Our family has been at Carden Conejo for the last 5 years with our two kids having attended grades…read morepreschool through 4th grade so far. It is academically rigorous in all subjects, being one of the best in our area. Our specialists are also excellent: our kids have been able to do PE almost daily, the specialist classes (art, science, music, French, computers) all at least once or twice a week. Starting in kindergarten, the kids move with their classmates from their homeroom to the different dedicated specialist classes multiple times a day, which I think is a very mature thing to be able to do in kindergarten. They do public speaking at their weekly school assemblies multiple times a month, which I think is very special about this school. Best of all, they emphasize manners and morals which encourage human virtues, but also things like looking an adult in the eyes when saying good morning or when being spoken to, and holding the door open for an adult so that he/she can pass through first. Things that I feel our kids in the recent digital world do not really learn anymore, but will help them be successful in their workplaces (and families) in the future. Compared to other private schools in the area, tuition is more affordable, and yet the teachers offer academic support after school for kids to need it for free (although I think they should be paid extra for it). Although academically rigorous, our kids also have so much fun at school. Holidays are so fun. They have a huge fall festival at Halloween with carnival games, food trucks, trunk or treat. They also have a big festive winter holiday show, egg hunts for Easter, class parties, and a big family picnic on campus at the end of the year. They have tons of after school enrichment classes and Funtastic Friday nights where the kids can come and play in the evenings while parents get a night out. Summer camps are also very thoughtful and engaging. A favorite week is themed after the book Roxaboxen where they create their own shops and barter goods with "gems" as currency. We have loved every teacher we have had through the years. Everyone knows your child's name and each teacher invests in their students. One of my children had a little embarrassing accident at school and her 1st grade teacher handled it with such respect and tact - she treated her like she would want her own daughter treated. I think it would be hard to find a school with teachers and staff who are this invested in their students.

I have two children who have attended Carden since preschool, and our family has had an exceptional…read moreexperience. The academic program is outstanding, but what I appreciate most is the school's emphasis on character, manners, and strong moral values. It has provided my kids with a well-rounded education. I love that students practice public speaking every Friday, learn cursive, and participate in community service. The school does a wonderful job of honoring time-tested traditions while also embracing science and technology. We couldn't be happier with our decision to send our children to Carden and look forward to sending them to the middle school.

Best school ever! There are lots of fun events and you learn a lot. The teachers are some of the…read morebest and the principal is very good.

I like this school because It is very clean.It is also perfect for baseball fans because there are…read moreTHREE baseball fields. The only problem is that the school is HUGE with a lot of people, but its still a good school. There is even a basketball team!

With two kids who have gone to this school, we have been blessed with getting the best of the best…read moreteachers. Although bound by CVUSD 'standardized' teachers, all of the lessons go WAY beyond what is mandatory. The teachers take personal pride in what they do and because if it, they have been named a california distinguished school (http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/sd/details.asp?cds=56737596055867&Public=Y) From my experience, the two standout teachers, are Hutchison and Ajzmundt who really push 'learning and master' rather than 'what you need to pass a test' and have a keen focus on a childs emotional development as well as intellectual. Great job Banyan! Keep it up!

Amazing School with equally amazing teachers. This person above who gave it 1 star seems to be not…read morein their right mind. My son who is 10 now has been in this elementary since Kindergarten and I have had nothing but excellent experience. Oak Park Schools are best in the nation. Don't go by previous reviewers rating as they are always some people who will bitch & moan about everything

We moved into oak park in 2017 and my daughter attended red oak elementary from 2-3rd grade. The…read moreend of 2017 our landlord decided to move back into her condo in oak park. I was approved the end of 2017 for the inter district transfer so my daughter could continue at Red oak elementary. For 3rd grade my daughter was given Ms Bird as her teacher. Ms bird complained about the problems she had with my daughter in class frequently and it always seemed to be negative and not positive. She recommended my daughter be evaluated for the IEP Program. We had a huge meeting with the special education committee , principal , counselor and her teacher Ms Bird. We all agreed to put her in the IEP program to assist with her learning. One of the topics that came up during that meeting was that my daughter had a hard time transitioning into a new school because we moved from Santa Clarita originally. For the 2018 school year I had to reapply for the inter-district transfer since we had to move to Thousand Oaks. OPUSD denied my daughters transfer into Red oak. My daughter was devastated. We were all sad because she loved red oak and made friends there. They told me there program was impacted. They didn't try to even accommodate my daughter even after putting us through the IEP process. To me I feel like they didn't want to take her back because of the trouble she may of had with Ms Bird or because she became an IEP student they didn't want that at there school? I filed for a appeal and the most OPUSD offered us was for her to go to the school across the street in Oak Park. Why would I put my daughter in a new school with OPUSD when I can just put her in a new school completely in Thousand Oaks. The whole point was to keep her at red oak and they didn't seem to care about my daughters needs, and feelings. I wouldn't recommend this school after what they did to my daughter.

My husband and I are so grateful for this School. We were not happy with last pre school but here…read more, you can feel the love , feel the patience and love the teachers have for the little ones . My son is 3 but not potty trained so I was worried about what they were going to tell me , I don't want to pressure him . Miss Medrano is the coolest, most amazing woman . " he will when he is ready " she said as she gave my son aka heart a hug after meeting him once . At pick up he never wants to leave . Thank you Hillcrest School, MIss Medrano , Miss Guy , Principal Mrs Berg

As a parent, I enrolled my child in this Christian school with the hope of finding a true…read morepartnership--one that would nurture both spiritual and academic development. Sadly, that hope has turned into deep disappointment and frustration. From the beginning, the administration frequently spoke about "partnering with families" and "supporting every child," but our experience revealed these to be nothing more than well-rehearsed talking points. When real concerns arise--particularly when it comes to your child's individual needs--you quickly find that your voice as a parent is dismissed. The Head of School and Principal may smile and nod, but in practice, they act as though they know your child better than you do and are unwilling to make any meaningful changes that could actually help. There is also a serious lack of consistency at this school. Teacher turnover is high, and it's hard for students to build any real stability with constantly changing staff. In fact, most families tend to leave after preschool or first grade, and that speaks volumes about the experience many have here. Rather than address these retention issues, the school seems more focused on maintaining strong ties with families who are heavy donors--families who often seem to get preferential treatment and can pay their way into getting what they want. To make matters worse, the school appears more concerned with building a new gym than fixing the areas that truly need attention. Classrooms, curriculum, and student resources are outdated or lacking, yet fundraising efforts are aggressively geared toward facilities and image. It's hard to watch tuition dollars and donations go toward expansion projects while core needs are neglected. What made this situation even more infuriating was the transition to a new school. Once we left, we realized just how far behind our child was academically. After being assured for years that this school offered a higher standard of education, we were devastated to find out that was far from the truth. It felt like everything we had invested--financially and emotionally--was for nothing. Many and I mean many families when leaving Hillcrest will home school or go to another school and the first thing they say is I should've done it sooner!! This school promotes a beautiful mission on paper, but in practice, it falls far short. Unless you're part of the "inner circle" or a major donor, true partnership and support are unlikely.

Our family lost our home in the Palisades fire earlier this year. It was devastating in every…read moreway--our daughter lost not just her home, but her beloved school and community, the only life she had ever known. Starting over mid-year was something we dreaded, especially with our fourth grader, who was heartbroken and understandably a tough sell on any new school. But just a few days ago, as we drove to Oaks Christian, she turned to me and said, "Nothing has gone right this year... except for Oaks. I'm so excited to wake up and go to school every day." This wasn't because it was just "fun" or "new." She didn't want to like Oaks. She wanted to go home. And yet, nearly three months later, she is still just as excited every day to be there. I remember calling Oaks Christian, fully expecting them to say there was no space. I knew how in-demand the school is, and I thought we'd be gently turned away. But instead, they treated our situation with incredible grace and compassion. They didn't just squeeze us in--they took the time to really get to know us, even in the middle of their busiest admissions season. They created space for our daughter in every sense of the word. They managed to condense an in-depth admissions process--testing, touring, interviewing both her and us--into a single day. I know that was no small ask, and I'll never forget how lovingly and efficiently they made it happen. Katina, our admissions officer, is everything you could want in a human being--warm, grounded, centered in faith, and truly kind. Since enrolling, the school has only continued to exceed every expectation. The systems in place are exceptional, the administration is thoughtful and organized, and the teachers? Just unreal. We often find ourselves asking, "Is this school even real life?" I recently joined our daughter and her classmates on a two-day trip to Sacramento. It rained, hailed, and was absolutely freezing--everything that could go wrong, did. And yet, it was the perfect snapshot of Oaks. Brant Childers, head of the Lower School, along with the teachers and assistants, were right there with us, every step of the way. They are real humans--transparent, kind, joyful, and deeply devoted to their students. They are the kind of people you dream of raising your children alongside. The other parents blew me away too--funny, smart, down-to-earth. I immediately understood why our daughter loves her classmates so much. The warmth and kindness that radiate from this community is something special. Academically, the school is rigorous and moves quickly, but because the teaching is so strong, the students are thriving. You can feel the love in the classroom. You can feel the joy. We had considered moving to Orange County after the fire, but once our daughter got into Oaks, we knew: Westlake Village would be our new home. It was that simple. The school was enough to make that decision. We're so grateful for the years ahead here--for all three of our daughters. Oaks has been a very bright spot in an otherwise incredibly difficult year. We are endlessly thankful.

The cafeteria staff steals from the kitchen. Taking home gallons of milk, drinks, food and snacks…read more Even household cleaning supplies. Lysol, bleach wipes etc. the school does nothing about it. Kitchen staff just sits there as well on their phones stealing company time. Would not recommend this school. The manager on site flirts with his own employees and giving extra unnecessary hours to his favorite employees. Too much favortism going on.

Pretty good school, have no issues regarding it. The teachers and stuff were all pretty good.read more

Closes cafeteria when its freezing and raining. They have no care in the world for the kids well…read morebeing.

Very large and clean campus, staff were very friendly and welcoming and the students were friendlyread more

This is a review of their sport facilities. If you are new to the area or visiting from out of…read moretown, this place gets kind of wonky. Everything is spread out and confusing to access. Fields are all the way to the rear of the property. Lack of signage makes it confusing. It would be helpful if the respective event had guides or spotters to assist you in getting to the appropriate parking area. Also, if you are traveling with a handicap person, it is difficult to locate the ADA parking. Ask questions and do your homework before coming out here. Limited shade, so bring a hat, sunscreen or an umbrella.