Alsion, Fremont | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

I am the mother of a 12 year old boy. I have been looking for a middle and high school for my son and I am so elated that I have found a great school for him: Alsion.
Many of my friends ask me why I chose Alsion over public schools and other private schools in the Bay area. So here they are.
Before reaching the conclusion that Alsion is the best choice for my son, I did research on several schools and observed classes being taught at Alsion and other schools. I have given this issue a lot of thoughts. My goal is to find a school that offer personal attention to each student, so my son will not be lost in a big class; a school that encourage critical thinking, a school that value and encourage students to develop skills according to their talents.
There are so many reasons I like Alsion. I like Alsion’s small class size which allows more one to one interactions between students and teachers. I like the warm and caring atmosphere at Alsion. The teachers are dedicated and professional. I had an opportunity to observe a math class at Alsion. During this class, all the children seemed engaged. They asked good questions, and were interested instead of checking out and looking bored.
I particularly like Alsion’s philosophy of encouraging children to think critically, to solve problems logically, and to develop their talents.
Last but not least, I’d like my son to be prepared and ready for college when he graduates from Alsion. I also like the fact that the college credits he would have earned while at Alsion. These credits can be transferred and will save him a couple of years in college. With tuition getting so expensive, this will save us time and money.
One of the biggest concerns that I have is that in big schools, there are a lot of fierce competitions for grades, sometimes this lead to dishonest behavior such as cheating; there are also peer pressure to do drugs and to behave badly. I think that in small school like Alsion there will be less temptations because the teachers work closely with students and the parents tend to pay more attention to the children,
I am looking forward to the new school year at Alsion.

I am a pleased parent of a student at this school. Most of Alsion’s enrollment comes from word of mouth referral. If you encountered our school on the Internet, you have found a hidden gem of a private school.

When I was searching for a school for my child, I was looking for something small, where my child wouldn’t get lost in the crowd, where she could gain confidence by having a voice in class discussions, participate in extracurricular activities, and make meaningful friendships with other motivated kids.

Alsion’s small size is its greatest strength. With an enrollment of about 48 students and five full-time teachers, every child is intellectually and socially engaged every day.
All the teachers have an advanced degree in the subject area they teach. Each teacher takes a personal and long-term interest in each child’s progress, interacting with each student every day, even during the summers, for three consecutive years, grades 7, 8, and 9. —One year more than a typical middle school, but that extra year elevates academic preparation beyond 10th grade at a typical high school. No child is isolated or ignored.

While the school lacks the resources to win state sports championships or national blue ribbon awards, it concentrates on developing the full potential of every student it is given to educate. Alsion is a learning community rather than an institutional school. But the kids are not isolated in a cocoon. They compete and collaborate with students from other schools regularly, in things such as Science Bowl, Model U.N. Debate/Speech, Mathematics contests, Business Market Day, Interact, Community Service activities, and more…I’m still learning ?

The campus is adjacent to Ohlone College. It leverages its proximity to the College for the benefit of the families it serves. Upon completion of 9th grade, Alsion Early College students are co-enrolled at Ohlone, where they can earn up to 72 units of college credit. Historically, three out of four Alsion Early College graduates have been accepted for admission to UC with advanced standing.

How can a small school that you never heard of before be a better choice for your child than a large one that you hear about all of the time? Parents usually discover Alsion after they checked out all of the “Designer Label” private schools and found them lacking.

Alsion is a small school with a full time, highly qualified faculty of five serving a junior high (grades 7,8 and 9) community of only 48 students. As you might expect from a school with a student/teacher ratio of 10 to 1, Alsion students receive more personal attention than at a larger institution. However, among small schools, Alsion stands out in two important respects.

First, Alsion is a Montessori program for adolescent-age students. We recognize that children between the ages of 12 and 15 have developmental vulnerabilities; such as, peer group pressure, “raging hormones”, impulsive behavior, etc., that must be channeled in constructive ways. Each of our teachers completed formal postgraduate study in understanding adolescents and guiding them toward successful maturity. At Alsion, each teacher engages with every student in the school, every school day, all during the three years a student is enrolled at Alsion. Therefore, we have exceptional insight into each child, who he or she is, and what is likely to unlock his or her potential.

Second, we assume parents want their child to have an edge in college admission. In this respect, Alsion offers a unique advantage. We are located adjacent to Ohlone Community College’s Fremont campus. Upon completion of 9th grade, Alsion Early College students are co-enrolled at the College, where they can earn up to 72 units of college credit transferrable to the University of California. Historically, three out of four Alsion Early College graduates have been accepted for admission to UC. This is an outstanding college placement track record for any school regardless of its size or reputation.

Alsion is the best kept secret in Fremont. Check it out.