Glorietta Elementary School

15 Martha Road

School District

Orinda Union Elementary
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

School Map for Orinda Union Elementary 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 November 24, 2024

Our kids have thrived in their 5 years so far at Glorietta. The quality of the teachers and administration is great. The communication and level of organization and parent involvement is wonderful. We feel lucky to be able to see our kids to such a great school.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2024

Glorietta is a sweet school with a collaborative and supportive community of teachers, parents, students, and administrators. Principal Natal is phenomenal with the kids and was with us. In-school and after-school enrichment programs made such an impact on our kiddo. She is excelling because of her teachers, friends, and our parent network. We are now having to relocate and are aching at how much we’ll miss this special place and special community. Feeling fortunate to adore everyone here. Our recommendation: register your children for activities and volunteer when you are able. Help your littles foster community.
Submitted by parent on January 29, 2021

Fabulous school and community. Teachers are amazing. Parents are engaged. There is a strong social-emotional component that encourages children to focus on positive character traits to become model citizens. All in all, Glorietta is a very special place.One of the teachers who is referenced in some of the negative reviews below is no longer at the school.
Submitted by parent on December 14, 2019

My child loves Glorietta, and so do we. The state test results show high academic performance, but what I love most is the focus on teaching kids how to be good humans. The principal has implemented programs and initiatives that really make good character a focus & something to really celebrate. The community is tight knit, and people step up to help each other out.
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2019

We could not be happier since we left the school. If your child is not an average child in any way, I do not recommend it.
Submitted by teacher on February 25, 2018

Excellent local school experience. Great school community and parents group.
Submitted by parent on July 24, 2017

We had a terrible experience at Glorietta. This is by far the worst school our children have attended. Our son went from loving school and earning classroom awards when he started to dreading having to go to his classroom and almost failing the grade. His teacher frequently mocked students and was as close to a bully as you can get, yet the school would do nothing about it because she was active in the union.The school was poorly organized and lacked the resources that you would expect in a community like Orinda. Our kids complained of frequent absences by teachers and lack of substitutes, and also of falling behind in science because they did not have enough staff to cover all the lessons.The community is tight knit and filled with great families, but the school is far from what it is billed to be.
Submitted by parent on August 17, 2015

The education is very high achieving. The rest of the things we want for our kids - diversity, empathy, humility, acceptance, awareness - is lacking. We had one teacher who threatened our child in weird and stern ways, and none of the parents can understand why she is still employed despite multiple complaints. What I feel needs to be said to parents thinking about having their children attend is that the social and academic pressure on young kids, even "normal" high achieving kids, needs to be kept in mind. I've noted this Orinda district-wide, including the middle and high school, with the high school being the most intense. It's a very very small tight knit community - many of the parents at the school grew up here. I would worry about a child who felt different or who didn't have wealthy parents. The pressure to donate large amounts of money was also intense. The principal seems to be a figure head. Several friends and I have gone to him with concerns or issues and felt we got lip service. I hope that the parents remember to let their kids become whoever they feel they are meant to be, rather than fitting the mold.
Submitted by parent on February 12, 2013

Orinda is a very close knit community and if really shows at Glorietta. Parent fundraising/donations keep the class sizes down to 20 or less for K-3, and keeps programs like art and music alive after state budget cuts elminitated. The schools are the reason we moved to Orinda and we are so glad we did.