GreatSchools Rating
Teacher quality
Principal leadership
Parent involvement
My wife and I have been thrilled with our experience at Palm Crest. We currently have 4th and 1st grade children attending. What sets Palm Crest apart from other top schools is the level of parental involvement. n addition to the music, art, drama and Spanish that is available to all students there are numerous after school classes offered included band, strings, chess club, robotics, tennis, GATE enrichment classes. The Palm Crest PTA also sponsors music and art docent programs (LA Philharmonic parent) and View the Stars night involving telescopes (run by NASA parent) There is a Dad's PTA, a Panther Partners (new families welcoming program), a thriving Science Fair, a summer reading program among other things. There were times in my son's kindergarten class last year where there were 4 parents volunteering in the class at the same time. The PTA sponsors events for parents and children that encourage folks to really get to know each other which makes the environment feel like a close-knit community. Palm Crest just received the California Distinguished Schools Award two years ago. This is a school of exceptional teachers, parents and students like none other out there!
Palm Crest has fantastic new and veteran teachers, a spectacular principal, and believes in teaching beyond the tests. It's in a beautiful area away from the exhaust and congestion of the city. The kids are vibrant, creative, and engaged. Best school in the area by far.
A really good public school with caring teachers (for the most part) and a very hands on Principal in Mrs. Hurley. Palm Crest has a warm, caring environment, a good program for kids with special needs, and an active PTA. As at any school, there are a few less than steller teachers and our daughter had one in 4th grade. But for the most part the teachers are committed, caring, and dedicated.
I loved Palm Crest! Mrs. Healy was the greatest English teacher ever! Mrs. Endicott taught science in a way that was fun and allowed students to absorb more than traditional, dry, fact-based jargon. Of course, this was 17 years ago...
We still pay the property taxes but have put our kids in private school. Huge discipline problems not addressed by the principal make for a poor learning atmosphere. Someone below commented that this was not good for learning disabled kids - neither is it good for the gifted and highly gifted. My experience at Palm Crest has made me a private school believer.
Great school! My son excelled when coming to this school. His teacher was awesome and constantly kept open communication with us. Love the environment of the school and the families. The principal Karen Hurley is awesome and always makes sure to provide you with answers when needed. Love it and would recommend it! May not have the nicest campus, but that's secondary to the education my son is receiving at this school. Looking forward to my other child starting Kindergarten this year!!
Horrible school if you have a child who is average. The teachers dont give much attention to those students that need extra help. They only give attention to the smart ones. The school only wants smart kids because they want there test scores to be high.A teacher who teaches 5th and 6th grade math needs to be fierd
I love Palm Crest! I've had 3 kids go there so far, and I love all the teachers and staff! I am so glad that we are in the district for this particular school. My kids have all had such wonderful teachers and great experiences. It seems like there is a lot of homework, and reports, but they are helped when needed and there is a good amount of parent involvement. I like the smaller size of the class for the younger grades, but I wish they would be able to keep the class sizes the same. when they hit 4th grade the classes increase in size. There are a lot of fundraisers. I like the principal this year, she is really trying to become a part of the school and really be involved in every area. The staff is very friendly and helpful.
Very involved parent school community. I have had one of my children at this school since 1996. PCR is the smallest of the LC elementary schools, so the class size is smaller than you will find at the other schools. We had an excellent principal, Wendy S. who left to go to the 7/8 school beginning 2006. The 2005-2006 principal referenced in many of the reviews was not a good administrator or communicator. His replacement, however, is an excellent administrator, very organized and efficient, who communicates well with families and staff. Teachers, in general, feel accountable, and most, when approached by parents, will work individually with parents on educational goals for their child.
Discipline has definitley deteriorated over the past three years. Principal must take a more active role in solving major discipline issues among students. Too many favorites to the administration. Would like to see a change of leadership to keep our school moving ahead.
Low Morale between parents and administrator. Lack of discipline among troublemakers at school. Little intervention from school administration. Teachers are very helpful for the most part and really care about the kids.
Great School, The principal is the best I have ever met. Strong, fair and compassionate towards each student.
High teacher turnover? There's only one new teacher in the '03-'04 school year, out of 30 teachers. I think that's low turnover. As for tutors, I can only think of a few kids who use them. It's not the norm. - 6th grade parent
Too much turnover in teachers. Some are absolutely fantastic and some are so green or so awful that it is hit and miss whether your child has a good year or not. This school could be doing a lot better than it is. Also, because this community values education so much, and because most residents here are highly educated, the children already have a predisposition to learn, so one would question what degree of these high test scores are a result of the school. Moreover, because the neighborhood is one of the richest in the country, many parents can afford to hire tutors, and do. In addition, many educated mothers can afford to stay home and enhance their children's educations.
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The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.
5025 Palm Drive
La Canada,
CA 91011
Website: Click here
Phone: (818) 952-8360
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