John B. Riebli Elementary School

315 Mark West Springs Road

School District

Mark West Union Elementary
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
Type

charter

School Map for Mark West Union 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 June 06, 2024

Hands down the BEST public elementary school I have seen. These reviews from 2014 are nothing compared to today. Teachers are amazing. My children are excelling despite the pandemic. The PTA raises and incredible amount of money and it ALL goes into providing extra programs (PE, ART, STEM, One School One Book). Riebli is an amazing community and I am proud that my children attend this school!
Submitted by parent on May 23, 2016

Great safe environment for children to learn and have open space to enjoy physical exercise too. My son started in 1st grade after a not so supportive kindergarten experience and I've watched him thrive and grow with all 3 years thus far at Riebli with great teachers!
Submitted by parent on February 19, 2015

I only give it 4 stars because I feel there are some things that can be improved upon. For example, a full time P.E teacher. I understand most schools have no P.E teacher so Im not faulting the school, Im faulting the district in general. Sports and physical activity studies have proven to improve self esteem, physical health and overall test scores and grades. A healthy brain starts with a healthy body. My son is in his 3rd year at Riebli and I can honestly say he has had 3 great teachers. All with different styles but all the right fit for what my son needed at the time. My son attended a poor pre-school due to my financial situation and when he started kindergarten he was way behind. Mrs. Traeger was his teacher and although she is firm she also challenged him to do his best. The next year he got a great teacher Ms. Adams. A UC Berkeley grad, she is the perfect mix of brain and brawn. This year my son has now jumped ahead because the teachers he had truly cared. In response to Ms. Dirty Classrooms, If the class is dirty maybe volunteer to clean, volunteer your time. Im sure not every teacher at this school is great, I just havent experienced that yet.
Submitted by parent on September 04, 2014

Filthy classrooms w/ unhealthy practices, burned out teachers! We were excited for our son to start kindergarten at Riebli. A week in we were so disgusted w/ what we saw we had transfer him to another school. NOT ONCE were the children instructed/allowed to wash their hands before eating or after using the restroom, though a sink is in the room). The chairs/desks were filthy, sticky, and germy...even after an entire summer's opportunity to clean everything. The rug (where children sit many times per day) was gross. The teachers, though sweet in many ways, seem burned out and a little too excited to drop off the kids for snack and lunch (drop and run, regardless of whether a child needs something). When children ask questions--often ignored. Kids asked to retrieve their water bottles from the outside backpack shelf due to thirst, and they were simply ignored. They may have the water bottles on the outside shelf, but are not given access to them. Many parents do not want their kids sharing the germy, disease-spreading community faucet in the class....yuck. Do yourself a favor and look for yourself...volunteer in the class, look around, ask your kids. Our kids deserve better!
Submitted by parent on June 16, 2014

The principal was not "sent down". Ms. Hansell has been an innovative and action-oriented principal. The school is in a stronger place today because of her vision and work with the staff. The garden program is amazing-- an outdoor classroom that brings together science, art and writing in an interactive way. The P.E./health and fitness program is evolving, and the students had both Zumba and a P.E. teacher last year. The sense of community is growing stronger and stronger each year. We have very active parent involvement/support in the classrooms, in school events and the PTA. Riebli is a great ft for our family. Figure out what makes a school a good fit for your child- and look far beyond this website...
Submitted by teacher on April 23, 2014

It is only slander, if untrue. She IS being sent down, as a direct result of parents, filing complaints.
Submitted by parent on April 23, 2014

I just found this site looking for a school in Windsor. My daughter was there for one semester, we were so disappointed. I don't care what the test scores say. She was bored, and the class was so far behind the Rincon Valley School, she had attended. That is the true litmus test. Compare apples to apples. We did. Great teachers in Rincon Valley, way behind at Riebli. My husband and myself moved her to a great school in Kenwood. Within days, she was back on track. Please do your research. One year in a poor school, is so hard to get back. I respect those who stick up for their friend/teacher there, but I really do not think they value education. NOT Zumba and vegetables! All other good schools have that AND a MUSIC teacher, a PE teacher, a SCIENCE teacher, and an ART teacher. If you are happy, with the hope your child wants to teach Zumba...good luck to you. They only have a class, because the do not have a PE teacher. Not an accolade, a criticism. Please visit Sequoia and then make a qualified decision about where your child will be best educated.
Submitted by parent on April 11, 2014

Slandering a reputation without merit is reprehensible. Here is what I (and anyone paying attention) know to be true about our principal: She is dedicated, hard-working and challenged in unimaginable directions, every day. She works late into most evenings, attends every PTA meeting, board meeting, district meeting, school event, and even cheers kids on at basketball game. She often does so at the expense of her own family time. Anyone who doesn t notice these truths is ignorant to the fact that she's a single mother with a life of her own, yet she has tirelessly fought for the betterment of our school during her tenure. We have lost a few solid principals due to ineffective superintendent(s) that won t support their decisions, rendering them ineffective not by choice. Our principal, whom you rate poor, has continually extended her education (at her own financial expense) to be a leader who cares profoundly for the well-being of children, education, and the community at large. If this is an example of a poor principal, then I challenge you to find a better one. Great schools start with parents teaching by example, educating themselves on the facts. -Denise Olliffe
Submitted by parent on September 26, 2013

Riebli is a amazing school! They have many extra curricular programs for the children. Like P.E., Garden time, and Zumba. They challenge the children to be there best and do there best academically, while making it fun to learn at a pace that's best for them. My son absolutely loves going to school everyday!
Submitted by parent on August 18, 2013

My son has been going to Riebli for three years now. My daughter just started there this week. We are very happy with the school and feel that it is a true community.
Submitted by parent on April 24, 2013

Riebli is a growing and getting stronger. The principal works so hard to make positive changes and move the school forward academically and as a community. Teachers definitely care about their students and work hard. The addition of the P.E. and garden programs have been fantastic and have brought a more dynamic way of learning to the school. I hope that now that Riebli has become a Charter school that they will be even more creative with their teaching approach as a whole school community- not just individual teachers. I have two children in the lower grades and am very happy with their teachers and overall education. Many parents are involved and the school welcomes volunteers readily. Of course there is always room for improvement and I think that the principal now is guiding the school in the right direction. The school has made huge positive strides this year!
Submitted by parent on April 18, 2013

My child has attended this school since Kindergarten. Scholastically the teachers are amazing and are doing a wonderful job. I believe the educators are some of the best in the county. The current head adminstrator is a detrament to the school. My child is typically not problematic and has only been to the principals office twice in six years of attendance at the school. Those two experiences stem from this year and have been horrible. The principal has made contradictory statements with regard to what she has stated to my child versus what has been communcated to me about the interactions with my child. I am very upset at how she interacts with the children and can no longer recommend this as a wonderful place to send your children.
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2012

had no complaints until Dr. Heller left. then the school fell to pieces, I had to pull my son out in the sixth grade cause one of the teachers lifted my son off the ground by the neck of his shirt in from of numerous witnesses and they wouldn't even switch him to another class or punish the teacher in any way. Instead they suspended my son for upsetting the teacher, that was his last day there. he had been there since K and I had to pull him in 6th he was unable to graduate with his friends, it was a horrible experience.
Submitted by parent on October 15, 2012

Riebli now ranks a 7, API of 838, and the worst API subgroup scores in the district though it s the wealthiest school. Just shows the tailspin that occurred after Dr. Heller left. The school still feels like a rudderless ship and would probably benefit from a more experienced Principal/leader. We also liked Kindergarten. The upper grade teachers are good for the most part but a lot of the good teachers retired or left. But the education in the lower grades (1-3) was extremely disappointing. My children all struggled because English and Math concepts are poorly taught. Some teachers we ve had don t teach P.E., Science, or Social Studies. The last poster feels that the teachers adore her child. Not every parent feels that way. I volunteered a lot of hours in the classroom and every year observed only a handful of children that were adored by the teachers. I agree that the school climate is very snobby and cliquey. We also experienced issues with gossiping/excluding among the students and parents. I realized if they gossiped about other people behind their backs they were gossiping about my children and me behind my back. There are much better schools all around than Riebli.
Submitted by parent on September 17, 2012

My daughter has been attending this school since 1st grade. She was below average when she started and has excelled greatly. She is always in love with her teachers. They adore her as well. Parent participation is very important to this school. So its pretty much has the similarities of a private school. The only reason i dont give it 5 stars, the stuck up patents/PTA. I have always been willing to help out. Ive had parents talk about me and gossip like a clique. I can tell you I know about a handful of parents in the school that have been welcoming. Its almost like I should just put my kid in an actual private school. But if your above all this, your child will be fine. As far as the bullying, I deal with that in my own way so it has never been any issue for my daughter. My younger daughter will be starting Kindergarden there next year. Otherwise, Great school!