Genevieve Didion School

I love Didion! It has been a wonderful experience to go to this school. I made friends so easily and the teachers are very good. The principal really cares about the kids, and so does almost everyone on the staff. My grades are high, and a lot of that has to do with all the awesome teachers and excellent learning experience. I am in the 6th grade and will not be here for middle school, but I would DEFIANTLY recommend Didion for K-6. The middle school is ok, but, I myself am not a big fan of having middle schoolers (and I bet the middle schoolers do not like the "little kids" around) everywhere but I have gotten used too it. The teachers a great, the campus (is fairly small which I never minded) and the area are great, and the parents are very involved which I think is also great. Thank you for reading this and I hope you consider Didion for your child!

I agreen with the post of 1/11/12. We have kids at Didion and while we are satisfied with the school overall, it is not because of the level of teaching, curriculum, or leadership. We feel that the staff and administration have become a bit too complacent in their "elevated" status and there needs to be a major wake-up call starting at the top. Where is the enrichment? Our level of satisfaction comes from our feeling of safety: the children look out after each, major behavioral problems seen at other schools don't appear to be a problem and the parents are very involved. On the other hand, the school needs to really work on instructing parents who drop their kids off at school in the morning to not park in the white zone and leave their cars. It creates a very dangerous situation.
--Submitted by a parent

We have a child at Didion, and have to admit, we are not that impressed. There is definitely some elitism from some of the teachers and parents. Even though our child is identified as gifted (GATE) and scores Advanced on all the STAR tests, we've still felt a sense of inadequacy. To be honest, we have been disappointed by the level of teaching from such an "advanced" school. As educators ourselves, we have not been impressed so far. The school is great because of the parents' expectations of their own children, not the teachers or curriculum. Our child received a more rigorous education from a teacher at a nearby school with a lower API and reputation, leaving the demands from Didion looking weak by comparison. As most students are already Gifted and Talented, more of a challenge needs to be presented. The parents are very involved, which is good, but there is a constant nagging from the school of its hardship. We understand the district is financially strapped, as is all of education in California, but must we hear it all of the time? Granted, we believe the overall level of education is quite good here, but the attitudes and lack of challenges can be troubling.
--Submitted by a parent

I have a son in 4th grade (at Didion since K), 2 kids in Kinder, and 1 more entering K in the Fall. I feel very fortunate to have my children enrolled at Didion. The school is known for it's rigorous academic program. The kids are kept very busy with work, and not just busy work. I feel the kids are getting an excellent foundation to prepare them for middle- and high school. I'm continually amazed at the quality of work these kids produce when visiting open house. The strong partnership between the principal/teachers and Didion Forum (PTA) creates an atmosphere of cooperation and encourages all parents to actively participate in their child's education, which is really a huge part of the equation. Fundraising is a natual part of the Didion experience. Excellent school!
--Submitted by a parent

The teachers & principal are the best. It's just the best school in the area.
--Submitted by a parent

I have a 4th grader and a Kindergartner at this school and I absolutely love this school. It has a great PTA/Forum which helps support the teachers and field trip costs. Parent participation is outstanding. And I really enjoy & appreciate the various culture day events that are planned throughout the year.
--Submitted by a parent

I have 3 daugthers at Didion one of them is going to stay for Middle school at Didion. I am very happy with the envriomental, diversity ant the quality of the education .The teachers are very open, friendly and put everything to give the students different tools to learn. The parents are involved in 100% this make Didion an special place to learn.
--Submitted by a parent

I was new last year ('06-'07) at Didion K-8. They welcomed me with open minds and arms. Didion is a special school, not all schools can be good academic wise, and let the kids have fun ;-). Although the campus may be small, it is a wonderful school in many ways. This year has been the best school year of my life. I had two wonderful teachers who taught me many things that my old school couldn't have.
--Submitted by a student

This is my second year at Didion and my son loves the school and so my husband and I. We were fortunate enough to get in through a permit at the last minute. The teachers here are top noch and we are amazed at the academic curriculum. The PTA forum is well run and supports the teachers with many things they would not be able to purchase.
--Submitted by a parent

Academically this is a top notch school, one of the best if not top three in the City. However, the school's culture is lacking, it is not diverse. The school has a very strong Forum. It s run by a group of women who are very good at fundraising. If you start after kindergarten, it s difficult to get in; enrollment is limited to neighborhood children.
--Submitted by a parent