Diablo Valley

2924 Clayton Road

Concord, CA 94519

6 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on May 23, 2021

Having gotten our own education studying human development and early childhood in particular, my husband and I had many concerns of traditional schooling not following or supporting the natural course of development for our children. We toured DVS and were sold when one of the teenagers showed us around and talked about her own experience. Our son went to DVS from 5 years of age until he graduated from there just before turning 16. My daughter went there from 5 years of age until 13, when we moved. Our son and daughter have transitioned to traditional schooling with great success, my son becoming a full time student at a community college and daughter at a public middle school. Our children were given the beauty of time and self-exploration while learning to respect and work with others in a community.
Submitted by parent on January 06, 2020

I am concerned with the fact that video games, Netflix, and smartphones are allowed any time of day, and ALL DAY. Students get to do what they choose, and many (including mine) do nothing but that. I don’t think this can be called a legitimate Sudbury school, when gaming and streaming movies didn’t exist back then, and out a halt to real learning, or creativity.
Submitted by parent on August 19, 2017

My daughter began at DVS at the beginning of her 6th grade year and is thriving there.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2017

I felt so blessed when I found DVS 6 years ago when I was looking for a school for my son. My daughter just started this year and loves it too. DVS is a Sudbury school that lets my kids be kids in a supportive community with staff that geniuely love them. The ungraded, age-mixed atomsphere fosters strong interpersonal skills; the true skills needed for success. They are already self-reliant and able to quickly find the knowledge they need to pursue their own interests and goals.
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2012

My now 9 year old son has been attending Diablo Valley School since he was 5 and he would not have it any other way. As a parent I am thrilled that my child LOVES to go to school and every day he reports that he had a fantastic day. What does he do all day? Whatever he wants to do! He follows his passion, he plays, he cooks, he runs outside, he plays video games, he watches his favorite movies (over and over), he listens to and engages in deep and meaningful conversation with all ages, from 5 to adult, topics ranging from monsters to politics and everything else in between. He engages in a brilliant democratic system wherein he votes on laws, makes a plea or stands trial for breaking those laws and serves a sentence chosen by his peers if necessary. He goes on field trips chosen by the students. He is deeply understood and treated with respect by the staff who keeps the sanctity of child-directed learning at the forefront of their minds at all times. He reads, he writes, he tells time and does math....and he learned it all just by being part of an intelligent, interesting and literate community- not by rote drills while sitting in a desk. And there's no homework! Perfect!
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2012

Sudbury schools can be scary for many parents, but seeing my bright young daughter blossom and take on responsibility in this special and free environment, has been an amazing journey for me. It took me a while to accept that great learning can happen without formalized, sit on your behind and look at the blackboard teaching. This is the school for Free Range kids. The hard part is that you as a parent have to accept that it is possible that you are not a great parent BECAUSE of your own schooling but DESPITE your own schooling, and that if you love your child then you have to trust them and to set them free to pursue their own learning. This has been a very rewarding experience for my wife and I and now after 1.5 year we love it even more than when we started.