Marian Bergeson Elementary School

In Fall 2012, the Mandarin Immersion Program (http://www.friendsofmip.com) started at Bergeson. We took the leap, had our child enter the program, and are very happy with it. The level of commitment of the teachers, principal, and parents is outstanding. It is a lot of effort to initiate something like this -- but there is a real sense of shared commitment and involvement. Everyone including partner programs by the YMCA and others have been very supportive of the program and the children. It is unfortunate that the apparent quality of this school is not reflected in some aspects of the external appearance (which might deter some from considering this school). However, our experience with the people of Bergeson has been outstanding.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been racking my brain trying to decide what school to send my son to Kindergarten. We have looked into private schools which can be extremely costly. Which we have already started saving for his college. We live directly across the street from Bergeson and after researching Local schools I was pleasantly surprised to find that Laguna Niguel's Marian Bergeson Elementary School is among the few public elementary schools in California to receive a distinguished GreatSchools Critera Evaluation Rating of 8 out of 10. Also scored 891 out of 1000 For The Academic Performance Index (API) system is based on year-over-year test score performance through a two-year cycle for The Base score is for the first year and the Growth score is for the second year for 2011-2012. The only complaint I hear is the gridlock traffic getting in to pick-up your child -- but I can walk!! - So I'm excited to enroll my son next year!
—Submitted by a parent

This is my child's 4th year at Bergeson Elementary School. Her teachers have been great, she has accellerated learning every year, she passed the GATE test and we have enjoyed the music program each year. This year, she is playing violin in the orchestra and loves every single part of this school! Her favorite part of the school is principal, Mrs. Scholl who motivates the students every morning before they start their day.
—Submitted by a parent

We had 2 kids go through Bergeson, our second one finished in June. This is an outstanding school. We have friends with kids the same age that are at private schools, and academically they're not even close. If you have the opportunity to send your child to this school, take advantage of it. The only down side is the drop off traffic in the mornings... But overall, it's an outstanding school with great teachers and a great learning environment. Also the GATE program is fantastic here as well!
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers and principal are committed to continuous improvement and find new ways to motivate the student body. School pride and parent involvement are the keys to a great experience at Bergeson.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are great -- they really go that extra mile to make sure their kids are learning in an engaging environment.
—Submitted by a parent

The School might not look like much from the outside, but the teachers, parents and administration show the heart of a champion. The education and school spirit are awesome.
—Submitted by a parent

It takes a villiage and the entire school is like one big family! The best education possible is always first & foremost for all the children.
—Submitted by a parent

The close knit, warm, caring, community of people. The great PTA and Foundation that work tirelessly for the benefit of our school and kids. The great teachers, principal and staff.
—Submitted by a parent

Teachers are caring, qualified and dedicated. We have 1 geandchild that graduated and 1 attending. Excellent education.

In addition to teaching the academic requirements,Bergeson staff is extremely dedicated to helping our kids develop into good human beings through the Character Counts program. They don't just want our kids to be smart, they want them to understand what it means to have strong character. They excel and doing both!
—Submitted by a parent

Fabulous teachers, principal and PTA! The kids are proud to be Bergeson students.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers and principal are hard-working and dedicated to giving our children a quality education, despite severe state budget cuts.
—Submitted by a parent

I LOVE everything about Bergeson, We started in 1st grade and have had the BEST teachers ever. I am a proud Bergeson mom!
—Submitted by a parent

This is our 5th year in school attendance. All round Bergeson offers a solid level of academics; the teachers bring unique methods in their approach; after school science and chess classes are challenging and fun; and we are fortunate to have parents sacrifice their time to ensure quality activities for our students. The leadership is respectable and the overall quality of the personnel is above satisfactory.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have had nothing but wonderful experiences at Bergeson. Principal Ed Neely and the teachers are caring, creative, and fun teachers! There a mix of different teachers for each grade level that will cater to the needs of each individual student.
—Submitted by a parent

I wish their music program didn't wait until fourth grade to start. My daughter's recent improvement in math is directly related to my spending more time with her - perhaps this is normal though.
—Submitted by Michael Bowden, a parent

I have generally been very happy with this school. This is my daughter's 4th year in attendance, and I have seen her really grow both socially and academically. Mrs. Bennett, and Mr. Khannakhjavani in particular were a great teaching influence. The principal, Ed Neely, seems to take a genuine interest in the kids and is quite involved.
—Submitted by a parent

Fabulous school. Excellent teachers, meaningful communication
—Submitted by a parent

It is our 3rd year at Bergeson and so far the Teachers have been excellent and I believe provide the best quality of academic instruction.We are truely lucky to have such great teachers! Mr Neely, the principal, is the driving force behind this excellent learning environment. He is a wonderful cheerleader, disiplinarian and leader who is very accessable to all. Parent involvement is high and I have found it to be a very friendly and down to earth environment. I am so happy there are so many people who want to be involved and care so much about their childs education.
—Submitted by a parent