Daniel N. Buchanan Elementary School

40121 Torrey Pines Road

School District

Murrieta Valley Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:23
Type

public

School Map for Murrieta Valley 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 December 27, 2024

My neighbors kids go there and they say its a great school. Being military parents Im very comfortable of their opinion and choice for their children to attend there. I myself have visited the school its fantastic and very clean. I would love for my daughters to attend kinder and 1st grade there to start. Its 1 block from home and feel safe to do so. I would recommend this school with all I have seen and heard so far.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2012

My two younger children attended Buchanan. My son attended from 3rd grade on and my daughter from K-5. Both had excellent and caring teachers who had high academic standards. My children loved going to school and loved their teachers. They were well prepared for higher level learning when they promoted out of 5th grade. As a parent, I especially appreciated the sense of commutity. The principal has a strong presence aroung the playground and usually knows each student by name, even though there are over 1,000. My son struggled with some impulsive behavior on the playground and Mr. Lorimer was very helpful in working with him . Parent involvement is valued and there is a strong PTA that works hard to provide additional learning experience for the students.. The office staff is very congenial to parents and students alike. We had a great six years at Buchanan.
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2012

I really don't know why I haven't transfer my son to another school, the teachers are ok i don't have a problem with the teachers we had in the pass or the present, but just want to point that last year a teacher had her dogs on her classroom wich I find that no so professional but that's how it works there, I had to point about the dogs on campus all the time to the principal, to the distric, and guess what people bring their dogs on campus anyway ( big dogs ) and is not so pleasing to see them on top of the picnic tables that children use for lunch, this only happen at buchanan I haven't heard a school that lets dogs inside I don't think tthe school understand about safety... sad,
Submitted by other on August 12, 2012

I was a fifth grader here three years ago and have to say that the teachers there are great and have a involved PTA. The principal is alright but could become more involved. After third grade they treat you like it's a prison. The teachers are always there to listen. Aside from the principal this is an amazing school.
Submitted by parent on January 10, 2012

I feel this school has become a little too focused on what the children do wrong, even if it is a small thing. They should be working on the positive instead of making them feel like bad children. My children are doing fine, but they aren't praised for their amazing things they do, but they have to miss recess if they forget an assignment one time. Who is perfect all the time? Maybe a 3 strikes on missing an assignment could work better? My kids used to love going to school, but they have been going to Buchanan now long enough that they hate it. There are too many kids for the teachers to care and it absolutely shows. I can only imagine the stress teachers undergo with so many children in their classrooms, it just doesn't work for my children!
Submitted by parent on November 08, 2011

My kids still suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder because of their horrible experience at Buchanan years ago. Staff discriminated against the handicapped. Bring a witness when talking to staff or get it in writing. They transferred the teacher that hit me. I should have sued them, after school staff left my daughter unattended, stepped over her, and would not let her get help due to diabetic complications. Instead they made me look like an out of control parent after dealing with their mistreatment for several years in a calm manner. This school also sent kids outside during a major fire when ashes were falling down. I had to contact the health department, which now advises them since they don't know any better.
Submitted by parent on September 13, 2011

My son repeated kinder last year after going to AHES first because i put him in at 4 years old and he made the cut off but really needed to wait another year. So then i put him in Buchanan and he didnt get the recommended teacher frm the other school but i thought this teacher was very enthusiastic and positive in the beginning of the school year. she was receptive to our religion and advised me that she had 16 years experience in teaching however, when time came to make an alternative assignment to holiday creativity that had nothing to do with academics or learning she never asked for my opinion or had him do anything different. She just gave him the samething to do which went against our beliefs and she was very stuck in her way of no way and that is not a good teacher to me because she was not flexible to the needs of the student and parent. I took him out at the end of the year and put him back in Antelope Hills which is so much better and they have high expectations but really work with individual needs!
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2010

My daughter started Buchanan with Kindergarten and is now in 3rd grade. She has excelled with the help of her teachers and staff and she loves school. My son is in Kindergarten this year and he can't wait until the weekends are over and he gets to go back to school. By some magic, he was able to get the same Kinder Duo (McKenzie/Davis) as my daughter and they are phenomenal teachers. Couldn't be happier with where my kids attend school.
Submitted by parent on August 18, 2009

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Submitted by student on August 07, 2008

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