Brywood Elementary School

This is my second child that has started school at brywood, and I must say it is just as bad this time around. My son hates going to school and cry's everytime. The kindergarten teacher that both my kids have and had needs to find a different kind of occupation. Very unhappy with the pick up the parking the times. Went for the first time to eat lunch with my child and to do so u have to sign child out. Can not eat lunch on campus. I cant wait to move schools.
—Submitted by a parent

I am very disappointed. The front office lady is very grumpy and never smiles. The school also asks for money to much.

I have 2 daughters attending Brywood and they both love their teachers and the school. They look forward to going to school everyday and come home happy. I have attended many events orgnized by the school and PTA, it's clear the great level of effort paid by the teachers, principle and the parents. The teachers work hard to accomodate different level of learning and very supportive. The principle is capable, professional and enthusiastic. The facility is a bit old, but it's the people make the feel of welcoming and beautiful.
—Submitted by a parent

I can't believe this school is rated a 9! Our son was in kindergarten this past year, and it was a horrible experience. I am sad to say that many other parents had similar experiences as we spoke while waiting to pick up children. The teachers are downright unfriendly, and the negative tone is set from the first day, when children are corralled into a room to wait with aids while the parents have their 'back to school night' in the morning. Not even a greeting for these young children! My child cried about having to go to school... which just shouldn't happen in kindergarten. Parents were not allowed to be involved in the class until February, and then it was only to be stuck in a back room away from kids. I felt very uninvolved in my young child's education and was extremely disappointed. The only positive was that my son did seem to learn a lot. We were unimpressed with the principal and the office staff. We are actually looking to move before our younger children enter kindergarten just so they will have the opportunity to start their school experience on the right foot. I've heard the teachers in first grade are better... I can't imagine it could be much worse.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are Brywood are mostly good, there are a few that continue to raise questions as to why when there are so many teachers out of work why does Brywood keep it's weakest links? The clerk at this school is ridiculously rude and the Principal knows it and does nothing. The clerk has been very inappropriate even teasing my kids. The Principal domains over everything at this school in a very controlling manner. She has favorites who may do as they please and all others need to stay out of their way. The school has been grooming its lawn and made it unavailable for kids use for almost a year now, this is not your house, the lawn want be perfect, let the kids play. I was very involved and saw behind the curtain too often to ignore what I saw and what I know.
—Submitted by a parent

I went to this school for my younger one, I was disappointed so much because of the clerk lady at the front office. Not only she gave me a bad impression ( no eye contact and very blunt) but also did a unusual( district clerk said) lousy job, so I need to go the district office again and wait a long line and have to explain things what happened! I heard a lot of good things about the principal they had but we don't get to talk to the principal that much than the office lady.
—Submitted by a parent

Although the quality of teachers vary as in most schools, I got the sense that all teachers try hard, and they do emphasize education and good manners. The only negative is the facility is not all that impressive, and there are too many students per teacher (33+). Maybe this is due to the budget crisis affecting CA.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have been attending this school for a few years, We have found the teachers are very good with the children and understand how to get the best results for different types of children. We have also found that many any of the complaints that we have heard from other perents are not based in facts or reason. many times people look past the flaws of there children to blame the educators for there lack of perenting. This has been a great school for our oldest 2 children and we look forward to sending our youngest 2 there as well.
—Submitted by a parent

Very happy with the teachers, the administration, and the parent organizations. There's even a unique dad's activity council that hosts extra events above and beyond the PTA.
—Submitted by a parent

Brywood is a wonderful school and I feel their teachers are amazing. They are highly qualified, care for their students, and really challenge each child to perform at the best of their ability. I am impressed also with the great principal who was new this past year! My child had a great Kinder experience and the K teachers are SUPERB! They care deeply and are very affectionate towards the children.
—Submitted by a parent

I love the teachers at Brywood.
—Submitted by a parent

Solid school with veteran teachers, excellent standardized test scores, active parent involvement.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has a very involved well trained teacher staff as well as a great PTA that parents are encouraged to be a part of. They train your child for future sucess.
—Submitted by a parent

I am excited that my daughter will be attending Brywood Elementary. The Kindergarten palyground is one of the few in Irvine that is secured by a locked brick wall so the kids can't wander off. The front office is strict on their rules and require phone passes from teachers in order for a student to make a call. Even if the student pleads.
—Submitted by a parent

As the parent of a special needs child, I have been consistently impressed with the teachers, principal, and support staff at Brywood Elementary. I find the personnel easy to approach, and everyone has been willing to create an environment in which my child can learn.
—Submitted by a parent

If you think school should have more educators than politicians then this is not the one for your children.
—Submitted by You But, a parent

We hope that Brywood is not typical of the Irvine Schools because it has been a big disappointment. Kindergarten was a rude awakening from the caring and nurturing environment of preschool. My child and several others that attended K there were overwhelmed with the performance pressure and workload placed on them. They learned to dislike school. The teacher we had was unprepared to deal with kids having touble. The result was a very unhappy child. When you send your child to this Kindergarten, be extra vigilant about knowing how he is doing. A kid that is ignored will crash and burn quickly in this environment. Don't wait for the school to notice the problem.
—Submitted by a student

We are a new family attending Brywood. My first impression of kindergarten is one of concern. The classes are too large, and within the first two weeks of school the teacher's aid was let go. All the children run up to her for smiles & hugs. She is a very warm person. I don't think either K teacher, although very qualified has the time for any extra excitement or warmth to give to the children as a whole or individually. My child does not look forward to school and has no excitement for kindergarten. I think this is sad. I was so excited for school to start. It seems as if the teachers are so burdened with what is required of them. I am hoping as the year progresses things may look better but at this point I would not recommend Brywood Kindergarten.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter attended Kindergarten at Brywood and it was, unfortunately, a horrible experience for all concerned. The class had 34 students in it (split into two overlapping sections). So, the teacher was understandably overwhelmed. When discipline problems inevitably occurred, the principal routinely suspended the *kindergarteners* involved! There were at least three suspensions of different students in the one class before the winter break. In Irvine one can request to be placed in a school other than your assigned neighborhood school. We did the research, saw the beautiful scores, visited the school and requested it for our daughter. We were, frankly, shocked by the negativity of our experience there. The extreme emphasis on academics results in little time for social development and little tolerance for anyone not able to fit into the cookie-cutter mold. Those students who already knew the material were left unchallenged and bored. At least some of those falling behind were able to do so in quiet obscurity. In our Kinder class there was also a lack of communication between the teacher and parents that left many of us feeling 'out of the loop' in our children's education. Many parents of older students described more positive experiences at Brywood, so perhaps it is a great place to transfer later in elementary. But, Kindergarten sets the tone for a child's entire education and every effort must be made to ensure that children get off to a good start. Our daughter and those in her class did not get off to a good start. I can only hope that the scarring is not so great that it will interfere with their lifelong love of learning!
—Submitted by a parent