Valencia Elementary School

250 Aptos School Road

School District

Pajaro Valley Unified
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

School Map for Pajaro 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 January 26, 2018

This is my daughters first year at Valencia. Not only is the campus amazing -the teachers and principal are as well.Her teacher is compassionate , understanding, and focuses on their great qualities , it is so refreshing to go to a parent teacher conference and have a teacher be so positive.The principal loves her job and you can tell, she is very involved and fixes any problems your child may have. Thank you Valencia!!! Thumbs up from my kid and I .
Submitted by parent on January 23, 2018

I have two very different students and the teachers and staff have alway been there to identify an area that needed extra help or if they needed to be challenged more. They have risen to the challenge every time making an individual experience for both of my students.
Submitted by parent on September 23, 2014

I have to agree with "I am completely disappointed in this school on multiple levels. " There's no communication to the parents what so ever. I guess the staff expects parents just to know how the school operates, without ever telling the parents about it! I have one bad experience after another, all due to absosolute non-existence of communication. The office staff will even give wrong information and then we, parents and our kids, pay for the bad information with upset kids. Being reactive is worth than proactive, this school doesn't even react!
Submitted by parent on July 24, 2014

Great little school tucked away in a nice redwood setting. Shrinking class sizes are another plus. Nice diverse population of students too!
Submitted by parent on June 02, 2013

What an amazing school!! The teachers are very dedicated to the education of the children. The principal stands behind her teachers and is the most accessible and hands on administrator that I have ever met. The Home and School Club raises money and is able to keep the arts in the school as well as so many other programs. One of my favorite programs would be the reading program. My son struggles with reading and he is able to have instructional reading in small groups and at his level. His growth this past year is overwhelming. The children who succeed quickly are encouraged to work at higher levels in small reading groups as well. This school has a lot to offer to every child. I am thrilled to be a part of the Valencia community. Go Sea Stars! Did I mention that it also is a Green Certified School?
Submitted by parent on May 08, 2013

This is THE leading elementary school in the entire district. The staff, faculty and parents are wonderful and invested in making this an academically challenging environment for ALL students. The principal has introduced core values that include respect, responsibility and kindness as well as always putting in their best effort. There is an active parent group (Home & School Club) that actually raises enough money to supplement the education process by funding additional teachers and aides. They also fund the entire Arts and Enrichment curriculum as well as making up for the budget crisis on a per classroom level. Tons of communication on the web, Facebook, e-mail and the occasional letter home. Valencia is also working towards being the first school in our district to be a certified Green School and has already been designated as such by the Aptos Chamber of Commerce. I'm grateful to have such a wonderful school right here in our backyard.
Submitted by parent on May 08, 2013

Dedicated faculty and staff, rigorous academics, good mix of students (various ethnic and socio-economic), strong parent community. The Principal and staff are, like their cohorts at other public schools, making miracles with a bare-bones budget. There is a reason our teaching staff has minimal turnover - this community supports learning, both students and teachers alike. Innovative teaching practices like RTI, science for intermediate grades, arts and choir, fitness are provided by the fundraising of a strong parent community. The playground is open for all children -- a Boundless Playground with full wheelchair accessibility. Public schools are different from years ago but Valencia innovates in spite of budget limitations. Any problems at the school are only because of district financial constraints, such as larger classes and limited operating funds. We are fortunate to live in the Valencia community.
Submitted by parent on February 27, 2013

I am completely disappointed in this school on multiple levels. My son is an advanced student and we met with the principle before enrollment to ensure an environment that he could flourish in. This has been a complete disappointment. The school prides themselves in being" paperless" this is there reasoning for complete lack of communication. I never know what is going on in there school because there is no newsletter. There website is terribly out of date. I just feel no school pride. No awards assembly, no spirit day. My son has completely lost the love to LEARN. The principle is M.I.A. and there is no P.T.A.?
Submitted by parent on May 22, 2012

My daughter is going to this school for her k& 1st year and then moved to Sonora for her next 2 years and when she came back ... they were so WONDERFUL ... the teachers new what was going on .. they new where to sit the good and needing work kids ... they also new that i am a working mother and helped with my schedule to be apart of my daughters ... schooling helped me help her advance ... now my daughter reads above her grade level and is excellent in math and science ... AND LEARNS and loves a lot with her after school program ... i LOVE THIS school ... and she is not afraid to ask for help the teachers are so inviting ... to her ... and that is what i love a lot ...
Submitted by parent on January 31, 2012

I've been amazed at how quickly and how much my children have learned at Valencia. My kindergartner is reading, my 2nd grader is a math whiz (add/subtract/multiply/word problems and much more). I believe many of the teachers go way over and above what is expected. They obviously enjoy what they do and make learning fun and engaging. They offer an arts program, choir, PE, computers, library time and other weekly perks. The principal and custodian seem to know every child by name. Class sizes are large but so is parental involvement which helps the success of every student. They take bullying seriously and teach kids how to behave respectfully. My only 2 complaints are that the school starts too early: 7:45 (and hence lets out too early) and the school lunches aren't the healthiest (but the kids do seem to like them). I highly recommend this school for the teachers, staff and community. And also another perk, the parents are NICE and not overly competitive with their kids' successes.