Guide to Local Schools in Pasadena

Located in the San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena is a vibrant city that lies 11 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Pasadena shines with its various offerings, including museums and parks, popular restaurants, magnificent residential architecture, and a bustling business community.

Pasadena is known for the annual Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl football game. It is also home to two renowned scientific institutions: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology (CalTech). Since Pasadena is a hub of science and technology, so it only makes sense that local schools in Pasadena are outstanding.

Fusion Academy was borne out of frustration with the status quo in Pasadena schools. The educators at this school are on a mission to provide students with a high-quality education while centering the students. Fusion specializes in providing social and emotional support to students with ADHD/ADD, anxiety, dyslexia, and anything else that may make a learning experience more difficult in a traditional school environment.

This K-12 school prides itself on allowing students to learn and grow in a variety of fields. The programs the school offers allow students to progress in multiple disciplines. Ultimately, Polytechnic School hopes to foster in students a lifelong love of learning. Split between a Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School, students are given the opportunity to learn and grow with their peers.

The International School of Los Angeles provides excellent education programs in both French immersion and the International Baccalaureate Diploma. The French immersion track caters to preschool to 12th-grade students and prepares them for the French Baccalauréat.

The Pasadena location, specifically, serves elementary students only. It is located across from Pasadena City College and has a charming, intimate setting with beautiful landscaping. The campus includes a two-story building with 11 classrooms, a dual language library, a computer lab for student research and exercises, and outdoor dining and play areas.

Westridge School is an all-girls school in Pasadena. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of girls in particular, to empower them to become young women who can make themselves heard and leave their marks on the world.

The school accepts students beginning in fourth grade. The school provides a safe space for girls to learn through failure by taking risks and collaborating with their peers. 

By embracing community, sponsoring progressive education, and championing equity and diversity, the Westridge School achieves its mission of allowing students to become curious and confident leaders in the world. They focus on a commitment to social justice and care deeply about ensuring students take personal responsibility for their actions and learning.

With space for students in preschool through high school, students at The Waverly School can receive a comprehensive, lifelong education.

One of several local schools in Pasadena, the Hovsepian School was founded to meet the educational needs of the growing Armenian community in the late 1970s. Today, it serves students in kindergarten to grade eight. The school encourages building positive relationships within the school and community, respecting one's culture and that of others, and promoting tolerance and respect for different opinions and views.

For a school that bases its community in student-centered learning, look no further than Maranatha High School. The school has seven academic departments, dozens of AP and Honors classes, and other programs that demonstrate its commitment to educating students and imbuing them with the learning they’ll need to take on the world.

Maranatha prides itself on ensuring that teachers know their students and challenge them to live out their faith.

This Catholic school was founded by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus and is based on trusting every individual’s dignity. For a school that pairs religious education with specific learning goals for each age group, Mayfield Junior School can’t be topped.

The Walden School is an accredited private school in Pasadena that focuses on educating students from preschool to grade six. Walden education is centered around an innovative approach to learning with processes to promote understanding and curiosity utilizing Socratic discussions, student-led inquiry, and collaboration.

Walden students grow into young adults who are thoughtful, respectful, articulate, resilient, love to learn, aware of global challenges, and academically prepared.

For students in preschool through 8th grade, Pasadena Christian School is a great choice. The school’s mission is to empower and teach students both the 21st-century skills they need to do well in the world and the Biblical principles that will guide them. PCS was founded in 1946 and is an independent Christian school that prides itself on its community.

This private school is situated on 16 acres of land and allows high school students and parents to choose a boarding program or day school. EF Academy Pasadena offers a comprehensive education that centers the student experience while providing a wide range of courses to choose from and readily available guidance from academic advisors as students prepare for life after high school.

With over 30 clubs to choose from, upwards of 75 outings a year, and 13 intramural sports options at the school that students can participate in, it's safe to say that a student at EF Academy will never be bored.

An Association Montessori Internationale(AMI) recognized school, Oak Knoll Montessori School serves children from less than two to 18 years old. Oak Knoll Montessori seeks to remain aligned with the teaching techniques first taught by the AMI in 1929 when Montessori schooling first emerged as a concept.

Through focus areas such as practical life, sensorial education, math, and reading, Montessori education at Oak Knoll cultivates students' curiosity, sense of awe for the world, and sense of self over the course of their education.

Most Pasadena parents may be able to relate to running into obstacles or frustrations while seeking a fantastic learning experience for their child. These private Pasadena schools are some of the best schools to be found, completely dedicated to a high-quality student experience.

Whether parents seek a Montessori schooling experience or the best boarding school on the West Coast, local schools in Pasadena can meet those expectations. If you're looking to move to Pasadena, contact The Middleman Team today to get started.

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