George K. Porter Middle School is truly a gem. My family has been connected to this school for over a decade, and now my seventh-grade son attends after years of homeschooling. The transition has been nothing short of amazing--he's made friends quickly, and every single teacher and staff member has shown kindness, warmth, and genuine care. The leadership is inspiring. The principal (going on his third year) is passionate and present--you can tell he loves being here, and that energy shines throughout the school. The vice principals are equally supportive and approachable. What stands out most is how much pride everyone takes in this campus. From the teachers to the staff who care for the grounds, you can feel the love. The campus is always spotless, green, and beautiful--it honestly feels like stepping into a special place. I also deeply appreciate the school's inclusivity. From the posters on the walls to the environment in the classrooms, all students are represented and celebrated. My son feels safe, supported, and seen here, and as a parent, that means everything. Porter Middle School is more than a school--it's a community. I'm so grateful my family is part of it. read more

As a parent, this school was the worst of the worst, EVERYTHING about this school was unpleasant, the school was dirty, horrible cafeteria food, bad students, bad teachers. Please do not do the mistake of bringing your children into this establishment. Ignore all of those "5 star" comments. Trust me you will regret it! -Donatella the III read more

Porter has gone downhill in recent years. Many of the great teachers have left or retired, and what's left is a school that feels unorganized and indifferent. Bullying is a huge issue in the Gifted Magnet, and the school turns a blind eye to it. The emotional well-being of students is clearly not a priority here. The staff is largely unresponsive and often incompetent. Teachers rarely answer emails, and communication with parents is almost nonexistent. The facilities are outdated, worn down, and in desperate need of attention. There are no real school events, parent involvement is practically nonexistent, and the PTA has no presence. Don't be fooled by the uplifting school tours -- they present an image that simply isn't the reality. The truth is, the environment is negative, the community is disengaged, and the support for students is minimal. This school is not what it claims to be, and I would strongly caution parents to look elsewhere. read more

La mejor experiencia que mi hijo ha tenido como estudiante. 100%recomendada Excelentes maestros. Muy contenta de sus logros y provecho de aprendizaje. read more

George K. Porter Middle School - Graduation ceremony - Middle Schools & High Schools Near Me - Granada Hills, California

See all

My daughter goes there, and we have had our ups and downs--from low staffing in 6th grade to being fully recognized now that she's in 8th. All concerns I've raised with the Principal have been addressed. More importantly, I noticed my daughter wasn't challenged in her classes, and the Data Coordinator and Magnet Counselor supported us in getting her into the right class immediately. As parents, we must stay involved in a constructive way and work with the school, not against it, for the benefit of our children and the community. I believe that's what makes Porter such an amazing school. I'm happy my daughter is there, and so is she. read more

I brought my daughter to this school, it was terrible. The teachers did not care about the education of our children. The students misbehaved, the staff was dismissive, and they had unfathomable cafeteria food. Please never bring your child to this establishment. read more

this school has the worst communication skills. when you call the attendance office more than 2 to leave a message the lady there will NOT answer the phone she see the number on the caller ID and won't pick up the call which triggers me as a parent when I'm trying to reach out for info on my child's IEP. they are so messy, no communication, and no call back smh. if you have a child w a disability in this school they will get bullied and safety plans does not work. no strong discipline for the bullies just a simple talk and that's all. they need to apply more discipline in the deans office. NOT A GOOD SCHOOL read more

The school was fine when I went to it. The teachers fail to care and one even grabbed a kid. That same teacher also got so mad that they smashed a stick on their desk until it shattered and flew everywhere. Also a girl that went for a bit asked if I wanted weed and I said no then I told someone and absolutely nothing happened. They seem to be very strict on their phone rule I guess. Also the first few weeks of school a teacher made me cry over something I didn't do. I also had terrible rashes on my arms and when I asked to go see the school nurse she said no so I just went to the bathroom for most of the time. I had a breakdown again as well and a staff member saw me and was upset that I wasn't in class. No comfort, no concern, just annoyance as they led me back to class. There was a lot of fights however it died down a bit after the phone ban. Another thing was the fact we couldn't have lockers anymore so we had to carry multiple books. The music teacher is good though. The rest either don't care or have anger issues from the ones I've had but that's true for most schools. read more

Let us speak truth here.This school was going in the right direction because my grandkids liked the school so much better. The principal was having saturday school to help our kids learn math and she participated in activities that made it seemed like she cared. We had some bad teachers and my grandkid said one of them made fun of the prinicpal. i thought this was disrespectful and I complained to the district but no response. The post on 6/28 blames the principal and staff but maybe blame the district boss who is supposed to help? I asked where the principal was the last two months of school and i was told to ask some Ye lady? Just when things are getting better, they take from our children. LAUSD doesn't like brown and black children because the one minority principal we have that was doing better for us she is gone with no explanation. read more

Do not send your kids here. Very disappointed with the performance of Principal and teachers. I wish I knew before, how careless and unprofessional are the stuff. Only fights and vaping rule in this place. Educators are an experience and others are in the wrong profession. Please do not leave your child here. read more

This school wasn't the best or worst. I'd say it be the students here, they really need to keep in check with them because when I was there the students were bullying a lot and my sister goes there she says some girl had a vape and I believe that many kids these days are up to bad things, wouldn't recommend this school, the teacher I only liked was Mr. Vega as well as the Garden teacher, forgot his name lol read more

I attended this school back in 1984-85 when it was called George K. Porter Jr High. So much of it still looks the same except for the slight name-change - to 'Middle School' now instead of Junior High like how we knew of it from the good old days. The teachers were great, as well as all the staff members, and greatly most of the students got along all fine like one big family! Hey that was the 80s, a time when everything was fine and dandy! This was an excellent school as far as I can remember and it saddens me to hear of some of the recent not-so-good reviews. Hope they'll improve and prolonged the great traditions of yesteryear. That said, so glad the school still stands to this day, and how I missed the great times and the good old days of my youth of being there. Oh don't I wish I have a DeLorean now so I can programmed the date back to September 1985. read more

If you're a parent reading this don't send your kid to this school I was a student here and I won't even say what year since, well, anonymity is bliss, but trigger warning for self h*rm and s*xu*l h*r*ssm*nt. So it's kind of rare to find a teacher that is nice (depends what grade you're in but I was in an early grade) but in my years there only one of my teachers that I interacted with for barely 2 months was really nice but then the rest of them were either too busy yelling at kids continuously or just not caring about the students they weren't besties with. Bullying is one of the main issues here if you choose to send your kid here always check in on them please when I was here I got involved with some people just because I wanted to be popular (I was in a weird phase sorry) and got into an unwanted fight because of a misunderstanding, I literally got bullied until I had to leave, I harmed myself and was diagnosed with dysmythia, getting sexually harassed very young there didn't help either. This is getting long so I'll add some more things I noticed, the cafeteria is horrible it's always dirty and a mess, fights occurred probably once every 2 weeks, if someone pulls out a knife in the middle of a fight don't be surprised. I can't even count the amount of times someone was caught vaping or doing drugs any corner of the school and didn't get suspended most of the times, because again besties with the staff. In conclusion, don't send your kid here I can list a variety of middle schools near that area that are at least somewhat better, mind that I went here a few years earlier so things could have changed, I still talk to one person from there who has been such a helpful friend coping with all the things that went down. And if someone finds out who wrote this, you're not helping at all don't try to be funny or popular, my mental health is still not doing great after 2 years of being in this place and just stop please. If you're a kid who is about to go to this school and decided to do some research I hope you can change your parents minds and if not stick to being friends with 3 unpopular people mind your own business and don't try to be popular. read more

this school made my kids so self conches they would make random searches and mostly with my daughter just because she had a tampon or a pad in her Sleave and it's doesn't help that shes black she shouldn't have to deal with this stuff at school when she already deals with it outside of school with those kids and there racist stereotypes and the teachers are worse they don't help for nothing mostly Ms potash and Ms Ruelas my daughter clames that these teachers in particular don't help at all with her education and to make it worse they don't get that she's a girl and when its her time they don't let her go to the bathroom when they themselves are also womens read more

Update 3/22/20: The school has only gotten worse we have a new principle which is isn't any better than the last one. The eighth grade activities here aren't fun and are just plain boring. The teachers have taken a step down from last year and i'm glad I won't have to be here anymore. The cafeteria is still a horrible war zone. The school has a rodent problem. This school can't take no jokes. I need to use the bathroom. The school's students are delinquents. So please anybody who's thinking of going do not please. Also kids vape in the bathroom. read more

I went to this school for three years. Curriculum: 8/10 Teachers: 14/10 Bully free: 5/10 Extracurricular activities: 6/10 Great classes, but a lot of stupid people running around swearing. read more

The teachers here are ok. My child goes here and there was a substitute. the substitute was so mean she screamed at all the kids and made my kid sit in the back. Now for the dress code, it's ok. The only thing that I don't understand is when you have to do your daily pass on your phone but they don't let you go on your phone at lunch read more

great school! i made lots of friends i was here one year and had a great time. but the bell schedule here was an absolute nightmare and i disliked every day being a different a different schedule and the school being really stressful at times, but the worst part was last year. They took out a very well principal. that principal was taken out of the school for no apparent reason at all, and that principal was one of the best principles out there and I say we should bring her back. this new principal is all right, even though I haven't met him all the well, but I say the old principal should've never left the school for no apparent reason at all or at least given a notice to the parent why she left because she was very loved and she should've stayed there has also been many accounts of police officers actually entering the school while I have been here and I don't know the reason why but I say that this school should be a little more safer to students and teachers alike if police officers and law firm are actually coming in the school. this school has a lot of potential in the way, and I feel like they should improve more on schools extra activity's to do. read more

Porter MS in Granada Hills seems to be a great school with high API scores. However, as with any schools, Porter MS has a mixture of good and bad traits. The school has great teachers who strive to educate, engage, and challenge their students, but they also have sub-par teachers who have stopped making the effort to really teach and engage their students and merely go through the motion of getting through the school year. Communication between the school administrators and the students home varies. There have been several occasions when there is little notifications given about school events or activities. They do try to update the announcements on the school website, which is where I refer to so that I am aware of upcoming events. I do have to commend some of the staff at the school for their effort to be more present and available to the students, particularly the Dean of Students, Mr. B. Smith. I often see him out in the field conversing with students, asking them about any problems or concerns they may have. From personal experience, I have Noticed how responsive he is about any concerns brought to his attention, and always follows up. Parking after school is very limited and gets over crowded. Parents often double-park, park in red-zones, or block residential driveways, which is not only a nuisance, but also a safety hazard for the students. The problem only gets resolve when the police or parking enforcements patrol the school, but as soon as they leave, parents regress back to their bad habits. Overall, I am satisfied with this school's performance, particularly the gifted SAS Program (School for Advance Studies) and feel safe sending my kids to school here. I have also heard great things about their Magnet School, but can't speak to it personally. read more

This school has gone down hill so fast. Teachers don't care enough anymore, they kick out students that have made trouble then let them back in, there way of resolving a situation is not the greatest - it still leaves a problem, so many parents I run into have said the same thing about there son or daughter who attend they want to remove them. I remember growing up myself wanting my kids to attend because it was a great school. Not anymore Beware!!! read more

Worst school I've ever been to never come their is way too much trash way too much bullies, the staff probably won't help you with the bullies and plus I found a cockroach in the cafeteria oh don't get me started on the cafeteria it's always left looking disgusting and man the kids are just terrible at that school not kind at all well at least for some but this school it's just TERRIBLE i will never come here oh yeah and the food is disgusting read more

Went here for 6-7 and some of 8th before transferring to an online school. It was a goddamn terrible experience, the staff was incompetent and wouldn't help with anything, there was always fights between magnet and sas kids, etc. Kids would outright harass teachers and others and the worst that happened to them was getting sent outside. Their nurses and reaction to mental health are also terrible: some kid sprained their ankle and the nurse gave them a ice pack and forced them to their class after five minutes and another kid had a full on breakdown in class, was just told to go outside. Magnet kids are told stuff like "you guys are magnet, that's stuff resident kids would do" and "even resident kids wouldn't do that" and the resident kids would be told the opposite so all the different classes hated each other. If the administration wanted to encourage healthy competition between the classes they wouldn't compare classes to each other and make the students feel inferior. There's always fights in the hallways and cafeteria and the new principle seems to think if she can't see any problems they don't exist. There's a few nice teachers, who are actually decent and teach well but a lot act like children are the worst thing on earth. Kids who think slurs are hot shit will literally make your life hell for just existing and no one will stop them. I had some ok experiences here but it probably wasn't worth the stress and trauma that messed me up. Teachers think your kid is a lost cause if they're not in honors or magnet, Just send your kid to some other middle school. If do you send your kid here, hope this place has changed a little and check in on them often, cause this place will mess you up. read more

Love the school, but, the parking is chaotic, parents double park, park in the red, or drive up and block the street and pick up their kid, so they don't have to park like everyone else. They also don't let the kids cross at the stop signs. Parking enforcement will NOT happen until a child gets hurt that's how it goes. Remember school busses? Every other state in America has them!! Here only special Ed and gifted kids. read more

Eh. It was ok. There was strife between the 'gifted magnet' kids who were bussed in and the local gifted kids, who weren't offered the same choices. read more

Great shool everybody wants the best for your kids and everybody willing to help for them to succeed great teachers and staff best school

I previously go there and I find it a great school but the only problem is the magnet and honors/resident kids are all separated and hardly talk to each other and I'm in honors and I find it hard to talk to the magnet students. Yes this school is bully free read more

Horrible School. Not bully free. I've been told from friends that have kids in this school even the staff is horrible and difficult. I went to that school three separate times to try to sign up my son for 6th grade one of the occasions a lady in front of me forgot the immunization card and the staff told her no problem bring it the following day when I went to sign up my son a day before school started. Im in a process of moving and getting my utility bill in a rush I forgot my immunization card the same lady that let another parent bring the immunization card the next day did not let me bring it the following day. I had a very hard time trying to sign up my son my. My son just started 6th grade I was advised and called the school myself that the sixth graders will not have lockers this year. My son will have to carry all his books to school everyday in his backpack no lockers. With all the books in his backpack it weighs around 11 pounds there's nothing that they can do about it horrible. Im stuck because this is the school for my addresses. :( read more