there was room for him and they have been really friendly ever since. My son is very energetic, very curious and does a great job at getting in trouble but the team leaders are always communicating with me and working together with parents to guide the children. I am very lucky that this program is offered at my son's school.

Review is for their summer program - my highly functioning child spent the summers here and it's a…read morelovely experience. We do the whole day program. The small size classroom setting really helped. It is more on the expensive side as a summer camp but I do think it's worth it! Sara does a great job to make sure new parents are familiar with the school and the staffs helping out during the summer camp. Although they don't do field trips during the summer camp, they go to the local library and the playground a couple blocks away from the school each day. That worked out for my child during the summer. It is sad that we outgrow the age - but I love the amazing work that Sara has put into the Sequoia Village Schoolhouse. I do wish we have more offerings like Sequoia Village Schoolhouse throughout the city/area. So many highly functioning autistic children are often overlooked, especially during the summer time.

Very nice owner, safe space for kids who need more support than public schools can offer. Most…read morekids have serious needs and it's frequently a temporary placement, it's sad that our system is so broken and that many privates discriminate but it's wonderful that schools like this assist when there is a gap in education. This is a home based school, great for kids who need low stimuli, not a fit for us but wonderful nonetheless.