Willow Elementary School

1427 South Willow Avenue

School District

Charter Oak Unified
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:19
Type

public

School Map for Charter Oak 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 teacher on October 22, 2019

Good school, family attitudes and helpful staff
Submitted by parent on August 23, 2018

I am very disappointed at this school. The favoritism and ignorance is at an all time high. I am hoping with the new principal some things have changed.
Submitted by parent on July 19, 2018

The first year at this school was good. My son was new and everyone was welcoming. The families are extremely kind and welcoming. The second year we experienced problems with some kids who seem to have a history of this school and they don't do anything about it. It was a very bad experience in the second year and very stressful and left us disappointed and upset. The families and kids here are generally very nice it is just a few students and adults that are disrespectful and unkind and getting away with bad behavior.
Submitted by parent on May 17, 2018

I have been a part of Willow for 3 years. The teachers are great! They don't hesitate to show kindness and patience with their students. I wish they were a bit more creative when it comes to homework. It was always the same assignments everyday. The school receptionist is fantastic. She knows everything that goes on at the school and every person that walks through her front office door. The yard staff need to be better equipped to handle conflict that comes up on the playground between students. The school does a great job reminding students the importance of having good character. I love that they have literacy nights to encourage kids and parents to read together. Some of the class field trips do not seem very educational. I wish there was more parent involvement and different fund raisers to involve parents and not just selling candy or snacks to friends and family. The principal never returns phone calls or emails which is odd since she always has her cell phone in her hand. Couldn't help but notice her constant texting during a school event. Communication is really lacking at this school. If you were to ask my son though, he would say he loves school. We love the friendships he's made and that we get to walk to school. I love that he feels safe while on campus and loves his teachers. Willow does not have a traditional open house. They have a portfolio night. It is pretty lame. While there I tried to find the next grade up but couldn't. I always like to take to the teachers that my child may have next year but they were not around to visit with. This is a huge disappointment. Coming from schools with a traditional open house, it just seems sad not to go see where your child's learning took place all year and then visit his or hers next year classroom to get them excited about their next educational step.
Submitted by parent on March 14, 2018

This is our first year at this school. We came from CVUSD and the difference is night and day. All the teachers at Willow are wonderful caring people. They use Class dojo as to keep the parents up to date with activities and classroom projects.
Submitted by parent on March 12, 2018

Ms. Lee the principal is very nice, kind and approachable. She has always a smiling face to offer. Mrs. Watkins, Mrs. Page-Palmer and Mrs. Evans are very knowledgeable and effective teachers as well.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2018

Good school. Instructional work could be improved as sometimes the teachers are to programmed and sometimes it reflects on the homework the kids bring home. Thinking outside of the box is good! Otherwise it’s a good school!
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2017

My son came in in the middle of the year as his home school kinder was full. From the moment I stepped in to enroll him the staff was very helpful and communicate very well. The principal is extremely involved and is always around to talk to parents and help keep an eye on the behavior of the kids to make sure they are acting appropriately. His kinder teacher was amazing as my son was coming from a tiny private school and has adhd, the transition was a bit scary for him at first but almost immediately he was welcomed and comfortable. When it came for the new year we knew for sure we wanted him to stay at Willow. It is a smaller public school which helps with the relationships between the teachers, staff, kids and parents. This makes academics great since everyone communicates for the best learning experience for every child. We will continue to make sure our son stays at this wonderful school and when our daughter is old enough we want her to go here as well.
Submitted by parent on October 16, 2017

Both my husband and I are teachers in different districts. We had the opportunity to send our children to any school within our districts. We found Willow to offer the best environment for their learning and character. Willow is a part of our family. We love it here!
Submitted by principal on May 17, 2017

Whether it’s sharing a book with their parent, taking an AR quiz, or logging some iReady minutes, Charter Oak students know that Family Literacy Night is about so much more than reading.The libraries at Badillo, Washington, and Willow Elementary Schools are open after-hours one day each week for students, their parents, and siblings to get to know the school and the library. Attendance has been good, as students recognize the opportunity to also get computer access for Accelerated Reader quizzes or to work on some online lessons through iReady. If you’re going to Washington Elementary, where Literacy Nights have been a tradition for 15 years, get there early! They average 40 parent sign-ins each night, and most families bring more than one child, since it’s a great way for younger siblings and future students to get to know the school and see what a welcoming place the library can be!Cedargrove Elementary hosts six Family Nights, which include Family Reading, Family Math, Young Authors, Science Convention, Patriotic Night, and Pumpkin/Bat Night (1st grade), Native American Night (3rd grade), and AVID Night (gr. 4-6).Glen Oak also hosts regular Family Nights with the PTA, which include a Book Fair, a Health Fair, and a Movie Night, as well as weekly literacy and technology programs, and a Family Science Night.At Badillo, in addition to the weekly Literacy Nights, you can join a Family Reading Night, a Family Math Night, or one of their Family child/parent nights, like the sweetheart dance and a barbecue. Look for Family AVID nights at all schools, too.Come to a Family Literacy Night at Badillo on Tuesdays from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.; at Willow on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.; or at Washington on Thursdays from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Check the Cedargrove and Glen Oak school calendars to plan your next family outing. You don’t have to have a student at that campus – all are welcome!
Submitted by parent on March 29, 2017

I have a kindergartner and couldnt be happier with our teacher and the overall structure of our daughters education. The school has wonderful support, many fun activities both during and after school hours and I am also a part of a wonderful and dedicated PTA. Willow and its staff are very community oriented and truly care for each child as an individual. I'm looking forward to the upcoming years.
Submitted by parent on March 13, 2017

Willow is the best school. We have been here for 5 years and will be here for 6 more. The teachers genuinely care about the students and they are supported by the principal which makes for a great environment.
Submitted by parent on March 13, 2017

We have had a wonderful time at Willow. The teachers are amazing. The principal is wonderful and truly loves her job and the children. When we were looking to buy our house 12 years ago (before kids), we used this site to pick Willow as our school for our children. We love Willow!
Submitted by parent on March 13, 2017

Great school, great Parental support, great community!
Submitted by parent on February 27, 2017

Amazing and dedicated teachers and administration. One of my children is now at the middle and school and Willow prepared him well for the challenges of his GATE and advanced math classes. Willow also has a very dedicated and hard working PTA that puts the children first.
Submitted by parent on February 22, 2017

Love Willow! Been here for 7 years now. No complaints here. My kids thriving. Teachers and staff are awesome. PTA is remarkable.
Submitted by parent on October 13, 2016

My 4 children attended Willow from 2005 through 2016. Willow is a small school of approximately 350 students. However, they have the largest PTA board in the district. This is because the parents are involved and care about making their children's educational experience awesome! Through these last 11 years, my children have had almost every teacher that teaches at Willow. Each of these teachers were amazing educators. I cannot say enough about the difference they made in the lives of my children. Willow has been our second family! The current principal, Ms. Lee, was my youngest daughter's kindergarten teacher and I was privileged to volunteer in her classroom. Ms. Lee is all about the students and making school a successful experience for them. Each teacher has made a huge impact on my children's lives. They have helped them to become self confident in their ability to learn. I have 3 GATE students and 1 student with a 504 for a vision disability. In their secondary education, they are ALL straight A students (including the 504!) I attribute this partially to the incredible education they received at Willow. Thank you, Willow.
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2016

Willow is a great school and I would recommend it to anyone in the area. In the last 7+ years that my children have attended Willow I have seen significant growth in the academic success of the school (CA Distinguished School and Golden Bell winner) and the number of family-centered activities (bowling nights, etc.). All of the teachers I have encountered there have been very supportive of the students and are able to recognize their strengths and weaknesses. The principal has a great rapport with the students and treats them fairly, respectfully, and lovingly. The after school care is excellent as well in that the students are taught subjects that are very different than what you would find in a normal school curriculum (for example, making special foods for Chinese New Year). I can't recommend Willow highly enough!
Submitted by other on October 05, 2016

Willow is a great school with staff that really care about not just the kids, but your entire family. My two children are completely different, and they have been not only supported them but also encouraged them to excel to their full potential. My son attended Willow K through 6th grade and I was asked by the middle school teachers if he attended Willow because he was much more prepared for middle school than many of the other children. Willow also has a GATE program that challenges the kids and gets them thinking outside the box. My son is now in the GATE and advanced math classes in middle school, and doing very well. My daughter is currently a 4th grader at Willow, and she loves it. She has had different teachers than her brother, and we have loved them all. They are understanding and work to communicate with the parents. I am very happy that my children have had the opportunity to attend Willow Elementary. I highly recommend this wonderful smaller school!
Submitted by principal on October 16, 2015

On behalf of the Campaign for Business & Education Excellence (CBEE), I want to congratulate Willow Elementary School. After an extensive analysis of student data for every public school and district in California, your school stood above the rest in getting your students to grade level proficiency and beyond.Your school has been named as CBEE Honor Roll School for 2014! Your school will be featured on our website and a banner has been designed just for the school to display. Each year, CBEE presents this award to individual schools and to districts that have excelled in raising student achievement and closing achievement gaps. This is a testament to you, your staff and your students’ relentless focus on academic success.The list of Honor Roll schools continues to grow thanks to the hard work and effective practices of thousands of excellent superintendents, administrators, principals, teachers and support personnel in our public schools. Since its inception in 2005, the CBEE Honor Roll has increased from 261 high performing schools to an inspiring 1851 high performing schools in 2014. This is thanks to the relentless focus on results for students that you, your staff and your peers have shown over the years. It is also a strong statement about how success is spreading in public schools across the state.I want to once again congratulate you on the outstanding success your schools have made in raising student academic achievement and closing achievement gaps.