Surrounded by the bilingual environment at Centro Armonia Preschool in Campbell, California, my parents sought to continue my bilingual education at any cost. When my parents invested in sending their children (my brother and I) to an exteriorly unappealing school in the heart of San Jose, the last thing they expected was the hub of cultural awareness and academic excellence that Bachrodt Elementary provided. However, many families overlook Bachrodt’s hidden beauty due to idiosyncratic reviews left on websites such as GreatSchools.com.
Often disregarded due to its location, Bachrodt Elementary is an undiscovered treasure in an overlooked neighborhood. The exterior of the school is surrounded by aging buildings, busy streets, and a perception formed by prejudice rather than reality. Yet, beneath the seemingly impenetrable shell of prejudice, Bachrodt Elementary conceals an educational system that rivals and (to an extent) exceeds that of private schools or even public schools in more affluent areas. From solving real-world problems through the Project Based Learning (PBL) program to fostering an ethnically diverse community of inclusion and perseverance, the school truly exceeds all expectations.
Regardless of the school’s incredulity, websites such as GreatSchools.com serve as major discouragements to parents seeking a bilingual education for their child. For example, Great Schools’ review of Bachrdot Elementary was a 3/10. Such a low score would easily discourage any parent. However, before the rising prominence of the internet, in-person visits to the school abolished any exterior derogatory prejudices one may have. So, to educate you on any prejudices about any schools, I say this: don’t let a website or online organization decide what’s best for your child’s education. With Bachrodt in mind, while Great Schools serves as a handy outline for a school, it lacks a detailed description of the community that would be nearly impossible to relay on a mere review. All in all, Great Schools is wrong about Bachrodt.