Saint Charles Borromeo Academy

Posted: May 21, 2026

Great community for our kiddos! We enjoy morning prayers and all of the events the school puts on. Students are kind and inclusive.

Posted: May 21, 2026

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Posted: May 21, 2026

Posted: July 3, 2025

We’re concerned about overcrowded classes, unqualified staff, and a lack of strong leadership. The school has a poor academic reputation and doesn’t feel as nurturing as it claims. There’s little transparency around fundraising, and safety is a real issue, with reports of bullying, racism, and even unhoused individuals on campus. Communication is limited—except when asking for money. We hope these issues can be addressed for the
well-being of all students.

Posted: July 3, 2025

Posted: July 3, 2025

Posted: July 3, 2025

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Posted: July 3, 2025

Posted: February 19, 2025

Pros:
Caring Teachers & Staff: The teachers and aides are warm, kind, and genuinely invested in the students.
Small School Environment: Ideal for children who need extra attention or thrive in a close-knit setting.
Supportive Faith Community: The priest is a positive role model, and church members are kind and involved.
Traditional Values: The school instills respect for country and community.
Friendly Families: Many families are welcoming and supportive.

Cons:
Weak Administration & Communication: The school struggles with efficiency, clear communication, and long-term vision. Leadership talks about change but rarely follows through.
Budget & Resource Concerns: Financial management and allocation of funds are unclear.
Limited Academic Challenge: The curriculum is adequate but not ideal for academically advanced students.
Classroom Structure & Behavior: Some classrooms lack organization and boundaries, leading to frequent disruptions.
Low Parent Involvement: A small group of parents shoulders most volunteer efforts, often frustrated by lack of participation.
Nutrition & Food Allergy Awareness: School lunch is heavily processed, and sweets (cupcakes, donuts, candy) are frequently used as rewards or brought in casually, posing a risk for children with food allergies.
Limited Physical Activity: Small shared space with the church restricts outdoor exercise and sports opportunities.
Safety Concerns: The open campus allows occasional intrusions by vagrants.
Resistance to Change: Parents hoping to improve the school face challenges and pushback.

Overall Impression:
The school offers a warm, faith-based environment but lacks strong leadership, academic ambition, and clear organization. Families comfortable with the status quo may find it a good fit, but those seeking structure, innovation, or a focus on health and wellness may be disappointed. We ultimately found a better academic fit elsewhere, where our child is more challenged, engaged, and thriving.

Posted: February 19, 2025

Posted: February 19, 2025

Posted: February 19, 2025

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Posted: February 19, 2025

Posted: March 30, 2022

We are a new family to St. Charles and have had a great experience so far. The school has a very warm and welcoming feeling. The students and staff are very kind and I think the principal is doing a great job. Academically, my son is thriving and the homework given is just the right amount. I love that the school has sports team with very low pressure which encourages kids to try new sports. My son came from a great school but it was missing that neighborhood feel. We've found it at St. Charles.

Posted: March 30, 2022

Posted: March 30, 2022

Posted: March 30, 2022

Posted: March 30, 2022

Posted: March 30, 2022

Posted: March 10, 2022

Posted: March 10, 2022

Posted: March 10, 2022

Posted: March 10, 2022

My son is new at Saint Charles. The fun Youth Group activities, compassionate teachers, and focus on having a kind learning and school environment are what makes this school great. We love this school!

Posted: March 10, 2022

Posted: March 10, 2022

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Posted: March 10, 2022

Posted: May 26, 2021

Posted: May 26, 2021

Posted: May 26, 2021

Posted: May 26, 2021

Posted: May 26, 2021

Posted: May 26, 2021

Posted: May 26, 2021

Posted: May 26, 2021

We love St. Charles Borromeo Academy. I attended the school as a child and happy to send my son there the last 3 years (4th- 6th grades).

The administration and teachers did an incredible job over this past year. I was impressed with the school, administratin and teachers before the pandemic; but they have really done a great job with the online program, hybrid and then back to full time in classroom scenarios.
St. Charles does a great job instilling the catholic faith and teachings on a daily basis as well as providing a challenging academic environment. They do have sports teams; the school is small so sometimes it can be hard to form teams and/or find coaches but they have several sports at the school. It is a small community of families that step up to volunteer and to help make the school a better place for our children.

If you haven’t attend mass there, Fr. John Amsberry is incredible. I can honestly say many sermons bore me; I look forward to hearing Fr John. We are blessed by the best at St Charles Borromeo!

Posted: February 17, 2021

Posted: February 17, 2021

Posted: February 17, 2021

Posted: February 17, 2021

Posted: February 17, 2021

Posted: February 17, 2021

Posted: February 17, 2021

St Charles has been amazing for my two boys academically and socially. The community is very welcoming and supportive of all families. The teachers are engaged and positive with the students, and the staff is very responsive and organized.

Posted: February 11, 2021

We absolutely LOVE St. Charles! I went there as a child and was so excited to have my daughter now attend. The education the children received is wonderful and they are kind and engaging. Principal Cota and the staff have done an incredible job navigating through this tough time!

Posted: February 11, 2021

Posted: February 11, 2021

Posted: February 11, 2021

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Posted: February 11, 2021

Posted: October 20, 2020

Posted: October 20, 2020

Posted: October 20, 2020

Posted: October 20, 2020

Posted: October 20, 2020

Posted: October 20, 2020

Posted: October 20, 2020

Our son is so happy at St. Charles

Posted: October 15, 2020

This small, humble school has been a huge blessing to our family. I really appreciate that it goes up through 8th grade so we can be part of this terrific community longer. We have felt so welcomed here by faculty and other families. Students at St. Charles Borromeo Academy live our Christian faith.

Posted: October 15, 2020

Homework is reasonable and give parents insights into what students are learning.

Posted: October 15, 2020

Posted: October 15, 2020

Christian values are lived not just taught at St. Charles Borromeo Academy.

Posted: October 15, 2020

Such a safe reopening in this COVID era, including HEPA filters AND UV light treatment for classrooms in the AC vents.

Posted: October 15, 2020

Teachers that partner with students and families make this a special place. If your student needs extra learning resources, the school welcomes that but may require you to provide an outside provider at additional cost.

Posted: October 15, 2020

Posted: October 15, 2020

Our families experience at St. Charles has been wonderful. The Academy has strong leadership with Mrs. Cota, and excellent teaching and support staff, that has been able to blend, at a high level, Faith and Academics. Our child graduated will prepared to compete at a high level academically in high school. This is an outstanding school!

Posted: October 15, 2020

Posted: October 15, 2020

Posted: October 15, 2020

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Posted: October 15, 2020

Posted: June 7, 2019

Had an amazing experience as a student. Now my children attend the school. It feels like you are family.

Posted: June 7, 2019

Posted: June 7, 2019

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Posted: June 7, 2019

Posted: July 12, 2017

Posted: July 12, 2017

Posted: July 12, 2017

Posted: July 12, 2017

Posted: July 12, 2017

Posted: July 12, 2017

Posted: July 12, 2017

St. Charles has been a blessing to my family. My youngest started in the preschool and my oldest in 1st grade. From the first time walking near the office I felt like I was in a community, a parent helped me to the office then the office staff and prinicpal were amazing and have been throughout the year.

Posted: June 5, 2015

My child attended public school in Point Loma for elementary school but after the jump to middle school, unfortunately she was lost in the shuffle of the HUGE public schools. So, we thought we'd give Saint Charles a try. She has had the BEST year and has really flourished. The class sizes are small so the children are really getting individualized attention and the curriculum and learning that is happening is top notch. She has felt supported and encouraged every step of the way and the other children are kind and welcoming. I would not hesitate for a second to recommend this school to anyone. Saint Charles is a gem!

Posted: June 5, 2015

It is sad to see disgruntled parents bash the school, especially with incorrect information. Fortunately, the disgruntled are few and departing.
St. Charles Borromeo Academy IS a great school and WILL CONTINUE to be so. The source of this excellence is the entire community. There is large turnover every year, whether it is the Pastor, Principal, Teachers, Students or Parents. The new members constantly raise the energy level with great ideas and enthusiasm while the existing members provide continuity and experience. This mix of old and new is a winning combination. Most importantly, the Spirituality and foundation of the Catholic Church prepares our children to be successful, not only in High School, but well beyond.

Posted: June 2, 2015

Posted: June 2, 2015

Posted: June 2, 2015

Posted: June 2, 2015

SCBA WAS great.

Many teachers are leaving because of the priest. Beware that the following teachers chose to work elsewhere for the 2015-2016 school year, so will be replaced by new (not yet hired) teachers:

Kindergarten
5th Grade
6th Grade
8th Grade

That is at LEAST 4 teachers out of the nine primary teachers (from Grades K-8). Also, a new principal is being hired.

So yes, SCBA was an awesome school, but half of its faculty/administration is leaving, and so are a number of families. I hope that the school can recover, but it would be unfair to recommend the school based on the current situation, which was created by the parish priest.

Posted: June 2, 2015

St. Charles Borromeo has provided my children with an excellent education! SCBA also promotes good values, morals and discipline where students are accountable for their actions. Because of the small size of our school, we are like a community....and it's nice. Our priest, Father Chris, has been a wonderful mentor to the children as well, by encouraging a relationship with God and the church. He has also done an amazing job getting parishioners and academy families together to support one another. I highly recommend SCBA to anyone who wants their children to have a higher standard of learning.

Posted: June 2, 2015

Posted: June 2, 2015

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Posted: June 1, 2015

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Posted: May 31, 2015

Posted: May 31, 2015

in response to a parent who commented on May 12, 2015....WOW! It saddens me that you publicly rip the school down with inaccurate information. Also, being a parent of this school for 9 years plus, and working closely with parents and teachers, this school is awesome! We will continue to succeed and move forward. And, luckily, you will be gone.

Posted: May 31, 2015

Posted: May 31, 2015

Posted: May 30, 2015

My first child went to several Catholic preschools as we searched for the right place with a strong grounding in the Catholic faith and activities that shaped the character of my child as well as her academic future. After three years at St. Charles I am happy to say that we found the place with all this and more. St. Charles has a long, solid history in the community having been founded in the 1940's. It is a well-structured, academically sound, yet amiable learning environment. The educators focus on classroom discipline that shapes the character of the students both in their values and their academic goals. Rather than being off putting however, this strong stance on classroom behavior commands respect and cultivates a positive environment for learning. The students have a camaraderie both in and out of school that is impressive and heartwarming to see. In addition, the parents take their role as primary educators seriously, supporting the teachers, each other, and the school in our shared goal of creating confident, thoughtful and strong future leaders supported by Catholic faith and principles. I would encourage families to look at St. Charles Academy and Preschool for a compassionate and lively school environment that takes shaping young minds and hearts seriously

Posted: May 15, 2015

We moved from Tampa in the middle of my son's 7th grade year. We were not able to make a trip to San Diego first, so my parents came down to tour schools. The principal went out of his way to accommodate them. When we moved out over Thanksgiving break, he came in on his week off to show us the school before my son started so he would feel comfortable. On the day my son started, I walked in with him. When we got near the classroom, another boy came up and said "Are you [my son's name]?" My son answered "Yes." The boy said "Hi, I'm [his name]. C'mon, I'll introduce you to the guys." The teachers were prepared for my son and had prepared the other students, and those other kids were welcoming. The principal and staff are continually supportive and helpful. They sacrifice to take care of the children, and the parish priest is the same way. Love of God and service to others is at the heart of the curriculum here. This goes along with top-caliber academic standards. In the 8th grade class, all the students got into the high school of their choice with multiple scholarships awarded to them. The location is excellent if you work in the Point Loma/Pacific Hwy area.

Posted: May 12, 2015

Because we have moved all over the country, my 3 children have attended schools in several states (both private and public). SCBA is by far the most rigorous academically with the strongest sense of community. We couldn't be happier with this school! I highly recommend it!

Posted: May 11, 2015

I have four children attending the Academy. There is one class per grade and a very devoted faculty. It is a preK - 8 school and one of the features that we really like is the "school buddy" program, where each older class is paired with a younger class.. My 4th grade son has a preK "buddy" and this has brought out a nurturing side of him. We have also been impressed with the social studies curriculum, which is based on a "core knowledge" program. Our second grader just finished a unit on immigration which included a family ancestry project and will culminate with the kids bringing in foods from their families' nation of origin. These activities really made the whole topic very tangible and interesting My children who have previously attended the Academy have gone on to Catholic high schools, where they were accepted with honors at entrance. They have been well prepared academically. V

Posted: May 11, 2015

St. Charles has been a good school with good teachers, but prospective parents should know that the new priest does not have any educational experience and is trying to implement changes that will negatively affect the school. He hasn't renewed the contract of the principal, who has been at SCBA for the past 9 years. The principal has made the school successful by being a dedicated educator and bringing in good teachers. The priest is a man around 50 years old, who only recently became a priest a few years ago. This is the first school of which the priest has been in charge. He has told the teachers that they will take pay cuts, so some may not return. If you are thinking about sending your child to this school, ask lots of questions before you enroll to make sure you are ok with the administration, the faculty, and the program. Thankfully, my child is graduating from the academy this year. It has been a positive experience for my child. However, given the current situation at the school, I would not send my child here next year (2015-2016 school year).

Posted: April 27, 2015

The Academy had twenty 8th graders apply to Catholic High Schools. ALL 20 WERE ACCEPTED! Four of the students received Honors at Entrance. Three of the young ladies who applied to OLP received scholarships. Way to go, Class of 2015!

Posted: January 22, 2015

St. Charles is a fantastic school with dedicated and professional teachers and staff. A great emphasis is placed on Catholic teaching and tradition, including service to others and involvement in both the school and parish community. Students receive a quality education and are treated as individuals, especially those with learning challenges. The teachers show compassion to their students, while maintaining an environment in which students learn to be responsible and accountable for their actions. My child is treated with respect and care and has grown tremendously in his two years of attending St. Charles. We plan to be a part of this special community for many more years.

Posted: June 9, 2014

Our son is a 1st grader at this school - we could not be more pleased. The bond between the students is amazing. The teachers are outstanding and care about the kids as if they were their own. There is a reason that generations of families continue to send their children to this school. Great academics, very good athletic programs and more programs in the arts being added every year. This is very refreshing while other schools are unfortunately losing programs. We selected the right school when we picked St. Charles for our child to go to. His positive experience here will set the pace for the rest of his academic career. We couldn't be happier!

Posted: April 8, 2013

Would recommend this school for its teacher and parent involvement. Kids are well mannered and have good study habits. Both staff and leadership have be tremedously upgraded.

Posted: February 3, 2013

My child has been attending since September (kindergarten). She's immediately made great connections with many of her schoolmates and is on the soccer team. The school is very close knit and has a very concerned and active parents. My child's always eager to go to school. As parents, we love the intimate and caring environment of the school. As for the "the most recent principal"--he is one of the MOST involved principals I've ever witnessed either public or private. He's even at movie night sponsored by the pastor. He's at sports games cheering on students, he's always in the trenches, speaks with students, directing traffic in the morning, etc. His active participation is greatly appreciated. He serves as good model for children to see. Our daughter's been to other Catholic school's in the area and by far, this principal is very engaged. There's one Catholic school just 2 blocks from our home but we settled on St. Charles because of size and atmosphere--it's well worth the extra 3.5 miles. Parents also pray a communal rosary once a week with students as well along with students prayer intentions. So far, we're very happy!

Posted: January 20, 2012

SCBA is an excellent school with outstanding academics! It is a faith-based school that provides students with a great education. My daughter is doing work in some of her courses that I didn't learn until high school. She will be well prepared for high school when the time comes. St. Charles also has a very supportive family/community relationship. We are grateful to have such a wonderful school in our community.

Posted: May 11, 2011

This school is an excellent learning environment for our children, Overall the quality of the teaching staff is consistent, caring and innovative. This is not our first Catholic School, but it is by far the most loving and spiritual one that we have attended. Our school community is like a family, and in response to that parent that the children are ruled by fear, that is not true because our children are most certainly not ruled by fear, on the contrary it is a very positive and loving environment. The math program has been updated and we have a spanish program.