Monte Vista High School

3131 Stone Valley Road

School District

San Ramon Valley Unified
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:23
Type

public

School Map for San Ramon 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 August 05, 2022

Do not send your child here if they have ANY learning disabilities or special educational needs. Teachers don't even bother to read IEP's and seem to take great delight in making students feel stupid in class. It was a really toxic environment and I am glad we were able to get a transfer to a different school within the district.
Submitted by student on July 06, 2020

As a rising senior, I am very lucky to go to a school that really cares about its students. The teachers are wonderful, who have experience and amazing insight into their classes. The Administrators too, take time out of their days to say hi to students as they walk through the front door, and ask them how their day is going.
Submitted by other on December 09, 2019

My experience would have been so much better at this school if they had been able to deal with the issue of school culture. The school climate was so bad that it is almost difficult to find a therapist for a teenager in Danville - whether it be a result of far too rigorous academics or a toxic school climate for POC, women, or anyone that is LGBTQ+. I spent much of my high school experience being harassed for being LGBTQ+ and working to change the climate of a school I had no choice in attending. High school should be an environment that fosters learning, and MV fostered a competitive and toxic environment instead. If it is effectively able to deal with issues of school climate then it has incredible potential to be a fantastic school. I left with incredible friends and was given so many opportunities fo explore my education with the resources available - but is that worth sacrificing good mental health and even physical safety?
Submitted by parent on April 06, 2019

Excellent, I’m very happy with our choice. I would definitely recommend this school for anyone considering a better school experience for their children.
Submitted by student on December 02, 2018

I LOVE MONTE VISTA HIGH SCHOOL!!! GO MUSTANGS!!!!!!
Submitted by student on May 13, 2018

I had 128 class absences for freshmen year, and somehow ended up both semester with 5 high A’s and 1 A-, if you can miss that much school and get grades like that (when I barely worked that hard) then I’d say there’s something wrong with the school. The P.E department is a wreck as well as the science department and math teachers are not very capable of teaching. In The 1.5 years I attended I had 0 teachers that were actually helpful/useful/intelligent.
Submitted by student on May 15, 2015

I graduated from MV back in 2012. I had moved from Oakland to Danville in 2009 and started my freshman year at MV. I felt a lot of resentment by teachers and by students when they discovered that I had grown up in Oakland and I was the bud of a lot of Latin jokes. My sophomore year was not much better. My English teacher could not get over the fact that I a Latina who grew up in Oakland was living in Danville and going to Monte Vista. In my Geometry class the discussion of religion came up and the teacher was an atheist. I was raised Christian but I never have a problem with anyone. I never have been or will be one of the people who beat you over the head with the Bible. But when she found out that I believed in God she started making my life in class difficult. I was always trying to please her and get the extra help but she was never helpful. I also had difficulty with a couple of students that were very discriminatory of me. I went to speak with my Counselor but to no avail. She did not help with the situation. I ended up transferring out of Monte Vista for the rest of my Sophomore and Junior year. I ended up returning tho my Senior year. That year ended fine.
Submitted by student on January 12, 2015

The overall environment was not welcoming and much too lenient in my years. Bullying was an issue; I had a hard time feeling comfortable at school. I have heard and have had some teachers making rather distasteful, racist jokes on campus. I also recall being in class and hearing students explicitly harassing other students based on their sexuality, race, religion, financial status, handicap(s), gender, etc., while teachers did little or nothing to make them stop. My counselor actually told me people here act this way because they are, in her words, "conservative." Smoking was also a HUGE issue, and I am surprised on how loosely controlled the students are-- I can't remember how many false fire alarms have went off while I was in class (even when I was taking a test.) Although I did enjoy the new student center in my final year, I do wish that this school invested on buying new books for the library (so I wouldn't need to carry around a book from 2001 that was clearly falling apart), rather than spending that donation money on installing hi-tech remote-controlled curtains in the center. Lastly, I found that I spent a great deal of my time doing busy work or watching movies in class.
Submitted by student on July 28, 2014

Sign up for the right classes (AP, Honors) and you will get an education that surpasses the education of other public schools. The school is full of wealthy students, which gives it a snobby appearance, but a lot of them are really compassionate. Some teachers aren't great, but they all have something to offer if you look for it. I recommend staying in touch with your favorite teachers after graduation. They're all friends here, and they all would love for you to visit after graduation. I'm glad to be attending a wonderful college after graduating with High Honors and receiving a merit scholarship. Take advantage of what you can because this school will definitely prepare you for the future. On the other hand, the drug culture is real, and as long as you're educated about, you should be fine. People do offer drugs here, but if you say "no", they'll respect that. This isn't an "innocent" school in terms of drugs and sex, but that's modern culture for you. The atmosphere is quite conservative when it comes to politics, but the majority of the campus is accepting of minorities, including LGBTQ.
Submitted by parent on March 25, 2014

Not what it used to be! What a great disappointment this school is now. The aesthetically impressive exterior campus only distracts the public from the monotony that resides within the classrooms. Monte Vista lacks the academic rigor it boasts and employs teachers who deviate from the state approved curriculum and who regularly use profanity in the company of their students. The principal sets the example for inequity from the top down: Discipline, school sanctioned events, conduct, enforcement of dress code and behavior code all vary from student to student and there seems to be no clear school-wide expectation. My advice to any parent interested in this school, use the "donation" amount you are EXPECTED to provide and apply it to a private education that delivers the product this school falsely advertises.
Submitted by other on July 24, 2013

I love MV! All of my teachers really showed they care about us and want us to succeed in college and life beyond. The athletics at this school is excellent as well and going to the football and basketball games are some of the best experiences of my high school experience. The spirit at this school is beautiful. Go to MV if you want to enjoy your high school experience and get a good education at the same time.