Carden Academy of Almaden

Just to clarify because my last update was removed– When we toured the school in the Spring of 2014, they told us that they maintain 12:1 for student/​teacher ratio. They said at that point when we toured that they had enough registered students for the fall year to consider a second Kindergarten class– meaning they were almost at 24 registered Kindergarten students. We know this because we had to make sure to tell them that we did not want a teacher we hadn’t yet met and requested for the same Kindergarten teacher who assessed our son. We would not have had to request for her if they did not say they were considering the second class. However, when Fall 2014 came, we found out that in lieu of splitting to 2 classes at 24 students, they had 20 students and instead they decided to keep the class at 20 (the largest class in the school at that time). The aide, who was also the school secretary and therefore not a full-​time aide only helped out during portions of the day. Now 20 kids does not sound bad at all to some coming from 30+ public school classes, but keep in mind you are paying nearly $ 15k a year (with all combined fees). I just expected a lot more with what they advertise and how they make it seem like they will work with you. When we complained, their position was that we just had trouble dealing with our son’s issues and it was not anything they could have done, but now nearly a year later, I can say with confidence, as our son is absolutely thriving in his public school (22 kids in the class with a full-​time aide and an experienced and compassionate teacher) that my son’s «issues» were hardly the problem with our bad experience at this school. Anyway, as many of the 1-​star reviews for some reason end up in the removed section– I just urge anyone looking here to seek out more information from those who stayed AND those who left this school as I would hate to see anyone go through the difficulties that we encountered due to having our child attend this school.

We transferred our son to Carden Academy from a top rated public school at the beginning of third grade and couldn’t be happier with our decision. The school is very well managed with an impressive staff of teachers and administrators. The Carden philosophy and their teaching strategies have been extremely effective; it is easy to see why it works. In addition to a rich, well rounded curriculum, including foreign language and PE every day, the small class sizes make learning so much easier for all. We also appreciate the strong emphasis the school places on respect for others as well as yourself. We feel fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful school and highly recommend.

My daughter started in the kindergarten class last August, and we’ve had nothing but good experiences with the school, the Carden method, and with the kindergarten teachers and administration. My daughter is learning Mandarin, reading, writing, math, computers, and much more. This program is more than we expected and we’re pleased with our child’s progress. We’re also pleased to be part of a school that feels like a family. The teachers and administrators learn each child’s personality and tailor their approach based on the needs of the child.

My son Riley attended Carden when he was 3 years old in the preschool program then moved to kindergarten when he turned 5 years old. This school has been nothing but amazing to Riley for the past couple of years. He is loved by all the kids and the staff. The ratio was perfect for him and Carden really emphasizes the importance of education and discipline. Both my husband and I talked about removing him to a public school as we live in a school district that is amazing as well. I don’t have any desire to move him anytime soon. Like I told my husband, the investment in our children’s education should come first. They are our future generation. I also didn’t like the 1 teacher to 30 kids environment in the public schools. I like the carden method and what it teaches to the kids. Riley is now in first grade and adores his teacher Ms. Martin a lot and once in a while he will bring up Ms. Sunzeri and how he misses her. She helped him grow a lot while she taught him in Kindergarten. I am looking forward to this next coming year as my little one Peyton attends Carden.
Thank you Carden for all you do for our children.

Carden is a wonderful learning environment. It provides students with a solid academics program while focusing on children’s needs and at their pace. The teachers are fantastic. A Kindergarten student is working with 2 classroom teachers and 5 more for different subjects (arts, foreign language, computers & science lab, music and PE) daily or weekly.
The students are advanced compared to the public schools levels and they enjoy being exposed to multiple subjects. For example, they are able to read chapter books at the end of Kindergarten and they work on single digit multiplication.
We have one child there and another one will start Kindergarten this Fall. We believe that this is one of the very few schools in the Bay Area where you feel that children get 1 on 1 attention.

I have been a Carden parent for the last four years, and expect to remain one until my child graduates 8^th grade. I don’t readily give 5 star reviews but I feel that Carden is a hidden gem that deserves recognition for the excellent curriculum they provide as well as the nurturing environment experienced by students.
I have searched high and low for a school and curriculum that challenges and encourages students while keeping pressure at age appropriate levels. The beauty of the Carden curriculum is that each student learns at an appropriate pace and are given any extra attention when needed.
Another HUGE benefit of attending Carden are the small class sizes. This alone sets Carden apart from the majority of private schools in the Bay Area. If that isn’t enough, the tuition is reasonable and makes providing an excellent education for your child affordable.
Finally, as a testament to their high educational standards, graduating Carden students are not only accepted into their first choice of high school, but many are accepted into Advanced Placement curriculums at their chosen high schools.
Apart from these considerations, the staff is very responsive and engages in an open door policy. I have found that suggestions are given serious consideration and the administration is always striving for excellence. I could not be happier that my child attends this school. Just yesterday, my child expressed how Carden feels like a home away from home. What more can a parent ask?

Carden is just the right mix of academics and culture. A very diverse student body and an educational approach that really emphasizes what the children need and at the pace that the children can handle — if they can handle more they get more. We have 2 children enrolled and have referred multiple other people.
The students are far ahead of the public school curriculum but they don’t exhibit signs of stress or pressure. My wife and I are both MIT alumni and our children are very motivated to work. Our favorite part of Carden actually their responsiveness not only to the kids needs but to ours — each and every incident that occurs at the school is addressed immediately, all teachers must respond to emails within 24 hours if a parent asks a question, and helping your fellow students is highly encouraged — even having older kids «mentor» the younger grades. I challenge anyone to find the level of 1 – 1 relationship that Carden gives our children.