Sundale Elementary School

Our children have attended some of the best schools in the state (ranked a 9+ on this site), elementary, middle school and high school. I would say that we have been the most pleased with Sundale. Teachers are accessible, the administration invites parental participation, and parents are more involved than anywhere else we have been. We have been at the school for three years now and have had children in every grade except 4th and 8th. While no teacher is perfect, there is definitely a commitment at this school to developing excellent teachers. This school is about community, and has done more to reach out to those in its community than any public or private school that we know. Recently the school and its foundation opened a learning center in a struggling neighborhood that serves a number of students and their families. If you want to see what excellent public education looks like, come to Sundale. This school has a small community feel while appreciating the diversity found in its community.
--Submitted by a parent

I went to Sundale from K -8th grade. Graduated 8th grade in 1996. This School harvested the worst memories of my entire life. My little brothers 4th grade teacher had ten-year, and she stood him up in front of his entire class in the 4th grade telling him how horrible of a person he was and how he brought nothing but shame to our family. He was a student with disabilities, and he was heavily discriminated against in front of his peers. This made the students pick on him and mistreat him all thru high school. Afterall, if its ok for the teacher, its ok for the student. Most the kids who went to school with me were from poor families who either abused neglected or didnt pay enough attention to their children. All of the kids to some extent were bullies and got away with just about anything as far as what happened at school. Granted my parents were poor and we never had new clothes, just hand me downs from my cousins etc, but we were good kids. Nothing that deserved what we had growing up. I'm just sad that I had to leave the State to feel like I never had to look back. I do NOT recommend sending your kids to this school.

Sundale is such a great school! The staff is great and the parents are well involved as much as the faculty. They push students to try their best and to understand how it will be in the later future, to strive and go to college. It was such a great experience attending there the whole 8 years including preschool. It is not about the money, but about the children and their future. I am proud now to be attending a university, and Sundale had a lot to do with that.

Sad to see such a great school going downhill, fast! The staff at the elementary level is good, although as your child climbs through the grades into middle school level; good is far fetched. Administration, I'll just leave it at that, nothing to say, but it's not a democracy it resembles a dictatorship. Is spending money the main concern, is the 'wealth' of the school the main goal, I thought it was education, when as of five years ago the Social Studies books still had maps of the Soviet Union in the back it's time to save on the spending in architecture and use it in the classrooms for books! Every school has its flaws and this school has many great programs and teachers. Although let's focus on the education of our youth, not the politics, it's Tulare not D.C.!
--Submitted by a parent

best school ever, from staff to students. just wonderful!!!!!
--Submitted by a parent

Sundale has the best of everything. Academics, technology, sports, parents, teachers, staff, everything. We feel blessed to be a part of Sundale and look forward to many, many more years out there.
--Submitted by a parent

A place where staff and parents give 100%. You don't get better than this!!
--Submitted by a parent

Overall Sundale is a wonderful school, but I agree with another reviewing it is very hard for kids to be part of the sports teams unless they have been part of sports teams outside of school. A little too competitive! My son has tried out for every sport and gives it his all, but it seems too much about winning instead of teaching the sport and sportsmanship.
--Submitted by Concerned, a parent

As a police officer I have had the opportunity to visit numerous schools including several private ones. I now have three children attending sundale school and am extremely happy with the whole program. Growth is inevitable and the entire sundale staff should be commended for a fine job. Although sundale school is growing, it is my believe that the mentality is still that of a
--Submitted by Tim W, a parent

High level of parental involvement, academics are very well from 3rd grade up, haven't been very impressed with kindergarten. Sports are offered but mostly unavailable to kids that haven't played before, etc - everything is on a 'try out' basis. Music and art programs are very good.
--Submitted by a parent