Pros
Tessellations started as something genuinely different: a progressive, whole-child approach to gifted education that rejected the typical Silicon Valley intensity and competition. The students and families are bright, invested, and full of energy — it’s a community with real heart. And when the school actually lives its founding values, the kids flourish. Many teachers are here because they believe deeply in gifted education and in supporting the emotional depth and intensity these learners bring.
Cons
The day-to-day working environment is chaotic and demoralizing. Administrative disorganization and a lack of trust in teachers drive constant scrambling: chronic staffing gaps, last-minute schedule changes, surprise meetings, logistical breakdowns, technology outages, etc. Basic operational needs routinely go unmet — teachers without classroom keys or parking, limited access to essential systems and student data — there's unnecessary friction at every turn. Meanwhile, the progressive, interdisciplinary learning that once defined the school is being dismantled in favor of rigid departmentalization, coverage-driven pacing, and a steady diet of homework, quizzes, and tests. We are rapidly becoming indistinguishable from the high-pressure private schools we were supposed to offer an alternative to, and the escalating demands from both families and administration are making the teaching experience increasingly unsustainable and unenjoyable.