Leonardo Da Vinci Health Sciences Charter School

Would absolutely recommend this school to all parents! The teachers are excellent, parents are very involved and the students are wonderful! LDV is the place to be! Most of all my children are happy!
--Submitted by a parent

I love this school and most importantly, my children also love it. My children have greatly improved academically. I like the policy of more nutritious lunches and snacks, the communication they have with parents, and everything in general. I love it.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter at 5 years old knew she wanted to go to LDV after only a little while visiting an already in session class. She left public school where she was bored to tears and given sub-standard food and candy by her teacher in an aging, ill-maintained school. She has thrived and even thanked me for finding this school for her. She gets a well-balanced education coupled with healthy eating habits that are important to our family. Although we live in Imperial Beach, we feel the commute and commitment is well worth it. She is being exposed to methods of teaching and subjects you just don't get in the public school system anymore. My husband and I call it a private school education at public school prices! ;-) My preschooler can't wait to attend next year and have the same Kinder teacher my older daughter had. She attended programs with me and sees how happy her big sister is at school. The only way I could be happier with this school is if it was a block away!
--Submitted by a parent

It is sad to see that the ratings of this school go down because a few people expect there children to become geniuses out of one year of school. I recently saw the numbers and numbers don't lie. Starting out the 1st yr the school exceeded expectations, and I strongly believe it will continue to do so. My daughter came from a public school with 1200 children and little to no parent involvement. At this school you not only get to know the teachers and staff, but you get to know the parents as well. What I find even more interesting is the diversity and no seperation of socio-economic status as children form all over the south bay are welcome., not just from Eastlake. I look forward to a great new year and hope Mrs. Van Nice continues to build on Mrs. Kang great work.
--Submitted by a parent

Love, LOVE this school. Unfortunately it still has a lot of bugs that needs to be ironed out. I would love to see what the school will be in the future and wish them the best. I do know for a fact that they have the most caring teachers I've ever known. Kuddos for striving to be the best school they can possibly be, and making sure the kids have a blast learning! In this day in age, everyone seems to stress high test scores, this school not so much, they put the kids FIRST, and as a parent, it is a pleasure to know that someone cares for my childs love of learning, more than being ranked number one. To me that is more important., because a kid can't learn if they AIN'T HAVING FUN! Go LdV!
--Submitted by a parent

Unfortunately this charter stands for anything but community. While they encourage parent involvement and monetary donations, rarely do they appear to make decisions based on community opinion or for the benefit of the children. In fact, the resounding message that is received at most meetings is that if parents don't like the decisions being made, they are free to leave, as the school has a wait list and those children can easily be replaced. Teachers are great, but are often treated unfairly and also don't seem to have much input, which is resulting in a quick turnover. While they promise a Spanish program, it has been canceled mid-year both years they have been open. Poor fiscal decisions, leaving many to wonder if the school will be able to stay open or if they will be forced to close their doors mid-year. It is truly a sad thing when a school with such potential is run like this. We were so optimistic coming to this school when it opened, and leave now feeling defeated and worn down. We walk away having made wonderful friends, but also feel that attending LDVCS has put our child's education at a disadvantage.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a parent who left this school and it was a tough choice. The school is nice and small and everyone knows everyone. It has a good "vibe". But, it lacks fundamental resources to meet the needs of many of the kids. After trying to advocate for change, we decided it was best for our family to move on. If you are undecided, I recommend stopping in to the school and seeing for yourself, as every family is different. You can learn a lot from observing the leadership and parent involvement there.
--Submitted by a parent

I read the one star reviews and have to inform readers of the truth. The two parents who gave these reviews are consequently the two parents that are pulling their kids out of LdV this week (we all know who they are, very gossipy, and I am happy they are freeing us of their negativity). I love LdV but more importantly my son loves LdV. I pulled him out of our local school of 800+ students when I noticed his significance their was just a test number. Sure he was a good test taker, but he was unmotivated to learn and lacked important skills. Since he's been at LdV, he loves learning, is making personal connections and has an overall improved quality of life, while still being challenged in all curricular areas. I couldn't be happier.
--Submitted by a parent

I like the vision of this school but decided to pull my children out after the start of the year because of the poor test scores and the inability to see any change from the administration. The Board seems to be cut off at the knees and parents, while asked to be involved, aren't engaged beyond asking for fundraising efforts. Some teachers are gems, but can't do their jobs because of the lack of leadership.
--Submitted by a parent

We love LdVCS! I have my degree in Psychology and Child development and researched and actually visited several schools before making this school the perfect choice for my daughter. My daughter is getting a well balanced education. What I like about this school is that she is able to advance and work at her level. I also like that she will get extra help in her weaker subjects-- Her teacher is wonderful and i really like that all the teachers in her grade work together. You can't expect a school to have the highest test scores in the first year! I feel very informed about what is going on in my daughters classroom and in the school. The fact that this school has grown SO much from the first to the 2nd year, just tells you how much parents want their kids to come here!
--Submitted by a parent