The Burkard School - Edu (CA)

5 /5 D Ross: After having a horrible experience at the Los Altos School District, who did not know how to deal with my son who has ADHD and just had a traumatic family loss, he is shining at The Burkard School. The small classroom setting means he is more engaged in learning. Any issues that come up, in or outside the classroom, are immediately addressed by the very competent behavioral specialists. Instead of the punitive behavioral techniques of the public school district, they use only positive techniques. Which doesnt mean that they dont have consequences, it just means that they are not labeled as bad kids. They are taught SEL everyday. They learn several different ways to regulate their emotions and they are not afraid of asking for help (because they are not punished). My son stays on task, loves going to this school and is learning how to make better decisions everyday. The teachers are very knowledgeable. The school only takes kids who are grade level or above. So far, they were always able to keep my son challenged. In his class there are people doing grade level math, one grade above and 3 grades above. I will be forever grateful to the Burkard School staff for showing my son that he is worthy and that he can achieve his goals both academic and social-emotional.

5 /5 Ben L: The Burkard school excels at providing a supportive and accepting environment where neurodivergent children can thrive. If you and your child are struggling, know that it can get better. Our son faced challenges from early preschool and had an IEP before kindergarten. Despite a strong school district, he encountered daily challenges. After countless IEP meetings where the only solutions were to increase service hours, we realized it wasnt the right fit. Towards the end of 4th grade, his therapist suggested Burkard. Initially, I had mixed feelings about Burkard. The calm classrooms were desirable, but I couldnt picture my son there when he was escalated. Burkard seemed to check all the boxes, but I was convinced he would eventually be asked to leave. I was wrong. After some initial adjustments and learning to trust the highly skilled staff, it became clear that this wasnt just an IEP accommodation; it was a completely different environment. We didnt see incremental changes, we saw a new child. The very supportive school district wanted to place him in a school with more therapeutic services, but he didnt need more services; he needed the right environment. Currently, my son is thriving and happy at Burkard. I still anticipate future challenges and the possibility that he may one day leave, but Burkard is more than a school that can support him; its a place where he belongs. He even wants to help Burkard in the future so other kids can have the same opportunity. Mrs. Burkard and the leadership team are amazing. They have stringent hiring practices to ensure the best staff. The teachers and behavior specialists have a challenging but rewarding job. I cant guarantee that Burkard is the right fit for your child, but the model is likely beneficial for all students and would do well as the standard across all schools.

5 /5 Mark Pomotov: This has been an amazing place for my kid - we have loved our many years there

5 /5 yzzoa: Good for any kid struggling with behavioral issues