Willow Glen Middle School

2105 Cottle Avenue

School District

San Jose Unified
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:20
Type

public

School Map for San Jose 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 19, 2024

WGMS is an amazing school. The staff is highly responsive and will work with you to support your student. I appreciate the communication and dedication to supporting the middle school mind.
Submitted by student on April 25, 2018

3/5 because the bullying and integrity policy needs to be improved
Submitted by parent on April 20, 2018

My daughter was well prepared for high school after her three years at WGMS. Her teachers helped her stay organized with a syllabus ("green sheet") at the beginning of each year to clearly list expectations, grading and homework policies, and the content of the class. The school is really big, but my daughter stayed involved and social with sports, and being a neighborhood school made it that much easier. I appreciated the way the parents stayed involved via the WG Foundation, Performing Arts and Athletics Boosters. Would definitely recommend.
Submitted by parent on February 06, 2018

Every teacher my child has had in the last three years has been incredibly dedicated. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend WGMS to other families.
Submitted by parent on September 16, 2017

Good learning environment. Teachers and administration cares and strives for student growth
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2017

It was a horrible experience. There are many reviews saying "oh it has improved so much" well yes, it used to be a school with a lot of gang and bullying issues so that has improved. It has improved because more neighborhood kids go there. But that has had a negative effect in that the staff is overworked, there are too many students, staff don't communicate, don't have time. It is just like and industrialized factory. Read the negative reviews, I did once we started having serious issues with the school including bullying - the negative reviews are true and so much more common than anyone realizes! Don't expect this school to be like Booksin, Hacienda or Schallenberger. Or to have amazing and caring teachers, like Hammer Montessori. It is like sending your kid into the jungle and lunch time is like a prison yard.
Submitted by parent on September 03, 2015

Willow Glen Middle School has done a tremendous job at improving over the last few years. As an alum myself, I see improvements in the curriculum, campus, and programs that are available to the students. I have lived in WG all my life, and pay to live in this great community, so I feel strongly about supporting our local schools. For the 2015 school year it appears that this is the highest attendance for neighborhood kids! Great news. Every school has something, you can never get your kids away from that, it is reality. Support Willow Glen!
Submitted by parent on May 13, 2014

I drive the neighborhood kids to school. All the kids hang out with different groups of kids. Yet, all of them love Wg. They are all going to be in 8th grade soon and have all had a great experience. They offer all kinds of sports, dances every month, a bunch of clubs, a lot of electives. There administrators are strong. I have been a teacher for 20 years and the teachers are great. They have classes for the gifted and children with special needs. There are parents involved. Yet, most kids at this age, in my experience as a junior high teacher, don't want their parents involved. They want their space. I am happy we sent my son here and we didn't put him in private school. We made the right choice to send him to WG.
Submitted by parent on May 01, 2014

Going from Booksin to WGMS was like going from Beverly Hills to East LA. Sorry, I know none of the local parents want to hear that, but its the truth. I agree with the last reviewer that the assignments are "dumbed down"...some of the assignments were literally 4th grade level when my child was in 7th grade! If we had an issue with a teacher, all we got was a shrug from the administration, and the bad behavior noted by the last reviewer is literally ingrained in the school culture. Parent participation is very minimal and not encouraged by the school. If I had it to do over again, I would have moved before putting my children here. Just a bad experience all around.
Submitted by parent on December 08, 2013

Outstanding school community and academic experience. WGMS has improved each year. The administration is balanced and caring. The academics are great at the advanced levels. Parental involvement the last 5 years has resulted in an explosion in arts, sports, and leadership.
Submitted by other on September 25, 2013

I have very mixed feelings about this school. Bullying is a HUGE issue. Get that fixed ASAP! In my 7th grade year, I was bullied excessively. It was to a point where I felt everyone hated me, and the staff barely did anything about it. They let the other kids off with a warning and a lecture, but that did nothing. Other than my bullying issue, the academics are OKAY. Teachers need to be a bit more willing to help the students. I would someday like to send my kids to this school because it IS a neighborhood school. However, if the school hasn't solved the issues on bullying and/or tolerance, I'm not sending them here.
Submitted by parent on July 17, 2013

Willow Glen Middle schools staff and administration in caring. There offer a lot of electives, sports, clubs and activities. Two of the best schools in San Jose Unified feed into WG. Most of them go to the middle school. They have challenging classes for the gifted. Many of the teachers and police officers who live in WG send their children to the school. I am a middle school teacher in Santa Clara for 20 years and all middle school have bullying unfortunately. Yet, WG staff nabs it in the butt right away. They just have to be informed like any staff. They have an excellent Principal and VP which makes the school run well. My children and myself have been in the private and public school system as students and we love Willow Glen Middle School. I went to WG and we made the right decision putting our sons into Schallenberger and WG.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2013

The administrators here do not communicate will with each other. I have requested meetings for my son's teachers and the principals they notified the other parent but did not notify me at all. The meeting was held without me. I met with the one teacher and reached out to her but she was not helpful to me at all. However another teacher was very kind and did provide the help I asked for and helped my student out a lot. I have struggled for two years with this school and feel they communicate with the other parent and exclude me. I cannot even get mail from the school or district even though they have my address and I have requested the DO to add my address. They have yet to do this. I suppose if your child does well in school and does not struggle the school is appropriate. However, I have had very little support.
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2012

My daughter just completed her 6th grade year at WGMS and I have been impressed on so many levels. I work in education and feel I have a good understanding of what's important in a school (it's not just the API score - what is often referred to as the Affluent Parent Index) and this school has it! The communication is excellent, curriculum is targeted to state standards with lots of project based learning, teachers are kind and caring, discipline is good and bullying is NOT tolerated. This is a public, city school so it's not like Challenger or Valley Christian where you can kick anyone out. This is an environment of learning but also social learning, being with a diverse group - that's life. Additionally, extra-curricular activities are amazing - more choices than most middle schools in the county.