O'Connell (John) High School

We are so fortunate to have been a part of the Children's Day School community for the last two years. We had the most amazing experience in preschool with such loving, experienced and dedicated teachers who guided my introverted daughter through learning to be in a school environment. The preschool teachers are receptive to student led inquiry which engages the children on a daily basis. My older daughter loved her Kindergarten year and the teachers are particularly great at teaching the students to read using phonics based methods. The community of families is down to earth and our school values are present every day in every initiative we undertake. We are unique among the independent schools in that we have a cutting edge learner competency framework which guides all aspects our students' learning.

Our daughter has been attending Adda since she was 3 years old and this school has had a positive impact on her overall development. In my experience the parents who can appreciate what this school offers consider themselves lucky to have found it. The infusion of performance arts throughout the day fosters a community of joy, lightness, collaboration and, creativity. While some kids are particularly talented, what stands out to me is that every child participates in all of the arts/performance regardless of their particular gifts. every kid has something to add and they boldly contribute. There is no negotiating away the rigor in the sciences, math, grammar, geography etc. I really have enjoyed watching how articulate and curious our daughter is in the world around her. The parent community is extremely down-to-earth and everyone focuses their energy on making sure the children get the best education possible without pushing any special agendas. Admittedly it is a long day at school (although for two working parents, the 8-5 schedule is very much appreciated) …we find our daughter still able to take on some extracurricular activities some nights of the week (ex. 2hrs of gymnastics on one week night) and she still stays on top of homework. Last thing I will say is that I really love how all the grades interact with each other freely & with respect. For many SF children who are “only” kids, it’s nice to see them have “the big sisters/bros” in the upper grades and also see that same caring energy shown to the kids in TK/K. Overall we feel very good about this school and would heartily recommend!

It was in eighth grade class last year(2024)It was nothing compared to my elementary school; which was amazing. Here, they do barely any of the things they say on the website. They support girls more than boys, have like 51/52 percent of white kids. They barely celebrate any cultural traditions that would actually be fun. We had LOADS of homework; that became overwhelming. They have NO special education, for kids who need real support. I dreaded going to school everyday; since I was there since fourth grade; and fourth grade was the only best year I had there. There was bullying last year, and no teacher or staff helped the student at the moment. We went to Puerto Rico for school and it was okay; it could have been better. Too hard of math, history, and science. I have seen many kids share food with each other which they are not supposed to(allergies); and no adult sees it and stops it. Would NOT recommend this school, it is terrible; do not waste your time and money. If you want a calm and safe, nice learning environment for your kid(s); then this school is NOT for you. I am warning you.

We chose La Scuola three years ago for its combination of warmth and strong academics. I toured a lot of K-8 schools and the warmth and personality of La Scuola stood out. Dig a little further and I was impressed by the International Baccalaureate program and language immersion. I have to say we haven't been disappointed. Our child loves the school and is always happy. I have been hugely impressed by the teaching standards and communication. Just fyi, we have no Italian at home and love that our child is learning the language and will take on Spanish in the coming years. Great enrichment program and aftercare for all (if desired). I can't recommend the school enough.