Dana Elementary School

920 West Tefft Street

School District

Lucia Mar Unified
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:21
Type

public

School Map for Lucia Mar 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 January 19, 2024

Hands down one of the best schools in San Luis Obispo county. The teachers, the staff, the principal all show a genuine love and care for their students.
Submitted by parent on May 07, 2021

Dana School has some amazing teachers. Beyond that, I cannot say I would recommend this school in any way. The amount of bullying if your child is different in ANY way, is off the charts. The bias that comes from the Principal is disheartening and completely inappropriate in the school setting. We ended up pulling our daughter out of Dana and put her in another Lucia Mar school and found that she FLOURISHED after being put in a school that treats all students equally. The Principal at Dana does NOT do that. The constant problems that we ran into at Dana were completely based on poor leadership, and NOT the teachers. The teachers were fantastic. I would NOT recommend Dana due to the Principal, bullying, and bias that occurs there.
Submitted by parent on August 31, 2019

Great teachers and staff , Awesome after school program too .
Submitted by parent on March 27, 2015

I'm not the type of person who writes reviews, but I feel compelled to write one because of what's going on at Dana. I would have rated it zero stars, but that was not an option. The problem at Dana IS the principal. I looked at the reviews here about Dana, and I noticed that UNTIL the current principal came to the school, it had great reviews. Five stars. After her arrival the reviews are one and two stars. Maybe it's because she has no backbone or leadership skills, no teacher support. Bullying here has been a big problem, and they continue. The principal does nothing about it. She actually makes excuses for the bullies. She makes me literally sick. If she is still the principal next year, my child will no longer be a student at Dana. It breaks my heart to make my child change schools, but that's just how horrible she is!!
Submitted by parent on March 27, 2015

I knew almost immediately after this principal started at Dana that this school was doomed. Bullying at Dana became out of control and it STILL continues! I didn't realize just how horrible she is until recently. I guess the reason for such a bullying problem is because the principal herself is a bully. My child s teacher this year is a victim of the principal's bullying. Sadly, the teacher left. This year was the best year my child ever had at school because of this teacher. She was truly passionate about teaching and about her student's, and their success in school. She made a huge positive impact on her students. My child used to enjoy going to school! Since the teacher left, my child doesn't even want to go to school, and literally cries about it. I don't blame this teacher for leaving such an intimidating environment. The principal uses manipulation to try to make herself look good. The lies being spread are horrid. The teachers and staff are wonderful. I wonder how many more of them will be lost due the utter incompetence of the principal?
Submitted by parent on March 19, 2015

Dana USED to be a great school and it saddens me that because of what is going on due to the administrator I feel so compelled to write this review. I can no longer stand by and watch this school plummet to what it has become. My child is in a class this year where the teacher moved to a different school. After hearing all of the horrible rumors and LIES allowed to plague the school, I don't blame the teacher whatsoever. The situation at Dana is sickening and it started the second the principal set foot on the campus. The school and my child lost a wonderful,, dedicated teacher due to the principal's dictatorship, and no backbone to ever do whats right. I can personally attest to the dedication and love this teacher has for her students. She spent countless time on the phone or personally conferencing with me to help make my child be successful in school. The students are heart broken that they lost their caring and compassionate teacher. It makes me sad to know what the principal has caused and that she would allow that type of an atmosphere at her school. Instead of Dana continuing to lose such great teachers, how about losing such an inept principal?
Submitted by parent on March 12, 2015

Great students, wonderful teachers & staff, TERRIBLE administrator!!! If you desire a school where the principal preaches anti-bullying and sweeps issues under the rug, then you've come to the right place! If she practiced and exemplified just a fraction of what she preaches, now that would be a miracle. What a concept, right?!!? Her main goal is NOT to make her school look good, or to support her teachers. CLEARLY, her motive is to solely make herself look good, and attain a "team" of supporters through manipulation. Thankfully the teachers and staff are wonderful enough to read between the lines and not follow her lead. I would love nothing more than to see a fresh new face in that department!!
Submitted by parent on March 12, 2015

I used to really like this school. However this school has really gone down hill, ans certainly not the teachers are at fault. In fact most of the teachers are really great, but the administrator that's the problem. She picks and chooses the ones she likes and craps on the others. I have had 2 kids go through and 1 still there, if i could i'd transfer my student out...I'm EXTREMLY unhappy. If you have a hild coming in think twice, trust me, I'd NEVER write like this if i truly didn't believe this...GOOD LUCK
Submitted by parent on May 08, 2014

I used to love Dana. The teachers are still great, active, & involved. Now if only the district and principal would allow them to do their jobs properly & educate their students. The school has been plagued with discipline & bullying issues. Sometime bullying will go uncontrolled & other times the school is locked down like a gulag. The district has now instituted 4 system wide curriculum changes in the last six years. My child's teacher has been out of the classroom this year on average more than a day a week due to their Common Core roll out & we have been informed that the district is not even close to being ready. All of my child's teacher have been excellent but they have been handcuffed by bad admin for years & I see no signs of improvement in the near future.
Submitted by parent on December 18, 2013

Let me give you an updated review. The teacher's are AMAZING! However, the bullying is out of control! They claim to have a zero tolerance policy, but this is not the case. The principal is not great either. She has control issues, but is not competent enough to run a school. I feel this school is more for the money they get per child and money from parents. These test scores are UNACCEPTABLE for this school! They do not have an acceptable routine for the children. Because there is no public school bus the office officials are insensitive to the families with no transportation. I've also overheard conversations about how students are dressed. One parent was hounded because her children were not in their version of nice clothes. The school is only for social climbers. I also feel that the principal tries to parent others children which is not her place. The parents are not notified about anything that goes on. You have to hear it from your child. Unacceptable. Will be transferring my children to a diff school being I have to drive them anyway, why not a school who isn't about your money or looks?