North Hillsborough School

North School is a wonderful community of teachers, staff members and parents who all come together to provide the most wonderful quality of education in a local school setting. We have been parents at North for 6 years and continue to be impressed by outstanding writing program, ilab, math instruction and the one on one level of attention our children have received there. We love North School!
—Submitted by a parent

I cannot say enough good things about this school and its principal, Angela O'Donnell. The staff encouraged my shy son to be part of student government, and next thing I know he is speaking at a board of trustees meeting. North prepared him well for the transition into Middle School.
—Submitted by a parent

Parents considering this school should take some time to understand the focus of the school and how it relates to the high API score. Preparation for the STAR tests start at the beginning of April and continue through the middle of May. 6 weeks of instructional time is spent preparing for the test. The test itself does not benefit your child but it does benefit the school/district as it directly relates to the high API score of the school. The focus of this school seems to be on attaining a perfect API. Kids who have mastered the material for the STAR test are bored for the six weeks spent preparing for the STAR test. There is no differentiated instruction for those children. They just sit and be bored and waste 1.5 months of a nine month school year without learning anything new or challenging. That is disappointing. It would be nice if the administration focused on the children instead of the API. Every year there is a big announcement of how it improved but really, who is that for.
—Submitted by a parent

Teachers are not genuinely connected to the kids, but know how to put on a great show to win parent approval. Moved here because of the high public school ratings, but very disappointed. Pulled kids out and put them in private. Best decision I ever made!
—Submitted by a parent

A solid school with great teachers, great staff and great administrators who constantly strive to improve the quality of education and quality of school life for our children.
—Submitted by a parent

We moved from San Francisco 2 years ago and are blown away by North School and the community of kids, parents, teachers and administrators. This school is comparable to any City Private School and we couldn't be happier.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm astonished at the poor reviews of North School. Why parents don't appreciate an excellent education for their children is beyond my comprehension. Be thankful for what your school provides for your child; this is an elementary school, not an MBA program!!! The Parent Group, teachers, administration and district level staffing are incredible. I couldn't be more pleased with the amazing education North School is affording both of my children. If you are able, I would 100% recommend this school district, you will not be disappointed.
—Submitted by a parent

The new superintendent brings a tide of welcomed change and transparency. North's new principal is experienced and diplomatic. Many teachers are on tenure though so at a classroom level, the kids will be the last to benefit from the improvement. I agree, it has been somewhat disappointing and am hopeful now.
—Submitted by a parent

Dissapointing. I had one son go through North 10 years ago. It was terrific. I pulled my children out of the school and now sening them to a private school. The competition is fierce amongst the parents and then filters down to the children.
—Submitted by a parent

I am not as positive about the new teachers. North's loss. Why are so many of the best teachers leaving?
—Submitted by a parent

We have great faculty, so it's disappointing when they leave. One teacher left last year to have a baby, and two left to follow a spouse or significant other to an out of state job. New teacher hiring has been generally excellent the past few years, and so far this year seems to be no exception. This is the seventh year I have had children at North, and all of the teachers my children have had have been wonderful, caring, inspiring and professional.
—Submitted by a parent

My son just completed 2nd grade at North. I was blown away by the responsiveness of my son's teacher and the other North staff, by the extremely comprehensive assessments that pinpointed my child's strengths and weaknesses, and by the sheer multitude of opportunities that North provides.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children at North, and I have been extremely pleased with the quality of the teachers and the programs there. We have met so many wonderful families in the past few years at North, and there is a lot of parent involvement at the school. My kids have been challenged and inspired by the instruction -- my 2nd grader completed a Power Point presentation, which he presented on a 'Smart Board'. My kindergartner loved learning to read last year. She was offered P.E., Music, and Computer Science, and Spanish by some of the best specialists around.
—Submitted by a parent

Very disapointing year. I do not understand why resources are being spent on tech while classroom aide time is reduced, gifted and special needs are not available to most who need it. District is not appreciative of community resources given to educational excellence, not superficial equipment. I am joining the ranks of parents with no confidence in this administration.
—Submitted by a parent

Five years ago, North was a school of distinction. Parents were involved, teacher morale was high, and the curriculum was innovative. My older child thrived. Families at the school now have no way to compare the school now to what it once was. My younger child has not had the experiences his older brother had. This once great school has inexperienced teachers. They are unresponsive and provide only the minimum to improve the educational quality of the children. North has become a very undistinguished school
—Submitted by a parent

My children will be spending another summer being tutored to master all the concepts they were not properly taught this year. It's still the family or tutors pulling up the slack.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been very disapointed with the quality of instruction my children have received this year. Maybe because they both ended up with new teachers, but now my first grader can't read, does not want to, and hates school. She had been so enthusiastic at the beginning of the year. My son who loves math, was bored with the math curriculum. No enrichment was provided nor materials recommended when I asked. I worked in the classroom often. The level of progress and skill levels in both classes was under whelming. My husband and I have arranged to pull up our children's learning slack with a tutoring program over the summer. Why are school resources spent in such silly ways?
—Submitted by a parent

My son has had an incredible experience during his five years at North. The teachers are dedicated professionals who go above and beyond to meet the needs of every child. I have seen them on campus many nights and weekends working so hard for our kids. The children are happy and love learning. The counselor and various specialists are extremely talented at what they do. It is not surprising that North is the #1 ranked school in the #1 ranked district in California!
—Submitted by a parent

We've been at North for 6 years. The experience is what you make of it. My kids love North School. Fortunately the bad teachers are gone. Now, we have the most, loving and caring teachers I could imagine for my kids. Not to mention the fabulous music, PE and library support. Hang out on the playground after school - the parents are great - everyone is very driven, but what do you expect. Our only complaint is the homework K-2. Kids should have time to hang out.
—Submitted by a parent

This school provides a student with every opportunity to excel. What sets North School apart from most public schools is that it hires specialists who teach Foreign Language, Math and Science, PE, Music, Reading,and Art on a weekly basis. In addition, this school has a stellar RSP and Couseling Department. This school does use pacing guides in the classroom, but also provides student access to specialists who have contact with students on a weekly basis to enrich the curriculum.
—Submitted by a parent