Barnhart School

240 Colorado Boulevard

Arcadia, CA 91007

31 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by other on January 17, 2025

students are not safe here and faculty is not checked or held to any standard that would meet what anyone would be okay with for their children.
Submitted by parent on September 23, 2024

I want to share my experience at Barnhart School, where my daughter is in her sixth year. The welcoming atmosphere starts with the teachers greeting students every morning, creating an uplifting vibe right from drop-off. They consistently go above and beyond, and in the past I have received emails alerting me to special moments and acts of kindness in class. It’s heartwarming to see how they connect with students by finding shared interests, fostering a strong bond. My daughter has felt incredibly supported and has loved all her teachers throughout her journey from kindergarten to fifth grade. The new head of school has truly done an amazing job enhancing this wonderful community!
Submitted by parent on September 03, 2022

This school feels like a community. The small classes allow teachers to provide individualized attention. All the teachers are in constant communication with each other to help every child become their best individual. The curriculum ranges from SEL (social emotional learning) to traditional educational strategies. They also have some project based learning collaborations and there are plenty of activities that keep the students engaged and happy.
Submitted by parent on March 02, 2021

We are forever thankful and grateful that we found Barnhart for our middle son. We knew we needed a different environment for our son, and found a place where he isn't held back at all. The best review you can get for a school is from a parent themselves, and that is exactly how we came upon this school. I remember reaching out to another parent at the school (who I didn’t even know personally yet), and she immediately sent me her number so we could chat. As she explained, Barnhart was a truly special place. High standards of academics, a caring and loving teaching staff and administration who knew my child from day one, wonderful campus and facilities, and a place where my son could be himself and really grow. When I asked my 7 year old what he loves about Barnhart, he said "everything."
Submitted by parent on February 22, 2021

We love Barnhart School! Prior to my older son’s fourth-grade year, we apprehensively left another, more expensive, independent school in the area (we had been there for 6 years) hoping to find a better fit for our family. We honestly can't believe our luck in finding Barnhart! Both of my kids are thriving there. In comparison to the school we came from, the quality of the academics and teaching staff are about the same (both good), but the leadership, the way the school supports students' individual learning needs, and the sense of community are a significant improvement! In general, Barnhart is a kinder, more supportive learning environment. The Head of School is warm and approachable and seems to care genuinely and deeply for the school and students. The class sizes are smaller than the school we came from, which has been great for both of my kids. And bullying doesn't seem to be a problem (we were starting to notice both bullying and exclusion at our previous school). At the time, my fourth-grader did not want to switch schools, but he settled right in on day one without a problem and, after only a few months at Barnhart, said he wishes he had gone there since kindergarten. We are now approaching the end of our fourth year at Barnhart and are still VERY happy. Another family we knew from our previous school also enrolled their kids at Barnhart. When asked what he likes about Barnhart, their older child said "the teachers seem happier". I think this is one of the things that's special about Barnhart - the teachers do seem happy and that, obviously, carries over to the classroom and teaching. Barnhart has also hired a fantastic Assistant Head of School, Miriam Singer. She is incredibly smart and has a background in administration at a school that specializes in meeting the needs of kids who are "twice exceptional" (both gifted and have one or more learning differences). With Mrs. Singer on board, it's clear to me that Barnhart truly is a place that meets the kids where they are and works hard to help them succeed socially, emotionally, and academically. I highly recommend this school.
Submitted by parent on February 17, 2021

What makes Barnhart so special?When we were searching for a school for our son, we were looking for the best fit. Somewhere that would help him become a well rounded individual and learn important life lessons in addition to an solid education. So when we toured Barnhart, we were impressed with everything the school had to offer, from the small classroom size, to all the extracurricular activities, to the virtues they instill in our young ones, and for a strong sense of community among all the families.There are many reasons why my family chose Barnhart, but the biggest reason has to be how much the staff and faculty care about the students. The teachers have always been very attentive to my son's needs and even during this pandemic, have gone above and beyond in maintaining a quality education while making it as fun as possible for my first grader. In addition, they truly value each child's intrinsic gift's and really support their social-emotional learning capacity. The school has exceed our expectations with how they've navigated the challenges of the past year and have kept us abreast to all the moving parts that come with reopening the school and putting the safety of everyone as a top priority. Barnhart has not been rigid in following a set of rules or guidelines, and have adapted to the changing times. It is for these reasons that I'm proud to have my son be a Bobcat and I look forward to seeing him grow into a fine young man with the school's support and care.
Submitted by teacher on November 13, 2018

My time at Barnhart has been amazing. The teachers, students, and administration have created a community in which everyone feels welcomed and cared for. As a teacher, I couldn't feel more excited coming into work everyday. From the first day I started, I had already felt like I belonged in this community. The collaboration and curriculum offered at Barnhart has allowed me to feel like I can actually teach and work with students more closely. The staff has become my close friends and incredible working partners.
Submitted by teacher on November 13, 2018

Fantastic. So very glad to be here.
Submitted by parent on October 28, 2018

I have 2 children currently attending Barnhart School and 2 more who will attend just as soon as they are able. I wouldn't send my children anywhere else. The school has gone through some major changes in the past few years, including a new head of school, and the scores I've seen on some of these sites don't accurately reflect what's happening there now. The teachers are incredible! They are warm, responsive, and extremely good at what they do. I believe they really know my children and how to make learning fun for them. My children absolutely love going to school. As a parent, that alone makes me very happy! But I have to say I am impressed with how much my children have learned in their time at Barnhart as well. I believe strongly that my kids should be kids, and not spend hours upon hours doing homework, especially after a full day at school. I am not a pusher, so my children's academic growth is entirely due to the quality of instruction they have received. And that growth has amazed me! But even more important, they are growing as little humans. My children are becoming people who stand up for themselves and others, who are confident, kind, and accepting, and who genuinely care about the world around them. This emphasis on character development is built into the daily program at Barnhart, and nothing is more important to me than that. Last thing - I highly value the diversity of the school community, which is not something you see often in private schools in this area. I appreciate that my kids are in class with a diverse group of students and that there is even a Diversity Committee whose job it is to provide meaningful, rich experiences for them throughout the year. Seriously, what other school is offering all of this?
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2018

Our son was in a downward spiral in public school and we were desperate to find something that would work for him. When we discovered Barnhart and moved him there, it was one of the best decisions we ever made! In his words, his teachers are “so warm, inspiring, incredible, amazing and kind”. He went from a boy that hated school to a boy who is thriving, both academically and social-emotionally. Barnhart’s experiential learning, nurturing environment and small class size provided the exact environment that boosted his confidence. The academic program is strong and very well rounded. They provide Spanish, Art, and Music classes, and they also include core values and physical education in the curriculum. We knew Barnhart was the right choice, and when we met with Tonya Beilstein, the Head of School, it solidified that assurance. It was obvious from the start that she deeply cares about every Barnhart student.
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2015

I just found this note a teacher from Barnhart wrote my son. He was struggling a bit and having a hard time, here's what she said."Dear ......i want you to know that you are more than enough--your intelligence is unique and extraordinary. Trust in that and forge on and great things will come to pass."That special gesture helped him see himself differently and changed the course of events for him. Barnhart teachers really care.....what else matters more?
Submitted by parent on September 03, 2015

My child is thriving at Barnhart. He truly enjoys learning, has made lifelong friends he considers family (and so have his parents), he participates fearlessly in their performing arts programs and sports. He is a critical thinker and a great problem solver because his Barnhart education encourages children to learn deeply and explore solving problems (academically and socially) more than one way. We are grateful that they have enough time in their school day to include spanish instruction, art, library, music and computer in all grade levels and PE everyday. We enjoy donating our time to the school because the school teachers, staff and families are wonderful. We truly support and believe in what this school community has created.
Submitted by parent on November 16, 2014

While Barnhart may serve the needs of some, it is NOT for everyone. If your child has any learning issues ( or ADHD), you may want to consider another school. My gifted son attended for one year (transferring from a highly-regarded private school that we chose to leave because of the upcoming enormous homework load in middle school) and Barnhart was, for him, a very poor fit. Although he was, and is, very social, he had trouble "fitting in" with the cliquey students in his class- he ate lunch alone for many months. Barnhart felt that the development of "grit" was more important than nurture. The school's philosophy did not fit with ours. I can happily report that our son is now THRIVING (was the top student out of 124) in a public school with greater class size, supportive teachers, and without any academic accommodations. Barnhart might be the right school for your child, but ask questions that address the specific needs of your child. We forgot to ask if the school had a learning specialist and a therapist--something the previous private school offered but, last year, Barnhart did not. Good luck in your search for the right fit for you and your child.
Submitted by parent on May 19, 2014

So there is this one parent that is not been at Barnhart for over 2 years and continues to republish the same review over and over. As a parent who has had children at Barnhart for over 5 years I can tell you that they have flourished in this amazing small school. The balance between academics and building the whole child is the best I have seen. Everyday math and writers' workshop are impressive comprehensive programs that balance academics with creating a thinking child. Its a great place to build kids.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2014

Barnhart is the perfect balance of academics, social learning, and creativity. My children are thriving and happy at this school. The teachers are well trained and patient. The administration is open and very responsive.The parent community is involved and dedicated to the overall success of the school.
Submitted by parent on January 02, 2014

Barnhart is a great school, with a wonderful, caring community. My son is in first grade and has learned so much in the last two years. I love how integrated all of the learning is, and that creativity and critical thinking is involved every day. Writer's Workshopmis amazing - he has written so many amazing stories already. The teachers ar wonderful and the staff is caring and supportive.
Submitted by parent on October 13, 2013

We enrolled our son at Barnhart years ago as a Kindergartner, then our daughter 2 years later. We loved the school; the families, the students, the teachers and the staff... until after the 2011-2012 school year. The wonderful Head of School, Joe Harper, was fired, along with many other incredible administrative staff like Carol Reiter, the librarian Mrs. Yao and many others who made Barnhart what it was. In their place, enter Ethan Williamson, a man brought in to "transform" the school... and "transform" he did... he co-authored a 5-year "strategic plan" to market Barnhart and enforced a "communications policy" which prohibited any speech of which he didn't approve. Violation carries the punishment of "separation from the community." And Barnhart Board thinks this will help improve enrollment?! No thanks. We spoke up against Williamson's attempts to enforce a draconian policy for caring for our diabetic daughter who had been a member of the Barnhart community for years. The result? Immediate expulsion! No, I am not kidding. Williamson didn't like our "tone, tenor or word choice" and threw our innocent kids out of the school. Needless to say, we do not recommend Barnhart School.
Submitted by parent on September 06, 2013

My daughter has attended Barnhart for 4 years now. I live the curriculum. Barnhart is a family oriented school that focuses in the whole child and not just math and reading. The environment is very nurturing. The staff is friendly and caring. I love the values program they teach in chapel. My daughter is very happy at Barnhart and I am do proud I made the right choice for her.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2013

Barnhart used to be a great school. Amazing families, teachers, staff and administration. The families are still amazing, but unfortunately after the 2011-2012 school year the board purged the school of nearly ever member of the faculty and staff who made the school what it was. They brought in a new Head of School, Ethan Williamson, who thinks he is the new sheriff in town. He imposed a new "communications policy" which prohibits virtually any dissent and demands that parents not communicate about the school unless he approves. The whole thing is Orwellian. The result is a place in no way reflective of the values or togetherness that made us choose it for our kids years ago. Williamson has fostered a PR machine that is dedicated to bolstering enrollment and, once you are there, expect to be milked for every dollar they can extract. We are no longer at Barnhart, and we would recommend you not be either. Most of the positive reviews you see were posted at the behest of the school to improve their public perception. Don't buy it. Check out many of the amazing schools a stone's throw away from Barnhart and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Submitted by parent on August 22, 2013

Barnhart has been such a positive experience for my son. Transferring in from public school at the elementary level could have been very difficult, but my son's teacher made the transition a very smooth one. We came here for the academics, but have come away with so much more. Between the dedicated art room, a veteran music and drama teacher who is a stellar educator, to the excellent Virtues program, we are extremely pleased with our choice of Barnhart. This private school is much less expensive than other area schools, and offers a very well rounded program.