Roosevelt Elementary School

2223 Vera Avenue

School District

Redwood City Elementary
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:21
Type

public

School Map for Redwood City Elementary 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 04, 2024

Roosevelt has been an amazing school for my kids. We have been there for the past 5 years. Project-based learning is such an immersive and engaging way to bring the kids into the topics, and it makes them really curious learners. I've been continually impressed with the depth of what my kids have learned at school. I especially love the school community. We've made great friends with the other families, and the teachers and staff are incredible.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2023

My kid is loving school and that's all I really cares about. His teachers are kind and caring and while Roosevelt might not be the most academically rigorous, he's learning to love learning, which I think is more valuable. His class is racially and socioeconomically diverse, which has taught him the value of difference and flexibility. I couldn't imagine a better place for my kid than Roosevelt.
Submitted by parent on February 05, 2020

Overall our daughters have thrived at a Roosevelt. Ms Mercer is a welcome addition and I expect big things to come from this school in the years to come.
Submitted by parent on April 30, 2019

I have loved out time at Roosevelt. It is a school of choice for us and I never regretted making that choice. My daughter has felt comfortable, nurtured and enthusiastic in her first couple years here. She loves her teachers. The parents and student community is great and connecting to each other. I am confident in her long term future at Roosevelt and her ability to learn what she needs to learn, while not having unnecessary added pressure. With PBL she is able to take that learning in different directions that keep her engaged through the lessons. There is also a great PTA always working to build the community. We love Roosevelt!
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2019

In the 3 years we've been at Roosevelt, we have been very happy with the school and the PBL program. The students learn while answering a "burning question" about whatever topic they are studying, which allows them to dig deeper into subjects they are most interested in. What I like best is that they are learning how to learn-- researching and asking questions from the beginning, building skills I wasn't taught until high school. I'll never forget when my son came home from 1st grade and showed me how to to a Brain Storm-- and I told him I had done the same thing at work that day! I also really love the community in the school. There is a great group of parents that are really invested in doing what they can to fund raise and bring in more programs and Principle Mercer has been removing any road block to help. The school garden has really blossomed over the last few years and on-site after school options extracurricular options have expanded this year to include chess, Spanish and coding. We look forward to many more years at Roosevelt!
Submitted by parent on September 06, 2018

We love Roosevelt and are very happy with the teachers and curriculum.
Submitted by parent on July 25, 2018

I LOVE the school. I had been SUPER skeptical and didn't think that I would like it.... I had planned to go to another school or even- gasp- homeschool because I have been so distressed with the direction our schools have gone in terms of pushing kids too hard and too much at too young of an age. I fell in love with Project Based Learning where kids are learning while doing things that are interesting and fun. Instead of a traditional model where an advanced kid knows the curriculum and gets bored, a child can always push the project further and delve deeper. The teachers won me over by priding themselves on how many questions their students asked and how curious the kids where. The PBL model encourages kids curiosity and encourages questions. Not all schools encourage inquisitiveness and inadvertently squash curiosity in the process.
Submitted by parent on April 04, 2018

TK-1st were great. Unfortunately they lost their strongest 1st grade teacher this year to high cost of living. The replacement is not a strong teacher. They have two 2nd grade teachers. One seems to be amazing and the other is quite the opposite. She is the root of most of the problems I’ve mentioned in prior questions.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2017

Roosevelt is effective in teaching students at all grade levels.
Submitted by parent on February 27, 2017

My Kindergartener loves it. We are very impressed with all of the Kindergarten teachers and the Roosevelt community.
Submitted by parent on February 26, 2017

Before middle school it was ok but I think because you only focus on the levels your kids are; went you go up levels is went you can see how bad the school is. I won't recommend Roosevelt ever to any body.
Submitted by other on December 14, 2016

We have three kids at Roosevelt and have been in the school for the past 4 years. The project based curriculum really works for my boys. They dress up as Egyptians, Colonists, Frontiersmen as they discover history while learning social skills. They enjoy how math and science are integrated into the projects and the additional resources outside of school for math enrichment. The reading fair has been a hit fro the past 3 years with my kids enthusiastically reading over the holidays so they can create posters and compete with their peers for who has the best book review. It's a great community of learners with teachers and staff that consistently go above and beyond. Love it!
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2016

Our daughter is in kindergarten this year and she adores school. The team of kinder teachers is exceptional. They make school a warm, welcoming and educational experience. Our daughter comes home excited about her day and eager to practice the literacy and math skills she's learning. The school community is likewise supportive and dedicated.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2016

Both our children are in their second year at Roosevelt and we are thrilled. Very early on w saw a tremendous positive impact on our girls. We absolutely fell in love with all the kindergarten teachers and really appreciated the fact that for the first two weeks they had a KinderCamp during which the kids had the opportunity to spend time with all three teachers and meet all of their kinder peers (they mixed them up into different groups every day). This solidified their sense of a larger community and the school's PBL commitment to collaboration. Like others have said, kids here develop a love and excitement for learning, and are empowered to ask their own questions and find their own answers to real world issues (rather than to simply be told, and to "learn" by rote memorization). They also develop a sense of teamwork and accountability through collaboration on group projects. In addition they are encouraged to develop their communication skills through group presentations - even in kinder! I am excited for my introverted kiddos to build their confidence and spread their wings!We also love the wonderful diversity of the school - our kids are meeting families from all parts of our city. It's important to us that our kids grow up with families from all walks of life, and see and treat everyone as equals in society. The uniforms are a wonderful plus, reducing any concerns less fortunate kids may have about who has nicer clothes, and easier in the morning! The class sizes at Roosevelt are smaller too, which means much more individual attention, and closer bonds between the teachers and students alike. We had the option of going to schools with higher scores and in more affluent neighborhoods (including our home school), but after extensive research, tours, and speaking with many parents, we knew Roosevelt was the best fit for our family. We love it so much, we don't even want to transfer our kids to Cloud, Northstar or a private school if they have the opportunity. I went to a mix of public and private schools, and my husband went to public schools, and we both believe in the public school system and the district's commitment to our children.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2016

Roosevelt has been a wonderful school for all my children. I have 3 children, one who has already graduated after attending Roosevelt since Kindergarten through 8th grade. I love the fact that teachers are available for parents in a moment's notice. Administration is always there to listen to parents' needs, and help solve any issues. I as a parent can recommend Roosevelt Elementary to any new parent with a ease.
Submitted by other on September 10, 2016

Roosevelt has a wonderful staff and a top rated Project Based Learning program throughout the school.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2016

I couldn't be more pleased with my son's academic and social progress at Roosevelt. The kindergarten teachers are amazingly patient, warm, creative, and professional. I have met a lot of great parents, too, who are invested in the school environment. I am so thankful that all my three children will be at the same school (at least for a time) and will get project-based learning up through eighth grade -- no separate middle school experience, and the chance to be real leaders in their school during those middle school years.My husband and I are both products of elite private school education all the way through, and I was a high school English teacher for over a decade. We know a lot about education in this area, and though we have no complaints about our own experiences, we want our kids' education to be more balanced, more real world applicable. We want them to feel comfortable taking risks (and failing) and to take ownership of their own learning. We want them to learn in a diverse socioeconomic and cultural setting, which will help them learn to build relationships across all boundaries.After lots of research and talking with neighbors and weighing our options, we decided to make Roosevelt our school of choice. (It isn't our neighborhood school.) There are those who look at test scores and demographics and start to panic about their children falling behind or not getting the best of the best. As a former teacher at an elite private school, I will - frankly - say that I think this is hogwash. If YOU (as a parent) are invested in your child's learning, he/she will be just fine. In this part of the world, I am more concerned with over-investment (tons of homework, parents doing the projects, kids feeling the pressure to be perfect). Roosevelt is focused and BALANCED in their educational approach. And their award-winning PBL focus is testament to that.Every day when my son marches (or skips, dances, even runs) into his classroom, I glance around at the other smiling parents and grandparents doing drop-off, I glance around at the peaceful courtyard with the verdant garden in the middle, and I take a deep breath. I know I've made a good decision for my son and my family.
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2016

Overall experience Roosevelt is my children's second home. My oldest son is in 8th grade and he has been at Roosevelt since kinder. We have been very happy. Teachers are great and principal as well. My kids always tell me how happy they are at Roosevelt. We love you Roosevelt !!!!
Submitted by teacher on February 07, 2016

Our principal, Trish Girardi, has been named Multiplier of the Year in Education by the Wiseman Group, a leadership and research development center which focuses on preparing leaders to tackle some of the world’s toughest challenges. Trish hires good people, deploys them where they can make their best contributions, and helps them find what they need for success. She shines a spotlight on the talent that she magnetically attracts to the school, giving ownership for end goals, challenging us to use our creativity and ingenuity in finding our way there. She creates an intense environment that requires our best thinking and work. API scores have increased, 119 points in 5 years. Her leadership has unlocked the genius in us all! Since she became Principal, Roosevelt has won the Russell J. Kent Award, 2009, 2012, and 2014, Boyajian Honored Teacher Award, 2011, PIA Hero Award 2010, SMCRA Celebrate Literacy Award, 2012, and in 2013, SMC Teacher of the Year, SMCRA Literacy Award, CSBA Golden Bell, and Biz World Champions. Roosevelt is a wonderful school.
Submitted by parent on February 07, 2016

Roosevelt provides what test scores fail to measure. The energy put forth by its teachers and principal coupled with strong family-supported students makes Roosevelt a true hidden jem that we feel lucky to have as our neighborhood school. As an educator, I find the energy of a school the true sign of its success; Roosevelt has an abundance of positivity.