7569 flower meadow
SD, CA 92126

This is our 3rd failed attempt to place one of our children at this highly ranked local neighborhood school. In our experience, the high rating does not reflect the poor learning environment, the lack of responsiveness when problems arise, and the absolute dismissal by the administrative staff when major concerns are brought to their attention. Here are 3 of our experiences that shaped our decision to use a new school: 1. Class change requests are not approved even for valid reason. Ex. Teacher telling several of her students that she is "taking pictures of (child) being bad" and threatening to send it to their parents. Then denying all parent requests to observe/volunteer in the classroom. The parents were informed by the principal that class change requests were not part of their policy. 2. After our request for an occupational therapy evaluation for choking (as recommended by 3 different therapists and our pediatrician), it was promptly denied by a surprise meeting which was supposed to be a parent teacher conference meeting - we were given no prior notice that this meeting had been changed to an IEP assessment denial meeting. We suspect this impromptu style was intentional. 3. We had hoped our children would associate school with feeling excited about learning, but more days then not, they have come home in tears, discouraged, "feeling stupid", not wanting to go back to school, feeling scared of their teachers, etc. We have found the environment that was created to be hostile, intimidating, unsafe, negligent, and has set back the learning for that year of attendance with each of our 3 attempts. Unfortunately, the best thing we did, was advocate for our children, and change schools.