Brook Knoll Elementary School

In Junior High, my parents sent me to Holy Cross School. I went from public to Holy Cross. I was not happy at first, but it was the best experience. I was welcomed and made some life long friends. My kids who are in 5th and 7th, have been there since kindergarten. It's a sense of community, stability, kids are kind to each other. And the education that they are receiving is phenomenal. Field trips, Middle School science fair, Mission Report, Egyptian tomb project, learning Spanish, Religion (but you do not need to be Catholic). And then there is the athletic program which is the best. The children do not have to try out for the teams. They just get to be on them and experience team sportsmanship, learn the love of the sport, connection, sense of belonging, and it helps them get better at the sport as they start them young. I learned the love of basketball there as I played for HC, and went on to play in high school. My children love the school, and so do we!

This place is joyful, and with the garden and redwood trees it's a literal breath of fresh air. Students are engaged and curious in their work. They seem to experience more joy, less stress, and a deeper connection to their learning than I have seen at other schools. The teachers and students at this school are kind and respectful to one another. There is great collaboration between teachers. The campus itself is beautiful and nature rich. Deer and turkeys sometimes wander across campus. In keeping with Waldorf child development philosophies, there is with a deep sense of rhythm to each day and a connection to turn of the seasons overall. Students engage with art daily. They participate in chores as part of building their sense of responsibility and to help them learn to acts as stewards to the places around them. Traditional Waldorf patterns enrich the school and its community while still embracing an ongoing dedication to curricular improvement by incorporating innovative educational models and updating festivals by incorporating stories that honor the diversity of the community. My child learned skills here that I do not believe they would have found elsewhere.