Testimonials

Our children were at a private school that decided to shut down, and we had to quickly find a replacement school. We joined ROA (with daughter in 5th grade and son in 2nd) thinking it would be a temporary solution until we could find them a new conventional school. But after several months, we realized we had wandered into an amazing educational opportunity, where we could customize our children’s learning to their exact interests and speed of learning, and provide a broader, richer educational environment than they would ever have received in “regular school.” That was six years ago – our kids have grown into remarkable, intelligent individuals who continue to excel in all aspects of their life.

I want to say a huge thank you to Mrs Maria. She’s helped me through so many years in this school and I appreciate everything she does. She’s an amazing, kind, passionate person. And she’s helped me and my brother so much. And to me she’s also a very kind friend. Thank you Mrs Maria for everything.

I am here at ROA because I needed a break from public schooling. ROA has offered me a flexible schedule, which is allowing me to pursue my interests and passions, as well as staying on track with my school work at the same time. This has made it easy for me to be able to go places and do things that i would not have had access to while attending a regular public school, such as the local college jazz ensemble and fitness classes at the gym during the day. The classes that ROA has to offer allow me to complete and submit them online, so when i am out and about, i do not need to rush home to complete an assignment, but rather on the go.

Thank you to Ms. Kathy for always having such wonderful suggestions for our curriculum, and for being so supportive over the years!  Couldn't ask for a better teacher. 

Huge thank you to Ms. Ludo for all your help throughout the year! You are a such a gem, and we appreciate the care you put into everything you do to help, from answering many questions, returning our queries so promptly, and having a positive attitude. You make such a positive contribution in our ROA experience. Thank you!

I would love to do a shout out to Miss Sara, Miss Marybeth and Miss Sandy and Randy. There is a whole crew that works with my family. They are always there and have been so supportive for all the years we have been here. Charlie has grown so much with the help of Miss Mary Beth as his sped Ed teacher and miss sara for being an amazing teacher. I can't thank you all enough for how much you have been able to work with Charlie and appreciate him and work with what works for him as he has grown not only in height but with school and being able to adjust to change. Miss sara and Miss Marybeth appreciate you for always including my Sofia also when Charlie gets a lot of attention and focus you always include her. Miss sara your help with reading and math help with Sofia she is catching on and will show me how miss sara shows her. Can't imagine not having you all in our lives, words can't express all the gratitude for this amazing school and teachers!!!

Our charter schools in Ventura County are great schools. They provide alternatives for students who are seeking something that isn't available in their regular district. As the former Director of Charter School Support and Oversight, I can attest that our schools follow all required rules, are accountable to their authorizers, and serve their students well.

It is a well-known fact that parents are the first educators in the lives of their children. Their responsibility is to make wise choices for their child’s educational journey. Currently there are numerous choices to be selected, including River Oaks Academy, a Personalized Learning Public Charter School, offering teacher directed instruction and engaging resources to support parents as they homeschool their children. If these choices are eliminated, it does harm to the student who needs this environment to learn and grow and prevents the child’s primary educator from choosing what is best for the child and their family. As parents we need choices to best educate our children. Our children’s future depends on us having those choices and making the right one.

I have been a family doctor in Westlake Village for the past 25 years. During this time I have had an interest in the education of children academically, mentally, emotionally and socially. There is an epidemic of stress related anxiety, depression and substance abuse among the youth of this area. The regular school schedules and large classrooms can be too stressful for some children.  River Oaks Academy provides a welcome alternative. The combination of home schooling, classroom workshops, and teacher coaching for the parents and children has changed the lives of children. The notion of individual focused learning to support the strengths and interests of a child; in combination with developing competency in the required curriculum is a winning combination. I have seen children move from major stress reactions to an enjoyment of learning. As a board member I see the integrity of the staff and treachery to use the public funding carefully. Clearly no one benefits financially. I hope that the school will continue to provide excellent schooling for the few hundreds of children that depend upon this sound model of education.

Joining River Oaks is the best decision we've made for our son's education. Through ROA, we are able to help our son succeed in all subjects in the optimal environment for his learning style. The curriculum is challenging, the classes are enriching, and I especially appreciate the accountability to keep us focused and on track. I know my son is excelling because of the support and flexibility we've found with ROA.

As a retired forty-year veteran of our local traditional public schools, I am now thrilled to spend my days with the students, parents, and staff at River Oaks Academy Charter. Our teachers are dedicated to supporting their students through any and all possible modes. Our parents are grateful that they have been offered the choice to come to a place where they are valued and involved in their child’s education every single day. And, most importantly, our students are thankful for the support and nurturing that River Oaks offers them in all that they do. This is a wonderful school, and a happy place for all!

As a parent of a charter school student I can attest to the positive impact this type of education has had on my son. Traditional public school was not a good fit for my son for a number of reasons. His charter school provides individual instruction and reduces social pressures that are rampant in overpopulated public schools.

The ROA charter school had made a major impact on my son’s education and helped us so much being able to spend time and learn together. Our family is very happy with this way of learning. Because of the flexible schedule my son is able to focus his attention on the career he wants to pursue and learn at his own pace. His teacher and the staff of the school are the most caring, professional and supportive people I have the privilege to know. We enjoy it tremendously and our family is much happier with this school than the traditional education.

We have been homeschooling our daughter for about 3 years now. In public middle school, she had such serious emotional anxiety that we pulled her out mid year. We were fortunate to join a wonderful homeschool group in the area consisting of well over a hundred homeschooling families and this fulfills many of our daughter’s social needs through an array of well organized activities. The only piece that was missing for us was teacher input and guidance, career counseling resources, accountability to someone other than a parent, and the opportunity for some classroom time in core classes with same aged peers, especially for things like science labs. ROA has filled in all the gaps for us, and we are extremely grateful that such a tremendous resource exists. The professional, caring and supportive teaching and administrative staff at ROA has helped us so much as we work through our daughter’s anxiety issues while ensuring she has a well rounded education. For us, it is a Godsend offering a safe, flexible and nurturing environment for our daughter to heal and thrive. Without this important resource, families like ours would miss out on many of the great things a public education has to offer.

I love River Oaks Academy because I learn so much and I love the teachers. I could not imagine going somewhere else because it’s so fun and I learn new things every day.

The ability to have our son Jack, attend River Oaks Academy (ROA) has changed our family from the inside out. Jack has been here two years (1st and 2nd) and we have seen him grow and thrive in such amazing ways. With the incredible caliber of staff and the support of this school, we see our son exceeding in all areas of education. It’s been a truly incredible experience for us.

As a mother of two children enrolled in ROA I have found it indispensable. Before coming to ROA my eldest son would often come home from school with hours of homework and loads of stress. He had no time to be a kid and unwind before bed and starting the next day all over again. Both of my children would often come home confused from the assignments their teachers had given them. Which then in turn I had to spend time explaining and decoding their assignments to them. After careful consideration my husband and I decided to enroll them with ROA. They now have focus and commitment to their education. They spend their day doing their assignments and they still have time to be a kid because they are no longer bringing the extra stress home from traditional school. ROA has allowed me to teach my children and LEARN from my children. Time I can never get back.

I would like to express my support of River Oaks Academy for the following reasons:

1. My daughter can pursue her goal of becoming an Olympic athlete and the hours of training that requires. She is able to do so by managing her school work around her training.

2. The teachers and staff at ROA have provided my daughter with exceptional guidance and one-on-one support.

As two college-educated professionals, my husband and I have chosen to enroll our children at River Oaks for several key reasons. I, myself, have experienced education in the public, private, and homeschool sectors and found my homeschool experiences to have been the most rewarding and most influential in preparing me for all aspects of life, including achieving higher education as a woman and as a member of a ethnic minority. Knowing this, and having quite a collection of experiences in mind that have been shared by my mother, a veteran in education and now a public school teacher, and other educators we are well acquainted with, we, as a family, have chosen this path towards higher education. Doing so has fostered such a deep sense of independence and a strong appetite for learning and exploring in both of our children and they are excelling and thriving in all areas (including the much debated area of social interaction, in which I too have excelled throughout my youth and now well into adulthood). Our children are able to self-direct their learning goals and they are not afraid or hesitant to aim high. These are strengths that, with along with current public school class sizes, the impossible expectations placed on educators, as well as the subsequent and inevitable flood of intense social distractions found not only in public school settings, but also in private, would be so negatively impacted and stunted, it would undoubtedly affect the futures of our children especially in regards to their ability to achieve success in their educational journeys. Having our children enrolled in River Oaks allows us the flexibility to teach our children while also establishing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for our family unit. My husband, as a bachelor-prepared electrical/software engineer for the US Navy, and I, as a bachelor-prepared registered nurse in a wonderful obstetrical unit, have experienced such empowerment and joy as, not only are we able to delight in numerous, meaningful moments of family bonding, we are able to do so as we share our deep love of learning with our children, the proverbial 'cherry on top'. Our children have voiced their love of homeschool so much themselves and have shared their joy of learning with friends and family, so much so, that many of them have also been enrolled in River Oaks for similar reasons. Please continue to maintain this option available to parents. It is producing strong, independent thinkers and innovators of whom, as a state and country, we are in dire need.

We want you to know how much we appreciate the entire ROA family. Our son, Dominic, has been a student for the past three years. We are amazed at how he has “blossomed” since coming to ROA. Not only has he improved academically, nearly all of the insecurity issues he had at his previous school have virtually disappeared. Thank you for being part of this amazing transformation.

We have chosen River Oaks Academy as the school for our child because of the choices it has provided us. We value the opportunity to choose curriculum based on her needs and interests. We have seen great advances in her academic understanding because of the ability to custom tailor her curriculum. She loves her school and enjoys learning in an environment that suits her.

I love the freedom to explore the subjects that most interest me and the ability to learn at my own pace.” “This opportunity has afforded me the ability to work ahead and progress faster with my studies than at my traditional school.

I am a student at River Oaks Academy because it is a great, supporting school. I always feel welcome to ask for help when I need it. Overall, ROA is welcoming and a comfortable place for a lot of students, including myself.

Hello, my name is Lynda, my child is in 10th grade and in her third year with River Oaks Academy. Her last year with a public school was in 6th grade where she was traumatized by being bullied and caused her to have anxiety. The school was not supportive enough for us to return to that environment. We feel very fortunate to have found River Oaks Academy. They have bent over backwards to help my child with her anxiety. The classes are small so she doesn’t feel overwhelmed. They take the time to learn how she learns and adapt her lesson plans accordingly. That my daughter feels comfortable at her school and with her teachers gives me great peace of mind. I do not know how I could get my child through school without them. It seriously scares me to even have to contemplate this. Please do not take charter schools away from us. They are an invaluable service to us and we could not even put a price on how much they mean to us.

We recognize that differences in our children are reflected in different learning needs, and it is important to have a variety of models to employ in this effort. Public Charter Schools present strong and effective alternatives in helping ensure successful futures for these students.

In 2016, after leaving my former school, I found myself an insecure, generally sad teenager, who had some anxiety of the great big world. I recall my first day with River Oaks. It was that day when I happened upon Leina’s creative writing workshop, to which I was welcomed with utmost hospitality and open arms. I cherish you Leina. At the time I had not the slightest idea that this was the very beginning of a schooling experience that would be kind, transformative, priceless and frankly, beautiful.

What ensued in the three succeeding years was a slow, steady, nurturing of my talent and confidence. I grew and blossomed socially, made new friends, discovered career ventures and illustrated a children’s book.

The people I’ve met at River Oaks are sincerely amongst the finest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Kathy and Michal, I attended your college and career course and you both taught me strength and discipline. I always felt you two were utmost figures of honor, courtesy and above all, respect. My dear Richard, you are truly an incredible man. I’m so, so glad our paths aligned, and I had the pleasure of knowing you, speaking to you, hearing your story, hearing your wisdom. I hope you know every conversation I’ve had with you has resonated with me. And to my mentor, dearest friend, Leanne. You believed in me before I believed in myself. You always knew what I sought after, what I aspired for, and you did absolutely everything in your power to help me along the way. Thank you so much, I won’t ever forget you.

You’ve heard my story, and how precious these individuals have been to me, but I am only one student. All of my peers and fellow graduates have been along for the same ride. I know many who have had similar circumstances such as I … kids who arrived at River Oaks unknowing of their potential, coming from various backgrounds in which they felt less happy than they do today. I am going to miss this place very much.

ROA is a life saver. My daughter was getting bullied at her regular Jr. High and the teachers did not know. When she told me, a year had gone by and when she was not showing any interest in school we decided to try ROA which many of my nieces and nephews had attended in the past. I am so thankful that the director found my daughter a spot here at Oxnard ROA. I am so grateful for Mrs. Jennifer who graciously and patiently has worked very hard to accommodate my daughter and has provided educational materials that she needs. I am very happy that my daughter has ROA. The tutors are great and knowledgeable. I am looking forward for my daughter to continue in this school. Thank you!

River Oaks is an amazing program and it encompasses the best of the both worlds: the flexibility and individualized learning of a home school program with the perks of the on site workshops, tutoring and support. The teachers go out of their way to help and inspire students. The program director, Claudia Weintraub, keeps her office door open and welcomed us in any time we had a question or needed some help. Thank you, River Oaks teachers and staff- we were very fortunate to be a part of this school!

What an amazing year this has been for our son. Seeing how he's blossomed and how much he's learned this year has been incredible. I can't say enough about all the staff. Their dedication and support brings the joy back into learning. Love seeing all these happy kids!

The staff at River Oaks is amazing. The front desk is always helpful. I recommend River Oaks to my friends.

We are grateful to be a part of such a supportive community that provides us with many wonderful learning opportunities and opportunities for self-growth. Every staff member, from the Director, to the Teachers, to the Office Staff are committed to doing their best on behalf of the families who attend ROA.

ROA has been nothing short of phenomenal. They have been a great source for educational material, support, resources, and have a friendly, knowledgeable staff. They have made homeschooling an amazing experience for our family!

We enjoy this program. My son particularly enjoyed the STEM enrichment workshop. All the teachers are very supportive and caring.

ROA is an amazing school! The teachers and staff are so supportive and really care about the students and parents. I was terrified of home-schooling, then a friend recommended ROA because of their student's great experience. She was right. I never feel alone while home-schooling. Both of my children love the school and feel very supported by everyone, teachers and staff alike. This school has been a huge blessing to our family!

I am so grateful to be surrounded by teacher and staff that always put children first!

The warm greetings at front when people come and and the view of the boats.

I'm thankful for my co-workers who challenge me, support me, and support me to stretch.

I am parent of two children; a daughter (14) and a son (12) as well a resident of Ventura County for the past 18 years. My children have grown up attending public schools in the Conejo Valley Unified School District. I am also a small business owner in the community as well as the PTSA Treasurer for two local schools. And while it was our intent to have our daughter attend the local high school in her Freshman year (2018-2019), based on having visited several chartered schools in the area (Century and ROA), we decided that that ROA was a better fit for her specifically because of its tailored program and curriculum.

As a highly and self-motivated young lady our daughter has excelled in a manner and at a level that has exceeded not just ours but even her own expectations. The opportunity for her to be enrolled in and pursuing courses specific to her interest in a legal career has made her freshman year not only interesting but all that much more engaging. The ability for her to work at “her” pace has allowed her to work ahead in such a manner that it has allowed her to enroll in additional courses, including, but not limited to, Community Service and Art. We, as well as my daughter, have never regretted our choice in selecting ROA and are truly looking forward to my daughter developing at a pace relative to her own abilities as opposed to a limited curriculum designed for many.

My son went to traditional public school through 2nd grade. By the end of 2nd grade he was still unable to read past an early first grade level. He has dyslexia and is also on the autistic spectrum. Despite being high functioning and the Las Virgenes school district having a good early intervention program, he was not learning and his behavior milestones were backsliding. He performs best in a one-on-one situation or in small groups. Traditional public schools cannot provide that kind of attention to a single student. By the end of the school year I was incredibly frustrated with his experience in a class with too many students and overwhelming distractions. We made the difficult decision to leave LVUSD and consider ourselves very fortunate to have found River Oaks Academy. ROA provides a community as well as excellent academics for kids of all levels, including those with special needs like my son. He is now reading at a level I worried he'd never achieve and working on nearly grade level math. I appreciate ROA's efforts to keep the students on track according to California standards, as well as their commitment to helping them find and integrate their passions into their academics. I don't know what we would do without River Oaks Academy.

I am so glad we found River Oaks. After almost 5 years of Scarlett’s needs being ignored at her public school it is so refreshing that a teacher and school understands that a child with dyslexia can thrive academically; when they are nurtured and encouraged. In a year and a half I have watched my child go from hating Math and English to being on grade level with math and understanding what she’s doing and to enjoying book club and starting to really enjoy reading.

River Oaks Academy has been an amazing educational experience for our family! We have been at River Oaks for 5 years and currently have all three of our children attending grades K, 3 and 4. We chose to homeschool through River Oaks Academy because we were not interested in our children being in an over crowded classroom or a one size fits all approach to teaching as in a traditional public school setting. River Oaks Academy has provided our children with the opportunity to learn and grow on an individual basis, giving room to find their own strengths, not defined by a set curriculum. The support of the director and teachers along with the resources and student workshops that River Oaks Academy offers its families has made our homeschool experience phenomenal! We love our River Oaks Academy community and appreciate all that this school has provided our children to grow and learn in a positive and excellent learning environment!

Struggling with a son with attention issues, we found our traditional classroom environment distracting and without range or variation. We had to think outside of the box and look for a challenging and ever-changing climate. We found that and more at River Oaks Academy! Our son has embraced this dynamic setting and taken on the responsibility of his own education. Low grades have been replaced by self-esteem boosting grades. This could only be a reality with the help of his turn in teacher who has championed his every academic step and personal enhancement opportunities. I cannot say enough about how encouraging the entire faculty and staff are, for they truly make the difference in each students' progress and self-worth. Describing River Oaks Academy in one word is easy: SUCCESS.

We've been affiliated with ROA since its inception. We value ROA because the education one receives at the academy is top, as it is for and centered about the child. It engages the student at the point of making them passionate learners, necessary to be a lifetime learner. Specifically:

- The academy creates an environment for the child to explicitly seek his/her passion.

- Rather than be a cookie cutter school, ROA creates a space to nurture the individual, which leads the student to find his or her innate interests, gifts, and talents.

- The resource available to the child at ROA is not one restricted to the physical space of the school (like most k-12 institutions), but is one of location unbounded.

ROA has brought our son to an academic level that we didn't know was possible. His rapid progression is due to the attention to detail and experiential knowledge of his teacher, Ms. Jennifer Anderson and the positive learning environment at ROA. He's truly opened up to learning in a way that I've never seen before. I must add that his maturity has increased a great deal as well since beginning attendance one year ago.

River Oaks Academy inspired my five kids to become enthusiastic learners. This setting works for my children and me because they are more focused on their studies, and are able to work on their own pace without all the pressure of a large class environment.

I cannot thank River Oaks Academy enough for how great my son is doing in school now. He has gone from being a below average student to a straight A student! The personal attention he receives at River Oaks Academy has made all the difference. He loves his classes and the workshops they offer are amazing! I am constantly referring my friends to River Oaks. I am so thankful that there are programs like this out there!

Thank you River Oaks Academy!!

My daughter transferred to River Oaks Academy (ROA) from Westlake High School at the start of her senior year, September 2018. She was having personal problems at Westlake with issues such as cyber bullying, mean girl issues, etc., and the negative social environment was affecting her ability and willingness to attend school. Her experience at ROA has been amazing. The number of students there is a tiny fraction of the number of students at her former public school, so she receives much more personal attention there, which would not be possible in a large public school. My daughter receives personal, one-on-one, individualized attention from her teacher. We enormously appreciate and cherish this personal attention which my daughter receives at ROA, and she is thriving as a result of this.

We have a 10 year old autistic son.He is on the higher end of the spectrum and our 6 year old neurological typical daughter. This school our son calls freedom compared to his horrible time at public school where he was put in a dark room. He loves all his teachers whether his gen ed and his special ed teacher and speech. They love the different workshops that River Oaks offers as well as the time he spends with the other students that go there. The teachers and atmosphere here is encouraging and motivating where he feels comfortable and open with other children and feels he can trust these teachers with his time there. He has flourished in learning with the workshops such as painting and ceramics as well as his learning with his teachers at his own pace and allows our neurological typical daughter to flourish and encourage her to grow as well.

I can't imagine any other school for our children.

Before starting at River Oaks Academy (ROA) my son struggled with school and had low self-esteem. Now he is exceeding in all subjects and is a self-assured and confident student who now enjoys school. River Oaks Academy teachers and staff empower their students to find their passion and succeed. Attending River Oaks Academy has been the best of both worlds for my son. My son is able to do his core subjects at home, at his own speed, while attending classes on the campus that help him expand his knowledge and socialize with other students. Our family has been so blessed to have the privilege to work with this wonderfully dedicated school. River Oaks Academy Teachers and staff strives to make a difference in the lives of their students every day.

Hi, I’m Lizzy, a freshman student at River Oaks Academy. This is my first year attending a Charter school and it has significantly impacted the way I view education and school as a whole. Going into this new program was a big change for me, but by far the best decision of my young life. Now I have a past experience with public school and it is nothing close to this. Right away, all the staff at River Oaks helped me transition and get all my classes together. They made me feel like me and my education mattered in an extremely personal way. In my public school experience, I would go to school at 9 in the morning, extremely tired and in the midst of waking up just to be in a loud classroom with 30-50 kids. In this type of setting I was never able to focus because of many factors. Although I did well in the traditional public school (making honor roll every trimester for three years), I always had the potential to do so much better. In traditional school, you sit there for 50 minute periods just to hear a teacher talk. Only 10 out of those 50 minutes, there is actual work being done by the student. With River Oaks Academy, it is a program where all of your schooling is personalized for you and you specifically. In this schooling I have not only learned things about myself but that there are so many effective ways to learn than just sitting in a loud classroom all day. There is a wide variety of options with these programs that can fit to everyone and their specific needs. I have had the opportunity to take in school classes and online ones as well. The thing I love about classes in my school, is that it’s small and personal and my teacher is always there to help and answer any questions had. In traditional school, the teacher would rarely answer questions and or explain things thoroughly which is the whole point of a classroom setting. Since joining River Oaks Academy, my overall emotional health, education and appreciation for school has excelled in every way possible. I used to dread going to traditional school and would just wait to go home everyday. Now, I look forward to going and learning things that interest me. My passion in life is law, which was something that caught my eye when learning about River Oaks and all of it’s amazing options. I am so fortunate to be in Criminal Justice class now with an A+. I’m not only getting high school credits for it, but college as well and I am enrolled in Oxnard College. If the opportunity of River Oaks and this class hadn’t come along, I would have never been able to further explore and or learn something that I now want to be my entire future. Even when doing all of my basic classes, I enjoy and take pride in them as well as take in more information because it is interesting to me. With going to a charter school, I get to have so many more life experiences that are only helping my future. During the day when I am not at school, I am out volunteering with my dad with programs such as Meals on Wheels, etc. I have had so many experiences since joining this school and an extra curricular I take at River Oaks Academy is community service. This allows other rescues and or programs to come in and gives students the opportunity to be involved in making this community a better place. Recently, my classmates and I were donated over 300+ canned and boxed foods that will be taken over to the MANNA Food Bank. Amazing things such as these are day to day experiences I have gone through as a result of switching to River Oaks Academy. My grades have never been higher and I have never been happier. One thing I love about River Oaks is that the social aspect of school has not been taken away. Whenever entering this school, there are teachers everywhere that are greeting you and students you have grown close to. I met two of my best friends at this school and even hang out with them when not at school. A ton of my friends in public traditional school say they don’t like the environment they are in and that they would prefer a charter school. River Oaks Academy has not only given me a more personalized learning experience that allows me to work closely with teachers and programs but that it has helped me understand myself more. This school appeals to the widest variety of people such as ones who may need more guidance in their schooling to kids who are independent and want to take classes at the community colleges. The future I want is something I have started to experience at River Oaks and I will continue to learn it with a passion. I truly have been given the opportunity of a lifetime with this school and I don’t know what I would do without it.