Testimonials

Parent Testimonials

“We drive 120 miles every day (two roundtrips at 30 miles each way) so that our son can attend this wonderful school. We searched for three years before finally finding Oak Crest, which is now fully accredited with the highest possible score. The only thing wrong with it is that it is not closer to us!

The curriculum is perfect for a child who needs to go deeper and is excited by learning. My son particularly loves History class and Latin class! The teachers — who are all experts in their fields — are so thoughtful in how they teach, how they interact with students, and how they facilitate the students’ interactions with each other.

Other things we like are: Engaging after-school classes are offered at reasonable rates. The administration takes the opinions of parents and the student body very seriously and is extremely responsive in every way. The children are encouraged to think for themselves and follow through on ideas they come up with, such as planning fundraisers and writing their own holiday play!

My son looks forward to school every day, comes home (after a long drive) energized and excited about what he has learned, and has become more independent and mature in the few months he has been attending OCA.”

Joan Dans

“We had already gone through 3 of the best rated public elementary schools and none of them were able to engage our son. I found Oak Crest Academy online and went for a tour. I was skeptical. But the moment we met Jeannie and she told us about the school, I realized that she really understood our son’s needs and had created a very unique environment specially tailored for these kids. We soon spoke to other parents at OCA and learned that they each had very similar experiences. I was also thrilled when I had our parent teacher conferences to see how well the teachers understood our son and how they engaged him. Before starting at Oak Crest Academy, our son was bored at school, becoming “disruptive” and losing his passion for school. Immediately after he started OCA and until this day, our son is excited about going to school and can’t wait to tell us what he is learning. And, our son has found friends he can connect with and that understand him.”

M. N.

“My 5th grade son changed schools in November 2014 from a Catholic private school to Oak Crest Academy even though my older son (which he currently loves) stayed at the current school. I realized that my younger son needed a progressive alternative approach to education than the usual structured curriculum at a private school. Our family still has strong ties with the Catholic school. My son had a hard time with the homework and some of the tests at his other school. There were days where it was hard for us to bring him to school. With Oak Crest Academy, that definitely changed. The math, language arts, and english is challenging for him and he is thriving at this school. He enjoys the Creative Writing, American Inclusive Class and he started learning to play Chess which he plays two to three times a week after school. What I also like about Oak Crest Academy is that it exposes him to Cooking, Gardening and Theater where he learned about Shakespeare. He also enjoys playing outdoors with his classmates when I drop him off before they are brought together as a group to work on conflict resolution and meditation. I like that this is a great learning tool at a young age so my son can learn to manage conflicts, feelings and lower his anxiety before he starts school. I also like the fact that they have their major subjects before lunch and after lunch they have their enrichment classes such as chess, art, captivating speakers, cooking and gardening. My son is a different person when he attends Oak Crest Academy. It was a tough decision to change schools after two months when school started already. The first month was a transition for him and also for making new friends. But now he has new friends at Oak Crest Academy and he still has his friends from his other school that come over to our house. He has been at Oak Crest Academy for 7 months now and he is much happier.”

Carolyn C

“I have an elementary school age son who began attending Oak Crest Academy a few months ago. We moved from an excellent public school in the Las Virgenes District, where my daughter still goes to school. Changing schools has taught me so much. Although I’ve always been a fan of public school, and I’m a product of public schools myself, I have learned the hard way that it isn’t for everyone. My son was not thriving academically, and even though our public school wanted to give him accommodations, they couldn’t change the core structure of the learning process. At oak Crest Academy, the students are challenged in a non-stressful environment. Many gifted kids, like my son, tend to have high anxiety. Worksheets, endless homework, and constant testing aggravate their anxiety and make genuine learning impossible. After we moved to Oak Crest my son became a different person. He is engaged and interested in going to school (no more tears in the morning). The math teacher is amazing, she immediately assessed my son and has been able to help him in countless ways. The writing teacher has inspired my son to actually like writing, which he never did before. The history teacher has opened new worlds for my son. Yes, there are some courses that change, those are the “electives” that change every semester based on student interest. I love that! For example, this semester my son has computers and chess, which he loves. But he also has cooking and gardening, which aren’t his favorites. However, I think this structure is ideal because he is exposed to different things, that will only last a few months and then they move on. Another person commented that the people at this school don’t understand gifted children, but that has NOT been my experience at all. In addition to the amazing academic curriculum, the kids begin the day with meditation and are taught about their feelings. When my son exhibited signs of anxiety, the teachers were able to identify and address what was going on in a kind and loving manner. Also, Karen the administrator in the office is so helpful and kind. She has gone above and beyond to help my son. This is nothing like our old school. If you have a gifted child and are looking for a nurturing environment where he or she can grow I would recommend visiting Oak Crest Academy.”

Jennifer K

As a teacher, I love to be at a school where children’s opinions and questions are valued. It is even better when their curiosities become a part of the curriculum! At Oak Crest Academy, teachers are fortunate to have the power to supplement our proven, research-based curriculum with additional activities that come directly from the interests of the students. The result is well-educated, empowered students who know that learning has no boundaries! Each day at Oak Crest is a new adventure that I am grateful to be a part of.

Amanda S

We love this gem of a school so much that we have enrolled both of our children here. One is now in second grade; the other is in seventh grade; and this is their second year at this school. If I were to state briefly what we have gained by joining OCA, I would say “less stress, more learning.” In this small environment, with wonderful teachers, fewer distractions, and no mindless work, our children can hear themselves think and are able to work at much higher levels than their grades. Knowledge is not doled out by the teaspoon – they are allowed to go as far and as deep as they are able. For both our children, going to school is a joy every day; sitting math tests is a welcome challenge; history is fascinating; science class is an absolute delight. Afternoon electives are a lot of fun, too, exposing children to a wide range of subjects: drama, cooking, chess, landscape painting, yoga, mock trials, Odyssey of the Mind, etc. etc. Needless to say, we are very lucky to have found this school!

Mona

Parent Testimonials

Joan Dans

M. N.

Carolyn C

Jennifer K

Amanda S

Ariadne M

Jennifer

Mona

Los Angeles Campus

Pomona Campus