Sycamore Rocks Elementary School

23450 South Road

School District

Apple Valley Unified
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:24
Type

public

School Map for Apple Valley Unified School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on April 04, 2024

Worst school ever .. specially the principal unprofessional
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2023

Wonderful community terrible Elementary main due to the staff in charge
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2023

Worst school you can place your children in San Bernardino county. The Principal’s behavior is completely inappropriate and extremely immature would not recommend request an inner district transfer if possible.
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2023

This schools principal is very close unprofessional and her mind set is one sided not what is best interest of the child but what is convenient
Submitted by parent on October 20, 2023

This is school is so unprofessional its sickening if your child doesn't fit the mold that they want they literally continuously target my son every single day we had multiple meetings to try and come up with a plan the principal in the meetings was making smart remarks mumbling under her breath and being the true definition of unprofessional today my son got suspended for playing basketball and while he was playing the ball hit someone now this is my last straw they have officially started something they can not redeem themselves for lets do this :)
Submitted by parent on November 29, 2021

Sycamore Rocks is a fantastic school! Both of my kids went here and it was absolutely wonderful! The Arts Program is fantastic and all the parents nights were spectacular! The teachers on this campus dedicate so much of their personal time to make it great and it shows! No complaints at all!!
Submitted by parent on March 08, 2018

Excellent! The staff is qualified and reflects the values that the students need to see.
Submitted by other on September 25, 2017

I'm a former student who moved into this district and attended one year at Sycamore. My siblings stayed much longer. Despite my stellar scores I wasn't placed in an advanced class and did virtually nothing my entire fifth grade year except being sent to the library to read when I inevitably aced everything put in front of me (and quickly too). Everything on the learning curriculum had been taught to me a full year prior at my previous elementary school but the school did not allow me to move into the advanced class because it was 'full' or push ahead a grade. My siblings had it worse off, especially the ones who started at Kindergarten and worked up from there. My younger sister had no good teachers until she reached the third grade and my brother had been completely left behind by his Kindergarten and first grade teacher so badly it stunted his learning capabilities in the crucial first years in school! This school is garbage that produces underachievers and struggling learners thanks to poor administration and teacher selections. I can't believe that this site gives it a higher rating compared to other public elementary schools in Apple Valley.
Submitted by other on August 24, 2016

It is unfortunate that racism is tolerated at Sycamore Rocks and that there is no explanation why it is wrong and unacceptable in today's society. Also that the principal did not even care to inform the parents of their child's offensive behavior. My beautiful, smart African American child no longer attends Sycamore Rocks.
Submitted by parent on February 03, 2016

I loved this school when my kids starting going there but now the new principle changes the things that were working great at the school.The old principles Mrs Beckman was strict but atleast she handle business.The pick up is a nightmare and the drop off is not fast at all, it seems to get worse every year.The parents throw up there hands over parking and act like idiots even when the cop is there ....totally going downhill.
Submitted by parent on October 19, 2015

As of the new school year, August 2015, this school has had a new Principle. I see a lot of reviews criticize the previous Principle and they are absolutely right. Our son is in special ed and the previous Principle absolutely hated anybody that was not perfect in both academics and behavior. Decide for yourself whether the Princple's retirement coincided with the school being placed in special measures due to falling API scores. I also notice that the GreatSchools rating has fallen to 7 out of 10. I can't quite remember if it was 9 out of 10 or 8 when we moved here 1.5 years ago.That said, the 2015-16 academic year is now in the hands of a new Principle, one from a nearby well performing school. Two months in and her attitude has increased parent, teacher, and student morale no end. Special ed has improved dramatically, and the reason it was lacking before had nothing to do with the professionals running it: it was entirely due to the old Principle sidelining it to the point of oblivion. The sad thing is, the old Principle failed to realize that sometimes the most autistic children are also the ones that would have increased her API scores the most...Let's hope Sycamore Rocks manages to get back to where it was!
Submitted by parent on September 12, 2015

This school is terrible. I pulled both my kids out of this school last year and home schooled them the last half of the year because all the problems we were having. Let me start with the preschool program...when Mrs. Regalado was the lead teacher she was amazing with the kids and my son loved going to school. She wasn't there last year and the 2 teachers they brought in to help the new lead teacher were absolutely terrible. My son was scared to go to school everyday. I didn't understand why until I heard them speaking badly about my son in front of him. They sat there and said there was something wrong with him and then wondered why he didn't want to participate or listen to them. Would you listen if someone was speaking badly about you? Then there's the Kindergarten teachers. I'm sure not all the teachers are bad but there are a few that scream at the children at morning recess. When the kids are playing on the kindergarten playground you can hear these teachers screaming from the street. My daughter was also being bullied by some girls at lunch time. They would take her food, throw it on the floor, and tell her to fetch like a dog. When I went to the principal about this matter they ended up putting my daughter at the detention table at lunch time instead of the children that were doing the bullying. I was livid!!! Do yourselves a favor and avoid this school.
Submitted by parent on September 02, 2014

I am so happy that I found the school for my children it has done wonders especially for my middle child he went from being behind to where he needs to be and then some all of the teachers are so easy to talk to the principal is very friendly she always has a smile on her face the ladies in the office are wonderful as well the campus is always clean the art fair each year is just super fun for the kids and for the families to get together even back to school nite is very well put together and fun for the family
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2014

Sycamore a Rocks is a beautiful campus with exceptional teachers. My only complaint is the principal. She has absolutely no people skills and has no business overseeing teachers much less children.
Submitted by parent on September 26, 2013

Exceptional in all academic area's. I highly suggest Sycamore Rocks to anyone looking for a K-6...wonderful enriching school
Submitted by teacher on August 03, 2013

Our school has a great leader in our principal. She keeps the staff, students and parents informed about all the changes we are facing and has lead the school to award-winning academic success. Sycamore Rocks staff credit much of this success to the Visual and Performing Arts program that is built into daily curriculum! This is an terrific school and I would love to see the school receive this financial support.
Submitted by parent on April 08, 2013

Sycamore Rocks Elementary is a wonderful school. I have three children attending presently. One in 2nd, 4th & 6th. My children LOVE this school & their teachers! The annual school musical is AMAZING thanks to the teachers that stay AFTER school most of the year working with the kids, costumes, props etc........ The music teacher is super & my two older children love being in chorus. I have loads of beautiful art projects that my children have made during the school year. Mrs. Beckman is a GREAT principal & she loves this school & the children. NATURALLY there are tests that have to be taken, this IS a school. The only thing I wish I could change are the budget cuts!!!
Submitted by other on June 21, 2012

Please,.........please, don t call this a School of Arts. That s an insult to the Arts and Education. It should be called the Sycamore Rocks School of Tests. It is a school of tests, and these kids will be great test takers. This perverse obsession with tests looks great for the ancient principal/control freak (who needs to retire), but is it good for students education? Are these children laying a groundwork to become truly educated? Teachers want to do more, but are in continual test prep mode. This top down approach is not friendly for innovative ideas or parents participation who are generally not welcome on campus but the campus sure looks great and the busses run on time! LOL. A testament to public school failure as it shows how appearances are deceiving!!!!
Submitted by parent on January 15, 2012

This is the worst school, we have ever attended. The teachers are over stressed by the principal. She is so caught up in her scores and numbers that she forgets they are kids. There is a warped sense of discipline. If you are picked on, you too are in trouble; you must have done something to deserve to be bullied. No Love and Logic here! Over half the school goes through the learning center. As far as the music program. A lot of "music" time is spent with the music teacher helping the kids with reading. The Principal would rather hold children back than get them extra help. It makes her test scores look better having an 8 year old take a test geared for a 7 year old. There is no school spirit or fun days the campus has an overall negative feel. I believe this could be a wonderful school if the Principal would retire. IT S TIME! This is your public school nightmare.
Submitted by parent on March 01, 2008

N/A