Ranchito Avenue Elementary School

7940 Ranchito Ave.

School District

Los Angeles Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:20
Type

public

School Map for Los Angeles 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 August 22, 2019

The experience is terrible. Kindergarten graduates don’t even get a graduation ceremony
Submitted by parent on August 28, 2018

Too early to tell how this year will be but the past 4 years this school had shown nothing to the school community but dramas and complaints.
Submitted by parent on April 26, 2018

I don't fel the support or connection with the school staff or Parent Center like I did 6 years ago with my other child. School attendance has gone down and I dont blame the parents for taking their kids out. Next year my child will be attending another school, Ranchito has changed and I;m not happy. Going to Charter.
Submitted by parent on November 29, 2017

Thank you LAUSD. This new Principal Ms. Lee shows promising results. Very nice, approachable and has a friendly personality. Finally I see my daughter smiling again and eager to go to school!
Submitted by parent on May 26, 2017

Miss the good old Ranchito, seen some changes that were not necessary.
Submitted by parent on January 21, 2017

I have seen kids pushing other kids at the line and not even the teacher or Principal will do anything about it. They just turn their heads.
Submitted by parent on October 11, 2016

Wow. There has been a lot of controversy going on with this school. I had all my kids attended Ranchito and I have never seen nor experience such hypocrisy until now. First of all not ALL the staff and teachers have been friendly or helpful. So let's be honest here. I had my fair share of disappointments with them and other parents have too. Secondly, obviously if you have not attended these so call "parties" at the Parent Center, let me enlightened you. It's called networking and appreciation parties and yes I attended a couple of them. Every month there will be a birthday party for volunteers and sometimes staff in honor of appreciating them. But what you fail to see is what goes on at these parties. Networking skills happen where parents are divided into groups to solve problems with activities enhancing teamwork and getting to know other new parents. There are pictures in the past yearbooks to prove it. Then the usual main holidays celebration. Parents bring food everyday because there are activities happening and they help donate for snacks and refreshments so that the Parent Center didn't have to. And if you don't think beneficial classes were given before, compare calendars of the past. From the FIRST month (August) of school, everyday there is something going on for the parents. I was involved three years ago when the center was chosen by LAUSD district to be a pilot center for all centers and chosen by Nury Martinez herself. Now if that didn't speak volumes of how awesome the Parent Center has been, then I don't know how else to make you understand. The parents had always been the driving force of school activities helping out all the time and some of them volunteering even after their child culminates. I have been involved with school site committees so I do have a clear outlook on what has been going on in the school. There are a lot of parents and some staff who still have doubts about the Principal . Just too bad the school climate has changed. Isn't as family oriented as the past years. I look at the school survey and what did went down was percentage of parents feeling welcome at the school. Where is the good in that?
Submitted by other on July 22, 2016

I have to disagree with all the negative comments that many have posted. Ranchito is a very warm and welcoming school. Staff and teachers are very helpful and are always smiling ready to help. Parent Center is actually a Parent Center where parents can go and volunteer and take beneficial parenting classes. Years previous there was not many classes and it was used many times as a place to eat and party. The new principal has implemented amazing changes for the safety of the students here at Ranchito Elementary. Sometimes changes are hard but if it is to benefit the student we should all be onboard.
Submitted by teacher on July 13, 2016

Everyone at our school is committed to doing whatever it takes to give our kids the best educational experience possible
Submitted by parent on July 06, 2016

Not too happy with what's been going on at the school. Read the reviews and yes, it's very unfortunate that everyone seems to have different opinions. I'm also a father of a gifted child and wish there were more solid activities for the cluster classes. I can't say that I am happy with some of the changes, however I question why when our school has been going up for the past 8 years since Mr. O'Hara came in. I used to be part of CEAC, and I know that our school was program improvement and for the first year (Mr. O'Hara) came and observed how our school was, then the folowing 7 years he made changes and since then our API score has soared to over 800. You can't tell me he did not do what was best for the school. I also do not know where the idea came that our school was open campus when gates are always closed during school hours. I still see parents walk in after school., so where is the safety percussion? Someone said that the past is gone and it's time for fresh ideas. Let me know how that is going. The past is what has been making our school consistant, We don't fix what is not broken. Ranchito had already established a family community , and we did not have problems like this before. The school had went through other Principals with different values and goals which we have blended into, SO my question is, why all this problems with this one Principal, and what happened in the other school that she was taken out? That is what the meaning of a "must-placed " Principal is and it just makes us parents curious and worried. One last thing, research who helped established the Parents Bill of Rights in the District. She was part of the parent-task force. Ms. Padilla (and she wasn't even a parent then but she sure was the VOICE of us). That's where credit is due!
Submitted by parent on July 05, 2016

My child has been attending Ranchito for the past three years and I can honestly say that since Ms. Foschetti came to Ranchito the school has improved tremendously. Ms. Foschetti implemented the closed campus policy and made our school safer. Of course, I loved having the open campus, but the world has become very dangerous and new measures need to be taken to keep our children safe. The school playground was repaved and painted and is definitely much cleaner than it was before. There are a lot of new parents volunteering even though some people would like to make you believe otherwise. Events are becoming more organized and any parent can volunteer. Someone said in an earlier comment that parents had reached to Ms. Padilla to be their voice, I find this comment upsetting because Ms. Padilla was not speaking on my behalf when she complained to the district about Ms. Foschetti. I am aware that Ms. Padilla has volunteered and is responsible for a lot of positive things that happened at Ranchito over the years, but its time to let go of the past and bring in new parents with fresh ideas. Overall, Ms. Foschetti is doing a great job at Ranchito and for that I'm thankful.
Submitted by teacher on July 05, 2016

I highly recommend Ranchito. It is the new and improved version with the new principal. Your children will be given the highest quality of education with the most caring staff.
Submitted by teacher on July 03, 2016

This school year we were face with many challenges.Both staff and parents had to go through changes which were met with difference of opinions. What was constant over the years were our Parent volunteers giving their time to be involved with our school. Our volunteer program was lead by a wonderful commmunity member who for 20 plus years gave her time unselfishly even after her children culminated and is still a big part of our school community. I respect everything she has done for our school and the activities that helped our volunteer program stay a strong. As a teacher we should show respect to our parents, not point them out as bullies. I found that remark very unprofessional and degrading. Ranchito is a very good school and if we are to maintain it's reputation and integrity, then we should look for ways to make it a positive school environment for everybody and not cater to gossips. Our parents have been nothing but supportive. They did not run the school, they helped with the school activities. There is a difference.
Submitted by parent on July 02, 2016

I have read reviews about the school and I just want to say that my experince with Mrs. Foschetti was very unpleasant. For those who were not there to hear how she treated us, do not make assumptions. I am an aunt of a student there and that makes me a community member and it gives me every right to be at the school. I volunteered my time like any other volunteer. The teacher who accuses some parents as troublemakers or bullies don't even know the truth as to what hapened between the Principal and the parents. She was not there when she ordered the parents out of school rudely on the first day, or when she put up tapes illegally blocking the entrance of the office, or when she said lied to a teacher denying she told a group of 23 parents that she was going to take 5th graders to seaworld. Or making a grandmother cry and feel intimidated.The complaints of this Principal goes deeper than "just dismissal procedures" that you do not know. And you (teacher) should know that the fighting between the two parents outside was personal issues. The only bullying is made by the Principal scaring everyone that she HAS eyes and ears everywhere (spies) and that she knows what goes on all the time. ALSO you should know that Ms. Padilla did nothing but helped us reach out to the District about our concerns. WE PARENTS went to her because we knew she could help us find answers and she spoke up to the Principal when we couldn't. She was the parent's VOICE. Ms. Padilla did a lot for the school including getting our own parent center from the Lausd Board members. Everything she has done for the school is because she cares. We didnt run the school, we just had a good Principal (Mr. O'Hara) who treated the parents with respect and TRUST. The volunteers always always got along with one another until this new Princiapl came. She only started changing her attitude towards us because we complained to the District and they had to do something because they know we were right. So yes, this was a bad experience for a lot of people and we were told by some of the new volunteers that now they are realizing just who the Principal really is. NO BUENO! And no, the school does not feel welcoming at all, not like before. Not a shock to know that alot of good staff are leaving and the students too.
Submitted by teacher on July 02, 2016

It sad that not all teachers see eye to eye with the new Principal. I look at data and for the past year under the previous Principal, our school went up from being Program Improvement to an Honor School so the past Administration was doing something right. This SY 2015-2016 was the first time that I have experienced such dissatisfaction from parents and staff. So much that you can feel it on campus and it is sad because here at Ranchito there use to be a sense of trust, unity and communication between all stake holders.Now all you hear are disgruntle opinions/remarks. This has been the year that most of our staff has also left for whatever reasons and parents are also pulling their children out which makes me wonder if our school is falling apart. I look at our School Report Card (SRC) for the last school year and saw that over 96% of our school staff felt SAFE and to say that they feel safer with the new Principal is hypocritical. I also found out that the Parent Center who was involved with many of our school activities had problems even among the volunteers which is the first time in all my previous years here that I had witnessed it. I'm sorry, but not all staff feels that our school has connected as a school community with the new Principal as we did in the past. Some of us don't like the feeling of intimidation and she being a "must-placed" Principal makes us wonder what happened in the other school . Lastly, I hope that the previous teacher before me is not targeting the ONE COMMUNITY member who has shown nothing but support for our school and parents. It would be ashamed to think that after all the hard volunteer hours she put in and the committment she has over the years you would comsider her a bully. She brought in numerous activities for the parents, helped the teachers/staff, brought in volunteers and got our school the Parent Center. She does not need to have a child in school to offer her services, community members are PART of the school community. Even if she is no longer running the PC, she still came in and volunteered with her good spirits and expertise. I am utterly shock that such a statement was made from one of our teachers. Parents never ran the school, they were the heart of our school. You see them on campus alot because they help administartion with activities and teachers.
Submitted by teacher on July 01, 2016

I love the new principal at Ranchito. The previous administration was not involved, and was hostile towards many of the teachers. We are learning this year that in past years Ranchito was not following district policy at all, and as a result the children and staff were not safe and the school was in danger of an audit. The rules were not being followed, and parents were pretty much running the school. They're angry now because their access has been controlled, but this is not unlike how it is at most other schools. A small group of parents are turning a friendly, welcoming campus into a hostile environment, as far as getting into physical fights outside the gates. It's disgraceful. The principal has some weaknesses with her communication, but overall she is great. She's involved, gets things done, and is willing to work with teahers and staff to make Ranchito better. Overall, I am pleased. I just wish the parents, and one particular community member who does not even have a child attending the school, would stop being bullies.
Submitted by teacher on June 30, 2016

The school playground has been painted last year and the kids are enjoying the new play areas.
Submitted by teacher on June 29, 2016

As both a teacher and a parent at Ranchito , I would strongly reccommend this school. The principal is very organized and has brought many new student resources and technologies to Ranchito. We have a wonderful staff and student body and are an 800 school. It is unfortunate that a very small group of community members with personal issues having nothing to do with the quality of services at Ranchito are using this site to slander our school as a means of revenge for percieved slights do to changes that actually benefit students. I sent my own children to this school and would do it again. We have a very hard-working staff and I believe this to be one of the best schools in this area.
Submitted by parent on June 17, 2016

I am upset because I found out that the District had put this 'Must Placed" Principal from a low API school (Sara Coughlin Elementary) to our Honor school. I want to know why was she let go and taken out from that school? And who are these new hires that she brought with her? Before I would know who are the staff that worked in the school because as a Parent it's your right to know, but this year there are so many new faces. Why did some staff leave all of a sudden this year when this Principal came in? I attended a school event and felt very uncomfortable because the staff were not the happy friendly people that used to work here in the past years. Is this the so call change that Principal Foschetti implemented? And our school was always a very safe campus, whoever says differently should see our school report card and take note that over 90% of students, staff and parents said they felt safe over the years. And since this Principal came in, parent involvement went down, morale of the staff went down and there is so much inclusion within the school campus. The only thing that went up are ttraffic and bullying. I heard that the police comes to the school so much this year than any other year because of complaints from parents . That is very bad for the reputation of a school that was once considered to be very family oriented and close community. As a concerened father, my son will not be attending this school next year. I had enough of this . The District will hear from me and other parents regarding the bad decision of putting a "must placed" Principal that was let go from the other school. The only question now is to find out why.
Submitted by teacher on June 01, 2016

No communication, bullying has gone up, Security is not taken seriously, traffic is horrific, administration is not supportive like before, some teachers have been rude and unsupportive. Parent Center has gone down, and feeling of unwelcome on school grounds.