Valley View Elementary School

405 Summit Avenue Northeast

School District

Rockford Public Schools
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:19
Type

public

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 April 18, 2024

The bullying is really bad for the handful of non-white kids that are at the school. The teachers do not care about the bullying. Avoid this school if you have colored kids or any kids.
Submitted by parent on April 18, 2024

I have volunteered with the boys and girls club at 1 rated schools that have teachers and staff that care more than this place. Absolutely no one in this building cares about the success of your kid.We moved here from a top rated elementary school and we have brought up things with the stuff that they could do to help parents and no one cares. I have no clue how anyone has not been hit in the parking lot during drop-off or pick-up. I sit in the parking lot and film safety videos of how insane it is for my friends at home to use at work and school. My ADHD kid was failing class after being a straight A student at our old school. No one cared or communicated about the grades until we got a report card. Avoid the school of chaos at all costs.
Submitted by parent on December 04, 2020

teachers are mean to students and disrespectful and the principal is terrible about the way he treats kids.
Submitted by parent on July 23, 2020

We have had a good experience at Valley View. However, the school is becoming crowded and class sizes are a bit large.
Submitted by parent on December 05, 2019

Not good at all. Disappointing. No communication. Teacher does not differentiate.
Submitted by parent on November 08, 2017

Amazing - all 3 of my Gals attended Valley View and we have been thrilled with the leadership, compassion, and teaching efforts of the entire faculty and staff. Thanks to all have enriched my children's lives
Submitted by parent on April 29, 2017

We recently moved to the Rockford area, and we really enjoy living here. I currently have two children who attend Valley View (K and 1st Grade), and so far, we are very pleased with this school. The teachers seem more caring and engaged than those at our previous school in another state. The principal is AMAZING. We really, really like him. He takes the time to get to know the parents and students. He makes everyone feel so welcome and takes education and bullying very seriously. He has written several books on leadership in education and encourages the students to exhibit the qualities of effective leaders. He is always visible and engaged with the teachers and students, and my children absolutely adore him. Additionally, the ladies who work in the office are wonderful. I volunteer at the school regularly, and they are always cheerful and helpful. While the facility itself is somewhat small and a little dated (it was built in the mid-1960's), the education thus far has been exceptional and has made up for what the building lacks. For example, both of my children were issued iPads this year and have really benefited from all of the educational apps. They have both had several fun field trips, and their reading abilities have improved tremendously. The district has made updates and improvements to the building in recent years, and as far as I'm aware, will continue to do so. One issue that I have with the school is that it is not equipped with AC, and the temperatures were unbearable at the beginning of the school year. My kids came home dripping in sweat for the first few weeks until the temperatures finally cooled down. Furthermore, this is the fastest growing elementary school in Rockford, so I am concerned with how this will affect the student to teacher ratio and overcrowding in the future. The facility is currently at capacity, so I don't know how they will accommodate an influx of new students if large housing developments continue to be built. I was told that rezoning may be necessary at some point. Otherwise, I think it's a fantastic school, and my children are thriving here.
Submitted by parent on February 19, 2013

Wow! My son is in Kindergarten at Valley View this year. I am also a teacher in the district, but I chose to put him in V.V. because it is our neighborhood school and I have heard so many good things about it and the teachers there. I am so glad we did. He loves his teacher and his classmates. He is learning so much, so quickly. He also adores the principal! Great job, Valley View!
Submitted by parent on November 25, 2011

There are some really good teachers at this school and there are some that are lazy and only working to get their summers off --- the principal included! I would never recommend this school. The principal refuses to acknowledge any bullying that goes on no matter how much bigger the bully is compared to your child. And if you have a gifted child, the only time they will be treated as one is when they are in the gifted program. Otherwise they will be bored beyond words. Between the bullying and the really poor teacher our daughter had, we moved her to a private school. In the end it was the best thing we could have done. She is now getting an excellent education at a school that teaches children there are consequences for their actions and poor choices. My advice: move to another elementary school district or just plan on sending your child to a private school if you want them to excel. At least until the current principal is gone, because it is very true that a group is only as strong as its leader, and this leader appears to just be counting his days until retirement.