Ocean Knoll Elementary School

910 Melba Road

Encinitas, CA 92024

School District

Encinitas Union Elementary
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:19
Type

public

School Map for Encinitas Union Elementary 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 June 07, 2022

My wife and I couldn’t be any happier with our child’s experience at Ocean Knoll. Everyone from Principal Bugarin who gave us a tour of the campus to the amazing teaching staff, and their award winning IB program. We know our son is in good hands here.
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2016

Ocean Knoll is a stand out school. I have a child who has special needs and they have by far the best staff of teachers and principal that are not only the best in their field but the most caring. Jennifer Bond the school Principal welcomed my child and myself and made sure that all his needs were met so he can be best he can be. It is obvious that she and her staff are in this line of work because they love the children and want them to be the best they can be. My child looks forward to going to school now because of the caring atmosphere. At his old school he was tormented by bullies and so misunderstood by his teachers. Jennifer Bond turned that around for him. My son has his self esteem back and is thriving in school.Thank you Jennifer Bond. You score 6 stars in my book!
Submitted by parent on June 16, 2016

Ocean Knoll has been a wonderful environment for my 2 kids where they have learned as much about reading and writing as they have about what it means to be a collaborative global citizen. Principal Jennifer Bond has done a great job of putting in plans and practices that make attainment of the IB mandate of developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect possible.
Submitted by other on May 04, 2016

Ocean Knoll is a wonderful school. Thanks to the dedicated teachers, relevant and rigorous curriculum, and additional educational opportunities my daughter has grown into a confident, globally-minded young woman who wants to make a difference in her community. I feel very fortunate to send my child to Ocean Knoll for her elementary school career!
Submitted by parent on April 28, 2016

There are many types of enrichment programs (art, music, gardening, nutrition, etc.) but as the year has played itself out, I realize that there is perhaps too much time given to these satellite programs and not enough devoted to core learning. We're new to the district so initially I thought it was all super but now I'm seeing another side to things. I mean, positive attitude and world awareness is all good but not when essential literary skills, math, and science could use the extra time. I think the teachers don't even get a choice in whether they have to give up their class time to all this! And my kids, being walked here, there, everywhere on campus - their day is so chopped up it's a wonder they are able at all to settle down and concentrate or really focus for more than a short period each day.
Submitted by parent on April 15, 2016

I'm more than a bit disappointed in the claim that they differentiate their teaching or the students learning. For math this is an absolute joke. Kids are massed together all doing the same thing. For language arts they try to group them based on ability but how they determine ability is so flawed it does a disservice to students in all parts of the spectrum. It worked OK in some of her grades but not for others. So basically we're having to differentiate and do the acceleration or extensive remedial extra help (in some cases) at home which is difficult on top of all the rote work assigned. I'm so sick of being told she's "proficient" Such a cop out.
Submitted by other on April 15, 2016

They give a lot of lip service to their core values or IB attitudes yet those ideals get pushed to the back when they have a real problem to address. Parents are great and they are the saving grace of the school but parents can't be there all the time to encourage strong, sensible and fair approaches to situations. Principle seems a bit overwhelmed and unseasoned.
Submitted by other on February 10, 2016

Ocean Knoll is an amazing public school family. People genuinely seem happy to be here, from the staff, to the parents, to the students. Both of my sons' teachers are motivated, enthusiastic, effective, and knowledgeable. They make my sons excited to learn. The parents I have met are invested, down to earth, and compassionate; not competitive! Such a breath of fresh air. The new principal is amazing: enthusiastic, available, and she gets things done. Most importantly, my wild and "spirited" boys enjoy learning and going to school, and that's what I really care about. We feel extremely fortunate to be a part of the Ocean Knoll family.
Submitted by parent on January 21, 2016

With change comes discomfort, learning, adaptation and new beginnings. How did I respond when CHANGE dramatically entered our life, with our first child about to begin Kinder? As a former educator, so many things ran through my mind. I could have feared, hid, pointed out all the wrongs. Instead, I chose to take a risk and partner with parents, teachers and leaders to make my child's school experience one that I would not trade for any other. I chose to accept this change as a privilege and blessing knowing full well that the road ahead would not be perfect, but exceptional in its unique way. We bought our home a couple years ago completely aware new leadership was in the future for OK. I did my homework and interviewed the previous principal, reviewed the SARC report, etc. before closing escrow. Today, I am more than pleased with our decision to live in our neighborhood and see our child bloom at OK. It is a fact that the staff and principal dedicate tireless hours to provide a successful experience for every student. OK team is gifted with the talent of teaching, learning, caring, collaborating and executing customized goals. Each new school year will bring change for my family. Though fearful and anxious of what that change may be, I choose to embrace it and grow it in to something beautiful!
Submitted by parent on January 10, 2016

One of the things I value most about Ocean Knoll is its differentiated learning for each student. This ensures that each child is challenged and engaged and it sure has worked for my two kids. They are taught to inquire, think globally through different perspectives, and to care about others. From the first day my now 6th grader entered kindergarten, we have felt valued, respected and safe in this school environment. The innovative administration, the talented staff and the involved parent community cooperate closely to continuously improve and enrich the whole school experience. Students learn leadership and cooperation by participating in the many International Baccalaureate group projects and activities. From class plays about various subjects, to musical performances, to class led recycling initiatives, to student production of movies (including script writing, costume creation, filming and editing), to community service projects, these students are taught to be capable, creative and compassionate community members. What a gem of a school.
Submitted by parent on January 07, 2016

The teachers at this school are amazing. The diversity of the school is "real world". I am proud to be part of the innovative community that teaches our students strong academically and to be leaders and innovative thinkers in the community. Mrs. Bond, the Principal, has a strong background and enthusiasm of IB program and it shows!
Submitted by parent on January 06, 2016

"Mom, I just don't know where I want to study abroad when I'm in college." I LOVE that my third grader is pondering this question and I LOVE that Ocean Knoll fosters a love and curiosity our our world. Having my children attend an International Baccalaureate school has been the best gift for them. The teachers and staff at Ocean Knoll not only focus and teach the "whole child" but they are taking their education global, challenging the students to think, wonder, question, and explore. When you walk on campus you will see college flags waving and the principal, with a welcoming smile, outside interacting with the students, fostering good relationships, and supporting the staff in maintaining a safe environment. With her leadership, encouragement, and love for education Ocean Knoll is, in my opinion, the BEST school. Thank you to all the teachers, staff, parents, and principal for making Ocean Knoll the "place to be".
Submitted by parent on January 06, 2016

As a parent of two children who attend Ocean Knoll, I feel compelled to write and share the amazing experiences they have had over the last few years. Ocean Knoll is truly a magical place and my children have experienced opportunities that are very unique in a public school setting. On a weekly basis, both my children are exposed to organic gardening, a culinary arts class, yoga sessions, physical education and music. This is called TLP and stands for “Team Level Planning”. The students rotate between specialty classes while the grade level teachers work together to plan enriching and memorable lessons that coordinate with their I.B. (International Baccalaureate) themes. The student population is very representative of the diverse neighborhood where Ocean Knoll is located. I love the “real world” experiences this provides my children and I have enjoyed building relationships with families whose cultural backgrounds differ from my own. As a family, we always attend the annual fiesta, back to school picnics, movie nights, and all the other festivities that bring our community together.In the midst of all the negative publicity surrounding public schools, I am so grateful places like Ocean Knoll still exist. The school is certainly not a glitzy as some of the other schools in the district, due to its age, but I am a big believer of “it’s what inside that counts”. Go Dolphins!!!
Submitted by parent on January 05, 2016

My children love attending Ocean Knoll. In addition to tailored classroom instruction based on their skill levels in reading and math, they also enjoy Spanish, Nutrition, Garden, Music, PE, and yoga each week. They participate in a morning wellness program that takes place before school, and are always enthusiastic about upcoming school events like Movie Night and Dances. Ocean Knoll has an amazing staff of dedicated teachers, and a community of parents who all want the absolute best for their kids. There are several staff and parent volunteers working hard to make this school the incredible school that it is. I feel so lucky that my children are able to be in this positive learning environment for their elementary school years.
Submitted by parent on October 16, 2015

Readers and parents should be aware of the date of most of the reviews. It's really quite sad what has happened at this school in the past couple of years since Dr Lopez left. There are still some absolutely amazing teachers and staff at every grade level but unless a student is one of the lucky few to get them, the experience may be nothing like what is written in these reviews. The school HAD a DIFFERENT principal when the bulk of these reviews were written. The parents and the principle who made the school great and enabled it to become an IB school are gone or on their way out. While there are still great programs and resources (garden, art, music, nutrition), many great teachers & staff, and many enthusiastic & involved parents, the school population has swelled enormously and the pressure to teach to the middle and squelch student character is becoming too great to push back. Moreover, the new principle has issues, is not a good fit for the school, and doesn't seem to be handling the pressures of the job very well. Here's the thing: If you have a well-behaved, middle-of-the-road student, who doesn't need any sort of accelerated teaching or assistance in learning, and who exhibits exceptionally good behavior, then this is a good school for you. But if your student needs or would like to have differentiated teaching because they either need to be challenged more or need some extra help, and even more so for boys, your chances of achieving satisfaction with this school are much lower. It's a shame I'm writing this but I would want to know this.
Submitted by parent on February 11, 2014

Amazing school! Great teachers, motivated students and involved parents create an excellent learning environment. Our daughter loves it here.
Submitted by parent on December 15, 2013

If you don't send your kid(s) to this school -- you are clearly not informed. It is an International Baccalaureate -- Google that if you don't know what it means. Because it's a Title 1 school, it receives the best grants ever, which benefits ALL of the students (not just those that make it a Title 1 school). Kids from all different backgrounds -- from the very wealthy to the very poor -- which I like, as it resembles REAL life! My kids take nutrition classes in a full-on, decked out kitchen, music classes that include brand new electric guitars, Spanish classes twice a week, yoga, science, organic gardening (in fact, the school will soon provide ALL of the vegetables for the entire school district)...math and reading are broken into "teams" based upon the students individual levels...full-time kindergarten with its own, fenced in playground, awesome teachers and administration, an active PTA and lots of parent involvement, art classes, reading programs, computer classes, huge field, playground, basketball courts, etc. Oh -- and did I mention an ocean view?
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2013

Ocean knoll is a great school and has great teachers one of my child is in second grade
Submitted by parent on May 23, 2013

HIDDEN GEM! This is a private-school education at the best public school in SD! The IB program/curriculum under principal Angelica Lopez has really changed the perception/attendance at Ocean Knoll. We ALWAYS had great teachers. Our white/caucasian group has the BEST API scores in the EUSDist! The school teaches and cares about the WHOLE CHILD. My daughter (6th gr) is studying ancient Egypt, doing advanced math, skyping with schoolkids in Guatemala & building greenhouses out of recycled materials in conjunction. My son (4th gr) is doing advanced math projects, watching the stock market, and blogging daily about language arts topics & science. Upper-grade kids get a weekly interactive science lesson from a UCSD graduate student. Lower-graders do kinder-ate and ALL do weekly yoga to relax for better learning. A daily before-school wellness program coordinated by a wellness professional at Scripps (& parent), has been a HUGE success. The Sage Garden Project has been the icing on the school's cake. Music, garden, farm, a real functional nutrition lab for prepping healthy meals, AMAZING parent involvement, plus ipads...What more could you want for your child?
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2012

SO BEYOND UNORGANIZED! My son is in first grade having moved from Del Mar District. Homework is to be printed at home after being emailed to the parents?? No ready books sent home but my 6 year old is supposed to remember everything. I am very disappointed and know now that we had it SO much better in the Del Mar District. Get your teaching straight and take responsibility. These reviews are clearly posted by staff to say the least.