Juanita Elementary School

My 3 kids have been attending this school. The experience was consistently good. Mr Miller, Mrs Pearia, Mrs. Sheldon, Mrs. Cracker, Mrs. Knapp, Mrs. Stewart are always attentive to our kids' academic and emotional needs, encouraging, kind, and respectful. The EAP students do get necessary academic challenge and support. The music teachers are awesome. We are not into arts so we prefer strong academics over arts. I am glad that HiCap kids are clustered together: it's easier for them to find friends with common views. If they brag about being "high cap". I am going to surprise you: kids do brag about whatever they can find suitable to brag about: Adidas shoes, dad's Tesla, summar voyage to Paris or that they can kick their classmate in the face. Maybe, it's better when kids brag about being smart than when they are proud of being rich and shallow.

We have had mixed experiences at Bell. The first few years the school was going through high staff turnover and my child had some very inexperienced and ill-equipped teachers. The classrooms were in constant chaos and minimal learning was happening. It was stressful for my child and efforts to work with the administration to improve things went nowhere. Thankfully, things have improved the past few years. My child has had better, more tenured teachers and as a result has made more progress academically and is happier at school. That being said, even the best teachers can't overcome some of the institutional problems - too many kids per classroom and not enough staff support to offer true differentiation for individual abilities. If you have a child who is above grade level, be prepared that they will spend a lot of time reading silently or using quasi-educational apps on the computer. I believe this is a problem at many LWSD elementary schools and not unique to Bell. They seem to do a better job helping struggling learners rise up than they do helping advanced learners progress. One thing that Bell does well is social/emotional learning. They have a fantastic school counselor and lots of programs to foster overall student well-being. This is so important and very appreciated, especially post-pandemic.Bell also has a strong PTSA and lots of community involvement, which has a positive impact on all of the kids. There are many fun school-wide events and lots of extra-curricular activities to choose from. Overall, I think Bell is a good school that is getting better, but it's hit or miss depending on the teacher, and there is still a lot of room for improvement.

I have had children at Sandburg for the past 11 years. The staff have always been warm and supportive. As the parent of a special needs child, I especially appreciate the amazing teams we have worked with at this school over the years.

My daughter's experience at Northlake Academy's kindergarten has been exceptional. Despite coming from a different language background, she swiftly adapted and excelled in picking up English, a testament to the school's effective language transition programs. The teachers have played a crucial role, being not only super helpful but also genuinely kind, fostering a supportive learning environment that has positively influenced my child's educational journey.One standout feature is the school's curriculum, which has propelled my daughter's learning a year ahead. The academic advancement reflects the school's commitment to providing a challenging and enriching educational experience. This emphasis on academic excellence has instilled a love for learning in my child, making her time at Northlake Academy truly invaluable.While the school excels in academics, it's worth noting a minor area for improvement—the playground. While lacking a bit in terms of facilities, the overall price-to-quality ratio at Northlake Academy is impressive. The exceptional learning environment, dedicated teachers, great teachers to students ration and accelerated curriculum make it a top choice for parents seeking a quality education for their children.

My son is currently in 3rd grade at Northlake Academy and has been a student there since kindergarten. My daughter is currently also at Northlake, is in 1st grade, and has been there since Pre-K. Our family has been extremely impressed by Northlake due to its (1) teacher student ratio of 2 teachers for approximately 15 or less students; (2) advanced curriculum in math, reading/writing and science which tends to run a year or two ahead of public schools; (3) supportive, safe and fun environment for learning where our kids feel comfortable to explore ideas; (4) many offered extracurricular activities including dance, piano/music, 2 foreign languages and art. In addition, the school is year round and the tuition includes before and after school care. The price is very reasonable when compared to competitive schools. You get so much for the price. We are very happy here and will continue on through 5th grade knowing that Northlake will provide our kids every resource they need to have a successful scholastic experience and reach their potential. We highly recommend it.