Springbridge International School

We transferred our son to this faith-based school for 4th and 5th grade, coming from a public school environment. I am writing this review not to tear the school down, but to provide honest, essential insight for other parents who may have a child who struggles with foundational day-to-day skills like organization, time management, and keeping track of assignments—areas that many children, particularly developing boys, naturally lag in during these formative years.While the school leadership is very kind, we found that the private school structure has major limitations when it comes to supporting children who need extra help managing their workload. Our biggest hurdle came in the 5th grade. Because of the high number of students in the classroom, the teacher openly shared that she simply did not have the extra time to provide the individual reminders and check-ins our son needed to manage multi-step projects and daily homework trackers. Over time, the daily effort to help him manage his day stopped, and he was unfortunately left to fall behind. Our child tested very high in mathematics in state testing (which helps the school), but got a D as a final grade because he needed extra help remembering to turn in his completed assignments, something that the teacher was apparently unable to help with. This only hurts the student transcript, the school will benefit from the high test scores he’s produced for them. In my opinion, this environment practices an unspoken form of "counseling out." Because the school structurally lacks the smaller class sizes and specialized support staff required to give individualized organizational attention, the environment naturally becomes so overwhelming and unsupported for a child who processes and organizes their workload differently that the family eventually feels forced to leave.We originally chose a private Christian school hoping for an environment of individual care, but we learned that the system is simply not built to handle students who need a more flexible approach to learning. If your child needs routine reminders, daily planners checked, or tailored patience to keep up academically, please consider this a gentle caution that a school with smaller class sizes or dedicated resources may be a much safer and more supportive fit for your family.

My son recently graduated after attending Old Orchard from K-8th grade. He and his classmates benefitted from teachers who challenged them, a culture of excellence, and a diverse, tight-knit community where students felt comfortable bringing their whole self to school. Very different than what I remember from my large, public middle school experience! He and his classmates were all accepted to their top choice high schools with placement in honors and advanced classes, and I have no doubt that they're all very well prepared to succeed in high school and beyond. We loved everything about the Old Orchard experience from the school's seamless response to Covid, the inclusive sports program, investment in arts and language, and diligent preparation for high school admissions process.

Little Tree Montessori in Campbell is a fantastic find. The dedicated teachers, with consistent English and Chinese instructors in each classroom, create a supportive environment for both children and parents. Even the youngest students (starting at 18 months) learn foundational skills like sharing and social interaction, alongside early literacy and numeracy. The school also emphasizes performance, which builds valuable public speaking skills. We were impressed by how well the preschoolers thrive with the Montessori approach. The optional daily hot lunch, featuring both Chinese and American options, is a convenient bonus for busy families. Compared to other local programs, Little Tree offers excellent value. Both of my sons have thoroughly enjoyed their time at the school, benefiting from the curriculum and the caring teachers.