Sinaloa Middle School

2045 Vineyard Road

School District

Novato Unified
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:22
Type

public

School Map for Novato 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 March 10, 2023

Jason Eckl got fired recently for taking photos of girls (students at the school). Horrible place.
Submitted by parent on July 05, 2022

We had such high hopes for this school. Our child, who has always loved school, looked forward to going here. It was a horrendous experience. The school is a mess. Students are not engaged. Teachers seem unhappy. Bullying is out of control. The parent engagement is dismal and the electives are virtually nonexistent if your kid isn’t in band. Best decision we ever made was to pull our kid out of this school.
Submitted by parent on April 18, 2022

This school has significantly declined in safety and culture in the last 4 years. Some people might say this has been going on for more than that amount of time but I only had kids attending there for the last 4. I think a lot of the troubles have to do with funding and the fact that they just simply don’t have enough staff. But there is also a problem with lack of consequences and follow through with procedure. The restorative justice program that the district has is amazing. However it seems like the entire district is afraid to follow through with any natural consequences for fear that they will be sued. The teachers and staff seem incredibly stressed and frustrated. I’m not sure exactly what’s going on but the result is that students lack boundaries and class disruptions prevent regular kids from enjoying any of the minuscule leftover perks of being at school. It’s been such a disappointment because there are a lot of great families who have students there and the teachers are also amazing people.
Submitted by other on November 20, 2018

Well, four words; I'm still in therapy.
Submitted by parent on December 18, 2015

My child is thriving at Sinaloa. Students have access to incredible resources, including excellent teachers and advanced programs. There are also many extracurriculars offered.
Submitted by parent on November 08, 2013

No leadership or courage from the principal or vice-principal. They support the teachers and the status quo (which is politically easy) -- not the students. My child is stuck with an English teacher who uses foul language and seeks to politicize her class at any opportunity she can, with the usual left-wing diatribe. On the first day of school the teacher asked the students what the tallest building in the world was, students raised their hands with noble answers, such as the Empire State Building, etc. This teacher told her students that it was trash stacked high in the ocean. She offered no evidence of this claim but told her students that they were responsible, and it was their duty in life to them to recycle and clean the ocean. The school is not teaching children how to think for themselves, but is instead of trying to indoctrinate them. If they do not go along, they are considered problem children. This school lacks intellectual diversity and creative, competent leadership.