Santa Lucia Middle School

The administration and teachers at Santa Lucia Middle School are amazing. The new administration in the last two years has made terrific program changes which my children are benefitting from. The Principal has an open door policy for students and parents alike. The teachers show care and concern for their students from both academic and "regular life" perspectives. The Power School program really gives parents and teachers the opportunity to communicate well. The campus provides as much as a family-like feel as you'll find for a middle school.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a terrible school and the morale is very low. Several teachers are abusive and get away with it because they have done it for so long. It is also challenged by a huge number of ESL kids which are struggling to learn a second language before they can learn math and literature. Leadership is poor, the site is old, the kids are demoralized. Pass on this school if you can for your kids sake.
--Submitted by a parent

I think the Santa Lucia Middle School is a great school. My child gets great education and it still has physical education. Other schools dont. It has a music program that many other schools don't have. I would recomend this school for kids.
--Submitted by a parent

The 793 API is incorrect. It should be 801. Santa Lucia reached over 800 on the STAR exams this year and was asked to apply to be a California Distinguished School by the state Board of Education. It passed the evaluation by the visiting team and was awarded the designation of 'Distinguished School for 2008 - 2009' just this month. There were only 2 schools in this county that received that award this year. The teachers and staff were able to reach all subgroups of students to show equitable improvement in all areas.
--Submitted by a parent

Both of my children attended this school and thrived while here. One still does. They were involved in extracurricular activities and sports, and were/are engaged in their academic learning. The principal is involved with the campus and students every day interacting with the students during lunch and breaks. Teachers have been and are dedicated to seeing that students within their classes perform to the state standards and higher. They spend hours after school (beyond the usual teacher hours) working with students or collaborating with each other. They are experienced, highly educated professionals with a willingness to learn and try new technology and /or strategies to see that every student learns at Santa Lucia.
--Submitted by a parent

This school continues to under perform despite good community involvement. The school in general needs new faces and a fresh start. Politics will prevent this, however. It is depressing to watch this school under preform year after year. The Math program is abysmal, which doesn't bode well. If you want mediocrity and status quo this is your school!
--Submitted by a teacher

SL is a small place run. It needs fresh leadership to bring it into the 21st century. Parents are not welcomed into the process of setting the direction for the school. They are utilized as volunteers, but have little effect on the school's overall direction. There are several dedicated teachers, but in general the school lacks perspective on the amount of homework required for middle school students. SL needs new leadership and fresh perspectives.
--Submitted by a parent

Academics wise, this school does not set the bar high. All learning caters to the lower-acheiving students. The only music programs avalible are band and choir. There are no art classes, and the only school sports teams are a girls basketball team, a boys basketball team, and a girls vollyball team. Electives include: choir, band, core assist(doing homework), yearbook/jourmnalism, leadership, office aid, teacher assist., and keyboarding. Many parents who care about their kids academic standards become involved in this school, volunteering their time, in places such as working at the school's library. I would not reccomend this school, and the principal is not open to change. Please take my advice!! Good luck choosing the right school for your child(ren).
--Submitted by Sophie Larquene, a parent