Vista Verde School

"Vista Verde has high expectations for their students, but there is an overall lack of support. Good grades are appreciated, but when your child is struggling, he or she will be treated like a loser. This school strives for overachievers and winners - everything else seems to be unacceptable." ok this is my 2nd year here and this is completely ridiculous. My son was struggling in a particular subject. Both teachers took huge amounts of time and effort to help address this. In fact I am amazed, based on the class size they can even put this type of specialized effort in. Just blows me away. Both teachers went way above and beyond in helping me, giving me resources and any thing else I could ever want to help my son in an area in which he was underperforming. By the way there are areas where he is on par or excelling, and the other students need the specialized help.
--Submitted by a parent

This is our 6th year at Vista Verde and we love it! On July 1, 2011, our principal retired (she did NOT resign, as another parent stated). We have a new principal who is energetic, smart, enthusiastic and experienced. She has already shown a desire to continue the successes of the past principal and to listen to parents when they have concerns. The parents here are highly educated, involved and aware. There are MANY stay-at-home parents at Vista Verde, and they are a wonderful asset . . . not only on PTA and the Vista Verde Foundation, but as hands-on volunteers in the classroom. When a student doesn't do well on a test, a parent volunteer can take the time to go over the questions with the child so that he understands what mistakes he has made. When a child needs extra one-on-one reading time, parent volunteers are often asked to listen to the child read. Qualified parents can also work with those students who need to be further challenged. The school really tries to cater to students of all levels and abilities. What more can we ask of a school?
--Submitted by a parent

Vista Verde has high expectations for their students, but there is an overall lack of support. Good grades are appreciated, but when your child is struggling, he or she will be treated like a loser. This school strives for overachievers and winners - everything else seems to be unacceptable. Following rigid rules and impeccable star behavior is expected from the children, while the principal and some teachers scream at them behind closed doors. If you dare to critique as a parent, you are told that you can leave, since there are enough other schools in the district that handle things differently . I ve seen many families leave. The principal lacks skills, compassion or humor to handle the middle school teens in an age appropriate manner. They are closely observed, treated like little ones and suppressed in their individuality. On the other hand there are strong, bullying cliques that are tolerated. The principal seems to be worn out and it was no surprise to hear about her resignation. Hopefully this will mark a new and better beginning for this school.
--Submitted by a parent

If your child is gifted, the child will fit into the mold of Vista Verde. The teachers focus only on the high achievers. The teachers encourage those that do well and ignore any child that struggles, with an exception of resource/learning issue's because they are legally bound to help them. The teachers rely heavily on parents grading the child's papers, rarely looking at the grades to see what the student did incorrectly. My 3 children have attended this school for 5 years.
--Submitted by a parent

We came to Vista Verde from a private school. The principal is OUTSTANDING. The teachers are amazing. The academics are challenging and our kids are learning at a great pace. They are happy! We are happy! The principal takes bullying very seriously. Other parents are very highly educated and involved. We recommend Vista Verde
--Submitted by a parent

My kids were enrolled at this school for three years. There is a huge bullying problem at this school, and the principle refuses to address it. She prefers to pretend that the school is a warm and welcoming environment,and keep the facade. There are a lot of cliques with the girls, and if you want you child to stay away from that kind of drama this may not be your school. The teachers are average, and not very inspiring. The kids whose parents are very involved in the PTA generally get the teachers of their choice. If you care about your child's education and psychological well being stay away from this school.
--Submitted by a parent

We moved here from the east coast and are extremely happy with this school. I would say it compares favorably with the private school our child attended out East. We chose this school from a list of about 10 schools we surveyed in the area. Without a doubt, the driver of the school's success is the incredibly passionate and attentive principal. She runs a tight ship and has assembled a group of teachers that in many cases have decades of experience and truly care about our children's education and wellbeing. This creates a virtuous circle where the school attracts families that care deeply about education and good citizenship. This, in turn, makes the whole learning process more pleasant and efficient for teachers and students alike. In today's increasingly global economy, the school's diversity is also a big plus for us. I couldn't recommend a school more highly.
--Submitted by a parent

The principal, teachers and parents make this school rock!!! I'm so glad we enrolled our girls in this school. The kids are happy campers :-)
--Submitted by a parent

We're not really parents, we're two students who enjoyed our time at VV. Things we liked: -fun teachers -good memories (project success, ace classes, assemblies, field trips, Jogathon, social events) -major fun projects (4th grade wax museum, 5th grade plays, Renaissance fair) -seclusion, how it was a different experience than other middle schools Things we disliked: - Speeches given by the principal - The idea that if you didn't get good grades that you were a failure (Toyon trip, in speeches given) -Heavy backpacks (no lockers) -Had to exercise in our regular clothes (gross)
--Submitted by a parent

Vista Verde, a K-8, is unique in that it has an incredibly warm and inviting atmosphere, encouraging participation by parent volunteers. The principal and teachers are excellent (the teachers love teaching there, as do the subs), and the PTA is amazing. This is a caring and dedicated school that emphasizes a whole child philosophy. All IUSD schools have the same curriculum and standardized test requirements. Vista Verde deals with them better.
--Submitted by a parent