Turtle Rock Elementary School

We transferred our son to TR Elementary last September. We are all very happy with the decision we made! His home room teacher is very kind and warm, and keeps him challenged with higher level of work. As a result, my son has high sense of accomplishment and is happy with his school. We are very fortunate to have a supportive, brilliant, cheerful and hard-working Principle at our school. She is always there whenever there s an activity in school, greeting everyone with cheerful smiles. Overall, TR elementary has the right atmosphere for childern who desire to strive and for parents who are supportive of the school philosophy.
--Submitted by a parent

Turtle Rock may be an excellent school for children who thrive on competition, enjoy filling in worksheets, and were tutored extensively before starting kindergarten. Some of the students in lower grades here spell and multiply better than some of the students that entered the classes at the high schools where I taught. Because the teachers have to cover an immense amount of material in kindergarten, there is little time for students to learn to print (as opposed to write letters that they could print before starting kindergarten) or reflect upon anything. Consequently, the fast-paced, regimented style does not suit everyone, including my child who is now in kindergarten. For a child to thrive or maybe even survive kindergarten at TR, he/she needs to recognize and be able to print all the letters of the alphabet before starting kindergarten here. It also really helps to know how to read BEFORE entering TR's kindergarten!
--Submitted by a parent

Really formal school that does not care about kids. It gains its popularity when the previous principal was in charge. Currently parents feel deeply unsatisfied with the school. The atmosphere in school is over competitive, with lots of unhealthy restrictions. It concentrates not on kindness, team work, support and respect to academic skills or talents, but on grades, rumors, "popularity". Kids does not learn proper values in their relationships between themselves and between kids and adults.
--Submitted by a parent

We were very disappointed with this school and principal. There is very stressful atmosphere at school. All kids taking a lot of behind school programs in this "run for grades" race. Children who's parents cannot donate as much as others are ignored. Principal is very aggressive woman and not polite at all. It is very hard to follow on anything with her and she doesn't listen your opinion, screams at children, make children feel guilty and disrespectful. There is no any challenge for children, gate program is just extra work at home. Waist of time and big stress!!!! It was very stressful year and finally we found other school.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a happy parent with a 4th grade and a 1st grade in this school. I think this school has very highly qualified and genuinely caring teachers. I have never sent my kids to any tutoring program, yet my elder daughter goes to APASS in this school. She is just self-driven, and the school provides the right challenge for her. I think these teachers encourage kids to excel, they also value each individual kid. My younger daughter's first grade teacher found her and a few other kids need to catch up with their reading skills, and she voluntarily formed an early morning reading program to teach these kids to read. This class is totally voluntary, and the teacher provided her exceptional service and her own time for us for free. My daughter s reading skill has improved a lot so far. My younger daughter likes taking a nap during the lecture time. Her teacher sent us several notes requesting us to put my daughter to sleep before 8pm, and she constantly says that it is OK if my daughter can not finisher homework before 8pm. She cares more about my daughter having enough sleep than her homework. I can not express enough appreciation for these diligent and caring teachers.
--Submitted by a parent

CAUTION ON GOING TO THIS SCHOOL. We moved here from Portland and I wouldn't recommend going to this school. I sat in the school and the class was full of kids overly focused on their grades, and highly functional at math and science beyond their years. It's standards are above and beyond an average public school. We came from an outstanding Portland Public Elementary school--Forest Park, and this school gives assignments where the 5th graders have to create their own presentation in PowerPoint and deliver it to the class. If your kid likes sports this school doesn't have a balanced peer group for that. According to our teacher most of the kids ' take Kumon, play the piano, and are not athletic'. We are looking for a different school next year. I am not a Dragon Mom and can't raise a future physicist.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of a 4th and 5th grader at TR. Many reviews reflect the diversity of PARENTS more than what is going on at the school. Complains that TR does not allow kids to be kids comes from some of the white parents. While complains that the school is not challenging enough comes from the Asian parents. I personally believe that TR gets it just about right for our kids. Yes, they have some boring homework that parents complain is "teaching to the test." They also have a large dose of projects, many of which they have a choice of topic. My children have given presentations on topics ranging from quantitative-easing to Meg Whitman's nanny-gate issues during the election. DIVERSITY: Statistics have very broad categories like "Asian" but you should know there is no one country what dominates the school. Asian includes Chinese, Korean, Indian, and Iranian in nearly equal doses. I am a white parent and I am thrilled that my children go to such an incredibly diverse school with so many caring and competent teachers. You will have a hard time finding a better school if you have bright hard working kids. If your children struggle academically, TR may not be the right place for you
--Submitted by a parent

BE CAREFUL PARENTS - This school targets few kids and pressure their parent to sign them for ESPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM just to get some STATE FUNDING. School arrange a nurse to watch your child behavior and make up a false story of your child. School gather few teachers and arrange few meeting. Most of these teacher don't even know you child. These are few techniques school uses to trap your kid for state funding. PARENTS: IF YOU BELIEVE YOUR KID IS NORMAL, PLEASE DON'T GET TRAPPED INTO THIS ESPECIAL EDUCATION SCHEME.
--Submitted by a parent

Knowing the high API score of this school, if parents want kids to have more fun, it would be better to send them to other good Irvine schools. Turtle Rock has nice and positive culture that the students can be proud of being part of the school. Teachers are doing a great job reinforcing what they teach in the class by having the students do the homework so that they will retain what they learned in the class. My daughter is in the APAAS class and she has changed very positively. I think this school stays on top because of its positive culture and teachers know how to motivate the students to better themselves. I am very glad to move my child here.
--Submitted by a parent

I disappointed with this school. The learning process is not on the appropriate level. Teachers care more about score tests than about teaching process. All kids have tutors in other places and have a great skills but there is no any challenge for them in this school.It is just waist of time.
--Submitted by a parent