Turtle Rock Elementary School

It is our son's second year at TR and we are very happy about the school and more than everything happy to see how our son enjoys going to school . He is not a native speaker and the 2nd grade teacher, Miss Kliger has been a fantastic help and he finished the year with many outstanding results and achievements.
—Submitted by a parent

Turtle Rock is an excellent preparatory school, not only academic-wise, but also is great at building excellent character. My son just graduated from 6th grade; since he was just a small boy in Kindergarten, I saw him mature to the wonderful young man he is today, all under the constant care and supervision of his teachers. The school provides a fun-learning environment to help balance out the high academic standards given by the teachers. Every single day, my son came home with a big smile on his face, and was excited to inform me about that day s exciting adventures and learning experiences in his classes, labs, the great PE-program, and the brilliant music curriculum. His teacher made their courses more interesting with things like PowerPoint Presentations, Oral Book Interviews, and Current-Events. When I asked him who his favorite teacher was, he stated, I love all of my teachers . His third grade teacher wrote a touching note to all of her 6th grade graduates. He will never forget the caring principal and loving teachers, and will carry the memory with him forever. I am in no doubt that TRE is the first stepping stone of many, to a successful career, and beyond.
—Submitted by a parent

My son has been in Turtle Rock for 4 years since kindergarten and he had wonderful learning and growing experience with his teachers and friends at TR. He is eager to go to school everyday and never complaints about stress and competition. The Principal is a passionate educator who is easy to approach with any questions or concerns. My son once asked her if she can go to the final of his city championship baseball game and she indeed showed up. I can tell that she sincerely cares about the education of each individual student. My son s teachers are very kind to students and they are very capable of motivating and inspiring students during the learning process. His 2nd grade teacher is always cheerful and makes parents volunteers feel appreciated. Her design of class activities creates a positive atmosphere that every student is a superstar. I highly appreciate the enthusiasm and energy of TR s teachers, staff and parents.
—Submitted by a parent

If you want your child to have a stress-free happy childhood, please do he or she a favor -- don't go to this school. If you want your child to be hard working and academically successful, this school might be the choice. Kids at this young age are already overly competitive and petty as in those accelerated classes and they do, as one reviewer said, take a lot of behind school programs. I heard the principal just delivered an excellent speech for the graduation ceremony asking students to "rejoice for other students' accomplishments", "be compassionate" and a few other inspiring points. Frankly I was surprised when someone told me about the speech because this is certainly not the culture of the school I know of. I hope the principal will use her own speech to guide the school from now on. Usually we only hear the bragging about the high CST and API scores during the back-to-school night. My rating for this school is arbitrary, reflecting my personal feelings towards the school --everybody including parents is trying very hard to succeed but loses sight of bigger pictures in life -- to be happy and compassionate.
—Submitted by a parent

Amazing school in a top rated school district. My daughter just completed sixth grade and is totally prepared for middle school and beyond. I can't say enough about the teachers, student body, and involved parents. TR is a large school but with a very close-knit small school feeling.
—Submitted by a parent

We transferred our daughter to Turtle Rock school last fall and were very much satisfied with our decision the moment we got there. The polite and quirky, yet cheerful principal immediately welcomed us and gave a thorough walk-through of the fabulous school. Later, we met our child's teacher who was warm and sociable and then guided us through the curriculum system which looked like would be a fun educational experience for our daughter. My wife and I absolutely agree that we are fortunate to have our child enrolled in this school fore it is an excellent source for competition, education, and fun all at once and has a great environment for children. Overall, Turtle Rock Elementary is sure to not disappoint you and I hope you decide to let your child join the fun soon!!
—Submitted by a parent

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

I will be honest about what I observed as just a parent of TRock. Number 1, world view. This will be pushed from the youngest age, constantly over and over. Recycle, the ice caps are melting etc. OK, two, the kids are KIDS. I think somewhere between the test scores and prestige this fact is forgotten. Where is the FUN? It is also forgotten and replaced with the school's own agenda. Just talk with a student about it and see their response. Bottom line, great place to be a teacher, not so great a place to be a KID. Again this based on my limited observations while my child was attending.
—Submitted by a parent

I, too, am a teacher at this school and find it to be a wonderfully diverse learning setting, unlike anywhere in OC. I teach primary and strive everyday to make my classroom a supportive, fun, thought-provoking place. I know that TR is a very academic place. Having taught in a very different district before Irvine, I think IUSD is a great district and TR is an example of that. We are fortunate to have district art, the Art Masters program, and a super music program. I was sad to read comments from unhappy parents. I truly work very hard to make TR a welcoming place, where thinking and learning are more valued than test scores. It seems like many of the issues in the prior comments had to do with the CA Dept of Ed's policies as much as the school's. I agree that there are too many students in K.
—Submitted by a teacher

I am a teacher at this school. I have experience at 5 different schools in Irvine. All are good with varying degrees, but Turtle Rock is outstanding. I can confidently say every teacher is extremely qualified and good at what they do. Regarding parents comments about curriculum and homework not being creative, much of that was taken out of our hands once the state adopted conformity with expectations and state standards. Most of us try to add creative elements as we can, but it is extremely difficult. With the budget cuts, be prepared for less opportunity for creativity. Teachers are going to be spread thin with 30 students in primary classrooms. Thank goodness for the wonderful parent support and volunteers. Although the future looks dismal, the TR community will find a way to do what is best for the students. This is a fabulous school for all
—Submitted by a teacher

My kid was in the 1st grade. In 2008 we moved to Bellevue, WA. He continues to be in what is considered one of the best Elementary Schools here. The school here has all the gadgets (such as SmartBoard) in the class. Nevertheless, when compared in entirety Turtle Rock is a notch better. I personally do not think it is wrong in giving homework to kids at this age - the question is how much is too much. At TR my kid used to get homework in varied topics - it made it interesting. Some amount of repetitive work is good, after all 'practice makes perfect'. The teachers are very sincere in the both the schools. I guess it is the framework imposed by the School District that differentiates. Parent involvment is more in Bellevue esp in Fund raising - parents in TR should get invovled in this and other activities.
—Submitted by a parent