Gooden School, The in Burbank, California

“Not good.Gooden is a complete waste of money and there is no leadership to speak of. Children are better off, better educated, better equipped to face the real world and happier at public school. We have even experienced less behavioural problems and less bullying in public school. Don't waste your money.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Gooden School is a complete waste of money. Thre is a lack of serious leadership and the motto about respect is a joke. Kids get better education and are safer and happier at public schools. I am speaking from experience.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We think Gooden is the very best place for our child. The neg comments of some here are not something we've experienced.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Gooden is a treasure among many private schools in the area. Academics are absolutely top notch here and the students are taught to respect one another and themselves, more than any other place I've seen-and we know many kids and families from several schools in the area The music program is exceptional and gives your child a very valuable skill he/she might not gain elsewhere. I highly recommend this gem of a school”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Gooden is a very different kind of private school. The small class sizes, nurturing teachers and rigorous academics are excellent and what you would expect from a private school in this area. (not to mention the music program-exceptional!) However, they do some things much better. From day one, students are taught to respect one another and themselves. Other schools have their mottos, but with Gooden you can see the difference their lessons in respect make on their students. I have been around several different schools in the area and the students and I can tell you, their is a marked difference in a Gooden student-in the way they handle themselves and care for others. This will go so much farther for them in their lives than any class, field trip or extra activity.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“It loves its children. It has a holistic education, where every part of the child is nurtured. This schools gets education right.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Great school and very solid educationally including fine and performing arts.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We have been at this school for 9 extraordinary years (K-8) and will be sad to leave it behind for the larger world of high school. The school has done a tremendous job of preparing its students for high school (and this year's graduating class was exceptionally well-received by sought-after schools) but has given them a well-rounded education. Math could be stronger, as one other parent has indicated, but overall, I think you will find you have invested well here.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My daughter attended The Gooden School for middle school 6 - 8. What a fantastic experience! The administration, the teachers, the kids and the other parents were terrific. This was an extremely warm, caring and academically rigorous environment. I highly recommend The Gooden School!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Gooden seems to be doing a good job preparing my son for a very competitive middle school atmosphere. However, like most schools, the math program is mediocre at best. I cannot really blame the school, because they have other students to accomodate, and it would not be fair to go 'too fast' for the average student. What is great about the school's location, however, is that is nearby a Mathnasium Math Learning center. Gooden's science program is also top notch, and my son was able to read a 40 page storybook by the time he finished 2nd grade. Other than the math program, I am very happy with the school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“All of our children attended Gooden School from K-8 and we were very satisfied with the curriculum & faculty. The middle school more than prepared our children for the highly competitive private high schools in the area- required Community Service hours, Latin, mentoring programs are just some of the 'extras' offered by this school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My child attended this school for 7 years. I highly recommend the k-2 program; perhaps the 3-5 program has gotten better but it was very poor when my child was there. Worst of all, the administration was non-responsive to the many complaints of parents from my child's class and other classes as well. The administration loathed hearing problems and would blame parents for being the problem for bringing concerns to their attention! With the price of this school and expectations of parental involvement, this was a disingenuous response at best. I urge all considering this school to talk with parents not chosen by the administration to get an honest assessment. I can highly recommend specific staff, including Ms. Langford and Mrs. Woolner -- extraordinarily gifted teachers. Mr.Li, the PE/coach is inspiring.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I was very impressed with the Gooden School from the moment I stepped foot on the campus. I found the faculty and students, of all levels, to be very bright, engaging, and well-mannered. The Gooden School, alhtough it is smaller than the other private Pasadena schools, is well grounded in the basics, but also goes beyond the basics to develop enlightened children (they teach Latin!). Music, art, and physical education begin in kindergarten, thus ensuring that children have the maximum opportunity to become proficient, if not experts. This is not a passive-participation school (cell-phone parents would be unhappy). Even though most parents work (affluently), they are devoted to the education of their children. The school fosters the family approach.”
This review was posted by a parent.