Windward School

11350 Palms Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90066

30 Reviews

School District
Grade

7-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on June 05, 2019

Our daughter just finished middle school at Windward and will continue to 9th grade. We could not be more pleased with the faculty, staff, administration, curriculum and the general school ethos. Windward is truly an outstanding school where our daughter has blossomed into a capable, confident, and well-informed young person. There is a wide range of elective offerings that gives the students the opportunity to explore their interests in great depth. Windward teachers are, I believe, the best part of Windward, as they truly support and encourage their students and provide the necessary methodology and environment for students to reach their potential. Most of the teachers have graduate degrees; some have taught at universities. The administration is always cordial, friendly, and forthcoming. There is, unfortunately, a dearth of racial/economic diversity in her present class. Windward is heavily athletics oriented, however, liberal arts are just as vigorously promoted and supported. They have superb writing, dance, and arts programs. All things considered, we couldn't have asked for a better school.
Submitted by other on June 22, 2017

Excellent. Shirley Windward saved me and gave me to tools to soar today. Though I graduated in 1978, to this day I remember Shirley and my Windward experience as the best of my life.
Submitted by parent on April 26, 2016

Windward School has been an amazing place for my two very different students. The faculty and staff are really great to work with, and the community is inclusive and welcoming. They have each been encouraged in many ways to pursue their varied interests (my son loves robotics and music, while my daughter runs track and is a film student.) I feel very fortunate that they have had this positive school experience.
Submitted by other on April 20, 2016

Windward does a great job of building a community amongst its students and faculty that is both inclusive and nurturing, which aligns well with its mission.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2015

Reading some of these other descriptions it's hard to believe they are describing the school my kids attend! In my mind, there are two things that completely set Windward apart from other Los Angeles schools: (1) The school is at it's very core, a kind and caring community. The counseling is excellent, there are mostly very nice kids and the school constantly emphasizes life balance and other "soft" issues. I have never, ever heard of a mean kid problem or any kind of bullying (2) the school has an incredible music program. The quality of instruction and amount of resources devoted to music is really impressive. My musical kids have thrived in this program. Other strong departments are math and foreign language. My other main thoughts: The school is a good place for self-starter kids. There is a pretty wide range of abilities in a single class, and kids (especially bright ones) who like to take it easy will not find much pressure from the outside. Homework loads are overall quite low, especially in middle school and non-honors high school classes. My kids are on the brighter side and found many of their middle school classes to be easy (too easy, really), but are now nicely challenged in honors high school classes. With the lower homework loads, they are able to do lots of fun extracurriculars like sports and academic teams (like debate) without being overstressed. My one strong critique: we were quite disappointed by the middle school science program (classes were really basic and dull), but apparently some good changes are under way.
Submitted by other on June 17, 2015

As I am nearing the end of my college journey I have been thinking a lot about my high school and college experiences. Undoubtedly the worst years of my life were at Windward and staying there it is one of my biggest regrets. I really wish I had gone to a different school. I went from a very happy, social and friendly kid in elementary school to a very isolated, excluded and withdrawn teenager. I have never in my life had an experience like this. The kids at this school were very superficial and cliquey, not in the way I have seen at many other more established schools such as Harvard Westlake and Brentwood. Windward is neither here nor there and is in a bizarre area. Its a wanna be Brentwood, HW, Crossroads, etc. I have seen teachers bully kids to get in with the cool crowd and many of the kids and many of the coaches and faculty did as well. The school is not large enough to have multiple friend groups but too large to be nurturing and inclusive. I am a very athletic, social and friendly person and have never felt like I was in such a weird fake social environment as I did at Windward. My experience athletically, academically and socially was really horrible and I really wish my parents had looked at other schools for me. In my opinion this school needs a lot of work. I had such a miserable experience here and would really suggest looking at a variety of schools and seeing which ones fit your needs the best.
Submitted by parent on April 22, 2015

I have been a college professor for many years so I am familiar with the American academic system that essentially requires students to select a specific path early in life and pursue it vigorously only to eventually discover that it was quite possibly the wrong direction. It is no wonder that many college graduates can t find employment today. My child was at Windward and finding his way, but the school had little patience for his expansive exploration nor did the staff provide the necessary guidance he needed. Here great attention is devoted to students that place their academic studies above all other essential life-skills, and whose parents are determined their child attend an Ivy League university at any cost. If this is your goal, the school is perfect. But if you are seeking to expose your child to all the wonders of this world and assist them in their life-choices by presenting a variety of directions, you might wish to consider a school with a broader curriculum and a staff that understands and addresses the variable maturity periods of teens.
Submitted by parent on March 12, 2015

I have a child at Windward, and we think the school is fantastic. There are some truly awesome teachers and the curriculum is interesting and engaging. The work is challenging, but not overwhelming (once appropriate study skills are mastered). A great selection of arts electives allows kids to explore their creative side. The school recently switched to heavy reliance on the ipad, which is great for kids who might misplace their work or textbooks otherwise. The administration is very supportive and very responsive to parental input. As an example, in 2015-2016 they will have a late start Wednesday, to let the kids catch up on sleep (which studies have shown is so important for teens).
Submitted by parent on January 02, 2015

Fabulous teacher, administration and vision. Great college counseling. Great sports and arts. I love this school
Submitted by other on October 07, 2014

Windward is an excellent school. The adminstrators and teachers care deeply about students academically and emotionally. The academics are challenging and their are ample extracurriculars to meet a variety of student interests. Windward is, however, a very traditional school. This is a great school for kids who are comfortable and can function under a great deal of pressure and do not need a more creative learning environment. If you are the parent of a student athlete or future doctor, engineer or attorney this is the school for you. If you are the parent of a more creative, divergent kind of thinker -- look elsewhere. This is a pre-professional high school for kids who are heading to pre-professional colleges. That's not a bad thing. It is just the truth.
Submitted by parent on May 23, 2014

Our daughter is finishing up her first year as a 7th grader at Windward School. We are very pleased with the academics, athletics, and the community as whole. She has grown and matured as a 13 year old, both academically and socially. Our experiences with the teachers have been very rewarding and satisfying as parents who only want what is best for their child. The teachers, partnered with the administrators, work very well together to help the students reach their full potential while holding them accountable for their roles in the community; fostering responsibility, integrity, and social morality.
Submitted by parent on April 28, 2014

Windward is and has been an amazing experience for our girls. Both have excelled academically beyond our expectations and are enjoying the social environment. High points about Windward are the diversity, size of the school, small enough that no student goes "unnoticed," and the teachers, staff and families - mutual respect amongst all. Very, very satisfied with Windward!
Submitted by teacher on January 23, 2014

As a substitute teacher of 6+ years, I have worked throughout LA, and am exceptionally qualified to compare Windward to other schools. Hands down, Windward is my favorite school to work at. The culture is friendly, supportive, academically rigorous, and there is almost never a problem of students acting out in class! They instill acceptance, compassion, and mutual support among students and faculty alike. The kids come to class prepared to learn and work, and I don't witness the same apathy and defiance I do at other schools. I've never seen students get in fights. And despite a diverse student population, racial tensions are nonexistent. The highly negative reviews seem fictional to me. In my 6+ years coming to Windward I have never witnessed bullying/mean-girl issues or excessive cliquey-ness. Some cliques will naturally appear in any large mixed social setting, but there's nothing outwardly malicious or exclusionary going on. People complaining about Windward are in fantasy land. Schools really don't get much better than this. As someone with a truly independent perspective, I can say that the positive reviews are consistent with what I've seen at Windward; the negative are not.
Submitted by parent on October 01, 2013

I gave the school 2 stars as they have some great teachers. HOWEVER the counseling program here is in need of a drastic overall as is their approach to dealing with teens out of control. The mean girl movement is in full swing with no control nor real concern by the school. The academic standard is high but so much so that if you don't shine you are left behind, not picked for various leadership roles, and your child's self-esteem is damaged. Boys fair much better than girls here. Beware!
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2013

Windward has been a more wonderful experience than my family could ever have dreamed. Our daughter was admitted for the 8th grade from an over-crowded Santa Monica public school. The teachers are beyond incredible and as my child observed, "The teachers treat you with friendliness and respect. They aren't always assuming you're going to screw around." As one of the three incoming 8th graders, my daughter could easily have been miserable if the grade was "clique-y" but she was fully welcomed. By the end of her first week she "knew" everyone in her class and felt completely at home. This welcoming attitude has continued throughout her current 11th grade year. She loves her teachers and they all go out of their way to help the students succeed. Last year my daughter was ill and missed almost 1 month of school and her teachers worked with her on their own time to bring her up to speed. I can't imagine a more loving and supportive environment (as well as a wonderfully challenging one.)
Submitted by teacher on December 09, 2012

I feel incredibly lucky to be teaching at a school that really embodies its mission to offer a dynamic education and a nurturing environment. I ve been working at Windward for five years now, and I am energized and excited by the school s focus on assessing itself in order to best serve the students. Part of that examination has involved finding effective partners, whether in the world of business, government or academia. Those outside partnerships have enriched the whole community, and I know that I, as a classroom teacher and educator, have learned much from them and am better because of them, whether it is a faculty trip to Stanford s Program in Writing and Rhetoric or helping students to prepare for their presentation to a group from a consulting firm. How fantastic to work at a place that thinks about what it does because the students and teachers matter so much.
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2012

Windward offers something for every type of student. Excellent academics, great athletics and fantastic arts (theater, music and fine arts) departments make Windward a truly well rounded school. But more importantly, Windward produces well rounded students who graduate with the skills necessary to excel in the world. A wonderful sense of community spirit has made Windward the perfect place for my son (and our family) to spend the past five years.
Submitted by teacher on November 09, 2012

I have been working at Windward for 6 months and I have been incredibly impressed by what this school offers its students. The academic programs are definitely exciting, but what has really surprised me is the community. From what little interaction I have with the students, it's easy to see that they all love being here. I chaperoned the senior trip last year and saw what a cohesive group that class had become. I work with many alumni and hearing them talk about their time at Windward, the connections they made with their classmates and teachers, and how well prepared the felt when they got to college is moving.
Submitted by other on November 06, 2012

Windward is a great school for those students that are high achievers in either academics or athletics. It has a great group of teachers an the students there are very friendly. If you go, you get the opportunity to try many new things and be open to more ideas for the future. Its a great experience to go to windward and i definitely recommend it.
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2012

Without doubt, worst school ever!!!! My children hate this school. Both my son AND daughter have been bullied by students AND teachers