Pinewood Private-Upper Campus School

This school is going downhill fast. Founded as an afterschool arts program, the administration has chosen to generally ignore any arts-related curriculum besides the performing arts department, which continues to put on mediocre theater and choral performances, allocating funding to send these students on extravagant field trips to Rome and London while other departments suffer. Sports are uncompetitive and ignored except for Basketball. The student body is extremely non diverse and clique-y. Some quality teachers remain in the english and math departments. The school is more politically and religiously conservative than any catholic school in the bay area.

Going to pinewood for 3 years has been an awful experience. It is a terrible school that I made the mistake of going to. It has biased, non-knowledgeble teachers who have taught me terribly. We waste away classes going off topic, watching videos, and ignoring what we are meant to learn. The faculty there encourage students to be victims and tell a higher authority if they are minority insulted and never to handle any problems on their own. The teachers make the subjects boring and not fun to learn, and they discourage going ahead. The principal believes whoever snitches, so many people fabricate stories to get other children in trouble. People at this school think they are superior to everyone else and exhibit rude behavior often. The athletics are poorly run and uncompetitive, and the teams rarely have winning seasons. They food served at lunch has given me food poisoning twice. It was a mistake to go there.

Though most of the teachers are nice, they are incompetent. We often waste class time with watching movies, discussing unrelated material, or doing busy work. The homework load is pretty good at Pinewood--we have very little homework most of the time. The classes are generally very easy; however, many of the AP classes do not prepare students to take the AP's. The Pinewood school provides a friendly learning environment, but the quality of teaching could be vastly improved.
—Submitted by a student

I was a student there -- education was good. However, in retrospect not worth the amount of money, most of my friends in higher ed. came from public schools anyway. There is concern of a culture shock when students graduate and enter large universities.
—Submitted by a student

I have an 8th grade daughter at Pinewood and feel so blessed that she is there! She transferred in last year and was immediately accepted in by the staff, and other students. The academic program is rigorous, accompanied by personal individualized support from the teachers. The extracurricular activities are many for a small school. If there is enough interest in a new activity, the staff seems to somehow find a way to add it. I have found that there is a very high level of parental involvement. Not living in the area, we have found Pinewood to be extremely welcoming to our family.
—Submitted by a parent

I have a 7th grade son and 9th grade daughter at Pinewood. Pinewood provides a rigorous and caring learning experience. With class sizes ranging from 12 - 20 (and even smaller for some upper level courses) teachers know the students well. 25% of this year's graduating class (10 of 40 students) are National Merit Scholarship Finalists. The girls' varsity basketball team recently won the California State CCS championship (4 of the last 7 years). The school choral group, Pinewood Singers, recently won KFOX radio's 'Best Choral Group of Santa Clara County' vs. 32 schools. For a small private school (300 students in grades 7 - 12), it is indeed 'tiny but mighty.'
—Submitted by a parent

This is just a really great school. Much better than the school I used to go to. Everyone there is just a lot nicer and accepting. The inteligence level is also a lot higher than what I've seen at all the other schools I've been to.
—Submitted by a student

Pinewood is an excellent school filled with smart, really nice students. Strong academics and focus on respectful behavior and mutual support. Small classes, good teachers and an online grade tracking system that allows you to know your child's grades on every assignment every day (no surprises).
—Submitted by a parent

Great school with strong academics.
—Submitted by a parent

Very high expectations placed on students of all ages. Many children appear stressed-out and unhappy.
—Submitted by a parent

Academia expectations are very high for the Pinewood students; lots of extracurricular activities; very low level of parental involvement as most of the Pinewood community is quite 'Stepford'ish. Absolutely no cultural diversity.
—Submitted by a parent

High academics. Great availabilty of extracuriculars.
—Submitted by a parent

I am not a parent, but a former student. I am very proud of this fact. My education at Pinewood High School (in the mid 80's) completely prepared me for college and carried me through my first 2 years. There was not a single subject that I took during my first two years in college that Pinewood curriculum did not touch upon. Parents, you are by no means wasting your money on this school! Your children will not be able to receive a better education in the entire area than they will at Pinewood. School is not just about books. It is also about moral fortitude and respect for parents, faculty, and peers. Pinewood reinforces this. Your children will not only receive the best education that the Bay Area has to offer, but also the self esteem, confidence, and structure to carry them through college and the 'real life'.
—Submitted by Patricia Deckys, a former student

Kids very depressed. Faculty leaves within a duration of two or three years. Inexperienced faculty and poor conditions lead many parents to consider 'Why am I pay 15k for this?!'
—Submitted by a parent