Dunecrest Ave, Monterey, CA 93940

The leadership was one of the biggest problems, the principal was rude, dismissive & rarely took accountability when concerns were brought forward. It often seemed more important to be accepted by the students than to maintain the professionalism and authority I would expect from the principal of an elementary/middle school. The front office was also consistently unpleasant and unhelpful. Safety was another major concern. There were numerous occasions when school gates were left open & I was very uncomfortable with how easily people appeared to have access to the school. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, I would strongly encourage you to ask very specific questions about how accommodations & services are actually being provided. Based on our experience, my child was pulled out of class supposedly to receive additional help, but instead ended up sitting with a group of other students without receiving the individualized support we were expecting. Bullying & student behavior were also extremely concerning. Fighting & inappropriate behavior seemed far too common. What was especially disturbing to me was seeing students sent to the front office for serious behavior & then seemingly being given snacks and allowed to hang out rather than receiving meaningful consequences or accountability. Middle school students sharing restrooms with kindergarten-aged children. Another issue was the cafeteria. Students were routinely expected to eat outside regardless of the weather, despite there being a large indoor cafeteria area with tables that was always available. I found this completely unacceptable, when brought up to the principal she replied with “send an umbrella”. The biggest issue throughout our experience was the lack of accountability. When parents raise legitimate concerns, they should feel heard, respected & confident that the school will take action.Unfortunately, that was not our experience. Our experience was not what I expected from a school entrusted with the care, education & safety of children. I would not recommend this school to other families. Visit the campus. Ask how IEP/504 services are monitored. Ask about bullying procedures, campus security, restroom policies & how behavioral incidents are handled. Don’t let them fool you!