Joaquin Miller Elementary School

5525 Ascot Drive

School District

Oakland Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:21
Type

public

School Map for Oakland 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 04, 2024

We are in our second year at Joaquin Miller and are thrilled with how 1st grade is going for our child. We love the guidance of the interim (hopefully permanent) principal (Swaicha Chanduri) and would love for her to continue leading the school for many years to come. We are excited about other recent changes as well - the addition of a TK program and a future revamping of the playground/school grounds through Eat Learn Play! We also love having an on-site aftercare program through the Kids Club which is a huge asset to the school. Joaquin Miller has a diverse community that truly represents Oakland and a wonderful parent community.
Submitted by parent on May 25, 2022

I LOVE Joaquin Miller and so do my children. Our experience has been very wholesome and engaging. We love the sense of community that the school fosters. There is a great sense of diversity and inclusion on campus. As a parent, I feel my children are in a great, safe environment where they can learn and grow while being their authentic selves. The teachers and staff are awesome and passionate. I highly recommend.
Submitted by other on March 19, 2021

Great school, but many students and I were bullied and the teachers did not effectively take care of the problem.
Submitted by parent on June 09, 2020

Overall we have been very happy with our son's experience at Joaquin Miller. From an incredibly active PTA, to an experienced and friendly teacher, his first year has fully met our expectations. We're very happy we were fortunate enough to join the JME Wolverine community!
Submitted by parent on April 07, 2020

This school has been wonderful for our family.
Submitted by parent on March 23, 2020

Joaquin Miller has a fantastic community! The kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Glick, is very engaging and knows all of the students. My son really likes her, and has blossomed in her class and at this school. I really like how the after school care is on site, and is a lot of fun.
Submitted by parent on September 27, 2018

Due to the school’s average rating on GreatSchools, it was my 6th choice in our district. I was initially rather upset when we were assigned Joaquin Miller, but I have so far really liked what I’ve seen of the school. The PTA is incredibly active and has paid for access to iPads for the classrooms, a large library, and more recently some bottle refill stations (similar to what you see at the airport after passing security) that I’m not sure are fully working yet.
Submitted by parent on June 21, 2018

I love Joaquin Miller and feel it is a wonderful place for my kids to grow and learn.
Submitted by parent on June 15, 2018

We are so lucky to have Joaquin Miller Elementary as our local school. The principal and teachers are fully invested in the success of every child. They are accessible and responsive and work hard to help each individual child.
Submitted by parent on April 27, 2018

Amazing, one of a kind school. There is no better elementary school in Oakland or the surrounding areas. Strong parent community, amazing teachers, caring atmosphere.
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2017

Child has attended since kindergarten and is now in 3rd grade. The principal and teachers are 100% invested in student success and are responsive to the concerns/ needs of parents. It is great to have Spanish and/or Mandarin instruction a couple days a week for 2-5th graders, and the library/ computer/ PE resources for all students funded by the PTA.
Submitted by parent on January 07, 2017

OVERALL A GREAT SCHOOL TO SEND YOUR CHILD TOO. GREAT TEACHERS AND PROGRAMS.
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2016

Joaquin Miller has a new principal (Mrs. Green) this year, who is reinvigorating the school. Mrs. Green was a teacher here for many years and has the respect of her peers and the parents. Parent participation, fundraising and volunteerism have always been strong, but, even so, appear to be on an uptick. There is an active PTA and dad's club. The teachers are enthusiastic and the kids seem to be in a nurturing environment. Afterschool care, provided by the JCC, is also a positive. Our daughter is enjoying her time at JM and learning new things every day.
Submitted by teacher on December 23, 2014

Joaquin Miller Elementary School is thriving this year! Under the leadership of Ms. Smith, the school has a strong reading culture, and a STEAM focus. Students just completed a 10,000 Book Principal Reading Challenge in a month. Our students attend the library, technology class, and engineering course each week. The teachers are facilitators of student academic discussions, project based learning, and rigorous lessons in math, science, and balanced literacy. We are proud of our entry into robotics and computer science. We have a new comprehensive after-school program, which offers both internal and external enrichment opportunities.
Submitted by parent on October 14, 2014

When I compare this school to the schools we come from, it could easily be considered "above average" maybe even "excellent". The school itself is located in a safe neighborhood, the parents are involved, the kids look happy to be there, the administration and teachers are reasonable and care about all the children. There are several ways to stay informed (yahoo groups, newsletters, emails, and the school website). This school is "seemly" a gem in a struggling school district. A HUGE downside is the rumor spreading, gossipy parents. This school has so much to offer, if you want to send your child here please do this community a big favor by staying away from the parents that want to engage in non-productive communication. The the sake of the all the children at the school, focus on leaving a positive legacy. One that will continue to grow for years to come.
Submitted by parent on July 16, 2014

This poor, downtrodden school. It used to be great. The teachers are fantastic, and the PTA was wonderful. Unfortunately, as a few other reviewers have already described, our school has basically fallen apart. The Principal is extremely passive-aggressive with parents, and downright abusive to teachers. I have spoken with several of my kids' current and past teachers, and they all told me that they are looking for other positions within the district. They just can't take the abuse anymore. Also, the fantastic after-school program was ousted due to a very petty personal issue the principal had with the director of the program. Now, quite a few parents have said that they will no longer participate with the PTA while Paulette Smith is still principal, and many are worried that our teachers are looking to leave. I think our family will start looking at charter schools very soon. I don't want my kids to be in this toxic environment any longer. If the school had a competent, sane leader, then maybe our school could get back up to where it used to be.
Submitted by parent on June 06, 2014

We've had kids at Joaquin Miller for several years, and we've been very happy overall. Unfortunately, this year has seen a sharp decline. The environment is toxic. There is no transparency with decision-making. The principal s leadership style has become autocratic and bullying. Class size is off the charts-the school is overstuffed. The fantastic computer program (new Macs, dedicated lab space, wonderful instructor) has been decimated. After the computers were stolen, decisions were made (convert the lab space to a tiny classroom, fire the wonderful instructor) with no input from the committee of parents and teachers that came together in the wake of the burglary. The after-school childcare provider, an integral part of the JM community for decades, was treated so badly this year that they've refused to return next year. The committee of parents and teachers that invested countless hours on the aftercare issue was ignored. And the lack of sufficient after-care space to accommodate the influx of new families is still not solved. Families are choosing not to return; others are disillusioned and cutting back on their involvement. It's such a shame. Our kids deserve better.
Submitted by parent on May 27, 2014

This used to be a very good school but it has fallen on very hard times. We are currently in our seventh calendar year here and 12th kid year as we have three - one who finished up last year. The classroom instruction continues to be quite good. With almost every teacher performing at a very high level in the classroom. But anything that the current principal has touched has turned to mud. She has fostered a culture that is so divided and so distrustful, that the school is just a hollow shell of its old self. Where we used to smile and be happy every time we walked onto campus and were almost universally greeted with the same level of happiness and contentment from parents, student and teachers, now everybody we talk to seems to hate coming onto the campus. It seems like every moment between parents and teachers turns into a gripe session about how bad the principal is. It is so bad right now that a fund raising party hosted by a group of parents and having a 25 year tradition on campus, which has always extended a free invite to the principal, did not do so this year. Most of the people hosting the party didn't even want to be in the same room with her.
Submitted by parent on May 26, 2014

Pros: Outstanding teachers from K to 5, very involved community, great living history program for each grade, PTA-funded library and teachers aides. Cons: Principal lacks communication skills, disregards community input via forums and committees, attempts to squelch open dialogue on concerns about her executive decisions. Subsequent very poor morale and high burn-out rate among parent volunteers.
Submitted by parent on April 18, 2014

I am a parent of Joaquin Miller Elementary School, and I love it!! This is our first year and it has been great, look forward to my daughter staying until she graduates!