St. Isidore

435 La Gonda Way

Danville, CA 94526

19 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 08, 2025

As both an alumnus and a current parent at St. Isidore, I have a unique perspective on what makes this school truly special. My journey has come full circle – from my own years as a student to now watching my daughter thrive in the same nurturing environment, starting in Transitional Kindergarten and continuing into Kindergarten.The sense of community at St. Isidore is extraordinary. The same warm, welcoming atmosphere I remember from my school days continues to flourish. Parents, teachers, and staff work together seamlessly to create a supportive environment where every child feels valued and included. This strong community bond extends beyond the classroom, creating lasting friendships among both students and families.Academically, St. Isidore maintains high standards while ensuring learning remains engaging and age-appropriate. The TK and Kindergarten programs expertly balance fundamental skills development with creative exploration. I've been impressed by how the teachers incorporate modern educational approaches while maintaining the school's traditional values. The curriculum challenges students to think critically and problem-solve, setting a strong foundation for future success.My daughter's experience with her teachers has been exceptional. The faculty's dedication goes beyond academic instruction – they truly care about each child's individual growth and well-being. Her teachers have been remarkably attentive to her unique learning style, providing regular updates on her progress and creating an environment where she's excited to learn each day.The variety of extracurricular activities enriches the overall educational experience. Even at the TK and Kindergarten level, students have access to engaging programs in arts, music, and physical education. These activities help develop well-rounded students and allow children to discover their interests and talents early on.What truly sets St. Isidore apart is how it has maintained its core values and excellence in education while adapting to meet the needs of today's students. As an alumnus, I feel immense pride seeing my daughter benefit from the same strong educational foundation that served me so well, enhanced by modern educational innovations.
Submitted by parent on November 07, 2024

We have loved our experience at St. Isidore school. The teachers and staff know each child individually, making each student feel valued and understood. I’d trust my children with any teacher or staff member—they’re all truly dedicated and caring. The best part, though, is how much emphasis the school places on kindness and respect; they’re teaching these kids to be thoughtful, respectful humans. Plus, the parent community is amazing! We all know each other, support one another, and keep an eye out for each other’s children. It’s wonderful to be part of such a strong, close-knit school community.
Submitted by parent on July 16, 2021

We applied to have our son attend elementary school at SI last year. We knew many schools were not accepting new students because they were at capacity but when we called SI they claimed they had openings for the upcoming year. We paid the fee, went through the testing process (which was strange) and then our son wasn’t accepted due to the maximum capacity of students being reached. We asked friends who have kids at SI and they all said they were required to sign a two year contract, thus capacity was reached well before we applied. This process didn’t sit right with us. It’s unethical and unchristian to take application money, and more importantly give the false hope to a young man, when they KNEW space wasn’t available. We also heard from many SI parents about the incessant bullying which goes unnoticed by administration, and many parents told us they pulled their children out after only a year. Glad our son is elsewhere, but we’re disappointed they weren’t honest with us. Seems to be all about the money. They certainly live up to their bad reputation in the area.
Submitted by parent on February 03, 2021

My daughter attended St. Isidore’s k-8. She was bullied by the “popular” girls at the school, which I did not realize at the time, or I would have transferred her out. In fairness, I did not complain to the school about the problem, as I didn’t realize the seriousness of the problem. However, I have since learned of other students (now at public school with my daughter) who had the same problem, did complain, and there was no improvement. So, I feel like SI needs to work harder building values of kindness and compassion in its students. She was happy there until about fourth grade, when the bullying started. My daughter is now at the public high school, and is so much happier. Not only that, but the academics are better. She was a little behind when she started, and she was an A student at SI, in all the advanced classes. Where she is now (Monte Vista High), they have frequent speakers and workshops to combat bullying and encourage inclusiveness, which seem to be working. In addition, Saint Isidore’s is very clique-ish, both for students and parents. Most volunteer positions are taken by the popular parents, before anyone else gets a chance. I also frequently noticed grammatical/punctuation errors in the weekly bulletin, which drove me crazy. I pointed some of the most glaring errors out to the administration (and received no response).On a positive note, we did like most of her teachers at SI, though I now realize they should have noticed the bullying going on. The worst part is that it has turned my daughter off to Catholicism. She doesn’t want to go to church or go through confirmation, as she feels all the people at church are hypocrites. This makes me sad. I hope with time she will appreciate what Catholicism has to offer, but I cannot recommend Saint Isidore’s. I think the popular kids who were doing the bullying were very happy there, but it does seem to me that kids who feel they have to make fun of others to feel okay about themselves aren’t really very happy, and have missed something in their religious education.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2019

Poor. Status driven school. Majority of the teachers do not go above and beyond with students. Some good administrators and teachers but the lack of diversity, influence of the wealthy families, inability to keep good teachers, and below average academics make it not worth the money. Poor sense of community; school is totally dominated by wealthy families. You are better off at the local public schools; similar problems but better academics.
Submitted by parent on June 27, 2019

Not impressed. Large class sizes, average teachers, too much homework. On top of over-priced tuition, there was endless fundraising requests. Bullying is a real problem. Very cliquey and not very Christian-like. Save your $ and go to any of the top rated public schools nearby.
Submitted by parent on March 22, 2019

St. Isidore School has been a wonderful place to raise my children. Seeing them happy and learning has been a gift. I know that my children are loved, safe and cared about at school. That peace of mind means the world to me.
Submitted by parent on August 08, 2018

The school tells the parents that there is 365K deficit, but this isn't true at all! Parent fundraising covers this “gap” but they don't include it in the calculation. They still raise tuition and registration fees. The school doesn’t include the 458K that was raised via fundraising. They say fundraising isn’t guaranteed so they don’t include it in their numbers. What kind of accounting is this? The school gives approximately $130,000 in tuition assistance per year. About $50,000 -$60,000 of this amount comes from the St. Isidore School Foundation, with the difference coming from PTG fundraising. If the School can’t afford to help families, they shouldn’t. As a Christian School they should be good stewards of money and help others. They haven’t figured this out.The church doesn’t help monetarily at all. The church has a big congregation and can help.Parents and students wonder what the full-time counselor does. She doesn’t go into the classrooms and teach valuable topics on a regular basis. She doesn’t write articles for the weekly newsletter. This counselor rarely smiles and is not friendly to students or parents.Kids are not taught drug and smoking education. The Spanish curriculum is a joke. After 9 years of Spanish, no student can speak Spanish! They are lucky to pass into Spanish 2 in high school. This school doesn’t have awards ceremonies or honor roll. If a child gets an award, it’s sent home and it’s vague and confusing. This school could be so great if it had better leaders that hold teachers and staff accountable, had better teachers (turnover is high most years), had better business and accounting practices, and were transparent and honest about money!
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2018

Greta experience with this school. Mi son loves it. The teachers are very well qualified.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2018

We have been at St.Isidore School for 11 years and would have not sent our children anywhere else. The teachers and staff are well qualified, warm, kind and genuinely care about each individual student. St. Isidore not only provides a high quality education but encourages and guides children to grow spiritually to become confident, faith filled individuals. St.Isidore is an excellent school.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2018

We are very happy to have our kids at St. Isidore where they are learning many tools needed to live a successful life.
Submitted by parent on June 05, 2017

We have three children at Saint Isidore (with a 4th joining them not far behind), and could not be happier with our decision. All of our children are flourishing here, and the growth we've seen academically, socially, and spiritually has only further reinforced our decision. We did not come to this decision without significant consideration - I grew up in Danville and know first-hand how great the public schools in our area are. Ultimately though, we believe we made the right decision for our family. The impact that a faith-centered learning environment has had on our children extends beyond academics, and we're thrilled to see them excel academically as well as continue their growth as humble, kind, and empathetic children. Additionally, I also cannot say enough about the St. Isidore community of families, and the bonds we have forged with the families there.
Submitted by other on February 25, 2017

The TK program is a new program and the master teacher is not only highly qualified to teach this class, but she does so with integrity and compassion. Our kids love this school and it has done wonders for our children while instilling the Catholic Faith, building character, and reaching new academic heights.
Submitted by parent on February 23, 2017

My child attended the TK program and did not have a good experience. The teacher was not well suited to handle this age group. My child's education, academics and self-esteem were impacted by her inability to teach to the children's level. With Danville having so many good public schools and other private school option, I would not recommend attending St. Isidore. It was VERY disappointing.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2015

We have three children at St. Isidore and feel it is a great fit for all of our children. The teachers are supportive and excited to be there! Each class has a teacher and a full-time instructional assistant. For the elementary grades, they have perfected a way to divide the classes for a seamless flow of students moving to their various specialty classes (i.e., computer science, art, PE, music, Spanish) while allowing small math or reading instructional groups to remain. This works for my children's different learning needs. A foundation of faith and community service are woven into the curriculum and the teachers and administrative help reinforce these values. The parent community is very involved and the administrative staff is welcoming and truly wonderful. We highly recommend it.
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2015

We have been at St. Isidore School for 8 years and I wouldn't have our children at any other school. My children are recieving an amazing education and have caring, committed teachers. The Catholic faith that they get here is really why we are here. They learn not only the basis of Catholicism, but also learn how to be a good Christian, which in today's society is so important. Each month they practice a new Christian Virtue. These virtues that they learn are the base of what will help build great character as adults. I am so happy with the education my kids are getting at St. Isidore and would recommend this school to anyone.
Submitted by other on September 27, 2015

St. Isidore School is an amazing school. I have a 3rd grader now and we have had an excellent experience. The teachers are creative and inspiring. They make each child feel special. The staff is welcoming and supportive. Each class has a full time instructional assistant. Math and reading are instructed in small groups where each student's needs are met. Not only is my child learning so much, she is constantly taught how to be a good person and the importance of giving back to the community. The parent community is involved and a joy to be around. Overall, I would recommend this school to anyone looking for rigorous academics in a faith centered environment.
Submitted by parent on February 19, 2015

This is an awesome school. We moved to Danville a few years ago and pulled our three kids out of another school in the area and now they all attend St. Isidore. This school exceeded all my expectations. The teachers, the principal, the admin staff are very involved and helpful. My kids all love going here and I feel they are being well prepared academically and socially. A wonderful aspect of St. Isidore is that the school does a terrific job of nurturing the character of each student. It is a big focus for everyone on the staff. How I teach my kids to behave and treat others when they are at home is not thrown out the window when they go to school.
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2014

We love St. Isidore School! This is our second year at the school. We feel our daughter is in an excellent education and nurturing environment at St Isidore School. She is challenged on many levels. The school provides a well rounded academic, social and faith-oriented atmosphere that is very strong and authentic. It offers a large community of support and guidance for students and families. We have all fostered some great friendships with other families as well as faculty. We would recommend St. Isidore to anyone looking for a well rounded high performance Catholic school. Andrea & Gino Thiers