Duveneck Elementary School

705 Alester Avenue

School District

Palo Alto Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:13
Type

public

School Map for Palo Alto 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 May 12, 2021

Outstanding principle and teachers who help the community to weather pandemic with care and thoughtfulness. Effective/nimble covid response/process to keep kids learning and safe. One of the first in bay area to offer parents choice of hybrid/remote learning since Oct. 2020.
Submitted by parent on December 12, 2013

Duveneck has been blessed with a great principal. The school has turned over 3 principals due to promotions, relocation, etc. Our latest principal is excellent. My kids are now in 5th grade. I kept waiting for the year they got the awful teacher. Never happened. 10 teachers over the years ranging from very good to extraordinary. Socially it can be challenging. My kids have loved their school and found grounded kids to befriend. We ignore the few bad apples.
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2012

Amazing, Amazing, Amazing in every way. Teachers absurdly great, kids smart and beautifully behaved, new principle young, fun and the kids love him. It is also such a caring school, everyone really seems to really know your child and want what's best for them. If I had to say anything negative it would be the office staff lack warmth and smiles...also some of the PTA moms are scary (but that's the same everywhere!) All in all I feel so blessed my kids had the opportunity to come to this school.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2011

I am a parent at this school and I would just like to express my disagreement on the gross generalization that one of the parent reviewers has posted on Nov 9, 2010. I don't believe any segregation occurs by any ethnic, socio-econo or PTA groups. A school of ~450 kids with ~900 parents would have a natural tendency to form friend circles like any other group of 900 individuals. It is just plain amusing to hear a baseless accusation that a core group of neighborhoods 'control' this school :-) Seriously, is that even possible? This school has the best combination of diversity and academic excellence in bay area with a very high degree of dedicated parent volunteers (my guess would be more than 60% of parents volunteer!) I recommend this parent reviewer to volunteer, get involved and get to know people rather than making assumptions from the sidelines on how the school is being run.
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2011

Great school. Have had three kids go through this school. HUge level of parental involvement. Great teachers. A shame they keep switching principals but it doesn't seem to harm the school.
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2011

Very good school. Great teachers. School needs updating but this is in the works. Principals seem to come and go but that doesn't seem to affect the quality of the education they give.
Submitted by parent on November 09, 2010

Good Academic school. However with the adoption of Every Day Math in PAUSD, most parents who care about math send their kids to after school math programs. Very strong parent personalities make this a very clique school. Many PTA members won't even speak to parents they aren't personally friends with. These connected families exclude other parents and their kids from activities and even being in school year book group pictures. Also people self-segregate into ethnic and socio-econo groups as well as the PTA connected families. So while it's a diverse school don't expect that your child will play outside of school with their peers. A core group of neighborhoods control this school and everyone else is on the outside. Long time teachers and parents (who went here as kids) have admitted to me that Duveneck has been this way for years.
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2010

Produces happy, well-rounded and well-adjusted kids with high academic standards. One of the best schools in the district and in California, as you can see on this website when you compare. Yet, it doesn't feel like teachers and students are chasing test scores because of the focus on the development of the whole child. Definitely a neighborhood school with a strong community. Most active PTA in the district, with current and past parents on the School Board, and leading the charge for every single school bond measure that allows Palo Alto to maintain its high standards in the face of budget woes throughout the state. High level of parent volunteering, inside and outside the classroom. Diversity & acceptance. Fun activities such as International Potluck, Duveneck Harvest Carnival, Talent Show, and Just Parties. Math Night makes math fun. The Duveneck Book Club teaches core values.