Satori School

I think we can all say that more than anything we want the best for our kids; better education, to be surrounded by people who love them and to be embraced for their individuality. That is exactly what I envisioned Satori to be. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I sent my three-year-old son to Satori, and after three weeks I was told by Jo, the Director that he was "being seen as a bad kid and that he believed that he was high functioning autistic." I am not sure for all you other parents but, for a director to tell a parent something like this is devastating. When you first start Satori, there is a process in which you would come in to see if your child is "a good fit for the school." Jo said that my son was the perfect fit for the school because he is inquisitive and curious children just need to be guided. However, when our family feels under financial turmoil, I had requested a scholarship until we could get back on our feet and I now believe that this played a HUGE role in his being dismissed. After two weeks, I had asked his teacher Magon (pronounced Megan) how he was doing, and she said that he was doing excellent. 2 days later, I got a call from Jo stated that I need to find another school for my son. The following Monday, she called me at roughly 11 am and said that I needed to pick up my son because he bit his teacher and was no longer allowed at the school because of the reasons stated above. I think this is ironic because when I switched my son back to his old daycare (3 months ago), he has not bitten anyone. Another complaint that I have is in regards to their staff members. One, in particular, I think her name is either Donna or Kathy but, she is an older lady who takes care of the kids during the extended care hours. Most mornings I would wait until my son's teacher Maggie showed up because she wouldn't even say hi to my son in the morning and would continually ignore him. I am not even sure why she is employed there if she does not know how to approach children. There were also times where I came to Parker's classroom early, and I would hear Magon yelling at the children. Maggie, on the other hand, is amazing, and I am glad that she is in the classroom to balance out Magon. I contact Jo, Magon, and Brian Love several times to request a refund on the school t-shirt and the field trips that we paid for but, I never received it. I am thankful that my son has left this school. TUSD Child Find has provided a SIGNIFICANTLY better education than Satori could ever and it was free as opposed to the crazy 825+meals and with the scholarship, it was still 700+meals. My son just needed help with communication. He is doing amazing. I think Satori should be ashamed and should change their mission statement because they do not live up to any of the standards. It's all a façade.

I owe much of who I am to this place. A fantastic school full of fantastic people, plain and simple.

Our 3 year-old daughter started Satori this past fall. As a working Mom, I always felt a little guilty that my young daughter had to spend 5 days a week in the care of someone else. However, as soon as she started at Satori I felt my guilt lift away. She loves her school. She had no difficulty transitioning to a new environment and I feel that the entire staff has a vested interest in her care and development. Her teacher is wonderful with keeping in contact about how she is doing developmentally or even just emotionally. I am a university professor and education is very important to me. At Satori, learning is all around them and through their positive and integrated approach my daughter is learning much. In her time there, she is learning to read and write, has Spanish twice a week a dedicated art class once a week and music once a week. She is also learning how to be a part of a successful community in an environment of respect and cooperation. We love Satori. I can't imagine a better place for my child.

I could not be happier with the experience my almost-4-year-old daughter has had in her first year at Satori. It's a worthwhile investment, and my daughter is gaining a great deal of knowledge as well as an understanding of community. The staff is very dedicated and outgoing, and many of the teachers have been there for over a decade. Highly recommended!

Satori is an outstanding school!! Our kids are in kindergarten and preschool and both are constantly challenged and nurtured. The staff is very attentive and makes sure the parents are always well informed. The ratio in the kindergarten is the best you will find in town. Every school with kids that young will have some crazy moments, but even at their nuttiest, the kids are always kind and respectful to their teachers and each other; it's one of the qualities they instill that I appreciate the most. Satori is a great choice!