Sparrow Academy

4207 Spring Gardens Road

La Mesa, CA 91941

School District

La Mesa-Spring Valley
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:23
Type

charter

School Map for La Mesa-Spring Valley School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on April 09, 2024

Sparrow is a gem in the public school system. The past couple of years have been trying to say the least but the thought of not having the opportunity for my child to experience the full scope of the Waldorf educational experience is a true tragedy. Prior to attending Sparrow my son attended Kempton Elementary and he asked frequently (weekly) if he could have a day off from school. Since attending Sparrow he is excited everyday and he comes home with a true sense of joy and happiness at how his day has been. He’s made friends that appreciate him for the unique child that he is and he is learning in a way that is stress free and enjoyable. I could go on and on about the positive aspects of this school and their Waldorf approach, including the family involvement, the outdoor and open ended exploration, the way art and music are interwoven into the math and reading curriculum. One other huge bonus is Arc after school care. They are wonderful. They do a fabulous job of keeping in line with the Waldorf principles and my son prefers them over the traditional ESS at the public La Mesa/Spring Valley schools.To be transparent I must say I am not a fan of everyone in the administration setting. The new director however seems to be wonderful and is really trying her best to get Sparrow back on a path of excellence. Many people will also speak poorly of the facilities but I actually like the campus as does my son. Overall I am a huge fan of Sparrow Academy and my sons only gripe about the school is that he can’t wear his character clothes. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is due to the hiccups with enrollment right before the 23/24 school year. Everything worked out but the way the situation was handled was less than ideal.
Submitted by parent on March 23, 2024

Great teachers are the norm here. We have had leadership problems in the past but Michelle D’Augusta is a leader that I am proud to be under. She is transparent, genuine and a great listener. She admits areas that might not be her expertise and seeks out experts to ensure things are ran the best they can be. I choose this school because the kids are actually able to be kids, they are lifted up and encouraged to reach their full potential. Waldorf is something I didn’t know much about when we first started, but I have grown to love and embrace it the more I learn. Special Ed could be better but I know with Michelle’s leadership we will get there. Safety could be better but we are actively seeking out a new campus to improve on this. When you join Sparrow you join a community. You and your child will be welcomed in. Everyone at Sparrow cares so deeply and is highly involved in making Sparrow the amazing place that it is.
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2024

Sparrow is more than just a school. It's community and friendship. My daughter has been in Sparrow since Kinder and is now in second grade. When we first enrolled her in a "traditional kinder garden" school prior to Sparrow, it was terrible experience. The teachers at that other school we not approachable, and we could never engage with other parents. When my child was accepted into Sparrow we immediately pulled her out of that school and never looked back. Sparrow was the complete opposite; The kinder teacher reached out to us even before the first day of class, teachers listen to me as a parents and work with us on issues that come up, they communicated with us often. My daughter is thriving both academically, and socially and it's because of the teachers and Waldorf philosophy. Prior to attending Sparrow I was not familiar with Waldorf education, and I am thankful that we found them. I love how they integrate arts, music into the lessons. Something most schools no longer do. Yes, administration has had it's share of issues, and we need a new facility but to see my child LOVE going to school, and having meaningful relationships with classmates, and as parents being able to make friends with the other parents is priceless. I love that fieldtrips are such an important part of learning. I have never seem parents so involved at a school and it's wonderful. I pray that Sparrow is around for a long time and that other children will benefit from a free Waldorf Education.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2023

Pros: -Students are overall happy there. There is a lot of play and academics are taken slowly, which we value for young children. -Handwork (WHEN there is a teacher - we have been through many in our few years there). Our child loved learning how to knit and coming home with very neat creations. -Some of the teachers are wonderful, and we lucked out to have a couple of them. Cons: -Revolving door of teachers and staff. My child had three different principals in three years. Well, actually 2.5, because the most recent one resigned on the first day of school and the school was left with NO ONE in charge. Teachers come and go constantly. Not all teachers are credentialed.-Almost no Waldorf curriculum. Barely any of the teachers are Waldorf-trained and are learning as they go.-Not much in the way of art and music. We thought this would be much different. Young kids get flute, but if the teacher isn't Waldorf-trained (again, most aren't) they will not play it often. I have heard more than one teacher say they are learning it as they go from watching Youtube.-Special ed program is lacking. My child did not get their IEP hours. No counseling program.-Safety issues. This one is big. -The facility is old and in poor condition and is not big enough for all the students. Some classrooms have been set up in large group areas. The school has outgrown the size of the school, but has not been able to find a new placement. For the three years we were there, they were working on it and not getting anywhere. Two weeks before the start of the 23-24 year, they actually had to turn away an entire classroom (originally two) of kids who were enrolled and were expecting to start two weeks later. -Gates are easy to enter and exit without anyone knowing. In fact, unless the one security guard for the entire campus sees you, you can easily walk up right to your child's classroom door without anyone noticing. -Two students in elementary school walked right off the campus without anyone knowing. While they were missing, the admin locked down the students in all the other classrooms, but never called the police and never told any of the parents that this happened. -A student made a threat to bring a gun to school and harm another child, but the admin did not act. -Parent drivers on field trips. Parents are liable if anything happens. The bare minimum is done in terms of vetting parent drivers.
Submitted by other on July 10, 2023

Oof! Great concept and great teachers. Other than that, stay far far away from this sinking ship until Consuelo Manriquez is fired and the school finds its footing again.
Submitted by other on June 12, 2023

We have had a wonderful experience at Sparrow. The teachers and the teacher's aids have been wonderful. The school depends on parents to be active participants in their children's education so it is a good amount of work to bring supportive, fun events to the children, but it's a lot of fun and builds community. My kids were falling behind at their previous school and it became clear we needed to search for an alternative. My daughter had shut down, did not love school, and stopped trying altogether. But now, she does read and math is her favorite subject. The Waldorf classroom is very different from the traditional school setting, but a great deal of learning and THINKING takes place. They build kids that can think and question their world- Problem solvers- Not simply test takers. My kids love school now and have improved leaps and bounds in their reading and math. I am grateful to the wonderful staff and fantastic teachers. As for safety, I do agree that the school's location or the building does need to be addressed. It is not a good location for a Waldorf school and I hope they have found another location soon. It is a very busy location and the gates are not locked due to the church's activities. The school has also outgrown this location and the classrooms are meant to be a Sunday school and so they are very tight. This would be my only negative concern at this time.
Submitted by parent on February 11, 2022

My daughter entered in the middle of 4th grade right before the pandemic closed everything down. In those two weeks before distance learning she quickly made friends and bonded with her wonderful teacher. I was really impressed with how well the school did handling the many struggles of maintaining quality Waldorf styled teaching through the challenges of distance learning. They brought kids back on campus as soon as they were able to safely do so, navigating state and district requirements with skillful determination. We are in 6th grade now and they have really done a fantastic job with maintaining excellent education even for the occasional home quarantines with live zoom class attendance so that the students know exactly what’s happening in class and every child is given the technology and tools they need to not fall behind. We love the teachers and all of the staff, from the principal to the lunch ladies. This school has the absolute best communication that I’ve encountered at any of the many schools my children have attended over the course of their education. Sparrow Academy has also done exceedingly well with accommodations for our 504 plan and we have been so impressed and happy with how well the individual physical and emotional needs of the student are met. I have had nothing but positive experiences with Sparrow Academy and am beyond grateful that my daughter has had the experience of attending here.
Submitted by parent on May 10, 2021

We have been with Sparrow for 9 years beginning in TK. All 3 of our children have greatly benefited from Sparrows holistic Waldorf teaching approach. Various subjects are specifically introduced when the child is developmentally ready. I love that the teachers are actually teaching the children to THINK, experience and explore subjects rather than forcing them to memorize boring facts from a text book. Math and English are intertwined in many lessons throughout the day and the rich vocabulary they are regularly exposed to has helped with reading comprehension beyond their grade levels. Since it is a public charter school there is state testing beginning in 3rd grade (I think) and as a mama it was kind of a relief to know that a schooling system so vastly different from traditional school can produce Above Average/Above Grade Level State Test scores as in our case.In middle school they have an additional teacher for math and he is absolutely top-notch! As a bonus Sparrow is media-free and encourages outdoor nature exploration and play! We have been very fortunate to have amazing Waldorf Trained/California Credentialed teachers for all 3 of my children. The way the teachers engage the children and fully foster their natural curiosity for learning is priceless.
Submitted by parent on March 11, 2021

Really research this school. The principal's commitment to helping children is questionable at best. With a few exceptions, very poor quality of teachers.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2019

Both of my daughters have benefited greatly from the experience of Waldorf education at Sparrow Academy. Waldorf education acknowledges the importance of the arts such as music, drawing, writing, dance. Waldorf education understands that children learn through movement and meets them where they are developmentally. Waldorf education does not teach to the test, because this has not been shown to teach kids how to become critical thinkers. Waldorf education fosters a lifelong love of learning and this is what society will need in the future as we face incredible change in our world. We feel so lucky to have access to a public Waldorf school. I truly appreciate the faculty and families at Sparrow Academy.
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2019

We have been so grateful to find a school that fits our values and connects our family to a community of people who are so passionate about education.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2019

This is our second year and we as a family feel like we've found a community to support our learning from multiple angles.
Submitted by parent on August 24, 2019

10/10 I absolutely love Sparrow. My child is creative, confident and excited about learning.