Sunland Elementary School

8350 Hillrose St.

School District

Los Angeles Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

School Map for Los Angeles 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 September 21, 2016

Love the new principal! He is upbeat and enthusiastic about evolving our school to the next level of technology. He actually spends time with our kids which is important to me. My kids and their friends love him. I am so glad they got rid of their old principal since she didnt seem to happy around the kids.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2015

One of the reason's we bought our house in this neighborhood was that this school had good API scores. However Sunland Elementary is far more than the sum of it's test scores. The office staff are kind and helpful, the principal is approachable and responsive, the teachers are dedicated and caring. This is my Daughter's 5th year at Sunland Elementary. Each year she has had a great teacher. She recently had a problem with a bully and it was handled by the principal and her teacher on the same day she reported it. My son is just starting kinder and I am so pleased that he will spend the next 6 years in this environment.
Submitted by parent on September 28, 2015

Ms. Burden is an amazing teacher at Sunland Elementary. I enjoy her approach to teaching as she helps the children to think through the answers. She is excellent at helping to develop critical thinking skills - one of the most important and essential skills we can teach our children. We have 2 children enrolled. Mrs. Valle is a very caring Kindergarten teacher - the right amount amount of care balanced with firm direction. Our children are very bright - our oldest scored 95% on 1st grade private school national SAT. She is really enjoying her new school and teachers at Sunland elementary and feels challenged. Closed campus is great for pick up and drop off and gives us a good feeling of security.
Submitted by parent on June 01, 2015

If you're a parent who's looking for a school that promotes random acts of kindness, a Principal who asks at the assembly every week to the students, "Why do we come to school?" and the students shout with pride, "TO LEARN!!!!", and an amazing PTA that sponsors many fundraisers to provide amazing field trips for the students and teachers and Teachers' Appreciation Week with a Teachers' Luncheon....I encourage you to enroll at Sunland Elementary and be involved. Their teachers in Magnet and resident are exceptional and I have volunteered in different classrooms and I see how these teachers encourage the students to really think and be creative artistically. There's going to be a new computer lab next year. As a parent, I've not had any problems. Don't be afraid to COMMUNICATE to the Principal, the PTA, or the Parent Ctr. Of course there are bad seeds in EVERY school, and we learn to work with it and communication is key. Overall, we adore this school.
Submitted by parent on May 20, 2015

The magnet program at this school is AMAZING. All of my kids have gone through (or are still attending) the magnet at this school and I could nto be happier. This area isn't known for their high-end schools, but this magnet program shines like a diamond in the rough.
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2015

The Sunland Magnet program is wonderful. My third child has started the program this year in grade two. The teachers are great (Mrs Burden is amazing!) my two older children also went through the Sunland magnet program. I highly recommend it.
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2015

Amazing school!!!Love the teachers and there attitude towards their students education.They care and take time to really help students succeed. The staff is wonderful and are always there to help with my questiones. The principal is great as she always try to make time if parents need her.
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2015

Es una exelente escuela!! Es el ultimo grado de mi hija pero espero pronto regresar con mi bebe
Submitted by parent on February 14, 2015

Why isn't there a zero star option? This school is the worst. The principal is waste of space. And any parent that is so proud to have their child in magnet, should reevaluate. Most grades has 2 magnet classrooms and 1 regular classroom. If someone really believes that in the Sunland/Tujunga geographical area, there just happens to be an extraordinary amount of "gifted" kids, you probably believe the money fundraiser goes to the students. What a joke. 5th grades has a field trip that cost $170 per kid, yet we are expected to participate in every other fundraiser.
Submitted by parent on January 30, 2015

I feel the need to share my overall positive experience on this site about Sunland E. S. I do not spend much time posting reviews but feel it necessary due to the recent spate of negative comments. I find the school grounds well maintained and clean, the teachers friendly, and dedicated to their students, the principal is very approachable, kind and caring. I know when issues come up they get addressed immediately. The PTA is very active with fundraising to provide all the wonderful programs and activities this school offers. This school has a counselor on staff and provides parent workshops weekly. In short, a wonderful place for learning. This review is from a very involved parent and volunteer.
Submitted by parent on September 14, 2014

I feel bad for the wonderful teachers at this school, they are at the mercy of the poor choices the Principal makes. The school has a reputation for allowing students to be bullied. The Parent Center Director is unapproachable. There is no parent participation. The PTA is a joke. A new librarian with no experience has been hired. The Teachers at this school should move on to better schools where they can use their talents where it will matter.
Submitted by parent on September 01, 2014

The only nice thing that school has is the view, surrounding with mountains. Other than that everything is awful. NOT place to park. Also very disorganized culmination, the students has to walk for several day to Mg.Gleason MIddle school for practice and culmination. The PTA group bring their own family and firiends of the friends to occupied the front honor row, even if they came late allow then to sit in front, every year is the same. The students are very agressive and attack the teachers. I'm agree with the comment below that the school are more interesting on the score rather than the knowledge of the students. We learn only testing. The score of this school drop drastically. Bully, bully Principal. Emergency change.
Submitted by parent on September 01, 2014

Yes, That's right! that this school really needs a new Principal . The bullying issue continues it will not change, because the Principal looks like is the one who gives them the bad example on how be a bully, when she follow parents and make feel them bad. Also PTA group can't handle anything at all and just do the events for their own benefits. The 50s style fundraiser is a big event with a lot of activities, and they do it just for money, collet a lot money . Even though they say it's for a field trip but it's not .In reality the parents pay registration for one or two days for that place or other expenses. If the parents can't pay it , they or the kids have to do work in the school to help for the trip. They have to find the way to be more clear on the way on how spend the money. This event should be at the begining of the year to spend that money on important things. NOT at few days before finish the school year.
Submitted by other on September 01, 2014

i really don't like this school . first grade girls would kiss me on the lips in front of everyone . does anyone even watch these kids ? people are chasing each other ? what !? there's alot of bullying and this school went on news because this girl was getting severe bullied . unless you liked getting harassed , tease , getting things stoled from you , being bullied , and crying , this is the place for you . i hate this school . they make us so stressed about testing . everything is about testing . the testing pressure they put on me caused me to barely pass proficient on my CST . i only got just a few points above proficient , and if i got another question wrong , i probably would have became a basic .i im doing great in another school because at least at my other school they don't give me pressure and have alot of bullying . alot of people have been writing reviews because alot of people go to this school like i used to nbut no more ! the review today is also true! i am so glad im not going back for 5th grade ! very disorganized place !
Submitted by parent on August 06, 2014

Rude office staff. Unorganized school functions. Bullying. There are a few great teachers but mostly the staff does just enough. Where other schools look to accommodate this school treats you like an annoyance. Only at sunland would they still not know the room assignments the week before. Ridiculous.
Submitted by parent on August 04, 2014

Love love love the teachers. They are supportive of all students. I have a 4th grader and a first grader enrolled here and I can't praise the school enough. I appreciate the schools focus on both academics as well as character education. The principal and staff all work exceptionally hard. My children love going to school every day and hate being away even when they have to be due to illness. My youngest couldn't read prior to kinder but by the end of the year was reading to a 3rd grade level. The school boasts a great PTA who encourage parent involvement in and out of the classroom. The only drawback is it's a little difficult for working parents to make it to PTA and other school meetings which are often scheduled in the morning. Despite our state's lack of respect for education and the heavy budget cuts, this school continues to do its best for their students. Thanks Sunland for giving my kids a great head start.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2014

My daughter has had the honor to have Mr. Cruz for her 5th grade teacher. She is excited to go to school everyday and do her best. He teaches in a way that is fun for them and they are eager to learn. She is in the magnet program and I have seen a big improvement in her grades and attitude about learning from last year where she was in a non magnet school. We are so happy that we put her in Sunland. She said that she has not encountered any bullying or "bad" kids. The staff is very friendly and they have many family events throughout the year. The principal is also very friendly and approachable to both the parents and the children.
Submitted by parent on March 05, 2014

So disappointed. My daughter is 2nd grader and being bullied everyday in after school program. I talked to staff and again this is happening. 5th graders are bullying 2nd grader kid. Cannot imagine this. She is coming in tears everyday.
Submitted by parent on July 07, 2013

I am a parent that went to this school, 2nd grade in 1995, now it's 17 years later and my adopted 2nd grader went there too, except it wasn't the same. Most 2nd graders are surprisingly "mature" and talk about violence and the yard counsellors aren't looking out for them! My child feels weird around her teacher and is not comfortable in the class, and all they learn over there is TESTING skills, not normal teaching, after every lesson they always say something about testing, they make these kids worried and not calm about the test because they treat it like a college application! The PTA only cares about the money, so they do worthless fundraisers every year to steal kids money! All the events for money, they sell, sell, sell! PTA never goes out of the way to think about the kids, yes, the look matters, but they should care about the kids too.. Very weird school with misbehaved kids.
Submitted by parent on May 16, 2013

My son has been in this school almost 6 years. I love the stuff and the principal..I should not forget our PTA the best....100% parent envolvment all the time...