Carden School Of Fresno

First, I want to say that our JK teacher (Mrs. Rollins) was the reason we joined Carden. She was fantastically loving, attentive, and attuned to each student. We had a wonderful first year: I enjoyed my involvement in the Parent Club (wonderful families, here), working as a room parent, and volunteering to initiate and maintain a school-wide recycling program. Over some time, I began to see some areas of concern. Due to my growing awareness about a lack of transparency and communication, I pulled my son from the school after the first month of this school year.

Prior to enrolling my son last year, I inquired about a short food prayer I observed on a classroom wall during my tour. I explicitly asked for information on the ways they referenced "God," and I was assured that Carden was not a religious school, and was respectful of all religions/non-religion. I was told there was a mere "reference" to God. That response was downright misleading.
It wasn't until halfway through the school year that I discovered the children were taught to memorize and recite a lengthy prayer called a "Meditation" at the beginning of each school day. Not only did the Meditation suggest a theological framework to our world, but the children were asking God to remove their burdens, before offering their devotion to God as part of this morning exercise. I urged the Administration and board to resolve this glaring discrepancy between Carden's claim to be "Fresno's premier secular private school," and the morning prayer over the course of several meetings with the Headmaster and School Board. They eventually changed their website to say "non-sectarian" instead of "secular."

I would suggest that parents who are interested in learning more about the "Meditation" and school curriculum visit the Administration and/or teacher directly to see this "Meditation," as I have been informed that not only the Carden curriculum, but all materials used by Carden are protected by copyright laws and can not be shared outside of the school.

Another serious concern I have is with the rate of staff turnover at this small school. Some examples:
Over the summer, we learned we had lost our long-time art teacher. Carden families had received an email with a casual update of staff changes: they had hired a new art teacher and wished the former art teacher "all the best as she dedicates more time to her studio work." This implied (to me) that she had left by choice. Then, several parents received a letter from the art teacher expressing that she felt "forced out" by the Administration, and was hurt by their demeaning method of communication and a drastic 50 cut to her salary.

The Kindergarten teacher was moved to second grade to replace another teacher. A new Kindergarten teacher was announced in June, but by the start of the school year, she too, had been replaced.

Also this year, the music teacher abruptly disappeared, and music classes were cancelled.

Things got worse: The Parent Club lost some valuable players and organizers, and new parents had to step up to the plate without any prior experience. The JK and Kindergarten class size had nearly tripled, and the Kinder students were not allowed to bring backpacks for lack of "space." Rows of desks made for a suffocating room.

My son began to complain of stomach pain after a week of starting the school year. Parents began discussing some of the emerging incidents of physical altercations in the classroom, including excessively disruptive behavior from several students. Some parents left the school, frustrated by the continued physical and verbal disruptions in class. I believe that Carden lacks the resources, space, and staff to effectively manage bullying and classroom disruptions.

Overall, I strongly feel that there is a lack of transparency, an avoidance of addressing parental concerns (on behalf of the Admin), and too much secrecy with regard to the Carden curriculum, morning exercises, and classroom instruction (in my opinion). I believe that a good experience at Carden is entirely dependent on the parental involvement, the experience of the teacher, and the size of the classroom.

Only time will tell if Carden can withstand the decline of enrollment next year, as families affected by this year's unraveling fail to return.

I wish the current teachers and parents the best, and believe they deserve a better Administrative team. I share my experiences because as a parent, I rely on honest feedback and reviews when it comes to choosing a school environment for my own child.