Barber City

A toxic environment of gossiping, unchristian moms and ongoing bullying among students. School here was a negative experience, and the parent culture and lack of administrative response were the biggest issues.Teachers expected every child to fit a rigid mold. When my child finished work early, no advanced or additional material was provided, leading to boredom and disruption, so he was labeled “behind” and referred to special education, I took him to another school and turns out my child was actually advanced and simply not being challenged at Grace.Bullying was a recurring issue involving a small group of kids (I'm talking about 4-6 year old kids). I filed multiple detailed complaints, but little meaningful action was taken. These children often repeated harmful things their moms had said about my child and others kids. While the school acknowledged they couldn’t control the moms, their influence clearly carried over into student behavior. So the parents were teaching their kids how to be bullies and the school did nothing about it. One example: Their kids would openly talk about how they only invited certain kids to their birthday parties or group activities and excluded others, purposely hurting other kids' feelings. Or calling other kids names for crying or hugging a teddy bear (again, 4-6 year old kids). Or kids saying "my mom will complain about you in the office and I can get you in trouble". At least 3 families from my child's grade decided to leave during the school year, the others are either part of the bully moms club, or friendly with them, or simply ignoring the situation.After three years, I chose not to return. if your child fits in a rigid mold and you are willing to put up with the bully moms club (I mean, if this is happening in one grade, it sure it's happening in others), this may be right school for you. Just note that if you complain about it, you may be the one labeled "the problem", since most of these moms are either volunteers or work at the school part time or are involved in school activities one way or another.

As our son Tyler graduates 8th grade, we are incredibly grateful for his journey at Carden Conservatory, where he has been since preschool. Carden’s strong academic foundation and focus on character have prepared him exceptionally well, as reflected in his admission to Mater Dei High School with Distinction and his outstanding HSPT results (93% national composite with advanced scores in math and language).What truly sets Carden apart is its dedicated teachers. Their consistent support, high expectations, and genuine investment in Tyler’s growth have been instrumental in his success—both academically and personally.We are proud of Tyler’s accomplishments and deeply appreciative of the role Carden has played in shaping him. We highly recommend Carden to any family seeking an exceptional educational experience.