based on 18 reviews
Hilldale School
79 Florence Street
Daly City, CA
94014
(650) 756-4737
http://hilldaleschool.org
By: teacher
Date: January, 2007
Wow. This school has so much to offer! Art, Music, Spanish, PE, Ethics, plus all the academics one year ahead of other schools. This school also values the importance of recess and care for our children before and after school. The staff is very committed to the success of the school and the children.
By: parent
Date: October, 2005
Hilldale School is one if not the best schools in the area. The number of students vs. teachers is more like a homeschooling with the benefit of social interaction with other students of different ages. My child excels in all parts of academic needs due to the small class; teachers spending time to met her needs, constantly challeging her, testing her ability to succeed. We have been a part of the school for a number of years, and we have seen the changes that the new owner made to upgrade, meeting the demands, educational expectations and students rises to the challenge. Critical thinking and information technology have been incorporated with the curriculum which will help the students in their future academic and real life experiences.
By: parent
Date: December, 2005
A gem of a school. Small, but very challenging and enriching. Superb teachers and very committed Principal. Excellent after school program which is included in the tuition. Fantastic value form money. A real hidden treasure.
By: parent
Date: April, 2006
Hilldale is an oasis in the world of too-busy teachers and parents on the go. We as a family have found a diverse community of friendship, family, and mentors at Hilldale. What school offers that? My son, Jakob, who is a third grader, says Hilldale is a fun, nice place where you meet good friends and get a good education! Know any 3rd graders saying that? I challenge any school out there to offer the skills, talent, sense of community and duty that Hilldale offers my children. My daughter (4yrs) recently enrolled into the Pre-K program. Daily she is excited about going to school where she has learned about science, reading and increased her artistic abilities. She is definitely ready for kindergarten. After school workshops, swimming, great education all in a beautiful country setting.
By: parent
Date: October, 2005
Both my children have gone to Hilldale School since they were Kindergarten. Hilldale is a small school located near the city where it provides a conducive natural setting for learning. Currently, the curriculum is well rounded and is carefully balanced to challenge our 8th grader child and meet the requirements needed before her high school years. The staff cohesively work together and shows great interest and are skillful in providing attention as needed. Currently, our child feels comfortable and encouraged to learn and there is no better way to describe the school than that.
By: parent
Date: October, 2006
We are so pleased to have discovered this school! The owners are totally committed to its success. The academics can't be beat for bright and capable children who are supported by their parents. And the kids love the teachers and the school!
By: student
Date: December, 2006
As a new parent to this school, I was amazed on how involved the staff and parents were. It made our transition as a new family very easy. The teachers are just so caring to the students that we felt, like this was the top choice for our daughter. If you're looking for an advanced educational experience then this is the place!
By: parent
Date: December, 2006
The teachers are above awesome, they care about the children here and have a lot to put on the table. Our children are learning about community service, ethics and taking responsibility for being a citizen of this world.
By: teacher
Date: December, 2006
I'm proud to say I've been Hilldale's upper school math and science teacher for five years. I've stayed here because I love the warm and close-knit community and the school's commitment to excellence. Small class sizes allow teachers to get to know each student and design a curriculum plan that works. I've enjoyed terrific success here over the years and my former students are all doing well in high school.
By: Your Neighbor
Date: April, 2006
Hilldale has a wonderful small community feel with a strong focus on academic advancement. The parents and teachers are close knit and the children watch over one another.
By: parent
Date: December, 2006
My student is currently in 7th grade and has been attending Hilldale since Kindergarten. Beyond the fact that it is a close-knit community that values the input of all (students, families, teachers and staff) what most compels us about this school is the strong academic focus that still allows the children to be children. The children truly prosper in this environment. To the surprise of any new family who joins the school, the children simply do not want to leave before it closes at 6pm. This school is a rare find and I would encourage anyone looking for an academically challenging curriculum to check it out.
By: parent
Date: August, 2006
My son is currently in 7th grade and has been attending Hilldale since Kindergarten. Beyond the fact that it is a close-knit community that values the input of all constituencies (students, families, teachers and staff) what most compels us to remain at this school is the strong academic focus that still allows the children to be children. The children truly love and prosper in this environment. To the surprise of any new family that joins the school, the children simply do not want to leave before it closes at 6pm. This school is a rare find.
By: parent
Date: December, 2005
We can't say enough good things about the Hilldale School. Our son is a first-grader at Hilldale and attended kindergarten at Hilldale, as well as the summer camp. When we go to school, it feels like coming home. We truly feel that the Hilldale community is a second family. The Hilldale School challenges the students with a rigorous academic curriculum and our son is learning so much - far beyond the traditional first-grade skills. The first-grade curriculum involves lots of reading and writing, spelling and math, as well as social studies and science. The students in his class truly enjoy working hard and we know that whenschool is in session he is working -- and not being 'babysat,' as is the case in many other schools.
By: parent
Date: November, 2006
From this parent's perspective money matters more than the child.
By: parent
Date: May, 2006
The long-term stability of this school is in question. Also, their highly touted accelerated curriculum is not developmentally appropriate.
By: parent
Date: November, 2006
This is a school you want to avoid. My experience with this owner has been negative. I did not experience caring for my child by the administrators or the teachers. The extra curricular activities they charge extra for are not done very well. The children are 'clickish' and in our experience unkind to new students. I did not see any actual teaching on character education and that was the main reason I enrolled my child.
By: parent
Date: September, 2006
This school s overall stability should be a major concern to any interested parent. A strong family community is cancelled out by poor ownership at this for profit school. If you tour, ask about the school s financial stability, average teacher tenure, lack of janitorial and office staff, and student turnover rates.
By: Your Neighbor
Date: October, 2006
Admittedly, the 2005-6 school year was difficult financially because of the low student numbers, and the entire school community had to pull together to see us through. However, with the increased number of students in 2006-7, all services are back up and running, and the school has a bright future. We aim to have the best academic school in the San Francisco area, and our parents will tell you that we're well on our way to succeeding in this goal. Our kids are safe, happy, and getting a top-notch education in a nurturing educational community. Come and see for yourself!
