Bertrand Avenue Elementary School

Choosing the right school for your child is like throwing a stone into a pond; the effects will “ripple” through the rest of their lifetime. That’s why it’s important to make a good decision for elementary school, as it will affect their choices for middle school, high school, and college.When we visited the Kirk School in Reseda for the first time, we knew we had found the right place for our daughter to spend her formative years. Now, with our daughter on the cusp of graduation, she is well-prepared and ready to take on middle school and beyond.Kirk is not your average elementary school. From our very first one-on-one tour with the principal, we could see that Kirk provided a safe and nurturing environment for kids, with teachers who were invested in the total well-being and growth of the students. We were especially taken with the Kindergarten class that had four teachers and vibrant, engaged kids who were hanging on to the teachers’ every word.From the first class bell to the end-of-day dismissal, kids have classes in a variety of subjects, including math, science, English, art, tech, and music, led by caring, committed teachers who go above and beyond to give kids a special experience. Our daughter loves learning and has thrived at Kirk, and we have the Kirk teachers to thank for instilling that in her.The positive experiences are not just limited to the classrooms. With special school-wide holiday events, after-school extracurriculars, and monthly award assemblies, kids thrive here and exceed expectations with their growth mindset. As our daughter prepares to move on to middle school, we are beyond thrilled with her growth and thankful that we made this decision way back before Kindergarten. Definitely take the tour yourself and see why Kirk is such a special place. Kirk has so much to offer, and you will be setting up your child well for the rest of their life.

4/5 is the best I do. I don't hold with social media idea about raves and foaming-at-the-mouth (forced) enthusiasm. I prefer sincere, honest feedback. That having been said, I can honestly say that the support from teachers and staff at Valley Waldorf is excellent. Community cohesion is good, too. I was amazed that there was a place in the city in which kids were encouraged to be kids - play and run and climb. My son has gone to several schools, many of them claiming to be Montessori schools that really weren't, and hated them. We came to Valley Waldorf after going through the cheaper options but stayed. Notably, my son said he likes this school and he wants to go.