GHS Academy- Golden Hills School

The academics at GHS are a year behind in Spanish from the local public school. The Spanish book my daughter was issued for 8th grade was the one she completed at her previous private school in another area of CA in the 7th grade. After moving her out of GHS after just 4 months, she is now too far behind to keep up with the Spanish class at the public school. Enrolling her here was a mistake for us. Ask about administration turnover history, ask about how they compare their curriculum with other local schools. Not a good choice to prepare your child for local private and public high schools.
--Submitted by a parent

Before signing on the dotted line be sure to inquire about stability and continuity. Over the last 10 years the school has had 6 principals and is in the process of looking for their 7th. As the parent of a child who has spent 6 years at GHS, I can attest to the agony of having to consider uprooting the child, when new board members and principals reinvent the curriculum or methods or culture. And closely consider the qualifications of the board with respect to creating a genuine education experience. Additionally, I have personally come to believe that the degree to which an institution is leveraged can compromise its ability to execute its mission. The facilities might be stellar, but on-going solvency is just as crucial, given the long-term nature of this commitment. Consider having them clearly articulate the difference between their academic and disciplinary methods compared to public school to see if it lines up with your own expectations. And don't let them substitute standardized test scores or point to the well-behaved children as a substitute for specific practices. In my view, these questions could be applied to any private school you are considering, not only GHS.
--Submitted by a parent

GHS is an academically advanced school with great teachers, small class sizes and individualized instruction. My child is thriving academically and is developing confidence and leadership abilities. Their character development program but also just the culture of the school focuses on developing good people in addition to good students. This was not something that we were conscious that we were looking for but is now one of the most valuable contributions of the school.
--Submitted by a parent

Our kids have been at GHS since early elementary. We switched from another area private school because the kids there were "growing up too fast" and exposing our kids to language and other things we felt were inappropriate for 1st and 2nd grade. GHS couldn't be more different, The kids from JK through 8th grade are well-behaved and polite. The school and the parent community really emphasize character in all of the kids. It's so great to see the 8th graders taking care of their JK "buddies" at school events. We couldn't find this kind of focus on manners and citizenship anywhere else, and we're glad we found it at GHS. Couple that with the small class sizes and the really stellar teachers, especially in middle school, and we couldn't be happier. In particular, middle school is such a tough time for kids, we are thrilled with the environment GHS provides. It's a small community with great families and other kids and it lets them be young just a bit longer than in public school. Not to mention that the middle school teachers are truly top notch. We can't imagine having our kids go to middle school anywhere else!
--Submitted by a parent

My child's experience at GHS has been excellent. He is thriving in a challenging and caring environment. We take enrollment year by year and have always been happy with our choice.
--Submitted by a parent

My husband and I are stretching our budget to afford private education, but it has been soooo worth it! We were very disappointed with the quality of teaching and huge class sizes at our local public school. At GHS, our son has only 21 students in his kindergarten class and his teacher, who has 30 yrs of experience, is enthusiastic and clearly loves what she does. She also has an aide, so there s a much better opportunity for individualized instruction. The full-day program incorporates daily P.E. and weekly Spanish, Music, Art and Computers. I love that this school expects students to give their personal best every day. The character education program is wonderful too. The students seem to really take pride in their school and the collegial atmosphere is something special. We couldn't be happier.
--Submitted by a parent

I'm suspicious of recent rave reviews & am concerned it's indicative of success "the powers that be" have gained in managing the school. While our children attended, we observed aggressive lobbying by parents/clicks to influence teachers and vice versa with teachers lobbying for their own interests with parents. We also witnessed mean internal strife and unprofessional politics by an oddly respected lower grade teacher. How she manages such ongoing manipulation of major clicks is bewildering. Overall, it's a negative/harsh enviornment.
--Submitted by a parent

My child has enjoyed a wonderful year at Golden Hills School. He is currently enrolled in the junior kindergarten program which is truly one of a kind! The teacher has balanced strong academics with lots of age approriate fun. I was looking for a great transition from preschool to kindergarten and Golden Hills was the perfect school for this transition. The creativity of the teacher has helped my son learn to enjoy arts and crafts and make some darling keepsakes. I am amazed at the amount he has learned in such a short time frame. The teacher's ability to gently motivate while realizing that the kids are still really young is a gift that has contributed to my son's success. I would strongly recommend the junior kindergarten program at Golden Hills School.
--Submitted by a parent

This is our first year at Golden Hills and probably the happiest year in my child's educational years so far. Safe and nurturing environment. Excellent academics. Various enrichment opportunities. The staff is so communicative with the parents. The kids treat each other with kindness and respect.
--Submitted by a parent

When we moved to the Sacramento area, we enrolled our children in GHS "for just one year" -- and as we look forward to their fourth consecutive school year at GHS, we wouldn't think of sending them anywhere else!!!! Initially, we came for the individual attention we felt our kids would receive during their transition from their prior school to CA - and our expectations were met and exceeded! The small class sizes allowed the teachers to meet both our children where they were academically when they arrived - and even though they found themselves at different levels in their respective classes initially, the teachers assisted them in filling in any gaps and both children have excelled and thrived as they move through the grades! The small class sizes and dedicated faculty -- which lead to great academics -- continue to be stand-outs for our family. But it's not just the academics ... The GHS environment is truly priceless. The kids are able to stay kids -- in a culture that values strong character, integrity and genuine kindness, where every teacher knows and values my children. Where can you find that in this day-and-age??? We wouldn't want to be anywhere else!!!!
--Submitted by a parent