Valley View Elementary School

480 Adams Way

School District

Pleasanton Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

School Map for Pleasanton 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 24, 2024

We feel so lucky to have both of our children going through the DLI program at Valley View. We struggled through a Covid year with one child and turnover in principals but we are so happy to have Ms. Withers there (and also previously Mr. Guzman and Mrs. Villaseñor). The DLI teachers we have had (Ms. Chiok, Mrs. Funes, Mrs. Labra, Mrs. Nava and Ms. Flores) have all been engaging and challenged my kids. I couldn’t believe when I saw my child confidently delivering a presentation about Hippos completely in Spanish! My son has a 504 and has had some behavioral challenges but Mrs. Gwerder, the counselor, has worked with him and the school recommended some great resources that are helping him to fit in better and work alongside his classmates. I can only speak to the DLI community but it has been absolutely wonderful and all the staff know our kids’ names and are kind to them. We are so glad to be a part of this school.
Submitted by parent on May 16, 2024

Valley view has let my daughter shine. Her teachers have been exceptional. Not only have they been kind and nurturing in her academics, they are also so understanding of the fact that not all kids learn the same. She struggled with some areas and quickly they had enhanced learning programs for her. Principal Withers is wonderful. She really cares about the students. In fact I have had nothing but wonderful experiences with all of the office staff. Valley view celebrates its diversity and is a welcoming environment.
Submitted by parent on May 04, 2023

I've been very impressed by the caliber of teachers at Valley View Elementary so far. My daughter is enrolled in the highly-rated DLI program and is thriving, both in a social-emotional and academic sense. She has developed a close bond with her teachers and also close friendships with her peers. She even thanked me several times for enrolling her in the program. There was concern about whether she could handle instruction and coursework in two languages. However, the concerns were unwarranted as she is performing well above grade level in reading, writing, and math according to standardized tests. She is able to compose essays of different genres in both English and Spanish. She can solve math word problems written in Spanish. We have found the teachers and the administration to be experienced, knowledgeable, and caring.
Submitted by parent on March 07, 2023

At one point we were thrilled to have a place in the DLI program, and our experience has run steadily downhill since. The teachers have taken advantage of the fact that there have been 4 principals in the past 5 years and have used that to step further away from doing anything beyond the minimum requirements in their contract. The feeling of us vs them that arose during distance learning has persisted and escalated in the time since. They have many more students with behavior issues than the one counselor can keep up with, and there isn't enough support at the admin level to show the teachers how to address them. They teach to the lowest common denominator, and if your child is at grade level or beyond, they will not be challenged nor have any resources allocated to them. There is hardly any supervision for recess/lunch hour and have had recent reports of racial bullying. If you're moving to Pleasanton for the schools, look elsewhere. This school is heading in the wrong direction.
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2021

Amamos Valley View, su director el señor Gerardo Guzmán es una excelente persona, atenta, cuida a nuestros niños y realmente se preocupa porque todo esté bien. La comunidad de padres es hermosa y las maestras trabajan muy duro y con mucha responsabilidad.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2018

Overall, we are extremely happy at this school. They do a good job of making sure all students are learning at the pace that is right for them and my kids enjoy the variety that comes with Dual Immersion program.
Submitted by parent on May 12, 2018

Dual immersion program is wonderful! All the DI teachers are great. Differentiated instruction is provided to kids so more academically advanced kids are not held back. Office staff is very friendly and helpful. The only thing I can complain about is a very easy math class, but I think all the schools in the district use the same program. Good school overall.
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2015

Valley View has certainly had its up and downs, but it is a wonderful school. It was placed on Program Improvement three years ago even though it had an API of 10. That was ridiculous! The teachers are wonderful, very knowledgable and truly care for their students. It has a great DI program which has graduated many bilingual students over the years and it has an excellent reputation in the community. The majority of the students, including my oldest two sons went on to take AP4 and AP5 Spanish classes in high school, and received college credits in their Junior years. That is very impressive. I also have a 5th grader who loves her teacher and who is learning so much. She loves going to school and comes home sharing what she has learned. The principal loves the kids in a no non-sense way, which I love because he does not engage in parent drama. Overall, the teachers, the staff and the diverse community at this school, makes it a wonderful environment for my kids.
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2014

I'm really please with how involved our second grader's teacher, Mrs. Johnston, is with everyone in school. We recently moved here and she was very warm in welcome us. I especially appreciate how she proactively communicates with us and involves us as our son adjusts to his new environment (we recently moved from SoCal).
Submitted by other on September 15, 2013

My daughter went to Valley View for 4 years. The leadership at the school was horrible. When problems arose, the principal was slow to resolve them. Other parents had the same complaint. unfortunately. The discipline in the school...awful. I cannot count the number of times my child came home complaining about the teachers inability to control the class. I always followed up with an observation- and was surprised at the number of disruptions to instruction. The office secretary has good days and bad days and you always knew when you walked in which one she was having. This is not the cream of the crop of the Pleasanton Schools. Enroll elsewhere.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2013

Great immersion program, teachers are very well prepare, and approachable,caring and my kids are very happy.
Submitted by parent on January 27, 2013

OK, the EI program is great. Agreed. The school overall? It astounds me that no one seems to be aware that the schools performance is so low that it is designated as "Needs Improvement". The staff? I have observed impatience, raised voices and lack of respect towards students. Is it a big surprise I observe the students being disrespectful to subs and adults? The leadership always strikes me as disinterested, lethargic and in need of a nap. Many parents are unhappy with this school- the parents who have high standards and have been to good schools themselves through good fortune. Don't send your child here unless the DI program is suitable for your child. There are better schools in Ptown. This school is awful- we just hoped that it would get better and it never did. The best teacher- Mrs. Day left for greener pastures for good reason.