Oasis Trilingual Community School ..

Most Recent Comments

• May 2023 by Joy Q.
  Our family loves Oasis because of the small class sizes and nurturing environment! I wanted my kids to learn Mandarin but when I researched local schools with language programs, the class sizes were too large for my liking. I want my kids to learn Mandarin but not at the expense of being in a school where they might not get enough care and attention from their teachers, where they are lost in the crowd or slip through the cracks. The class sizes at Oasis are mostly around 10 students (or less), which is less than most private schools and about half the size of public school classes for the lower elementary grades and less than half of the size of public school classes for middle to higher elementary grades. This makes a huge difference in how kids learn, how kids feel about school, how well their teachers know them and how they develop socially and emotionally in these critical years.I have two very different kids at Oasis (one in TK and one in 2nd grade). One is more academic and serious and one is more playful but both are thriving at Oasis and best of all, both love school and learning! Both have such strong connections with their teachers. When we receive the kids' assessments from their teachers and meet with teachers at the end of the trimester, I am astonished by how well they know my kids. They know how well my kids play or work in a group, how they deal with conflicts or setbacks, what frustrates them and so much more! Many of the things they notice (good or bad) are the same that I notice at home. If there's an area of concern, they always bring it up with me, collaborate with me and with my kids on improving the situation. Learning at Oasis is also very individualized and tailored to each child. Within each grade, there are different level classes for Mandarin and Spanish and some movement across grades also occur as needed. For example, when my older son first started at Oasis, he was in the kindergarten class and within a few months the school communicated with me that he's actually better suited to be in first grade. After discussing with me and getting my approval, the school and teachers made this change gradually over many weeks and communicated with me every step of the way. By the end of the process he was fully integrated into first grade and was happier because of it. It was just amazing how much they cared about his academic growth and his social emotional needs. During the first few months of this school year, they noticed that he could move up a level in Mandarin and Spanish and this time the switch was also seamless. Teachers at Oasis are constantly evaluating what's best for the kids and make changes when needed. My kids spend more time during the week at school than with me and I'm so thankful that they are at Oasis, where they are seen, heard and loved. My kids look forward to school and love learning. When I pick them up from school, oftentimes they don't want to leave and want to stay at school for the after school program. I've heard the same from other parents as well so it's clear how much the kids love their school!
• October 2021 by Joyce Qi
  Oasis is an amazing and affordable private school with small classes that fosters a child’s curiosity and love of learning in a nurturing environment. The teachers are dedicated and develop individualized learning plan that is tailored to my child. The school values parents’ input and the community is wonderful. Enrolling my kindergartner at Oasis has been one of the best decisions I have made and I can't imagine a better school for my child.
• October 2021 by Gaugau ..
  What a gem in the San Gabriel valley! First of all, if you are reading this review, you are probably looking for an alternative to the public school your kids would otherwise attend and/or you want to take advantage of your kids' abilities to learn multiple languages while they are younger. So I'll point out what I think are the major advantages versus public schools and the fun learning process this school uses to teach kids in multiple languages and on all of the subjects. First, the school is small and caters to each kid's learning path. They use a cohort learning method where subjects are taught at the same time so that kids can move to the right level for that subject. THIS SHOULD BE THE APPROACH AT EVERY SCHOOL!! So if your kid is advance in reading, they may have your kid jump into the next class for that period only, but be back with their peers for the other subjects. Genius, right? The only other school in LA that I've heard that uses this approach is the Mirman school in Encino. I'm not sure why more schools don't adopt this approach! I'm sure for many who have looked at many schools, both private and public, you have come to the realization that the school reputation is based on many factors including the parents and the teachers/administrators. With great school districts (we have looked at almost all of the ones in the valley), it's become very obvious that the reputation is largely driven because the families who attend have a focus on education and a means of providing their kids with the resources to be successful. The public school itself is just the beneficiary of having a student body that comes from families who believe education is important. At Oasis, the families are extremely committed but see the value of a different approach of learning and the importance of learning different languages. And the teachers and administrators are the most organized, thoughtful, and communicative group of school staff I've seen (even with preschools/daycares which were small as well). The Principal/Director is an amazingly effective and caring leader who is exceptional with logistics and communications. She is constantly sending us updates and soliciting us for input which results in immediate changes/adaptations. We live in a fantastic school district but I chose to enroll both my kids into this school because I wanted them to continue/start their language learning journey and in the world of COVID, I just wanted a smaller school community for exposure/planning. I'm so glad I chose Oasis over our home school this year. The curriculum has been challenging for my curious and very capable almost 7 year old and my 4 year old is finally learning Mandarin with a bonus of Espanol! The parents in the school community seem very like-minded in our desire to provide a different experience for our kids to really develop a love of learning new subjects and new languages. In some ways the school has a co-op vibe without the parents having to put in a ton of time (my husband and I both work full-time so it's not an option) but there are many parents who put in a ton of time to better the community which is so awesome. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, the tuition is extremely affordable, given the ridiculous numbers I've seen all over Los Angeles. It was a no-brainer for me when I was used to hearing tuition that was more than double in other private elementary schools. This school is an absolute gem - and I feel so fortunate to live so close. I can see why other families will drive far to have their kids attend - it's a special experience and my kids loved it from day 1.
• July 2020 by Niccole B.
  Oasis handled the distance learning after the shutdown very well. They are a big reason, I feel, that my daughter stayed her normal happy self during this difficult time. She gained a lot of independence in completing her school work and they had regular check-ins with their teachers to discuss school work or even to just have a conversation. She was regularly able to jump on and get in touch with a teacher if she had any questions about assignments. The Head of School is proactive and responsive. We will be continuing this fall at Oasis for our 6th year (5th grade). The school also was able to receive their WASC accreditation during the last school year which was a huge accomplishment!
• July 2020 by Catherine G.
  Distance Learning update - I'm very impress with the way Oasis is handling distance learning. Their communication is excellent. Before distance learning started back in March, we were given a heads up as to what the school was considering and what they were beginning to implement. During distance learning, there was a daily morning meeting where the entire class has an opportunity to interact and the teacher lets the class knows their assignments for the day. She did such a great job that as a parent I needed to do very little to guide the rest of the day along. That's very impressive given we are talking about a 1st grader. The kids were broken up into small groups of 3 for live Mandarin classes 3 times a week, live Spanish classes 3 times a week, live Math classes and English as well as biweekly one-on-one check-ins. They also have live optional community events for the entire small school to interact weekly and live class recess. In addition to these live classes there are daily assignments, and recorded lessons for each subject. The kids were are able to ask their teachers for help anytime and the teachers continued to be accessible and available for video/chat help throughout the day. That is what our end of last school year looked like. If you are wondering if your kids will continue to benefit and learn with a distance learning program, I can say mine did. He learned an impressive amount of new Chinese vocabulary. He gained confidence in his writing, reading and math skills. His friendships grew via zoom calls and live recesses. I got to see the teachers in action and can truly say I'm impress with how they teach and communicate with the kids. Throughout the summer, we continue to receive emails regarding what options the school is considering and practices they are planning to implement for the new school year. We are asked for our input and preferences and I know from experience they will take everything we say into consideration. This is a small school which makes it prefect for limited social interaction if we do choose to have in person school. They are figuring out how to provide a richer and more well rounded experience and how to improve upon the already impressive distance learning we experienced last school year. I am very happy my son is attending this school and I am constantly reminded that we chose the right school for him.
• May 2020 by Mony S.
  This fall will be our son's fourth year at Oasis. The language program and emphasis on social-emotional development are what caught our attention. After touring it, we could tell Oasis was a special place. The staff and teachers are superb! Despite not having a formal playground and not having some of the bells and whistles of much larger schools, the attention and energy the kids receive from staff more than makes up for it. The teachers are incredibly passionate, hard working and are always ready to give more for the kids. They find clever ways to make learning fun. I learn everyday from my son. These people "see" the kids and love on them and encourage them. When my son graduated from Kindergarten, the head teacher used 3 adjectives each when introducing the kids. She nailed it! She described my son perfectly! As she did for his friends, and for all the kids. I could tell that she knew them. That is what makes Oasis so special. They care about your kids, the whole package. On top of excellent academic training, they also cater to the social and emotional components of learning. I feel that social emotional is critical at this age. One can have the highest IQ in the world, but if they can't handle their own emotions or with work well other people, having a happy and mindful life will be more challenging. The teachers at Oasis really understand that and speak that to the kids. The kids there have opportunity to process their feelings, learn to become comfortable with being uncomfortable, and are encouraged to push themselves to reach their personal best. In March, 2020 Covid-19 changed the world. When the schools shut down, we were bracing for the unknown. Oasis did not miss a beat. We've had morning meetings, live classes, and homework everyday. The school was very communicative and asked for feedback. Indeed, good changes were implemented based on the feedback. The school year is almost over and we've had two-and-a-half months of distance learning. From this, I had first hand experience of how the teachers taught the kids. I have seen first hand how hard the teachers work to maintain their learning level. Besides live classes and open office hours, they continued community events like online recess, yoga, and games for the kids and parents. One time several boys(my son included) accidentally called their teacher on Google hangout, instead of asking them not to call her again, she took time to talk to them about their day, showed them her dog and showed nothing but kindness and genuine interest in them. This is not the exception but the norm at Oasis. The school truly is a big family. The kids get along and really love each other. The parents are great people too. This is a wonderful community! There are a lot of uncertainties right now, but having our son be at Oasis is not one of them. We are grateful to be a part of this special school.
• May 2020 by Lisa Z.
  Our boys have attended Oasis since 2016. We were initially drawn to the school for its trilingual program and high standards. We quickly learned that oasis is more than just a trilingual school and provides a well rounded, education that taps into our children's interests. It fosters an environment where students are excited about learning. I am always impressed by the teachers and staff who are dedicated, creative, and talented. I have been particularly impressed with the way the teachers have handled our transition to virtual learning. So much changed so quickly but the teachers were prepared and they hit the ground running, more so than what many of our friends have experienced at other schools around the area. While virtual school can be challenging and requires a lot out of the parents, our kids continue to learn and progress, even in three languages (and we only speak one and a half of them). The kids meet with their class every morning which allows them to still feel connected to their school community and gets them ready to work. They then have a combination of individualized live sessions, prerecorded videos to explain the work, and enough school work for the kids to stay busy and continue learning. The teachers are always available for extra support, and our kids always look forward to their live interactions with teachers and classmates. There is no doubt that virtual learning requires significant parent involvement and team work, especially for the younger children. However, Oasis eases the burden that I am sure we would carry at any school. Finally, the Oasis community incomparable in the connectivity among parents and students that has continued despite the quarantine. I would highly recommend Oasis both before, during and after the coronavirus.
• March 2020 by Bryan S.
  Finding this hidden gem of a school is easily one of the most important discoveries our family has ever made. Our 7 year old is in her 3rd year while our 5 year old is in her first. Watching the teachers give individual, tailored care to each of our VERY DIFFERENT children has been a blessing. Both kids have thrived, but each has had a different side of them built up by the school. The shy, academic one has come out of her shell and become a leader, while the wild one has calmed down and begun focusing (dare I say even loving) classroom learning. It truly has been a remarkable journey for us, even just in these 3 years. If a smaller school, with a focus on language, academics and community, is what you seek for your child, then I can't recommend Oasis highly enough. Come see what it's all about!
• February 2020 by Ammie H.
  Great teaching staff! 5 star all the way. My 4 and 7 year old kids enjoy learning Chinese and Spanish while having a blast! Teachers and office staff dedicate their time and effort to get to know each kid. I feel that they do beyond what is expected. I highly recommend.
• January 2020 by Camille P.
  This is my son's second year in Oasis and my daughter's first year here. My son is 2nd grade and my daughter is in TK. They both love this school and learn so much everyday. Teacher are very professional, caring and full of patients and passion. I see my son's academic growth and feel touched. He is good at Math but needs improvement on English writing. I remembered how he was struggling with English writing on his 1st grade. He spent 10 minutes for just one sentence. Now he can finish 1 page writing in the class. Thank to the English teacher for her advice to parents, encouragement and patients. In addition to academic growth, teachers also help kids to process their emotions. Another thing I love this school is the way students learn the languages. We all know the best way to learn a language is to live with it. Students have Mandarin, Spanish class everyday. Teachers are using interactive method to teach. Besides, they apply the languages with gardening, social skill and cooking class...etc. For example, they teach how to make tacos in Spanish in Cinco de Mayo and dumplings in Mandarin in Chinese New Year. I even learn Spanish through my son's homework! I like the reflection sheets and struggling slips, which are comprehensive. Parents are reported about their kids behavior problem right after school at pick-up time. Parents are heard in Oasis. Parents coffee time are often held. We love field trips and we have a field trip every month!
• November 2019 by Grace C.
  Five years ago, I found this school through an article covering dual immersion and trilingual language schools on NPR. My family and I were planning to move out-of-state but decided to stay after we toured this school. It's now our fourth year at Oasis. I have a child in Kindergarten and another in 2nd grade. We plan to stay through 6th grade for both children. Why we enrolled: Trilingual immersion - English, Mandarin, Spanish Anti-bullying Philosophy emphasizing kindness, global awareness, giving back, leadership Small class sizes Individual Learning Plans Project-based learning Filmmaking, gardening, MakerSpace, yoga, cooking, art, music appreciation and orchestra Extremely affordable after school care and after school classes Why we stayed: All of the above + Fantastic teachers (although the teachers do change from time to time, Oasis maintains a high hiring bar and somehow continues to find new gems) Close and supportive community Constant strive for improvement Open communication between the school and families Enduring friendships Fun factor through community-building activities Proof is in the pudding: In general, I would say the students are happy, inquisitive, knowledgeable, insightful, feel safe, and enjoy going to school each day. Academically, every student is at a different level. The teachers recognized my 2nd grader was testing above grade level in math and languages. They moved him to the 3rd grade level where he feels challenged. Photos: I really love how the teachers provide these precious glimpses throughout the school day. They use a program called ClassDojo to post pictures/videos of the kids singing, working on projects, etc. with brief descriptions to help us parents understand what the students are doing.
• November 2019 by Tera E.
  I initially moved to Arcadia because of the good school district. That was the plan, until I was told about this gem of a school located down the street in Temple City. Although, my husband was set on Arcadia unified, I hoped I'd find an amazing private school that was too hard to turn down. I knew it had to offer more than just a private education. It had to be unique and we needed to feel they would be getting the best education and experiences. So it turns out, Oasis was everything we didn't know we needed. A trilingual (Mandarin 40%, English 40%, Spanish 20%) immersion program with individual learning plans, where appropriate goals are set for each student and smaller class sizes. All it took was a tour and we knew Oasis offered more than just a trilingual immersion program, it perfectly reflected the multicultural heritage of our family. Oasis' curriculum consists of Singapore math, language arts, science, social studies, and enrichment classes in different languages, such as drama/film, gardening, cooking, makerspace, dance, music and after school classes such as Mandarin and academic chess. The faculty and staff have a connection with each child and you don't feel like your child gets lost amongst the crowd. Although they've had some staff turnover, the teachers are amazing and their dedication and enthusiasm is infectious. When my 5 year old boys are teaching me something new each day, then you know you've made the right decision. Just the other day, they were working on math homework and insisted on writing the answers in Chinese! They had to write down the translation just so I could correct their homework. And they're already so aware of other countries and cultures. It's so incredibly rewarding to hear your child to begin speaking in other languages to complete strangers or even with family and friends. It's a daily reminder that our decision to enroll them at Oasis is only going to help make them more well rounded individuals. Their confidence has skyrocketed since attending Oasis and I look forward to seeing their progression each year. The only con I would say is that they are a newer school and naturally are still working out some kinks that older schools have already well established. We'd also love to see Oasis reopen their middle school program, which will hopefully happen as student enrollment increases.
• October 2019 by Wen Y.
  My kids are in their 3rd year at Oasis and we switched over from another private school in Pasadena for the trilingual immersion aspect. We have a 25 minute commute each way but it is totally worthwhile because it's a unique program. My older child had a small amount of Spanish plus 3 years of Mandarin under her belt from attending after school San Marino Chinese School so it was easy for her to transition into 3rd grade at Oasis. My younger was 4 so essentially started from scratch. Both are thriving and really reaping the benefits of small class sizes. They truly love learning and the teachers have been so amazing in helping them cultivate this. A few other things we love about the program include makerspace, film and international cooking. They have fun after school programs like Academic Chess, dance and Mandarin. They are also learning about cultural fluency at an early age which I think will take them places in the future. As expected with any new school, there are changes in some staff members from year to year but I have to cut them some slack because this sometimes has to happen in order to build your A team. And I'm confident that Oasis will. We plan to have our children finish through 6th grade and we look forward to the future of the program!
• October 2019 by Betty S.
  Our oldest daughter has been at the school for 3 years and our youngest started in Kinder this year. We have to drive 25 miles to get to Oasis, but we absolutely think it is worth it! We were drawn to tour the school because of the Trilingual Immersion Program, Project Based Learning, Singapore Math, STEAM program, MakerSpace, Film Class, Trilingual Cooking and the small class sizes. Our daughters love the Academic Chess afterschool program and the Mandarin Club - they're learning a musical that they will perform for the parents! They make learning new languages fun for the kids through music, movement and games. Oasis has the most passionate and creative teachers that really get to know each child. They never have the kids sitting in desks for very long, which is great for squirmy kids! When they were learning prepositions in Spanish, the kids were crawling under or standing next to chairs etc. Oasis has the Class Dojo App and the teachers make daily uploads of photos and video clips of what the kids are learning. They made sushi in cooking class and learned about it in Mandarin, Spanish and English. Every year the kids write, direct, cast and act in their own films that is shown at the end of the year show. They'll perform some films in Mandarin, Spanish or English. Our youngest was learning how to write numbers in Mandarin. Instead of just practicing and writing it out on paper, Ms. Li had them write it with their finger in sand and then the next day they got to sculpt the numbers out of Play Doh. They really make learning so dynamic and fun for the kids. When our oldest daughter was a little behind in English/site words, her teacher brought it to our attention and helped set some goals and by the end of the year, she had jumped a whole grade level in her reading! It was all due to her awesome English teacher, Ms. Deanna! She even noticed and told us when our daughter had her "light bulb" moment when spelling/sounding out letters finally clicked in her head and her reading accelerated like crazy! It offers such a creative, personalized and nurturing environment that also listens to the families. With the weekly homework packet, there is always a coversheet that a parent has to sign and we have to say if the homework was too easy, just right or too hard, too little, just the right amount or too much. One time I felt we had a little too much and I wrote a note and why we didn't finish all of it. The teacher spoke to me the next day and said she agreed and said other parents had said the same so she would adjust future packets. The school started the Oasis Parent Association this year and after the first meeting - we took a parent's suggestion of having a Parent/Buddy Reading morning and immediately put it on the calendar for October! Oasis really takes into consideration what the families are suggesting. We feel very fortunate to have found Oasis and our daughters are so excited to go to school every day!
• February 2019 by A. H.
  I am an extremely discerning parent with two children at Oasis and have been very pleased with our experience there so far. We seem to have entered as another reviewer left (PC). I'm guessing we overlapped for a year as there was a period of time where there was a teacher on maternity leave and another whose husband got a job in another city and had to leave while enrollment increased ... so there was an adjustment period. During that time, I also noticed my child wasn't being challenged. I brought it up to the administrative staff and they resolved it very quickly through a 3 way email exchange and the teacher immediately adjusted the difficulty level for my son and he's been really accelerating. I'm not sure what happened to PC, but that is not the experience that I or the other parents I know at Oasis have had. It certainly is not typical. Also, there are monthly meetings where the parents and administration discuss concerns and issues. The administration has been really good at responding to parental concerns. We came from another private school that was much more established. The disadvantage of Oasis is there aren't as many facilities, but that also brings advantages that there is a lot more creativity involved. The biggest advantages are the personal attention your child gets and the fact that every child matters to the school. The teachers are really amazing and our Children are really progressing in math and science as well as Chinese. Spanish wasn't as important to us, but our kids can now have basic conversations in Spanish after only 2 years. Our children were in Chinese school (aftercare in San Marino) prior to attending Oasis but their Mandarin has gotten SO much better since coming to Oasis. Even after 2 years they are able to have conversations and my older child can also read an impressive amount. Her grandfather was really impressed with her reading abilities (native Chinese, but not Mandarin speaker). They also have a variety of afterschool programs that change including additional science programs, chess, sports, etc. Overall, despite our having a fairly significant commute (total of 2 hours of driving a day for them to attend the school). We feel very fortunate that we found Oasis and plan to continue there as long as possible.