50 Conservancy
Irvine, CA 92618

Our family was disappointed with how my child’s 3rd grade class has been managed this year. From the first day of the school year, the class was assigned a long-term substitute due to the teacher’s maternity leave. We requested placement in a classroom with a permanent teacher to ensure stability, but this was denied by both the principal and the district. Unfortunately, within just the first month of school, the substitute teacher was replaced with another substitute. This means the children have had to experience multiple teacher changes, causing emotional disruption and inconsistency in their learning environment. When the principal came to the class to announce the change in substitute teachers, she explained it to the children as “the importance of change and being flexible.” While these are valuable life skills, expecting 8-9-year-old children to process frequent teacher changes as a positive lesson is not realistic. At this age, students need stability, routine, and a consistent teacher they can build trust with not constant disruption in the classroom environment. We are sharing this experience, so other families are aware of how Portola Springs Elementary and the district handle classroom placement and teacher coverage. While the school has a good reputation, our family’s experience has shown that the well-being and stability of the students are not always prioritized. We hope the district will take accountability and improve how they handle situations like this in the future.