Marina High School

I came to the school with negative perceptions from previous reviews, but after talking to the principal I decided to enroll my kids there. I do not regret it. the teachers are dedicated and management do their best for the best interest of my kids. they communicate with me and try to engage students in several ways.

Absolutely the worst school we have ever encountered across 14 years of school aged children educational experiences. The principal is so removed and completely inactive with regards to any issues at the school - she even makes her own staff and faculty turn a blind eye to the issues in their classrooms. No opportunities for activities, advanced curriculum, or higher educational opportunities to those excelling. This school is only good for one thing - breeding foul language and violence. It’s awful. Avoid at all costs. If you’re forced to attend MPUSD district, then put in for a school transfer ASAP. Keep your kids out of here at all costs.

We just moved here and my 2 daughters say the students are very rude to the teaches and the playgrounds slide is broken and they’re not allowed to use it. The after school program not sure if they help with homework because my child comes home everyday without homework done. A few minor adjustments can turn this around but definitely not happy with the way the school handles things so far.

The school is very small. However, it has a very friendly and welcoming staff. The children all wear uniforms, which cuts down on the daily disagreements on what your child needs to wear. I wish the school had more programs. There is a large Mexican population and offers for English classes. I wish there were more offers for Spanish classes, as other schools have done. It's very small. Not many extras, but the staff and teachers are competent and friendly.

I have worked at Chartwell previously a few years ago. What an amazing school. There is not a better place for kids with learning disabilities. The staff is very well trained, and they have alot of experience working with challenged students. As a parent, I struggled to find a school that was good for my son who has extreme ADHD. I wish I had discovered Chartwell during that time. Chartwell Educators and faculty have the patience and experience educating children that have had difficulty being successful in Public Schools. Not only do they excell in educating students, they have also created an environment that many kids thrive in and enjoy! Many kids are excited to attend school, and look forward to school every day. These were students that previously hated public school and despised going. I highly recommend Chartwell.

POV from English-speaking parent with a child at Dual Language Academy of the Monterey Peninsula (DLAMP)Parents who are looking for an inclusive, dual-language school option for their children should know that schools with bilingual programs won't rank as well on state testing because, well, half of the student body doesn't speak English in their homes and testing is done... you guessed it, in English. Also, your little prince(ess) may not necessarily be the majority anymore so you'll need to embrace other cultures/religions/politics, the goods and the not-so-goods, with empathy and open minds.Our personal experience at DLAMP has been a positive one. No school is perfect but the teachers at DLAMP have all been engaged and cared about my son's education and social happiness. The biggest issue at DLAMP is the teacher turnover rate. Because the MPUSD schools cannot pay as well as neighboring districts, they have an issue keeping and recruiting Bilingual teachers for their program. Fortunately, they've recently partnered with CSUMB and set up programs to help solve that problem.DLAMP is trying to educate children to equal proficiency in two languages by the time they reach 8th grade, regardless of what language is spoken in their homes. This is the reason I chose DLAMP for my son - I want him to think in and speak two languages. This increases his opportunities in life, critical reasoning, and overall global understanding. The COVID distance learning probably affected the bilingual schools more than traditional schools but I was impressed at how the teachers and admin rose to the challenge. My son really missed his friends in 2020 and dropped a bit academically but still talked fondly of his teachers and felt loved by them. If you chose DLAMP or a similar bilingual program, it may seem like a child is lagging behind while in k-3 grades but, if you can be patient and encourage them at home (cartoons in Spanish, penpals, etc), you'll reap the benefits starting around 4th and 5th grades. We are seeing it now and I'm hearing the same from the other parents. YOU, the parents, have to throw in some Spanish activities and time at home, too, though... this is a group effort and needs to be supported at home as well as school. If you're not willing to at least set their apps, games, and cartoon controls to Spanish... then please don't take up an English speakers spot in a limited program that should go to families who understand and will accept the challenge.