Vallemar Elementary School

377 Reina Del Mar Avenue

School District

Pacifica
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:28
Type

public

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 September 11, 2024

My child is now in fourth grade and has been at Vallemar since kindergarten. My child has had a positive experience for the most part, but I have to say, my personal interactions with the teachers have been lukewarm at best. The teacher this year is downright cold, only emailing me to tell me when my child has forgotten something. She does not even acknowledge my return responses to her. Class size is huge (34 kids!!), so maybe that has something to do with it, but a one-sentence response that would take 30 seconds to write would go a long way. Also, I reached out to the principal about the standardized tests that were administered last spring since we have not received the results yet (it is now September). No response at all.I really wish I could write a glowing review, but I simply can't. Instead, I am very seriously thinking of putting my child into a different school, either next year or maybe even sooner.
Submitted by parent on August 31, 2023

My review is for the 2022-23 school year (as far as my principal comments). The principal who left after 1 yr was not at all supportive of middle schoolers, in particular those with IEPs. Also the RSP teacher didn’t even hold a credential, not to mention no SPED credential. We had a handful of excellent teachers at VM but the few awful ones really soured our experience. I know of MANY students who transferred out to avoid the 8th grade teacher (they had her in 7th grade). Sad these kids have been there since Kinder had to leave because of a teacher who made their lives miserable.
Submitted by parent on August 16, 2023

We are having a great experience at Vallemar elementary. The teachers are definetly better educated and more experienced than other nearby schools. The new principal as well as the PTO ensure our children get a high quality education. The after school enrichment programs are better than any other nearby schools. Looks like they are renovating the school now so the outside will match the quality education our children get. I have three kids at this school and I couldn't be happier.
Submitted by principal on March 11, 2023

Vallemar Elementry welcomes and values all students. The staff is empathetic, and supportive and successfully works to elevate joy in students.
Submitted by teacher on December 07, 2021

I had the pleasure of working at this school in the 2017-2018 school year. The Principal was very supportive and a great leader. The children were children but overall they were great! I would not hesitate in having my child attend this school. I believe that children are learning and feeling welcomed in the school culture. The school is small enough to provide a nurturing small town feel. It is absolutely one of the better public schools.
Submitted by parent on August 30, 2019

The leadership and administrative staff I have contacted are uniformly combative, inexperienced, and very defensive. I have to agree with other comments regarding a lack of innovation or a progressive academic strategy.
Submitted by parent on July 11, 2019

The principal is ineffective and does not follow due process; I've actually suspected negligence. Teachers fend for themselves and you run the danger of some being petty and punitive with no recourse.
Submitted by parent on May 03, 2018

Horribly rude! I spoke with principal Monica Labao on a couple of occasions and either I talk too much, she doesn't care, or was really hungry. She actually told me it was lunch time and if I needed anything else. Floored!!!
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2018

Not highly. We are investigating other options and feeling rather trapped. As a whole, the Pacifica SD is very lacking and follows such outdated teaching practices. They are not innovative, welcoming of new ideas, or willing to address their deficiencies and would prefer to be on the defensive and continue to operate in a low quality manner.
Submitted by parent on March 24, 2017

Overall a great school and awesome parent, teacher and administrative community. While the school is overall great we experienced a few issues for our child who is one of their top students.My child went there for nine years, K-8th. In the 4th grade my child was designated a Gifted and Talented Education Student (GATE) based on a Federal government test. We received a form letter form the school telling us this and then saying my child would have access to extra programs. When we called to find out more we were told that there is no budget for that and that the school would not be able to provide my child anything on top of the regular course work. In short my child had special needs and they were not able to accommodate my child.My child, by middle school, turned into a high achiever. By 8th grade my child's GPA was over 4.0. Yet when he took the placement test for private high schools (SSAT) he did horribly. Here i think the school, being public, simply does not teach kids how to take this test. It's not that my son couldn't do the material, I feel it has more to do with how the questions are asked and if you are not prepared for that style of test you will do poorly. Yet in the end he got wonderful support and several letters of recommendation. My child ended up getting accepted into one of the top private high schools in the country.So if yo have a high achieving child I would not say avoid Vallemar because overall it's a fabulous community and the school has a great family atmosphere. The middle school kids our grounded and not trying to act like high schoolers. Compare that to the dedicated middle school in town and those kids get into way more issues with drugs, fighting, burn out etc.I think this has to do with the fact that they go to school with younger kids. they even create these "families" that consist of a kid from every other grade and they meet throughout the year. also the middle schoolers sometimes help the younger kids as social advisers etc.Just keep in mind your high achieving student may need to augment his education outside of Vallemar if they intend to take the SSAT or if you want to accelerate the topic (i.e. math) that they excel at.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2017

What a welcoming staff and PTO. It is apparent kids care for kids, staff cares for all and the school community clearly shares and implements a positive and community based environment where all can succeed! We are so happy at Vallemar.
Submitted by parent on March 30, 2016

Unstable staffing, PTO drama and bullying were enough to motivate us to pull our child after being there since kindergarten. Now in a new school, grades have dramatically improved, self esteem is fantastic and loves staying after school to socialize, it's hard to believe a former school could do so much damage to a child. The middle school program is terrible. The K-3 teachers are fantastic!
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2015

Overall still a great K-8 school that lives off it's former legacy as a California Distinguished School. Not quite as good as it was ten years ago. Has a problem with keeping middle school kids. The out-of-the-neighborhood parents who fought to get their kids into Vallemar in the early grades are the same parents that bail on the school come 6th grade due to more options. The district has an open enrollment policy so it's a lottery. But due to it popularity for K-5 many Vallemar neighborhood kids never get to go to their local school, unless they want to wait until 6th grade. The current principal seems more focused on kicking kids off campus after school than raising test scores. She also has locked the community out of using the school grounds after hours and on the weekends. First time this has occurred in the history of the school. This is the same community that has passed three bond measures in a row in support of the school district. Both of these decisions have killed the family culture. Previously parents networked a lot more and kept and eye on each other's kids. Dodge ball, skateboard club and (at times) basketball have been banned during recess.
Submitted by parent on December 07, 2013

Vallemar is a great, well-rounded school! Excellent teachers, principal, and staff. There is a very active and diverse group of down-to-earth parents. Vallemar values building social and emotional development, as well as academics. We have a new principal who is very approachable and seems to be just the type of leadership our school needs. Our first grader and sixth grader are very happy here and so are we.
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2012

My son entered Vallemar school in the last four weeks of the 6th grade coming from out of state. The best thing about this school for the middle school age child is the smaller environment. If you have a child, who like mine, is not mature enough yet for the high school like environment of some of the larger middle schools this is ideal. We liked the smaller school environment and easy to navigate campus. Last year, my son's two teachers were very young. While they were nice they were not as responsive to email, etc. as I would have expected and that was frustrating at times. This year his new teacher is a seasoned professional and I am very happy with her so far. The only thing I notice about Vallemar is that even though it is reputed to be one of Pacifica's more academic schools the children, the boys at least, don't seem to care much about learning. My son is applying to private high school and it isn't "cool" to be smart, as a boy, at Vallemar. So parents with ambitious children beware - your child may not be in an environment of peers at Vallemar that supports those goals. Lastly, the principal is the most invisible principals of any public school I've ever encountered. MIA.
Submitted by parent on September 29, 2011

This is a fantastic school with excellent staff members. Teachers are very caring and implement a lot of technology within classrooms.
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2011

The lower elementary experience is good. The teachers are caring, insightful and creative. Increased class sizes and a few combination classes are an unfortunate reality now. Students are very much expected to learn in the traditional sit-and-learn manner as a teacher imparts information. If you have a child with learning differences or is overly active, this is not a good choice. A few very talented teachers step outside this teaching style and really engage the students in a more contemporary fashion with hands on activities. You cannot request teachers at this school. 5-8 grades is a very different experience. Some teachers communicate well, others have little contact. It shows in how the children are educated. Behavior problems have gotten worse with a new principal who has little experience. Leadership is lacking and the little bullying there is pawned off on the new counselor. The parent group is active, but they spent a lot of money on electronic whiteboards. You don't have to volunteer at this school which is great if you work full-time. The daycare is good. I have sent more than one child through Vallemar, it has changed a lot.
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2011

good kids, safe neighboorhood, great teachers, great principal, nice staffs, great PTO. It's the best school in the district! !!