I graduated from FSHA in 2007, and would wholeheartedly recommend the school…read more The academics are top-notch all around with a wide variety of AP classes, small class sizes, and excellent teachers. I went on to study engineering and was fully prepared for both the rigorous science and math, as well as my humanities general education. The small size and school events such as retreats and assemblies forge strong bonds between the students. This sense of community and belonging particularly sets apart the student experience at FSHA.

Don't trust everything you read on Yelp. It makes sense that a student could only handle FSHA for a…read moreyear might have some lukewarm things to say about being a TOLOG. I went there for four years, after attending an overpriced non-religious private K-12 institution for 8 years. Let me just say that FSHA is full of extremely caring administrators, staff, faculty, and students. Yeah, I had a handful of teachers that I don't think were all that great. But those are made up and more by other, stand-out educators. (Mrs. Reed and Mr. Bernstein, just to pick one department [English] are game-changers the quality of whom you will not find elsewhere). You'd expect a cloistered, all-girls community to be catty, prissy, even unpleasant. But it was a lot of fun, and I made friends with most of the people in my class. I'm happy that I know 98% of the girls I met there. Maybe other schools have major drama, and maybe on average single-sex schools have more drama than coed schools, but FSHA is different. I had four great years there, on basis of great company alone. So, yes, I have mentioned (1) high teaching quality, (2) the nice people that go there, but what of the opportunities it presents? Well, how about its excellent, well-funded, successful sports teams, led by fun, challenging coaches? How about its beloved performing and visual arts programs (which do need more funding) that inspire and support young artists who go on to pursue their crafts in college? What about the literary opportunities, the science and math clubs, the service groups? That's 3. Lastly, beyond FSHA: You will learn to love the red dress uniform. You will meet great guys who go to the local boys' schools (Damien, Loyola, St. Francis, just to name a few). You will keep your friends after graduation. You will go to college. What kind of college? Well, FSHA isn't full of freak geniuses, true. But that doesn't stop TOLOGS from going to Ivies every year. Girls who want to go to MIT can go there. Girls get excellent scholarships, if they take full advantage of the opportunities available on the Hill. And if they don't, or if they're not that academic, they still go to some pretty good schools. Check the website. I wouldn't judge the school by its demographics. Most of the students can afford to go there full-price, yes, but a lot of them are on scholarship, so there is a good amount of diversity with regard to income. One thing is indeed homogeneous: TOLOGS are nice, and don't be so skeptical. Ask anyone who actually gave it a shot.

St Francis is an all-boys college preparatory high school in La Canada Flintridge…read more Beautiful school w breathtaking views! St Francis hosted the 2024 Round 3 CIFSS D6 playoff game last night. The school is situated on a hill off Foothill Blvd and has its own parking structure. The architectural design of the school itself along w the football field was gorgeous and well thought out... we were in awe!! They have an award-winning snack bar in the western region, according to a popular magazine (they announced). Staff running the event are helpful and well coordinated which made for a very smooth, organized event.

Nice sports field and spectator stands. We were there for a flag football play off game for our…read moreelementary school.

We moved to La Cañada when my son was still in elementary school, and everyone always talked about…read morePrep like it was the dream school. Now that we are here, I can say it is a very good school, but it is not perfect. The teachers are very knowledgeable and most of them really care about helping students. My son has found a few teachers he really connects with, which makes a big difference. The campus is clean and safe, and the students are serious about school but not boring. They also have a lot of activities like sports, theater, and clubs, which I like because it keeps the kids balanced. At the same time, I feel like Prep expects the students to manage everything by themselves. If your child is already very outgoing and knows what they want, it is a great place. But if your child is quieter, or needs more help finding their way, it can feel overwhelming. Sometimes I wish the school checked in more instead of just assuming the kids will ask for help if they need it. Also, socially it is a little tricky. Most students are friendly on the surface, but real friendships are hard to build if you are not already part of a group. It can be lonely sometimes, especially for new students. Overall, I am still very happy my son is at Prep, but it took longer to feel comfortable than I expected. You really have to be your child's advocate and make sure they speak up and find their place.

Both of my children attended and graduated from this school. My children attended here for 5 and 6…read moreyears. We chose the school because of the small class size and great teachers. We stayed because of the great teaching and great friends my children made here. I would strongly recommend this school to anyone who has a really smart child who lives to learn for fun.

I think there should be more bullying. The people here are too passive aggressive with their…read morebullying and I think they should be more upfront. It isn't very accommodating of my autism when people don't mean what they say.

Told you I'd leave a yelp review. Shout out to Sean Mispagel, Sarah Beattie, Kim Crosby, Karl…read moreGeckle, Lucy Pelletier, and Justin Valassidis; y'all are the best teachers on campus!! Also, shout out to Ted Armstrong, Byron the security guard, and my coach, Chuck Gunter! I'm gonna miss y'all!! Can't forget my girls on the softball team, I love you guys! Gotta downgrade it to three stars though because the cafeteria food was not good and the vending machines were so expensive.

An amazing school filled with the best teachers around. The school does have a new name Mary W…read moreJackson STEAM multilingual elementary school. The playground is gorgeous.

My daughter just started Kindergarten here. She's speaking Spanish! Her teacher rocks! She has pull…read moreout science lab on Wednesdays! Computer lab on Wednesdays! Gardening class! New elaborate play equipment is getting put in from a grant they just got! Exciting stuff going on over there, thrilled to be a part of it. I'm a teacher myself, have been teaching for 8 years around Pasadena, in public and private schools, and Jackson is a GREAT contender. Parents in Pasadena should invest in our public schools. They only get stronger when strong parents and students join the community and commit to making it a great place by investing their time, opinions, money and resources. The private schools around Pasadena make a strong economic line in our city that can often breed inequalities. Ponder it. Jackson is great.

Oh boy! First of all they charge 5.00 for parking, charter Oak doesn't charge for parking and…read morecharter Oak high has plenty parking for all guest...here there isn't sufficient parking , and neighborhood doesn't seem the safest to park outside ... so be here early if you want good parking ...

This school is not the best school to go to. The staff lies to their students, they could handle…read moretheir situations better but instead rely on lies and calling the cops for any inconvenience or misunderstanding. The teachers have favorite students and if your child is a little problematic or gets in trouble for small things this school is not the school is not for your child.

My children all have different personalities and needs, but they are all thriving at Aveson. We…read morelost our beautiful campus in the Eaton Fire, but we're settling in at our temporary home, co-located with Alma Fuerte Charter on the former site of Cleveland Elementary. Despite it all, our kids still love Aveson, and we're still here because the community is wonderful and we share the values of the school. Aveson focuses on social-emotional learning, project-based curriculum, and personalized mastery. In practice, what that means is things like: -- Classes that begin with a short mindfulness exercise to help kids transition into a new task. -- Time spent teaching even little ones about how the brain works, and how to process big feelings. -- An emphasis on kindness and mutual respect, in how teachers interact with students, and how students interact with each other. -- A "safe spot" (cozy corner) in each room, for kids to go to if they're having a tough time or just need a quiet moment. -- Projects that are very open-ended, that all kids can get something out of regardless where they are in their growth. All grades do a lot of writing (and/or drawing, for the little ones) and learn about editing and proofreading--always useful, regardless of your level. Grades 3-5 do Passion Projects, where kids learn about the many steps in researching a project and present on it at Celebration of Learning, the twice-a-year open house. It's really cool to see the growth from year to year as the kids better understand how to research, find cooler and cooler topics, etc. They build a lot of skills while doing something they care about. -- Small groups in the core curriculum classes (Literacy and Math), so kids can work at their level while the teacher and an aide float between groups. In a math class, it's typical to have groups working at multiple levels, ranging from extra support to working ahead. In grades 1-2, the teachers have organized reading groups that each have a dedicated aide or teacher. -- A Healthy Living class, where the wonderful and warm Ms. Arlynn teaches garden and cooking. My children will try foods in her class that they'd run away from at home. And there's nothing as beautiful as starting a school morning at a garden. -- At 2nd grade, a camping trip to celebrate moving from the younger division (TK-2) to the older division (3-5). On our old campus, the campout would be on campus, which was a thrill for the kids. This year, post-fire, a parent organized a fabulous trip to Trask Canyon instead. At 5th grade, students celebrate the end of their time at school with a trip to Catalina that was their first sleep-away trip. The kids have an incredible time and come back with a new swagger. The time since the fire has been so hard, in so many ways. A lot of families in our community lost their homes or have been displaced long-term from standing homes. Some of our families have had to leave the school because of where they've had to move, or because they needed their children back in school faster than the school was able to pivot to a new location. The school is in transition as it recovers, and I suspect it will be for years to come as we figure out where we'll be long-term. But the spirit of what makes Aveson great is still here: the classroom experience. The amazing Ms. Weinstock, in 5th grade, helped her students process the fire by creating a unit on first-person historical narratives, reading accounts of Pearl Harbor and the Holocaust, and encouraging students to write their own accounts of the fire. They wrote poetry--odes to things they lost. As a class, they kept learning while also processing and grieving together. Things like that were happening in every grade. We have phenomenal advisors and caring staff, and that means so much. If you're reading this, you're probably looking for a school, and I do agree with the negative reviews that, if you're socially conservative, you might not agree with Aveson's curriculum and culture. It's a welcoming space for a diverse community, and teaches a curriculum with anti-racism and affirmation/acknowledgment of LGBTQ+ people as some of its values. My children did have questions, and sometimes misunderstood things, but talking things out at home has always been really fun and interesting, and also something I've learned from a lot. I don't think that's age-inappropriate, however; kids are capable of learning complex things if you're willing to talk and keep talking as they grow. For me, the fact that they teach these values is something that I was hugely excited about when I learned about it, and it's a piece of why I love the community. Despite everything it's been through, it's still such a beautiful school.

Heartbroken over the loss of our beloved school and eagerly await its revival in a new form.read more

Dear Committee Members and Treasurer,…read more I hope this message reaches the owner of the school as well, as it addresses an important concern regarding the treatment of community vendors by representatives of the committee, Ani and Angie. In March, I was approached by Ani about providing floral arrangements for a Mother's Day lunch at Castaways. After a consultation to discuss details and budget, I provided a proposal, including a sample centerpiece, which the committee and parents enjoyed. We were thrilled to be selected for the event on May 3 and accepted a $1,000 deposit, as outlined in our invoice. Our proposal clearly states that deposits are nonrefundable and nontransferable, with the remaining balance due 15 days before the event. However, as the date approached, my assistant and I made several attempts to finalize details and settle the remaining balance. Ani informed us that we would need to coordinate payment through Angie. Unfortunately, our attempts to communicate with Angie were met with resistance. She questioned our request for payment ahead of the event, despite our clear policy requiring full payment prior to ordering flowers. After negotiations, Angie decided to reduce the order value from $3,800 to $2,700, leaving a balance of $1,700. We continued to reach out for the final payment, but communication was inconsistent and often unproductive. On April 17, I informed Angie that without payment, we could not proceed with the floral arrangements. After weeks of silence, I received a last-minute text from her on May 1, confirming the centerpieces, which left me frustrated. I reached out to Ani for clarification, but was met with vague responses, including claims of a check being mailed, which we never received. Ultimately, on the morning of May 2, I was informed that they were canceling their event due to our inability to order flowers--an outcome that was entirely outside our control given the lack of payment and communication from their side. This situation reflects a troubling disregard for the policies that protect our business and the community relationships we strive to maintain. I urge all vendors to be cautious when engaging with this committee. The management of this event has not only wasted our time but has also impacted our business financially. It is disheartening to see representatives of the school behave in this manner, ultimately tarnishing its reputation. I have been in business for 20 years and have worked with numerous schools, but I have never encountered such disrespect and lack of professionalism. I hope this message prompts a reconsideration of how community vendors are treated and the individuals representing the school. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please understand that as much as your concern is to remove our review, my complaint. I will rewrite and repost my review. instead of getting my complaint and feedback deleted your concern should be addressed and apologize for the inconvenience and behavior you have caused toward our company.

It was my daughter's 3rd year coming back for summer and it was my son's first... THEY LOVED IT!…read moreThe teacher's approach is engaging and the kids retain everything they're taught. It is clear that the teachers love what they do and the enthusiasm spreads to the kids. Highly recommend!

Education system can be better. Especially towards the Latinx community -- they lack college…read moreresources for minorities.

Terrible place very dirty with ants everywhere and most teachers are not good at doing their jobread more