Brookfield School

We weighed all of our options before choosing a kindergarten for our child and have been more than impressed with what we have seen so far this year. Our daughter absolutely loves school, loves her teacher, loves her environment and feels connected to a diverse, unique community. She looks forward to school each day, is learning so much more than the basics, and most importantly has fun. We had reservations that perhaps the school might be too focused on academics I can say with 100% certainty that they make learning fun and leave plenty of time throughout the day to be unique, creative individuals. I truly believe Brookfield School welcomes children for who they are and doesn't force them all to be or think a certain way. We are enthusiastically looking forward to seeing what first grade brings next year.
--Submitted by a parent

My 5-year old is in pre-first and she likes the school from the first day. The amount of homework is not too much. My daughter can easily manage it and also completes the extra homework. I check her homework every day and help her correct the mistakes. She has been making so much progress every day, beyond my expectation.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter started pre-first this year and absolutely loves it. I was worried that the curriculum would be too stringent for her little mind, but I am happy to report she LOVES school and is anxious to go back everyday. She talks about her teachers like crazy, actually enjoys doing homework (!) and is surrounded by children from different cultures and backgrounds that seem to be teaching her so much, as well. I love the community at Brookfield and feel like every parent is there for the same reason-- a well-rounded education that challenges their child, but still maintains a nurturing and supportive environment. We are so happy here and are excited to see what each year brings to not only our child, but our entire family.
--Submitted by a parent

As the principal of this fine institution, I appreciate the high ratings I enjoy and those of my exceptionally talented faculty. However, a large part of what makes Brookfield such a great school is our wonderful parent community. Our school is dedicated to providing the best educational experience for gifted and highly motivated children. That means Brookfield is not the right school for every child, but it is the perfect school for children who would be bored and unchallenged in a conventional school setting. Our parents play a huge role in their child's progress; they support our teachers, provide fun enrichment opportunities through field trips and special class activities, and are committed to being engaged agents in their child's education. That means making sure that their child is not overstimulated or stressed by too many extracurricular activies, and providing a supportive, nuturing home environment where their child is loved unconditionally. Brookfield parents are a community of diverse individuals united in their committment to give their children the best foundation for intellectual, social, and emotional development. Our "Great School" has the best parents!
--Submitted by a teacher

Brookfield is a treasure! High schools love its graduates because they are so well prepared, academically and socially. The few negative comments are probably from those whose children could not rise to the academic challenges asked of the students or because they have their own agenda and cannot understand that this school succeeds because of its rigor. Parents are asked to be involved; but they are not asked to teach their kids or do the homework for them! Homework is given to reinforce and further the learning. That is simply what it takes to help students reach their personal best. The teachers are fabulous, and they care deeply about their students. The owners are sincere and dedicated to making the school the best it can be within its financial abilities; they rent from a church that is in charge of maintenance and clean-up, and as a private, independent school, tuition must cover all expenses. As for the facilities, if you are looking for shining new facilities, this is probably not the best place for you. But if you are looking for the best education, teachers, and a great parent community intent on helping students succeed, you have found the right place.
--Submitted by a teacher

Brookfield has been a great school for my child. The class sizes are small (18 max). This is a benefit in itself given that some public schools have 30-40 kids in a class. There are a lot of projects that require parent help but overall the learning journey will pay off when they reach the higher grades. No school is perfect but Brookfield is a safe environment with a strong academic focus.
--Submitted by a parent

We are not impressed with school s academics. Parents are expected to teach their kids at home, teachers give lots of homework that in my opinion is not bringing any added value if a child did not understand the concept at school. We spend our time explaining and teaching our child at home after school. Please remember, it is not the quantity of work that a child needs to complete but the quality of it. It is time for Brookfield to re-examine its teaching techniques, otherwise you will start losing your customers!
--Submitted by a parent

Brookfield is a HORRIBLE school. The teachers and facilities have gotten so bad that half the sixth grade class has left. Dedicated parents whose children have gone to this school since preschool tried to tell the principal and owners that something was going wrong, however they were ignored. Some of the academics in this school are at an equal or lower level then public school academics. The teachers behave unethically and some just give worksheets and don t teach at all! They don t know how to handle a class. The 8th grade spent around two months on one chapter of algebra just because the teacher couldn t get the kids to behave. Many of the parents and students who asked for help were told to get tutors. The classrooms are small, there are no science facilities, no air conditioning in classrooms, and rats in the multipurpose room. NOT worth 10,000 a year!
--Submitted by a parent

Dr. Jo Gonsalves has made this school the best school in Sacramento again. Period. Her exemplary administrative skills and dedication to the student body, as well as her experience as a teacher for many years makes this school such a wonderful experience for the children. The teachers are extraordinary, all donning some advanced graduate degree and an attitude about learning that makes me want to be a better parent/teacher at home. This school is amazing and I am so thrilled to have my children there. I didn't quite realize how much better it was until I had had conversations with friends whose children were attending other private schools. The level of academic achievement is astounding in comparison and like someone said before, the students at Brookfield don't even realize it. It's all just part of their "norm," which is so unbelievable. They make it fun, interesting and yet get down to business. This school, hands down, is the BEST school in town.
--Submitted by a parent

Brookfield is not what it once was. My daughter started there before the change in ownership and we loved the school. She learned to read within the first month of school. 4 years later was completely different with my son. Myself and other familes had to pay for private tutoring on top of private tuition because the great teacher had been replaced so that the owners could save money. Very disappointing. There is no hot lunch, hardly any recess and the sports programs are sorely lacking. One can do a whole lot better.
--Submitted by a parent