The Clariden School

I have 3 children at Clariden and have been at Clariden for 5 years. In my tenure, there has only been two new teacher additions and one attrition. That seems AMAZING for any school. In addition, the new teachers are incredible, one of whom brought a huge following of parents from her prior school. I believe that it is important for the school community to work together to support a school. The Clariden community is amazing and the teacher, staff and parents really care. That is what makes it special.
—Submitted by a parent

Clariden School is a great school. The teachers are exceptional, the leadership is first rate and we have been satisfied since day one. This is our first year in this school. The head of school is a nationally known educator and best-selling author and she has done a wonderful job with the communications. Every time we had a question, she personally contacted us and made sure we felt satisfied with the results. Our son is a primary student and he is learning math and loving the method for teaching it. We came from a public school that was only focused on testing and at Clariden they are focused on developing a love of learning and it shows. This school is everything it says it is and more.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school, caring teachers. We have been at Clariden for the past 4 years, my daughter has really grown, learned and become self confident.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have spent their entire careers at Clariden and am I very happy with their individualism, their capability, and their happiness and self-confidence. It's true that you won't see tests or rote memorization. But my kids have always surprised and impressed me with their ability to work out a problem, even if they don't know the traditional words that we learned for it. I have often attended the in-class experience for adults, where we can actually have the same lessons are children learn, and every single time I have learned something that public school did not teach, or did not explain. The teaching methodology is fantastic, it and the faculty are caring and respectful of students. I abhor the treatment of our children by public schools as lesser humans, and Clariden does not follow the pack. Kids are given the freedom and the respect to make their own decisions. They are not without guidance, and when their own decisions or motivation falters, the faculty is right there to set them back on track. I am looking forward with keen interest as the upper school program develops and grows, as I am very happy with the lower and casa programs my children have experienced.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are ok, but most of the exceptional teachers are gone. I highly suggest not enrolling your child in this school.

This is our fourth year at The Clariden School and I can not say enough wonderful things about the faculty of this school! My child thrives in the learning environment here and is excited to go to school each morning. We have been very pleased each year and are excited for the new opportunities for The Clariden School with this new leadership team in place.
—Submitted by a parent

I disagree with the bad reviews and that the good reviews are coming from parents who receive some kind of favoritism because of donations. We are not in the position to donate anything over the standard fees, nor do we have the time to "get in" with the faculty through volunteering due to demanding careers, but we feel that our child has thrived there since moving from a public school. Every year her grades have gone up, and her SAT scores went up 300 points between two years at Clariden. At public school she was unhappy and failing miserably, but here she is happy, engaged in her work, and now excited about her future. She has been encouraged to become a leader, and independent, and the teachers while supportive will be tough when they think a child is not living up to their potential. Yes, last year was a little rocky, but this is proving to be promising as they implement their new program in the upper school, and I am personally excited about the new project curriculum as it is teaching the kids to be independent thinkers. It may sound like an easy way to get an A, but I've never seen my child so enthusiastic, or work harder than this year
—Submitted by a parent

I'm very surprised after reading the last few postings, as I've been heavily involved with The Clariden School for 7 years, & have seen it through many of these changes mentioned. It has never been a place where the child did not come first. The staff & faculty have always practiced excellence to the Clariden families, & though it isn't a perfect place (because no such thing exists), it is a safe, caring, & nurturing environment for a student. If such a setting as a small, private school hasn't worked for your child, that is no reason to turn around & make false or elaborated accusations toward the school. The families that belong at Clariden are those that WANT ownership of their education, WANT their child's strengths to be nurtured & cared for, & WANT close relationships & open lines of communication within the community. As in any institution, there will be growing pains, but the support of one another through those times is what holds a community together. I'm disappointed in those that gave Clariden a bad wrap; it's always been & IS a place that fosters respect of self, each other, & the community, all while striving for excellence academically, socially, & personally.

Our children have a special bond with their Clariden teachers. They miss their teachers in the summer and want to invite their teachers to their birthday parties. When we drop them off they are smiling and when we pick them up from school they have a smile on their faces. They are happy, well-rounded, well educated and loved at Clariden.
—Submitted by a parent

We have been part of the Clariden community for 6 years. We have never received favoritism, nor have we witnessed any. We have paid our fees, like all other families according to the school's standard principles (just like any other private school) and in exchange we have received a superb education in a nurturing and caring environment. We couldn't be more pleased with the teachers and the new head of school. We live in Southlake, and have Carroll schools at our disposal. Regardless, year after year, we do the assessments and end up at Clariden for the superior Montessori education and the embracing environment driven by the teachers and faculty.
—Submitted by a parent

In my 8 years of working at the Clariden School, I feel very confident in giving the school my highest recommendation. The quality in education the teachers bring to the students is far superior to that of public education. There is more individual attention given to each student and the teachers stay true to following the student. The special teaching moments and opportunities I've experienced at the school have been priceless. I can't imagine a that there is a better place to work!
—Submitted by a teacher

This is our 4th year at the Clariden School and I have only positive things to say about the teachers, head of school and the parents. I drive a good distance and make a financial sacrifice to have my child at this school and it's worth it! My child loves attending Clariden and the school has created a love of learning in her that will never go away.
—Submitted by a parent

We love everything aboutnClariden and all that the school has done for our children and our family. We are grateful for the dedicated staff and administration who work tirelessly for the benefit of our children! Every school has a history and previous administrations may not have made the best decisions but growth often requires difficult decisions. Our new Head of School, Jenifer Fox, and Assistant Head of School Debby Riordan, are dedicated to ensuring a unique experience for each child that is academically challenging, personally enriching and socially nourishing. Do your own research and visit the school to see if this might be a haven for your family. We could not be happier.
—Submitted by a parent

We enrolled our 4 year-old at Clariden this fall, and I am so glad we did. She is so happy! She LOVES her teachers, loves her new friends, and tells EVERYONE she goes to Clariden. She's quite proud of her school. We had her in a Montessori school that unfortunately closed this past spring. That put a lot of us parents in a position where we had to find a new school for our children. I visited over 20 preschools in the area before making the decision to put her in Clariden. This school exceeds all my expectations of a preschool. Our daughter has learned so much just in the 2 months she's been at Clariden. I can also report that I have spoken to parents whose children were classmates of my daughter's at her former Montessori school, and across the board, they feel the same way -- this school is excellent.
—Submitted by a parent

I am so happy with Clariden. The education that my child has received is excellent. I can't say enough great things about the Montessori education provided by the excellent teachers at this school. My child is so excited to go to school everyday and she has a smile on her face at the end of each day.
—Submitted by a parent

Three of my children attend the Clariden School. I feel the truest test of a good school is whether your children are learning and gaining a love of learning. My children all LOVE the school and their teachers! They come home every day happy and eager to share what they are learning. I think part of this is just the amazing Montesorri method and it's hands-on learning, plus the strengths-based curriculum, as well the classroom's are structured to allow children to teach other children lesons on the topics they are proficient in. Kid's really learn foundations when they teach them to others. Of course, the other part is the wonderful staff of teachers at Clariden who love Montesorri and love their jobs, and it shows in so many ways! Anyway can't say enought abouth this wonderful school!
—Submitted by a parent

I am a new teacher at the Clariden School and I have worked in many different educational settings and, honestly, this one feels the most like home. Our staff and students have been so warm and open to their "new" teacher. They have embraced the change I have brought to them which is always a challenge for a new teacher. I am amazed by how excited these kiddos are to come to school every day..their enthusiasm is infectious!!! I can't wait for my son to be old enough to attend Clariden and I can't wait to see how the new programs will affect this amazing school! Its an exciting time here at Clariden!
—Submitted by a teacher

This is our third year at Clariden and we absolutely love the school! I find it very hard connecting these negative posting to the school my kids go to. It just doesn't match. From teachers, staff, materials and classrooms, I couldn't be happier. Both of my kids are doing great and exceeding in every possible way. Communication has always been great between teachers and us, and we always felt we had a very open channel with the school. Yes, the school have been going through some major necessary changes, but it hasn't affected my kids academic education. The new Head of the School is doing an excellent job. Go look for yourself. Sometimes things are posted with another purpose in mind than simply sharing your own experiences.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is in her first year at The Clariden school in the Primary program and is having a marvelous experience. Her teacher is first-rate, her academic skills are growing, and she bounces in the building each morning excited to go to school. The new Head of School is spending significant energy communicating to parents through a variety of methods, the teachers have provided two parent education events and welcome parents to observe the classroom at any time - there is no reason anyone should wonder what is going on.
—Submitted by a parent

As a teacher I really appreciate that The Clariden School of Southlake is open to new ideas and challenging the way we view education in America. I love the freedom of thought that I see here and the way students, parents, teachers and faculty are all working together to look after the best interests of our children. We provide a world class education that focuses on the needs of the students and encourages them to grow and develop in a healthy and safe environment, and coming from a Public School previously I know what a value this type of education is to the students here!
—Submitted by a teacher