Yak Academy

Both my kids went here in their preschool ages for Spanish, and after school in elementary school. What a great foundation it set for them it provided in learning another language. Great staff, many of the teachers we had are still there! If you are looking to give your kids an intro to another language, whether you speak it or not, it’s a great place to take them in the South Bay.

What an amazing environment to expose your toddler to languages. My daughter Grace has been taking Spanish class since 20 months and just loves Miss Blanca. The teaching style is fun and educational. Miss Blanca keeps the kids engaged and the class moving — highly recommend this class.

We moved our daughter from a local preschool to YAK Academy 3 days a week for Spanish Immersion Preschol, and we could not be happier we did. Every time my wife or I picks up my daughter, she is so happy, and we comment on how wonderful all the teachers are. They make learning a new language so much fun! Our 7 year old also takes an after school class 1 day a week, and believe it or not, he actually looks forward to spending 2 hours after school at Yak Academy. They care about kids, and it shows on the faces of all the kids!

We’ve been coming to Yak Academy since my 6 year old was 6 months. I now have both my children attending Spanish enrichment courses. They LOVE it and are learning so much. Teachers are all friendly and energetic. Great place to consider if you are looking for a language school in the South Bay!

Yak Academy is a great school. Both of my kids started at 18 months in the mommy & me Spanish enrichment class. If we lived closer I would have sent my daughter to 1 – 2 days of preschool too. The teachers are wonderful. I highly recommend this school to anyone in search of a language school for their children.

My son has been attending Yak Academy weekly for the past 2 years. He has developed a strong foundation of Spanish language at only three years old. We are so happy with everything about Yak. The staff is kind and knowledgeable, they offer great camps, and they do an amazing job teaching Spanish!

Yak Academy’s enrichment classes are geared toward raising bilingual kids, which is what I was looking for. Through the use of toys, songs, arts and crafts, my child continues to learn new vocabulary every week. He has plenty of fun while absorbing new words and concepts in a welcoming and warm environment.

My 6 year old daughter has been attending the Saturday morning enrichment class for about 2 ½ years. I wanted to expose her to Spanish at a young age so that Spanish is wired into her brain without having to think about it. She is not a native speaker and Spanish is not spoken in the home so I am just letting her have fun in class without any pressure from me. She thoroughly enjoys the class so much so that she would rather get up early Saturday morning to make it to class rather than sleep in thereby missing the class. She has fun every Saturday morning because it’s play-​based. I love all the Spanish instructors.

Yak Academy is a great little school!
Our daughter is enrolled in the mandarin immersion program and is learning very well.
She really likes the school and her teachers.
I get the impression the teachers really like working there, too.
Everyone is always friendly and welcoming, lots of smiles.
The kids learn in what I would call a playful way and seem to have lots of fun.
I often wait until the classes are over, working on my laptop in the small lobby.
I have yet to see a crying child, which In my opinion equals a little miracle.
The kids don’t get «drilled», disciplined or coerced into learning, as we have seen happen while touring other schools (to the point where it felt like we stepped into some authoritarian institution in Beijing).
But I digress: What’s important is that our daughter is always happy to go to Yak Academy. She’s having fun while learning and is always cheerful when she comes out of the classroom.
I personally can’t think of anything more to ask from a school.
P. S.: The healthy, vegan food options nearby are a bonus if I have time to go for a snack.

Both my kids go to this school and we love it!!! The teachers are wonderful, kind and loving! They treat your kid as if they were their own. My eldest was a bit of a challenge at the beginning and still is at times but they have always been great with him and helped him grown and learn. Teacher blanca is simply amazing and we are glad we found this place!!!

Yak has been an amazing place for my three kids! They have learned so much and they have grown to love language! I feel so lucky to have found Yak and love how much fun my kids have there.

I cannot simply put in words how HAPPY we are to have our daughter at the Yak Academy. Our daughter first went to Yak when she was about 1 and ½ years old. She did the Mommy and Me Spanish Class on Saturday mornings. Her teacher was Ms. Maria and she is AMAZING!!! She is patient, helpful, and very kind. The class used play activities to teach the students Spanish.
Currently, my daughter is in the Yak Academy Preschool program, specifically immersion bound. The immersion bound program has really helped my daughter increase her Spanish speaking ability. This program is really meant to help the students get ready to test for Spanish Immersion Programs. The students get a lot of one-​on-​one time with the teacher, and they are very informative about where your child stands.
All the teachers and the director are extremely nice and accommodating. They are very informative and really communicate everything going on at school with your child. They really treat all the kids like they are their own. I also like that the class size is small so each student really gets a lot of time with the teacher. My daughter will be going to Kindergarten but I will continue to keep her at the Yak Academy for Spanish classes because our family has really bonded with the teachers and director. I want to continue to support the Yak Academy and its employees!
WE LOVE YAK!!!

This last summer, Yak got a new owner, Blanca Bastian. She has been teaching at Yak for years and is intimately connected to the Spanish-​speaking community in the South Bay.
My 2-​year-​old daughter *adores* her. I am not exaggerating when I say Miss Blanca has as much energy as my active little girl. She is unstoppable! She is warm, open, kind, and fun. She’s also done an amazing job at outreach. Yak has really stabilized and grown since she took over. The other Spanish teachers are fantastic as well. They are all gems.
A quick example: I recently enrolled my daughter in the transitional-​twos preschool program one day a week. She was experiencing a little separation anxiety. Miss Blanca noticed that she loves dolls. So she brought an entire collection of American Girl dolls and outfits from home! My daughter was thrilled and overcame her anxiety on the spot. This type of thoughtful concern has made us feel completely welcome and special.
Another hidden gem: Yak’s Spanish zumba class on Tuesdays at 4:30 pm! If your child likes to move, this is an *awesome* way to sneak in a dose of Spanish immersion, while s/​he is rocking out. My little girl looks forward to this all week.

Both of my children go to this school. I have an 18 month old and a 3 year old. We do the mommy and me class for my little one. Teachers Maria and Blanca are wonderful with my daughter. My 3 year old goes 3 – 4 times a week for Spanish classes and is now speaking Spanish to me at home. She loves Carina and Maria. The classes are immersion based and my daughters are both flourishing.
The things I love:
— The immersion based program
— Play based learning
— The topics covered (numbers, letters, colors, five senses, seasons, holidays, days of the week, etc.)
— The way the kids move through the building throughout the day (minimizes the opportunity to get bored in one location)
— The use of music and physical activities to keep kids engaged
— The kindness of the staff in supporting me in my own endeavors to learn Spanish
I used to be frustrated with the administrative aspects of the school, but since new ownership has come in (Blanca Bastian), I have not had any problems. Responses are timely, my questions are answered, the staff is respectful and I don’t feel like I’m getting the runaround.
Also, the front desk staffers have changed for the better. :)

Now that Yak Academy is under new management, the center is really flourishing. Blanca is the most amazing teacher. My kids absolutely adore her. I started the mommy and me classes with my daughter when she was two and eventually put her in the pre-​school there as well. My daughter started kindergarten this year at a Spanish immersion elementary and tested into the program as a «native speaker.» She understands everything the teacher says, which is pretty amazing considering my husband and I don’t speak the language. Yak provided a great foundation for my daughter and not to mention the teachers and staff are wonderful!

I love Yak Academy and was thrilled to see it go under new ownership this summer. The native language teachers have always been great in the past. I know it will grow and prosper under the new management.
My daughter and I started taking Mommy & Me classes when she was 2 and I loved being in the classroom learning Spanish with her. She loved the activities, snacks and songs; I loved learning a little Spanish myself.
When she was 4 she attended preschool there 2 mornings a week and was quickly picking up words while «playing». She learned so much and loved going. I didn’t realize just how much she learned until we enrolled her in Spanish Immersion Kindergarten. My husband and I do not speak Spanish. The first week of Kindergarten the teacher said she tested the highest in the class on knowing her colors, shapes, days of the week and counting etc. The teacher said she had a perfect Spanish accent and assumed she had learned Spanish at home.
She is fluent in Spanish now and has started taking Mandarin classes at Yak also.
They always offer free trial classes so you can check it out.

I am a former Spanish Teacher at Yak Academy. I’ve taught there from 2006 – 2010. Unfortunately, I had to part ways as an instructor to pursue my personal academic goals.
Yak Academy integrates fun play-​based immersion, world-​class native speaking instructors, and a unique environment of learning to create a powerful and effective world language experience.
Yak Academy has recently been acquired by new owners (The Bastian Family), who have been loyal patrons of the school. Miss Blanca is actually one of the Spanish Preschool Teachers.
I believe that the overall mission of the school — to Build World Citizens, has been met in the past, and will continue to do so. All of the instructors, both past and present, create a fun and nurturing environment for children to learn.
I now bring my daughter here for Spanish mommy and me classes and she loves it!
So, if you are interested in Language for your children, schedule a free trial and get to know owners for yourself. I’m positive that Yak Academy will make a first good impression from here on out.

My kids have been taking Mandarin here since they were a little over 2 years old and it’s great! Parents have to be in the class until your kids turn 3 (which is great if the parent is not a native speaker — I have learned quite a bit myself). After they turn 3 you have to wait outside, but my kids still love it. Classes are 45 — 60 minutes long and offer some freeplay, snack time, art time, singing, dancing… you get the gist. The teachers and manager there are really sweet & so is the director/​owner (Marie). They offer quite a few languages and several class times are available so it was easy to fit into our family’s schedule. Not super cheap but what is nowadays. Definitely worth it! Also, they offer a free trial class so there is nothing to lose. Check it.