St. Stephen Lutheran School

320 Moorpark Way

Mountain View, CA 94041

17 Reviews

School District
Grade

1-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 08, 2024

This school is an absolute gem! In Mountain View for decades it has a caring, family type atmosphere, offers tons of interesting Feild trips, a small student to teacher ratio and a caring, compassionate, understanding, leadership culture. My son was discouraged and depressed after a negative school experience elsewhere. St Stephen Lutheran School was the solution. We couldn’t be happier with this amazing school.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2020

This school is a hidden gem in Mountain View. It is very well established which aided our decision considering longevity for our 6th and 2nd graders. It ticks all of our boxes as a family. My wife and I were so unhappy with our local public school when we moved here. We had always supported our public educators (and continue to do so) but our local public had to consolidate grade levels and classes as most local families may also understand. Certainly we had great compassion for our educators there but to be candid: our children were not given attention both personally and with regard to the success of their education. Our kids had been bullied and developed anxiety which prompted us to homeschool for a year. During this time we researched private schools in Silicon Valley. Many of the larger private schools come up through their Ads in searches first so we started there. As we were visiting and speaking with these larger private schools we discovered St. Stephen Lutheran School (driving by.) It was small and neatly established. We went home and began researching it. Reaching out to the Principal, we were given personal attention, time, and conversation regarding our kids and their placement. The intimacy of the class sizes felt reminiscent of the Montessori and private educations we grew up with. The depth to which the teachers knew each of their students as whole people was unique to our research in the area. The school uses a combination of classical curriculum and progressive. The students are more than friends but an intimate community because of the size of the school. There is a sense that our children belong to a living body which supports practical and personal development in ways deeper than the quality of their education alone. We couldn't be more pleased, honestly. We happened upon the school and it has ended up bettering our children in ways you can't "search" for online alone. We are confident in the success of their education and the opportunities they are being prepared for both academically and as people. We love this school for its integrity, for the body of families involved, for it's mission, and frankly- its uniqueness amongst private schools.
Submitted by parent on May 12, 2019

Our experience at St. Stephen has been excellent. Our daughter has been there almost four years. I realize that just ranking a school as "excellent" might not be as useful as describing what type of parent/child the school is good for. So I can say that this school is top-notch if you are looking for personal attention tailored to your child's abilities and strengths; and a very small-school environment where children are taught to respect and get along with other children of all ages. This school is less focused on test scores than it is on building good character and ensuring that children are challenged to think and become lifelong learners. Bullying is quite simply non-existent, because issues of personal conduct and behavior toward others are recognized quickly and dealt with as part of nurturing character in the students. I have nothing but good things to say about St. Stephen. Our daughter has flourished there, and we feel she'll be academically prepared when she leaves here, as well as strong in character and maturity.
Submitted by parent on May 04, 2019

Overall experience is very nice and my daughter is very happy in this school.
Submitted by parent on April 16, 2019

Our overall experience has been nothing but positive and we feel that we made the right choice for our child. Not only does the school excel academically they build integrity and compassion as well. The school has been a positive for all of us.
Submitted by parent on January 18, 2016

This school has helped my third grader in so many ways! The teachers are energetic, intelligent and nurturing, and focus on what is best for each child so they can learn at their own pace, whether that is accelerated or slower. The environment is enriched for learning. My son did not like school before, and now he loves it. His comment when he first started attending St. Stephens was, "At that school, I can actually learn!"
Submitted by parent on January 18, 2015

We recently relocated to the Bay Area from Germany. After a terrible first year in a German school, we were looking for a small school with highly engaged teachers and a high quality curriculum. Neighbors recommended St Stephen Lutheran School in Mountain View. We feel it was the right choice: our kids make great progress, made many friends and just love school and teachers. Lessons are very interactive, parent engagement is always welcome, great school trips and book club. Homework with a lot of writing and memory work (not so much our kids' favorite) but certainly very helpful for the kids' advancement. The review of homework get taken very seriously by the teacher. This school is Christ-centered and fosters the kids curiosity for religion and philosophy.
Submitted by parent on April 09, 2014

My son had lost interest in his old school as well as struggled with a medical diagnosis that led to him missing chunks of school. His junior high teacher has been what he needs -- accommodating when he's been too sick for homework, but willing to push him academically when he's been healthy. He cares about his academic success now, and he knows that he's surrounded by people determined for him to succeed. He came in very nervous about making friends at this tiny school, but thankfully he's now buddies with students a couple years above and below his age -- social progress for this kid to see that younger children can be friends! We've only been a part of the junior high, and I can say that Miss Pfeiffer really gets boys and girls. She gives them freedom and she sets reasonable limits. I look forward to seeing how another year at St. Stephen will mature my child.
Submitted by parent on April 08, 2014

St. Stephen Lutheran School... I have 2 children that have graduated from SSLS. They are 23 and 27 now and I believe their time at SSLS was critical in molding them as men and women of character, and instilled a love of learning and critical thinking. They enjoyed school and received excellent attention from their teachers. They went on to high school and University well prepared socially, emotionally, spiritually and academically. They are very successfully in their chosen fields. We all have fond memories of our time at SSLS. I believe in the environment and its success. After my children left I volunteered for years and now work on staff part-time. I have seen many successful children that have attended SSLS....... amazing, talented , caring and resourceful teachers.
Submitted by parent on April 02, 2014

We have been with SSLS 6 years. Our son had started to dislike school and to struggle academically after our move to MV. The teachers here made my son love school again. The warm, encouraging environment where he was challenged in areas needing challenging, and able to work on other areas without judgment, was exactly what he needed. Our daughter started K at SSLS that year as well. She quickly became advanced in certain areas while remaining on grade level in others. One of many fabulous things about SSLS is their ability to cater to many learning styles. By keeping class sizes small they can individualize the education of each child and maintain a family-like atmosphere. Have you ever seen a little girl play football with big boys? You will at SSLS! My little girl playing ball with the big boys warms my heart. All students learn to work and play together, regardless of age or gender. Everyone can do it; no one is left out. Younger kids learn to speak up for themselves and older kids learn how to be kind and gentle with younger kids, and of course, be a positive role model for them. It is precisely what you would expect of them if they were all your very own children.
Submitted by parent on April 02, 2014

April 2, 2014 St. Stephen Lutheran School is a great choice for K-8th graders. It is a small Christian school with nurturing and enthusiastic teachers. All of our children have attended SSLS. The teachers strive to meet the individual needs of each student. Our last child is currently an 8th grader at SSLS, and my daughter is in her final year of college. SSLS has prepared them to succeed; they are confident and excited about the next big step in their lives. As parents, my husband and I will greatly miss SSLS. For the past 18 years we have been a part of a very special school. We send a heartfelt THANK YOU to the teachers, pastor, and staff of SSLS. You have prepared our children well!
Submitted by parent on October 28, 2013

St Stephan Lutheran has been the best for our children. This Christian School has already been very successful for my first child. James has moved to be closer with his mother and is now in a charter public school achieving straight A's. I am so proud of him. Most of all he has a genuine faith in the silicon valley--which is rare. St. Stephan Lutheran nurtured him through practical examples in Chapel and through bible memorization. Don't get me wrong, this is a healthy school that compares its practices with the best of the schools in the area. Great Work St. Stephan Lutheran. My current wife's son now attends SSLS who has struggled with English as a second language. In one year he became fluent in English and continues to do better in reading and vocabulary. My step son came from Tokyo just after the tsunami and came through the experience shinning. You cannot hear an accent at all in his speech. Most of all he developed a faith and was baptized thanks to the careful nurture St. Stephan Lutheran provided. Great Job again. THANK YOU ST STEPHAN LUTHERAN.
Submitted by parent on May 06, 2013

St. Stephen is a great school. The tecarachers are great with the students. The classroom size is small which is great because the is a lot of one on one between the students and the teachers. And the staff show a lot of caring and support toward all the students.
Submitted by parent on May 05, 2013

St. Stephen Lutheran School has been an absolute godsend for our family. Our son has been attending SSLS starting in kindergarten. We evaluated every public and private school in Sunnyvale, Mountain View and Los Altos. SSLS attracted us for a number of reasons: 1) a "small" school environment - only 6 children in my son's class. He has thrived academically with ample attention to his needs. 2) offers tremendous enrichment opportunities - art, PE, music, field trips in addition to lots of reading (he's reading books at a 2nd to 3rd grade level after only 1/2 a year of kindergarten), writing and math. 3) a supportive and values-oriented Christian environment. While neither my wife nor I are Lutheran, we've welcomed the teachings our son has been exposed to. 4) mixed age environment - allows my son to play actively with older children who are bright, engaging, sweet and responsible older role models for him. He lives for playing ball with the older boys. We have a child that is balanced, curious, engaged, healthy and loves going to school every day. SSLS has contributed immensely to our son's growth and has become an integral extension of our family.
Submitted by parent on May 05, 2011

We have been at St. Stephen for 3 years now after a difficult year at our previous school. My child's first comment after he visited the first time was, "The kids are really nice and the teachers listen to me." So true. I love that St. Stephen embraces the uniqueness of each child and allows the children to work at their own level; if a child is in 4th grade and doing 6th grade math, he sits in on the 6th grade math class. If a child is struggling in an area, they can work down a grade until they get the concept. There are a lot of enrichment opportunities from plays, to trips to the Tech Museum, to incredible science experiments...and socialization/manners exercises as well. One thing that we never did before St. Stephen was to act in a play. And everyone has a role, so the kids don't worry about what their classmates are going to say because they are acting...everyone does it! The plays are wonderful, too. I am very happy with my son's education at St. Stephen Lutheran School and feel that he is excelling in large part because of the exceptional staff and small class sizes.
Submitted by parent on May 04, 2011

My son attends St. Stephen Lutheran and it continues to be a rich environment in which to grow on a daily basis. The teachers are talented in working with each child's individual strengths as well as challenging them to explore new avenues in learning. The strong Christian leadership provides a caring, nurturing school where respect and empathy are taught. The various grade levels share recess and this provides a wonderful opportunity for the children to interact. The upper graders end up being good role models for the younger kids and it truly gives a "family" feel to the school. I feel our family has been very blessed to have our son's education take place at St. Stephen Lutheran School! I would highly recommend this wonderful school to anyone looking for a strong Christian education for their children.
Submitted by other on March 30, 2011

I volunteer at St. Stephen Lutheran School, and I consider myself blessed to have the opportunity to serve there. The teachers are very talented and truly enjoy seeing the children grow not only mentally but also spiritually. The parents also play a big part in making this school amazing, which is always encouraging to me. One of the benefits I noticed of having a small school is the frequent interaction among the grade levels. The younger students really look up to the older students, and the older students understand that they have the opportunity to set a Christian example for the younger students.