Walnut Elementary School

Banyan is a really special school. My family moved to Newbury Park during Covid and we didn’t know anyone. The house we rented when we moved here is zoned for Banyan and it’s the best thing that came out of this move. We have an entire village now because of Banyan. There are so many opportunities for parents to be involved, not only in our children’s classrooms, but with the school as a whole. The gates are locked during the day, which helps keep our kids safe. I can volunteer as much as my schedule allows, I just have to sign in with the office. I’ve never felt so welcomed at a school. The teachers and staff are absolutely wonderful. My kids are thriving in their classes and excited to go to school every day. The office staff, campus supervisors and even the janitorial staff are all so friendly and add to the Banyan experience. The principal, Mrs. Kennedy, is the absolute best! She truly cares about each and every student and it shows. She’s hardworking and passionate about her job and she makes Banyan a very special place! My family feels at home when we are there.

Our family has been at Cypress for 10 years now. It's an absolutely wonderful school with amazing teachers, an engaged principal and wonderful kids and families. The teachers are very mindful about inclusion and Cypress is becoming an IB School (International Baccalaureate) which focuses on developing lifelong learners. The PTA supports many enrichment activities such as Spanish, Physical Education, Art and Music and puts on family friendly events monthly. You can see the beautiful Santa Monica Mountain range from the fields and blacktop to boot! I cannot recommend this gem of a school enough!

This school is Excellent. The teachers are amazing!

I’ll start by saying that I believe most the teachers at Sycamore Canyon School have good intentions for the students. However, I would strongly disagree on their school website stating that the student to teacher ratio is 23 to 1. Our experience was a 34 students to 1 very overwhelmed teacher in my grade 5 daughters class when she attended. My grade 2 daughter had the same ratio in her classroom. The school will not accept parent classroom volunteers due to disclosure/privacy. So, the teachers remain overwhelmed and students that are struggling or quiet mannered get completely forgotten and fall through the cracks. The schools focus is to the (GATE) gifted and talented students. We were very disappointed and put our kids in different schools after that first year at Sycamore Canyon.

EARThS Magnet School is absolutely amazing for the right student. I have three children. One just graduated and two are still attending EARThS. Everything you read is true. This school has a family atmosphere. The teachers are incredible-ALL of them. The principal is an incredible leader and creates a positive and loving environment. There is a wealth of "extra" activities that contribute to a strong bonded community: Monthly Rallies, an AMAZING carnival, grade level movie nights complete with snacks and lawn chairs, a plethora of hands-on field trips (that actually are part of the classroom learning experience), a stellar music program including weekly music instruction by a credentialed music teacher and strings, band, choir, a science lab with a variety of animals and hands-on interaction/instruction, a working garden, a weather station, and too many other events to list. Students are the kindest and most-inclusive in the entire area. The entire student body is there to support, help and encourage one another.So why the negative reviews? This school is not for every child/parent. Think of this school like a high level university. Both parents and children have to be committed to being part of the EARThS team. This means that parents volunteer at school. It is required. Parents sign a pledge to give ten hours a year to the school. If you do not have ten hours to give to your child's education, this is not the school for you. Like a high level university the academic standards and rigor is very high. If your child is willing to put in the work, this is the right school for him or her. If your child just wants to have fun, choose a different school. It is not that EARThS is not fun. It is. It is highly engaging for the student who can handle a science-based, research driven curriculum. Students who enjoy reading, writing, creating, discussions, and being part of a team will love it here. Students and parents who are looking for the "easy road" will not enjoy EARThS. Like a high level university your child needs to be ready for what this school is offering. Like a high level university, your child should want to be challenged and want to work hard, otherwise the school and the child will not be a good match. The school is easily the best in CVUSD-probably in the entire Ventura County and beyond. UC Berkley helped design their program, but both the parent and the child need to be ready for what will be asked in return.

Absolutely the best school my kids have been in. I transferred my kids to this school because one of them was being bullied at his old school. At Conejo Adventist everybody knows everybody. They all respect and love each other. We're like a big family, always watching for each other. Our kids are happy and they feel loved by their teachers and Principal. The school Principal is such a beautiful human being. She truly loves the school and the kids and she's always working hard to make sure every kid has what they need. She's a beautiful petit lady but her heart is the size of the world.