Village School

825 West Parr Avenue

School District

Campbell Union
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:23
Type

charter

School Map for Campbell Union 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 November 12, 2024

Village is more than just a school; it's a nurturing community where every child is valued and encouraged to reach their full potential. The school's whole-child approach is evident in every aspect of the curriculum. Our son has been a part of this wonderful school for over two years and loves every moment of it. He enjoys learning, and the school's engaging events and activities have enriched his experience.Mixed-age classrooms at Village offer a dynamic learning environment where students of different ages learn and grow together. Older students can serve as mentors to younger ones, fostering a sense of community and responsibility. Meanwhile, younger students benefit from the diverse perspectives and experiences of their older peers. This collaborative approach enhances both social and academic development, as students learn from each other and challenge themselves in new ways.The sense of community at Village is truly heartwarming. The annual fall carnival and school camping trips are just a few examples of the many events that bring the entire community together. Parents, staff, and students form strong bonds, creating a supportive and nurturing environment for all.If you're seeking a school that prioritizes your child's overall development, Village is a great choice. It's a place where children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Submitted by other on March 11, 2024

Teaches people kindness more than actual subjects
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2022

Village is a great fit for our family. Our children attended parent-participation preschools where my husband and I shared volunteer responsibilities. We wanted to find an elementary school with the same parent participation component and discovered that there are only a few options in Silicon Valley. We were happy to find Village and five years later, we're still loving it! How do kids learn?Children thrive and don't suffer the stress of homework during the younger grades or of a crowded campus. They learn via a hybrid approach of district requirements and project-based learning. They plan, design, test, and redesign and test projects. They learn to problem solve and I wouldn't expect and less from a Silicon Valley school. One of their favorite components is Centers (hands-on classes taught by parents including Engineering, Robotics, Ancient Civilizations, Germs, Urban Gardening, Dance, etc.).There are resources for children who require more help and we took advantage of them for our youngest who was the youngest in her class and needed a bit more help with reading. All of our kids perform above grade level and are excited about learning. Campus and Teachers: Roughly 240+/- K-5 students. Classroom walls are full of children's art and projects. Playground includes a play structure, blacktop, and we share a large field with the neighboring school. The garden is a huge hit with kids too. The teachers are fantastic! PTA pays for art and music.Bullying: Parent presence on campus reduces bullying, but it still happens because kids are learning and is addressed with the no bully program. Children are asked to visit the wheel of choice to help resolve disagreements.Family Commitment: There is an annual 8 hour volunteer requirement (ex: volunteering at events, campus cleanup, etc); annual committee assignment (fundraising, yearbook, events, etc.); and classroom or alternative volunteer component per child (teaching Centers, arranging field trips, reading to students, helping teachers).My husband and I both work full time and share the parent participation component. We've volunteered in class (pre-pandemic), taught Centers classes, helped with yard duty, cooked at the camping trip, etc. The PTA works with each family to find assignments that work for parents as not all parents can take time to work on campus. Parents take a couple of positive discipline classes through the school one time during their family's time at the school.We love Village!
Submitted by parent on December 13, 2018

We love Village! My son just started in Kindergarten and has had a great experience so far. The community feeling is exactly what we were hoping for. Principal David is great, he's always available for questions before or after school. There are a lot of opportunities to be involved, in addition to the parent participation component. Overall, the parents and staff are kind and compassionate. I trust my son's teacher wholeheartedly and know that I could come to her with issues. Some things to know: You will be responsible for a classroom shift about 3-4 hours a week, attending community meetings, classroom trainings etc. as well as being on a committee, such as planning events or fundraisers. There is a donation that you are expected to give ($300-400 annually). All that said, WE LOVE IT! It is a lot, especially in the beginning, but it's so great and we couldn't have asked for a better school.
Submitted by parent on June 07, 2017

By far the worst expirience I have had in the Campbell school district
Submitted by parent on January 14, 2017

I am writing this because I wish I had read a different perspective of this school when looking at reviews. Although the majority of children thrive at Village ours did not. If your child has any kind of behavioral or learning challenges, I would advise that you consider this school with caution. Our child attended his K year at Village and I never really felt that he fit in. He has a learning disability and some behavioral challenges. I thought he would benefit from all the parent involvement but that actually was a big problem for him. There was so much parent turn over in the classroom that it was difficult for him to have any kind of consistency. We also had a problem with the school's positive discipline approach. The method they use with problem students at the school turned out to be negative for our son and caused tremendous stress in our home. My son also encountered some bullying at this school. Many of the problems occurred when interacting with the older students. At Village, K - 5th graders spend all recesses and lunch together. The Centers also caused problems for him because the activity and parents leading the Centers changed every 3 to 4 weeks. This caused a negative situation for my child who I have now learned, needs a stable and consistent learning environment. The parent involvement commitments were also very difficult for us because my husband and I work full time. On top of everything else my son also has a severe peanut allergy. The daily community snack made it necessary for me to monitor the food that was brought in by parents for the children. Although most parents were very accommodating in the snacks they brought it was still a source of constant worry. There was also little monitoring of my son's exposure to peanuts during lunch. There are many nice people and children at this school but it is certainly not a perfect place. I think parents should consider more than just the rating this website gives to schools. My son now attends a district school closer to our house which received a "6" on this website. We absolutely love his new school and feel that our son is thriving. He has a kind and patient teacher and is learning leaps and bounds every day because of the calm and consistent learning environment which works best for our son.
Submitted by parent on May 26, 2016

Outstanding leadership, active parent involvement and education, experienced and committed teachers and staff, whole child philosophy, teaching of conflict resolution skills, a variety of activities and field trips, engaged, happy and respectful kids by 5th grade.... What more could you ask for? Village is a gem.
Submitted by parent on May 19, 2016

We love Village! The parent involvement is what makes Village School great. The teachers and staff are also very experienced. This is my child's first year at this school and she has learned so much, not only academically, but she also has developed social and life skills.The school set is small so we feel like we are a big family. If you like parent participation, it is up to the commitment this school requires and want your child that attend a school that is not focus on state tests. This is the right school for you.
Submitted by parent on September 17, 2015

My son just started at village, but I have notice how much he enjoys his day at school.As a parent who is part of this wonderful community, I am very excited too.This is a wonderful parent participation school.
Submitted by parent on August 26, 2015

Great place for kids to learn not just about academics but about community and personal responsibility in a positive environment
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2015

Village offers a challenging academic experience through a foundation of teaching empathy and communications skills. Among other concepts, children are learning the concepts of service (serving each other at snack, for example), patience, tolerance, understanding, upstanding, and confidence. Everything we as adults wish we could grasp so well. I've never met a child so kind, thoughtful, and confident as the average Village 5th grader. The differentiated learning style enables a classroom of children with varying depths of understanding to progress. The enrichment classes called "Centers" allow for exposure and exploration of a variety of topics. The field trips are frequent and rich in context and experience. These pieces function in harmony with our culture of investigation, exploration, and opportunity. Our children are thriving in this school and the community that supports it. May it continue to be the odd and special and ground-breaking beacon of light in an often bleak landscape of public education.
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2013

I LOVE Village school. It is the perfect school for my children and my family. My children feel love, safe and respected. They love going to school. THe whole child curriculum, positive discipline, field trips, centers, class meetings, family camping trip, community etc. are things that make Village school the PERFECT school for us. It is not a school for every family. As a parent, I have taken classes that they have offered over the years to help me become a better parent. All the teachers have treated me and my children with the utmost respect. Positive Discipline works and we use it at home. Like I said, it is not a school for everyone. Please consider if the school philosophy resonates with your family. Village is the BEST and we could not be happier. My one complaint- I wish it was a K-8 school.
Submitted by parent on January 08, 2013

I confess, I am the PTA Pres at VS and I LOVE our school! My children have attended VS for 6.5 yrs. VSTeachers are caring, innovative and effective. VS Parents are engaged, passionate and giving. VS Students are inquisitive and enthusiastic about learning. VS test scores are high. Last year s 5th Grade achieved the highest Science score in CUSD. My own child graduated from VS to Rolling Hills in 2012.She has a 3.5+ GPA at RHMS. In K-3, she was always in the lowest reading group. VS teachers nurtured my child at the appropriate level to help her feel good about her abilities at every stage of her growth. You will not find A s, B s or C s at VS. If you want grades, please consider another school. VS is about the learning process and nurturing kids holistically. The Parent commitment at VS is significant. Our Charter requires all families work on campus during school hours.You will be asked to actively mentor other people s children (in class/playground/field trips). If you are uncomfortable with this (because children can be challenging), please consider if this is the right choice for your family. If you support Parent Participation and Positive Discipline, please consider Village!
Submitted by parent on December 30, 2012

Village is a great idea gone wrong. As test scores increase, more families came who were not interested in being part of the community and doing the required work. Positive discipline is supposed to be kind AND firm. Village practices kindness with very little firmness. The result is ever changing rules/boundaries that leave many struggling to navigate the new day and many children who don't feel they need to comply with an adults request. While we want empowered children, they also need to learn how to earn and give respect. The "new" principal does not have the backbone to lead. Most upsetting of all, is that she will back down from disciplining a student if there is a history of parents (especially dads) pushing back. This only confuses students more and leaves them to feel as if there is no one to protect them. Many enriching activities exist, but they can come at the cost of basic skills of spelling or penmanship. The expectations are just not there from every teacher at the school, making the transition to "normal" school more difficult. The negatives far outweigh the positives anymore. Children need to be in a place with cohesive rules/consequences.
Submitted by parent on May 25, 2010

We feel so blessed to have Village for our children. I couldn't even imagine sending my kids to a school with 600+ children and minimal supervision on the playground. At Village, there is so much parent involvement that children are safe and teachers can spend more one on one time with kids in the classroom. The challenge is fitting a parent participation school in your life if you are a working parent. I run a business full-time, and it can be difficult to fit it all in. With that said, my children are a priority to me. My children get a private school education within the public school sector and I'm willing to make the sacrifices necessary to make that happen. Thank you Village for providing us with a safe place to go to school and for allowing my children to thrive in their education.
Submitted by parent on May 24, 2010

Having had one kid move through Village and having a second one still in the school since kindergarten, I'm seeing changes that I don't much care for. In the last year we have seen several of the keystone families withdraw their kids and move to other schools due to conflicts with the prinicpal. I've also seen a number of behavorial issues in the upper grades (group bullying) simply not be addressed by either the parents or the administration. The intimate tie we had between the staff, kids & families is simply NOT what it once was.Sadly the school is a vicitm of it's own success. A great community led to high scores and a great reputation. In turn it has led to enrollment by folks unready for a real parent participation school.
Submitted by parent on May 24, 2010

Village School has consistently worked with me, and my family, to get the best education for my son. An earlier review stating that the change in leadership this year was responsible for starting a culture of bullying seems to be looking at the past through rose colored glasses, because my family had to deal with this issue 3 years ago (with the old principal), as well as this year. I have found that the current staff has been at least as responsive to my concerns, if not more so, than the previous administration. I have seen the new Principal out on the field during my lunch recess shift most weeks and have been able to use her as a resource to help deal with any situations on the spot.
Submitted by teacher on May 23, 2010

Our principal is supportive of the staff, parents and the students. When she is on campus, she spends her time in the classrooms, out on the playground for morning and lunch recess. I hope that parents don't perceive her frequent absences due to district meetings and business as a lack of desire to meet the kids and parents. If she is in her office, you will often find she is meeting with a student, parent or a group of parents. Village is a warm, supportive community and continues to be the best school in this area. Not everyone can truely appreciate what we have.
Submitted by parent on June 03, 2009

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Submitted by parent on January 14, 2008

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