William Mendenhall Middle School

1701 El Padro Drive

School District

Livermore Valley Joint Unified
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:23
Type

public

School Map for Livermore Valley Joint 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 January 31, 2025

Honestly Mendenhall is a great school. Teachers are great and very encouraging, except my science teacher. And students are very motivated to learn. Coursework is slightly rigorous but not too much. No teacher assigns “busy work” and the ONLY homework they provide is for a reason. Sure, PE is hard and strict but as an eighth grader I have had immense improvement in my physical capability, thanks to this school. The honors classes are great but I wish the eight grade honors core was a bit more rigorous. We also have an amazing counselor who truly cares about the students and helps kids. Honestly Mendenhall is a great school!
Submitted by student on February 09, 2024

There is trash EVERYWHERE! They only care about money. Teachers stalk you as they eat, I saw a teacher in the girls bathroom one time in the middle of school! Food is unsanitary, oil everywhere. I could take a paper towel, put it on their food, and it would soak up in 2 seconds. This school goes against your constitutional right to remain silent, your 4rth amendendment of privacy. A school can only take your phone away if they suspect you of a crime, they have taken phones away because someone was texting their PARENTS!! PARENTS! WHAT?! Is this where you want your child to go? Do you want your child to be stressed with homework every day? This school gives you a 2 page essay and expects you to finish it in ONE NIGHT. they do NOT acknowledge your mental health or physical health. They always try to get you in trouble even if you're just joking around with your friends! unbelievable. Most of the students feel super uncomfortable with this school. A few times my teachers made kids cry! The teachers don't get ANY punishment and it is always the kids that are shamed, even if they did NOTHING wrong. This school also increases child endangerment- forcing us to run 2+ miles in HOT degree weather. I know students who have fainted, I personally, almost threw up! My friend had to get escorted out in a wheel chair because of this! Also, Child Labor. Big one, they force us to do stuff that we are legally not forced to do, and if we don't, we get harsh consequences. This goes for both mental and physical labor. How come the teachers get rewarded with money for working but when we work we get rewarded with one tiny popsicle? is this how you want your child to live? If not, don't send them to this school. And no, this is not an exaggeration but it is reality. Thank you. Lastly, they violate your right to freedom of speech-first amendment.
Submitted by student on March 17, 2023

School unsanitary yard duties sexist and if you say something they tell you to go to the office, many kids are rasicis and curse a lot and the teachers are very mean and emotional, and they give a ton of work to do like a 2 page essay and tell you to finish it in one night, doesn't care about students, plus yard duties hitting on miners would not recommend if your child wants sleep or rest and forget about after school activities because you will have no time for them, teachers show disrespect towards students. Overall would not recommended this school.
Submitted by parent on May 20, 2022

I hate this school my son came back with both his legs broken
Submitted by student on May 11, 2022

Bad school. Teachers are bad. PE is fine, but many are excluded from playing softball if they do not make the 2.5-mile run. Too much work. The school is very unclean including the cafeteria, the hallways, and the entire grounds. No recess aside from a very small 6 min break. Many teachers are incompetent and cannot provide good information. Many bullies and it was horrible for me. Not much cultural diversity and many inappropriate gestures and words sometimes racial. I was bullied many times and there isnt much teachers and principal do.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2021

The gym floors are dirty, rarely cleaned. Exercise room is unsanitary. They make the kids run 2.5 miles once a week, which is a lot and highly exhausting, I think they should cut it down to at least a mile and a half. Some of the bathrooms are unsanitary and uncleaned (toilet paper/paper towels inside the sink on the drain, mildew on the sink, toilets frequently unflushed) Locker room floors are dirty with rocks, etc. (rarely cleaned). There is lots of school work and homework assigned for each of the 6 classes (excluding P.E) Front desk workers in the office spread stories in front of students to the principal. (Some desk workers are ill-mannered to parents/students) The principal is impolite. Most teachers favor certain students, and are just there for the paycheck. Overall, the school system is not the best and is exhausting to students and parents.
Submitted by other on January 22, 2021

I am not sure why some of the parents and kids complain about this school. My daughter went to this Middle school and is now she is at Granada High and my son goes to William Mendenhall. I am very happy with teachers and school in general. Covid-19 surely threw a curve ball at the teachers but in my opinion Teachers have done a good job. My son is learning a whole and is getting challenged everyday. I would surely recommend this school to anyone.My son at some point was bullied and after just one complaint, everything got fixed.
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2020

we moved in from neighbor county and so far this school is true shock for us. Not sure how much covid plays into this, but majority of teachers are unprepared, unable to work with kids, unable to communicate clearly and unable to realize they talking to kids not adults or teeneagers. School ignores kids special learning need even thought they are obligated to do so by law. I would rate this school 1/10.
Submitted by student on December 27, 2019

My experience at this school has not been very good at all. In one of my classes, my teacher lets the kids do anything, is not thorough with teaching, does not give examples when teaching, and most of the time plays videos and has the kids take notes, while she sits there. She also gives us test every 1-2 weeks and expects us to learn a whole entire lesson in that time period. Most of the kids in this class have bad grades and/or failing their test. I think this teacher needs to step it up and realize why her students are failing. She makes very unusual remarks sometimes, including "functions just don't work like that, just like how two men or two women can't have a baby, it just doesn't work." This teacher also called a kid out in front of the whole class for not listening and she said "and you wonder why you have that grade"Most of the people I know at the school do not enjoy being or going to the school. When I first got here, I thought it would be great, but I soon realized it's not as great as it seems.Then again, the experience is different for everyone. I wish you good luck if you're going or go to this school.
Submitted by parent on August 20, 2018

This is a second review and follows up on the experience I wrote about below. I found the new administration was reasonable and (equally important) very quick to act and take responsibility. Specifically, the new vice principle is amazingly responsive. Full marks!
Submitted by student on June 29, 2017

Most teachers at this school are absolutely terrible. They do not teach well and don't care about the students. The accelerated math program here is really bad, the teacher I had this past year was very unprepared for class. She never had a set schedule for class, so most class time was spent on correcting old homework instead of learning the new lesson we were supposed to do. In the middle of the year our really bad core teacher left which greatly disrupted our learning. Also, the princible here is very unorganized and cannot control the small amount of students at the very disorderly award assembly at the end of the year. Overall the teachers and staff are really bad at this school.
Submitted by parent on June 09, 2017

Overall the school is fine. It's been better in past. They only have a Principal's honor roll celebration. It's sad that those on honor roll don't get acknowledged in any way. Seems like other reviews here, they only care about the 3.67 and above.
Submitted by parent on January 20, 2016

A few star teachers, but several that my child has had don't seem to care about any child that is passing. Grade inflation is apparent when more than half the students have a 3.67 or higher GPA.
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2015

Great leadership at this school. My daughter loves it. The principal is very hands on and a great teacher AND student advocate! She takes her job seriously and always thanks the parents for entrusting our children to her and the rest of her great staff. Though I have heard stories, our experience with teachers has been excellent for the first year.
Submitted by parent on June 22, 2014

Mendenhall Middle School's staff, teachers and administrators work hard to keep this school above the norm. The principal is very positive and very proactive with day to day functions and keeping a very good learning environment. We are losing an excellent VP to retirement. Many teachers are very hard working and the school has an excellent math/science departments. There is a fine selection of extra-curricular activities. The parent PTO completes the equation that keeps this school above others. I'm confident that my children will be prepared for H.S. by attending this school.