Almaden Country Day School

"We cannot find the words to express how extraordinary and special ACS is - children flourish in its kind, caring and respectful environment, and teachers and administrators spark their students’ love of learning each and every day. Academically, students are well-prepared for high school, and from a development perspective the administration is passionate about ensuring that the talents and gifts of every student are discovered and nurtured. Students genuinely enjoy and care for each other and their teachers, and both parents and students love ACS."

"We have been at Almaden Country School for 10 years. It is an exceptional learning community which prepares students to be responsible & engaged citizens. The school fosters critical thinking, respect and mentoring as evident in a school-wide big buddy program where older students are paired with younger students. The ACS faculty and administration consider parents as partners in the development and character building so important in these early formative years. The teachers are passionate educators who truly love to teach. Opinions matter, whether you’re a parent or a student. When my son wanted to start a club, he had the latitude to do so and the support of his teachers and peers . We are very impressed with the academic curriculum and experiential aspect of both core and elective classes, as well as field trips and weeklong Middle School trips which offer great opportunities for our kids to learn outside the classroom. In the last few years, ACS Athletics has developed into an excellent program. It’s a great pre-cursor to high school athletic competition."

"My wife and I looked at many different schools for our son, not sure if we would find the right fit or even if we should pursue public or private. There are too few times in life where there’s a single right decision, but we knew when we met the people and students of Almaden Country School that this was exactly the right place. Many schools could use similar language about developing the unique talents in each student and fostering a love of learning…but ACS makes that real. We love ACS. We love the strength of the academics balanced with the focus on developing confident, flexible, curious, engaged individuals who think outside themselves. We love the tradition of each grade putting on a play each year. We’ve found friends with similar values in the other parents, while also appreciating a vibrant culture with a good exchange of ideas that leads to a constantly improving ACS. The teachers are absolutely dedicated to the kids and constantly becoming better at what they do. Simply, we’re really happy. Our son is, too."

"As a parent I am constantly trying to make decisions that will positively impact my children both in the present and for their future. One of the biggest decisions you can make for your child is where to enroll them for school. I had always heard amazing things about Almaden Country School. I wanted a school where my two boys could have a sense of community and be in an environment where they would be nurtured as individuals. I enrolled my 3 ½ year old in the Begindergarten program this year in hopes that we could see this school through until it was time to go to high school. My son has always been shy and also has some separation anxiety; so I was admittedly nervous about dropping him off every day with a group of people who were virtual strangers to me at the time. My anxiety was eased before school even started when my son’s teacher-to-be sent a letter to him welcoming him to the school and inviting him to a lemonade party. She also included a note for me asking to write to her about my son to tell her a little about his personality, his likes and dislikes and how he best learns. What a simple and wonderful concept to help the teachers know who was going to be in their class. This immediately got Ryan excited about starting school and it helped me to feel comfortable that his teachers would be armed with the knowledge of each child’s special personalities. It also reinforced right off the bat that this was a school that truly did treat each child as a unique individual which was one of the most important philosophies to me. From the moment we set foot on campus the very first day my son, (and I) felt like the school was an extension of home. When I drop him off every day with his teachers I feel as though I am leaving him with family. I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to be able to send my son to such a wonderful place for school. We are always greeted with smiles and warmth from his teachers (and anyone else we come across for that matter). The entire administration is hands-on involved in the classrooms and the day to day operations. They are very approachable. The teachers go out of their way to make sure all of the parents have all the information they need about what’s happening with their child in the class each day as well as the plan for what they will be learning each week. I always feel completely confident that if there is ever a problem it will be handled carefully and correctly and that I will be always “in-the-know”. We are very encouraged as parents to take full participation with the school’s daily activities. From being in the classroom to help, to assisting with special events, and taking part in meetings about the school’s philosophies and future; we are always an active participant in our children’s education. This is a place that allows children to be children; to explore their world and learn in the way that suits them best instead of a cookie cutter textbook method. This is not just an education is it a life preparation. The bottom line is I am so beyond impressed with the school and the teachers. I want to thank everyone who helps to make this a place where my son gets teary to leave every day. For my son to not walk, but run into his class every day with a huge smile and then not want to leave it after school… that alone speaks volumes. We are so excited to see where this journey will take us with ACS and cannot wait until my youngest can start at this wonderful place."

"I recently had the opportunity to watch the ACS 7th graders interact at 5:15 a.m. at the San Jose Airport before heading out for their annual field trip. You could imagine the excitement. You also could imagine that with the excitement and very little sleep the night before, they may not have been fully cognitive at 5:15 in the morning. But what I witnessed was a group of excited but respectful children, interacting and following direction of the lead chaperone in a way that he never needed to raise a voice above conversation tone. The respect the chaperone delivered with his words and direction matched the actions of the children. The class has been taught "Definite Dozen” terms, which includes learning to be responsible, respecting differences and using character over reputation. It was obvious that these teachings had moved off the page and into action and you could see the sigh of relief from their parents watching with the comment “this is why we send our child to Almaden Country School.” To add, I also witnessed the impact on other travelers at the San Jose Airport thinking to themselves, “I wonder what school that is?” It was a pleasure watching confident, respectful and happy young adults, which is exactly why our family chose ACS."