Heschel Day School

My family has been at Heschel for over ten years. I have two very different children and Heschel has been able to meet both of their needs. It is a place that is academically rigorous but also considered with creating successful human beings. My oldest son just graduated and started high school. He is unbelievably prepared academically and is absolutely able to advocate for himself in his new school environment. His teachers at Heschel always set him up for success and were available to help along the way. My son is also concerned with the world around him and takes on leadership roles in the community as a result of all of his experiences at Heschel. My daughter has had a beautiful transition to middle school. Having been through middle school once before, I am surprised that it actually is better than before (I thought it was great to start)! I believe this is due to the new middle school director who emphasizes life and study skills and is intent on teaching the kids how to be resilient. Heschel is not just a school. Rather, it is a true community. I do not live close to Heschel and some mornings resent my drive. But then I get there and see the smiling teachers in the carpool line and the way my kids jump out of the car to the get the day started and I remember why my family chose Heschel.

A wonderful private school guaranteed to give children a great education in a safe and fun environment!

We have had our rounds of attending many schools in the valley after raising three kids to the ages of 16, 13, and 10. Heschel is by far one of the most balanced schools we have been to. ALL of the teachers that have taught our son have been passionate about their job and truly care to understand each child to be able to provide the right kind of motivation and support to help them succeed and feel self confident. The principal and the counselor went as far as attending an after school performance on on a weekend morning to help one child who needed to be caught in a positive light. If that's not dedication, I don't know what is. When problems arise, they have been professional and transparent about the facts, give each individual (parent or child) their turn in explaining their side and make sure not to assume based on presumptions. The consequence has always fit the crime appropriately and attention was placed to make sure that it's a learning experience... that the child knows that they/we care about them. A lot of communication takes place and no one feels like a victim. I always feel comfortable approaching the teachers, the counselor, the principal, and the educational coordinator with any concerns and never fear that my words will later be used against me or my child. They are receptive to feedback and ideas, and they make the community environment feel safe, warm, and comfortable, allowing for growth. With all this, they still hold the kids to high educational standards and encourage the kids to advocate for themselves. The teachers make themselves available to discuss any concerns even at night (at least in my experience.) They don't just call me when there's an issue... they have called to tell me when my son stood up for a friend, or when they were impressed with his answers in class, or how well he handled himself when he was sick on a school trip. Every phone call starts with a positive exchange, and ends on a positive note. Since starting at Heschel, my son has become more dedicated about his homework, about getting good grades, and about behaving well than ever before. He (by himself) chose to take extra summer classes to go up in math level next year... And the best part is that it's not out of fear. It's because he knows they believe in him and he doesn't want to let them down. We drive from Los Angeles to Northridge every day to take him to school and would not have it any other way, as it's worth every mile. We feel very lucky to have found this gem of a school!

great school miss it a lot