Santo Tomas

Kiva Elementary truly feels like a home for our family. Both my girls grew so much here - academically, socially and emotionally. There is an incredible support system at the school - from our wonderful principal/assistant principal to our dedicated teachers and our supportive teachers aides and staff. There’ are so many opportunities for parents to be involved, and the school celebrates our volunteers. The PTO goes above and beyond and provides much added resources to the school each and every year. My favorite is getting to do Masterpiece Art in the classrooms every month with a huge art walk on campus in May. The theater program and robotics team are off the charts for an elementary school. My children also have been in the comprehensive gifted program the past couple years and have had incredible academics - critical thinking, small group work and the best teachers we can ask for our girls. We love you, Kiva Elementary!

This is our first (kindergarten) year at Pueblo elementary. It’s not what any parent expects or would be excited about (and we are a Spanish speaking family). It is a fast paced school, and a lot is demanded from both parents and students. That is what other mothers have informed opinions me as well. I do want to point out that it has a good school team to better assist children with learning difficulties. The teachers and rest of the staff are well mannered and good intentioned. Academically speaking, it is above average for the general population. Overall, it is a good atmosphere, the students learn and do seem happy at school, but then again shouldn’t all feel that way at any school?

We love Cochise! Our child is challenged without being overwhelmed, we are very happy with the communication we receive from his teacher and the school overall, we have met some amazing parents who we call close friends. Our son loves his classmates and loves going to school. There is a very active and involved APT and the school hosts so many fun events. I cannot say enough about how much we love Cochise!!

We withdrew our child from Rancho after a very disappointing experience. We had initially understood Rancho to be among the top private schools in the area, second only to PCDS, but unfortunately, our experience did not reflect that reputation whatsoever.After several concerning interactions with the school’s administration and feeling underwhelmed by the quality of the teachers, we began looking more closely. The administration and faculty largely hold basic degrees, with many teachers being recent ASU graduates. We did not find one that had graduated from a top tier university. There is no Head of School or Headmaster, as one should expect from a leading private institution, and the individual overseeing the school does not inspire confidence, either in qualifications or leadership presence. This was the major red flag that made us rethink our decision to have our child at Rancho because the quality of the admin and faculty is a direct reflection of what and who is cultivating your child's educational experience. Our attempts to contact the school’s owner went unanswered, and further research revealed a troubling history of legal disputes related to other private schools he owns. It became clear that we were misled by surface-level impressions - high tuition, uniforms, and overly positive social media reviews from parents similarly swayed by appearances.We wish we had taken a more critical look before enrolling and are very relieved to have moved our child elsewhere. If you’re considering Rancho, I strongly encourage you to research the backgrounds of the faculty and staff. Compare their credentials to those at truly distinguished private schools — it’s an eye-opening exercise. After all, the quality of your child’s education can only be as strong as the people leading it.