Carden School Of Fresno in Fresno | Military Town Advisor

Posted: May 16, 2025

Outstanding school mission as well as wonderful staff, parents, and students!

Posted: May 16, 2025

Posted: April 16, 2025

Carden has helped our child grow in both academics and character. The schools small class sizes and personalized attention help students become more independent and confident. We receive regular, detailed feedback from teachers, and the school offers many meaningful activities. The addition of multiple languages, including French and Latin, adds to the well-rounded learning experience. Were grateful for how much our daughter has learned here.

Posted: April 16, 2025

Posted: February 19, 2025

My child attends Carden School of Fresno, and our experience has been outstanding. The school provides a strong academic foundation through the Carden Method, fostering critical thinking and a deep understanding of subjects. The dedicated teachers genuinely care about each students growth, both academically and personally.Weve seen incredible growth in our child, and were confident that Carden is preparing them for future success. We highly recommend. this school to any family seeking a top-quality education.

Posted: February 17, 2025

Our child is studying at Carden since Kindergarten and we are pleased with a rigorous, well-rounded education rooted in the Carden Method®, emphasizing core academics, foreign language acquisition, and character development. Small class sizes allow for individualized attention, fostering both academic excellence and personal growth. As a National Blue Ribbon School, Carden School of Fresno offers a nurturing yet challenging environment that prepares students for future academic and personal success. I do think its not for every child, but for a right child its a curriculum and school to prepare future Scholars.

Posted: February 17, 2025

Posted: February 1, 2025

Our Carden School of Fresno experience has been a great one. The teachers are very passionate about teaching and the students are held to a high expectation. If a parent is serious about preparing their child for high school and eventually college, I am not aware of a better school in the Fresno/Clovis area. As you observe the children move from the younger grades to the Junior High school the transformation is amazing. The academics are rigorous and might not be a perfect fit for all students, but for those who are committed to their studies, excel at a challenging environment and want to be surrounded by like-minded students it's a great school.

Posted: February 1, 2025

Posted: August 16, 2023

Thank you for researching schools and taking time to read the reviews. I am Dr. Megan McMills, the Head of School. I am beginning my second year as such and am very interested in my families' opinions. I hope that prior to writing a negative review, a person would come to discuss his/her concerns with me in person so I have a chance to see if we are able to remedy the situation.

I have been leading schools and districts for over twenty years and I can tell you that my passion is helping all school community members feel valued and able to reach their full potential. I have found that I am extremely comfortable with the capabilities and care from all staff members at Carden School of Fresno. At Carden, we employ the Carden Method to instill a sense of curiosity and respect in our students so that they graduate after 8th grade as self-reliant young adults who are ethical and educated. Teachers take this mission seriously, caring about each individual student and his/her success.

As far as our financial status, we see a ledger that is strong. Our families and supporters are appreciative of the Carden community, and that gratitude has translated into wonderful giving gestures. We have numerous landscaping improvements, picnic tables, shade structures, freshly painted walls and tables -- just to name a few new additions to the school that have come from parent and board support.

Posted: August 1, 2023

I had 2 kids attend this school for 4 years until finally we decided to pull them out to head to a different private school. Most of the teachers lack proper qualifications, seem to struggle to understand how to teach the Carden method, and expect if your child does not understand something right away that you hire them a tutor. They will not invest any extra time to help students learn. Most the teachers also have a very rigid approach to discipline which takes no consideration for normal childhood development. My kids developed anxiety and felt shamed with the discipline methods at the school. For example, talk in class and you will be sent to the headmasters office for hours to discuss being bad. There is also no sense of parent community at this school, bizarre PTA meetings where it is frequently discussed the school is struggling financially, and parents are also encouraged to not ask questions about classroom curriculum (feeling very secretive).

Posted: August 1, 2023

Posted: September 27, 2022

This little school is a gem. Prior to joining Carden, my children attended Clovis Unified. Carden is not really comparable to CUSD and for our family it was far superior. While the elementary school does follow the Carden method which can be seen as outdated, it does establish a very strong liberal arts base for its students. I don't think the school is the best fit for every student but if your child is a good student, they will thrive in this environment. The middle school is tiny but amazing. The middle school teachers are engaging and kind. The rapport they are able to build with students due to the small class size is unmatched. With the option of putting my child in a large public middle school, where they can easily get lost in the crowd vs this school where they can easily get questions about lessons answered, it's a no brainer. Most of the middle school teachers have advanced degrees in their subjects and it shows in the lessons they teach their students. The community is warm and welcoming. Yes, sports are lacking compared to public schools but we weren't concerned as long as our kids were in some sport. If you are looking for an academically focused school in Fresno, this is it.

Posted: September 27, 2022

Posted: April 3, 2022

This school is terrible. I had high hopes after we took the initial tour, but essentially everything the school promises from academics to school environment did not happen. The curriculum is old and outdated, the teachers have little to no experience with teaching the curriculum and understanding childhood development, and the staff encourages an environment of bullying and harassment. Any Clovis Unified school is leaps and bounds ahead of Carden in all categories. Dont waste your time or money on this school.

Posted: September 4, 2017

Carden is an incredible school with amazing teachers and staff that truly cares about their students. We have really enjoyed watching our daughter thrive at Carden for the last nine years. The academics are tough, but they will definitely prepare you for high school. My child is at least 2-3 grade levels above. They do not focus on academics alone. They have music, arts, sports and they do community service. If you want your child to grow up with a love for learning, send them to Carden. It would be one of your biggest investment in their future.

Posted: September 4, 2017

Posted: June 2, 2017

Our experience with Carden School of Fresno started on a very positive note with a tour of the campus by a friendly parent and board member. We were told that our child could spend the day at CSOF to see if it was a fit before being assessed. This turned out not to be true. We were assured that CSOF grads were not only well prepared for University High but quietly guaranteed admission because CSOF geared their curriculum to UHS. Specifically, the music theory curriculum was developed by the music teacher in coordination with the music program at UHS. As it turned out, music theory at CSOF is only taught to students who have been there the entire nine years. My child was given other work to do while the rest of the class worked on music theory. When I tried to broach the subject with the parent and board member that initially gave the tour and the wrong information, I was met with a blank stare like we had never met before. A strange reaction at such a small school. At that point, I wasn't about to switch schools again. Not only music, but most all other subjects left much to be desired; incomplete or inarticulate handouts for project requirements (when handouts were provided at all), seemingly arbitrary grading rarely based on pre-provided grading rubrics, preferential treatment of certain students, regular in-class shaming of "non-preferred" students, decades old textbooks, and a two-tier system of rules for parents. Considering CSOF is the most expensive private school in Fresno, parents should know that teacher recruitment efforts are conducted primarily through Craigslist. Please consider carefully before enrolling. Ask questions to more than one administrator to double check you are being told the truth.

Posted: June 2, 2017

Students are expected to know a wide breath of information but are not taught effective study skills.

Posted: June 2, 2017

Teachers regularly single out students they don't like with derogatory comments and judgments.

Posted: September 9, 2016

My children have attended Carden School of Fresno for the last 3 years. Whenever I have my doubts about whether or not it is necessary to keep them at Carden I compare notes with friends whose children attend one of the "excellent" Clovis schools. While their kids fill in bubbles to prove they read a book my children write book reports and give presentations. My kids also don't spend any time preparing for national testing and my kids, and the classes as a whole, always perform well above grade level in all subjects.

Posted: September 2, 2016

We made a decision to move our daughters to Carden from a Clovis public school when it became abundantly obvious how bored my oldest was with school. Both girls graduated from Carden; my youngest said farewell to Carden just this past year. They are both at University High School now and are excelling there beyond our expectations. Carden, especially during middle school, prepared them for the rigorous college prep work at UHS. By the time the girls started UHS, they have already read most of the required books for UHS. They have already had intellectual discussions about each book. While other students at UHS are being taught "how to write an essay", these girls have already written so many during their time at Carden. They are not afraid of hard work. Carden prepared them for all that. They are also good people. Many of the values we instill in them at home were reinforced each day they went to school. We get compliments all the time on what wonderful children we have. We wish we can take all the credit, but it does "take a village."

Posted: August 17, 2016

We came to Carden from our neighborhood public school - it was the best thing we could have done for our children. The quality of education that is offered at this school has no parallel. It is simply impossible to compare to other schools because there are none like it. Competing private schools don't come close to our experience here for two major reasons: they offer public school size classes while we enjoy small classroom instruction - in other words, our children enjoy one-on-one instruction, which is absolutely priceless. All the other private schools in the area are religious (mainly catholic) while Carden offers an education very much spiritual in nature but void of religious dogma. Children learn the importance of morals through their daily student life: character, integrity and wisdom.
Anywhere outside of Fresno, a similar private school would cost anywhere from 20k-36k a year... we are so happy to be receiving this education for a fraction of that amount. This is a hidden gem in the San Joaquin Valley... we wouldn't be anywhere else!

Posted: August 17, 2016

In my opinion, this school follows in the footsteps of the number one rated education system in the world: Finland (and of course the teaching style of Mae Carden, the founder of the school)... The school believes in working the student in the classroom, not at home. It encourages playtime at home. However, students are also heavily engaged in projects, which are given well in advance, mostly at the beginning of the school year. This has taught my children the art of time management.

Posted: August 17, 2016

Posted: July 20, 2014

If you are looking for a school that will give your child a solid educational foundation for the rest of their academic career, this is the place. Reading, writing, math, foreign language, music and art, all make up this outstanding curriculum, in a small classroom environment where the child can thrive.

Posted: June 22, 2013

Carden school of Fresno is one of the best schools in Fresno unlike St Anthony and Granite Ridge Carden's teacher teach important lessons that will help you succeed in life. When I went to Carden in 7th grade the teachers were wonderful especially the teacher in the English Department who revealed all interesting novels such as Hemingway, Stevens and Bradbury. When your child goes to our school he will be prepared for his journey to high school and beyond and will be ahead of all the other children, our 8th grade of 2013 class scored post high school. Off all my 3 years of going to Carden I would like to say thank you to the principals for the timeless effort to make our school great. Former Student

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	un named	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fresno	CA	1 mi
2	Edgewater Isle Apartments	Apartment Complex	Hanford	CA	33.1 mi
3	Stonecrest	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Hanford	CA	33.2 mi
4	Pine Castle	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Hanford	CA	33.4 mi
5	Cambridge Homes	Area of Town	Hanford	CA	34 mi
6	Silver Oaks	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Hanford	CA	34.2 mi
7	The Greens	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Hanford	CA	34.8 mi
8	Centennial Place Apartments	Apartment Complex	Hanford	CA	35.1 mi
9	Avalon Area	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Lemoore	CA	36.3 mi
10	College Park Apartment Homes	Apartment Complex	Lemoore	CA	36.6 mi
11	Atherton	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Lemoore	CA	36.8 mi
12	Lemoore Country Club Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Lemoore	CA	38.5 mi
13	Freedom Park	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Lemoore	CA	40 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	11th & Fargo	Hanford	CA	33.5 mi
2	Island District	Lemoore	CA	34.5 mi
3	Centennial Dr	Hanford	CA	34.9 mi
4	Visalia	Visalia	CA	43.2 mi

Base	Distance
Fresno National Guard	5.2 mi.
Lemoore NAS	36.4 mi.

Carden School Of Fresno

Fresno, CA 93710

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Carden School Of Fresno

Fresno, CA 93710

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