Garden Gate Elementary School

10500 Ann Arbor Avenue

School District

Cupertino Union
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:23
Type

public

School Map for Cupertino 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 December 17, 2022

We are sending our daughter in GG. This area is extremely expensive and people move-in only because they want to send their kids to great school in California. Definitely they are called "floating people". This floating people give the most importance to the best education of their kids. I didn't find management or Principal is in-effective. Not sure which principal does the work of traffic management in the morning as well as monitor /manages over all running of the school. My best regards to the principal. My daughter gets lot of activity in the class and we regularly gets folder with her activity papers. I request people that you must need to teach your kid at least 30min at home and don't expect class teacher will do everything.
Submitted by parent on June 11, 2018

The school has deteriorated in the past 6 years. Poor administration coupled with floating population. School boundary should be redrawn and one of the apartments feeding into this school should be assigned to another school.
Submitted by parent on February 15, 2018

parents be aware of the 10/10 scores at this school. We sent our two children to GG following the good scores, and learnt that the high scores at this school are mostly a result of parents either teaching their children at home or sending them to weekend programs. There are some very dedicated teachers and some very irresponsible ones. Our younger child's teacher didn't show up to class for almost half of the year. As a result, the classroom had a different sub every day who did not follow curriculum or teach the students. The classroom was a day care with the subs. The teacher did not have a homework folder system when she does show up. As a result, we receive crumbled papers in my kindergarten son's backpack everyday, with no idea what the curriculum was. Another parent in the same class decided to teach her daughter in the evenings as she had regressed at kinder from preschool. When we suggested a folder system, the teacher's response was " I am too busy to prepare folders, maybe you can come in every morning and volunteer to do it". The PTA at this school are run by parents who are dedicated but unfortunately not vocal to protect student interests. The parent volunteers end up helping to compensate the incompetent teachers. When talking with other parent volunteers, they all expressed anger and dis-satisfaction but none is willing to speak up in fear of school/teacher retribution. Again, these are Asian parents who are concerned, want to help through volunteering but not willing to speak up. When we decided to bring up the concerns with the principle, to our surprise, the principle copied the teacher directly in her reply, indicating that she has confidence in the teacher. This was after we followed the process of raising concerns with the reacher several times with no effect and having to escalate to the principle. The principle's handling method shows weak leadership, as it seems she is not able to work effectively with her staff. We lost condidence at the school and moved to a different school district. The new school is fantastic with a very approachable principle. By the way, parents are not allowed to talk to the GG principle without email appointment first. At our new school, the principle is easily accessible and greets students every morning which we never saw at GG. Do not waste your $ to live by GG
Submitted by parent on February 12, 2018

Not at all happy. Very poor PTA and no new volunteers are willing to work!
Submitted by parent on July 27, 2017

We moved our kid from Private School to Cupertino School after hearing so many good things about all the schools here. However our experience had been worse if not pathetic.The school infrastructure is worse. They don't have enough space of young kid's to sit and eat. Not enough staff to watch over in recess or help teachers in class. For everything the principal and management has one answer " No Money". One time, for no reason, management decided to not give auditorium access to kids mid year party and they had to perform outside auditorium with kids and parents sitting on the ground. We are now very used to hear warnings like "we would not have computer/arts/PE etc, if we dont get volunteers". Really, the school can't hire. School and PTA is always asking for more and more donations. I wonder where all the money is going. Cupertino is supposedly a rich school district. Oh I know where probably in buying Mac books for teachers who don't even know how to effectively use them.School teachers just push the work on kids and parents. Have not seen any teacher in 3 years who is motivating kids to excel. Most of the kids are from educated and affluent families who can afford to hire help or send kids to extras classes but not all. We are moving our kids from this school back to private. So much for great cupertino school. Will not recommend any one to send their kids to Garden Gate.
Submitted by parent on June 08, 2016

Moved from different state where school had excellent infrastructure. Compared to, this schools infrastructure made it look like a third world country school. No boundaries or gates for secrurity. PTA was pretty bad. Seems like all kids are from neighbouring appt complex where everyone is on temporary visa and it seems they don't care about participating or the PTA. To make the matter worse, my kids class assigend teacher was absent for the entire year (first was on maternity leave and then for some medical reasons). So the class ran for the entire year with two substitue teachers taking turns and the kids literally being on their own. We never got a single note from his class as to what's going on in his class and whats expected from him/us. So much for the famed Cupertino school with a 10 rating for which we pay million+ dollars to buy a home in the area.
Submitted by parent on July 06, 2015

We moved to Cupertino 3 years back. My daughter has attended KG and 1st grade in garden gate school. There are some great teachers in the school like Mrs. Ornales (1st grade teacher). She is very patient, caring and focuses on individual kids. I know few parents who are not happy with their kids's teacher. It all depends on if your kids gets placed in good teacher's class. Parent's involvement also matters. Parent at this school are very involved with kids hence the API score. Overall I believe this is good school.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2013

wonderful school in Cupertino. my child loves his school very much. teachers are very very good
Submitted by parent on August 22, 2013

One of the best in Cupertino. My kid likes to go there (which is more important for me)
Submitted by other on July 09, 2013

I came here for kindergarten in maybe 2004, I believe, but I moved out of the city for the rest of my elementary years and now I'm going to high school. I had Mrs. Valentine and I absolutely loved her! I had great friends over there and I liked the school itself. I don't know if its the same anymore because its been almost 10 years since I was there but from my experience, I liked it very much.
Submitted by teacher on April 02, 2013

I would like to address the concern about the Happily After School Theater performance. We had over 100 applicants. We could pick only 30. There is some concern that the selection is not anonymous. I assure you it is. I know for certain, that of the 11 classrooms, two classrooms for sure had children who did not have parents who volunteered at all!!!! I am sorry if you had a child who did not get in. Our rule is to take all 5th grade applicants so that everyone gets an chance.
Submitted by parent on April 01, 2013

As a parent I am satisfied with my kid accadamic perforformance and teacher because fortunately this year my kid get areally very good teacher, but I am worried about next year. Committed Parents volunteering is really good support for school but so much volunteer involment effect the equal opportunity for every kid especially in extra curricular activity eg. most of the volunteer kids get selected for theater despite of lottery system. Some of the long term volunteer parent take decision behalf of you that you are available or not certain activity.
Submitted by parent on March 22, 2013

My family moved here from a neighboring state, and to say the least I am extremely disappointed in the treatment I received at , garden gate elementary school, by teh district and the Vice Principal as well as the district policies. The alliances that are formed appear to be anti child friendly and anti family orientated. When the school district is informed of a child cronic disease that keeps them absent more then 7 times in one year they state the child is out of policy(Even though their academic success is excellent and above standards) due to funding they wont get becasue the child is sick.. It is very disappointing. The Vice principal at the school encourages parents to not have an interest in supplying what is neccessary to excuse the absences by advising parents it is not neccessary to provide any information to them to excuse the absence after they say the child is out of policy. As a loving parent it is important to me that my child is in policy. Garden gates current Vice Principal does the opposite of advising parents that absnece needs to be cleared so the child is not counted as truant.
Submitted by parent on February 04, 2013

All classrooms for a grade do not seem to follow same homework packets.All Classrooms for a grade teach diff chapters and are not in sync mostly. Kids are not allowed to take their Math/Science text books home unlike other schools . Parents do not know what chapters are there in store for the year..whether teacher is finishing all chapters for the year. Last yr one of the teachers in 3rd grade rushed up the other chapters like dvision, fractions, probabilty in the last 1.5 month..spent most of the yr teaching multiplication. For a few years we have been getting the CA Math homework ,classwork books home at the end of the yr with a some pages torn out of it and worked during the yr. What is the use of giving that book home at the end of the yr ? Parents go in search of extra books, extra classes, register online for various math sites for the child to practice despite 4 Math books provided per child and GG gets the API. Last year in apr, his classroom had not done fractions, measurements, probability .For the last couple of months his teacher has been giving only 1 ..rarely 2 sheets of math for the whole week. Cupertino schools are a hype!! Principal was sent this mail..no reply :(
Submitted by parent on July 31, 2012

Excellent school and teachers. Parent participation provides support for any gaps that might exist. My child has been going to this school for the past 2 years and we have been fortunate to have really good teachers who go above and beyond. I regularly volunteer at the school so it is easy to stay informed with the school activities and better understand how your child is performing. The teachers are easy to approach and pretty responsive even when contacted via emails.
Submitted by parent on July 31, 2012

I am as a parent very satisfied with this school. The teachers take that extra effort to make sure all kids are at grade level. I regularly volunteer and have seen the teachers up close. They not only help academically but also take time to help students with art,sports and theater. As in any school there will be very good and media ore teachers but this school stands out for its great teachers on whole and very good and committed volunteers. Kids from this school are definitely instilled good manners which is way more important than only academics. They also have a wonderful music program. On the whole it is a school with a lot of happy kids who love to go tot school.
Submitted by parent on March 28, 2012

I think the school in cupertino are over rated, and so is Garden Gate. So the only real beneficiaries are the home owners renting their houses or the apartment communities who charge a premium due to cupertino school district. What matters is how good a teach your kid gets, Our son has been going to Garden gate for the past 3 years - All of the 3 years we were not fortunate to see good teacher, the teachers were average and one was really below average. The only thing positive is that the Parent involvement is very high, so many gaps in school activities are fulfilled by volunteering parents. The education system in california is really broken, the school infrastructure is pathetic.
Submitted by teacher on October 29, 2011

As a teacher at Garden Gate, I have to say that I love our school, our kids, and our parent community because I feel that we all work together to make our school wonderful. I love coming to school everyday because I work with a group of teachers who give their all for the amazing students they work with each and every day. Have a wonderful day!
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2011

This is a school where parents did a lot of efforts in helping their kids to achieve, not the teachers. There were other families we know complaining about the teachers.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2010

My kid is in this school from 3 years. Teachers are very nice, principal is exceptional , active, and kind. I have been helping in class room and seen teachers very closely, they work very hard toward well being of kid in all aspects. My kid is happy , encouraged, accepted hear. What else i can ask for? project cornerstone, drama,music,PE, volunteers,safety are major plus...list goes on . Be involved, don't just drop off.