Proctor Elementary School

awesome school just graduated last year and i still visit because i miss this school

All three of my children have gone to this school over a period of 12 years. The two oldest were incredibly prepared for middle school both academically and socially. My youngest who has had some issues academically has had teachers who are patient and kind and yet have helped him achieve to the best of HIS ability with sef-esteem intact. Proctor school is a fabulous school for children of all academic levels.
—Submitted by a parent

Proctor is a very supportive community school that brings many parents into cooperative relationships with the teachers and principal to create a truly fun learning environment for the children and good community relations that span several generations now.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been part of Proctor's community for 5 years now. I can honestly say that I have never seen such a hard working staff. When I drive home from work at 6:00 pm, there are still many teachers still at work. My children have learned so much and have had a marvelous time with all the activies Proctor offers. I am also impressed with the amount of parents who regularly volunteer. My family loves Proctor Elementary!
—Submitted by a parent

Contrary to the first poster there are FOUR special needs classes to deal with kids with disabilities or learning disorders. There is an onsite reading specialist and the level of dedication in the teaching staff is by far and away superb. I have two sons who are well behaved in and out of the class therefore possibly they have had a different experience than a kid who's sub-par behavior is justified as 'simply being a boy.' The parents need to begin upping their monetary donations to the school so we can continue our K-3 Science program(the only one in Castro Valley!) and our computer lab instruction. Both of these areas are incredibly interesting to my now 3rd and 1st grade sons. We have had warm and fuzzy teachers who have taught their socks off!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is a great school. Lots of parent involvement. Teachers are very caring and even principle is very involved.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is excelent i just graduated and am sad i`m leaving. There teachers are great and they have a nice clean ,safe campus .It is great for boys and girls . They also have lots of fun activities .the test scores are good to ,the only thing i didn`t like was the principal for 2008 I liked Mrs. Lilak better ,but she`s ok i guess .Mrs. Kerener and Ms. Rainey are mt absolute favorite teachers there great and i had a great 6 years at Proctor and i hope it stays the same for all the people who enter the schhol . Have fun at Proctor Elementary School !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summary: If you have a girl I recommend this school if you have an active 'boy' this school will destroy him and any creavitivity or competitive spirit he has. Your child will need excellent social and political skills to survive this school. Nerds and creative thinking are strongly discouraged. Pros: Good for girls, Hard working teachers, Concerned principal (much better than lillick), lots of academics, very structured, lots of parent involvement Cons: Bad school for boys (or kids who don t fit into the mold), shoot first ask questions later type of attitude of staff, not enough running or playing for boys, not equipped to handle special needs children (don t fit proctor form), too many kids per class 30+, putting first graders and Kindergartens together is a bad idea, parents have too much power, school promotes tattling rather than trying to work out situations between individuals.
—Submitted by a parent

This School is great! The level of parent involement is Wonderful! The Teachers really care and encourage parent involvement in every aspect. They are really there for your Child and to help him/her acheive Greatness in School. They provide Science and Music for Minors program even to Kindergarten. I love this School for my son. We even kept him back a year for K, due to his age, and the experince of it has been wonderful! I know he will do Great in his School years to come.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent (almost rural) location; clean; academically challenging; 'education through art' program; involved parents
—Submitted by a parent

Parents are involved in social events but it is often a fight to get them to really work for educational programs. The music program is small and art program has disappeared.
—Submitted by a parent

This is a great school with nice big playyard and great teachers
—Submitted by a parent

Nice class ratio and teachers are very comitted.
—Submitted by a parent

After 5 years at Proctor School, I couldn t be more pleased. My two children have both blossomed in the creative and nurturing environment of this school. This is hardly a surprise given the lengths the teachers go to insure high-quality education and the remarkable amount of parental involvement. The excellent curriculum is complemented by numerous field trips, student assemblies, and art, science, and sports activities. The students enjoy their own vegetable and flower gardens, 10 acres with modern play equipment, and extra classes in science and poetry. And although we may not all always agree that test scores are the best measure of success, Proctor s scores are outstanding. Put it all together, and you have one great school.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have been at Proctor School for over three years now. The school has been great! I have found the teachers to be outstanding. I believe they are of the highest quality and have always made me feel there was a partnership in educating our children. Having one of the largest student bodies in the district, its environment is not for everyone. Proctor has a great emphasis on science and technology which my children have benefited significantly from. I would like more emphasis placed on after-school enrichment programs. For the size of the student body it has less then I would have expected. Parent involvement is sporadic but the PTA is very active. Proctor s campus is in need of some repair. There are not enough bathrooms for the kids and a deteriorating hillside near the play structure are the most visible issues. I believe Proctor has been an outstanding choice and have not hesitated in recommend it to parents who have asked. I strongly believe that Proctor s excellent reputation in the district is well founded.
—Submitted by a parent

My child's teacher was not able to function if there were any distractions in the classroom. Consequently, the teacher did a fair amount of yelling and was extremely heavy handed in disciplining 5 and 6 year olds. The kindergarten classroom was neither friendly nor a postive first experience to elementary school. I met with the principal and teacher regarding my child's unhappiness in class and neither were helpful in troubleshooting problems. Proctor School is mainly for students who can adapt and conform to the adult-focused environment. Proctor has a reputation as a 'top school' in the district but was a huge disappointment in my opinion. I rated Proctor poorly because: --too much focus on the needs/wants of the adults (teachers and parents) and not on the best interest of the kids --principal (although a nice person) was totally ineffective in dealing with problems --parent organization perceived to have much power that was an inbalance to the school's organization --lots of students, but with few bathrooms and cramped (and unfriendly) cafeteria situation I think Proctor was very stressful for my child and that is why I chose to remove my child from this school.