A Montoya Elementary School

I have 3 kids at A Montoya and first want to say how great the teaching staff has been. They have gone about and beyond what is required and many truly understand the differences between each student in their class. Up till the 2012-2013 school year I would have give the school 4 stars, having made a true turn around. However this school year they replaced the principals, and the school has suffered. The principals did not know the student and because they were time sharing the position with the adjoining middle school they are still trying to learn the kids. The one key issue I have with the principals is that their priority is not the kids, that the staff and central office is more important than the kids. They have not dealt with issues when they arise and have told parent s when they bring up an issue to take it up with the central office or to transfer their kids to other schools. This includes child safety issues. I felt with the past principal she served as an intermediary between the community and the central office, but now we are expected to take up all issues with the central office ourselves. Because of the new principals I give the school one star.
—Submitted by a parent

I have 3 children attending A. Montoya and am content with their educational experience. Previously, we lived back east. There my kids were enrolled in schools that were rated 10. With that in mind, here are some of my thoughts concerning A. Montoya. The Good: The teachers and staff are excellent. They are among the best teachers I have encountered. Over the years, I have developed a bias toward experienced teachers. They catch the slow. They identify the quick. They are able to meet the needs of more students. I have had kids in 5 different elementary schools, and this is the highest concentration of exceptional teachers that I have seen. In addition, I like the principal. (She's been there 3 years.) She is quick to address your concerns and is always "around". I have seen her at every school function, including PTA meetings. The Not-So-Good: A. Montoya is not a neighborhood school. Most families live a few miles, in different directions, from the facility. The school boundary is large. This makes building a "sense of community" more difficult. I am optimistic that with better parent organization and an infusion of some "enthusiasm" that this can change.
—Submitted by a parent

The academic programs in this leave a lot to be desired. My children come home with very little homework and complain about running out of work to do in class. I help out in the classroom 2-3 times a week & find their complaints are not without merit. The teachers main focus seems to be 'No child left behind'. The children at the top however seem to be the ones left behind.
—Submitted by Jane, a parent

This school has been a disappointment for our family this year. The PTA is great and went out of their way to try and resolve many issues. Unfortunately, some of the safety and discipline issues are still unresolved. Parent involvement is low when compared to other schools in the district. I believe a good elementary school starts with a good reading program at the Kindergarten level. This puts the 1st grade students and teachers at a disadvantage, as the children are expected to be able to read and recognize many words by first grade. Each subsequent grade is negatively affected by the deficiency incurred at the kindergarten level. If your child is already a reader, have him/her tested for gifted. The gifted program at this school is pretty good.
—Submitted by a parent

I have 2 children at A. Montoya and was very impressed 4 years ago when my oldest child entered as a kindergardner. Unfortunately, morale among Teachers, students and parents is down due to poor administration. Consequently, the quality of education has suffered. I will probably switch schools next year as will many other parents, students & staff. As a side note, this school has been a failing school for at least the last 3 years. The principal is not really too motivated to effect any changes.
—Submitted by a parent

As the parents of a newly 'graduated' kindergartener from A. Montoya we would just like to say that we had a truly amazing experience. The amount of learning my child received was beyond what we expected and the quality was very high. Parent involvement at this school was another added bonus with many moms and dads taking an active role in their childs education. Good, friendly, intelligent people are what we encountered throughout the year. From what we can tell they really push math and science and my 6 year old is doing advanced addition/subtraction some fractions and is a wizz at math sentence problems. We give A. Montoya an A+.
—Submitted by a parent

As parents of a former student of A. Montoya, we are very pleased and appreciative of the high quality of education our child received from the outstanding, professional, dedicated teachers and educational assistants. We also felt respected and safe in an atmosphere where the entire adult staff obviously cared about each individual child, family, and our community as a whole. The core group of parents who consistently volunteered their time, talents, and/or treasure were an invaluable support to the quality of education and success of the children. I only wish more parents would also help in some way.
—Submitted by a parent

The Principal is new to the school and is learning the ropes. I feel she will do well. A. Montoya Elementary has an awesome PTA who does so many wonerful things for the good of the students and the school.