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December 2022 by Jesse D.
Ventana has offered a phenomenal preschool experience for my child, who is now in the 4s classroom. The teachers are passionate about getting to know each child's personality and needs -- and then connecting with each child in the ways that best help them learn. The school's social-emotional component is very strong, and we love the sense of wonder that the school inspires in children. As a result of Ventana's staff and approach, my child has really grown in confidence and curiosity. As a parent, I love the teachers' consistent communication about classroom activities. The school community is also very warm and inclusive. I highly recommend this preschool program!
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December 2022 by Quan 'Grace' C.
Ventana is a wonderful school. My son is in the early preschool program.I am constantly amazed at what he has learned and how much he has enjoyed it. From the administration to the room teachers, they all provide a great education that values individual differences while promoting collaboration and kindness. We feel fortunate that our son has such a strong and supportive community of parents, teachers and friends. We highly recommend this school.
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September 2022 by Hannah F.
We started in the 2 year old and 4 year old room this fall and I cannot speak highly enough of the whole experience! My children adore their teachers, and all of the teachers are wonderful and take their work very seriously--they are so patient, kind, and really listen to the children and work with them to create activities and learning experiences that are appropriate for them and build curiosity. The teachers and admin are great at communicating with parents and we always feel in the loop. The classrooms are great, the ratio is ideal, and the outdoor spaces are awesome as well. I recommend this school to everyone I meet! Much better experience than two other schools we recently attended, like night and day.
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March 2022 by Julie S.
My twin boys went there for preschool. They are now 13 so this review is long overdue. Prior to that we were at 2 other preschools in Los Altos which were also good but Ventana stood out. The teachers and the principal were all wonderful. They let the kids explore and discover at their own pace. It is a nurturing environment that encourages thoughtful thinking. For our class one child talked about treehouses and that turned into a class project where the kids designed and build a treehouse with the help of parents and teachers, including a visit to the lumbar yard. The experience was jut fantastic. We still go by the school to visit the treehouse. There is a plaque with names of all the children on it. Cannot say enough good things about Ventana!!!
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November 2021 by Anita M.
My daughter attended Ventana from K - 3. It was a fantastic place for her to learn to love learning through classes guided in part by Reggio Emilia educational philosophy. The school was nurturing and oriented towards wonder, creativity, problem-solving, and fostered social emotional learning. In particular, she loved science with Rick and art with Jenny, but all the teachers were really warm. My twin sons went to preschool at Ventana for two years (3s and 4s rooms) and I couldn't have asked for a more supportive, kind environment. I feel fortunate that my children were able to start their educations in such a beautifully designed program with friends who were taught to care about each other. It's been several months, but we still miss the school and the community. I can't recommend this school more.
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November 2021 by Birgitte Rasine
We absolutely love Ventana. Our child started in kindergarten and went all the way through fifth grade. The Reggio Emilia-inspired curriculum addresses children as whole beings, capable of creativity and critical thought. Social and emotional learning is also a part of the Ventana experience, and bullying is swiftly dealt with. This is the kind of educational approach we need—not more testing, not more rote memorization.
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November 2021 by Estelle R.
We absolutely love Ventana. Our child started in kindergarten and went all the way through fifth grade. The Reggio Emilia-inspired curriculum addresses children as whole beings, capable of creativity and critical thought. Social and emotional learning is also a part of the Ventana experience, and bullying is swiftly dealt with. This is the kind of educational approach we need--not more testing, not more rote memorization. The campus is beautiful, quiet, and the community is very tight-knit. We remain in close contact with many of the families in our grade. The only thing that we would change if we could is how fast the time flew!
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October 2021 by Jiayi Y.
I transferred my son from an academic focus school to Ventana, and I think that's a great decision I'd ever make. He is having a really good time now and looks forward to going to school every day. The admission team, Ms.Yesi, is super friendly and knowledgeable around the Reggios philosophy. The new preschool director is very nice, my son likes her a lot. Our teachers, Ms.Iris and Ms.Ariandy go beyond my expectations. One day I was a little late and my son was the last one in his classroom, the teacher was reading books to him patiently when I arrived. That definitely a different experience from his previous school: just wait/do nothing, and the kid became impatient while waiting. I was touched by the teacher when my son said, "mommy don't feel bad, you give me more time listening to the story".
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February 2021 by Leslie Hart
Ventana is a lovely school with an amazing community, loving teachers and staff, and fantastic location. It’s a Reggio Emilia school which prioritizes students leading their inquiry work. This school is a hidden gem and goes above and beyond time and time again.
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November 2020 by Hagar O.
Both of my kids attend Ventana and love it. Ventana has a great approach to learning which is very different from academic focused schools - they put the emphasize on the children's socio-emotional development and on multiple ways of self expression (through art, tinkering, music, play), while hitting all the academic goals. Ventana is sitting in a beautiful natural environment with many play areas - a great place for the children to run around and develop their curiosity and appreciation for nature. Important to note - the school's leadership is very agile, and was able to quickly create an efficient online curriculum very early on during the pandemic. Once approved, the school re-opened with best safety measures and the teachers are able to combine online/offline learning effectively.
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November 2020 by Leslie Hart
My family is so happy at Ventana! This is our third year and our two children attend their wonderful elementary program. My husband and I are local educators who carefully considered all of the pros/cons of attending private vs public and in the end we were won over by Ventana's incredible community, faculty, curriculum, and thoughtful and progressive Reggio approach to learning. Although attached to a church Ventana is an independent school. They've continued to "wow" us throughout 2020 and have consistently placed safety and their commitment to students and the forefront of their decision making. I could not recommend this community and school enough!
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March 2020 by David H.
Our child has been at Ventana since Kindergarten and will graduate from 5th grade this year. Our child loves Ventana and even to this day still looks forward to every school day. My wife and I are very proud of how our child is growing into a considerate and confident young person and I credit all that to Ventana. I can see what sets Ventana apart from other private schools is the extent that their teachers and staff are willing to do to meet each student's individual needs. One time, we have a concern regarding our child's behavior in school and after expressing our concern, her teachers immediately formulated a plan to address our concern and provided weekly updates about our child's progress. In additions, the school administration also reaches out to us to during and after this process to make sure our concerns are being addressed. We really feel that Ventana really care about our needs as a parent. Having a low student teacher ratio really gives Ventana the ability to fulfill each student's needs. Academically, Ventana also prepares my child very well. My child got a very good ISEE score and was accepted into the middle schools of choice.
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December 2019 by Maureen Coohill Giandinoto
It's a quaint school with wonderful teachers, staff, parents and children.
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November 2019 by Jenny W.
My daughter is now in the 7th grade and is thriving. Her academic preparation was more than sufficient for an easy transition in 6th grade, and she's building on the inquiry and critical thinking skills she developed at Ventana. She still sometimes misses the warm, wonderful teachers and creative learning environment and we both credit her success in middle school to Ventana.
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November 2019 by Sally M.
After experiencing other private schools in silicon valley, we transferred to Ventana and we've been absolutely thrilled. We have found our home. We have kids in both the preschool and elementary program. Ventana is a caring, enriching environment that teaches kids critical thinking skills - all while having fun. My kids love school and are actually bummed when it's the weekend. The teachers are phenomenal; they are extremely supportive both academically and emotionally. This school treasures the gift that is childhood and is a wonderful safe space where my kids get to be kids. It's also a wonderful community where my husband and I have made lasting friendships.
