Terra Cotta Middle School

Staff and parent involvement are 100% in.

I went to this school from kindergarten through the second grade, and I remember it all like it was yesterday. I remember never being able to attend recess due to reasons they never shared with myself or my parents. When a boy lifted up my skirt, I shoved him and the principal was trying to suspend me while the boy got off with not even a warning. The teachers absolutely did not know how to talk to kids, and the fact that I am writing this review 16 years later tells you all that you need to know. I am still upset with my experience at Withrow to this day.

Two of my kids attend Luiseno, I love all the teachers that they’ve had so far. I love how involve the school is with it’s community and how it puts a lot of effort into keeping students busy with activities outside of school hours. They are always being supervised during recess to prevent any type of bullying. Great school overall!

As someone who attended this school, I must say that my experience was far from positive. They impose almost no punishment for inappropriate behavior, allowing students to get away with almost anything, often only receiving a lunch detention in the principal's office. You can easily blame anyone for anything, and the administration tends to believe those accusations without proper investigation. Frequently, when a student is in trouble, it’s often not due to any actual wrongdoing on their part. There is a noticeable lack of concern for student learning. While there are a few "good" teachers, having them does not guarantee a meaningful educational experience, and many times it feels like you aren’t learning anything at all. Additionally, the cafeteria food is largely inedible, with a staggering 90% of the time being unsatisfactory. Overall, I would not recommend this school to anyone considering enrollment, as these issues significantly detract from the overall educational experience.