Old Orchard School

My son started Kindergarten this year and we love it! Must have toured 15 schools before finding Old Orchard, and once found, that was it. Decision made. Such a gem with considerable academics, experienced and effective staff who take wonderful accountability for each student’s education, and of course, the great student to teacher ratio (10:1 this year in K). What grabbed my attention during the Open House was (1) curriculum is one level up in all grades, (2) phenomenal level of penmanship is first grade, (3) the outstanding artwork all around the school. Since then, also add: Old Orchard’s computer program– students are learning how use the computer programs to create programs, artwork, pics. Music taught daily. Spanish is taught daily at all grade levels with an instructor who is fantastic at engaging (go to an open house and watch the students hands all fly up to answer!). The class sizes are small. There are tons of high quality field trips with no shortage of parent volunteers. A good mix of male/​female teachers, and I love how the teachers, classroom aides, and even the business manager take accountability for way more than their titles imply. Amazing school, fantastic curriculum, and classrooms full of kids who love to learn.

My daughter has been at Old Orchard for pre-​K, K, 1^st and now 2^nd grade and I could not be happier. As an educator, myself, for the past 30+ years, I am very particular when it comes to my daughter’s education and I feel that there is no way that it could be any better. Every one of the staff is superb, classes are small and the kids get individualized attention. The addition of Spanish, Art, Music, Drama, etc. is just icing on the cake!

I have had two kids go through Old Orchard and I have been beyond pleased with the results. One highlight is that the classes stress interdisciplinary learning. For example, in first grade each child writes an «I Have a Dream» speech in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. After about a week of working on their speech and painting a watercolor portrait of Dr. King, each child gets up and delivers their speech to the class. So they are writing, doing public speaking, learning art techniques, and learning about civil rights — all at once. In fourth grade the kids learn about California history and go panning for gold. In older grades, the kids learn about fossils and bones and go on an archaeological dig. They also take classes in video editing and robotics and programming, and each child programs their own Android app. Talk about good career training! Finally, the teachers are top-​notch and the classes are small, so each child gets loads of personal attention. I highly recommend this school.

I have a son in Kindergarden now and will continue to keep him there through 8^th grade. It was a struggle because we live in a very good school district, however, our K program was only ½ day and because I was working, he would’ve been in after care more than school. We were referred to Old Orchard by friends and couldn’t be happier! My son loves it! I love that the focus is on education, but also the arts (art, physical education, music). They offer drama programs as well as after school sports. I look forward to the next 7 years!

This is my granddaughters’ third year at Old Orchard School. It’s the perfect school for her and I’m so pleased with the education she is receiving.

My son has been at Bellarmine for two years now, after attending Old Orchard. Having my son attend this school was one of the best decisions we have ever made on his behalf.
Old Orchard kids come out of the school knowing how to study, organize their time, and be good kids! The great math and Spanish classes really make the adjustment to high school easy.

I have 2 kids at Old Orchard. What I like most is that the school offers an excellent education in an incredibly warm environment.
The academics at the school are top notch, yet the school is very «whole child» focused. The kids have drama, art and music several times throughout the week. Same with PE. And they get Spanish daily. Some classrooms even have gardens where the kids plant fruits and veggies.
There are also lots of field trips — to see plays, to go to museums, to go to farms, etc. In the older grades, the kids go on an archaeological dig.
There is also a strong character development component to the school. The kids learn, from early on, how to be good citizens of the world. The school also has a strong anti-​bullying program.
The parent community is very kind and open and welcoming. There are no cliques.
There are plenty of opportunities to help out at school, but you don’t have to help out at all if you don’t want. There is no fundraising, and there are no mandatory service hours. Basically, you can be as involved or univolved as you like.
Finally, the afterschool program is amazing. Extracurricular classes include piano, dance, drama, sports, video production, playwriting, and robotics.

In reading one of the reviews I was shocked to see what one parent wrote about the «delinquent kids „and“ Southpark» mentality of the teachers. That kids swear and use profanity at teachers etc.
HOW RIDICULOUS CAN YOU BE??? Whatever parent wrote that about Old Orchard clearly had a child who did not fit in to the relaxed and understanding, yet highly academic, genius,(if you will) environment provided and they needed someone to blame for this. How fabricated it all is. Could any business working with kids get away with that if it were really true-​NO WAY!!!
I have been a part of Old Orchard for 10 years and have never heard or seen anything like that. I often see kids hanging on the teachers arms for hugs and I love how they deal with conflict through talking it out and giving the kids better tools to deal with their issues in the future. The junior high kids are very friendly and have a great relationship with the teachers and staff and turn out to be great people that give back to the community. The fact that there is a 1 to 12 ratio for playground supervision at the lower school is amazing in itself, and nothing falls through the cracks. If your child wants to learn and be creative and safe then Old Orchard is the place for them all the way up to 8^th grade !!

What a great school! I have been involved with several schools in the Bay Area and have to say that Old Orchard has by far the highest quality and most effective group of teachers and staff I have seen. Yes, the academic and enrichment classes are great. But what makes Old Orchard special is that the staff really care about the students. The small classroom size and devoted teachers allow each student to feel a special connection. My daughters love going to school and to me, that says it all!

My daughter went here from K thru 8. It is a wonderful school and a very nurturing environment. It definitely served her well as she is currently a Junior at Cal and doing very well there.

My three sons all attended pre-​kindergarten through 5^th grade at Old Orchard School. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t feel grateful to the staff for their service to my children. It is truly amazing. My sons are 22, 21 and 16 currently and their success is due greatly to Old Orchard School.
It’s a small school, one class per grade. There is a family atmosphere developed because of it’s size and the caring staff. The parents help out with school lunches and other activities. Chaperoning was a joy for me, driving the noisy, fun and polite kids to an amazing array of learning opportunities from dining in a french restaurant to visiting the pumpkin patch. The academics are top of the top. This is what’s so amazing to me as well. My sons excell in Math, reading and writing because of the diligent and excellent instruction experienced at Old Orchard. My sons all learned French from pre-​K through 5^th, which was really wonderful to see and hear. I made wonderful friendships with the parents and my sons all made dear friends which they were able to grow up with through their years in elementary school. It was an investment that continues to pay off for the rest of their lives. I had no idea when I enrolled them that I would be so very grateful I chose Old Orchard School.

One of the best schools in the South Bay. Very child oriented and centered. Kids feel loved and at the same time learn a lot. The education is far ahead from public schools. All the teachers are great! My older one will be 5^th grade soon and my younger is going for preschool. I hope we will be able to afford it as it is pretty pricey.