Torrey Pines Elementary School

Jim Solo the principal is amazing! Runs a tight ship but the kids are well prepared for middle school with the outstanding staff and teachers!
—Submitted by a parent

Its location is the best perhaps in whole California. Its name is great: Torrey Pines. The principal is great (Mr. Solo). Kids are great. Teachers are good. It is heterogeneous. It is the future of primary school in my opinion. I have 2 kids there and they are happy.
—Submitted by a parent

I am surprised to hear negative comments about the school and the principal. Mr. Solo is out every single morning greeting students by name, talking to parents, directing traffic, picking up items for the lost and found, etc. He is completely dedicated to the school and has high standards for his staff and students. The teachers are competent and compassionate. My son is thriving and is reading well ahead of other kids his age that attend other schools. The parents of the other students are involved and friendly. Each of them knows my child and we all sort of look after each other. It is a fantastic, positive atmosphere. I don't know of a school out there that is not focused on test scores... until we change this backward system, that is what it is going to be like. I feel really lucky to have my son here.
—Submitted by a parent

The school is outstanding in all ways with teachers/staff and parents and the principal dedicated to making it a strong learning environment while addressing the needs of the whole child. The children are learning in a dynamic way with lots of activities and resources, art, music, PE, and extra tech and science in all grades; the results are high scores, but that is not the goal of the principal. More importantly, the results are kids excited about learning and treated respectfully. They are creative thinkers and performing at the levels they can--which are high. The relationship the school has with the YMCA across the road enhances the PE, before and after school programs, and enrichment clubs. Perhaps another parent was turned off by the fund-raising, but without it we would not have such an excellent school and community, because the budget has been cut so much by the state.
—Submitted by a parent

Because of the principal, this school is not as great as it seems! The good is that the majority of teachers is well prepared and dedicated and parents are very much involved in the many activities and in their children's lives and education. Unfortunately the principal is a very insensitive, rigid and cold person, he is focused exclusively on scores and money and he doesn't take in consideration important aspects of child's psychology. I must say that a good school is not measured only by scores, from the number of Promethean boards and the amount of money raised by the foundation, other things are more important: the children themselves and their mental, emotional and social development, after all, don't forget that this is an elementary school, not a bank.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is in her second year at Torrey Pines, and so far, I'm very happy with the school. Aside from the outstanding academics (I am continually amazed by what she is learning), I really appreciate all of the "extras" the school offers from kindergarten up (pairing older "reading buddies" with new readers, class vegetable gardens, art, music, science, P.E., etc.). The fundraising required to do this is a little relentless, but worth it in the end. Another thing that has really impressed me is the focus the school places on good citizenship. My daughter attends on-site aftercare (K-5) and I'm continually impressed with the kindness of all of the kids I meet, and their willingness to help out the younger children.
—Submitted by a parent

This school's focus is on looking like an exceptional school, not necessarily being one. We have been here for two years. Things started well enough and many teachers are great. The trouble comes when your child needs something more or something different. The policy is "Fit in or get out". For the hundreds of thousands raised per year *by parents* to support it, this school is not nearly as exceptional as it pretends to be.
—Submitted by a parent

Watch out for this school. This school has many combo mixed classes where they will assign your third grade child to a combo grade 2 and grade 3 class that is 75 percent second graders with only a few (6)third graders. Most of the class time is therefore spent teaching the second grade students while your third grade student sits idly by doing self study without any teacher. Then, when asked to transfer your child, the TPES school principal refuses to transfer your third grader to a 100 percent third grade class saying that if he does, this will start a war with the other parents. He tells you he does not allow any transfers no matter what. So your child is now stuck in virtually a second grade class for the entire school year. Watch out for this school. It can severly hurt your child's education.
—Submitted by a parent

Yes, I agree the school is too focused on scores. The principal is very rigid. He assigns classes without knowing all the facts, and then refuses to change class assignments once the facts have been explained to him.
—Submitted by a parent

Our son has been in this school for a year, and I regret not having enrolled him sooner. The teachers are excellent at their job, the majority have been teacher for over 20 years. The principal is fantastic. I have spoken with other parents from other schools and they all wished Mr. Solo was their principal...As they say, Leadership starts at the top...and "The proof is in the Pudding..."
—Submitted by a parent

great school! great teachers and great pals!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is too focus on scores. There's no such thing as working with each child's academic issue and unwilling to individualize it. Principal is defensive when a parent try to address it rather than facilitate teacher and parents working together to help a student which is too bad.
—Submitted by a parent

This is an excellent school. The teachers my daughter has had so far have been exceptional. Mr. Solo, the principal, makes it a point to learn every child's name and interacts with the kids on a daily basis. The parent involvement is like none I've ever seen. I am so impressed with the opportunities she has had here, from the Wednesday enrichment classes, to the opera, to the week spent in Old Town. We look forward to one more year here.
—Submitted by a parent

Teachers are very nice and good educational environment. Parents are possitive to suppot the school.
—Submitted by a parent

The principal of this school is wonderful! Mr. Solo is kind, competent and caring. The school is wonderful and the teachers are excellent. Great parental involvement that pays for extra classes.
—Submitted by a parent

Great school! High academic standards but also lots of play and creativity. (For instance, the game Town in fifth grade, that teaches kids to run a town and businesses, is a great experience. So was the performance of the opera Rip van Winkle staged by the San Diego Opera with the fourth and fifth graders. The kids love the orchestra/band. I can go on.) The principal is accessible, friendly and highly competent. While he has turned this school into one of the best in SDUSD, he also cares deeply about disadvantaged children. The teachers are good and some are truly outstanding.
—Submitted by a parent

The students are under pressure to perform and too stressed. The pricinpal runs the school like a business and is insensitive to social and emotional needs of the children and parents. The instructors are tightly controlled and several of the more empathetic teachers have left. Creativity, celebration and play are discouraged, even in kindergarten. There is too much homework to allow for family time. It s all about test scores. If you can afford the best tutors you ll do fine.
—Submitted by a parent

This is the most awesome school. The teaching staff is attentive, creative and motivated. The administration - specifically the principal - is a fabulous leader who empowers his team to meet each child's needs and help them learn. The parent base is excited and participatory.
—Submitted by a parent

Extreme emphasis on reading. Very little time for unstructured play. Excellent teachers, including awesome science teacher. Only 1 hour a month with the art teacher! No variety in PE classes. So overall high academics but needs improvement on extracurriculars.
—Submitted by a parent

My second daughter comes to this school and she loves it, but in terms of safety they do poorly because their safety patrol lacks leadership/discipline. But overall she and I think it's a great school, and the teachers like to help out.
—Submitted by a parent