Del Mar Elementary School

1959 Merrill Street

School District

Live Oak Elementary
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:21
Type

public

School Map for Live Oak 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 December 09, 2019

My child is in kindergarten at Del Mar Elementary, and so far we have nothing but praise for this school. The teaching quality is excellent, and the principal here is wonderful--energetic, caring, responsive and wonderfully communicative. We are happy to be here, and feel fortunate to be part of the Del Mar community.
Submitted by parent on March 27, 2019

When I moved to Santa Cruz in 2007, I settled in the Live Oak area, and I've loved this community ever since. When we had kids, I was unsettled by the mixed reviews I heard about the local public school options. While we've only just started our journey (my daughter is a kindergardner at Del Mar), I am really happy so far. Here's a few reasons why:* From the welcoming picnic, to the Dia De Los Muertos festival, to the family art night, to the end of year Garden Party, I feel there are so many community-building events* We invested in Montessori pre-schooling, and were unsure about transitioning from a small/focused setting to a public school. Since starting at Del Mar, my daughter's reading, writing and math abilities have blossomed, and it reflects in her confidence. She takes what she learns at Del Mar and now teaches my 3yr old at home* My daughter loves the on-site Life Lab garden, computer lab, and library* When I saw the principal Mrs Rockey playing guitar and singing "Happy Birthday" over the PA system one morning, I nearly cried* It is a big world. Del Mar reflects real life. There are kids from all backgrounds. Kids that look different and speak differently from my kid. Kids that are in wheelchairs. A kid that joins my daughters class who has learning difficulties and is hearing impaired. And you know what? My daughters class is learning sign language to better communicate with her. * Kinder field trips have been amazing: the firehouse, the animal shelter, the public library, Natural Bridges for the monarch migration * We were worried about bullying when our doctor recommended eyeglasses. Turns out there are lots of kids with glasses, and thanks to the Del Mar SURF motto and "growth mindset", it hasn't been a big deal at all. There is even a Glasses Club that meets monthly. In summary: every family is different. Every child has different needs. We made the choice to try our local public school and I am so happy we did. We are involved in the classroom, which has 19 students, and about 5 other parents who routinely volunteer. I feel supported by our teacher and the entire admin staff (to include the after-school program). I advise anyone in the local area to do their own research, talk to neighbors, schedule a tour, and hopefully you'll come to the same conclusion. I hope to see you at Del Mar.
Submitted by other on March 10, 2015

This school is off the charts out of hand. The "students" rule the school. The principal has no handle on discipline with them and the staff makes excuses for the way they behave. "They're just kids." Ummm no! Being disrespectful to adults, running a muck, and acting like entitled brats is not exactly creating a brighter future for all of us, is it? There are some genuine hard working teachers at this school but they need to get their behavior management in check because subs refuse to go back and deal with it! It all starts from the top and unfortunately admin has their head in the clouds.
Submitted by parent on April 26, 2014

The teachers at Del Mar are highly qualified, committed, and caring. The community of families is quite diverse, and this is one reason we chose to send our child to Del Mar.
Submitted by parent on April 09, 2014

Del Mar Elementary is a great school with caring staff and excellent teachers. It will never have a "high" score on sites like this simply due to the demographics of the school and district, but if you live in Live Oak/Pleasure Point and know anything about the community you live in, you will understand this. This school has a high percentage of English-language learners, and therefore, overall success on standardized achievement tests is not great. I personally believe that the quality and dedication of the teachers, as well as the cultural diversity of the school is more important than a high rating on great schools.com. If all you care about is having a public school that looks good on paper, I suggest you move to Scotts Valley. Otherwise, I would strongly advise you to give this school a try or at least a visit before you decide to shell out 10-20k per year on a possibly inferior private school that simply has a more affluent student population.
Submitted by parent on November 08, 2011

Del Mar is a hidden gem! The staff and family make up a warm and caring community. The campus itself is lovely, with beautiful student-created murals, a gorgeous Life Lab garden, and a large, well-maintained track. The classrooms are each equipped with brand new smart boards that the students love to use. Del Mar is a wonderful school..
Submitted by parent on August 20, 2011

My daughter attended Del Mar and I am so sad that she has to move on to middle school. Del Mar was such a wonderful school with marvelous teachers and support staff that were so caring and so kind to everyone. We are going to miss Del Mar!