Banyan Elementary School

Banyan has gotten a new principal this school year. She has been a great addition! We have seen so many fantastic improvements on the the school overall and are happy to be a part of the journey. I have a 2nd grader and a kindergartener at Banyan and both have learned immensely from their teachers! The parental support at this school is INCREDIBLE! We have a extraordinary PTA that bends over backwards to provide many things for the students and teachers at the school like supplying every classroom with a brand new smart board! Our test scores may have gone down overall since the addition of students from Manzanita, however if you look at the breakdown of scores by group, you'll see our scores have gone up. Plus every school has an adjust period when in transition, our scores will be higher year after year now that we are settled in again. I am proud to be a part of Banyan and look forward to the years to come.
—Submitted by a parent

Seems like school staff worked hard to overcome plenty of challenges(another change in principals,Manzanita merge, etc.). Not pleased with test scores, but saw plenty of rallying to ensure that ALL students were getting a good education -- not just teaching to the few non-English speaking students or low achievers. Feel confident that scores will improve as well. Saw more parents jumping in to help too. Like the strong technology direction this school is taking.
—Submitted by a parent

This was our first year at Banyan. We had heard that the school had been negatively impacted by the Manzanita merge the previous year but we saw nothing indicating that. My daughter had an absolutely excellent teacher. I was pleased with the way they handled different progression levels in her classroom. Banyan has a wonderful community feel to it. We were thrilled with our first year there.
—Submitted by a parent

Sad to say that this past year with the Manzanita merge, my children are gettting a second rate education. I might as well move to port hueneme and put them in public school there, no difference now. The poor teachers have to work twice as hard now. I cannot even believe how this school took such a downturn in one year. Now what? I am scared for my child's future. The language barriers are slowing down an already pathetic rate of education.
—Submitted by a parent

Location: Gorgeous, at the base of Mt. Boney. Would that the school would avail of such wonderful opportunities as wildlife viewing, hiking, birding, orienteering, bicycling, and the like, but... Academics: Absolutely & totally standards-driven to get high test scores. The standards are predictably low and the GATE program for smart kids is implemented in name only. There is absolutely no differentiated learning. In a fairly affluent area like this, it seems a shame that the admistration is unwilling take the risk of allowing some divergence from the ridiculous lowbrow notions of education prevalent as acceptable these days, and allow some curriculum depth or schoolwide project. Diversity: Non-existent. Reliably & homogeneously middle-class White. Extracurricular: As with all standards-based schools, arts are relegated to pay-as-you-go after-school activity with middling instructors. And yet... The children are beautiful, and sprightly and courteous and engaging and the hope remains that they will emerge as wonderful, caring beings.
—Submitted by a parent

Banyan's new Principal, Martha Tureen, sincerely cares about students, teachers, and parents. She enthusiastically participates in all events and can be seen boosting morale across campus daily. Banyan is a great neighborhood school, with lots of parental involvement and high achieving kids.
—Submitted by a parent

My how time flies...that is when you are pleased with the progress your children are displaying with their school work and educational development. As a family, we have been extremely 'happy' with all the staff at Banyan Elementary. We think that the collaborative team work that we have witnessed is awesome. We are looking forward to meeting our new principle in the fall of 2006. My boys love the art programs, the music program and the PTA sponsored events, they have all been outstanding in our ratings. Keep up the great work Banyan, wouldn't want to be anywhere else...
—Submitted by Penny and Jim Abrams, a parent

Banyan is a great school, the academic standard is great, they have great Math programs and also uses Accelerated Reader programs, they offer after school activities, children are monitored for discipline, parent involvement is fantastic, teachers are open to discussions.
—Submitted by a parent

Banyan has a strong academic program with lots of parent involvement. Teachers at Banyan work together to help educate by ensuring children suceed to their highest potential.
—Submitted by a parent

Wonderful teachers, great curriculum, really strive for kids to do their best! Staff really seems to care and my daughter is loving her experience there! I don't want to move from the area because of her school...
—Submitted by a parent

I think the quality is good but inconsistant.The availability of music, art and sports is ok. The art and music programs are good. They dont offer enough school sports. I think the level of parent involvment could be improved.
—Submitted by a parent

Wonderful school with dedicated staff.
—Submitted by a parent

Our child has only been at Banyan for a year, but we've been incredibly pleased, not only with the level of teaching and the support staff, but with the other parents of our daughter's classmates, most of whom seem to be just as eager for their children to learn as we are. There's so much more to a great school than just books and recital, and we feel that the Banyan folks are eager and well-trained to educate our child and the kids of our community.
—Submitted by a parent

The Principal, Judie Tetzlaff, is not primarily interested in the welfare of the students, but rather in promoting her own career. She generally attempts to deflect, ignore, or squash any parental concerns or complaints.
—Submitted by a parent

The parents of children at Banyan School go all out to ensure that the school is well-funded and are generous with their time and labor. Most of the teachers are excellent. However, the principal has made a number of poor staffing decisions and has failed to address problems created by these decisions.
—Submitted by a parent

We are very pleased with the education our son is getting at Banyan. He maintain his motivation to learn and enjoys the spirit of the school. I feel Banyan is the #1 Elementary in Newbury Park, and we are happy and pleased to be a part of the Banyan family.
—Submitted by a parent

I have a 6 year old who just finished Kindergarten and a 3 year old who will start in a few years. Last year my son was in kindergarten and also enrolled in the Kindergarten enrichment program for the afternoons. He was so sad when the year was over that he wanted to return to kindergarten the following fall as all the teachers were so great and they had so much fun and did so many things. Luckily the first grade teachers are just as good and I know he will have another wonderful year and continue to grow in many ways. My husband and I had considered private school, but are thrilled with our choice of Banyan. We look forward to many more years of being Banyan parents.
—Submitted by a parent

Banyan is an amazing neighborhood school with a wonderful staff and amazing parent involvement. I am thrilled that my son is here and that my daughter will be soon as well. I feel that they are getting a great solid foundation for their future education. Julie Freedman
—Submitted by Julie Freedman, a parent

I feel very fortunate to have my two children enrolled at Banyan Elementary. We have some of the best teachers around. The parent and teacher involvement is wonderful. The principal is caring and involved. The P.T.A. is outstanding in their efforts to raise funds. What more can I say.
—Submitted by Jacki Rose, a parent