Fountain Valley School Reviews

71 reviews

The dismal food options in the cafeteria leave students with little choice but to order from delivery services just to get through the day. As for the school's location, it's like being in the middle of nowhere – there's hardly any entertainment or dining options nearby. Despite boasting about its vast campus, the reality is that the majority of it remains undeveloped and desolate, especially during the winter months when the barren landscape amplifies the sense of isolation and gloom. It's no wonder many students resort to unhealthy habits like drinking, smoking, and drug use to cope with the overwhelming pressure they feel in this environment.

Fountain valley school has been an amazing experience. The education is very important, and you are able to connect with your peers and professors very easily for extra help. Being outside is helpful in sight of the student bodies mental health, as we can play games on the quad or sit outside and eat lunch. Interim is a great experience. Fountain valley has the capability to take to to places around the world with your friends, to make u forgettable memories. You have access to an an amazing athletics facility, equipped with a swimming pool, climbing gym, basketball court, and weight room. The community is very close and connected to due to the schools s size. Every Monday, the entire school meets in the chapel for “all school” to discuss plans for the week. Overall, my high school experience has been unique, special, and unforgettable. Fountain Valley school was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I am a parent of a current student and a graduate of FVS. Our family has been so grateful for the opportunities our kids have been given at the school. The academics are top notch (and our graduate found the transition to a completive college very smooth), the sports have allowed them to grow and try new things, and the community is one that stays with the students long after they leave. The beautiful campus has truly become a home for each of our kids. As parents we have been so impressed to see how the school is able to meet the needs of our very different children, adapting to be a unique experience for each. No school or community is perfect but we have found that at FVS when issues do arise they are handled in a fair and honest way. The new administration is not afraid to address problems and move forward with their vision for FVS as a truly unique, western school that offers something that families cannot get elsewhere.

Review Fountain Valley School

I am an alumnus of FVS and had the privilege of sending my daughter there as well. I was a boarding student, and my daughter is a day student. The magic I experienced in the 90's is still alive and well! This school has been the most wonderful place for my child. She is TRULY challenged in the classroom for the first time in her life (after attending public school for K-8th grade.) She is taking a rigorous full load of AP courses in her Junior year and I feel certain that she will be ready for college. She has shined in athletics in the state-of-the-art facilities. She is a swimmer and has been lucky to swim in such a gorgeous pool! Most importantly, I feel that she has been SEEN and known for who she is and this has allowed her to blossom into the most confident, intelligent, unique version of herself. She is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and she feels safe at FVS. The supportive community and faculty relationships are a gift. We will be sending our younger child to FVS as well.

I am currently the parent of a Junior and a Freshman at FVS. As with most parents of multiple children, I find that my offspring are TOTALLY different from each other. They have different academic learning styles, social habits and skills, and interests. What I love about FVS is that this one school has managed to challenge both kids in the way they need. I love the small school atmosphere where most of the staff know both kids. I love that my kids are exposed to various ways of thinking and to cultures around the world. And, above all, I love that each kid is recognized for who he/she is and appreciated for what they bring to the table. I often find that I am jealous of the experiences and opportunities my kids are afforded. I wish more kids had the chance to experience learning like this as I feel this school helps to create thoughtful citizens of the world.

Beautiful external campus, ugly insides. Administration is unorganized w/nonexistent communication skills w/ both parents & teaching staff. New Administration top brass is highly discriminatory towards students that don’t fit the “norm” in appearance or perceived social status/rank. More energy & resources spent on Social media to show the school as a positive beautiful nurturing place, than is spent on actually supporting & developing that culture. Safety on campus is questionable
Students are held to rules (or not) based on the size of parental donations.
However, the teaching staff is amazing! invested in the students, challenging, highly educational, and effective.
Overall take as a parent -issues seem to be with fairly recent administration changes and their cronyism, bordering nepotistic, culture & actions. This is not only alienating the students and teachers, but destroying an otherwise great program. Glad we were here before the decline!
Social media posts look great tho…

Horrible unsafe dorm environment, Poor communication from staff to parents and medical assistance for students nonexistent. They heavily discriminate against students with any disabilities.

FVS has been a gift to my child. We are a military family and we were looking for a boarding school that would provide stability for our child who would have ended up at 3-4 different high schools unless he boarded. Knowing that he wouldn’t thrive at a formal, East-coast style boarding school, we chose FVS. He is thriving there, personally and academically. He is constantly challenged in his classes and able to try new activities for extracurriculars. Though an introvert at heart and would prefer to keep to himself, I was happy he was forced to involve himself in athletics and interim trips. FVS is a safe and supportive environment to try new sports and go beyond their comfort zone (especially important after the pandemic years). The campuses (yes, there are two!), both the main and mountain, are breathtakingly beautiful. The dorms need some maintenance improvements which the school is doing currently.

This school provided me with the groundwork to become a successful person outside of school. The relationships I made at Fountain Valley are ones I will maintain for the rest of my life, and I am forever grateful for the network of people that I have had the luxury of acquainting myself with. My connections I made with not only students, but also teachers was a highlight of my experience and I truly believe that this is an institution that focuses on fostering a culture that creates positive, successful, and compassionate students.

The teacher student connections are amazing, and they are supportive but still academically challenging. However, for day students, planning weekends and week nights are a nightmare to plan because no notice is given on mandatory events.

This school has a very bad track record of assisting students with accommodations. I know first hand of two students who, after scheduling expensive appointments to get a formal diagnosis on the books, were excluded from the school for the grades they were receiving without accommodations. I wish someone would explain the logic to me. This seems to violate the ADA.

Having graduated from FVS and having enjoyed my time there I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, community based campus and school.

I feel safe and the community is very close, the teachers are very understanding. The academics and workload is definitely a lot, and I think the mental health support we have available right now is getting better. Sports are good for such a small school and there’s a lot available for us to do in terms of clubs and activities. The arts department is great and the dorms are very nice. Campus is beautiful and the dining hall is good.

Very strong academically. Some of the sports and arts programs aren't incredibly strong, which is a natural outcome of being a smaller school. Would very much recommend.

Fountain Valley has some of the best academics in the state and they try their best to prepare you for college. So far its paid off and I'm ready for anything.

As a parent of children who attended FVS, I have unfiltered insight in the true workings of this school. While there are some amazing teachers who have a lengthy tenure at FVS, the current administration sees absolutely ZERO value in strong female leadership or racial diversity. It should be a glaring indication to board members that there is some serious poor management when over 18 female faculty members have departed in less than 6 years. This is UNHEARD of in the independent school arena and a shame that someone does not see the writing on the wall. Students and faculty who speak their mind and stand up for racial bias or bullying are labeled as being difficult and often subjected to different levels of accountability. This could be an amazing community that supports all of its members regardless of gender or ethnicity but it isn't. This is a small community where 3 administrators make all the decisions and if you are not in the inner circle your time at FVS is limited.

I have absolutely loved my time at FVS and I can't wait to spend my senior year here. On an academic level, I feel like classes are interesting and teachers are always available for extra help. The dorms are an amazing place to be and it feels like a home away from home.

Review Fountain Valley School

Fountain Valley is an incredible community. Not only is it a school, but it is also a second home to many students. The teachers are passionate and the students are very motivated and driven.

There are so many things that make me thankful for FVS. When most kids are being challenged by "fitting in" and battling the insecurities that go with teenage years, these kids thrive and celebrate being who they are, without judgment. They know that being present as a teen, as a youth, is not only amazing and fun, but more vital to embrace as they look at their futures. Rather than the daily challenges of peer pressure and giving in to choices, perhaps against their judgment, these kids are shining amongst each other and able just to "be". And by that strength they're gaining courage and wisdom that will carry them on to become outstanding, gracious adults. I love that silliness is not only acceptable, it's praised and justified, as their daily routine of academics and seriousness, must give way to simply being courageous and curious teens.

FVS was an incredible experience for our daughter, who arrived as a sophomore from a giant public high school where she was not challenged and lost in the crowd. At FVS, she found a warm community, caring teachers and an incredible academic program. She loved it and flourished. She's now at Wellesley, very prepared and grounded by her time at FVS. It's a special, beautiful little school. I can't recommend it enough.

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