Turtleback Elementary School

15855 Turtleback Road

School District

Poway Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:21
Type

public

School Map for Poway 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 student on May 02, 2024

This school feels very safe and the special ed aids are VERY NICE! There are not many extracurriculars but the teachers are very supportive and try to help the students do their best.
Submitted by other on January 01, 2024

The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable.
Submitted by parent on September 06, 2023

Both of my children went through Turtleback and enjoyed all their teachers! There is a active foundation and great connection with the community, High Country West and neighboring areas.
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2023

My daughter is entering her 5th year at Turtleback and we absolutely love it. We have had nothing but amazing teachers. The teachers hold students to a high standard and provide support when needed for kids to reach those standards. We have always had great communication with teachers and I have always felt as though the teachers want what is best for my daughter. My child is happy and loves school, what more could you want? The foundation provides lots of fun ways for families in the community to get together (such as ice cream socials, fall festivals, restaurant nights, game nights, etc.) and we have made some great friends as a result. We just love this school.
Submitted by parent on December 17, 2022

My son is a high functioning Austism child and this schools Special Ed/Resources teachers ( both of them) are a joke. They will not help your kids grow independently or let them try to succeed but rather hold them down. They have their own personal biases and try to convince the classroom teacher and you the parent that your kid needs them for everything. So sad. If I was the Superintendent of PUSD, I'd have these teachers transferred. OTS HARD ENOUGH RAISING A AUSTISM KID, don't need teachers making it even harder. Shameful.
Submitted by parent on July 28, 2022

Avoid all you can to this school. Not enough teachers to take care of the kids. Special need teachers are not helpful at all. They will drag your kid down, and they don't even care about it.
Submitted by parent on May 24, 2022

Unfortunately the school didn’t have good enough tools to help my son with moderate autism. He was getting lost in the mass, he didn’t learn much. Also, I realized that he was getting bullied by one of the boys in his class: he got scratched on the neck by this little guy really bad one time, but the teachers seemed to cover the episode by telling me that they “assumed”my sweet kinder boy did that bad injury to himself…. Even if he declared the name of the boy who did that! Can you believe it? He never ever did anything like that to himself or others! That scratch was similar to one that you would get from an adult tiger. Nobody in the office, I mean nobody, did anything to address this fact with my child. He was totally unprotected in that school. I gladly pulled him out. Today my son is homeschooled and he caught up completely academically. Also, he has less stress. I have heard that Turtleback is actually a good school otherwise. I think they should put more effort in the academics in the special need area, instead of just pushing these precious kids to the next school year and the next… Until one day they get to high school and they won’t be able to get a diploma.
Submitted by parent on April 26, 2021

Teachers are wonderful and classes are diverse - my child has felt so safe here.
Submitted by parent on August 20, 2018

Horrible experience. Principal is not effective her job.
Submitted by parent on April 04, 2015

Turtleback is an amazing school, my oldest son started there and will be finishing up 5th grade this year, my youngest is currently in 1st grade. We have loved every minute there, the staff, teachers and principal are all amazing. They really care about the kids. Volunteering is welcomed and I love seeing all the parents there to help, I loved being able to be part of the school community and watching my children grow there.
Submitted by parent on December 20, 2014

Turtleback has been our home school for the last four years. I agree with one of the comments that the curriculum can be tough, but for my son it was great for him to be challenged and learning every year. Each teacher has a different style so you will have to make that work for your child as in adult life. They teach from Common Core and the District is prone to changing curriculum yearly. Administration and teachers have typically been there for 10+ years, but the new teachers are the gems! Mr. Betschel is a wonderful teacher with a love and passion for learning that excites his students and commands his respect. 5th graders go on a Star of India field trip, 4th graders have Gold Rush days, 3rd graders go to Ronyon Museum (fossils), and 1st graders sing at the nearby Sr. Centerat Christmas. Your child will love this school if they love to learn and enjoy a warm close knit environment.
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2014

Turtleback is an okay school. Since my children did not attend any other school in the Poway district I can not compare it to other schools in the district. The curriculum is difficult and was a little too hard for one of my children. They did try to help her but really just put most of the work onto us - which is fine but even we had a difficult time trying to keep her caught up with everyone else. If your child does well academically then they will do well but if not, get ready for some long nights of homework. I did feel that the teachers cared about the children but they can not help what the district and state push for them to teach.