"I am a father of 4 children. My first 3 did fine in the public school system, but my youngest did not. He excelled in math but reading, writing, study habits and socializing did not come easily. He was always distracted and could never get enough help due to large class sizes and short staff. Every year from fourth to sixth grade I felt he should be held back but was always discouraged from doing so. As a result he was pushed along through grammer school and into Jr. High. His first year was a disaster. He did not know how to deal with changing classes, so many teachers and too much socializing to distract him. I had to get him a tutor, which was Karen at Bayside School. He started to improve and I decided to send him there full time for eighth grade. Bayside's no nonsense attitude along with individualized curriculum dramatically improved his concentration, study habits and self-esteem. He had a say in choosing his classes and how to schedule his time. His socialization skills improved dramatically and he became extremely organized. It was not a quick process but with Bayside's staffs' patience and skills, within 2 years he was a different student altogether and most importantly gained self-assurance and esteem that he never would have attained otherwise. He remained there through his high school years and actually graduated a year early. I can't say enough good things about Bayside's attitude about education and student's participation in the process. If the public school system was run like Bayside we'd have less students falling through the cracks and alot more success stories."

James, a parent 1999

I just wanted to let you know what a pleasure it has been working with you at Bayside Children's College... ...Bayside is a unique place. It has small classes, individual attention and diversity among its student body. While the small classes are good for the students and the teachers, the range of students (in age, ability and interests), presents unique challenges to the teacher. I found the most challenging thing to be trying to teach students at all levels. One minute I would be teaching basic subtraction, and the next minute I would be teaching quadratic equations. It is definitely not what one would find at a typical school. However, the ability to work one-on-one with the students at their own level, was very rewarding. To see many of the students be successful at math for the first time, largely because they were receiving individual attention, gave me a feeling of accomplishment I don't believe I could have had at any other school. Also, in addition to the above-mentioned advantages of Bayside, I feel there is a more important advantage. It is your philosophy that teaches respect-respect for students, respect for teachers, and respect for others outside of the school environment. You provide a very free and open environment with very few rules compared to other schools. This encourages self-expression and individualized learning, but also teaches social responsibility-something sorely lacking in our society these days. Finally, I want to say that you do everything imaginable to help each and every student. You really care about their development, even though some of them don't seem to realize it.

Jim Huether, teacher 1999

"The one subject I have greatly advanced in would have to be spelling. Throughout junior high and high school I have always been a spelling retard and even though I'm not perfect at it now, I still am 90% better than I ever was. In my past years of school my uncontrollable addiction to art has always been looked down upon by my teachers as a distraction to my education, but now perhaps it could be looked at as a key aspect to my life and my future. I don't really feel that I need an award to highlight the better things I've done at Bayside. But since my parents don't feel the same way, I have to say that my greatest achievement has been that my views on school have changed. One year ago I thought of school as restricting and all I wanted to do was to get done with it. My goals here at Bayside are simple and realistic. It has come to this: my realization that all I want to do is learn and have fun doing it."

Michael, 16 yrs. old June l998 (1st yr. @ Bayside)

"If I were to choose an award for my greatest accomplishments at Bayside it would be for learning to like school, helping others, and being myself. My goal was to catch up in school and not be miserable. I have gone past that and now love school. Bayside is the best thing that has ever happened to me, as far as school goes. My whole life has come together, and now I'm in control instead of feeling like things were just happening to me. I've never been so happy! I hope to carry on the scholastic self-esteem that I have learned here at Bayside."

Barbara, 17 yrs. old June l998 (12th grade graduation)

"I feel that my biggest accomplishment at Bayside this year was my integrated thematic project. Attending Bayside for a year has been a real eye-opener. I have been able to learn in a more subtle and free environment. I think that it was easier to learn here, and there was a much larger selection of classes. But I believe that my goals here are mainly the same as in any other school I would go to: just to learn as much as I can during the school year. But I believe that this school makes it easier to attain that goal."

Kris, 16 yrs. old June 1998 (1st year at Bayside)

"At the beginning of the year, I said that I wanted to be able to pass math and to curb my ditching habit. Woo! I accomplished it!! Next year I want to become well-versed in the ways of computers by taking classes to land me an immediate job, while going to college to get skilled in my ideal work: being a criminal psychiatrist. Also, I want to feel as confident in myself when it comes to school as I am now. Thanks Adam, Karen and Dea for making my graduation possible."

Breea, 16 yrs. old June l998 (early graduation)

"My goals this year were to enjoy, do well in school and develop better study habits. This year I think I have accomplished all of these things. I've learned that you can have fun in school and get a great education at the same time. I don't think I would have looked at school in such a positive way if I hadn't gone to Bayside."

John, 16 yrs. old June l998 (1st year @ Bayside)

"My goals for this year were to establish trust with my parents and to become the student they always wanted to be proud of. I have accomplished that and graduated!"

Rachael, 17 yrs. old June l998 (12th gr. Graduation)

"My goals at the beginning of the year? I'm not quite sure what they were! But what I'm glad about that I achieved throughout the year is my writing fluency. Before I came here I never wrote at all, but now I write all the time."

Chayne, 13 yrs. old June l998 (1st yr. @ Bayside)

"My main goal for this year was to get more into yoga, which I have accomplished. I also have changed a lot this year, learned more and thought about my future: where I'm going to college, or if I'm going. Also, I got out of Soquel High and found a new way of learning, in a more relaxed environment and smaller classes."

Angelique, 15 yrs. old June l998 (1st yr. @ Bayside)

"I learned geometry!"

Zach, 7 yrs. old June 1998 (2nd yr. @ Bayside)

"I took good care of the computer. I can read faster."

Serena, 7 yrs. old June l998 (1st yr. @ Bayside)

"My goal this year was to pass the California High School Proficiency Examination and graduate early, and I managed to do that. I should get an award for the coolest shoes." (Nora is actually poet laureate of her class!)

Nora, 16 yrs. old June l998 (early graduation)

"My goal for 9th grade was to work as hard as I could and not slack off like I usually do. I have achieved that!"

David, 14 yrs. old June l998 (1st yr. @ Bayside)

"I learned operations on integers in 3 days, and graduated from 5th grade."

Tony, 11 yrs. old June l998 (2 mos. @ Bayside)

"I think that I definitely reached my goals this year. My schoolwork has improved and school is much more enjoyable."