176 Thompson Ave
Mountain View, CA 94043

I just finished my first and final year here at Crittenden and it was perfect. Teachers are super funny and nice.

The new principal of Monta Loma, Mrs. Jinguji, is a warm, caring, intelligent leader and I am so thankful that she stepped in to lead this school. She kneels down to look into the eyes of each student that she speaks to. (A total departure from the last principal who could be a harsh disciplinarian and could care less about the feelings of each child.) Also, she leads coffee with the principal which is a parenting seminar on love and logic one Friday per month. Although inevitable sometimes, bullying is not tolerated. Although I do not have personal experience, from what I observe children with special needs are lovingly cared for. They are integrated into the classrooms and also receive extra help from aids and special needs programs. The teachers we have had are extremely patient and kind. I would say what is also wonderful about this school is the students love for one another, despite coming from different socioeconomic backgrounds. I think my daughter is more empathetic and prepared for life living in an area in which people of all cultures live and work. She has learned our differences are to be celebrated, not separated. I find the academics to be rigorous and grade appropriate. My daughter started reading in kindergarten right after she turned five years old. She is now reading far above grade level and continues to be appropriately challenged in all other subjects. There is awesome festivities put on by the PTA such as the Fall Festival, Movie Night and the Walk-a-Thon as well as a new family night that celebrates Latin heritage. To boot the school is just lovely, surrounded by trees and a large grass field. I am so thankful for Monta Loma Elementary and I am frustrated by the low rating on great schools.

We were impressed by Los Altos High School, as it offers a well-rounded experience that includes academics, athletics, and social activities. We moved into the district for work and enrolled our child at the school without any particular expectations. We are not overly involved parents, and to be honest, we weren’t very informed about academic expectations in the Bay Area (For example, we didn’t know what AP classes were initially).We were pleasantly surprised to learn that dozens of students, including ours, were admitted to top universities, including Ivy League schools, Stanford, and top UC schools, without any legacy status or special consideration. Many students were also admitted to good colleges that aligned with their passions. Despite the academic success, the students did not feel overly stressed compared to those at neighboring schools. They had fun participating in sports, music, or other activities at school and seemed to handle the pressure relatively well (for the Bay Area).The teaching quality was generally good, and several graduates reported that their freshman college English, Math, and Science courses were easy due to the classes they took at LAHS. The school also has great facilities, sports teams, and lab equipment.However, as it is a large public school, students cannot expect much individualized attention from teachers or college counselors. Students need to be proactive in seeking help and getting involved in extracurricular activities of their interest inside and outside the school.Overall, our experience with Los Altos High School was very positive. We are most pleased with the friendships our child fostered there.