Ralston Intermediate School

I agree with other reviews, that this once excellent school has been declining over the past 5 years. The once strong administration has been replaced by a weak, unresponsive group. They do not respond to parent concerns or address issues as they come up. The math and science at this school is far below par. A couple of teachers in these departments are very poor. Students unlucky enough to have one of these teachers will experience a set back. Even with parent complaints, these issues have never been addressed. Although most students at this school are well behaved, the disrespectful and disruptive behavior of some students is never addressed by the staff or administration. With over 1000 students, safety is a concern with this lax attitude of the administration. There are a few bright spots. The instrumental music program is strong. Overall, our family has witnessed a sharp decline in the 8 years that we have had children enrolled here. With the principal leaving, our hopes are that they will find a strong replacement and finally address some of the problems with the teaching staff. With the growth (+200 students in 5 years), new and creative ideas are needed--not status quo.
--Submitted by a parent

Ralston is a good school with some bad spots. I graduated last year and I think your experience with Ralston pretty much depends on which teachers you get. There are a lot of really great ones (Colt, Webster, all the PE teachers, Matilla, Rosas, Duncalf, Natoli, Sveda, Means, etc). But, if you get one of the bad teachers (Mugs, Frey, Lyn), that class will literally ruin your year. There is no reason why some teachers haven't been fired yet, because their classes are confusing and they don't teach. But, if you avoid them, Ralston will be a fantastic experience. There is bullying, but just as much as any other school. Ralston was an average experience for me, because the really bad teachers cancelled out the really amazing ones.

My feedback is extremely positive. The school's API scores are comparable to many Palo Alto public schools and the school administration and teachers are excellent. We had my daughter transfer from Notre Dame to Ralston in 7th grade because we felt that she wasn't getting the right challenge that she was used to the Belmont Redwood Shores public school system. My daughter is in Carlmont now and she still misses her Middle School teachers a lot. Teachers like Mr Rosas are so supportive of the childrens' efforts. My son is in 7th grade now and has always been on the Prinicipal's list and continues to shine in school. The Principal, Vice Principal, Dean, Maths, Science , Music teachers are all fabulous and our family absolutely love this school. My son who is a high achieving disciplined well rounded student owes a lot to this school. So does my daughter who is a freshman in high school now.
--Submitted by a parent

I'm very 'meh' about this place. Some teachers are good, some are the pits. My daughter's science teacher this year is loading them with busy work (a coloring assignment for 7th graders, really?) so I'm taking it upon myself to supplement her work with books/activities I'll buy on my own. If there's ever an issue with another student (bullying, teasing) get out that student directory and email the other parent and cc the teacher but don't expect the faculty or administration to do a darn thing. The music program and advanced math/reading are some of the highlights. A few teachers truly shine, motivating/challenging kids and keeping parents informed but there are an equal number of lemons.
--Submitted by a parent

As with any school, you get good and bad at Ralston, in this case adding up to mediocre. There are a few truly excellent teachers, but many of the classes are not challenging, or are ineffective babysitting services. The PE program is strong. There is little sense of community, and there is a lot more bullying and hazing behavior than is reported. There are bright spots: teachers like Mr. Colt in English, and the new Mandarin program. If your child is surrounded by a strong clique of established friends, they may like the school.
--Submitted by a parent

Ralston has few good teachers, the ones that were are retired, and the rest are neurotic. I cant stand the mediocre teaching environment, the principal is nutty and the vice and dean are unreliable. Do Not Send your kids here. I did not enjoy it at all and have since moved into a private school.

I graduated last year, and I can honestly say that my experience here was terrible. I am a 4.0 student, and that made no difference in the treatment. There are far too many students in such a crowded space, and the new administrative staff is terrible. They do not know the kids at all, and act like we are all in gangs. None of the teachers like the administrators. Overll, bad.

I could not disagree more with some of these positive posts. There was a complete administrative change a few years ago - new Principal, new Vice Principal and new Dean. If your student is an A student then you will love this school. If your student requires any sort of help or intervention then watch out. Communication from teachers is terrible. There are no systems in place so every teacher does their own thing with grading and parent communication. Good luck trying to get a teacher to email you back in a timely way. A handful of the teachers are fantastic but many should just retire and get out of the way. This is a big school of over 800 kids and many of the mediocre teachers use that as an excuse for why they haven't done their job. This school has been a huge disappointment for our
--Submitted by a parent

Ralston keeps impressing us everyday. Everything you want from a middle school, they have. Awesome administration, engaged teachers and a myriad of student personalities so everyone feels they can fit in and make friends. The sports program is top notch. It has motivated my child to become more fit and now gym is one of her favorite classes. The honors classes challenge students and encourage creativity. Overall, we couldn't be happier.
--Submitted by a parent

This school feels like an extension of family. There is genuine care, concern and teamwork at one of the most critical junctures of a student's life. The bridge between young child and soon to be high school student is traversed with great support, by a strong team of caring, dedicated participants.
--Submitted by a parent