San Miguel Elementary School

777 San Miguel Avenue

School District

Sunnyvale
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:13
Type

public

School Map for Sunnyvale 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 15, 2022

School teachers are not welcoming at all and rude to parents
Submitted by parent on May 04, 2020

Absolutely terrible. The people here are just fake and super quick to judge. Many of the children are clique-y and will not talk to you unless you seem "cool." the school is an absolute disaster.
Submitted by parent on March 30, 2019

Excellent! We’ve been at San Miguel now for three years. We lotteried into this school from the Ellis neighborhood for the Juntos Spanish immersion program. I’ve had no regrets. We love our teachers, the principal, and all the staff. My daughter is thriving. She is reading ahead of grade level in English and Spanish. She is doing well in math. She’s interested in science and social issues. She loved being in band no after school art this year. The PTA is developing and has started some great programs and events. I’m excited for my younger child to attend San Miguel in a couple of years. We had a hard time choosing from so many good options with Sunnyvale’s programs of choice back when we were looking at kinder options, but three years later, I have no regrets. It was the best decision. We love being involved with the school and community. I also appreciate how diverse the school is. I feel like my children will grow up being able to relate to different kinds of people from different backgrounds. No matter what they choose to do with their lives, it will serve them well to have some understanding of people from vastly different walks of life.
Submitted by parent on January 04, 2018

This school is terrible all the way around. Avoid at all costs.
Submitted by parent on November 22, 2017

My daughter went here back in 1998. Not as nice as the West Side of Sunnyvale (homes 2x and much) but decent. Not sure why so low ratings. Very mixed kids... many come from the local apartments (cheaper) and not all single family housing.
Submitted by parent on August 09, 2017

It's a really good school, and the teachers and staff are very welcoming. Beware of outdated reviews (here and on other sites), or ones that are written by someone that is disgruntled (always at least 2 sides to every story). This school's community is very warm and welcoming. The kids overall are happy, safe, and thriving in this environment. Yes, it is in a lower socioeconomic area with quite a few English Language Learner students, so maybe their test scores aren't the greatest, but test scores are not the "end all, be all" of what makes a good school. The kids are constantly taught to be safe, responsible, and respectful, and that gives them Shark pride!
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2017

The administration at this school is hypocritical and biased. Ever since Christina Ballantyne has been the director, San Miguel Elementary has gone totally downhill. The women in the front office are rude and completely dismissive of your needs and even presence. There have been NUMEROUS times where they completely ignored me until I spoke out. They are incompetent - there's been times where they will announce a day off school, then announce a totally different day off, then the DAY BEFORE, will announce that the previously announced day is wrong. This is so unorganized. Parents need time to arrange care for their children and this school totally FAILS at providing CORRECT information on school changes and such. Christina Ballantyne is extremely rude and selectively greets children and/or families.The grounds are ALWAYS dirty, if you visit while there are students playing outside, you will hear age-inappropriate music playing, children cursing, yelling - with no authority figure in sight.The food they serve the children is atrocious. The PA is a disgrace and events are completely centered around embracing one culture only, leaving multicultural families feeling alienated and outcasted. The overall atmosphere at the school is unwelcoming.There is only ever ONE crossing guard, when there are at least 3 other points that children can cross at.
Submitted by parent on June 03, 2013

There is far too much concern about safety. I understand that they don't want the kids to be hurt but not allowing them to play tag or any contact sport whatsoever is just setting them up for failure in my opinion. Far too strict about kids being kids. When these kids grow up without any life experience and they're still living at home you only have yourself to blame. I love the school but the district is forcing them to follow ridiculous policies and a lot of these parents that want to the school to raise their children for them are cowards.
Submitted by parent on January 14, 2013

I feel very lucky to have my two children attending San Miguel Elementary School. My son's in the 4th grade and my daughter's in the 3rd; both have been there since Kindergarten. The teachers, staff, and principal are extremely dedicated to the success of every child there. The Parent Association is solid and supports the teachers' efforts 100% with respect to extracurricular education activities. The student-to-teacher ratio is exceptional! Each student gets the attention they deserve. Student morale is high and misbehavior is low (very low). I feel that my kids are completely safe at this school and even if I moved out of the district, I would be hard pressed to want to pull my kids out of this great place.
Submitted by other on July 30, 2012

This school has always been a disappointment. It is an eye sore in my community, with a focus no test scores not children.
Submitted by parent on June 24, 2011

I have had two children attend San Miguel, and I have been amazed at their level of academic achievement. San Miguel has a tremendous teaching and leadership staff. The teachers that my children had in each grade really cared about my children and their learning. Although the school has lower API scores than some of the schools in the district, this is not reflective of the teaching that happens in the classroom. Both of my children graduated from San Miguel reading above a 12th grade level, and scored very high on the STAR tests each year. Many parents worry about their child being challenged in a school that has lower API scores, but my children were challenged consistently throughout their time at San Miguel. Teachers took the time to provide all levels of learning for all students that challenged them to be their best. I also really liked the uniform policy, and felt the school did a great job with discipline issues as well. Overall, my children received an excellent education at San Miguel, and they were well-prepared for the challenges of middle school and beyond.
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2011

We have been thrilled with our son's progress at San Miguel - he loves school and is thriving in a supportive environment. He is above grade level in all of his academic subjects. The teachers we have had are amazing and must be among the best in the District and they work well as a team. The PTA has been fabulous and the bi-lingual environment and "Peace Keeper" philosophy create an environment where differences are respected and celebrated positively. We were hesitant to enter SM at first, but now are so happy that we have been able to be part of the San Miguel school community. Go Sharks!
Submitted by parent on May 26, 2011

My child entered San Miguel at the kindergarten level. We've had a great experience here! We've had fantastic teachers and a very positive experience working with the staff and principal. The best endorsement I can offer as a parent is my child's stellar academic progress. My son loves the school.
Submitted by parent on February 23, 2008

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