Rancho Solano Preparatory School - Middle and Upper School

When our freshman son walked in to tour Rancho, he immediately said, "This is where I'm going to school!" There is a palpable calmness & sense of community that students, teachers, & parents can feel that is deliberately fostered by the entire community. The beautiful campus, gifted & caring teachers, excellent administration, inclusive community, and many choices in academics are what set Rancho apart from other schools.

Our family moved to Scottsdale in 2021 from Pittsburgh, PA. Our public school there is ranked in the top 5 in PA. Upon very thoroughly researching and visiting both public and private Scottsdale and Phoenix schools, we selected Rancho Solano Preparatory School for children. We cannot say enough about the academic quality, the balance of rigor, and the support of extracurricular activities to develop balanced students. And even as Rancho has grown over the last couple of years, they are staying small in the ways that are important. We have absolute access and partnership with all of the teachers and all the way up to our principal. She is a rock star and her leadership style at Rancho Middle School is personal and energetic but appropriately commanding. After 6 months of entering Rancho, we asked our children why they loved Rancho. Their answer is "Because the teachers are happy and all want to be there". I can't give a more glowing recommendation than those words from our children.

Rancho Solano is a wonderful school with opportunities for children to grow an all-rounded personality.

I can`t say enough great things about this school. I find myself sharing our experience with anyone who will listen. I`m not an easy sell given I am the owner of several schools and so my expectations may be a bit skewed. The decision to move came after having a perpetually disappointing experience at Great Hearts. We were on a waiting list for years and felt like we hit the lottery when we received our acceptance letter. Sadly we were constantly concerned with many issues that went unaddressed. So I decided to take a tour of Rancho Solano school and took my child along with me. The tour itself was awesome because it`s immaculately clean, the classrooms are more on the basic traditional education side but were very nice and the overall campus had great energy. My son was immediately sold but he doesn`t have to pay the tuition which is a commitment for sure. I found the admission team to be EXTREMELY patient with my 20+ emails back and forth over the summer regarding all things Rancho. Fast forward: Our first day, I`m a nervous wreck for my son and his first day of middle school as the new kid. I brought him a special lunch that day and the security team, who were making rounds, could see I was out of sorts. They asked me who my student was and ensured that they would keep him safe and ensure his transition was smooth. That alone made my first experience with the school amazing. That was an immediate sigh of relief. Communication - this is not something I find easy to master at my schools let alone any other schools we have been a part of however I give Rancho Solano a 100%. I haven`t sent an email yet that hasn`t been responded to within a few minutes or max a few hours and feel satisfied with the outcome. Academics - I have a total appreciation for how the material is delivered. I found GH to be militant in their delivery which was concerning because that pace can turn off certain learners. The classes are very interesting and how they go about teaching allows the students to thrive. In moments when he struggles, I feel supported by the teaching team and include in how to help him overcome any obstacles. In TOTAL honesty- I am not a fan of my son's ELA teacher I feel as though she has taught too many years and may be in Teacher Burn Out mode. I know that in the real world you can`t get along with everyone so I am even accepting this not-so-great experience with her as a plus because we have to learn to push past it and manage relationships that aren`t all sparkles. Teachers - The teachers at RS are very committed to fostering an environment that encourages the students to be Happy! My son can`t wait to get to school every day and that truly warms my heart. He feels loved and cared for by his teachers and two, in particular, are OUTSTANDING!!! Ms. Martinson is Amazing she teaches STEM and Robotics I highly suggest you are thinking of enrolling and getting into one of her classes. Mr. Hertzberg teaches math he is outstanding. He shows us so much care and patience. It truly warms my heart that the teachers see my son as an important part of their day. They are very committed to his successMulticultural Environment - Our family is multiracial and it is so magical to see so many teachers, admin, and students of so many backgrounds and such diversity. I appreciate that the school looks to offer that to its student body. Sports and Arts - I appreciate how committed the school is to provide world-class athletics and arts programs. My son is such an athlete and he loves getting to participate in school sports. I could go on and on and I may make an update as my time continues. My daughter is now scheduled for a tour because I have decided that I also want her to have this world-class experience in elementary as her brother is in middle school I have to give it a 95% in overall happiness which again is probably 100% for most but because I am an educator and I wish that the ELA experience was going better I am giving the school and honest and accurate rating. If you find a school that meets 95% of your needs You Have Found an Academic Platinum Mine

The Middle School is a perfect transition from elementary to high school environment. The class size is small which allows teachers and staff to truly know your child academically and personally. The risk of your child being lost in the world of social media seems very low as they pride themselves in looking for signs of a child struggling. The academics are very strong as well. Because the classes are small, the teachers can concentrate on each childs' needs and involve the parents to help when needed.