Tujunga
Apple Valley, CA

There was a parent who reviewed the school from a few years back, saying the teachers don't teach standards and just spew liberal filth. This parent is really off base. I have a senior and freshman at this school, and both are high academic achievers who feel fully supported by their teachers. There is no teaching of any political bias at the school... just facts but some folks want to equate teaching factual history to teaching liberal politics. There's a very active student government, tons of clubs for all interests, great sports, amazing music education (band, jazz band, orchestra, vocal ensemble, guitar and modern band), an agriculture and horticulture area so there's a FFA chapter and more leadership opportunities through that as well. If you are considering NHHS, I would strongly recommend joining one of the magnets (Highly Gifted, STEM, Zoo) or SAS program. But there is a home for all types of learners at this school. Also, the guidance counselors are amazing and really work to make sure college bound kids are on track to meet the UC and Cal State requirements for admittance. Love this school!

With two daughters at Reed at the same time, I have two perspectives. Both my girls are in SAS academies; one is a superachiever, the other gets mostly "As" but struggles with math, as well as anxiety.First, the good: SAS courses are rigorous and almost every teacher is engaged and excited to be there, which of course makes the students engaged and excited to be there. I've been particularly impressed with Humanities English -- there's a real focus on writing and reading full-length novels that I appreciate. History teachers in both Humanities and MAT are sharp and passionate. The MAT course included a unit on identifying reliable sources both in news coverage and in history research that I though was invaluable. And my superachiever has become a fan of math and algebra thanks to her teachers. And the music -- oh, the music! Reed has a phenomenal music program where students can learn how to play an instrument of their choice (their own voice, if they like) and progress to solos and competitions. Both my girls now play multiple instruments... and are actually GOOD. Listening to them practice doesn't hurt anymore! Neither of my daughters has been bullied or harassed, each has a solid friend group and good relations with teachers and counselors.Now the bad. Middle school has been tough for my less confident daughter, who struggled so much with anxiety she stayed home from a good portion of sixth and seventh grade. Counselors were slow to address the issue... I suspect, particularly in sixth grade, that they were overwhelmed with fighting and other behavioral problems elsewhere on campus as students reaccustomed to being in school following the pandemic. Still, my general feeling is that if your kid is quiet, a decent student overall, and doesn't act up but is struggling with school in some way, you'll have to advocate loudly to make sure he or she is noticed and doesn't fall through the cracks. They won't do the noticing for you.And to address the issue of fighting and school safety: it's much better now than it was a few years ago, and even then, it didn't really seem to affect SAS at all. Overall, my daughters feel safe at school.

I agree that this school is a real hidden gem. We had our eldest in a nearby high ranking charter school and our youngest has been attending Rio for a few years now due to us moving. Although we originally tried to put our youngest in the same charter school as our eldest, we came to love Rio so much and no longer want to move her. The community, the parents, the teachers, the staff... Everyone here cares so much about the kids. Despite their much lower budget than the charter schools, they do so much! Their music program is the best that I've seen in the elementary schools nearby, with quality instructors and real ensemble instruction. The front office always greets everyone with a smile and helpfulness. While we appreciated the previous principal for her attention to every student, we understood that not all parents felt the same way. I do love the new principal though! She's warm, and super attentive too! You can tell how much she cares about this school. The biggest thing I do have to say though in comparison to other schools and what I experienced and hear from other parents is what happens when there is bullying situations. This school and the teachers and principal are soooo responsive and address things right away, together with the parent and student. Compared to other schools, we hear about situations where parents are extremely unhappy with how their kids are treated in these situations, despite being the victims of bullying. We are so lucky to have discovered Rio. Staying here for sure!