Pardes Jewish Day School in Phoenix, Arizona

“My oldest child graduated from PARDES two years ago and my youngest child is now in the middle school. The administration is 100% student and family centric. The school has received multiple grants during the time we have attended. Extensive PEJE.org parent surveys have been conducted for the last two years. I have never seen a school so willing to asses itself and be assessed. The leadership is excellent focused on the development of the students. There is extensive differentiated learning with a focus on striving towards excellence in all areas of the school. The school is affiliated with six congregations in Phoenix . Rabbi's from the affiliated congregations regularly visit to lead services and teach. The Board is strong with very sophisticated work being accomplished on all committees. This is a strong community, warm and caring, and if an issue arises it is studied and acted upon quickly. Great School!!!!!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“this is truly an amazing school. Having twins in the same grade, but different classes has shown the attention each student recieves to ensure they are learning in the best possible way for their ability. While the administration is lean, they more than make up for it with their energy, and passion for the kids. There is a warmth at this school that I've never heard of from friends at even the most elite schools in town. The religious education is very reassuring, but really our priority is the basics to make sure our kids are ready to succeed.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I am very pleased with the quality of education my children are receiving at Pardes. It has been amazing to see what they are learning at a young age. The administrative and teaching staff have been very supportive. This class sizes are small, extra curricular activities are available and community and school spirit are abundant. I highly recommend Pardes.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My kids are so exited every day to go to school. They are developing a strong value structure and a true understanding of what it means to care about those around them and others in the world. The classroom sizes are well balanced, they are small enough to allow each child to feel as though they are getting individualized attention, yet not too small so as to offer the right amount of balance for socialization. I couldn't imagine my kids at any other school and/or performing as well as they do at Pardes.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I have nothing but praise for this school. We have been pleased with the teachers, administration as well as specialty teachers. In addition, the Head of School, Jill Kessler, is a wonderful leader and has taken this school to new heights! The academics are top notch. My child has grown both academically and emotionally. They create a warm, nurturing environment for the students. The teachers and administration communicate well with the parent community. I strongly recommend this school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We have had nieces, nephews, friends and children at Pardes and every one of them is a successful, well-rounded, and I may add - intelligent individual! We credit Pardes for much of this. The teachers will do whatever it takes to make your child a success. They will give extra time or attention to any issue and will talk with the parents openly and as often as necessary, as does administration. In our experience, every concern we have has been addressed professionally and reasonably with a positive outcome. We were quite surprised to read some of the feedback in these reviews. It just goes to show that not everybody can be pleased, regardless of what they are given. To us, Pardes is a gem and we are loving it in every way and would fully recommend it to any of our friends, Jewish or not Jewish alike.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My children have gone to PJDS for 4 years. They have gotten a terrific education in secular and Jewish Studies. Their individual academic needs have been met and given extra work to challenge them. I believe the teachers are excellent communicators and truly care about the 'whole' student. I would strongly recommend this school to anyone thinking about a high quality, gifted private school in the Scottsdale, Phoenix area.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Very, very dissapointed. I was very happy for my child to have a Jewish education but the school lacks good teachers and administration staff.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“As a parent, I find Pardes kind of like a used car lot. When you are in the showroom, everything is great: people rave about the campus, the principle and the community feel. But when you've bought the car, and problems come up, you are told to live with it. Problematic children are accomodated, while those with potential are on their own and parents with concerns are asked if they'd be happier elsewhere. The bullying policy would be strict if it weren't completely ignored. Small classes are a plus, and some of the teachers are truly gifted (Mrs. Chapman), but many are like the salesmen - good talkers, not much substance. Overall, we tried for several years and really wanted to like the place, but bottom line is they are good salesmen, who are selling clunkers. And our child deserved better than hit or miss teaching with jungle rules.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We were very happy with our son at Pardes for 2 years, the Jewish education and the parent community create a warm and welcoming environment. BUT, we had a very bad experience with administrators regarding the saftey of our child (and in turn, other children) - they seemed ill-equipped to handle serious crises and basically invited us (and our son) to leave because we were upset. We now have our child in an established, well-organized, and academically oriented school. Wow, what a difference all the way around, especially academically and socially. Athough we miss the community feel of Pardes, we are very glad we made the switch for our son and he is much better off.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This is our fourth year with two children at Pardes and nothing could make us leave. We love everything about it, from the academic leadership to the Judaica, the extracurricular classes, and the staff. This is a great place for a kid to be a kid and where they don't have to worry about being subjected to bullying and all the trends and infighting that goes on at public schools. Worth more than we pay.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Our child attended Pardes for a few years, there were very good aspects about the experience including the Jewish education and the parent community. However, we found that the caliber of teachers and quality of academics were variable. Leadership makes a very good impression, but seems to lack direction when faced with more serious issues and may disappoint on follow through.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son is a middle school student, and he has attended Pardes since kindergarten. We love the school. Teachers and administrators have worked to address my son's academic, social, and emotional needs. My daughter begins kindergarten this year, and we know she also will have the same loving attention. The Jewish education is good, but the academics are great.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son is in middle school at Pardes, and it has been an excellent experience for him socially and academically. For us, it was well worth the tuition.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son is in kindergarten there, and he absolutely LOVES it. The teachers are nurturing, the head of school is willing to work with us. Couldn't be happier.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“The Jewish education is OK, but academics should be better. Children learn from worksheets and have a lot of homework. The classes are small, but can be very chaotic. The playground is mostly unsupervised resulting in bullying and fighting. There is no anti-bullying policy. Administration does not stand up to affluent parents, and consequently, problems with children and policy are not addressed satisfactorily. Pardes has potential, but it needs work. Very disappointing.”
This review was posted by a parent.