Norma Coombs Elementary

2600 Paloma Street

School District

Pasadena Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:20
Type

public

School Map for Pasadena 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 June 25, 2023

I have worked as an Arts Education teacher all over LA and this is one of the best schools I have been to. Open, welcoming, very diverse, great energy and wonderful caring teachers, employers, and students. Kids are met where they are at in their education journey and grow so much from there to reach their highest potential.
Submitted by parent on February 12, 2023

I have 2 kids who attend Norma Coombs and they love it there. The teachers are caring, committed, and they make a great impact on their students. The school is located in a safe and good part of Pasadena, and the school population is diverse and small, which gives it a private school, close community feeling. They have a wonderful ceramics and coding program which makes this school unique. Bonus- it is located across the street from Victory Park which makes a great option for after school play dates.
Submitted by parent on January 10, 2023

One of the more diverse elementary schools in the district. The school was really good with activities and family engagement. Had a few years of negative changes with the changing of administration BUT now has a new principle and new energy. Great school and location. Plenty of close by parking. Responsive front office. Would recommend this school for parents looking for a diverse experience.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2022

Norma Coombs is our home away from home. We could not be happier with this school! Both of my children feel comfortable and supported by their excellent teachers, both academically and socially/emotionally. The school has wonderful racial and socio-economic diversity and my kids have made great friends. The awesome ceramics teacher provides a calming and inclusive art experience for all grade levels, and my kids love coding, too!There are lots of opportunities for parents to get involved, and the staff is very responsive to any concerns that come up. Our new socio-emotional wellness teacher has been so helpful as we emerge from COVID and students/families/teachers settle back into school and find a new normal. Norma Coombs Elementary is a well-rounded, academically and emotionally-enriching place for kids to learn and grow.
Submitted by parent on June 01, 2019

We love Norma Coombs Elementary School. I am proud of sending my student to this school!
Submitted by parent on June 01, 2019

We're going into our 6th year at NCES. We have had a wonderful experience. I love our diversity, friendly atmosphere, and commitment to learning, academic rigor and high standards. Students are happy, supported and eager to learn at NCES.
Submitted by parent on October 01, 2018

5 stars.My child has attended Norma coombs Elementary from kinder thru 5th. In those 6 years we have enjoyed great teachers that are available to help you, staff that communicates well, a principal that handles any issues positively, and an outstanding group of parent volunteers. It truly feels like a family.This is a great place where your help and efforts are appreciated. I have seen parents give of their own morning time for art and science classes for those who want to do more. This is a reading focused school and the principal emphasizes it with book giveaways at any chance, celebration, or meeting she gets. Kids can enjoy ceramics, choir, music, swimming, festivals, AAPC family reunions, Latino heritage night, the Leader in ME program, science night. Students have also had the privilege of having parents giving of their own time in the mornings to do arts n' crafts and science projects. It's a great community of students, parents, staff and principal that really come together in support of education and experience.
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2018

A BIG 5 FOR NORMA COOMBS!! My son is looking forward to the math academic competition at a district level!
Submitted by parent on July 09, 2018

I wish I'd done a little more research on this school before sending my child. I didn't feel connected in any way to the faculty or staff at this school. The principal was never made available to certain parents, the only time you would see her was if she was making a speech of some kind. My son was bitten by another student and instead of the principal reaching out she allowed the campus aide contact me. The school is in a good area, that's the only good thing I have to say about Norma Coombs.
Submitted by parent on April 02, 2018

We have been very pleased with our experience at Norma Coombs!
Submitted by other on March 27, 2018

Outstanding leadership. She how’s real concern for the students. Knows every students name (and their parents).
Submitted by parent on March 27, 2018

Amazing leadership with quality academic programs. Model school in Writers Workshop and Readers Workshop. Cares about the whole child.
Submitted by parent on March 13, 2018

Too many negative experiences! Cheap quality education. Hostile environment. If the principle has a bad day, everyone will have a bad day. The classes are too crowded and you children will not get attention they deserve. There is No library, no computer lab. Classrooms have archaic chrome books. Music lessons are for older grades. Ceramics is not all year long and they have had more than 2 ceramics teachers in the 3 years we had our kids there. Staff is unprofessional, I’ve walked in on the office manager arguing with her coworker. The volunteer coordinator has not been properly trained. She told me she hasn’t been trained since the 90’s. The principal spends too much time trying to do damage control on various sites because of the negative comments. The most recent positive reviews I noticed, are from the principal’s personal friends (I saw the names on google) also, public records show the principal has been sued twice for negligence and negligence of supervision. This school is lacking safety and a good quality education.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2018

Our daughter has gone to Norma Coombs from Kinder through 3rd grade so far. We stayed with Norma Coombs despite moving out of Pasadena, and we will continue to send her to Norma Coombs through 5th grade. Our daughter in involved in after-school choir and coding programs, and the normal-school-day curriculum this year includes violin, swimming, and ceramics along with language arts, math, and science curriculum that is actually ahead of some other schools that we've toured.This is a wonderful school with incredibly talented and invested staff and teachers, and a very diverse student body. I frequently recommend it to other parents in the area whose children go to other schools, especially when they complain about things their schools are doing wrong that Norma Coombs does right!Like other schools in PUSD, Norma Coombs is being affected by mismanagement and shake-ups at the district-level, but the staff and teachers have been doing a commendable job of bearing the brunt of these challenges and maintaining a high quality of education and environment for the children.
Submitted by parent on March 08, 2018

Excellent school with lots of special programs. There's a new science lab for all students. All students get art in class and get ceramics classes. Kindergarten incorporates a lot of singing. Second graders learn recorders and basic music theory. 3rd graders learn to play the violin. 4th and 5th graders can be in orchestra or band if they want. After school programs include coding and robotics. The school has a brand new playground and will soon have 2 new buildings. All classes have a Chromebook computer for each student, projectors and document cameras. It's also a literacy focused school. Classes use workshop models for reading and writing. All students are given books right before winter and summer breaks and there are reading parties to celebrate and encourage reading. The only complaint I have is that food services doesn't always meet my expectations but they are not run by the school.
Submitted by parent on March 05, 2018

We are nearing the end of our first year at Norma Coombs and couldn't be happier. My son is in TK and having a wonderful experience. He's a little guy, very sensitive, and going off to elementary school was a very big deal for him. He's the kind of kid who worries about everything and has a really hard time being away from home. We really didn't know what to expect, but we sent him and hoped for the best. And we got it! He's been so supported and nurtured by his fantastic teacher, Ms. Rebekah, and the whole staff of the school. I've never heard of a support staff like this anywhere else. From the helpers who watch the kids on the playground, to the cafeteria workers, my son is supported by compassionate adults who care about him all day. Because of this staff, my son is thriving. I also love the amount of community involvement. The principal hosts a monthly coffee to she can talk with parents and hear concerns, there are family events every month like a Valentines Dance, Science Night, Hispanic Heritage Night, and on and on. Yes, we are asked to fundraise- that's because the school district is underfunded. Part of going to a public school is helping to raise money for it and volunteering at it. We feel so lucky to have found such a wonderful community in our little public school. I really can't say enough great things about it!
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2017

A nightmare! Please do your research before you commit to such an atrocity. It's a joke of a school, doesn't even have a library! An elementary school with a clown as a principal and a circus!
Submitted by parent on March 05, 2017

My oldest graduated from this school and youngest currently attends. This is a very active school community with parents and teachers that care. The principal actively manages the school to enhance academic outcomes. The teachers are wonderful and encouraging. Education is a partnership between teachers and parents that doesn't stop at the classroom door. The NCES community supports this through Arts, Literacy and Academic Events.
Submitted by other on January 13, 2016

This school lacks on so many levels. The principal is unprofessional. She relentlessly solicits donations from parents and wastes valuable academic time during her morning assemblies. If you're looking for a welcoming environment for your child, especially one with special needs, Norma Coombs is not the place.
Submitted by parent on March 10, 2015

My daughter goes to this school,Kindergarten I would give 5 stars for Miss Debbie,best Kinder teacher hands down,the progress of my child was unbelievable,plus Miss Debbie is the most wonderful teacher you can wish for kindergarten.My daughter is now in first grade,good teacher as well,Miss Glenn,of course nobody will ever be at Miss Debbie's level,she just set the bar impossible to reach for any other teacher.The principal is not good,she is extremely ignorant,never helpful,kids love her but parents are on their own,I would say this principal must go.I am also very concerned of the future teachers my daughter will have, because I hear a lot of yelling almost like in jail ,I will not allow this to happen to my child, we will probably change schools before she gets treated like that.