Mar Vista Elementary School

3330 Granville Avenue

School District

Los Angeles Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:21
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 May 23, 2024

I really like this school, almost everything about it. We have really good teachers, the Principal is amazing and also the Coordinator.My only complaint about it are the ladies that work at the main office, they are not friendly with parents in a way that makes you feel unwelcome, they just seem very unhappy with life and their jobs, I’m sorry but that’s just the impression they gave me, just very rude and impatient all the time.Just to be clear, I do not expect people to be extremely nice all the time, I just treat them respectfully and do hope to be treated the same way.
Submitted by parent on February 29, 2024

The reason I am giving 2 stars is because I have had 2 children go through this school and my first did great. We had our first main issue here when my youngest was in Kinder he was being bullied so bad that the thought of going to school would make him sick to his stomach. I talked to the principal multiple times and she said she was dealing with it. I finally confronted the parent of the child myself and she cried and apologized and said she was never informed. After that it stopped. I talked to the kindergarten teacher from when my youngest started school here about how I though he may have a learning disability and they kept telling me he just needed time and scooted around the subject. I got a advocate at the start of first grade and had him assessed privately and brought his paperwork in with a formal letter and they finally tested him. When it came to getting anything done they would give me one form at a time, I feel to delay the process. We finally had our first IEP meeting scheduled and covid hit. I understand that things were new and hard but sometimes he would zoom with his recourse teacher and she would be in her car or out with her mother. At the start of second grade when we were doing a meeting before the kids went back in person I found out that there should have been another teacher working with my son who we NEVER met. We made it through the rest of the second grade and the new bully to do a IEP meeting at the end of the year where we were informed that my son needed to move to special day classes which they don't offer at Mar Vista. We switched to a new school and I am so glad we did. When we started our new school we had to have my son completely re assessed because Mar Vista had no paperwork showing were he was academically. When we left Mar Vista my son was in the third grade testing bellow a kindergarten grade level. This year he is in fifth grade and is caught up to base line and above in some subjects. I feel if your child is a diligent little student and will test well they will do great at Mar Vista but if your child is special need and needs extra help get them out of there as quickly as possible so they don't suffer.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2023

this school was good and bad. there are several excellent teachers. if you are lucky and get a good one then your experience will be great. but there are also about 20 % terrible teachers. if you get one of those your kid will have a bad year. there are mostly mediocre teachers. some kids have 2-3 bad years in a row. our kid was bullied, and the administration refused to help. they did an "investigation" and found that the behavior in question did not meet their definition of bullying. so that was the end of it, our kid suffered. so, we left for private school. we know two other families who had similar experiences. A lot of kids leave for private school after 3rd grade. the class size goes up to about 30 to 35 kids for 4th and 5th grade. the kindergarten teachers were all very good and the class size was about 20-25 kids. 1st grade was also very good, after that our luck ran out.
Submitted by other on July 27, 2023

I culminated this year and Mar Vista has been amazing! The teachers are wonderful. Mar Vista has amazing computer,art,science,music and PE programs.Big Boo and S.T.E.A.M night are some of Mar Vista's really fun events I would really recommend this school
Submitted by other on June 01, 2023

Our family has been so happy with Mar Vista Elementary school. The principal does an excellent job, as do the teachers, and there are inspiring enrichment programs as well as rigorous academics being taught. We are so glad our daughter attends this school!
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2022

We are in our final year at the school with 2 children coming through since Kinder. This is a neighborhood gem - a solid community that cares inside and outside of the school. Mar Vista gave my kids (and me!) wonderful memories, from our Big Boo halloween festival, the musical shows, the First Friday picnic, to the parents' partybook fundraisers, our spring auction, etc! The school does an outstanding job prepping my kids for middle school - my daughter is currently in 8th grade and is just nailing middle school. Other parents have actually moved their kids to our school to help prep them better for middle school after seeing the success of Mar Vista kids in middle school. Our principal, Mrs. Choe, is top notch - she handled covid in the most organized way possible, showing support to the teachers, students and families. She is a wonderful communicator and very involved with the parent group. We are so lucky to have this school be such a fundamental part of my kids' childhoods!
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2021

In our two years at the school so far, we've been nothing but impressed by the teachers and administration, their competency, dedication and care. Families are engaged, supportive and welcoming.
Submitted by parent on April 10, 2021

A lovely neighborhood school that emphasizes reading in a low-key and effective manner. There are trips to the wonderful school library, reading buddies, and awards for summer reading. The school has a warm and friendly atmosphere. The teachers are good and contribute their own personal strengths. The singing program is great too. Students from this school, in my experience, do very well in middle school. A number of kids get into the Palms Middle School outstanding math program (the top math program on the Westside) and excel there.
Submitted by parent on August 31, 2020

I'm not enjoying my children being here because the office is unfriendly when I call them.
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2018

A very positive and educational experience! A warm and friendly environment.
Submitted by parent on July 30, 2018

Mar Vista School is an amazing and special place. The teachers are excellent and passionate and work hard to make learning fun. The principle is dedicated and communicative and constantly working hard to improve the school (not that it needs much improvement!) The parent involvement is quite impressive and has an impact for the students and teachers. You really feel like you are a part of a community here, with teacher, parents and the principle working hard to make the years at Mar Vista memorable for our children.
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2018

We started this year in Kindergarten and have loved it. My son has gained confidence and made many friends. The community in the school is very welcoming and I feel like we’ve joined a family.
Submitted by parent on November 03, 2017

I really love this school and the principal. She is fiercely dedicated, funny, hard-working, forward-thinking, and communicative. The parents are very involved, and have funded a lot of programs that LAUSD cut out, (computers, art, science, PE, orchestra, chorus). We feel very lucky. No bullying. We have consistently had great teachers. There is a great after-school Spanish language program, also. My only gripe is the district policy of 'permitting' to get into the school, through SAS, which had us camping out the night before in the rain. That needs some rethinking, but it is a district problem.
Submitted by parent on October 15, 2017

Couple of years ago this school got new principal. Since then it is nothing but going down. So sad.
Submitted by other on October 09, 2017

Love all the experiences and creativity this school provides!
Submitted by parent on October 09, 2017

We entered the school after camping out a few years ago and also had to take the "secret test" for the SAS permit. This was not the only SAS school which required an interview in order to ensure the student was qualified to get in through its SAS permit program. It was not a rigorous or traumatizing experience for either of my 5 year old girls entering kindergarten. My initially nervous daughter actually excitedly ran into the classroom when the principal came out smiling saying how they all get to meet some really nice teachers!Thankfully they've gotten rid of the first come first serve basis for permitting into the school so now parents don't have to camp out and students get accepted through a lottery based system (although siblings get priority). The school has been a wonderful experience for us throughout the past 3 years. The parent involvement in this school is tremendous and inspiring. I really feel that the overwhelming majority of families in this school really value education and additionally, value kindness and giving to the community. The principal is extremely hard working and motivated to make sure the school is improving every year. She is smart and has a strong presence yet is very funny and approachable. The teachers we have had were very hard working and committed to the students. All of the kindergarten teachers are particularly amazing - which is what you want for an easy transition into elementary school. We love this school and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in a high quality, neighborhood public school. With new charter schools popping up and nearby schools improving, the competition is increasing, which means that Mar Vista will only get better in order to stay competitive. In fact, since we've started the school, we've gotten a new computer lab and they have implemented a huge community garden project to add more green space to the campus.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2016

The faculty, staff and students at this school are all committed to education and it has a wonderful neighborhood feel. I don't have experience with the admission procedures, but once you are in that doesn't affect your child's experience.
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2016

My daughter has benefitted over the years from excellent teacher. They not only know their stuff, but they are also really good people. They care about their students and are invested in their learning. I have learned so much as a parent by following their example.
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2016

This is a gem of a school in an adorable neighborhood. I had no idea such a sweet area existed in LA. We love the walk to school where we pass our friends and neighbors in this lovely community. The principal is dedicated to making our children enjoy learning and her vision for a more progressive school is encouraging. We've been lucky to have some great teachers that really get our kids and make them excited about school. The parent participation and involvement is beyond and everything that LAUSD took away (art, science, PE, library, music) is paid for by the dedicated Mar Vista families. We adore this school for our family!
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2016

This is an excellent school! My daughter is now in fourth grade and her experience has been a dream. Supportive teachers, an incredibly intelligent, hardworking and visionary of a school principal. It's rumored she works extremely late most nights. All nestled in a community that feels very much out of the fifties. Veteran parents are warm and welcoming to all new parents. Parents come together with staff and raise money ever year to be able to have a top notch school. Parents and staff throw several parties(tea parties, Bollywood, evening above la, family camping, gift wrapping, silent auction etc..). This helps raise money for the computer lab, librarian, art teacher and the music teacher. I have loved every minute my daughter has been in this school.