6613 Lederer Ave
West Hills, CA 91307

As a parent, I am deeply disappointed with the way this school handles children’s emotional well-being. My experience has been that the administration, particularly the principal, operates in a very controlling and unsympathetic manner. Rather than supporting students and families, the environment often feels punitive and intimidating.There is a serious lack of communication and empathy when it comes to addressing students’ needs or listening to parents’ concerns. Instead of encouraging growth and understanding, the approach often feels like targeting and unfair treatment — especially toward children who may need extra patience or guidance.Welby Way should be a place where children feel safe, supported, and understood. Unfortunately, that has not been our experience. I truly hope the district takes a closer look at how leadership and communication are handled here, because the emotional health of students should always come first.

I’ve had three of my children attend Hale and honestly I have no complaints. Two sons attended the regular school, one with an IEP and 504 plan and my daughter is currently in the Gifted Steam magnet and I’m honestly impress with the academics, support, activities available and the administration. Previous administration didn’t really let parents know what was going on but the new administration is very proactive and communicates with parents about any issues or concerns. I’m not saying it’s a perfect school because it’s a middle school with students going thru puberty but it is an environment where my children feel safe, my concerns are addressed and efforts are being made to make sure that students are supported and that they thrive. They have tutoring and support for students after school, clubs to encourage engagement and teachers that do their jobs. The special education department was also very helpful in helping my students receive the accommodations necessary to succeed in their classes.

I've lived in the valley my whole life and have known of ElCo's stellar reputation. Visiting the campus for shows in the auditorium or games on the field feels a bit like walking into a high school movie. The campus is clean, classrooms are largely upgraded, and you can tell the school is well-funded.Unfortunately, however, the school's good looks on the outside mask what's going on inside. Campus police are a CONSTANT presence, under the guise of safety. But there is a huge difference between having a learning community that prioritizes safety and one that prioritizes rules, regulations, law & order *so* heavily that the school feels more like a prison than an inclusive, supportive learning enviornment. Trust me, take the tour. You'll hear them proudly talk all about constant locker sweeps, WEEKLY drug-sniffing dogs, and their officers stationed at every entrance and exit. The still engage in old school "tardy sweeps" (which we called "tardy lockouts" back in the day), which means that teachers are instructed to lock all doors to, quite literally, LOCK OUT any/all students who are running late to class. It's just another punitive tool in their discipline toolbelt. They also brag about how their ROTC is apparently second in the nation. Second for what, I'm not entirely sure. But I can tell you that a group of 14-15 year-olds warming up for PE are literally being marched to "left, left, left, right, left" whilst looking generally miserable and tired. If you want to send your children to a psuedo military school or think your child would thrive being educated in what feels like a police state, then by all means, enroll at ECR! But if you prioritize SEL learning, authoritative (NOT authoritarian) discipline, and a kind culture that pull students up as opposed to pushing them down and back in line, look elsewhere.