San Rafael Elementary School

1090 Nithsdale Road

School District

Pasadena Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:22
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 December 15, 2023

very bad experience with the teacher, Ihad to withdraw my child from school.
Submitted by parent on December 13, 2023

Our family loves San Rafael Elementary. The teachers are engaged and challenging. Having our kids go to a dual immersion Spanish program has been wonderful. They are comfortable with the Spanish language which is a great benefit for a family living in Southern California. Our family lives in the neighborhood and can walk to campus. The neighborhood itself is very safe and beautiful. The school challenges the children in all major subjects, but it also has an amazing Art program and a robust Music program. I would highly recommend any family to send their children to San Rafael.
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2023

Our family had a wonderful experience at San Rafael Elementary School. The teachers are kind and taught reading, writing, and speaking in Spanish. My son left 5th grade with a seal of biliteracy in Spanish. The parent community is super engaged and hosts fun events for all families. Also, kids have music, art, and PE taught by bilingual staff. The art room is amazing kids get to work on cultural projects that enrich the immersion experience.
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2023

Both of my children are currently enrolled in San Rafael and we are so happy with the school community, the extracurriculars, and the teachers. Our son has flourished in this school and our daughter is just entering the school and loves it so far. This is the only wall-to-wall dual language immersion program in the entire PUSD system and as a family who places great importance in bilingual education for our kiddos, this is so important. It provides the kind of diverse community, language integration, and group experience that we feel is super necessary for kids to really be fully immersed in a second language. DLIP programs that exist within a larger mainstream school just can't provide the kind of total immersion that you get when the entire school is working together towards a common goal. The parent community is incredibly strong and though the School Board tends to de-prioritize our school, our parents come through when it counts to make sure that we have art, music, and physical education available for every student. Most of the teachers have been with the school for many years which is a testament to the supportive administration. We LOVE this school & would encourage anybody looking to have their child learn a second language in a loving & diverse community to seriously consider this gem.
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2023

My daughter is in Kindergarten at San Rafael Elementary and she's been having the best time. There is so much engagement at the school and you feel it. The teachers are great and definitely recommend.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2023

The quality of the educators at San Rafael is truly a cut above: they are teaching common core standards to our kids and making sure they hit their milestones, all while teaching in Spanish (which is not the primary language of at least half our students). A majority of the teachers are highly tenured; I feel like the average is 10 years of teaching for the teachers my 2 kids have had…and it makes a big difference in the quality of the education they receive. The dedicated art teacher, Ms. Angie, is amazing, and she is often the highlight of our kids’ days. While the curriculum is challenging, I find the school goes out of its way to nurture the kids and make it fun. They have “Fun Fridays” with time dedicated to crafts, games or manipulatives (ie kinetic sand, clay). They have rotating workshops with activities like drama-maniacs, lego engineering, social emotional learning, and green living.The parent community is also very engaged — it’s easy to get involved and meet other parents both in-person and online. For our family, it’s been a great fit and a blessing to be able to maintain Spanish speaking in the third generation. I also know many families who speak only English at home, and their children are able to succeed in the classroom, as well.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2023

We are an out of district (LAUSD) family debating between San Rafael and another Dual Language Immersion Program school in the PUSD. Ultimately, we chose San Rafael, for the wall-to-wall immersion (I’m not aware of any other like it), smaller school size, and community involvement. Although we have to drive further than our home school, we are not regretting our decision. Our teacher, and everyone we have come into contact with (principal, office staff, PTA board and members, and other families have been so welcoming and supportive. My daughter loves going to school and actually talks about what she’s learned. Furthermore, which is rare these days, there programs such as art, music, and PE (twice a week!). Additionally, she is learning about Latino culture while learning the language. We are very pleased with the school overall and cannot imagine being at a better place.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2023

My child is in 2nd grade and loves being a Panda! As a non-native Spanish speaker at the only wall-to-wall Spanish DLIP program in Pasadena, her teachers, friends, and school community have all been wonderfully supportive. The teachers are caring and helping to build a strong foundation for my child to love learning. The school integrates social-emotional learning programs such as second-step and more. In kindergarten they brought in an outside group to teach mindfulness techniques. My child easily gets overstimulated during long school days but she feels safe because teachers offer her breaks in the “quiet corner” where she can read a book or hug a stuffed animal. Now in 2nd grade it’s amazing to witness her ability to understand and read in Spanish. The school offers additional programs that include art, music, and Physical education. The parent community is strong and helps bring in additional funds for teachers, supplies, additional learning opportunities, and fun events. San Rafael elementary is a fantastic public school that attracts diverse families who are involved and committed to their children to have a great educational experiences.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2023

We are really happy with this school, started in pre-school, and our son is thriving both languages. Most families know each other, lots of family involvement.
Submitted by parent on September 29, 2023

We’ve had a wonderful experience at San Rafael thus far. We chose San Rafael for many reasons, but mostly because of the DLIP program. While other schools have a DLIP component, the entire school is dual language which we felt was the best option and challenge for our kids. Because every child is going through the same program, we felt that the parents and community here at San Rafael were all on the same page with the same goal in mind. All the parents have been wonderful along with the students and faculty and we feel very much a part of the community. We also love the diversity here! I was so pleasantly surprised to see so many different families and all have been so supportive to the school. The teachers, aides, and staff are so warm and nurturing especially when my child was having a harder time starting school. Everyone was so kind to her and it made me feel a little less nervous sending her off knowing she was looked after by all staff. For being such an iconic city, the public school system is notoriously and historically bad but San Rafael is truly a gem! We would most likely go the private school route or change districts if we didn’t have San Rafael as our school!
Submitted by parent on September 29, 2023

This school is just full of wonderful teachers, and a close community. The dual immersion Spanish and English language program is spectacular, no matter the level they are in, they all thrive. The kinder teachers give the kids a warm and solid base for school, kids always remember them lovingly, and the same happens with all the other grades and teachers, they are all so knowledgeable, kind and always giving their best to the kids. A wonderful place for families to bring their kids to school.
Submitted by parent on September 29, 2023

This is one special school. All parents are connected and all work together. The teachers are out of this world and the teaching is amazing. Hands on all over the board. Constant communication and lots of respect. Love love the school.
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2023

My child is excelling and extremely happy here
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2023

I absolutely love this school the community is strong and the teachers are amazing
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2023

We came from another school where my son was struggling a bit emotionally, due to interactions with other children and feeling lost in the size of the school. San Raphael has been amazing for him, exactly what he needed. Within a week of being there, my son is so happy and has no separation anxiety! Everyone has been so kind and supportive. My son is thriving and we are so happy with our experience.
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2023

This is an amazing little school. It’s the little engine that could despite the chaos in the district. It truly is worth something to see the kids excited every day, the teachers smiling every day, the learning is obvious. It’s not a state of the art facility, but somehow the academics are outstanding.
Submitted by parent on September 21, 2023

Our child has been at San Rafael for 3 years now and the experience has been fantastic. The school has a very engaged and supportive parent community. The dual immersion education has made my child so confident when speaking to Spanish-speaking relatives, we don't speak in Spanish to him so the school earns all of the credit. There is a strong focus on social-emotional learning and their approach to things like bullying and disruption really takes the whole child into account. Not only do they work with the child who has been bullied to make them feel heard and supported, but they also work with the child who engaged in bullying to make sure that they are okay and their needs are being met, that said bullying is not an issue at SRE. It is a wonderful school and a great asset for our community in Pasadena
Submitted by parent on September 21, 2023

We have now been at San Rafael for three years, with two children. The Maestras are wonderful. It is such a fabulously diverse and inclusive environment, and I am so grateful that my children are having an opportunity to learn in two languages thanks to the wall-to-wall dual language immersion program (DLIP). But what is best about San Rafael is its parent community - such a wonderful group of people who care about children, and value public education. Also, as an open enrollment school - the school attracts students from within walking distance, but also from throughout Pasadena, and even neighboring districts (including students who chose to come here instead of South Pas schools).
Submitted by parent on June 19, 2023

SRE offers a unique education in a supportive environment. My children love the Heart and Sol art studio, Innovation Club and their Maestras. The students learn a world view that includes people in Spanish speaking countries as well as a valuable dual language education. The parent community is supportive of the staff and their needs, funding field trips, school supplies, classroom aids and other enrichment activities.
Submitted by parent on May 27, 2023

This school is outstanding and it’s a real shame it’s not rated higher. Feels incredibly inaccurate.