Pacific Rim Elementary School

My child is a special needs student and the staff at Pac Rim has done an amazing job with him. He has come up 2 grade levels in one year. The teachers, principal and Special Ed staff all work together to support him. Excellent teachers! Amazing principal knows every student and parent and provides strong leadership. They are teaching my child skills he will use for the rest of his life.
--Submitted by a parent

Teachers and the principal do not work well with special needs kids. They only blame the parent and do little or nothing to help. You will need a lawyer if want services required under law.
--Submitted by a parent

Pacific Rim is hands down the best school in San Diego County. I personally have taught at many schools throughout the county as a temp and I have never been so intrigued by a school, staff and definitely principal. The involvement and sense of community is beyond any I have seen. I felt like I should write a review because I read all of these and there were a few that really pinpointed kindergarten and looked down upon the class size and ratios. As a current kindergarten teacher (not at Pac Rim, unfortunately) I don't think parents understand that schools do not make these placements. It is directly correlated to the district and the state, depending on the budget level. We all know there are not funds to provide a decent amount of teachers to our schools. Pacific Rim is the best place for children and it's too bad they can't double the size so more students can attend. They do focus on test scores, but not solely. Their primary focus is the growth and wellbeing of the children... It's a plus that they can work so diligently that their test scores are on top. If you live in this community and are lucky enough to have your students attend, take the opportunity. It's amazing.
--Submitted by a teacher

This school is just wonderful! I have one daughter who goes to this school and I enrolled my other one (older) in a private Catholic school. While I am satisfied with the social environment of both schools, I see that the education in Pac Rim is superior than that of my other daughter's private school. I love the teachers here and the principal is very outgoing and friendly. Their homework policy is very strict. My daughter got detention when she didn't turn in her homework on time! they encourage parents to participate in school activities and I feel of all the public schools my daughter has been in, this is one school that does not constantly ask and pressure you for donations. Overall, I am happy with Pacific Rim!
--Submitted by a parent

This is our first year at Pac Rim and we could not be more pleased. The first t thing we noticed about the school was how happy the teachers were. It did not take long to see why...the principal is amazing...he is an incredible lleader, mentor and gives incredible support to his staff! Our kids were bored at their last school...at Pac Rim their teachers challenge them at all times. The academics are top notch but so are the life lessons taught...The Golden Rule is also part of their education.
--Submitted by a parent

We could not be more satisfied with a school, then we are with Pacific Rim Elementary. Best elementary school in the state of California! Hands down.
--Submitted by a parent

I struggle to rent a house just so my son can stay in this elementary school zone. He is about to enter 3rd grade, but has been since K. Mr. Devich is a involved, realistic and enthusiastic principal. I have never heard a poor work spoken of him. I also utilize the Kids Care (Before and After School on-site care program) services and am so thankful. As a single mom working in Orange County, I really rely on them and it is good knowing your child is on campus all day, and not having to be bussed to an outside facility. I have also had the honor of utilizing the Districts IEP program for speech therapy and it was a smooth, educating process. I hope to keep him in this school district for as long as I can.
--Submitted by a parent

We have very happy with our experience with Pac Rim. Our daughter just finished kindergarten this year, and although she's smart, she's very "high energy" and we were concerned about how that might play out in the classroom. Every time I volunteered I would open the door to a room of kids sitting quietly (including my own!) and listening intently. The children were encouraged to participate in class discussions, and the teacher always made sure to include and engage those who were on the shy side. Once they had completed their daily worksheets, children had at least four activity choices from art to reading and writing on their own. The teacher was firm, but warm and the children really responded to her. We feel lucky to have found such a great public school for our children!
--Submitted by a parent

With all the glowing reviews, I just wanted to share our experience - not as positive - even though we are positive-minded people! We just finished our first year at Pac Rim, Kindergarten - 31 kids with one FT teacher, one PT teacher, sometimes an aide, sometimes a parent volunteer. I think the teachers could be great, given a different situation. But working with that many 5 year-olds, they seem stuck doing a very monotonous and boring routine, just in order to keep the chaos to a minimum. Our child had minimal opportunity for self-expression, creativity, hands-on learning, friendship building, and many other skills that should have more focus than a repetitive worksheet and hand-puppet craft every week. It seemed it was all the teachers could do to help the students meet the minimum standards, I had hoped Kinder would set the stage for a love of learning to be instilled...NOT!
--Submitted by a parent

Pac Rim is #1! It couldn't be better even at a private school! the best teachers, staff and principle! Special Education services beyond expectations. Thank you!
--Submitted by a parent