Gridley Street Elementary School

I'm still having a difficult time with this school. I have spoken with the principal and Vice Principal of there loitering ice cream push carts who sell directly to the kids through the fence! Staff as well as some Teachers have witness this and turn the other cheek. It is a real shame. The Principal has said she would send out letters to the parents of this problem to keep the students safe, there has been no such thing. Another issue with a P.E. female instructor calling my Son "White boy!" She is also another one who continues to speak Spanish to most of the kids while some may not speak Spanish it continues. I'm very sadden that my children have been singled out for being Caucasian.It is a sad thing my children have been treated this way from a School they should feel safe to attend, not alienated. This school does have some great teachers here i will say that but for the overall school it has failed itself. It could rise up from its poor standards. This school needs a whole new change. To better suit this community and for these kids to excel for there future.
--Submitted by a parent

I was very disapointed in what this school had to offer. My daughter started Kindergarten this year after from being in Pre-school for 3 years she was more than ready! Passing the assessment test with a great score and getting 3's in all her report card her teacher said was one of the smart ones from class and she even helps out the other children. Unfortunately I feel this school is not for her after being choked and bitten on the cheek on 2 different occasions, and no nobody notified me my daughter came home crying and very sad. We teach her good morals and she knows not to put hands on nobody i was upset! I am now looking into Charter schools so that my daughter can reach her potential after all she deserves better.
--Submitted by a parent

I am going to give this Elementary School a chance. We are going to move to Sylmar in 2 weeks and I am hoping since this is our "home" school and by me being a very involved-volunteer parent I will really observe the teachings and practice and beahvior of the teachers/staff and give them the benefit of the doubt that things are not as bad as so many have stated. My son is going to be a kindergartner and hopefully we can make "Gridley School" the school for our sons elementary studies. I have given the school 5 stars based on I am rating them at the highest score and in 30 days I should be able to see if they still deserve a 5 Star rating! I will re-post again at end of Feb 2011 with my 30 day review and if things are not in the up and up I will pull my child out of the school, contact the Board of Education and LAUSD and start an investigation.
--Submitted by a parent

After reading these reviews I realized I am not being a typical over protective father. I just drove my 5yr. Old daughter to this so-call teaching establishment and was forced to leave her at the front gate . There I was thinking I would get the opportunity to sit down and have a good heart to heart talk with my princess while she enjoyed her breakfast before going to class . Was I wrong!!! A staff member with no form of I.d and lack of professionalism tells me that all children must go on their own. That's absurd ! I scanned the entire campus for some sort of adult professional supervision and saw none . Why should the kindergarteners be forced to have breakfast with the older bigger kids unsupervised?
--Submitted by a parent

I have been an educator for over 20 years, and have worked at several schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. I have never seen a school so disorganized, a Principal so disorganized and rude; she yells at the office staff and at teachers in front of parents. The District has many principals like this and that is a major reason our children are failing. A highly respected education professor once said "A school is only as good as its leader."
--Submitted by a teacher

I feel that the staff is extremely devoted to the students and work very hard under difficult circumstances.
--Submitted by a parent

Unfortunately, leadership is lacking at this school and the teaching my child is receiving is very uneven. Personal experience with some teaching staff was extremely unprofessional. A small school like this one doesn't afford much choice when teachers aren't meeting your child's need. And the principal is doing very little to weed out those teachers who are just 'biding their time,' while they waste the precious time of the students they are trained professionally to serve and inspire.'
--Submitted by a parent

The school has a strong parent involvement program. Most teachers are very caring and provide a well planned program. My children love the school.
--Submitted by a parent

The office staff is definitely not helpful and very rude. Nobody seems to know what is going on. One person tells you one thing and the other another thing. The teachers don't seem to pay very much attention to the kids.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter attended this school and I agree with other reviewers on the office staff being so disorganized,unpresentable,but worst of all unprofessional and rude.As for the teachers they all seem to have their own way of teaching,and don't disguise favoritism for certain children wich made my daughter feel unconfortable and underappreciated for all her elementary years.She did bad and didn't enjoy her elementary years, but I can proudly say that as she moved on to middle school she is now an honors student with an almost perfect grade average...go figure they say children learn the essentials for success in elementary I guess overall the teachers are pretty good..she learned to strive harder for her to get noticed as a student..
--Submitted by a parent