Valley View Elementary School

3416 Maywood Drive

School District

West Contra Costa Unified
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

School Map for West Contra Costa 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 November 22, 2024

Valley View is a hidden gem with a strong community of families, staff and teachers. There is definitely priority to work collaboratively between teachers and staff, and the parents are active and supportive both in the classrooms and in the parent's club. The staff knows all the students by name with is part of why the school feels so safe. The principal is very proactive in facilitating an environment of learning and kindness, from morning announcements that include riddles and mindful minutes and breathing exercises, to leading morning walks around the blacktop before school everyday to get students ready to sit in class and learn. The teachers support both academic and social/emotional learning and it shows in their efforts that they really care about their students. They include extracurriculars such as art in the classroom, and pursue continuing education to stay up to date of new developmental concepts such as student led work and the student's own curiosity as an avenue toward better learning. The school offers Performing Arts with East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, and garden classes (with include lessons on ecosystem, life sciences, and kitchen science!) in the garden and school farm that has been established by the non-profit Growing Together (They are only in three schools in our district!) They even have a farmers market on campus!Overall, we love this school, and so many parents boast about the welcoming, active community and safety of our school.
Submitted by parent on March 24, 2023

Valley View is a fantastic neighborhood school with great leadership and high levels of parent engagement. The Parents Club (PTA) provides financial support for two critical staff members - one focused on campus safety, physical education and mental health, while the other is dedicated to supporting social-emotional learning. The 2021-22 school year was a transition year for the school which has otherwise experienced long stretches of effective leadership. The current principal is a newbie hood resident and former Valley View teacher that is here to stay, and she is an excellent leader. Several years ago the District demolished the original school building and relocated the school in portable’s towards the back of campus. Now the Parents Club is embarking on an ambitious plan to build out a 2-acre, school-based community farm and garden. The fruit tree planting has begun and they plan to build an outdoor classroom this summer for the 2023-24 school year.
Submitted by parent on November 17, 2022

For as difficult as 2020/2021 was, the new leadership and parent involvement in 2022 has made a world of difference! It’s turning back into the Valley View we loved. Amazing, supportive staff and teachers who care about the students and reinforce the “Bee Kind” motto (that’s touted on campus) and focus on social/emotional well-being of every kid. There are so many great teachers with many years of experience, all working together as a team. And it shows.
Submitted by parent on December 17, 2021

The school has been great with an amazing supportive parent community. Until the installation of an unqualified principal in August of 2021. Principal Ross does not communicate with parents - ignores calls and emails. She has turned an amazingly joyful campus into a hostile environment. It’s very sad.
Submitted by other on February 08, 2019

Bad very dissatisfied I felt disrespected and could feel the tension in the air
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2018

Our family has been at Valley View for several years and the parent involvement is really amazing and has been a key contributor to what makes our school successful. There are an abundance of programs that kids participate in; Visual & Performing Arts, After School Enrichment, Chorus & Opera, Math Olympiads, etc. Overall, with the way the political climate & media have driven things towards the negative, this school has taken that issue on my developing and furthering socio-emotional education for our students. There is always more that can be done and our teachers, administration & Parent Club strive to make VV a better school each year.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2016

My family has been a part of the valley view elementary school community since 2008. There were some ups and downs but so happy we stuck with it. We have a great principal and wonderful caring teachers that work together so well plus an awesome group of parents in our parents club. Where many of our terrific families are transfer ins because they are choosing To be in the best school (in my opinion), I feel very blessed that I live just up the street.
Submitted by parent on August 10, 2016

Valley View is a great school!Thank goodness the brief era of poor administration is over! It was too bad we had a less-than-stellar principal in 2012-2014, and some of the reviews from that time reflect his leadership. Ms. Marinakis is great, and the high scores reflect her leadership. A lovely school with a vibrant parent community, Valley View is a great school once again -- a "gem" of WCCUSD.
Submitted by parent on September 01, 2015

This is a great school. I don't understand why people are writing bad reviews. I understand there might be some issues that need to be address, but overall the school is good and improving every day. We have the most wonderful first grade teacher. She is great and organized, her method of teaching is great. she encourage our children to do their best every day. The Valley View parent club is awesome, they brought back music to the school and recently the After School Enrichment Program (ASEP) allow students to have a variety of classes such as LEGO ROBOTICS, MAD SCIENCE, QUILTING, and HOMEWORK CLUB, . Valley View is a school that welcomes everyone no doubt. We are very happy to be part of this great community.
Submitted by parent on January 14, 2015

Valley View is a wonderful neighborhood school. Don't let the (needs-a-facelift) exterior fool you - the inside is full of energetic and dynamic teachers, caring staff members, and a community of families that support each other. The parents club is the backbone of the school, providing extracurricular activities for the students through the After School Enrichment Program, and financing classroom activities and programs that are not funded by the district. There is a very strong sense of community at Valley View that sets it apart from the other WCCUSD schools.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2015

I love our school and I think you will too! Please come to our Incoming Kindergarten/New Family Tour on Thursday, January 15, 2015, 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. Come for a school tour and meet the dynamic group of teachers and parents who are building a great public school in El Sobrante. Learn all about our programs, and what sets us apart. Light refreshments will be served and children are welcome. RSVP at: valleyviewcommunity@gmail.com or call the school at 510-223-6363.
Submitted by parent on November 20, 2014

Our son is in Kindergarten, and we LOVE Valley View. His teacher is wonderful--enthusiastic, energetic, and incredibly on top of fostering a positive community in her classroom. Our son is now doing reading, writing, and math at a level that I didn't even touch in school until the end of my 1st grade year. The afterschool enrichment programs are great, and my son loved the science program this semester. The parents club is very active and does a great deal to support and enrich the experiences of all kids at the school. And on the rare occasions that I have brought up a troubling dynamic with other children or parents, the teacher and principal responded immediately and reinforced that they always want to know right away when parents notice something that might be an issue. They are ON IT. We are so fortunate to have this school right around the corner from us. The diversity of children and families is such a terrific mix, and my son is really enjoying school and learning a lot. It's a real neighborhood school.
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2014

We just transferred in to Valley View and my kids love it. Teachers have been great so far, but its the extra curricular activities that it special. Mustangs of the Week, music program for all kids, after school enrichment programs, lots of communication (parent club website and email blasts, newletters from the Principal). Current Principal is wonderful and respects all sides of the story. Is a parent herself, grew up locally, and was a teacher. Great leadership, very active parents club that is focused on academic enrichment.
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2014

The 4-5 star rating of Valley View Elementary School is unrealistic given the school's 2012-2013 School Accountability Report Card (SARC), which was released early this year. Valley View had a NEGATIVE 27 test score performance between Spring of 2012 and Spring 2013. Its 2012 API school Ranking was 2/10 compared to similar schools in the area. This report may have been one of the reasons Valley View went from an anticipated 2 Kindergarten classes to only 1, as parents sought out other schools with better scores. There is no question that Valley View has an outstanding parent involvement but unfortunately that in itself will not keep parents commitment to the school. It is the quality of the education. If Valley View 2013-2014 SARC performance score show a continue spiral downwards, Valley View will, unfortunately, see an exodus of students.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2014

We were initially leery about sending our Kindergartener to VV considering some of the horrendous reviews below. After actually taking the time to speak with parents of children who have attended Valley View for several years and visiting we decided we would make a go of it and we couldn't be happier!! My daughter loves her class- she comes home telling me all the wonderfully engaging activities she gets to do daily. We look forward to being part of the VV community for many years to come. One huge suggestion- don't let reviews from this or other websites sway you. Come check us out! Between the amazing teachers & staff, the great after school enrichment classes & the VERY hard working parents club, Valley View has transformed into a spectacular environment for students.
Submitted by parent on September 21, 2014

Great School!!! I love the community, the new principal is working very hard with teachers, parents, stuff and community members to make the school the great school we knew. I have been in Vally View since 2005 and experienced the difficulties for the last years when we had principal issues, but the new principal is bringing the school together again. We have great teacher who do their best despite the difficulties of having many students in their classrooms. We love and support Valley View our great school.
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2014

Valley View is beginning to thrive again! My daughter is in 1st grade, and her second year at Valley View. We are exceptionally pleased with the changes that have been occurring during this time. We were well aware of the troubled past with poor principals, but the current one is phenomenal! She is engaged, interacts with the kids, talks to the parents, and really has our children's success at the forefront of her mission. The teachers are also fantastic. A huge part of the school's success is the relentless Parents' Club, who has brought in the SF Opera, has just opened enrollment for our 3rd session of After School Enrichment Programs, and is continually thinking up new ways to include every student and family in the VV community. There was a lot of mess to clean up, but the current team work and collaboration at this school is making it better than ever! I am proud to have my daughter learn and grow here.
Submitted by parent on September 17, 2014

A comment on the 4/5 grade split class for 2013-2014: Frankly, only those who had children in the class or TRIED to participate in helping in the classroom or for class events, should comment. No one is interested in hearing about what one THINKS the experience was like. This class was FULL of families that give much time, money and energy in to Valley View. Plus the majority of them had been doing so the whole 5/6 years. Attitudes were stellar among the families, and their frustrations were valid. The bottom line is, they made the best of it because there was no other choice other than to pull their kids out of the school. How do you know that parents didn't try to be part of the solution? Are you privy to the countless conversations many of these parents had with the teacher and principal?
Submitted by parent on September 04, 2014

I love the feeling of community at Valley View. There is a lot of parent involvement on all levels. The principal is friendly, but firm, easily accessible and interacts well with students and parents. This is her second year at Valley View and fits well with the school culture.
Submitted by parent on August 17, 2014

Valley View has amazing teachers, a strong community of families, and a new principal who, going on her second year, is successfully leading the school in a great direction. ZSharp and and the SF Opera music programs will be continuing into their second year at Valley View, exposing students to professional music, opera, and theatre production. It's an exciting time to be at Valley View and we are so glad that our two children attend this school.