Genevieve Didion School

My son has attended Didion since Kindergarten and I am truly disappointed with the school. The parents and teachers love to gossip about other students, teachers and parents. Students run wild on campus and have no manners and are rude to classmates and adults. Parents complain to one another but are afraid to take their concerns to the principal. More parents need to voice their concerns to turn this school around.
—Submitted by a parent

My son attended Didion. I have nothing positive to say about his time there. Is there an option for zero stars?? His teacher was mean and should have retired several year earlier. On many occasions, I was told by other parents that the teacher was discussing my child with them. I shouldn't have been surprised as she discussed other children with me! I found the remaining teachers I encountered to be gossip mungers, arrogant, and lacking empathy and the ability to nuture children. The principal was a waste of time. I found the other students to be "okay" at best, but needed lessons in kindness. I sent my son there because I had heard such wonderful things and I bought into the idea that he "had" to be at Didion to succeed. My son scored in the Stanford 99.9 percentile in math and language last year. He has qualified for advanced classes and testing--wow, and look he didn't attend Didion. I would never recommend this school. My son still talks about how awful his year at Didion was.
—Submitted by a parent

FINALLY!!!! Didion's true colors are being appropriately displayed! Students are hand picked, wrong and inaccurate addresses used and faculty not doing their best for the needs of the students. The principal is fully aware of this but doesn't handle matters appropriately. Hats off to the parents speaking their minds!
—Submitted by a parent

Our children attended another school and did well because of a high level of parent involvement and participation, the real key to a successful school. Although we initially considered applying to Didion because of its outstanding test scores, I am gald we did not because of the stories we continue to hear about how Didion manufactures its high scores. We have heard about parents lying about their true address or using a relative's address to get their child into Didion. We have also heard of Didion asking a student not to return even though the student lives within its boundaries and with a sibling attending. So, bottom line is that it picks and choses the students that will achieve it the highest test scores even if that means turning its head away from the acts of dishonest parents or accepting students from outside its boundaries while rejecting the students who live within its boundaries. I'm sure Didion receives excellent parent support as well, but the practice of cherry picking, at least in part, explains its high year after year test scores. I'm not sure that the rewards are worth the long term physcological costs or that the practice is ethical for a public K-8 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

The strength is lots of parent involvement.
—Submitted by a parent

Teachers at Didion overall, are experienced and do an excellent job. There is a lot of parent invovlement and support for teachers. There is an after school program and some activities for elementary students. Aside from sports, there are not many after school activities for middle schoolers.For the most part, we have had a good experience at this school.
—Submitted by a parent

This is the best school in the district. The principal is very hands-on, and involved in everything. The teachers are passionate about what they do. My child has been here since kindergarten, and will soon exit the middle school. It's unfortunate there are no high schools that can match Didion's quality.
—Submitted by a parent

An enthusiastic, involved and supportive principal sets the tone for this terrific school. Excellent for gifted students, promoting extra activities to help them grow emotionally, as well as strong academics.
—Submitted by a parent

This school provides a rigorus academic envronment for all students. The school has an excellent reputation, and outscores all other SCUDS school in the annual STAR tests. The teachers are dedicated to the intellectual, physical, emotional, cultural, and social advancement of all students. Parents are exceptionally active at Didion. Parents are found on campus throughout the school day, volunteering to do all the little and big jobs that make Didion the outstanding school it is. The middle school consistantly wins district-wide academic and sporting competitions. The close knit staff works diligently to insure that all students have access to the curriculum, and succeed.
—Submitted by a parent

Didion's Teachers are committed to the children of this community. They prove this through their active involvement during school hours, as well as after. After school they tutor in Math and Reading. Many live in the community and actively particpate in fundraising events to help cover costs of programs (music, science and art) the district cannot afford. Exemplary example of Parents, Principal, Staff and Teacher's working together to provide quality learning evironments which promote sound core curriculum foundation for all children attending Didion K-8th School.
—Submitted by Diana Abinante, a parent