Our experience at the Gooden School was very different at the beginning of our six years than it was at the end. When we began Gooden it was the loving, caring respectful place it professes to be, sadly after a few years there was a change in leadership and the school changed dramatically. It seems
... Read more to have lost sight of its original mission. Things were fine until we raised some serious concerns over several issues. Rather than address the concerns we were seen as the trouble makers. The administration, principal and school board were unwilling to address our our concerns in a satisfactory and We left the school for the safety of our children. It is very hard to get in contact or have a meeting with the head of school. and nearly impossible to find out who is on the board or contact them. One expects more for the money. Read less
Posted by a parent on 11/14/09
Gooden is a treasure among many private schools in the area. Academics are absolutely top notch here and the students are taught to respect one another and themselves, more than any other place I've seen-and we know many kids and families from several schools in the area The music program is exceptional
... Read more and gives your child a very valuable skill he/she might not gain elsewhere. I highly recommend this gem of a school Read less
Posted by a parent on 10/19/09
Gooden is a very different kind of private school. The small class sizes, nurturing teachers and rigorous academics are excellent and what you would expect from a private school in this area. (not to mention the music program-exceptional!) However, they do some things much better. From day one, students
... Read more are taught to respect one another and themselves. Other schools have their mottos, but with Gooden you can see the difference their lessons in respect make on their students. I have been around several different schools in the area and the students and I can tell you, their is a marked difference in a Gooden student-in the way they handle themselves and care for others. This will go so much farther for them in their lives than any class, field trip or extra activity. Read less
Posted by a parent on 10/19/09
It loves its children. It has a holistic education, where every part of the child is nurtured. This schools gets education right.
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Posted by a parent on 09/15/09
Great school and very solid educationally including fine and performing arts.
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Posted by a parent on 08/10/08
We have been at this school for 9 extraordinary years (K-8) and will be sad to leave it behind for the larger world of high school. The school has done a tremendous job of preparing its students for high school (and this year's graduating class was exceptionally well-received by sought-after schools)
... Read more but has given them a well-rounded education. Math could be stronger, as one other parent has indicated, but overall, I think you will find you have invested well here. Read less
Posted by a parent on 05/20/08
My daughter attended The Gooden School for middle school 6 - 8. What a fantastic experience! The administration, the teachers, the kids and the other parents were terrific. This was an extremely warm, caring and academically rigorous environment. I highly recommend The Gooden School!
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Posted by a parent on 02/20/08
Gooden seems to be doing a good job preparing my son for a very competitive middle school atmosphere. However, like most schools, the math program is mediocre at best. I cannot really blame the school, because they have other students to accomodate, and it would not be fair to go 'too fast' for the
... Read more average student. What is great about the school's location, however, is that is nearby a Mathnasium Math Learning center. Gooden's science program is also top notch, and my son was able to read a 40 page storybook by the time he finished 2nd grade. Other than the math program, I am very happy with the school. Read less
Posted by a parent on 10/22/07
All of our children attended Gooden School from K-8 and we were very satisfied with the curriculum & faculty. The middle school more than prepared our children for the highly competitive private high schools in the area- required Community Service hours, Latin, mentoring programs are just some of the
... Read more 'extras' offered by this school. Read less
Posted by a parent on 03/10/07
My child attended this school for 7 years. I highly recommend the k-2 program; perhaps the 3-5 program has gotten better but it was very poor when my child was there. Worst of all, the administration was non-responsive to the many complaints of parents from my child's class and other classes as well.
... Read more The administration loathed hearing problems and would blame parents for being the problem for bringing concerns to their attention! With the price of this school and expectations of parental involvement, this was a disingenuous response at best. I urge all considering this school to talk with parents not chosen by the administration to get an honest assessment. I can highly recommend specific staff, including Ms. Langford and Mrs. Woolner -- extraordinarily gifted teachers. Mr.Li, the PE/coach is inspiring. Read less
*The resources listed are programs that the institution is staffed to support. Staffing for a program does not guarantee that it will be offered. This content is provided by the institution and may be incomplete. The institution may offer programs not listed here. Please contact the school directly for additional details.
Advanced Placement
AP classes are college-level classes offered at the high school level. Once a student completes an AP class and passes a final comprehensive examination conducted by the College Board, the student earns college credit for the course. AP classes are specific and not to be confused with other higher-level classes such as honors classes.
Before/After School
"Extended day" programs where the school day is extended before and after school to accommodate working parents. These programs should not be confused with common after school clubs or athletic activities.
Gifted and Talented
A school system may identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented. A brief description of each area of giftedness or talent as defined by the Office of Gifted and Talented:
general intellectual ability or talent - high intelligence test score (usually two standard deviations above the mean), and high levels of vocabulary, memory, abstract work knowledge and abstract reasoning;
specific academic aptitude or talent in one area such as mathematics or language arts;
creative and productive thinking, the ability to produce new ideas;
leadership ability, the ability to direct individuals or groups to a common decision or action;
visual and performing arts, special talents in visual art, music, dance, drama, or other related studies;
psychomotor ability, such as practical, spatial, mechanical, and physical skills.
Vocation/Technical Curriculum
Vocational and/or technical courses offered within a comprehensive school, usually a senior high school.
Special Education Classes
A school or program within a school that provides services and training to students with moderate to severe mental and/or physical disabilities.
Adult Education Classes
Programs offering GED or equivalent courses for adults within regular schools, whether classes are held during evening or daytime schedules.
English as Second Language
English language classes for students whose first language is not English.
Sierra Madre schools — Gooden School is located at 192 N Baldwin Ave, Sierra Madre CA 91024. 192 N Baldwin Ave is in the 91024 ZIP code in Sierra Madre, CA Gooden School is a Private school that serves grade levels K - 8.
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