Our children have attended Stetson Academy since 2021, and we truly cannot say enough good things about this school. From day one, the teachers and staff have been supportive, communicative, and deeply invested in each child's success -- academically, socially, and emotionally. What really sets Stetson apart is the culture they've created. The school places a huge emphasis on empathy, kindness, inclusion, and confidence-building. They support students with varying abilities, and work hard to make sure every child feels seen and valued. My kids genuinely love going to school, which speaks volumes. We also love the parent communication and transparency. Their online portal is fantastic - we can log in anytime to see grades, test scores, behavior reports (both positive and negative), their academic goals, and exactly where they are performing relative to grade level. That kind of real-time insight is priceless as a parent. Stetson is also wonderful about keeping families connected to daily life on campus. They are very active on Facebook and frequently post photos and updates so parents can see the fun, creative, and hands-on learning happening in classrooms. The field trips are amazing, and the project-based, experiential approach really keeps students engaged and excited about learning. We're actually moving soon, and honestly, I don't know how my kids are going to adjust to another school after having such an exceptional experience here. Stetson has set the bar incredibly high for what we believe a great school should be. If you're considering Stetson Academy, I wholeheartedly recommend touring and talking with other parents. For our family, it has been nothing short of an outstanding community. read more

In my opinion, this establishment is just a glorified tutoring center. There seems to be concerning issues and signs of neglect: - Leaving young children behind on campus during a trip off-campus - ⁠Taking elementary children to visit potentially unsafe locations (e.g. nursing homes that seems to house convicted sex offenders for crimes against minors) - Aggressively pushing NDAs on parents for wanting to pull their kids, preventing them from sharing specific events and experiences - Asking for full-year tuition when parents express reasons for wanting to withdraw their children (e.g. kids are struggling to adjust or if parents simply have concerns that were not addressed) - Terminating families and kicking kids out of school abruptly without providing a reason, citing "termination for convenience" in retaliation, if parents express questions or concerns about the academic setting or safety. - Giving a peanut product to a kids with allergies/intolerances - Sending utterly unprofessional emails to parents belittling their former teachers and the families who left, seemingly in an attempt to justify their actions and convince families to stay. Making strange remarks about funding challenges in such emails and claiming "they don't have an associated church to help them like other schools". - Excluding children from "rewards" or "special activities" if they didn't contribute to fundraising or if they didn't contribute enough, by setting a "goal/price tag" to certain rewards, creating division and emotional stress among children all ages. - Punishing children by not allowing them play during recess when they think they are misbehaving or not performing enough academically. - Giving children a hard time if they need to use the bathroom during class. In my personal experience, there sure is an effort for marketing, like many photos of smiling children posted on social media. But I would advise everyone to pause for a moment before signing anything. These are based on my personal experiences and the experiences that I was informed of by other parents. My opinion is that everybody should have an education attorney review the the contracts/papers provided by this place before signing anything and conduct a thorough research on these issues and talk to other parents who pulled their children. read more

We have observed the school's culture become increasingly rigid and compliance-oriented over the past year. After the owner significantly reduced her involvement in the classroom, her husband -- who we understand does not have a formal teaching background -- assumed a much larger role in teaching and school operations. During this period, our child frequently returns home emotionally exhausted. The school's highly structured disciplinary approach often addresses age-appropriate childhood behaviors as formal discipline, which we believe negatively impacts our child's self-esteem and emotional wellbeing. Our child regularly expresses reluctance to attend school, including episodes of crying and pleading not to go. We were also disappointed that we were not able to communicate directly with our child's teacher; all correspondence was directed through the owner's husband. In hindsight, we wish we had given greater weight to the significant number of families and teachers who left the school. These are our family's own experiences and observations. Our family will not be returning next year. Prospective families should conduct thorough due diligence, including speaking with current and former parents, and we strongly recommend having a qualified attorney review the contract before signing. read more

Super scary to leave kids here. The dramatics in the office and the craziness of their contracts is not worth it. They come across as sue happy and threating when you want to remove your children. They seem punish the kids for small things and take away big things, which doesn't help to boost the morale of the children. read more

Stetson has been a great school for my child. He was falling behind in public school and really needed all areas of learning and a smaller setting. Stetson has provided a smaller environment and they also work in small groups as well. He is also experiencing a lot of hands on learning along with field trips that correlate with what they are learning. My son has strived and continues to strive. He loves it there and has made some great friends. read more

My kids have been going to Stetson since 2020. It was our saving grace! We couldn't be happier with the school, the teachers and the owners! The communication is like no other, I know my kids will be taken care of like they would be at home. My oldest was struggling horribly in public school when he got to Stetson he found his love for school again! His grades went up and he's above grade average for his age! I can't say enough good things about this school read more

This school has been so wonderful to my daughter. She is in kindergarten and absolutely loves going to school and loves her teachers. Every staff member knows her and is there to support her. They are so positive and caring and she's already grown so much in just a few months. So thankful for this school! read more

We could not be happier to have found Stetson Academy, and the fantastic teachers and staff. Our daughters cannot get out of the car fast enough, each and every school day, as the school doors open. Ms. Stetson has designed an incredible program, which makes learning engaging and unbelievably fun. From themed days, to field trips, to immersive playrooms - each are tied to a detailed lesson plan catered to each grade level. Our kids are learning subjects at a far deeper level than they have before, all of which I get to experience through their stories on our drives home. In addition to an immersive learning experience, Stetson Academy is unparalleled in engaging parents through data, newsletters, fundraisers and the aforementioned field trips. From a data perspective, I can access my daughters' graded assignments, progress in reading and math, and behavioral rewards received through the day (actual "school money" they can use at a student store each Friday!) all online. Lastly, but certainly not least, the small cohort structure utilized at Stetson Academy allows for students at the same levels of math, reading, etc to work together. If a particular child is advanced in a academic area, they move into the appropriate cohort - not to be held back from further advancement. Conversely, if a child needs additional time and/or support, they are not left behind as a class might traditionally move on. As a parent, I love that our girls can't wait to attend school each day. We are thrilled to have found this growing school, and look forward to continuing our educational journey with this awesome staff. read more

My 8 year old has been going to Stetson Academy for math & reading tutoring as well as arts for some extra fun since it opened and couldn't be more impressed ! We were worried he'd fall behind with the virtual learning and have been so happy with where he is now and the huge progress he's made. As well as learning he is also getting that social interaction that I believe the kids desperately need right now. Smaller class sizes,teachers who engage , and my son is actual enjoying to learn makes us know we made the right choice about enrolling him at Stetson . read more

Stetson Academy - Private Schools Near Me - Vacaville, California

See all

My daughter has been struggling a lot with reading and writing. Sarah has helped so much! Even though my daughter has voiced not wanting to do anything learning related, she always looks forward to meeting with Sarah. I would recommend her her to anyone! Great teacher :) read more

I would definitely recommend Stetson Academy! My daughter has been going for a few months doing Math tutoring (5th/6th grade). I can see she has become more confident in her daily classroom assignments. All of the staff have been so kind and welcoming! The facility is decorated so cute with such warm, happy colors! We have been so happy to find such a great place for her to strive! Would recommend 100%!!! read more

Would totally recommend! Miss Stetson is an amazing teacher. She knows how to connect with kids and get them to pay attention and learn! My daughter loves her! She was her previous teacher and is now her tutor. Her explanations and teaching style help my daughter understand way better (esp in that 5th grade math) than I can help her and for that we appreciate what Stetson Academy has done and is continuing to do for her. read more

My daughter was struggling in her 6th grade math. Her frustration was making things even worse. Stetson Academy identified the areas that needed additional work and focused on that. Her confidence quickly rose and she enjoyed math again. Not to mention she loved the environment at Stetson Academy and really looked forward to going. read more

My daughter goes to Stetson Academy for the Art sessions and she absolutely loves it! I originally signed her up thinking it would be good to get her out of the house for a few hours but after her first class she ran up to me with the biggest smile on her face! Ms. Stetson is not only so patient with all the kids, but she pushes them to go beyond their creativity and it's pretty amazing seeing what the kids come up with! read more

My family highly recommends Stetson Academy. Ms. Stetson is an excellent teacher. She is dedicated to her students. She really works with my son. She gives him the right amount of push to help him succeed and lets him know she believes in him. He has told me she makes learning fun and really helps him understand math better. His confidence has grown so much, especially with doing his math work. When Covid19 hit, on campus learning had to change to distance learning at home. Ms. Stetson continued to her dedication and support to her students and their parents. She made sure to keep me informed with weekly emails and updates on how my son was doing. She checked in often to see how my son was doing, with weekly zoom meetings. Now that school is out, we are so happy to continue with tutoring from Ms. Stetson. Even though it's summer vacation, he still looks forward to his tutoring sessions. I am confident that when the new school year starts, my son will be better prepared thanks to Ms. Stetson. I can never thank her enough, for the time she has invested into my sons learning. read more