Review a school

Our child had an excellent experience at VMS. Principal Flowers and the staff have created a collaborative, respectful, and positive learning environment. The administration and educators have high standards and help students achieve their goals. We look forward to our next experience with VMS.

My kids attended for 3 years. Racism is at a all time high and highly accepted. Although there are some strong teachers, the weaker rule the roost. Consider other schools until they get it together.

We’re so excited to be joining CWC Hollywood! Even before the first day, the school has made us feel welcomed and supported. The staff is warm, the families are diverse and kind, and you can tell the focus is truly on developing the whole child — not just academically, but emotionally too. We love how the school celebrates individuality, empathy, and community. It feels like the kind of place where our child will be seen, heard, and thriving. Couldn’t be happier with our choice!

Students are being traumatized by children that are showing their privates, screaming and throwing things daily and just totally unruly children being claimed to be special Ed students so they get to do anything they want. Kids can’t even eat breakfast in peace without kids throwing food and having full meltdowns all over the room. Parents are lied to still and secrets kept all over campus. Teachers still have no credentials in most classes. They have subs there being let go for watching kids in pedifile fashion. Academics are horrible as my kids are just years behind in everything from being in the school.

Good school. Teachers could have better attitudes. Especially office staff

This school has multiple fights, smoking in restrooms, and false accusations of innocent students who find them caught in the crossfire of such activities.

We had a very disappointing experience with Prep. Communication with parents is practically nonexistent, leaving us in the dark about our child’s progress or struggles. If your child is not already a top performer, they are likely to be overlooked. This is not a true Montessori environment—there is little to no evidence of individualized, child-led learning. Instead, children who need support are often ignored and then unfairly blamed for falling behind. The teachers and staff struggle with clear communication, and it’s concerning how little oversight the principal seems to have over what’s actually happening in the classrooms. Rather than listening to valid concerns from parents, the administration blindly sides with teachers, even when there are clear issues. Unfortunately, based on our experience, I would not recommend this school to other families.

We had a very disappointing experience with Prep. Communication with parents is practically nonexistent, leaving us in the dark about our child's progress or struggles. If your child is not already a top performer, they are likely to be overlooked. This is *not* a true Montessori environment—there is little to no evidence of individualized, child-led learning. Instead, children who need support are often ignored and then unfairly blamed for falling behind. The teachers and staff struggle with clear communication, and it's concerning how little oversight the principal seems to have over what’s actually happening in the classrooms. Rather than listening to valid concerns from parents, the administration blindly sides with teachers, even when there are clear issues. Unfortunately, based on our experience, I would not recommend this school to other families.

Child got bullied (in kindergarten ) and teacher/headmaster did not prevent it

This school had good teachers BUT the guidance system SUCKED!!!! It was rigged against actual bullying victims, victim blaming them for being harassed, I speak for me and my friends who have dealt with this exact situation. They don’t punish kids for harassing other students, a little ‘talk’ is all they do and it does NOTHING! Please… for the love of god… be fair to the victims. I hardly felt safe there my years of middle school due to the counselors not being helpful. If the school sees this, please stop blaming the victims, I guarantee you 99% of the time it isn’t their fault that they’re being harassed. Get a better system <3

Not Recommended – My Family Deserved Better As a parent of four children, all of whom attended Highland Elementary at some point, I can honestly say I would not recommend this school. Despite having two older children already enrolled there, I faced months of unnecessary barriers trying to get my daughter with a disability admitted—simply because of how Apple Valley distributes disability services across schools. It made no sense, and it created tremendous emotional and logistical stress for my family. While I strongly believe in public education, my experience with Highland was disheartening. Parent-teacher conferences felt cold and unwelcoming. I often left feeling disrespected and judged rather than supported. I was made to feel unsafe and unwelcome—both as a parent and a person. Some staff displayed what I would call deeply unprofessional behavior, including interpersonal dynamics that were clearly visible to families like mine. It created an environment that felt toxic and inappropriate for a learning space. In contrast, schools like Greenleaf Elementary in Apple Valley offer a much more respectful and inclusive culture—where teachers take time with students and actually listen to parents. I have nothing but praise for Greenleaf. Every family deserves a school that supports all of its children—especially those with special needs—and treats parents as partners, not problems. Highland Elementary failed my family in that regard.

My child went to the school for fourth grade and had an amazing experience. The teachers were so caring and supported my daughter so well.

Horrible principal acts like the school is hers and makes up her own rules. Does not follow nisd rules. My son’s teacher left mid year and they didn’t hire anyone else and had subs for half the year which made a horrible experience and my son didn’t get to learn a thing. They didn’t have a year book for purchase they were too lazy to make one since the receptionist said they did have the budget just no one wanted to make one. Take your kid elsewhere . Also during recess the kids are not being watched the teachers too busy talking and not paying attention where a kiddo was on the swings and ripped his finger right off and didn’t even know about it until another student had to run for help. So safety nope, learning environment nope , care about the students making memories nope. They fail all around. Principal is a dictator ask around the teachers will tell you.

I personally like this school and coming from California this school makes California schools look like garbage. There is more structure and rules for these adolescents that have a lot of hormones and need direction. So I love this school.

Thankful for this model of school in our community. It has been a great place for supporting parents in the co-teacher role while providing a challenging academic experience and engaged teachers and staff.