Castlehill Country Day School in Tucson

Posted: February 23, 2026

I went to CastleHill for eight years, from Pre-k to 5th! I cannot name one thing that I should change about it. I made friends that I still have in middle school, I have learned everything I need, and I really connected with the teachers. Sending your child to Castlehill is the best choice you could ever make. I highly recommend you consider sending your child there. They will have a blast, and learn so much!!!!!

Posted: February 23, 2026

Posted: April 17, 2025

We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a special school and community. Our son has been at Castlehill since he was just 2.5 years old and continues to thrive, both emotionally and academically, in Kindergarten. From the beginning, its been clear that Castlehill is more than just a school. Its a warm, welcoming environment where every child is truly known, cared for, and encouraged to grow into their best self.

The teachers and staff go above and beyond. In every interaction, its clear they genuinely care about each child - not just as students, but as individuals. They are deeply committed to helping every child succeed and grow into well-rounded, confident learners. The small class sizes, with both a teacher and a teaching assistant in each room, create the ideal setting for personalized instruction and meaningful relationships.

What truly sets Castlehill apart though, is its commitment to educating the whole child. The "Country Day School" philosophy of teaching is evident in everything they do - its not just about academics. Our son enjoys a challenging and engaging academic curriculum, along with dedicated "Specials" classes like music, art, computers, Spanish, physical education, and weekly visits to the library (with real, tangible books that the kids can check outsomething you rarely see these days!).

The friendly, nurturing staff and the strong sense of community have made this an incredibly positive experience for our family. We truly couldnt imagine a better place for our child to learn, grow, and thrive.

Our only challenge, where to go after 5th grade! We cannot imagine another learning experience as beneficial and special as Castlehill.

Posted: November 14, 2024

Positives: art and drama heavy, tenured staff, PE 3x a week, nostalgic

Negatives: Wont become a charter school because they dont want to abide by Dept of education regulations and academic standards. Does not support special education or help identify children with special academic or behavioral needs nor are staff equipped to help with accommodations. Staff who have become aggressive and threatening at school overlooked by admin. Rat feces and tarantula/snake holes throughout grounds. Gates left opened and children seen in parking lot during school hours. Gossip amongst staff about parents and their children often discussed by admin breaking confidentiality and professionalism.

Posted: April 23, 2022

My name is Jessy Long and I am the Founder of the greater-Tucson based "Company Eco". This message is in regard to a presentation we recently delivered to Castlehill on Earth Day...

The children were such good listeners, and the questions they asked during and after the presentation clearly illustrated their dedication to this important cause. The aptitude of this group of students was nothing short of astounding and after spending some time with them, I feel like my faith in the power of good has been revived.

We have high hopes for the students at Castlehill we have high hopes for the future of humanity.

I would also like to mention that my journey as an entrepreneur would have never been possible without Principal Basiliere and support from people like Mrs. Spain. Prior to her role at Castlehill, Principal Basiliere was my leader. She once said politely something to me that changed the course of my life... In so many words she explained Jessy, there are those who express their concerns and those who come up with solutions. Which are you?. She taught me how to create a business case, how to merge the worlds of activism and economics, allocated financial resources and then supported me in creating positive change within the industry we were working in at the time. Those of us who have worked with her, the students at Castlehill we are all very fortunate to be the recipients of her devotion, her warm-heartedness, her motherly love. She is a force multiplier.

Posted: April 23, 2022

Posted: March 13, 2017

Castlehill is amazing! I have 2 sons that are in their 4th year at CH. Every year has been special and every teacher that we have had has been perfect for that grade. My only complaint is that we have to leave after 5th grade.

Posted: March 11, 2017

They offer so much to each child. My daughter is learning cursive and is loving it. Many schools have stopped teaching cursive, she comes home each day and tells me what letters she has learned. She has learned typing, art, music, science with science fair. They teach the whole child. We love it. The campus is a happy, wonderful and magical place. There is nature and the walkways are lined with beautiful student art. Every school should be like Castlehill.

Posted: March 11, 2017

Yes, the community is built from ground up. Every student is supported.

Posted: March 11, 2017

I have seen retired teachers come in to assist the classroom teacher with one-to-one reading assistance. They offer homework club, help with homework by a certified teacher.

Posted: March 11, 2017

Excellent curriculum, excellent staff. Everyone works together as a team, they are the best.

Posted: March 11, 2017

Absolutely. Without a doubt they build community, friendships and love for each other.

Posted: March 11, 2017

The teachers are amazing. From the classroom to all the specialist. They help the child advance throughout the year. Just amazing.

Posted: March 11, 2017

A mixture of projects. In first grade I saw my child's homework progress from the start to the end of the year. That's how it should be. I saw the learning and her ability to self monitor grow as the year went on.

Posted: March 1, 2017

Castlehill has been fantastic for my kids the last 7 years! The curriculum is excellent and the teaching staff exceeds my expectations every year. Not only are the classes small but each class has a full-time assistant. Because of this, I feel like the students are able to get individualized attention and help anytime it's needed. All classes are working at least a step above grade level. The students at Castlehill learn to be independent and confident. There are also fantastic specials teachers and classes. Music, computers, art, Spanish and physical development are classes they have every week! The Castlehill community feels like family.

Posted: February 3, 2017

On some Fridays they have Community Colors where they interact with students from other grades and learn about being part of a caring and respectful community.

Posted: February 3, 2017

The teachers at Castlehill are amazing because with the small class size they are able to teach to a child's individual needs.

Posted: February 3, 2017

My Granddaughter started at this school as a Toddler (2) and is now in second grade with some of the same classmates. Castlehill is a home away from home. You can park and walk your child in to the classroom and greet them at the classroom door after school. Or they can stay for fantastic clubs and activities. They even have summer camp programs. The most amazing thing, however, is the small class size and individual attention. This school is the best kept secret in town. Absolutely fantastic !

Posted: January 31, 2017

My son started here in pre-K, and it was immediately a great fit for him. The combo of warm, loving, teachers and fun, engaging, learning exercises (e.g., polar math, with beans, and bears, and penguins... you get the idea) was just perfect for getting our guy to love school, and to learn. Now he is in the "upper school", and it's still perfect. Small classes and (almost?) full-time assistants mean that the teachers really can meet each child where they are, and bring them up from there, so nobody is bored, and nobody is left behind. Generally, the curriculum seems about a year (or more) ahead, but I don't think kids are pressured if that's not right for them. The "specials" teachers are truly inspired -- visitors to our home cannot believe the art that our kid creates, all while learning about the great masters, and the ideas that art embodies. There are lots of after-school clubs, and of course super-friendly parents :)
Our shy-ish boy is comfortable on stage, thanks to this school, and will be very well prepared academically for any middle school and beyond. And, he loves school. I couldn't ask for more.

Posted: January 31, 2017

My son has attended preschool here for 3 years. He is way ahead of the public school system and loves to learn. Castle Hill has excellent teachers and the kids get the attention and education they need.

Posted: January 31, 2017

Excellent teachers who really care about the children.

Posted: January 31, 2017

Posted: August 13, 2016

My child just graduated 5th grade from Castlehill in 2016. He's had been attending this school since he was 3 1/2 years old. This school not only prepares your child in academics but life. He was exposed very early on to speak in front of people, respect for fellow students and teachers. He is now in public school for 6th grade and the impact Castlehill had on him shows!! He's confident, kind, respectful and responsible. Thank you to ALL the Castlehill staff, past and present. Thank you Mrs. Schlossberg for your guidance. Truly an experience we will treasure!

Posted: April 24, 2016

Choosing the right school for our children was not easy. After visiting many excellent schools both public and private, we chose Castlehill. We could not have been more pleased with our decision. We have 2 boys enrolled, one in first and one in second grade. The teachers, including those they see for special classes such as Science and Art, are all talented individuals. They are all dedicated and kind. The average class size is 15 with a full time aid in each classroom. This alone provides my children with more one-on-one individualized education that can not be replicated in a classroom of 25 or more. My children are not exposed to poor classroom behavior as it would not be tolerated. They are exposed to tremendous amount of information and are given opportunities to learn via hands-on experiences that I feel are not always available in other schools. As a parent, I am pleased to be able to know their friends and friends parents very well. There is so much I am grateful for as a parent in this school. I look forward to next year as my youngest begins his journey as a Kindergarten at Castlehill!

Posted: December 6, 2015

This school combines small class sizes with excellent teachers. The teachers get to know your child individually and tailor the work according to their skill level. Your child will have the same specials' (phys ed, music, art, computers) teachers their entire time there and will get to know other grade level teachers through clubs and other activities. This has been hugely important for my son (now in first grade) because he is very shy and takes a while to come out of his shell. But he now feels comfortable, not just with is current teacher, but the teachers he will have in future years as well. The only negative of the school is that communication between admin and parents could be better, but this is a minor detail in the overall picture. In my experience so far, the teachers always have open lines of communication.

Posted: September 6, 2015

Many of the teachers have been there for a very long time and have a lot of experience teaching their grade level. They have fun looking classrooms and really get the kids excited about learning.

Posted: September 6, 2015

The school work is totally doable and teachers are willing to work with you to let you know how to help your child at home.

Posted: September 6, 2015

The kids are taught honest and integrity from a very young age at Castlehill. Kids are treated fairly and in turn treat one another fairly.

Posted: September 6, 2015

Castlehill is an amazing school. My 7 year old and 8 year old both attend and love it there. We began in the preschool program when my son was 4 and at the time my daughter was going to another private school for Kindergarten. When open house came we took the kids to both schools for open house. My daughter said, "I WANT TO GO TO THIS SCHOOL". So we changed her in the middle of Kindergarten. It was a total different experience for her. She no longer talked about bullying or bad things that happened at school, she spoke about the fun things they did and how nice the kids were. We love the teachers, they really work with the parents and parents are welcome to be involved. I love being able to walk them into class every day and have lunch with them whenever I want. The parents are all soooo nice and welcoming and it truly feels like a family. The "Specials" teachers are also above and beyond amazing. Mrs. Valencia the art teacher does AMAZING things with the kids. Mrs. Tinley the science teacher is all about hands on learning. Both Music teachers have the kids perform a show that always leaves me in awe of what these kids are capable of. Mrs. Jorgensen makes PD so much fun and the kids love her. I would say the best thing about this school are the kids, they are all truly nice kids. The older kids play with the younger kids and look out for them. My kids don't talk about bullies at all. The kids are sweet and because the class sizes are small they all tend to become close friends. I love this school!!!!!

Posted: December 29, 2014

I am sad to read some nasty reviews of Castlehill. My daughter has attended from Pre-K to 5th grade. We have loved every teacher, found the curriculum extremely stimulating and appreciate that she also receives specialized art, music, science and physical education, some of which have disappeared in public schools. They also learn to write beautifully in cursive, which public schools have done away with. Any sort of clique or bullying behavior, which it seems is so prevalent in society, is minimal to non-existent. My daughter's classmates are kind to, and supportive of, each other. I have observed some parents who seem driven to complain and find fault, something I imagine permeates other aspects of their lives, and I find it sad they are modeling that behavior for their children. My daughter is well-spoken and has easily tested into another private middle school, something I wholly attribute to her tenure at Castlehill. I recommend it highly.

Posted: November 21, 2014

The great advantage of this school is that the children are rather well behaved. Coming from the chaos of the public schools, that may well be enough for some parents to shell out the tuition. However, do so with fair warning that the education provided is substandard, and children beyond the preschool years are underserved. The administration, namely the headmistress/owner, is not trustworthy. If you are considering the school while speaking with her, I would strongly suggest that you get everything that she promises in writing. I would also strongly discourage any parent from paying the full year's tuition up front, as when you discover the likely bait and switch you will want to have that money for outside tutoring to help your child overcome the educational deficit that the school will cause. Ask for a complete history of teachers in the various grades. There is an extremely high turnover, and most of the teachers (except for the specials teachers) that remain are substandard. Simply put, great teachers won't put up with the administration at this school for long. I gave this school 2 stars rather than 1 because it's mediocre, not completely terrible. Avoid if possible.

Posted: August 6, 2014

The most amazing school in Tucson. A nurturing family environment with educational goals that surpass your expectations. My grand daughter has attended since the Toddler program and now will be in Kindergarten. The Science, Computer, Physical Development, Library, Art teachers are all in addition to classroom teacher. They even offer Chess, Art and Activities after school. Instilling a love of learning, books but the confidence that anything is possible. The best structure and foundation of any school in Tucson. It is not only above grade level education, they reinforce social skills, confidence and with small class sizes each child is treated as an individual. You must visit this school!

Posted: July 7, 2014

This school has its fair share of problems. The main issue is being promised a top notch, above grade level education for 10k and the inability of the teachers and school to deliver. The school seriously lacks up-to- date technology and do not have sufficient support for the technology they do possess. There is considerable, palpable strife among the staff which creates a tense environment. The director does not effectively handle issues among teachers which is a detriment to the entire experience at the school. Students that are consistently on the honor roll are testing low at PUBLIC SCHOOLS yet, the director maintains that she offers a higher level of learning. Be careful of what you believe and whether or not its really worth it to invest 10k in this school.

Posted: June 8, 2014

I went to this school from preschool until fifth grade. I spent 8 years of my life there and to be honest I wouldn't have changed a single thing. Castlehill helped teach honesty, courage, and dedication as well as many other traits. This school also was amazing academically! Unlike most alumni I went to Basis (second best in the country) and thrived there! I was ahead of all of my classmates because of the amazing background that Castlehill gave me. The teachers were helpful an well as supportive. They shaped me into the young women I am today. In every class I had throughout my time there, there was much cultural diversity contrary to what other reviews have said. In conclusion, I would honestly like to thank Castlehill for the amazing experience I had there.

Posted: May 11, 2014

My son was in Castlehill for three years from third to fifth. In my opinion, having had another child in the foothills, Castlehill beats them all hands down. I have nothing but positive words to say regarding the academics. And the principal, Arlene, is very kind and loving to the children. The campus is nice, clean and pleasant. My son had a wonderful teacher for third and fourth. His fifth grade teacher was not a good teacher in my opinion. She has since been moved to a lower grade which will probably work great. I found all the parents to be very nice. I did not feel any since of snobbery as someone mentioned below and honestly many kids are there on scholarships. The "only" thing I felt was poor was the way bullying was handled. Yes they spoke to the boy, but when it continues than it is not being handled correctly. There was one boy who bullied everyone and every time we complained, the office called him in. Yet, it continued for all three years. I couldn't help but feel the tuition his family paid kept the school from suspending him. We finally told the school to let his family know if it did not stop we would be calling the police. Then it stopped.

Posted: April 22, 2014

the administration in so mean. don't go to this school unless you love everything they do. nothing here will change so love it or leave it.

Posted: February 1, 2014

RUN!..and don't look back. Every negative post 100% accurate. Positive ones likely solicited. No refunds: If a child is pulled, there is something behind a parent willing to forfeit payment. No sense of community. Parents embattled in a never-ending game of "one-up". Noses held high. Zero economic diversity, subsequently kids have hefty entitlement/behavioral issues and, since parents insist on handpicking their child's playmates to ensure optimum exposure to the 'elite', they are incapable of interacting with each other on their own terms. Arrogance palpable. HM readily available for questions, tours, endless words of encouragement, -then vaporizes once paid. (No sighting for months and not so much as a phone call as to why we pulled our children). With our FULL tuition PAID IN ADVANCE, this should be very telling. Even tried to encourage us to enroll 1 of our children IN A LOWER GRADE because there wasn't a "spot available" at the time. This was pushed in every way imaginable from "You don't want your child to be the youngest, do you?", "We teach at an accelerated level so it would be the same as" to "This is our standard policy based on child's birth date". ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Posted: August 19, 2013

Wish the administration would give us a good reason to stay and spend 10 k. So much attrition so many teachers quitting and the constant shuffle of moving teachers around is disturbing. Front office often makes us feel we are being a pain when asking questions. Making money seems to be a priority over kids and parents. Maybe this was a great school once but would advise to look for alternatives as we will for next year. Constintently nickel and dimed. Where does all the money go?

Posted: October 24, 2012

Castlehill is an AMAZING school! I disagree with every point the reviewer on August 28th, 2012 made. The office staff is so welcoming and friendly, the teachers are fantastic, and it's a very diverse group of kids. We couldn't be happier at this school, it met every thing on our long list of desires for our child.

Posted: August 27, 2012

Castlehill turned out to be unable to live up to it's reputation. I feel the school has gone downhill in recent years and it shows with the number of parents pulling their children from the school. The arrogance is palpable yet unfounded. Class sizes are small which is nice in the beginning, but as children age they need to be around more children and children of diverse backgrounds as this is what the "real world" is all about. Castlehill certainly keeps them in a bubble. The office staff always made me feel I was bothering them when I came in to ask for assistance or to simply buy tickets for an event or make a payment. Very unfriendly! They charge $400 to register each child. The question is where is this money going? The infrastructure is crumbling with old playground equipment and modular classrooms. The entry off of Craycroft Rd. is uninviting with a vinyl sign displaying the school name and a chain-link fence running around the property covered with green landscape fabric. For a top-notch school the appearances are frankly embarassing. There are much better alternatives in this community. Constant fundraising and requests for money are another downfall.

Posted: February 27, 2012

We recently moved to California and we cannot find a school comparable to what we had at Castlehill. All the teachers were fantastic. My kids come home from their current school saying how much they miss all there was to offer at Castlehill. The art, music, science, spanish...everything exceeded my expectations. There is lots of parent involvement and you feel special and welcome there. Arlene was always there for me when I needed her and she continues to be a resource for me even after we have moved away. It is a wonderful place to be. Highly recommend!!!

#	Name	Type	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance
1	Crow Creek Townhomes	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Tucson	AZ		2.1 mi
2	Austin Point	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Tucson	AZ		8.1 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Foothills	Tucson	AZ	2.9 mi
2	Allegro	Tucson	AZ	4.8 mi
3	Reid Park and Zoo Area	Tucson	AZ	5 mi
4	Artistic District	Tucson	AZ	5.2 mi
5	Old Spanish Trail/Harrison Area	Tucson	AZ	8.1 mi

Castlehill Country Day School

Tucson, AZ 85712

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Castlehill Country Day School

Tucson, AZ 85712

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