Charles Maclay Middle School

12540 Pierce Ave.

School District

Los Angeles Unified
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
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 other on November 12, 2015

I attended Maclay from 1-12 grade. It was a wonderful learning environment largely free from prejudice or bullying. The teachers were almost uniformly excellent and I was extremely well prepared for college. I would happily send my own kids there.
Submitted by teacher on June 04, 2014

In response to the previous review: Teachers create culture. Culture is dynamic, by definition. We as teachers/staff have the opportunity to engage with wonderful volunteer parents and others to create a positive culture here. I believe that individual empowerment is much more powerful in creating positive change, than negative generalizations which impede the progress we seek. I personally am currently learning more about the power of the tongue. For some reason I am slow to learn; I think I'm being upfront and task-oriented in a positive way, with the best of intentions, but careless words still escape my lips, revealing roots of faulty, negative stereotypes - and bringing conflict instead of positive change. The lesson is painful but I embrace it and will continue to seek to grow, empower, and bless. There are so many eager students and good teachers here! I want to rise up and meet those (who are from this culture) who have gone up ahead of me. I think of my teacher hero, Jaime Escalante. He didn't wait for the student culture to catch up to him. He invented the culture. Let's do what it takes, (inside ourselves first), to join him. :-)
Submitted by teacher on May 19, 2014

Until the culture of the school changes it will not be a good school. This is the school where good kids come to be punished by the vast majority of students who do not want to be there and try to ruin the educational experience for everyone else. The teachers and staff care immensely about the students and their education, but it is impossible to teach when you have to play the role of police officer most of time. The student population as a whole could not care less about choosing a diploma over parole paperwork. When all but 3 students are the problem it makes it very difficult to do anything. I would like to see parents sitting next to every problem student. If mom or dad has to take off work to discipline their student every time they go crazy in the classroom I think it would end the major behavior problems. Maybe the "breakfast in the classroom" program would even mean more than just having items to start a classroom food fight. The students can do the work, they refuse. Whether it is a cultural issue where a good education is not valued in their home or just a loss of control at home by the parents, something has to be done. None of the faculty let their kids go here.
Submitted by other on June 15, 2013

I'm Valerie Malespin grade 7, now going on to 8th. This really is a great school, with teachers working hard to get their students engaged in learning and to help them understand that education is very important. There is only one problem, some of the kids at this school are a bit too ingnorant and caught up in popularity that it is what makes them slip, if they could just be pushed in the correct direction, then all will be well. There are many helpful and excellent programs at this school that will help the students academically such as; the 'Determined to Dream' reading program and the YS+ program. You've may or may not have heard what people say, that this school is 'ghetto' and bad, but really, see for yourself, don't just believe what the end of the grape vine tells you, see for yourself, the kids have grown so much and the school, too. This is coming from a former student, this is a great school and I will probably never forget about it. This wonderful school deserves a four.
Submitted by other on April 24, 2011

Well Hello There I Go To Maclay Middle School.' : ) Boyy It Is A Pretty Interesting School. Alot Of Things Go On There But Thats What Makes It Fun. AnyWaysz ... Well When Many People Here The School MaclayMs They Start Critisizing And Say"Ohh Maclay This,Maclay That, It's Such A Bad School.,,"BlaahBlaaahhBlllah.! They Think It's A Place For Cholas && Cholos. But Nahh They'r Wrong.! That Was All In The Past And I Think They Should Let It Go Because The Past Is The Past. Well Maclay Is A Very GRREAAT School For The 3Years I've Been There I Have Learned ALOOT.!All The Teachers [Staff] Are Nice and They All Care About You. Some Of Them Are Cool To Talk With And Sometimes There Funny.! Oh And The Students They Are All Very Nice. I Get Along With EveryOne There 6th,7th,& Oviously 8th Graders. I Have So Many GREAT Friends There!! If I Would've Never Gone There I Would've Never Met All The Great Friend I Have Now They Are Al Very Important To Me I Consider Some Of Them Like My Family Thats How Nice and Kind They Are To Me. Maclay Is Clean Compare To Many Other Schools&& Theres Really Not Alolt Of Drama There. Well I Love That School It's The Best'!!!! -- With Much Love Sonia.H : )<3
Submitted by other on April 15, 2011

I ATTEND TO MACLAY MIDDLE SCHOOL IAND I THINK ITS A GRAET SCHOOL ALL THE STAFF ARE REALLY GREAT AND THEY CARE ALOT ABOUT YOUR FUTUTRE I THINK ILL TELL OTHERS ABOUT THIS SCHOOL IT HAS THE HISTOY OF BEING BAD BUT ITS REALLY GREAT AND FUN TO GO MARIA GONZALEZ PERIOD 7/8
Submitted by other on April 14, 2011

This school is cool because we can do a lot of activities and the teachers and staff are great. They help us with everything.
Submitted by other on April 14, 2011

These Past Years Att Maclayy Middle Have Been Great. Not Onlyy Because Of The Teachers That iHad But Because Of All The People That iMet There. ( : At Times It Can Be Reallyy Borringg But Other Than That Itss All Good. Maclayy Might Not Be One Of The Most BEST Schools But It Isnt As Bad As Some People Say. Hmm And It Has Alot Of Programs That People Can Join So Yeaa Itss Prettyy Niceee'( x -Loveee,, Sandraaa M. >.<3' (Periodd 7'&'8)
Submitted by other on April 14, 2011

Honestly I tjink maclay is a lame school they give nasty food and some dumb rules and it would be better if we didnt have to wear uniform also if the didnt have random searches in the morning also when you get food in the cafeteria they make u grab everything when yout just ganna throw it away and waste it
Submitted by other on April 14, 2011

Maclay middle school......uumm its an okay school... What i like about maclay its that theres so many opportunity to get a headstart to college...Like the project grad program,after school...What i dislike is that the cafeteria gives nastyy food they should start giving out better food to us..But other than the maclay is an okay school...:)))) -Jazmin Ortega- period 5/6
Submitted by other on April 14, 2011

Maclay ia an alright school for me. one thing that is good that it has many oppertunities. it also has many programs to teach you about high school and college. which is a good thing it helps kids prepare for life. many kids dont know what to do but it helps you. goog thing there is a school like maclay......:))))...Alyssa Castrellon (per.5-6)
Submitted by other on April 14, 2011

Maclay middle is a pretty good school but some of the teachers i don't like and the students are weird. There is all types of students there and they're weird its funny.Rawr rawr rawr rawr rawr. Hehe funny well thats all i have to say.
Submitted by other on April 14, 2011

i think maclay is an O.K school.i think that maclay is an o.k school becuse i hated when they do those random searches in the morning 1 of all there is a big line nd it wastes time to search .sometimes i hated when staff or teachers blame u on something u didnt do.i also hated when the lunch ladies tell u to get everything even if u dont want to nd most of the times it will end up in the trash.----Moises rodriguez-per 5/6
Submitted by other on April 13, 2011

Maclay middle school is an good school. I have only been here since september and I have had a lot of fun. There are many programs that you can do after school. Most of the teachers are nice and fair. I like most of my classes and I get every thing that I learn. -Alicia Rios p.7/8
Submitted by other on April 13, 2011

Maclay for me is an alright school. Its diffrent for other people though. For some its great and for others its the worst! It does offer difrent programs but im not in any of them. The school has improved, and the students have grown too. Jose D. Garcia (Mr. Garcia English Period 5/6)
Submitted by other on April 13, 2011

...Maclay Middle school was a good school since 6 grade. Before me and my classmates came along the school was just bad. Then the test scores for CST went up and the grades. Is better than the other schools around. Some the people are great but sometime they could, yeah. The teachers are awsome and very nice. I would always looks back when I went to Maclay. -Ashlynn Coreas
Submitted by other on April 13, 2011

Maclay m.s is a good school.There are nice teachers that teach really good. i dont like the way how some students disrespect teachers. i like that we, 8 th graders have a history/french teacher named Ms.North. Lastly, we are lucky to have a determine to dream contest to win money because no other schools have the contest like Maclay does.- Edith Serrano
Submitted by other on April 12, 2011

I think maclay is a very good school. It is better than my old school. Teachers at macly care more and teach better. They also care if we do well and help us on problems we have. Although there are some times the school does things that is not fair I still thimk Maclay is a excellent school.-Diana molina
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2011

maclay middle school! were should i start! maclay is a home 2 me! we are all like a big family! yahh even though we have had bad times we will all look bad 1 day and laugh and enjoy those moments! remember once a maclay lion always 1 in heart! maclay is just preparing us 4 high school! high school wont be so easy! the staff is awesome! well and those people who suffer 4 love shouldent beacause we are just in middle school! when we get 2 high school we can chose a rite guy! guadalupe rodriguez<333
Submitted by other on April 12, 2011

this school was fun the last 3 years i've been there. u never know what will happen at that school. its not the best school to be in but its not the worse school either. its full of great teachers that give it their all to help you get an education. I'll always remember how great the school was. Latrell.J.johnson