Valley View Elementary School

OK, the EI program is great. Agreed. The school overall? It astounds me that no one seems to be aware that the schools performance is so low that it is designated as "Needs Improvement". The staff? I have observed impatience, raised voices and lack of respect towards students. Is it a big surprise I observe the students being disrespectful to subs and adults? The leadership always strikes me as disinterested, lethargic and in need of a nap. Many parents are unhappy with this school- the parents who have high standards and have been to good schools themselves through good fortune. Don't send your child here unless the DI program is suitable for your child. There are better schools in Ptown. This school is awful- we just hoped that it would get better and it never did. The best teacher- Mrs. Day left for greener pastures for good reason.
—Submitted by a parent

Valley View is a wonderfully unique school. There are Dual Immersion and English-only programs, and yet the school community is very cohesive. There a many events where the children have opportunities to learn from different cultures. There is a Multi-cultural Fair each year that is very well attended. The school facility is 50 years old and to celebrate this milestone, the school had a large charity event, and the school and community have upgraded the school with many new trees, flower beds, art walls throughout the school and a new area in front of the school with tables, umbrellas, benches, and information boards. The Principal, Mr. Cruz is extremely caring and approachable. I can't say enough positive things about him. Focus on the love of learning, honesty, respect and integrity, are modeled by an incredible group of educators. The standards are high, as well as the teacher's support in students achieving these standards. Parent/teacher interaction is at an extremely high level. Every person at VV, from the principal through the custodial staff are involved in the educational experience. My daughter started in 1st grade, is now in 4th grade we both love her school.
—Submitted by a parent

I have seen much better than valley view, especially in Pleasanton. Most of the teachers are wonderful but some are just not patient at all. I have walked past Mrs Gunn's class room to hear her actually screaming at the children 3 separate times, it was horrifying behavior for a teacher. Principal Cruz in very inexperienced but he cares about the kids and stands by his teachers. Rosemary runs the office and is absolutely amazing. The parking is a complete nightmare. The parking lot is tiny and over crowded and a complete mess during drop off and pick up times. You are better off parking 3 blocks away and walking than waiting for 40 minutes in traffic.The staff directing traffic are incredibly rude to the children and parents, but I cant say I blame them. With the parking lot the way it is that would be the worst job in the school. Over all, with so many great schools in Pleasanton this one disappointing. Im giving it two stars for that reason, because in Pleasanton you have your pick of some of the best schools in the Bay, and compared to others it is below average.
—Submitted by a parent

The school, although with limited budget, is always going the extra mile to make learning fun
—Submitted by a parent

It has a fantastic dual immersion program as well as just being a wonderful caring place.
—Submitted by a parent

Offers great dual immersion program.
—Submitted by a parent

We are a California Distinguished School that has also won the CABE Seal of Excellence for a Dual immersion Program. The dedicated and professional staff rocks!
—Submitted by a parent

Valley View is a great school with first class teachers. We have a stellar spanish dual-immersion program in half the school, however it does not over-shadow the english-only side of the school. Families from all socio-economic backgrounds co-exist and even thrive together. Our school is multi-cultural, with varying degrees of affluence, yet we still have a lot of cohesion here. Special things about our school include the Go Green Committee, the school garden, the Wellness Committee, Family Fun Nights, and lot's of fun activities for the kids all year long.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter starts there this fall in there Kinder and we as a family are very excited for her. The school was very helpful and caring about help us decide were to send our daughter. It was between a mono lingue school or dual immersion.The teacher were very excited about the DI program and the excitement was brought over to us as parents. But most of all our daughter wanted to go and learn spanish!
—Submitted by a parent

Very high parental involvement which is great for any school, however I feel that the whole learning process here is all about getting the children to 'test' well and get high scores for the school. Much of the homework is tedious and unecessary (spelling the same works over and over for example). My child has gone to more creative schools with far lower ratings.
—Submitted by a parent

Since the program has gained so much popularity, they should make more strict guidelines along with testing for program qualifications. Besides this issue, the school is fantastic! The principal is great and works closely with the Parent Faculty Club. The PFC does an excellent job raising funds for the school and the parent involvement is unbelievable. Best of all, the teachers are caring and highly qualified. I feel that my child is excelling because of this environment.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children at the VV dual immersion program, which is of very high quality. My elder child is also in the gifted (GATE) program. Parents dislike that it is not a distinguished school, but in my opinion, a better cultural mix helps us face the real world, and the introduction of a second language has a very high importance in my estimation. (My ex-husband and I spent significant time abroad speaking and conducting business in another language.) The teachers are outstanding. One problem is that the leadership (principal) has changed twice in two years. Hopefully, this is the end of that trend. I feel strongly positively about this program and about the overall quality of my children's education. Math club, science programs, and programs such as chorus and Strings (musical string instruments) are well integrated. Kids perform in Spanish. Parent help is in the classroom almost 100%.
—Submitted by Ashley Thomas, a parent

My child has learned a tremendous amount in her 4 years at this school. The dual immersion program is fantastic...her Spanish is so fluent and her interest in other cultures is directly related to her participation in this program. It has been a wonderful experience for the entire family. I definitely would recomend it!
—Submitted by a parent

Great teachers and Parent involvement seems to be a big plus here!
—Submitted by a parent

Valley View Elementary is an outstanding school where the staff is extremely dedicated, and the parent involvement is outstanding. They provide lots of help for those students in need through thier Resource department and homework clubs. They have a wonderful music program, and are always getting the children involved in the arts - whether it is by attending musicals, recitals, plays or putting them on themselves. The Dual Immersion program is growing in popularity and has wonderful and experienced teachers willing to put extra time to make sure the curriculum works. It is a fantastic school!
—Submitted by L. S., a parent

It's a great school with high involvement of both teachers and parents. We particularly like the Spanish biligual program.
—Submitted by a parent

The Teachers are outstanding, Administrative Staff is friendly and always available to assist parents, the Principal and Resource Specialist are extremely caring about the students, any student and the Parents are awesome!
—Submitted by a parent