Springer Elementary School

LACS is one of the best schools in the Bay Area. We sent both of our girls there. The older one has dyslexia and was behind in her reading, while in public school. LACS had incredible flexibility to put her into the Learning Assistance Department (LAD) program in English, while keeping her in the regular classes for Math and the rest of the curriculum. LACS Principle, Ms. Hibbert, personally worked with her in the mornings on her reading and writing skills. Over the course of 2 years, LACS teachers were able to advance here reading and writing skills to move here over to the regular program for all subjects. It’s quite remarkable and we are eternally grateful to the school. One thing that sets LACS apart is that their teachers are highly trained and certified in Slingerland, Orton-Gillingham, or Wilson Reading Systems. Our younger daughter was extremely shy when she came to LACS K-grade. We were very worried. Ms. Taylor was able to get her to open up and become comfortable with class participation. It was a big relief to us, as parents, to see our daughter blossom at LACS over the course of several years. Teachers at LACS are very caring and supporting, all the while making sure that the students are learning and advancing their skills. Tuition is very reasonable and lower than in other private schools. As parents, we appreciate the schools’ efforts to keep the tuition low and focusing on things that matter: education and supportive environment for the children. The education philosophy is traditional, probably what you have experienced when you were kids. We really appreciated this, as we wanted our kids to value hard work, integrity, respect, drive to succeed, all the while being in a 100% supportive environment. And they have a Science teacher with a Biology PhD from UCSF and Postdoc from Stanford!I would wholeheartedly recommend this school to anyone. We went through 4 schools in the Bay Area, public, charter and private. LACS is by far the best.

This school is such a gem! If you are looking for something super traditional, full of worksheets and conformity, then this is not the place for you. However, if you value kindness, hands-on learning, collaboration, joyfulness, and creativity, then Ventana is a tremendous option. I have had three children graduate from the school, and have a fourth currently there. All of my children are very different learners - whether seeking extra challenge and depth, or needing some learning support - and they have all thrived at the school. Ventana’s real secret is the way that they get to know and treasure your child. Children at Ventana feel 100% seen, heard, and respected by adults. They are treated as competent and so they respond with competence, which is a key and transformative tenet of Reggio Emilia education. The social-emotional curriculum is intentional, consistent, and effective, and graduates of Ventana know how to conduct themselves in all kinds of social and group settings. All of my children have consistently received praise from their middle and high schools about their ability to get along with others in both social and work/project settings, which was one of our primary goals for their education. Another critical piece of a Ventana education is the confidence of their graduates. They are all children who know exactly who they are, are proud of that identity, and have no hesitation in advocating for themselves. We also have high standards for academics and did not want a school that focused on SEL and soft skills at the expense of academics. We have been very happy with the rigor of the academics, and our children have been well prepared to go on to top private schools in the area. Singapore Math is a very intuitive and effective curriculum, and our kids have graduated “ahead” in math, without any outside work or tutoring. The writing program is particularly robust and produces sophisticated and enthusiastic writers. The art program is awe-inspiring - the art the kids create is unique and meaningful. My kids adored the tinkering program, as well as music and lots of fun afterschool classes like robotics and sewing. The preschool is full of wonder and charm, with an emergent curriculum that is effective and organic. I wanted my kids to feel magic and joy when they were in those critical early years, and to come out loving to learn for the sake of learning itself - and this is exactly what we got at Ventana.