Valley Middle School

1645 Magnolia Avenue

Carlsbad, CA 92008

School District

Carlsbad Unified
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:21
Type

public

School Map for Carlsbad 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 student on October 29, 2023

I like math, math is fun to learn because it’s easy for me and I love raising my hand in math class.
Submitted by student on January 28, 2023

A lot of bullies, drugs, and more. I have been bullied several times. I hate almost everyone at the school.
Submitted by parent on January 24, 2023

After 3 years at VMS, our family has been very happy with the leadership and quality of the teachers. The Principal & VP are very forward-thinking, they are not afraid to try new methods - which is sorely needed in most 21st-century schools. Most of the teachers are very responsive and care about the students and learning. Some of the older teachers may be burned out and looking towards retirement, yet this is an issue in any organization!Overall our son has had a wonderful experience learning both academically and socially during the often challenging transition from tween to teen years... He is looking forward to attending CHS next year in the excellent CUSD system, where there are no "bad" schools. Although not as diverse as California as a whole - this is an issue along uber-expensive coastal California - there are about 40% non-white students. Our son is Hispanic with Spanish & German spoken at home. Through a combination of heavy funding - paid via decades of RE tax school bonds - and a strong socio-economic family-focused population Carlsbad has good-excellent schools throughout - with VMS one of the gems!
Submitted by student on December 21, 2022

people do a lot of drugs here, it’s cool i guess.
Submitted by parent on May 07, 2022

My child made an excellent transition to Valley from elementary school because of Valley's Village System. The teachers and older students have been so supportive of the incoming 6th graders all year long. The ASB also does many really fun and unique special events to build a positive school culture. The teachers make provide fun activities in their classes to engage the kids and they have been very responsive with any emails that I have sent. My son's counselor has also done a terrific job of supporting him when he needed it.
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2018

Overall, this school needs a teacher makeover. They need inspiration and a more progressive and engaging approach. These kids are being taught traditionally and with the drill and kill homework method. Also the student teacher ratio is wrong - its more like 30:1
Submitted by other on January 29, 2014

As a student of Valley Middle School, I believe that Valley really is the place to be. The teachers are extremely nice, and they make me feel like I want to be at school. I don't think the school needs to improve, because I love it just how it is. As I said before, Valley Middle School is truly the place to be.
Submitted by parent on August 21, 2013

As a parent of two VMS students, I can say with a great deal of confidence that the current principal and vice principal have been a great addition to the school. Previous administrators were/are more about their public image than the kids' best interests. VMS utilizes a "village" system that I perceive as a plus. My kids are straight-A students, so maybe I am sheltered a bit, but it seems to enable better communications between my students and their teachers. Even between their teachers in coordinating homework loads and special events. I have had a lot of contact with support staff and most have been above and beyond pleasant. There is, sadly, still a great deal of students who believe they are more entitled than others. The "Do you know who I am?" question gets pulled out of some of these brats' rear ends when getting busted. It's OK, mommy and daddy will pay full pop to send them to the State University system to get a junk degree. The neighborhoods that feed this school vary from extreme ghetto to six-figure daddies and doltish trophy wives with air flowing out of their vacant cranial appendages, usually bragging about doltish endeavors.