Del Mar Hills Elementary School

I love this school because it is so fun and my kids love it i have3 and all of tthem went to the hills and loved i have a 3rd grader that still goes and says that every day is beter than the one before
—Submitted by a parent

I absolutely love this school! Del Mar Hills is a small public school with a private school feel. The teachers are excellent and the parents are very involved. It feels like there is a great sense of community and school spirit.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school. Del Mar Hills Academy of Arts and Sciences provides a top notch education in a small school setting! The teachers and staff are excellent and the parents support continued growth at the school. My daughter attended elementary school there and my son is currently enrolled. I am thrilled to be part of such a vibrant program! The combination of arts and sciences provide a balanced education and my children have excelled as a result. The principal and the teachers continually impress.
—Submitted by a parent

Del Mar Hills Academy has an integrated Arts, Science and Technology program that encourages children to think creatively. It's a small school where the children know each other and the older children are encouraged to help the younger ones. The teachers are amazing and work well as a team. We have a principal who supports the staff and listens to the parents. At the Hills, we also have a very active group of parents who want the elementary school experience to be the best it can be for the students - so that the students love learning and become the best they can be. I am very proud to be a parent and a supporter of Del Mar Hills Academy.
—Submitted by Liz, a parent

Del Mar Hills Academy has a wonderful school culture and climate. The school is small and students, staff, and parents all know each other. The integrated Arts, Science, and Technology program is particularly strong thanks to excellent Specialist teachers. Parents are actively involved in school activities in and out of the classroom. Teachers seem genuinely happy to be at the school. The environment is friendly, warm, and constructive.
—Submitted by a parent

Very small school. Teachers and staffs are nice and kind, they know every children. Children know each other, either. They have good PC program for learning math, work hard on art, music and science.
—Submitted by a parent

We transferred from private to the Hills this year and we are stunned with the exceptional quality of the education at the Hills. The combination of teaching staff, curriculum and Academy approach is very special. The Hills Academy approach emphasizes integrated learning. Very few schools in the country get this right - the kids literally learn about a subject and experience it in every discipline. Nothing teaches problem solving, reinforces learning and results in a more well rounded education than integrated learning. The Hills is a hidden gem.
—Submitted by a parent

Amazing school! My daughter is graduating this year and we are sad to go. I can not say enough about the wonderful community we have here at the Hills. From the teachers to the parents, students and staff, I highly recommend this school!
—Submitted by a parent

Del Mar Hills Academy and provides special instructors for the Arts, Science and Technology. Our son, now in High School, and daughter, a sixth grader, came from private schools on the East Coast and acclimated well because of the school's small, intimate size. Teachers provide individual instruction when necessary and are always available via email or for in-person meetings before and after school. We lived closer to Del Mar Heights School when we moved here, but the smaller, more intimate environment at Hills proved to be the right fit. The teachers are exceptional and the school community, although situated in a well-to-neighborhood, is not snobbish but welcoming to kids with various backgounds. The physical plant is also good: The community invested more than $1M 2-3 years ago to provide Hills students with a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center used for concerts, assemblies and community events.
—Submitted by a parent

We have 2 girls at the school, 1st Grade and 5/6 Grade, when we moved here last year the girls were non-english speaking, the girls are now 90% fluent in English thanks to the time, care and understading of the excellent teachers and staff at the DMHills. Thanks.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of 2 children and have been a part of this school for 7 years. The education is outstanding and the community involvement is spectacular. My children have grown academically and with the Academy curriculum, they have received cross-over education in Art, Science, Technology, and Music which significantly enhances their overall learning process. This is a wonderful school.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has the highest quality of teacher dedication and excellence I have ever seen in a public school and the most wonderfully, warm family environment. Parent contributions to the PTA and Del Mar Schools Education Foundation mean that the children enjoy all the 'extras' they would at a private school, including state-of-the art technology, as well as excellent art, music, P.E. and science classes. In addition, students are respectful, kind, and hard-working - the caliber of student excellence is amazing! I wouldn't dream of sending my children anywhere else!
—Submitted by a parent

We have been at Del Mar Hills for 7 years and we have been completely satisfied with every single teacher. They truly care about the kids. I volunteer in the class room and I am so inspired by their competence and confidence in what they do. My kids have always loved going to school. The other great thing about Del Mar Hills is the parent community. It takes a village to raise a child and that is what I feel we have at the Hills. We watch out for each other's kids and support each other through challenges. I've never felt any competition between parents. We are down to earth, have lots of fun, and take our roles as parents seriously.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school with great, caring teachers. Very down-to-earth environment for a child to grow. Great sense of community and encourages parent participation. There is a focus on academics, but also in nurturing the child as a whole to become a compassionate citizen.
—Submitted by a parent

We have 2 boys at the Hills and are extremely happy with the school. The teachers are amazing - passionate and committed.
—Submitted by a parent

My son will be graduating this year after 7 years at Del mar Hills. My daughter is in her second year. From our experience, the teachers have made the difference and thye have worked hard to customize thier approach to the needs of each. A few people have complained about the principle; however, the teachers are the ones that make the difference in a childs learning and the staff at Del Mar Hills takes personal interest in every child. The children have a sense of pride about thier school and the small size of the class enables them to be special and not ost in the crowd.
—Submitted by a parent

This is a very special school community.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has been at this school from kindergarten and is now in 6th grade. It is outstanding and a wonderful learning atmosphere. Small for a public school, allowing lots of interaction with teachers and a full complement of specialist teachers. The program is creative and fun, engaging the students at all levels.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school! The Hills attracts families that really take the time to examine curriculum and teaching methods. It's a blessing to be at school with so many families that choose to be part of a program rather than just ending up there because they fall in the boundary area. While we are part of a strong district that provides art, science, music, PE, & technology at all schools, the Hills is unique in the extent to which those subjects are INFUSED into all of the curriculum. This becomes increasingly true in the higher grades. We are proud to be a part of it!
—Submitted by a parent

I have had several kids at this school during the past 10 years. At one time, this school was academically as excellent as the other elementary schools in this school district. Since the old pricipal left, the academics have gone downhill. Nice music programs and new auditorium, but what about the academics? Lots of rhetoric from the leadership about the 'infusion of arts into the curriculum', but what about the academics? At one time there was direct fundraising by the parents for the school. Now fundraising is done by the 'Foundation', with its highly paid full-time employees. The 'Foundation' raises a lot of money, but seems to be focused on it annual charity event...the local 'social event of the year' for the neighborhood parents.
—Submitted by Longtime Parent, a parent