Bellarmine College Preparatory is one of those schools that you prepare your son for years in…read moreadvance. The school's motto of "Men for Others" goes to the core of the school's mission and Jesuit Catholic identity. Principal Meyercord runs what is one of the best high schools in California. Located in San Jose's College Park the school took over University of the Pacific's old campus in 1925 after they split from nearby Santa Clara University. Tuition is $18k a year, but they give $4 million in financial aid a year. The school works hard to have a student body that reflects Silicon Valley's diversity, which includes students who's families wouldn't have otherwise been able to afford it. They accept around 400 students a year, with 300 coming from the 30+ Catholic schools in the area and the other 100 non-catholic students coming from Challenger, Harker, Stratford and public/charter schools in the area. It is the only school with it's own Cal-Train College Park train station (Jack London's Call of the Wild fame) bringing students to school as far away as San Francisco and Gilroy. The 2 leading candidates for the upcoming mayor of San Jose race are both Bellarmine graduates, and even agreed to host a debate on the campus of their alma matter run by the students. SF's Riordan, Concord's De La Salle and San Mateo's Junipero Serra are the only other all boys academic institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area that I'm aware of.

First, understand that your son will not get into the best college he possibly can if he goes to…read moreBellarmine. This is lost in the fine print and is conveniently elided in the promo materials. The school will tout the few grads that end up at MIT or Harvard and act like they pulled those strings, but the truth is those kids are geniuses and would have gotten into those colleges with or without Bellarmine's name. In order to understand this effect, we have to look at the average performers at Bellarmine --- the average kids who work up until 3 AM every night only to get rejected by UC Davis or Cal Poly. A good portion of Bell grads even end up at SJ State. I personally know a grad who ended up at community college. Allow me to ask a very simple question: if you're paying money for an institution, should you not harvest an advantage from that institution? These types of outcomes are simply unacceptable for the tuition fees that Bellarmine demands (100k). The problem is every student at Bellarmine is ultimately remarkable and intelligent. However, colleges can only accept a certain amount of students per school. Thus, only the geniuses (who are fine on their own) get top acceptances while your reasonably bright son ends up with a disappointing result. This is the dirty secret at Bellarmine. There is a lot of coping built into the culture where people say "Well, at least I'm prepared for college" --- not understanding that their college result would have been much better had they just gone to a public school for FREE. Their grades would be better and their workload would be slashed in half. This outcome is absolutely unacceptable for the dollars spent. Second, the workload at Bellarmine is huge. Even nearly 12 years later, I am shocked at the inhuman level of work assigned if a student opted for a competitive curriculum (APs, Honors, etc.). It was commonly accepted that the average bedtime was 2 AM. Students walked around with heavy backpacks filled to the brim with books. The library was always crammed with students studying and finishing up presentations. Stress was rampant. During junior year, a classmate ran away from home after scoring a B on an exam. For this level of work, one would expect great rewards upon graduating. This never materialized. Tons of students who worked themselves to the bone found themselves matriculating at unremarkable colleges surrounded by students from public schools who didn't work nearly as hard. Unacceptable. Third, the academic difficulty at Bellarmine was ridiculous. English classes expected students to write at a college-level and graded as if it was college-level. Presentations were expected to last the entire class period (30-50 minutes). Afterwards, you were picked apart by an open forum like a thesis defense. Exams were incredibly difficult. I distinctly remember a random pop quiz dropped everyone's grades by 10 percent. A's to B's in 10 minutes. This is absolutely UNTHINKABLE in public school. When I finally had gone to college, I was mortified to learn that presentations were 10 minutes max at even upper division level courses. Now, you might think that academic difficulty is fine for a "college-preparatory" high school, but your son bears that price when his war-torn "B" is weighed disadvantageously against an "A" from a kid who didn't nearly work as hard. Colleges do not make that distinction. Bellarmine is only locally recognized, but it likes to think of itself as Philips Exeter. This is a horrific deal. Fourth, there is a problematic culture of teacher worship at Bellarmine. Now, there are always good & bad apples. But the bad ones had a profound effect on the students. Teachers are very aware of the hyper-academic culture enforced at Bellarmine and understand the power they wield over their students. What results is extremely unprofessional behavior: yelling, berating, inappropriate jokes with underage boys, and deeply personal attacks. I recall a teacher once mocked a student's garage rock band as the reason why he scored a C on a quiz. Such comments upon reflection are incredibly unprofessional and are not befitting of an institution with its hands in your pockets. This culture of teacher worship was perpetuated by students who were afraid of being vindictively graded, and was what allowed controversies like a former English teacher's sexual grooming of female students (visitors from another campus) to be even possible and go unquestioned for years. In summary --- Bellarmine delivers partly on its promises. Does it have a great facility? Yes. Are the teachers good? Most of them. However, it is also a steward of some deeply problematic issues: it is academically punishing and unforgiving, and it screws over your son when it comes to college admissions. A parent who wants to pay 100k tuition for their son to go to this school should understand two things: he will likely give a great talk on food production rights, and he will also attend USF.

I am sorry to leave a negative review, but I wish I had read the reviews before enrolling my kids…read moreat this school. They attended for one year, and unfortunately, I do not have anything positive to say about our experience. The school feels more like a business than a place focused on education. The teachers, as well as the principal, seem very unprofessional. There is also a lot of bullying, and the school does not seem able to handle it properly, possibly because there are around 38 students in each class, which makes supervision and dealing with conflict (which is all the time) very difficult. In addition, the school does not offer any after-school activities or programs. Kids play and eat at the parking lot. Overall, our experience was not what we expected, and I would recommend that other parents carefully research before enrolling their children

Since we don't have the choice of zero stars, I dedicate this one star to the very few teachers…read morewith talent and integrity whose efforts are lost in a school setup bound to fail. - Bullying is extreme and encouraged (yes, you read that right). That is the worst part and with long lasting consequences. - This school is a business, their prime objective is to make money, not to teach and form human beings. - Classes are overcrowded (40 children in one class). This, unavoidably, impacts both academic and social/emotional learning. - Very few electives, with 'art' being the only legitimate one. The 'art' teachers are great (if those that we know are still with the school). - Volatile faculty/staff, very few accredited teachers stay with the school for more than 2-3 years. - I wish I could turn back time and never enroll my child in this school. I will never forgive myself.

Ms. Shivani has been an outstanding teacher for my child at Challenger. She genuinely cares about…read moreher students, helps shape their character and values, and provides timely, constructive feedback to parents. Her dedication, patience, and positive influence have made a meaningful impact on our child's growth and learning. We are very grateful for everything she does!

We are very happy with this school and truly appreciate all the teachers' hard work and care. A…read morespecial thank you to Ms. Prerana and Ms. Preeti for doing such a wonderful job teaching my child. They are patient, caring, and supportive teachers who helped my child learn and grow a lot. Not only did my child improve academically, but he also learned how to be disciplined, respectful, and responsible. The teachers created a positive and encouraging environment where he felt happy and confident every day. My child had a great time at school and always enjoyed going to class. We are grateful for the love, guidance, and dedication from the teachers and staff. Thank you for making such a positive impact on my child's learning journey.

We recently toured the school and cannot emphasize enough about how great our experience was. The…read moreprincipal is absolutely amazing truly dedicated to whole-child development approach. He also teaches algebra in the school. Small class size, great curriculum, after-care program, support kids needing special attention (instead of ignoring them like other private schools in the area). It's a school for both gifted and someone needing special accommodations. A hidden gem in downtown San Jose.

My daughter has been attending here since first grade now in 6th grade and my son is in pre-K and…read moremy other son will be attending in the fall. We love this school for many reasons: One reason I love this school obviously is for there Catholic education which is important to me and my family(we even live in a good school district-we even travel 6 miles to school everyday) They have many different programs they offer there; they now have a stem lab along with using MacBooks for learning and doing graphic design as well as Spanish, art, pe, and many other great programs. Everyone is very involved(parents and staff). They always communicate and make sure your child is on track and not falling behind. They offer different sources of communication via parent square and PowerSchool. Both are great tools to keep track of what's going on and grades. My daughter has a learning disability which they created a 504 plan. Mrs. Cosentino(the school principal) and Mrs. Somovia(vice principal) have been very supportive along with many other staff members. They are all very caring and doing everything in there power to help the kids succeed. I highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a private school education even if you are not catholic. Saint leos is a great school and wonderful community of people and great teachers! Thank you Saint Leo's for providing my kids with THE BEST education!

My son has joined Harker High School in 9th grade. Through the word of mouth, I knew that this…read moreschool will be academically challenging in spite of him being a very strong student in middle school. He was prepared to work hard. But he was not prepared that while working like he has never worked before, he would enjoy himself so much in the process. Both, he and I were touched, when more than one of his teachers sendt him encouraging emails, noticing that he worked hard while trying to adjust to the new school and find his own rhythm and method. His Chemistry, Chinese, English, and History teachers were cheering him on, knowing he wanted to take Honors classes next year and were always available for extra help. I have read reviews of Harker, where parents (or their friends) complained about the quality of teachers. In our first year at Harker, I only saw teachers who want their kids to excel, who are experts in their areas, who know how to motivate kids, and help them realize their full potential. When he started at Harker, my son joined DECA club and fell in love with all things marketing and business because of the two teachers and DECA team. He traveled and competed within a few months of joining DECA. He enjoyed his time with the students and made lots of friends. He was happy that he could talk finally with kids about politics, history, as well as other teenage topics. Harker Dance and Theater programs are very impressive. The new theater is beautiful and their boy hip hop dance team is really top notch. I love it that the school with such strong academic emphasis is developing the whole child, offering arts, sports, and really wide variety of activities. Choosing what to spend time on is hard. But it is a good problem to have. I have not heard any complaints from him about unhealthy competition or lack of friends at school. Based on our experience so far, Harker created an environment where kids who love learning get to do just that, learn, and enjoy themselves in the process.

This place is great but the parking sucks . Your literally stuck at the round about they need…read morepeople to conduct traffic .

Our family has had such a wonderful experience at the Winchester campus. My daughter has been here…read morefor two years now from Pre‑K, Summer School, and TK, and the experience has been consistently positive every step of the way. It is a small school with a true family feel. Every teacher knows the students by name, and that sense of care is felt daily. The office staff is very responsive. Any time there has been a question or issue, we have always received a quick response and prompt action. The elective teachers deserve special recognition as well. Ms. Jeannie (Science), Ms. Edith (Spanish), and Ms. Zoe (Music) have all done an amazing job creating hands‑on, engaging lessons that truly keep the kids excited and involved. Most importantly, we cannot say enough wonderful things about my daughter's TK teacher, Ms. Weiss. My daughter absolutely loves her, and when I asked why, she said, "Because she listens to everything." That alone speaks volumes about the level of care, respect, and attention Ms. Weiss gives her students every single day. She is incredibly engaging, warm, and thoughtful, and she goes above and beyond to make learning fun by celebrating all kinds of occasions, decorating the classroom with her own amazing props and costumes for all the children, and going all out to make the school year special. Ms. Weiss is truly one of a kind. We have seen tremendous growth in our daughter under Ms. Weiss's guidance. Academically, she is excelling in reading and math, and her writing and reading skills have made huge strides. Even more meaningful is how genuinely interested she now is in reading and writing outside of the classroom. We have also seen amazing growth in her interpersonal skills such as confidently greeting others, engaging with new friends, and learning how to reason and communicate thoughtfully. All of this is thanks to Ms. Weiss and the strong foundation she has helped build during these critical early education years. We are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she has had on our daughter's growth. While we are so sad to be leaving Ms. Weiss's class soon, we know the lessons, confidence, and love of learning will stay with our daughter for life. I also want to give a special thank you to my daughter's Pre‑K teachers, Ms. Sonal and Ms. Gauri. They did an incredible job setting a strong foundation in phonics and helping her transition from daycare into a more structured school environment. The early support was crucial to her confidence and success at the school in the beginning, and we are so grateful for the role they played in shaping her learning journey. Lastly, we are also so grateful for the extended day teachers who have been such a big part of our daughter's experience. Ms. Holly during Summer School and Ms. Hibah during TK have been absolutely wonderful. They keep the extended day program fun and engaging with creative arts, activities, and fresh ideas, which makes it feel less like "extra hours" and more like an extension of the school day. As parents, it gives us so much comfort knowing our child is in caring, creative hands even after regular school hours.

Our family spent four wonderful years at Winchester Campus from TK through 2nd grade. The campus is…read moresmall and cozy, which provided the perfect, nurturing start to my son's elementary education. Most of the staff, including Ms. Swathi, the principal, are incredibly friendly and welcoming. We especially want to highlight Mrs. Saravanan, my son's second-grade teacher. She was our favorite teacher during our time there--truly dedicated, kind, and impactful. It made our final year at the school unforgettable. We highly recommend this school to any parent looking for a supportive community!

Our daughter has gone to Harker since their inaugural preschool class started . She loves it and so…read moredo we . Teachers are great and after school programs are plentiful . Even though it takes an hour to get to school we think it's worth it.

What a wonderful school! My son finished Kindergarten here, and is now in 1st Grade. He loves…read moreschool and always impresses me with what he's learned. We've been particularly happy with the emphasis on deeper conceptual understanding of material, so it's not just rote memorization and regurgitation. Word problems were a significant part of Kindergarten math, and I'm positive I wasn't doing word problems that early when I was a kid. The teachers and administration are very receptive to feedback and concerns that inevitably crop up during the school year. We've been happy with the way they've handled issues, and clearly customer service is an important part of their philosophy. Tuition is on the higher range of private schools, but in this case you truly do get what you pay for.

Their live scan machine was not working, and after about thirty minutes of trying to do it the…read moremachine was broken. Also, the receptionist took ten minutes to tell me what is going on after taking my cards. The HR assistant lady was of no help. They wasted an hour of my time with a machine that didn't work, acted like I didn't have an appointment by repeatedly asking whether I do, and they must get a two sided SSN card without compromise. All this extra nonsense over a broken machine.

This school district is always looking for good van and bus drivers. I did my job as a professional…read moredriver. I was always on time for work and to pick up and drop off students on time. Then I get let go for no reason. Watch out for Corin Reynolds the manger there if he doesn't like you for some reason, he will let you go I would stay away from there as long as he is manger. Corin thinks of himself not what's best for the company and students. When we start to work there, they put you in a van pretending it's a school bus and don't teach you nothing about transporting kids or any of the safety equipment you need to know about because of some of the special kids you need to transport they have needs and they don't teach you how to look to see what equipment they need. They only have a 45min drivers meeting once a month that's all the safety they talk about. Your just turned loose in a van till you get to drive a real school bus. So, Parents beware if a van shows up at your house it's probably a new driver so you might want to make sure they have the proper equipment and know how to use it for what you child requires. I hope someone from the school district reads this and fixes this problem and hires someone that really thinks about safety before someone's kids get hurt.