Transfiguration School is a noteworthy school and truly a gem in Leimert Park. The school staff…read moregenuinely care about every student--something I have personally experienced and seen reflected in my children's academic and social-emotional growth in Pre-K and Kindergarten. The community is close-knit and rooted in shared values. I truly appreciate the many opportunities for family participation, including field trips, shows, and Trunk-or-Treat, as well as the wide range of extracurricular activities available to my children, such as ballet, music, and sports.

I am very pleased with Transfiguration Elementary School in Los Angeles. My son has attended…read moreTransfiguration since he was just 2 years old. Over the years, I have seen remarkable growth in him--academically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally. The school has always maintained a strong curriculum with high expectations for student learning, while also recognizing and supporting individual student needs. Academically, my son is a high achiever, and I am incredibly proud of him. That success is not by chance; it is the result of dedicated teachers, faculty, and staff who are highly qualified, deeply caring, and genuinely invested in each child's success. They know their students well, take the time to support them, and consistently go above and beyond to help them thrive. One of the greatest blessings of Transfiguration is its low staff turnover, which creates a stable, unchanging, nurturing environment. Because of this, my son is well known by his teachers and feels safe, comfortable, and confident at school. The environment is structured and disciplined, helping students develop self-discipline, strong morals, and good character. Character education and community are clearly valued--students learn respect, responsibility, and compassion for others alongside their academic subjects. In addition, Transfiguration offers enriching programs in STEM, music, and the arts, all aimed at helping children become the very best versions of themselves. At the heart of it all is the principal, Mrs. Rickenbacker, who truly is the maestro behind the school's success. She is both personable and highly professional, and she thoughtfully oversees every aspect of the school with care and vision. In my opinion, Transfiguration Elementary is one of Los Angeles' best-kept academic secrets. It is a place where children are challenged, supported, and formed into well-rounded, confident young people. Many of whom (students) graduate and attend top high schools. I am beyond grateful that my son has been able to grow up in such a loving and purposeful school community. - Dr. T. Slayton

I applied on behalf of my son, who has special needs, and the response took weeks. They didn't even…read morecall me; the only communication I received was an email stating that he wasn't accepted. They also charged me for the application process without any explanation. I've worked in Catholic schools for over a decade, and this treatment feels unethical and unacceptable. I can't help but wonder if other factors influenced the decision. Notre Dame Academy came across as impersonal, and I'm relieved my son wasn't admitted.

Our family could not be happier with the decision made in selecting NDA. We had to decide on a…read moreschool where our daughter would not only grow academically but also grow spiritually, mentally and socially. We see her go to school happy every day. She has found her people. She is as happy as can be, and that gives my wife and I peace of mind because as our daughter tells us; "don't worry, I've got this". She has become more independent, and we know is all thanks to the support and guidance she is receiving at NDA.

Venice High School really puts its students first. Everyone…read moreis committed to a program of the highest quality education possible. Venice High has been a top school for decades. George Vreeland Hill

This school has a horrendous ant problem. LAUSD seriously needs to do something. Its not even like…read more" Oh theres just a few ants here and there", No. There are colonies of them everywhere, including inside classes. Watch where you sit as there may be a trail of ants

The school is unlike any other in Los Angeles. My son do you have special needs and an IEP is fully…read moreincluded with his same age peers 100% of his day. This is something rare to find in this large city. The community is remarkable as are the staff and educators. The kids have specialty classes: Art, Music, P.E. and Technology class every week. The class sizes are small. The student body is more diverse, in every way, than I've ever seen in any school.

I came here for a volleyball game with my daughter, and I was impressed. The school has very nice…read morefacilities and a welcoming atmosphere. Everyone we met staff, parents, and students was friendly and respectful. The gym was clean, bright, and well maintained, which made for a good experience all around. It's always nice when schools take pride in their space. Great environment and a positive visit.

We have been part of the Westside Neighborhood School community for the past 10 years, and it has…read morebeen an incredibly positive experience for our family. Three of our four children have attended WNS, and our youngest is now an 8th grader preparing to matriculate out. What stands out most about WNS is the strong sense of community and the school's genuine commitment to diversity in the student population, administration, and faculty/staff. Our children have been surrounded by classmates and educators from a wide range of backgrounds, which has enriched their learning experience and helped them develop empathy, curiosity, and confidence. The teachers are deeply dedicated and truly know their students, balancing academic rigor with emotional and social growth. Communication with families is excellent, and we've always felt supported and included in our children's educational journey. After a decade at WNS, we can confidently say it has provided our kids with an exceptional foundation both academically and personally. We're so grateful for the warm, inclusive environment and the lifelong friendships our family has built here. If you're considering WNS, we can't recommend it highly enough! It's a wonderful place for children to learn, grow, and thrive.

What an incredible transformation! I cannot say enough good things about Redeemer and the…read moreexceptional staff. Both of my children transferred from LAUSD, and the difference has been nothing short of remarkable. My son, who was previously on an IEP and had never even used a dictionary, is now thriving. For the first time, he's learning from a teacher who is not only deeply passionate about education but also sees each child as uniquely created by God. His academic progress has been outstanding--his speech has improved, his work ethic has grown, and he now truly understands the value of hard work and perseverance. Ms. Bradshaw has been a true blessing. Her dedication has challenged him spiritually, mentally, and academically--with care and purpose. My daughter is also flourishing, thanks to Mrs. Gonzalez aka Ms. Z, earning consistent academic awards, making the honor roll, and building strong friendships. She absolutely loves the Redeemer community and feels genuinely connected to everyone. Which makes me feel safe and amazing! Redeemer offers a refreshingly traditional approach: no tablets, meaningful homework, uniforms, Bible-centered learning, and joyful praise. The environment is structured yet full of warmth and fun--and the lunch calendar is great too! Redeemer is truly a gem and a testament to the power of a faith-filled, nurturing community. We can't imagine returning to public school. I recommend Redeemer wholeheartedly!

Honestly... didn't think I would be writing a review 15 years later, but seeing that a certain…read moreabusive teacher still works there, I find it imperative to share this. When I was in 5th grade at Redeemer I almost took my life because of a specific teacher who singled me out and bullied me along with the rest of my class. During this time I was struggling with school as my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 leukemia and was on the brink of passing. One day during prayer and our teachings my teacher told me that "people have cancer because they are sinners and have the devil in them". Being only 10 years old this broke me as my dad was so sick he couldn't even attend school events. A few months later, I was still struggling with grades and keeping up as things at home were getting worst. During this time I also found myself developing a crush on a girl in my class. After the school caught wind of a possible LGBTQ+ crush we were both treated terribly. They publicly scorned both of us and had me sit for DAYS behind the "stage area" in the dark alone, instead of going to class, and even threatened to hold me back a grade. The most traumatizing of it all is when she convinced my parents (who were not in a healthy state of mind due to what was happening with our family) to come in and cut all of my hair off as a punishment in front of my class and make me look like a boy...the kicker is, the teacher who punished me most, is very much so in the closet herself and I do feel a lot of the treatment I received was internalized homophobia of her own. After this experience I only dated men for a majority of my life even though it felt completely wrong. After years of therapy I finally felt safe to come out and I am now happily married to my WIFE. The only teacher who kept me from taking my own life was Mrs. Ridgeway, God bless her. She was the only teacher who stopped the constant bullying I received, the only teacher who saw more than my trauma in me and the only teacher who told my parents I would be okay. Sadly she passed away from cancer 2 years after I graduated. She was the most Godly and close to perfect human I have known to this date and she still died of cancer. I wonder if they believed that SHE had the devil in her... I truly hope not. I share all of this to say, there are lots of amazing and Christian based schools in LA that teach Christian love not Christian hate. I suggest trying one of those if you're not interested in therapy bills later.

Things started out well at this school about 3 years ago. My son (Carter) had a wonderful teacher…read more(Ms.Simmons). After she left seems the quality of teachers left behind for pre K and kindergarten and were no where near compared to her. The issues started in Kindergarten with Ms. Calvert. She did a lot of things that made absolutely no sense. She will report issues with no investigation and when further clarification is needed she can't provide any answers or simply say she wasn't there when whatever said incident occurred. After an abundance of issues I sat last week with the director (Ms. Henson) and my sons teacher (Ms. Calvert) in an attempt to iron things out. However now I see it was a total waste of time and breath. I came in to pick up my son today and was stopped by the director who began prompting my 6 year old son to "tell the truth about his day" she then proceeded to tell me my son bit another student. My son was adamant that he didn't bite her but admitted to fighting her because she was fighting him first (where are the staff/teachers when this was happening? Are the children even being supervised?) the director (Ms. Henson) then called the child in who claimed she was bit. The child proceeded to point to clearly some mosquito/bed bug bites that were healed and said that's where she was bit. The child also then said "the bumps aren't included, it was bleeding earlier." I then asked the child did she show the teacher when it was bleeding, she said no. For whatever reason they've always tried to classify my son as the "problem child" had plenty issues with a child being a child and seemed to try and change his upbeat personality by being very consistent with attempting to lower his self esteem. Perhaps instead of attempting to force children to admit something they didn't do. Look into the matter first. it would've been nice had the bite in question been looked at or a discussion been completed with both children before I came to pick him up. any person with common sense would've known the other child way lying. They didn't even conduct an assessment just took the word of a manipulative lying lil girl in conjunction with hating my child for whatever reason. I'm done with CCA and will spread the word on every platform I can and filing a complaint with the department of education.

My son has been here since January 2019. We love it. They also helped us with the potty training…read moreprocess. They also have an open door policy and I am very particular with who cares for my son. They are teaching him Spanish and he plays soccer. I love the curriculum and I appreciate the homework they give him daily.

We've had two nieces graduate from Vistamar and our daughter is currently a junior. We have been…read morethrilled with the experience that all three kids have had at the school. The school has an excellent academic program. The curriculum was carefully researched and designed based on best-of-breed programs from private high schools and universities across the country. Classes are rigorous and the faculty is knowledgeable and very focused on the learning environment. We've observed how our daughter has quickly become comfortable seeking out her teachers when she has questions, attending office hours, and becoming a strong self-advocate. Great skills to have for both college and life. One of the most amazing things about the school is the strong culture that Vistamar has created. While the pressure of academics is part of the experience, much of it is neutralized by the strong sense of community and support across both faculty and students. It's an environment that has been really beneficial to our daughter, because it's one that encourages kids to take risks and try new things. She's discovered areas of passion that she may never have found had she not been at Vistamar. Again, something that we want our kids to find at this age so that they can have it for the rest of their lives. The school also does an excellent job bringing students together from different backgrounds and points of view and, through the culture they've created, enable them to build relationships and work together. Group learning and group activities are a big part of the learning culture which help develop skills that will last a long time. The actual school building can be a bit surprising when you look at it from the outside. It's much more of the converted-warehouse-tech-company sort of look than the green-campus-boarding-school. But step inside and watch how the kids work and interact with the environment. It's designed in a way where students and faculty are constantly interacting and creates a comfortable environment where you will often see students lingering well into the evening.

I have two daughters, one who chose to attend Vistamar School. It was the best decision we made…read morefor her. (My other daughter attended a different high school that was the perfect fit for her.) Vistamar is a unique and special school. Its most important characteristic is their intentionality. They have carefully thought through each part of a high school and made intentional choices to build a different and excellent small high school that allows each child to bring their individuality to school every day. The intentionality comes up in both large (why they offer Spanish and Chinese in their language program and require students to pass an oral proficiency language exam in order to graduate) and small (the temperature in the building) ways. You will not find a more enthusiastic and dedicated faculty. Their math program is incredibly strong that is joyfully brought to life by amazing teachers. Their high-level Humanities curriculum requires engagement with great and challenging literature like The Odyssey. My daughter, who wants to be a doctor, has taken advantage of the robust science offerings. All of this is wrapped by two key principals: (a) small class sizes that allow the faculty to know your student and (b) the idea that "there are no spectators" in learning. Your students will be challenged and engaged. As for extracurricular activities, this small school has a number of great opportunities for students. On their sports program, you are not going to have Friday Night Lights football. But what I appreciate about their program is that students are encouraged to try new activities. They have a "no cut" policy when it comes to sports. Their program is built to inspire students to build good, long-term, healthy lifestyle habits and find opportunities to go outside their comfort zone, as well as make new friends. On college prep, the school has built a system that prepares students to be successful in college, while not making the students feel pressurized by the college application process. The school does not want to have students focus their entire high school time on getting into college. The counseling team works closely with each student to ensure that they get into the college that is the best fit for them. As someone who has worked in education for most of my career and as someone who has seen the joy in my daughter's eyes when she talks about her school, I cannot recommend this excellent and innovative high school strongly enough.