Agua Caliente School

Great teachers that make your childrentheir family. This small campus houses less than 500 students K-6 and also has an onsite private preschool. The Kindergarten classes focus heavily on reading and writing skills. The strong First grade team encourages readers and emerging readers with multiple activities that engage children. Second grade rocks the school with a power house team that starts the year running and never stops! Students are expected to enter the year with strong reading, writing and math skills. Third grade students study a multitude of subjects ranging from worms, the human body, and ancient Greece. Our Fourth graders spend the year learning AZ history in a variety of ways as well as intense science lab work and loads of reading and reports. The Fifth grade students present many power point presentations on such things as endangered species and space. Sixth grade is the home of the World Festival in which every student studies a seperate country, writes a comprhensive paper about the country and then presents a visual display (in costume) of the things they learned about their country as well as feasting on ethnic foods they have prepared themselves.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is amazing. In a climate of budget cuts form the federal as well as state level, this school district has managed to retain every staff member and classes such as Art, Music, Spanish and P.E. As to the parent complaing about cupcakes brought in by children with birthday's...sounds like you need to home school! How dare you try to control not ony your own child's food intake but that of every child on that campus! I've had kids in other schools and I'll tell you that the food the school serves here is so much better than other schools. Oh, and by the way...those state statutes do not cover food provided to students from a private home. They are mandated rules the schools must follow....not the parents! If you don't want your child to participate...tell them not to eat! |(poor little kid!)
—Submitted by a parent

My son has been going here since Kinder. He is in 1st grade now and I have had nothing but a very positive experience with the teachers and staff. My son had a rough start and so I have had to have plenty of interaction with teachers, staff, and the principal and they all have been wonderful and very supportive. Together we have been able to provide a wonderful place for my son to learn and grow. I would highly recommend this school. I love that they push the students to excel and not just barely meet the state standard. This school provides a wonderful and exciting environment for children and opportunities that other schools simply don't offer any more due to budget cuts like P.E. and field trips, and healthy school lunch options. All of which are extremely important in helping to fight childhood obesity. I truly feel this school and district have my childs best interests at heart and are not just interested in finding new ways to cut thier budget by cutting my childs education like other schools are in this town.
—Submitted by a parent

Parents should not have to instruct each year to their child's teacher to not give their child cupcakes or treats each time a child celebrates their birthday during school hours. Kids go to school to learn not to eat cupcakes and treats. The Arizona standards from dept of education states on ARS 15-242 needs to enforced. Part D. Foods of minimal nutritional value as defined by 7 code of federal Regulations section 210.11(2) Shall not be served or sold during the normal school day on any elementary school, middle school, or junior high school campus. (2) Food of minimal nutritional value means: (i) In the case of artificially sweetened foods, a food which provides less than five percent of the reference daily intakes (RDI) for each of eight specified nutrients per serving; and (ii) in the case of all other foods, a food which provides less than five percent of the RDI for each of eight specified nutrients per 100 calories and less than five percent of the RDI for each of Eight specified nutrients per serving.
—Submitted by a parent

This is the worst school ever! My son went to 5th grade at Agua Caliente. The teachers, principle and even the office staff were horrible. My son had been a straight A student since kindergarten,until his 5th grade year here! He struggled with his grades, but mostly with the teachers. I had many issues with the teachers, front staff and principle. Whenever I tried to contact the teachers or the principle about a problem, which was all the time, they would take days to get back to me,sometimes never. I became friends with other parents and I never met one that did not have the same problems. Many parents have even removed their children and found other schools. We were excited for our son to go to this school because of the high ratings on great schools, but could not have been more disappointed throughout the entire year! I could not have been happier when my husband got transferred and we got the joy of moving away from this school!
—Submitted by a parent

My grandaughter is a student at Agua Caliente. As a retired teacher and administrator (from two other districts), I am thoroughly impressed with this school! Every contact I've had has been outstanding. My grandaughter loves the place and major credit for that goes to the quality and enthusiasm of the entire staff as well as the range of programs & activities you have managed to preserve in the face of the state's slashing budget cuts.

I teach Spanish at Agua Caliente School and I just love it. The students are exceptional. I provide cultural experiences for the preschool students that are on site too. It is so much fun to see the children's faces light up when they make sugar skulls or decorate pinatas for the Pima County Fair. My son, who is in the Tanque Verde Parent Participation Preschool Program, on the ACES campus, will definitely attend this school. I am proud to be a teacher and a parent here! The staff is dedicated and hardworking. Everyone is a real team. We are very appreciative of the parent support. It's phenomenal.
—Submitted by a teacher

I have to move from this district and I'm honestly heartbroken! This school has been amazing with my kids. I am truly sorry to say goodbye.
—Submitted by a parent

Excited for new principal, and idea that our child could return to ACES. My special needs child was not welcome there. She never said this. But actions speak louder than words.
—Submitted by a parent

Our granddaughters go there and they love it!

I don't think the last reviewer's assessment of the school and special needs kids is at accurate. My daughter's kindergarten class last year had 2 special needs children and they seemed to receive lots of care and attention from the teacher, aids and even Dr. Yopp . I think the school and Dr. Yopp do a lot for all the kids--special needs included. I have heard some parents say our school is becoming known as a school for kids with special needs. This is a nice, small school with good academics and a fantastic staff. This school offers many extra classes, specialists and testing. I am very happy with our experiences so far at this school. With open enrollment the classes are more diverse and the student body a bit bigger, but that has not taken away from the learning. All students are treated well regardless of special needs.
—Submitted by a parent

I know of 4 students who moved away to the other elementary school this year. All were special needs. Kids needing extra help or who's parents assert themselves slowly but surely find themselves wondering why they fight and if they can win. Yopp wants a smooth operation, not kids with ADHD. From what I saw it was not mean, but she is in over her head to help kids who need more, and further ties the hands of staff who openly support kids and parents who need more help and cost more to teach. It seems she wants them to go away and smiles politely but nothing changes and eventually she gets what she wants since a parent cant wait forever before the kid gets help.
—Submitted by a parent

We moved here last year to be in this District. My Daughter loved her first year here! She is special needs and the School has been wonderful with every aspect of her development. My second daughter will be starting this fall and is very excited, due to the whole staff making her feel welcome when she helps pick up her big sister. Dr. Yopp could not be a better Principal as far as our experience in the last year. She has gone out of her way to make everyone feel welcome, safe and happy. I think she tries her hardest to find an equal balance between staff and parents. There are the cliques here if you were not born here or did not start your children here. Otherwise, we are truly happy that when we moved from another state we chose this District.
—Submitted by a parent

It was my school last year! It rocks!!
—Submitted by a student

Agua Caliente Elementary is an excellent school for children to attend. The class sizes are the perfect size. There's just enough kids to make everything work. Parents are always volunteering for various activities. The students are just as great. They are always lending a hand to the other students and to the land. The principal, Dr. Yopp, is wonderful. She's always doing the quirkiest things to help the school raise money. This is her second year of teaching and there are certainly more years to come. Everyone's waiting to see what zany thing she'll plan to do next year.
—Submitted by a student

The principal of this school tries to hard to please everyone. She tells students one thing, staff another, and parents yet another. She keeps her focus on things like a student newscast using new AV copmpuers, yet there are classrooms without working computers or power outlets. Vandals have cause major damage on campus over the past two years and there have been no security changes. She is very nice, but there is such a thing as too nice.
—Submitted by a parent

We started at this school this fall and have been so pleased. The new principal is proving to be a great leader and very accessible to the parents. Both of my sons teachers are motivated, enthusiastic and caring. My boys are enthusiastic about the extracurricular activities. The PTG is all about raising funds (as stated in another review) and I am glad for them and all that the group does to improve the facilities (A Big Shout Out to the chairpersons of this years Fall Festival! Great Job!) All in all, a great education for my children and a great community to be a part of.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter and son were always happy going to this school for 6 years. With any school there are good and bad teachers. This school has some that should retire. There are some teachers that are very, very motivating. The PTG is about making money, but has no discipline on where they spend it. Some of the things are very worthwhile, while others are a waste. The parent involvement holds this school and it's extracaricular activities together. The parents support the teachers and the teachers teach our children, a great circle of education.
—Submitted by a parent

While the schools are wonderful and the teaching staff shows great intrest in the students and their families, the district governing board leaves a great deal to be desired. They have alienated the staff,employees and families with their poor decisions,lack of consideration, and their total disregard of the wishes of the families they are supposed to represent. The faculty strive to overcome the major obstacles placed in the educational path of their students, but the board makes it increasinly difficult.
—Submitted by a student

I currently have 3 children attending ACES. This is our 2nd year there. My children are very happy, and love all their teachers. I volunteer in two of my kids classrooms weekly, and get to see just how wonderfully the teachers interact with all of the children. The few problems we have had with other children were handled immediatly by the Principal. She is a constant positive presence on campass. Always happy to answer any questions. My kids come home happy and well educated everyday.
—Submitted by a parent