Dr. Bylund assessed my teenage daughter who was struggling with test taking and other school work…read more She had to work 10 times harder than her peers to get decent grades and we were concerned about how she would manage in college in a couple years. Her issues weren't severe enough for any teachers or school officials to notice and she was at risk of slipping through the cracks. Dr. Bylund conducted a thorough assessment and provided us with not only answers as to what she was dealing with, but a comprehensive plan of practical suggestions to help her succeed. Understanding her learning issues and how to help her made such a difference. In fact, she used the strategies in college and graduated with honors. She now works a special education teacher as a way to help other students reach their full potential. I highly recommend Dr. Bylund!

Dr. Bylund is a powerful advocate for children and people with learning disabilities. His knowledge…read moreas a former school site and district professional, allows him to provide the best advocacy and evaluation for your child. This is a huge difference. There are so many Neuropsychologists who can evaluate for Dyslexia or learning disabilities, however, many of them have mostly clinical experience and have never been at the school or district level. Dr. Bylund understands learning differences, he can help explain how these differences are impacting your child at school. He can help advocate for your child. We were specifically seeking a licensed, Neuropsychologist who was expert in Dyslexia and who would be willing evaluate our child, attend IEP meetings, and also be willing to ultimately go with us to court if our fight to help our son get placement in private school was not successful. After looking for a Dyslexia Expert for about 8 mos, we had called many well-known Neuropsychologists up and down the SF Bay Area Peninsula, San Francisco, and greater Bay Area, and though many are licensed, they were not willing to testify in court as an expert in Dyslexia. Many were willing to charge me 2-4x's what Dr. Bylund charges, but they would not stand up for my child at IEP meetings or testify as an expert. They merely wanted money to evaluate my child but not speak up for him. Dr. Bylund's evaluation was thorough and he was more reasonably priced than so many. He is professional, kind, and most importantly, an expert at evaluating your child. He impressed everyone with his knowledge about learning differences and Dyslexia at my son's IEP meetings. My educational attorney and educational advocate refer all of their clients to Dr. Bylund. Even if you live out of the area, call or contact Dr. Bylund.

My Son goes to krey and he loves it the staff is nice the office people and the kid I would…read morerecommend going to krey

This school is amazing. Both of my kids have gone here for their entire kindergarten to elementary…read moreschool experience. Mr Jones is a great principal and man. The teachers are truly kind and respectful in so many ways and I loved coming to their open houses.

Brightworks is a truly magical school! It has been a place of complete transformation for my child…read more As a seasoned educator who has taught in public and private schools in both the U.S. and internationally, I can confidently say that the Brightworks ethos and pedagogy embody what children need to thrive and succeed in our ever-changing world. We came to Brightworks when my older daughter was in 4th grade (also known as the Quartz band). She had previously attended another wonderful school--where my younger daughter continues to thrive--but it simply wasn't the right fit for her. By 3rd grade, she was taking three half-hour "bathroom breaks" each day, essentially the equivalent of cutting elementary school. She was being bullied by peers, had grown to hate the process of learning, and was beginning to believe that she was "dumb." She was also nearly two grade levels behind in reading. After exploring many schools, we discovered Brightworks. It wasn't flashy, but it immediately felt like the right place for her. Our first day was challenging. Although she had struggled at her previous school, she also found change difficult and was resistant to starting somewhere new. She refused to enter the classroom and instead ran up a tree in tears. The teacher (collaborator), Shirvan, responded with remarkable patience and warmth, reassuring me that my daughter could join the group whenever she felt ready. The administrators were equally phenomenal, offering compassion and support when they could see how embarrassed and overwhelmed I felt with my "spirited" child. About four hours later, she finally joined the class. Within just a few days, she loved school so much that she was sad when the day ended and disappointed when holidays approached. After each winter, spring, and summer break, she was thrilled to return. Within a year, she progressed from reading at a 2nd-grade level (e.g., Dog Man) to devouring upper elementary and middle school novels such as the Wings of Fire and Warriors series. She came to love school, the process of learning, her teachers, and her peers. She transformed from a wilted flower into a blossoming tree. The ethos of Brightworks is to meet children where they are and to approach learning through real-world contexts that spark their interests. Science and math are taught through hands-on exploration and authentic problem-solving, while reading and writing are developed through both personal interests and guided learning around social justice topics. Students gain genuine critical thinking skills alongside practical experience using shop tools. The multi-age, schoolhouse model allows older students to care for younger ones, fostering responsibility, empathy, and meaningful mentorship. Every collaborator is dedicated to guiding each child to become the best version of themselves. I only wish that all teaching and learning could be approached in the way Brightworks does.

Our son is 8 and in the middle of his 3rd year at Brightworks…read more We couldn't be happier about how the school has supported his learning, both socio-emotional (he is high energy and we were worried he'd be seen as a 'bad' kid at a traditional school) and academic (particularly reading, where he's been a bit slow, but now is right on track and loving reading). Brightworks' approach is project based. Not just doing projects *in* classes--like the science class doing a science project about earthquakes--but doing interdisciplinary projects *instead of* classes, with a greater degree of fluidity and flexibility in time and approach. The school has a strong maker and tinkering culture. We also don't have things that more traditional schools have, such as tests or grades, though we do have parent conferences and documentation of progress in several key areas (like a swim school report card). The kids do NOT sit at individual desks. A lot more time is spent outdoors, and we're in the Presidio, so there's tons of nature to explore. The kids aren't organized into typical grade levels, like K, 1, 2, 3. Instead they're in "bands" of up to a dozen kids each, giving the school more flexibility in placing kids in the group that they'd most benefit from being in each year, with less stigma if a child is "skips" a grade or is held back. The school's approach is naturally well-suited for kids with different needs. E.g. the focus on meeting every kid where they're at, individual learning trajectories, and being able to take the time that the kids need rather than being tied to a fixed daily or weekly schedule with lists of specific learning objectives. We've gotten great and entirely non-judgemental support for our son. That said, as a small school and as a private school, not every need or circumstance can be accommodated and we have seen a couple classmates over the years with, e.g. dyslexia or autism, move on to more specialized schools. (If your kid has special needs, I would ask about it; we do have many neurodiverse and other kids with particular needs that are doing great and seem well supported.) One thing that exemplifies the school is our annual Maker Marketplace where anyone in the community can sell things-like crafts, food items, gifts, or even carnival games or other experiences. It's entrepreneurial and community-forward, and there's a fair amount of open-endedness in what is possible. Maker Marketplace is a bit chaotic and a lot of fun and learning, and to me that really is the Brightworks way.

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.

Great Teachers and Staff. Both my boys attended here and are doing so well! Thank you to all who…read morework here and helped all our kiddos thrive!

Great place for children with disabilities of all types. The teachers are ALL professional and…read morehardworking. They are caring and patient, but will also push your child to strive and reach their potential and goals. I LOVE this place! I will continue to support this center! Thank you to all the teachers especially a WONDERFUL teacher named Ms. Patty!

Kohl open school in Stockton, California…read more This school has been apart of my life for the last twelve years. My eldest daughter started to come to Kohl when she was in Kindergarten. She was here all the way till eighth grade. My Son started started the same grade kindergarten till the eighth grade. My baby girl is still here at Kohl and started just like her siblings at the Kindergarten level. We have so many beautiful memories here at this school. When they all were here . I would love to come and spend time with them during the after school program and have fun with them. My children never wanted to come home. All they wanted to do is play with their classmates. I can go on and make this review long. But I'll keep it simple. Here at Kohl, we always felt like being apart of one giant family. I was pretty close to all the teachers my children had and all of them are wonderful. I have to say that Bud West our Principle is one of the best If not the best Principles in SUSD. So I have four more years at Kohl to make some more beautiful memories. It's been a beautiful ride these last twelve years here at Kohl. Thank you Vincent D *VD* Enjoying the simple things in life

There are not words to explain how great this school is. I was a student (attended from preschool,…read morebefore it was moved, all the way to 8th grade) and so were my two older siblings. The community, faculty and students are among the brightest in Stockton. If you track down some of the alumni you will find they are doing very well and credit it to the open education the school provides. Kohl will always have a special place in my heart.

I like mr rand. Hes the rock. Oh and we get to have PE and stuff and the math is taught really…read moregood. I think hes my favorite teacher.....

STAFF IS rude. Office ladies Felicia & her secretary, just gossip all day & give you attitude. The…read moreschool is clean students nice staff needs arrangements though.

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.