Challenge School - Belmont, California

Jane Zhang

I can’t recommend Challenge School enough! Both my son and daughter have been students there for several years, and they’ve truly enjoyed their experience.

One of the best things is the convenient after-school pick-up from local public schools in Belmont and Redwood Shores. Teacher Kelly and the entire staff are fantastic—they genuinely care about the kids and always arrive on time for pick-ups, rain or shine. They ensure that no child is left behind, which gives me peace of mind.

Every Wednesday, the kids get to play at a nearby public park, which is definitely their favorite day of the week! It’s a great way for them to unwind and have fun with their friends.

The school also encourages public speaking, giving students the chance to present in front of everyone, which is such a valuable opportunity. Plus, they offer a wonderful education in Chinese culture, celebrating many traditional festivals and inviting parents to join in the festivities.

Academically, Challenge School focuses on Mandarin and math, with enrichment classes like art and dance available. I appreciate that the curriculum is tailored to meet each child’s needs; for example, my son has been able to advance to a higher grade based on his abilities. Teacher Xiaoxiao has been especially attentive, providing assignments that match his progress, and we’re so grateful for that support.

Overall, Challenge School fosters a loving and caring learning environment that our whole family appreciates. It’s truly a special place!

Tiffany Chiu

This is our second year with Challenge after school for my two kids. Our youngest started in their preschool program and learned so much. All the teachers and staff were so supportive. We hoped they could continue to learn Chinese when they moved to elementary school. Teacher Kelly and the other teachers are always so fun and engaging. They do monthly speeches which has helped our kids learn to memorize and work on conversing in Chinese. They also offer a variety of after extracurriculars as well to help supplement the curriculum. Our children have loved their time there and we would recommend this program to any families looking for a fun supportive Chinese learning environment!

Jeanne Hsu

We have been part of the Challenge school community for the last 4 years with both of my daughters being current students. The school conveniently offers pick up from BRSSD schools, and provides excellent curriculum in learning Mandarin. They offer multiple types of math extracurricular classes, and are also walkable next door to a dance academy. I have been amazed at how many chinese characters my daughters recognize. I highly recommend Challenge school for anyone looking to expose children to Chinese culture and language.

Elva Huang

I am a huge fan of Challenge School for the caring teachers, structured (but fun) schedule, and the environment that gifts my children an understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture, traditions, and language. Challenge School has been a part of my family's life for over 5 years. We first started with their preschool at a different campus, which was a sweet and nurturing place for my children (pre and post Covid days!). Now, both of my children are at the Challenge School after school program. They are thriving in the environment that truly helps them develop as whole individuals- not only focused on academics, but also on being respectful, well-rounded people. Although they don't offer a pickup from my kids BRSSD elementary school, we still prioritized sending them to Challenge because we see the benefits of their program. The staff is responsive and helpful and my kids come home happy every day! Pics attached of my son during Lunar New Year performing the diabolo, and my daughter during the Hillsdale Mall performance during the holidays!

Alicia Chen

My daughter has been here for a few years. The teachers are generally great and Teacher Kelly, the main teacher, is very responsive. My daughter was allowed to skip to the next level for Chinese and math based on her ability, which was great. They have the kids do public speaking in front of the entire school every month, which is great practice. They also have regular performances and activities for the parents which is nice. Enrichment classes can be a bit hit or miss but we've found a few we really like (math, art), and the teachers will conveniently walk your kids to the nearby dance studio and martial arts dojo for additional "enrichment" options, which is very nice.

Long Lin

Great school and very nice teachers! I would highly recommend Challenge School if your kids are in the peninsula area and would like to learn Mandarin during after school.

The school offers after school pick up from a couple of public schools in Belmont. That really helps and saves us lots of time!

David Yang

Teacher Kelly and the staff do a wonderful job fostering, teaching and loving the kids. Our daughter loves her time there and is excited to attend each day. They also offer safe and convenient pick and drop off from nearby BRSSD elementary schools which make it very convenient for us.

Long Yang

Both my kids attended Challenge School at Belmont for many years. They had such a good experience which exceeded our expectation in many ways.

The school has caring staff and offers a fun and engaging learning environment. My kids enjoyed their time at the school. They made lots of friends. Our whole family enjoyed the Chinese New Year party, Christmas performance, Halloween costume parade, and other activities. It became an integral part of our community experience.

Principle Kelly is dedicated to teaching and has endless ideas of enrichment activities. My kids improved their Chinese reading/writing, math, public speaking throughout the years. My son is in his Chinese Pre-AP class now and doing well, thanks to the foundation he built up at the Challenge School.

I would strongly recommend Challenge School at Belmont to any parents who are looking for a convenient after-school program where kids continue to learn.