Coronado Village Elementary School

My children went through this school. It was fantastic for most of the time they attended. The teachers are great, very friendly. The events throughout the school year really brought the community together. The school lost a lot of it's lighthearted and fun nature when the (now not-so-new) principal took over. She gave it more of an institution feel, closed lunches to parents, canceled some of the yearly events. Her questionable leadership aside, it's a great place for an education due to the spirited and talented teachers who work there. She just squashed the mood of the place. My kids are in the middle and high school now. I've read in the paper that the current principal will be replaced after this year. I'm glad. I hope the mood over there improves once she's gone.
--Submitted by a parent

The teachers at this school are terrific! The parents are very involved and committed to making sure the kids get the best education, even with all the budget cuts here in California. Wish I could give the school five stars, but the administration at the school (principal and lead teacher) is abyssmal. They are completely nonresponsive to parents. They have very little interaction with the kids, nor do they seem to want to. Thankfully, the school thrives despite them or I would have pulled mine out long ago.
--Submitted by a parent

The preschool teacher is superior. She works closely with the kindergarten teachers to ensure her kids are ready to enter kindergarten. The kindergarten teachers are experienced and child-centered. The teachers in the other grades are also excellent (a couple should retire as they don't seem to enjoy teaching anymore). The PATT is essential to the school and is very active (if not overbearing at times). The school would not have what I consider to be essential programs without the hard work of these parents. There is a definite deficiency in leadership at the school. The lead teacher is the backbone of the school. She works hard and essentially runs the school. Why isn't she the principal? To describe the principal as a figure head overstates her influence at the school. She seems to go here and there with no real role and is a cheerleader at best.
--Submitted by a parent

We had the good fortune of being part of village elementary for 3 years (kindergarten-2nd grade). My daughter had a wonderful experience and cherishes those memories. The teachers are amazing. I was an active PTA member and I gained an appreciation for all the efforts the staff and faculty make to ensure that they are providing a "private school education at a public school price". They use a holistic approach to educating the students (not solely in reading and math as some posters have implied). My daughter created some of her finest artwork while at village elementary and discovered her passion for science experiments! Anyway, I can compare village elementary to many schools across the country and there is nothing better. Teachers, administrators, parents, students - everyone working together. That doesn't happen everywhere, so take advantage if you are fortunate enough to live in Coronado!
--Submitted by a parent

The special education program is excellent. My son has been in the program for 2 years, now. They have 2 qualified teachers plus extra assistants, along with trained speech and occupational therapists. I have another child in the 'regular' school program. The teachers are superb and he loves going to school. Outstanding school!
--Submitted by a parent

I will agree with other parents on here about the level of education. My daughter is not in a combination class, but just the same, the focus is totally on reading and math scores. I don't agree with emphasis being taken off of the science and arts and with the direction this school is taking. I also have a HUGE concern with the safety of my child in this school. I know this is a small town, but there is no excuse for not monitoring who is coming and going in the school. I guess it will take something to happen to wake these people up.
--Submitted by a parent

I used to really love this school but now am very worried about the level of education my son is receiving. He is in a combination class (two grades being taught by the same teacher in the same room) something that is becoming more common at Village. While the teacher is doing the best she can, it is readily apparent that the students are not receiving the level and amount of instruction as they would in a single grade classroom. The students, who were picked because they excelled in their previous grade, are now barely meeting grade level standards!
--Submitted by a parent

The school is taking a new direction under new leadership through the principal. Unfortunately extreme emphasis is being put on reading compreshension while science and the arts are being severely neglected. It is a shame because the parents in the community work very hard to raise money to give the kids the 'extras' like science and the arts and they are being sidelined in favor of collaborative time for teachers and full focus on reading.
--Submitted by a parent

The Special Education Dept. for Village Elementary needs vast improvement. My child is currently enrolled in Village Elementary and is a mainstream student. The past two years he has been without a qualified/certified special education teacher. The communication between regular teachers and the special education dept. is almost non-existent up to this year.
--Submitted by parent, a parent

I think most of the teachers need improvment! They need to get paid more!
--Submitted by a parent