Valley Preparatory School

1605 Ford Street

Redlands, CA 92373

27 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 24, 2025

I am extremely disappointed with the kindergarten program at this school. When we enrolled my daughter, I was sold on a program with 24 students, 2 teachers, & an aide, promising a challenging, 1st-grade level experience. However, the reality has been far from that. After only a few months, the experienced teacher left abruptly, and we were left with a first-year teacher and an aide who is not only unprofessional and rude to parents, but also seems to have little control over the classroom. My daughter comes home every day uninspired and unchallenged, which is the opposite of what we were promised.I reached out to Mr. Schutz in the fall with my concerns, and was told they were looking for a second teacher. But this week, we were finally told at the PTO meeting that no new teacher would be joining the class this year. This delay in communication, paired with the fact that my child’s education is clearly suffering, is unacceptable. The lack of leadership from the head of school is also concerning. There is zero presence or engagement with parents, and no follow-through on the promises made. The head of school is rarely out and about building relationships with families, and there seems to be a pattern of saying one thing and doing another. The leadership, or lack thereof, only compounds the frustrations I’ve had with the overall school experience.The only positive aspect of the program is Miss Boyle, who comes in two days a week. She is competent, engaging, and actually knows how to teach. It’s baffling why she isn’t hired full-time, as she’s the only one making a positive impact on my child’s learning. My daughter also loves Mrs. Broccoli & Mrs. Beaver, but these isolated positives do not make up for the failures within the program itself.I hope things improve as my daughter moves on to 1st grade, as many people tell me that the 1st-grade program is much better, but the kindergarten program needs serious changes — starting with competent teachers who can actually control and inspire their students.On a positive note, I would like to acknowledge Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Hidy, who go above and beyond and are extremely underappreciated for everything they do.Overall, I’m very disappointed with the kindergarten program and feel let down by the lack of communication, leadership, and attention to my child’s education. It's not what we were promised or paying for
Submitted by parent on December 04, 2024

It saddens me to write this review on a school that used to be held to such a higher standard. I have had an older child go through VPS, and the difference from then to now, is night and day. The culture that was once a predominant school is no longer. Ever since Mr. Black left the transparency and communication that they once prided themselves on has stopped. If it weren’t for Ms. Hidy in the front office, I can honestly say the school would fall apart. She does everything, always has a smile on her face and makes sure parents and students are taken care of. I will say the early elementary and elementary teachers are amazing, very over worked and under paid. They try so hard to build relationships with parents, communicate classroom and student progress and always offer to stay afterschool for homework or tutoring help. The biggest issue with this school is Middle School, there is zero accountability for students, bullying, no school/home communications from teachers, and favoritism. The new appointed Head of Middle School is snooty, dismissive to parents, and over looks her own child’s horrible, inappropriate behavior but will bully and single out other students. It is a toxic environment and the Head of School, Mr. Schutz and the Board will not address or correct this behavior. There is zero follow through with issues or concerns, which makes parents feel unheard. It saddens me to know what my oldest had as a student here, will not be the case for my other children. We plan on leaving at the end of this year.
Submitted by parent on July 27, 2024

I don’t even know where to begin on how horrible this school is. From teachers that bully students - yes, you read that right - to blatant favoritism of the kids whose parents donate the most, it is an unbelievably awful environment for children. Just a slight example, one of many, regarding the teachers bullying. The teacher keeps the room at 68°, so my child put on his Valley Prep jacket. She forced him to take it off because it was a rain jacket and it wasn’t raining outside. How on earth is this conducive to learning? How is this setting a good example for an IB program where we are supposed to work well with others? This may seem petty, but it was one of many, many episodes that my child dealt with over the five years that we went to school there. There are a couple of great teachers, but there are also many lazy teachers, mostly the specialists, especially the computer/STEAM teacher. The fact is, Valley Prep used to have class sizes of about 4 to 8 students max, and over the past few years, they have had a huge influx of students, which causes these teachers to have to work harder, which is sadly unacceptable to them. It comes across in their poor attitudes towards small children. I could go on, but the bottom line is, I had high hopes for Valley Prep, and removing my child from the environment there was the best decision I made. I will say, the PE teacher is probably the greatest human being on earth, so I exclude her from anything negative in this review.
Submitted by parent on April 18, 2024

Wonderful school! Small class sizes. Love their STEM program and also includes students to work with technology. You do need an Apple laptop for school. Foreign language options to learn. Including music class. Many field trips are planned. Great school communication with parents. Teachers & staff are always friendly!
Submitted by parent on January 28, 2022

We love Valley Prep, I have two students that attend this school and we love the small class sizes, the many specialist they see throughout the week and the staff is amazing! My kids love Mrs. Breckley or as they call her Mrs. Broccoli. She always has so much energy, really cares about the kids, and always greets us when arriving on campus. When we started Mrs. Hidy in the Front Office went out of her way to make sure we felt comfortable and knew how everything worked. She always has a smile on her face, and truly goes the extra mile for us. She is the face of Valley Prep, and I know my kids are in great hands with her! We recommend Valley Prep to everyone!
Submitted by parent on November 30, 2021

I just saw an ad for this school, advertising itself as a safe learning environment for your child. Buyer beware: This couldn’t be farther from the truth when my student attended. The bullying and lack of support from staff to address it is absolutely appalling. Although they may have *some* smaller class sizes to better accommodate student’s individual learning needs, your student may not be able to focus on learning the material when they are being consistently subjected to inconsequential harassment by their peers. I may as well have sent my student to a public school, as I’ve seen the same amount or more support offered for students there when it comes to bullying. It’s a shame that this is the kind of behavior rewarded from one of the only non-denominational private schools in the area, where we believed our student would have an understanding environment to learn and thrive in.
Submitted by parent on December 18, 2015

Both our kids have been at VPS. On graduated and one is still in VPS. With the recent change in leadership at the school level, things are looking great. I wish the board had more dynamic leadership. The same people have been leading the board for the last many years and was the reason for deterioration at the school. Hopefully the board will let the current leadership function independently!!!
Submitted by teacher on November 25, 2015

Every staff member at Valley Prep is committed to the children who attend the school. The atmosphere is one of family, where children are loved and cherished. Cultural diversity is the norm at Valley Prep School. The focus on tolerance, respect, fair play, and empathy is reinforced daily. The academics at Valley Prep are strong. The small child-centered classes are designed to encourage group work, investigation, and discussion. Core subjects, along with Art, Music, PE, Technology, Library, Spanish, and French make up the curriculum and create an enriched educational experience. Extracurricular after-school activities offer even more opportunities for the children. Valley Prep School ranks among the best.
Submitted by parent on September 08, 2015

Valley Prep offers our boys a challenging and enriching academic environment. The small classes facilitate a desire to excel, given the quality, individual attention our boys receive
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2015

There is a very positive atmosphere at Valley Prep. The students, teachers and parents cooperate to provide an excellent educational experience.
Submitted by parent on April 01, 2015

From the first day at Valley Prep I felt as though there was an unspoken hierarchy at the school. There are the "haves" and "have nots". If you have money, you're golden. If you're the average Joe trying your best to get your kid a good education, you'll see a difference in the way you're treated. The first year my daughter attended kindergarten we truly felt invisible and that our needs and concerns were not heard by her teacher. We never had our emails answered in a timely manner and just generally felt pushed off to the side while other students and families were welcome with open arms. The class size at this grade was smaller and we liked that. That was about it. 1st grade came and we had a much better teacher....actually, she was fantastic. However, the class size was almost exactly the same as a public school (I believe there were about 20-25 students in one classroom). For the amount of money this school charges, I don't feel that this should have been an option. My daughter started to slip in some areas, and we had to print almost all of the homework pages ourselves. Truly a hassle. As soon as Keheller stepped in for Dr. C, we knew it was time to leave.
Submitted by parent on August 20, 2014

My son is starting his 3rd year at Valley Prep, and we couldn't be happier with the curriculum, one-on-one attention, and morals enforced at this school. My husband is an alumni of Valley Prep, and I knew we would want to explore sending our children there. We have two younger children who will also be attending in the future once they're old enough. My son has taken Spanish, French, Art, Music, and PE every week since kindergarten as part of their curriculum. He just began 2nd grade yesterday, and I know for certain he is leaps and bounds ahead of his friends who attend public and other private schools in the area. If you want to give your child the BEST, look at Valley Preparatory.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2014

Valley Prep has been an outstanding school over the past several years for our daughter. The school offers so many wonderful programs that is not offered in the public school system. With the small classroom sizes and the wonderful teachers, this school was an ideal fit for our daughter and her potential. She loves to come to school every single day and can't wait to tell us about the experiences and classes that she had at school that day. Valley Prep has made her educational experience such a wonderful one and it has allowed her to be the student that she wants to become. We would not send our daughter to any other school as Valley Prep has become her second home.
Submitted by parent on April 28, 2014

Valley Preparatory School provides strong academic programs and wonderful teachers in a safe and friendly environment. Art, music, language, and library are all part of the curriculum. Great technology program too. Small class size is another reason we chose Valley Prep. We couldn't be happier with the school, and so is our child.
Submitted by parent on April 27, 2014

I have been a parent at Valley Prep school for many years. It's a wonderful environment for any child to shine , get an awesome education , and be safe. I have been to other schools and many don't realize what a gem Valley Prep is. Nothing is perfect, but the leadership trieds hard to accommodate everybody if at all possible. The kids are exposed to various cultures, trips with the French class to Paris, the Spanish class went to Costa Rica and this year , the science teacher is taking a group to the Galapagos island. Now if that is not amazing , I don't know what is !!!!
Submitted by parent on March 25, 2014

Some of the teachers know what they are doing and some can't even handle ONE child. All this school seems to want is your money & They complain about the littlest of things.
Submitted by parent on February 28, 2014

Spring field trips are about to start with amazing opportunities planned, from a local camp in the mountains for the 5th grade to Washington DC for the entire 8th grade. What great life experiences for our children!
Submitted by teacher on November 05, 2013

I am a new teacher here at the school and I can sum up this school with just three letters - "WOW!" What an amazing setting for children to learn and grow. Like most new teachers, I did my student teaching in public school with 33 students. My time was spent just trying to organize the chaos, with very little teaching occurring (and I was in a GOOD public school). Valley Prep is so incredibly different from public schools. Students and their educational needs are TRULY put first at this school. "It takes a village to raise a child" and I have witnessed every staff member contributing to all students lucky enough to attend here. Students receive individualized instruction, a 1:1 computer program, Music, Art, PE, Foreign Language and small class size with an emphasis on Math and Science. Is it expensive? Some would say "yes", but as a Chinese Proverb states "only the man who crosses the river at night knows the value of the light of day". This is an amazing school setting, with caring staff who are invested in each student. If you are looking for an early college preparatory program to help your child reach their full potential, Valley Prep is the place for your family!
Submitted by other on November 04, 2013

My children went to Valley Prep from PS to eighth grades. My grandchildren are now attending Valley Prep and have been attending since PS and now are in first and third grades. Valley Prep offers a wonderful environment with small class sizes with the opportunity to have a culturally diverse student body. Academics are paramount at Valley Prep with the technology program to support advanced learning and student classroom enhancement at all grade levels.
Submitted by parent on August 24, 2013

Valley Preparatory School (VPS) provides an ideal learning environment for my children. The faculty has a proven commitment to the children of VPS. The administration continues to hire and retain highly motivated teachers who are accredited, knowledgeable and available to educate the children. The curriculum is world class, entailing both traditional arts abandoned by most public schools, as well as an emphasis on the use of computer technology, essential for children gaining and retaining a competitive advantage moving forward in their educational endeavors. Finally, the school supports an effective learning environment, holding true to their student handbook, by not permitting repeated bulling and the use of profanity in the classroom. I applaud the bold action of school s administrators for putting children s education above revenue goals and the inevitable backlash that results from defending the difficult yet necessary policy. I give VPS my highest marks.