Katherine Johnson STEM Academy

8701 Park Hill Drive

School District

Los Angeles Unified
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

School Map for Los Angeles 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, 2024

The principal, teachers and staff were very welcoming and engaging with the students. They displayed genuine interest in the students’ wellbeing and learning both inside and outside of the classroom and their care was seen, felt and appreciated. Thank you KJSA for all you do!
Submitted by parent on September 27, 2023

Unfortunately this school keeps getter worse as the years go on. There is absolutely no supervision children are vaping on campus! Fights are a regular. Including adults fighting in front of the children. Staff are not held accountable for the lack of teaching or resources. The school struggles with keeping teachers, that is a sign of poor management. The principal is a joke, sweeps everything under the rug. I agree with another parent who said they have a strict no cell phone policy! Yes it's so the children can't record what is really going on at KJSA. This is not an academy and for it to be so small you would think they would have control of this institution. The teachers barley show up to teach. Ambulance was called due to a child overdosing. A student not only started a fire in the bathroom but also fell through the roof of the bathroom. Oh and if your child is in need of an IEP good luck with that, they will tell you they do not qualify without a proper assessment. Absolutely no student/parent support. It shows majority of the staff is there for a paycheck. If your a concerned parent you become a threat! This is a poor environment with lack of care and compassion for these students. This is critical years for a child and if the adults can't model positive behavior for these children this is not the proper establishment for anyone! Look at the scores that should be sufficient enough.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2022

Super disappointed in this school! The teachers seem nice but for such a small school I wouldn't expect there to be so many fights. Where are all the adults?!?!? My older son wen to a different Middle School and is now in High School and has yet to see a fight. The Principal talks a good game but has no clue. His concerns are no cell phones on campus (maybe because he doesn't want anyone recording all the fights) and the uniform. A parent asked him if her child could wear a navy shirt instead of the light blue shirt because of spills and he said,no, we are very strict about yhe uniform. Tell me why they can wear navy sweatshirts but no a navy pole. This school is so ridiculous.
Submitted by parent on August 19, 2022

The teachers are very friendly and supportive. The principal Mr. Hunsberger his very friendly and communicates very well.
Submitted by parent on July 22, 2022

Having had one child in a large, mainstream LAUSD middle school, and one at this small "boutique" LAUSD school, Katherine Johnson STEM Academy wins hands-down! The principal is caring and excited to offer unique, hands-on learning experiences, and the teachers are selected to be caring and inspiring to the kids. As with seemingly all middle schools, there are some kids who are not mature enough to go unsupervised, but the staff goes the extra mile to communicate and resolve issues. It's still a relatively new venture and may not offer as many programs as a larger, more established school, but I am glad that kids in the neighborhood have this option to make their middle school experience welcoming and productive.
Submitted by parent on June 15, 2022

Great school I have two kids that attended to KJ and they love it, small schools works better for my kids they were really happy to be part of KJ.
Submitted by parent on June 14, 2022

My sons attended KJSA since it's inception when it was the New Middle School Pathway. I highly recommend the school. If you're looking for small classrooms and teachers that know and care about your child, you should definitely consider this school. This is one of LAUSDs best kept secrets.
Submitted by parent on June 14, 2022

Well my daughter have learned a lot at this school from handling situations and working hard on assignments and expressing her self. The teachers was a real big help for my daughter the office staff as well. The principal at first I really didn’t like but as the years went by I got understand how he was handling situations and we became a team on a lot of situations that we was able to deal with together. But over all it’s a good school. It’s not the school it’s the kids that make the school.
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2022

The school is small therefore a great place for teacher/student individualized attention. The staff know all parents and teachers and the campus is great. My daughter is somewhat of an introvert so the smaller school setting was perfect. Principal Hunsberger is great with staff and kids.
Submitted by parent on May 27, 2022

KJSA has been the perfect environment for my daughter. She is a 6th grader and acclimated to middle school life seamlessly from elementary. I believe that was because of the warm, caring environment she experiences at KJSA. If you are looking for a smaller learning environment that is dynamic, with great teachers and a principal that is involved and fun Katherine Johnson Stem Academy is the place for you!
Submitted by parent on May 20, 2022

Teacher and parent communication is great! Principal is very involved.
Submitted by parent on May 12, 2022

My daughter is finishing up her third year at Katherine Johnson STEM Academy. Her middle school has been a very good experience. At the helm is a principal that is enthusiastically dedicated to each student, supporting the teachers and partnership with families. My daughter has loved her teachers and has made great friends. I appreciate the uniforms. I would recommend this school.
Submitted by parent on May 03, 2022

My child has had a great experience at KJSA. The teachers care about the students and provide many opportunities for the kids to get involved in the school as well as provide tutoring if needed. There are clubs the kids can join, during school hours and after school. My child was not particularly fond of STEM but thanks to her experience here she feels more confident and may consider a career in a STEM field. During covid/online school I had the experience of being "in" the classroom and witnessed the wonderful teachers. Very happy to have chosen to attend our local school.
Submitted by parent on July 12, 2021

I love this school my daughters will be entering their 3rd year here and my son will enter his first year this coming Fall. The dynamics that the staff and faculty possess is remarkable. When the pandemic hit the transition to virtual was smooth sailing. The staff and faculty exude attentiveness and exert enthusiasm in getting to know every family. Kudos! KJSTEM..... my family and I appreciate you.
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2021

KJ STEM has proven to be an exceptional example of what LAUSD can do to overcome the huge hurdles that beset public education. It is the passion of the principal, teachers and staff that come through to students that makes the differnece. The impact motivates students to learn, play and mature in all the ways parents hope that formal education will provide.Our son Zach has been challenged and has thrived in the inviting and secure environment that KJ STEM provided. The challenges of Covid were meet with sensitivity and thoughtful planning around how difficult that episode in our history has been for middle school children. I heartily recommend KJ STEM to parents who want the best for their children.
Submitted by parent on June 24, 2021

1 - Any concerns are addressed and I don't feel like my child is just another number.2- The principal is a great communicator and an excellent leader. 3- The teachers care about the students education and wants them to do well.4- It is easy to communicate with and get feedback from the teachers.
Submitted by parent on June 24, 2021

First, my daughter is gifted so she would have been welcome at any school for academics but she decided to go to Katherine Johnson Stem Academy. I felt that the education was solid even throughout the pandemic and the whole school worked together to make sure the kids were learning. I think because it is a small school, there is a higher level of support from the teachers. I think overall, I was satisfied with the amount of learning my daughter got for middle school.
Submitted by parent on June 04, 2021

My daughter has gone through most of her 6th Grade in this school, mostly via in home learning up until 4 weeks or so ago when hybrid learning was incorporated.The teachers are amazing and so is the principal! The teachers seem very engaged and will go out of their way to make sure tour kid excels.My daughter loves the school and enjoys learning here, despite the pandemic challenges at the beginning, including entering a new school, new “environment “ that was in home learning for the most part!I’d choose this school again and again over the other neighborhood school to choose from.
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2020

Unfortunately, we tried to give the school a chance. But my child, along with quite a few others, have been emotionally scarred by their experience at the school (now named Katherine Johnson STEM Academy). As a parent, to seek counseling for your child to help undo the damages caused by adults at this school is heartbreaking, to say the least.