Dixie Canyon Avenue Elementary School

If you want your children to be apart of a wonderful learning environment chock full of diverse experiences, this is the place for you and your family. Dixie Canyon is a gem of a school, complete with a dynamic PTA that works extremely hard to make it so. I was one of those parents from the previous review who worked an enormous amount of volunteer hours to help the auction become a success. It is the dedication of that group of parents, teachers and staff that make this school ROCK ! My child is adequately prepared for the journey ahead because of the education received here. If you can muster the courage to make your child's education a priority, then by all means come in. If you want to gripe about what's not right without lifting a finger to make it better, move on. We are a California Distinguished School for a reason and that is providing a great learning environment for kids.
--Submitted by a parent

Ten years ago my son started kindergarten at Dixie Canyon. I went to the PTA's first silent auction meeting and found only 3 other overworked moms with a few hundred dollars in the bank. Undaunted, we went on to hold our event in a local rented room, and raised a few thousand more. It was a small start, but the PTA has never looked back. Last week, dozens of hardworking moms (and dads!) put together a special evening at CBS Studios that was nearly sold out, and certain to have made tens of thousands of dollars. All this from parent's fierce desire to supplement their children's schooling with a drama, art, science and computer program. Say what you want about the shortcomings of the LAUSD system you can't beat a school where the parents are as dedicated as this!
--Submitted by a parent

The principal of Dixie Canyon told me that the substitute teacher (who was temporarily teaching my son's kindergarten class), left the school because of my son's behavioral problems. My son did have ADHD, but I thought that this was a completely inappropriate and unprofessional comment for the principal to tell me. Regardless, my son finished kindergarten there (with much difficulty). I don't feel like the teachers were as professional or as helpful as they could have been. My son goes to Kester Ave Elementary now, and we are much happier there.
--Submitted by a parent

Dixie is our home school and I had heard good things about it so we enrolled for Kindergarten figuring if it wasn't good we could look elsewhere the next year. Kindergarten was fantastic! My daughter came out of kindergarten reading, doing math and with a thirst for more learning. I love the school and my daughter does too. She learned so much in Kindergarten! She is in 1st grade now and we are still so happy at Dixie. My youngest daughter starts next year in Kindergarten and she is so excited. The school has fantastic teachers and staff. The PTA has worked hard to make sure we keep our fantastic Art teacher and Drama teacher. We are so lucky to have them and their enthusiasm at our school. We take advantage of the after school art and drama classes as well, even though I feel she gets enough during the regular school week she loves to take after school classes with these two incredible teachers. Parents are very involved at the school as well. I feel like my child is safe when she is at school and I know that she is happy to be there. I am happy we choose to go to our local school and I am looking forward to seeing how much she learns this year!
--Submitted by a parent

I have 2 students in this school and my experience has been more so closer to January 13ths post. Both teachers have bad attitudes and the only communication I have had with eitehr teacher has been rude as well as unproductive. 1 child will move on to middle school next year and I will be removing my other student from this school. I wish these teachers the best and hope they have an enlightened experience, there are too many young people coming out of college that would love to have their jobs that will put their all into teaching our children.
--Submitted by a parent

A lovely learning environment, great facilities, good leadership, and fantastic teachers; every kid is pushed hard to do better. The teachers and even parents in this community take great pains to help strive kids perform better; a very active and energized pta; all in all i am in love with this school.
--Submitted by a parent

I have my 2 daughters at this school at all I have to say is I couldn't be happier. The teachers are amazing and the parents very involved. Both of my daughters love the school and are excelling. Tremendous sense of community and amazing after school programs.
--Submitted by a parent

This school had good API scores. Not great, but good. According to that, i would expect a better curriculum and better teachers. My son started kindergarten in the beginning of this year, and so far everything he has learned he learned either at home or at his grandmother's preschool. What they are doing there from 8 am to 2:40 pm i have no idea. Not learning anything, that's for sure. His teacher is horrible. She is a sad , deeply unhappy person, not talking to parents, not communicating, and at times just being plain rude. She obviously has some personal problems she is going through, but why it should be my son's problem as well, i have no idea. I tried to transfer my son, but the principal would not budge. If she (the principal) is allowing people like that to be on stuff and teach children, this school is not good. In any way. I pray for a nicer, more undertending human being as a teacher for my son next year. If not, i am pulling him out. I hope the rest of you had better luck
--Submitted by a parent

Dixie Canyon is the jewel of the valley for LAUSD! It's a relatively small school, with VERY INVOLVED parents, teachers and administrators. The PTA is spectacular and has moved mountains to make sure that the kids have music, art, a computer lab, a science lab and regular school beautification projects. The kids get a great education because the parents and teachers work together! They've managed to build a "community" around our kids in a city as gargantuan as L.A.
--Submitted by a parent

We have been very disappointed with this school. We pulled our daughter out. We had problems with undedicated teachers, unresponsive administration and a poor quality of education.
--Submitted by a parent