After writing a 2 star review on this school based on my true and honest experience, I get a very…read moredisturbing phone call from their director Kapil M. He wanted me take down my review. He accused me of bullying his school with my Yelp Review. I am just telling the truth. Please look at my previous reviews where I gave them 4 star. I had all the excitement and hopes at this school and was shattered after realizing the lies that were fed to us. Right now I am enrolled at our school district. My intention for coming her and our attraction for attending this school is because my son loves science!!! After seeing how he replied on my review, it is a lie that they hired staff. They state that they hired staff...Nope staff was not hired and that's the reason why they couldn't give me an exact start date. When they sent their psychologist to my transitional IEP meeting, their representative flatly told my IEP team at my district that they will not be able to provide services at the level they are providing. My IEP is also recorded and was disclosed before the meeting started. All members in that meeting is 100% aware that they are being recorded. When a public charter school makes promises that they will fulfill services like a public school district, and at a recorded IEP meeting they say they will not??? It really questions the accountability and the process for kids with IEP. Sounds like they cherry pick, which special kids they will have enrolled. Or maybe we are sounding like a business.... Because Mr.Kapil told me take my review down because it is ruining his school reputation. Sir, it's a public school and this is my experience with the admission process... Yes, they have all the field trips to make their school look great and all the extra activities. How about accountability? Teacher experience? Ask the how they deal or prevent with bullying? You will notice they tend to dodge the question. When I asked about the teachers, I am told that they had alot of applicants that applied so therefore they have teachers that want to teach and they highlight that they get county retirement and benefits. But they don't tell you the experiences of their teachers. They look really young, which is fun and great but I think having experienced teachers at a school is also very important. Bullying question... They answer by telling us they hired private investigators and no bullying was done. So how about the prevention? If you go to other review sites, you will see accusations of bullying in this school. Overall the idea presented at this school is amazing! STEM based. Lots of activities. Large member of the PTA, which alot of them are their own employees. ;) Alot of attraction to come to this school and that is why we applied. Go to your local school district. Ask the question of STEM and activities before jumping to come here. There are many charter schools to choose from here in South OC such as Journey, Community Roots, Oxford. How are they run? How are they accounted for financially? Money laundering is very common for people who run charter schools. Do your homework? See what best fits your family. Unfortunately this school wasn't a good fit. And sadly we had promises that were made but on the record during the transitional IEP meeting with the school district, it was very clear, they will not provide the services....

I absolutely love this school, I love the fact that they are treat you like a family. They care so…read moremuch. We've been here since third grade , both of my kids are having a good experience, Kapil the founder care so much he just added a program from tillys organization helping kids communicate and learn how to handle stress I was so impressed and I really appreciate it so much .

My daughter has been going to this school for six years now and we love it! Wonderful teachers…read more(especially her group of sixth-grade middle school teachers this year!) and the project-based learning model is perfect for her. Highly recommend.

Community Roots Academy has a been an amazing experience for my children. From the magical…read morekindergarten classes to the middle school community, every year has been great! The admin is really involved and you see them around campus with the students daily! Middle school offers sports and orchestra which both my kids have thoroughly enjoyed!

Just another money grabbing racket, borderline devoid of any ethical thought process, that values…read moretheir own bottom line over that of regular families. Unfortunately, this seems to be the norm in 2023. I will never give this school a single dollar of my money, or support it in any single way as a result. They get taxes to fund them, but over zealous planners just see opportunity to get their hands on hard cash and are too greedy to consider the needs and effects this has on families. Attended the "Boo Blast" and the most shocking thing about this is that fact that it's $10 per activity, at least for the better ones, so that's $20 if you have 2 kids, or $30 if you have 3. And what might you get for these VERY overinflated prizes you might wonder? 3-4 mins on a climbing wall. Or 3 mins walking school rooms set up like a ghost house. What makes it completely obnoxious is the fact that young children often want their parents to walk through with them, and that ladies and gentlemen, costs another $20 on top. Forget protesting this, they genuinely couldn't care less. Within 1 hour at this awful event wrapped up in fake smiles, but with green dollar signs in their eyes, a family of 4 might have to spend $200 just to do a couple of activities that all last approximately 3 minutes. That's after you have lined up for 30 minutes to wait for the activity in the first place. They even have the audacity to ask parents to volunteer their free time to support this so that they can maximize profits. The real kick in the teeth is that when raising this to a member of staff, who turned out to be the treasurer, she then asked "Are you one of the low income families here at the school?", which I'm not. And even if I was, it's not the point. The point is that their pricing is totally unreasonable, and unjustified. To not realize that is to be totally devoid of reality altogether. However I can get involved in making changes to this, I will. Yes some parents can afford to waste the same amount of money as it costs to go to Disneyland on some fair games, but again, that's not the norm for everyone. I just had to leave my kids with my ex wife, on my weekend with the kids, as I could not stand to be around this endless money pit. Totally disgusted. I raised this with Mr Pedraza, the School Principle, that was stood marshaling traffic on the front gate. I might as well have been speaking to a block of concrete, as all I got was a blank stare and some vague repeating of some of the words I had just said. He honestly couldn't have cared less, or made it more obvious that he didn't care and just wanted me to slide away so he could watch the money rolling in. He already got his fill, he got slime tipped over him on the Thursday prior. Not for any particular reason, but because he wanted to. That's where the tax money goes huh?

The requirement for public schools to maintain neutrality regarding religion is a cornerstone of…read morefostering an inclusive educational environment. As stipulated by the California Department of Education, while educational discussions about religion are permissible, schools must not promote or endorse any particular religious beliefs or practices. This principle aims to respect the diverse religious backgrounds of all students. It is concerning when a school mandates that students sing religious songs. Such actions are far from representative of the diverse beliefs within the student population. Even with policies in place, students often have limited impact on curricular decisions. Compelling evidence suggests that "mandating participation in religious activities can make students feel uncomfortable or excluded, while inadvertently promoting a particular belief system over others." These practices provide substantial support for concerns about biased inclusivity but not for theories of equitable educational democracy. In times when global events highlight the sensitive nature of religious differences--where conflicts adversely affect people, including women and children, due to religious tensions--schools should be especially mindful of their role. Other studies have demonstrated that forcing participation in religious content can marginalize students of different faiths or secular backgrounds, their comfort and opinions overlooked by decision-makers. It is crucial for educational institutions to create a safe space where all students can learn without feeling pressured or marginalized because of religious content in mandatory activities.

Like many parents, I read the reviews before enrolling my son at St. Anne's, and I'll admit, I was…read morehesitant. Some of the concerns raised gave me pause. But as we near the end of our third year (currently finishing 4th grade), I feel compelled to share our experience because I'm genuinely glad we chose this school. No school is perfect, and yes, we've had our challenges here and there. But overall, St. Anne's does an outstanding job across many levels. My son is not only thriving academically, he's also genuinely happy. The school strikes a wonderful balance between being firm and structured, while maintaining a warm, positive environment where kids are encouraged and challenged to grow. One of the highlights for us has been the next-level extracurricular offerings and the way St. Anne's integrates experiential learning in every grade level. These hands-on experiences really resonate with the kids and make learning more fun and meaningful. Our first year was a bit rocky, while St. Anne's is a private school and doesn't follow public school IEP protocols, the principal at the time (Mrs. Bournazian) went above and beyond to work with his teacher and me to put support systems in place to help him suceed. When she became Head of School, I was a little nervous that our dynamic might shift, but the transition has been seamless and honestly, the school has continued to flourish under her leadership. We still feel incredibly supported by both the administration and teachers. Speaking of teachers, we've been very fortunate. Each year, my son has had passionate, caring educators who are truly invested in their students' growth. I've heard some concerns among parents about staff turnover, but having experienced two other schools (one public and another well-known private school in OC), I can say this is fairly typical. Teachers move on for all kinds of reasons, what matters more is the consistency of care, and we've always felt that here. With the exception of one long term sub that was not ideal, we've had outstanding teachers from 2nd to 4th grade. The music program is beyond impressive, Mr. Yaple works wonderfully with kids of all ages. Same for the arts program, the school puts on a more professional production than some theater houses in LA. This is a school that provides the opportunity for all kinds of kids to thrive. Socially, like many schools, St. Anne's can feel a bit cliquey at times, but we've also met some truly amazing families, and my son has built wonderful friendships. All in all, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend St. Anne's. I'm grateful we ignored the negative reviews and gave it a chance.

As a parent, I am extremely disappointed with our experience at St. Anne. I expected a school that…read morewould provide a supportive and positive environment for students, but instead I found poor communication, inconsistent treatment of students, and a lack of accountability when concerns were brought to the administration. Rather than working with families to resolve issues, it often felt like our concerns were dismissed. The school seems more focused on protecting its reputation than addressing real problems that affect students. Rules are not enforced fairly, and favoritism appears to play a role in how situations are handled. For the tuition families pay, I expected much better leadership, transparency, and care for students' well-being. I would not recommend this school to other parents unless meaningful changes are made. Every child deserves to feel supported, respected, and treated fairly, and unfortunately that was not our experience.

We started this year in TK, so we have been in this school for about 6 months now. I have to say,…read morewe love it. Now let me just start by saying, this school is different and I truly feel lucky that we got in. Also, I have to say this school might not be attractive to every parent ok.... Please take the intake seriously, because you could be taking a lottery spot for someone who truly wants to be in a Waldorf school. How would I describe our experience so far ? If you or your kid loves the outdoors (sun, rain, moon, stars, ocean) things that grow and live in gardens, nature walks, learning how to care for Mother Earth, etc. then this is your dream school. If you or your child enjoy playtime in mud, dirt, don't lose your mind over stains, love rain boots, umbrellas, etc. then this is your dream school. If you or your child enjoy all things magical/wholesome make-believe, like fairy tears, knights, puppets etc. then this is your dream school. Ok I think you get the point :). Reminder , this is a review of my experience in the kindergarten program... where my child learned how to write her name, craft, knit, cut vegetables, set the table, do chores, sing songs, explore, pick up worms, and much more. I like and admire our teacher and her aid. They are extremely experienced and are really good with the kids. I don't need to be the teachers best friend, I just need to hear from my child that she loves her and is excellent with the kids, that's all that matters to me, and she is! The school is small, which I love, it feels old fashioned in all the good ways... like in ways that will remind you of your childhood school days. It is truly a Waldorf school, so make sure you research that and know what you are signing up for. I love it for our family, I personally couldn't imagine my child anywhere else. It's a little gem and I'm so glad it exists. Also, there are things they ask for like, no Disney/characters on clothes, no fancy nails, hair color, makeup, stuff that could be competitive/distracting and I'm sooooo grateful for that. They really want them to have this beautiful slow childhood. There are also so many resources for the parents! So if this all sounds lovely to you and your family - Best wishes and good luck on lottery day!!

Journey School has changed our family's life. Our daughter was feeling shut down and crushed by her…read moreprevious first grade experience. The warmth and style of learning provided at Journey has given her back her joy. She's heading into second grade now, and says she someday wants to be a teacher at Journey herself. Our son likes to compare his kindergarten experience to his preschool experience and says the old school was the "mean" school. The love between the students and teachers is evident. It truly feels like a community. I also appreciate the staff and administration that are open to new ideas and continual improvement. I too have learned so many positive things as a parent at this school. I wish all kids could have the opportunity to learn in an environment like Journey.

We've been part of the John Malcom community for the last 11 years. It's such an amazing school…read more The teachers are just phenomenal. They truly set a high bar for expectations moving forward. We are blessed to have such talent in our area. I know not everyone is as fortunate to have such amazing teachers that are able to provide our kids with such an great education. They did this pre pandemic. During the pandemic and post. Going above and beyond expectation. Not just the teachers but the amazing staff as well. The families here are so kind. We have made some great friends and our kids have enjoyed going to the school. Their volunteers are also amazing and we appreciate that our kids have grown up learning respect, love, kindness and generosity. Their garden is such a wonderful thing to have and we will enjoy the last few years here. Go Mariners!!!

Great great school ... very organized and focused on students... great job Team Malcomread more

St. Mary's has been such a special part of our family's life. Our daughter has been there since she…read morewas two and a half, and now seeing her grow into a confident middle schooler heading into 8th grade feels so meaningful. So much of her childhood has been shaped by this school, and as a parent, that is something I will always be grateful for. When she was little, the most important thing to us was knowing that she was somewhere safe, loving, and truly cared for every day. St. Mary's gave us that peace of mind from the very beginning. It was such a comforting feeling to drop her off and know she was in an environment that felt warm, secure, and nurturing. That feeling has stayed with us all these years. What makes St. Mary's so special is that it really feels like a family. The teachers and staff care deeply about the students, and the school does such a beautiful job making families feel welcomed and connected. The families and community are also wonderful. Everyone is so friendly and supportive of one another, and we have made such special friendships here over the years. There is a true sense of belonging at St. Mary's, and it is one of those things you feel right away when you are on campus. One of the things I have loved most is watching how much St. Mary's has helped our daughter grow in confidence, curiosity, and independence. The school gives students so many opportunities to speak in front of others, present, perform, and participate in ways that really help bring them out of their shell. My daughter has especially loved being part of the school plays, and it has been so sweet to see how much those experiences have helped her grow. I also really appreciate the IB approach because it keeps learning interesting and connected. The way subjects are tied together helps students stay engaged and curious, instead of everything feeling separate. It has helped make learning feel more meaningful and exciting. St. Mary's also continues to grow and improve, from the beautiful new building to the thoughtful updates they keep making throughout the campus. But what makes the school truly special is the feeling you get when you are there. It is safe, warm, welcoming, and full of heart. It is the kind of place where children are encouraged to grow, families feel connected, and students leave with confidence, curiosity, and a strong sense of belonging. We are so grateful for the years our daughter has spent at St. Mary's and for the beautiful foundation this school has helped give her.

Unclean sometimes and the academic isn't strong but it is a nice school with good teachersread more