Gillispie School, The

7380 GIRARD AVE

San Diego, CA 92037

42 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-6
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on October 31, 2019

Terrible, the teacher was unprofessional, it's YMCA camp next year.
Submitted by parent on March 04, 2018

We have been parents at Gillispie for over 12 years. All three of my kids have truly LOVED their school. They love going to school and always have a smile when I pick them up. Their Early Childhood Program is truly amazing. Kids are encouraged to try it all, learning through play, and allowing them to explore freely while guiding them gently, and leading by example. Gillispie is a true leader in Early childhood education. We feel Very fortunate to have found such a holistic, healthy, and nurturing environment for our children to grow and build strong foundations for their future academic experiences. My Gillispie graduate, who is now in middle school has wonderful memories, and is truly thriving in 8th grade both academically and as an adolescent. He was very well prepared for middle school and has continuously excelled and challenged himself academically. As a parent of both young children and an adolescent I truly value the learning environment at Gillispie and the Well-balanced approach to education. In our society we are witnessing a significant rise in mental health problems in kids and teens. We know that our children are happy, and not under pressure and stress to perform like "mini adults", They are living their childhood as they should, and for that we are grateful to this school.
Submitted by parent on March 02, 2018

I'm so happy that we decided to send our daughter to Gillispie. It is a joyous, nurturing community that we believe will prepare her well for what lies ahead. We want her to be kind, empathetic, and to feel like she can collaborate with others to really make an impact on the world. We also love that Gillispie differentiates the learning for the children, so she's never left behind, or left feeling bored. She's getting the challenge that she needs. I think the small class sizes really help with that. I highly recommend Gillispie School!
Submitted by other on May 09, 2016

This was our first year at The Gillispie School and I can say that it will be our first of many. We are so happy with our decision to send our daughter to Gillispie. We love that the school mixes traditional curriculum benchmarks with project-based learning. We feel our daughter is hitting all the milestones while having a well-rounded, hands-on experience. So far the specialities have been great. We would like to see more Spanish or at least have what is going on in Spanish communicated to parents better. The values system is wonderful and we are impressed by the school's warmth and community feel. We couldn't be happier.
Submitted by other on March 31, 2016

I just got off the phone with my daughter, who is well into her first job as a psychiatric counselor in a big city. I want to offer thanks to all the schools she attended on her path to this success, starting with The Gillispie School in La Jolla, Ca, which taught her the habits of academic rigor and compassionate that are so important in what she is doing now. Good habits in learning and citizenship have to be taught early; Gillispie did that for my daughter and for so many other children of families I know.
Submitted by parent on February 26, 2016

At Gillispie you will find a nurturing academic environment that emphasizes personal accountability and respect for others. I am continuously impressed by the passion of both the teachers and administration. Most importantly, my child is happy at Gillispie.
Submitted by parent on February 04, 2016

A word of caution. Do not trust all the glowing reviews on this site. Reading the snarky responses to all the negative reviews makes me wonder if the school's marketing person is actively monitoring this site and posting fake reviews here. Anyway, you should know that the head of school hand-picks certain parents to be on a "marketing committee" and asks those parents to review the school. Obviously, on the hook, those parents are going to leave good reviews. I know because I was one of those parents. Tellingly, three of the six or so parents who were on the committee last year have already left the school for other private schools in the area. I knew quite a few disgruntled parents, but they felt that they could not speak up because they were worried that their child would suffer as a result. One of the comments even referred to a negative reviewer as a "rabble rouser." Why shouldn't parents speak up when a school falls short? Isn't this the point of this site? But Gillispie is that kind of place -- where you are faulted for even speaking up.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2016

This school is a beautiful place for children. Having just helped out for their open house, I feel more strongly than ever that this is a community of dedicated parents, teachers, staff, and students who love Gillispie and believe in what the school is doing. It's a shame that the disgruntled rabble-rouser is the type of person who spends time going onto these sites to submit reviews, because if all of the community members who have had positive experiences shared them on here, the increase in 5 star reviews would be exponential. Have a visit to the school and see for yourself what it's like :)
Submitted by student on January 12, 2016

I love Gillispie. My 2nd grader comes home everyday with a smile and hops out of the car every morning ready for the day.
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2016

One day last year, I picked up my son by pulling into the school's driveway on Fay Avenue. While I was waiting in the car with my daughter, I suddenly noticed my five-year old standing outside. He was standing in the middle of the driveway, between two rows of cars, not on the curb side. There was no teacher with him, and no one tapped my car to let me know he was there. I jumped out and asked him who brought him to the car, and he named the head of school. I asked him if she walked him to the car, and he said no, she just pointed him to the car from the gate. She was nowhere in sight.I was very upset. During pick up time, cars are constantly moving. The school doesn't even let you leave your car because they want you to leave as soon as your kid arrives. Accordingly, most parents don't even turn off their ignition and start driving as soon as they can. And because kids aren't brought in the order cars are parked, cars often try to squeeze by between the two rows of cars to exit the one-way driveway, exactly where my child was left standing.Shortly after, I emailed the head of school and told her that she compromised my child's safety by leaving him there. Instead of apologizing, she responded: "to suggest that I or the School would ever compromise...any child's safety is uncalled for." She also claimed that it was within school "procedure" to leave him where he was because he was within "sight" of the guy whose job is to radio in the kid's names as cars arrive. He was standing about 20 feet away behind another row of cars (and incidentally did nothing to alert me that my son was waiting to get into my car).I was so upset by her response that I vented on Facebook. Then, the chair of the school's Board had the gall to tell me to remove my Facebook post. He emailed: "what you put in your post is false and disparaging of the School. I ask you to remove this inaccurate post from Facebook immediately and to refrain from making or publishing any similar assertions in the future." Wow. Just wow. This is the kind of school you're dealing with.
Submitted by parent on December 29, 2015

I think there is a sense of entitlement among parents that send their children to private schools, that because they pay for their child's education and because they donate to their child's school, they should receive special treatment. I think that is certainly a contributing factor to the negative reviews that I have read about Gillispie and I could not disagree with them more. We love Gillispie! Any good private school has a marketing team and active parents, that is not a dirty little secret. You love your school, you have good things to say about it. In choosing any school you should consider it's philosophy and whether or not it alines with yours. We chose Gillispie for our child because we wanted a child who was able to be a child in preschool, play and learn through play. We wanted a child who was excited to learn, explore and respect and problem solve with their peers. We are certainly getting just that and it is exciting! Go on a tour at Gillispie, you're going to get the head of the school. It says a lot about a school that the director is willing to take time out of their day to show you around. The parental community at Gillispie runs the gamete in diversity as well as it's students. In a area of the country that many describe as lacking diversity, it's nice to see so many ethnicities and backgrounds with in my child's classroom. I've rambled but if you're looking for a school in the San Diego community that will provide your child with a inner motivation to learn, to ask 'why?' rather then memorize the facts and a respect and love for their peers, you've got to check out Gillispie
Submitted by parent on December 16, 2015

I feel that education is a critical part of life. I wanted a school that created an environment in which my children would love school and value their education. Gillispie is that school. There is not a single day that my children come home without a smile on their faces.
Submitted by parent on December 07, 2015

We have been at this school for seven years, and we couldn’t be more pleased. The individualized attention that each student receives is amazing. First, the class sizes are small, and the primary teachers all seem to have tremendous experience – it seems like they all have been teaching for years. Second, there are numerous ‘specialty’ teachers to further individualize the educational program. The first grade has its own math teacher and science teacher. There is a reading specialist who meets one-on-one with the students, challenging those who are reading above level and helping those who are behind. The school also has an art teacher, music teacher, librarian, a second science teacher (for students beyond the first grade), technology teacher, a Spanish teacher, and PE teachers. All of the teachers are wonderful, and always available. It is true that the tuition is not inexpensive, but that is the price you pay to get such small class sizes and individual attention. At the local public school the first grade has 28 students with one teacher. Gillispie has 15 students our section of the first grade, with the primary teacher plus the science teacher plus the math teacher. Such great teaching justifies the cost of tuition.I realize that this post differs remarkably from the previous post, and it is difficult to tell who to believe. It’s true that you shouldn’t trust my glowing review about how great the school is, nor should you trust any negative reviews on this or any site. If you are considering Gillispie, visit the campus and judge for yourself. Ask questions about the curriculum and class placement, meet the teachers and the head of the school, and observe the students and teachers interacting. You won’t be disappointed.
Submitted by parent on December 06, 2015

We all live incredibly busy lives, but every so often, I have such an incredible experience that I have to take the time to share my thoughts with others. The Gillispie School has provided our family with this type of experience. Meeting the diverse needs of children and families has to be one of the most difficult jobs in the world, and yet, Alison Fleming and her team of teachers and staff do this flawlessly and with passion and commitment each and every day. Whether it is Ms. Long and Mr. Inigo guiding the children through experiential learning as they sit shoulder to shoulder on the Mayflower (their desks) with all of their possessions on their laps, committed to being more successful than the pilgrims, or Ms. Adams, working one on one with my son to provide him with more challenging math problems to keep his passion and enthusiasm for math high, the teachers use their creativity and enthusiasm to engage, challenge and bring out the best in our children. My kids have attended The Gillispie School since they were aged 2 and 3. Once we experienced the school, its curriculum and community, we never wanted to leave. We have stayed through 6th grade and never looked back. Our family has built a strong community of friends, and due to the incredibly low attrition rate, our children have had these special friends for nearly all of their lives. Our older son has successfully transitioned to The Bishop's School where he is excelling and our other child remains at Gillispie, excited about the challenges and adventures the next day will bring her. Education is a partnership between the school and families. Throughout the years, we have entrusted Alison and her team to place our children in the right classrooms for them, because, as we know, our kids are often times different at school than at home. The placement has always been spot on, and our kids have had the type of experience where they can't wait to get to school and always ask us to pick them up late so they can play with their friends on the new field or engage with their teachers. If you are looking for a community of life long learners, a place where teachers and the administration work hard to provide "just right" learning for your child and they truly partner with you for your child's long term emotional and academic success, I encourage you to look at The Gillispie School.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2015

Do not send your child here unless your child is mediocre, and if you already do, do not donate money in any substantial amount. We were at the school for three years. Our son excelled. Instead of providing individualized attention, as we believed a small private school should, they moved him up with the older kids. He was fine with older children academically, but socially, he suffered. At age 5, a one year age gap makes a big difference. When our daughter was in preschool, the school changed its strategy to attract more pre-K level children in order to pad its kindergarten classes. (A lot of children attend Gillispie for preschool years, but defect to public schools once they reach kindergarten. The school has an obvious financial interest in retaining children in K and up since the school suffers attrition as the kids move up.) In order to make more room for pre-K children, the school merged some of the preschool classes, and tried to move my daughter into a class with younger children. For $15K a year, we felt that was a disservice to our daughter. When we complained, the head of school told us that she could not create the appearance of accommodating our request since we had donated so generously. Of course, the point was lost that we were asking for fair -- not special -- treatment. The chair of the board of directors chastised us for even vocalizing our concerns. "No one had ever complained before." Imagine that. To add insult to injury, the school told us about our daughter's class placement after the deadline to pay the next year's deposit had already passed. We had already paid the next year's tuition, believing that the school would place our daughter according to the plan it had in place the prior two years. Even though the school instituted the change belatedly, the school refused to refund our deposit and felt it appropriate to withhold $3K as a windfall. If you wish to entrust your children to an institution that can teach your children to think critically, work well with others, and resolve problems creatively, that is certainly not what we saw from those leading this institution.
Submitted by other on July 28, 2015

The teachers are supportive and talented. Its a very warm and inviting community. I only have wonderful things to say about Gillispie.
Submitted by parent on July 27, 2015

Our family has had a wonderful experience at The Gillispie School and we feel so grateful to have been part of this community. Our children have been in the early childhood program and in the elementary school for the past three years and have thrived. Educators and administrators are caring, responsive and bring out the best in their students. It is a unique independent preschool and elementary environment that doesn't exist anywhere else in the area and enables kids to be kids in a tremendously enriched and safe campus which features dedicated science, art and music areas as well as a beautiful new sports field. Academics are excellent, and their focus on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) encourages curiosity, creativity and critical skills for the future. My children love going to school at Gillispie and feel confident and happy there each day, as a parent I couldn't ask for anything more!
Submitted by parent on July 26, 2015

My child is getting a top-notch education at Gillispie, made all the more special by the creative, warm and welcoming environment of the school. In looking at other area schools, private and public, we felt that the environment is what pushes Gillispie to the top. My husband and I have easily been able to meet and get to know all the people who work at the school - everyone, from teachers to administrators, is involved in creating the unique Gillispie atmosphere. Another huge bonus for us was being able to get to know the other parents at the school through a number of events they hold throughout the year. We are new to town and this enabled us to get quickly acclimated, which helped our child settle in as well. If you are looking for a truly special place where your whole family will be welcomed, where your child will get individualized attention from top-notch teachers, look no further than Gillispie. We are just delighted! The only thing I would push for the school is to work on being a bit more high-tech in its integration with the parents - it would be nice to do more things online (see grades, signing up for enrichments, etc). Overall, we are over the moon to be in the Gillispie family!
Submitted by other on July 18, 2015

The school is a haven for those who feel supeior to others in our society. The real problem does not lie with the teachers...it lies with he people who run the school and feel they are supeior to anyone and everyone. We would hope that parents would be mindful of their opinions in front of their children when it regards others social stature or means. This not considered with a select few in this school. It is one thing to raise funds for the goodness of helping teachers and kids but to use it as a way to harass the parents and make people feel shameful because maybe they cannot give a certain amount expected is unclassy and undignified. The community of La Jolla has many wonderful people and families...it only takes a few to ruin that repuation.
Submitted by parent on July 15, 2015

My child entered this school last year as a new student. Within days, he was comfortable and happy in his new school. The teachers, administrators, and other children were so welcoming and warm to him that it took him no time at all to feel right at home. He loves going to school every day and has had tons of opportunities in and out of classrooms in a wide range of activities. Gillispie strikes the right balance between challenging academics and a nurturing environment for an elementary school. Very glad we made this choice.