St. Hedwig Elementary School

3591 Orangewood Avenue

Los Alamitos, CA 90720

24 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by other on January 20, 2025

Horrible school left in 3rd grade the teachers are very inexperienced
Submitted by student on April 29, 2024

I've been a student at St. Hedwig for nine years now, and I can honestly say that this school has provided me with an incredible education and countless memories. I have to admit that before last year, the way the school was running was a bit unusual. However, with a new administration in place, things have improved significantly. They have brought back many events that had been put on hold since COVID hit, which has made my experience here even more enjoyable. The teachers, particularly Mr. Belisle, make learning so much fun and engaging. And let's not forget about our athletic teams - they're fantastic! This fall, both the girls' volleyball team and the boys' flag football team took first place in Orange County. As a proud Celtic, I couldn't be happier with my time here.
Submitted by student on May 11, 2023

This school is one of the best options in Southern California. From kind, passionate teachers that are eager and helpful in teaching your child to supporting parent helpers, this school has so much to offer when it comes to your child getting the best attention and guidance. Everyone attending and working at Saint Hedwig are bright and hard-working people and a pleasure to be around. They are so invested in giving every child the education they need. This school will help your child become a leader, a follower of Christ, and an academic champion. I highly recommend this school to anyone in the coastal California area. I have been going to this school for more than four years and all of them have been the best of my life! soon applying for high school, I feel very confident I will get accepted and become an alumni of the Saint Hedwig family. Thank you for your time reading this!
Submitted by parent on February 20, 2020

We love how much our kid learns and enjoys everyday.
Submitted by parent on September 06, 2019

The first two years were pretty good but the Administration was different. The last four were awful. When Parents speak up about issues and are retaliated against, that is a problem.
Submitted by other on January 31, 2018

School administrators are inexperienced and make decisions based on a manual
Submitted by parent on June 08, 2017

From a scale of 5 stars, this school gets ******! We are having a wonderful experience at St. Hedwig School. We have 3 children enrolled and have been one of the St. Hedwig families for the past 7 years. The students genuinely care about each other. The older students are paired with younger students as "friendship partners". There is an atmosphere of admiration and respect among students, parents, and staff. Everyone supports one another both at school and also at activities outside of school. Strangers come up to me often and tell me what well behaved and thoughtful children I have. Thank you St. Hedwig. Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful.
Submitted by other on May 28, 2017

I agree with 1 Nov comment. My 6th grader has been attending this school for a year. I am pulling my child out. When did catholic faith became all about politics and money? Every week we are asked for donations, for one reason or another, on top of $7 weekly hot lunches. I feel like I get showed in ny face extra donations, like $50,ooo AC system, that was installed in the old school building, and now they are asking for $8 mil. Donations to destroy this building to built a new one... really? We get weekly envelopes to donate money on top of regular donations... and if you donate enough, you will get a personal parking spot. When did thigh church lose its catholic face?
Submitted by parent on December 11, 2015

I hesitate to comment on sites like this because everyone's experience is going to be different even at the very best of schools. The one variable for every family rating a school is the INDIVIDUAL child. If the child is not having a good experience parents seem to blame the school and not look at their own child; the child maybe difficult to get along with, has a chip on their shoulder, feel entitled and therefore blames those around them, etc...The comment on Nov 1 prompted me to respond. I have had children at St Hedwig for 11 years and have NEVER BEEN ASKED TO RATE St Hedwig on any website! I have been on the Parent Association and have been as involved as a parent can be with regards to volunteering. I feel sorry for this parent and especially their child. And since I am commenting, I have had two children graduate and I think they are better people---excelling in high school, but more importantly, good people! Not every school is for all children.
Submitted by parent on December 03, 2015

My wife and I are Los Alamitos residents that transferred our son from a Los Alamitos elementary school to St. Hedwig a few years ago. We are not Catholic. Although our son excelled academically in public school, we wanted a school that focused not only on academics but also responsible behavior and good study habits. We also wanted smaller class sizes and to avoid a large middle school in Los Alamitos. Our experience at St Hedwig has been great. Their writing program is excellent. My son’s 4th grade teacher is also an adjunct in the English department at a local college, and it shows in the quality of the curriculum. We are looking forward to the advanced mathematics course offered in 5th grade; but we are most impressed with the culture of the school – the discipline, which is reinforced in the school’s awards program, and the activities (e.g. Autumn Fest and Christmas Show) and school spirit that is fostered within the kids. One of my son’s first experiences was in the school’s mentoring program, where a student from 6-8th grade mentors a younger student during activities and events. It was a very welcoming and positive experience. We’ve learned that as students progress through K-8 at St. Hedwig, they are given more and more responsibility in overseeing events (e.g. Autumn Fest), organizing activities and mentoring. Leadership training and responsibility are embedded in the curriculum, culminating in the 7th and 8th grades. We looking forward to seeing our son graduate from St. Hedwig.
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2015

Please know that parents are asked to review the school positively every few months to increase our rating. The truth is that this school is perfect for you if you are affluent, spend extra money on athletic training and have a strong student. This school is VERY competitive and an average child will never feel or reach their potential. Parents pay the way to success for their child. After our "Harvest Festival" it was sad to see the girl cliques all in the same costumes right after we spent a week talking about all being friends. We are all NOT friends. A culture of mean girls, no chance of playing sports if your just a regular child, parets who are more interested in their social standing than in raising good hearted children, no functioning library or AR program and low math scores. Most graduates from this school having trouble testing into Freshman math at private high schools and at Los Alamitos High School. And most were in "advanced math" here. A problem, no one wants to talk about. Children are not equal at this school. 6 teachers/coaches left at the end of last year because the parents and principal are unbearable. More and more families are leaving. St. Hedwig looks like a caring christain culture but it is just an affordable private school with no soul. Parents have tried to address the situation with cliques but the parental clique is also so strong that the administation does whatever these parents want. It is a culture that I only thought existed in movies and on tv. That is the truth that no one wants to discuss. The last parent that reviewed is new. She has no idea what is in store for her. Your child will not become a better person here. They will learn to feel intitled and arrogant and will graduate feeling as if they are the best but all not coming from a good heart or humility.
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2015

Initially, we attended the highly coveted Los Alamitos schools and were initially very happy with the education. We sent our children to Weaver Elementary but by my third child, I started to notice a shift in culture at the schools. They seemed to be focused only on the state tests and not about teaching the whole child. My kids were practicing the STAR tests all the time, and if questions in the class came up that were not on the "test," then they did not want to cover it and go off "topic". We decided to try St. Hedwig, where they focus on teaching the whole child. We are very happy here and so are our children. In today's world it not only takes IQ but EQ to be successful. We feel that the strong moral values, ethics, faith and sense of giving to others, as well as the strong education help our children grow to be better human beings and successful in the real world with career, family, friends and faith. Success to me in not defined by money earned but with what you do with your life and how you impact the world and others. We feel that Saint Hedwig is giving our children this opportunity to grow. -- a current parent
Submitted by parent on May 05, 2015

When my husband and I were researching schools for our first child entering school we attended this school's tour and parent information night. We immediately knew that this was the school for our children to attend. We had previously looked at our public, private and the faith based schools in our area. No other school had what this school could offer. St. Hedwig provides excellent education in a faith based atmosphere. The Administration is forward thinking, responsive, and provide strong leadership. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable. The teachers are credentialed and dedicated. The parent community is supportive, strong, and caring. Lastly, the students were friendly and demonstrated a cohesiveness that bonds children together. Eight years and two children later we still feel the same way and in fact, we have even more positive feelings than when we first enrolled our children. If you want your child to excel academically, be physically fit, morally sound, and have a feeling of being a part of a positive community then do not hesitate to schedule an interview and school tour at St. Hedwig.
Submitted by parent on April 16, 2015

Our priority was finding a school that is as strong in the Catholic faith as it is in academics. We found both at St. Hedwig School (SHS). At SHS, Catholic values are woven into all parts of the children s experience the curriculum, students behavior expectations, and the examples set by the adults who teach and interact with them during the school day. The curriculum utilizes various learning strategies and mediums. The children are given authentic learning experiences. The faculty stays current with learning standards yet they have not lost sight of traditional skills that students need to succeed. The writing program is especially solid across all grades. A true physical education program and an artistic music program are each offered several times a week. How will this benefit the children? is the focus of all that is done at SHS. The administration, faculty and staff are caring individuals who are genuinely concerned for the well being of the students. The school is safe, clean and well kept. After 3 years, we are still as pleased as ever with our decision.
Submitted by parent on March 28, 2015

St. Hedwig school is a thriving, energetic, passionate community in all areas. I am impressed with their dedication to making our children the best they can possibly be at everything & anything they do. It's small enough for them to have the one-on-one attention needed to thrive, and big enough to have the benefits of a variety of students. I researched various schools in the area and in Long Beach, and made my decision not only based the data, but the wonderful caring environment that makes St. Hedwig School best in class.
Submitted by parent on March 27, 2015

When it was time to select a school for our children, we had a few great schools around us to choose from. After touring three public and private schools, there was little doubt that St. Hedwig was the right choice. Having been there for two years now we couldn't be more pleased with the well-rounded education our son is getting. The teachers are caring and knowledgeable. Any time we've needed to contact them they have responded promptly and helped us with what we needed. They do not "teach to the test" but rather provide a strong academic foundation and developmentally appropriate curriculum that includes the arts and technology. The sense of community among the families is amazing. We feel so lucky to be at St. Hedwig!
Submitted by parent on March 24, 2015

We have been a part of the school for 9 years and feel like St. Hedwig is a second home for our children. From the teachers and staff to the other parents, we have witnessed the entire community care for our children. We have been very pleased with the academic program. Our oldest child was very well prepared for the High School Placement Test and qualified for honors courses in high school. The Advanced Math program, the science fair and the Academic Decathlon program provide academic challenges for students, while the competitive sports programs and kickball league provide a positive athletic environment. Our children have grown stronger in their faith through their class retreats, masses and service projects, as well as their religion classes. Overall we have been pleased with the experience our children have had at St. Hedwig and would recommend it to families looking for more than just a school.
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2013

We love this little school in Los Alamitos. This school feels like school should feel like. The work is not so challenging that kids and parents are stressed out, but it is challenging in different areas depending on the child. The principal is so nice and friendly and says hello to kids and parents. The vice principal is nice too. The families are friendly and nice too and there are different types of families to choose from to be friends with--some variety in all realms (socio-economic, ethnic, geography, etc). They have PE which is great and really focus on character education. The culture here is so kind and everyone in the administration works with the parents as partners to be successful. Older kids seem so well-mannered by 8th grade and are friendship partners to little ones. Great school of sensitive children and great school for kids who can learn how to be more caring and sensitive.
Submitted by parent on September 04, 2013

So far so good. People are so nice here. It's such a kind school filled with people who seem like they want to do good in the world and to teach their children how to give back. The kids seem very well-behaved! Curriculum is filled with great things like character education and it's not a push kids at all costs kind of environment which is great.
Submitted by parent on June 03, 2012

This is our first year at St. Hedwig and we absolutely love this school. We live in Los Alamitos and struggled with the decision on sending our daughter to private school, especially considering that the public schools in our district are amazing. What convinced us to go with St. Hedwig was 1) Only 2 classes per grade, 2) goes through middle school, 3) uniforms, 4) strong academics, 5) the teachings of our Catholic faith, 6) PE, sports and music classes, and finally 7) a REAL library with lots of books - not just a "media center". St. Hedwig is worth every penny of our very modest income. Also, in regards to the comment dated Feb. 8th about kinder students leaving because of the teacher, I can say that the only student who left this year moved out of state. They must be referring to a different year, I guess. In my experience both teachers are attentive and caring. Go Celtics!