Top Rated 15 Schools in San Mateo, CA - A Guide for Parents and Students

Ali Karim My child has greatly benefited from this after-school math class. The instructor is patient, engaging, and skilled at making complex topics easy to understand. The lessons are well-structured, interactive, and have noticeably boosted my childs confidence and math skills. Highly recommended!

Salih Turk (student review): I remember going to RSM, I might be a little biased because my parents forced me to attend RSM. I started off with Algebra which was pretty good but it was 2 hours long and I didnt want to return home at 9 every Sunday so I switched to geometry. The curriculum was boring and hard to understand, the teachers had strong accents (I didnt really mind them but apparently everyone else cares) and the classrooms are very isolated with one lightbulb a couple desks and no windows. This made me feel very uncomfortable. In short dont come to RSM and choose literally any other extracurricular. Also its expensive

Anusha Arunachalam This review is long overdue as our children have been with rsm since kindergarten. The teachers at RSM San Mateo are incredibly competent, dedicated, and genuinely invested in their students’ growth. Their passion for teaching shines through in every lesson, and they have a remarkable ability to identify each child’s potential and appropriately challenge them. RSM itself has been a fantastic supplement to school math—its structured curriculum and thoughtful leveling have given our children both the tools and the confidence to approach complex math with clarity. The program doesn’t just build skills; it cultivates a deep understanding and love for math that carries through into the classroom and beyond.

Leanna Knoepfel We love this preschool! There are amazing teachers here who are so loving, kind, creative and truly care about your children. There are activities for kids such as art projects, sensory tables, puzzles, legos, play doh and they have every awesome toy you can think of. Teachers come up with really fun story times everday. Each child gets to do show and tell once a week- they all really look forward to this. Familles can choose to co-op or not- we love having that option and the flexibility the schedule offers. Great outdoor space for kids to free play and explore. Highly recommend this preschool.

Joseph Cappello Currently my second kid is attending smpns. With over 70 years of experience, this school knows how to sculpture a wonderful preschool program. The hours are extremely flexible and the prices so reasonable. Parents can coop and enrich the friendly experience. This is the perfect place for kids to shine and cultivate personality.

Rachel Kammeyer This school is incredible! The teachers lead with true compassion, caring, and understanding. The children are free to experience childhood as it is meant to be experienced: through play with a variety of peers and activities. As a speech-language pathologist, SMPNS ticked all my evidence-based early childcare boxes, (play-based, mixed-age, social-emotional development focus) but most importantly, it was the sincere love and respect for children that was so evident from the minute we walked in that led us to join. Co-oping has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had as a parent, and our familys community has grown so much thanks to the absolutely amazing vibe the parents at SMPNS have. All three of my children have come to SMPNS, and its imprint will live in all of our hearts and minds forever.

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.

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.

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

Kristin H A happy, compassionate, developmentally appropriate place for children. We are grateful for the simplicity of our child’s time at Centennial and for the confidence that grew in him over the years at this school.

Dan Morris Love centennial. Great program. True to traditional.Montessori values.produces kids that are curious about the world, passionate about learning and committed to making the world a.better place.