The rudest staff ! I can't put into words how the staff acts…read morewhen you approach the front desk. Most of the time they busy themselves and don't acknowledge you until you say excuse me. I'm a grandmother I don't look like a student. Now I just called to ask about dismissal time and was spoken to in a flippant disrespectful way. I'm always pleasant never rude. Sure they are busy but I'm so sick of putting up with their unprofessional attitude. I attended this same school in the 70's and it was horrible then and I guess although the buildings are painted the staff still acting as though they are working for free so no need for professionalism. As they say work environment starts from the top. RBUSD needs to check out why ADAMS has such a low rating . It's not the kids it's the staff that need training in professional manners.

The jazz band is the only band that plays well, but the school is very clean and the front office…read moreis nice.

This school has its good sides and bad sides. On one hand, the teachers are super experienced and…read moreall are super smart. Many of them try their best to help each and every student. The administration is where I think many people dislike. The TOSA loves to accuse people and approaches people in a very disturbing manner. She assumes that the students have done something wrong. When she is dealing with an incident, she changes the story and manipulates students minds to get the to "fake confess". She pits students against each other with fake accounts and stories.

Not the best staff and one staff member is very aggressive and not just me who thinks that other…read morestudents did too. I was once grabbed and pulled by him for helping my friend. A lot of improvement could be done. Great teaches i have had on the other hand

I did not like this school at all. First of all, the system when I was here was terrible. I…read moreliterally have to change it around with my counselor each year that I was here. This was annoying because it was very inconvenient and frustrating. Secondly, terrible student wifi and cellular data here! The student wifi has weak security! Not very good at all! Sometimes the cellular data on my phone goes to 3G! The wifi/cellular data here is even worse during office hours! It's very slow! I was playing Kahoot for my classmates and Kahoot wasn't loading probably! Please improve your student wifi and your cellular data speed here! Will not be returning here!

What a great school and sports facilities. Coaching Staff…read moreare really professional and positive. A lot of great talent at all levels

I visited The Manhattan Beach Middle School and the campus looked nice and parking was spacious. I…read morewas helped / assisted by a very professional at the front desk area named Michelle. She was excellent in providing information and had a very friendly disposition that was very welcoming and gracious.

6 free open play PB courts. Rotate players…read more 3 pay per use or monthly pass PB courts. On a Sunday 4 pm, these courts are pretty empty and it doesn't look like there's anyone that regulates, makes you pay, or caps # of players when it's empty. I could be wrong but everyone said they just walked on and played with their own designated group. Huge parking lot + lots of free curb side parking.

I saw the West High Theatre department's musical production of Grease and was quite impressed! The…read moremusical was held at West High's Performing Arts Center and auditorium which was quite spacious. The sound and lights were spot on and the whole production was really nice. Overall I was impressed with how well the high school kids performed and the modern art facility. I had a great time watching Grease here. Well done, West High!

I was a West High School student in 2018 and had Mary Callahan Flaxman as my Algebra 1 teacher…read more Unfortunately, she was one of the most unhelpful and impatient teachers I've ever had. She would tell students to raise their hand if they needed help, but when I actually did and asked questions, she would get irritated and tell me to "figure it out myself." There was even a time I got frustrated and quietly said to classmates, "What's the point of asking for help if she won't help me?" and she came up to me and embarrassed me in front of the entire class. That situation made me feel humiliated and genuinely affected me emotionally. No student should feel scared to ask for help in a classroom. A teacher should support students who are struggling, not shame them for it. I'm also still in contact with staff from West High, and I've heard similar concerns over the years about her behavior and lack of patience. It's disappointing that this seems to be an ongoing issue.

This school was so incredibly damaging to my child. He went into the school with what a public…read moreschool would call an IEP. They wrote him something called a "step program", They never followed it. The teachers berated him and treated him as if he were a bad child. The "dean of men" told me that he would never treat my child any differently than the other kids. Even though, my son struggled with some neurodivergent issues. We are still dealing with the repercussions of having gone to this school. Do not send your child to Bishop Montgomery High School. Particularly if they are neurodivergent in any way.

Awesome school excellent academics and sports. So many clubs to choose from . I really like how…read moreorganized the school is they have someone assigned to every department. No questions go on answers.

Review #995 2026-065…read more Let me preface that this review is for an event that was held at/hosted by South High School. Opened (3rd) in 1957, South High School is 1 of 4 high schools serving students in grades 9 - 12 in Torrance Unified School District; according to their website, they're the #1 ranked high school in TUSD. The school also rents its space to Asahi Gakuen, a weekend non-profit Japanese language school. Did you know "American Beauty" was filmed at South High School during 1998 - 1999 winter break? For 2025 - 2026, the school is helmed by Principal Jim Evans & supported by Assistant Principal Dr. Tera Black. The 2026 TUSD "Academic Pentathlon" was held at South High School, hosting since post pandemic. It's an annual academic competition for 4th - 5th grade students that tests their knowledge on multiple (5) subjects: math, science, social science, art, literature. Winners receive medals & trophies for their school. Unlike Math Field Day, there's no county (LACOE) competition since it's primarily for middle school students. My son competed for 1 of 4 spots representing Hickory Elementary's 4th Grade Team. The hour-long competition consisted of 2 teams of 4 (comprised of 2 4th grade & 5th grade students) for their school to answer 50 questions; it was announced at the end that there were 49 questions due to an error. There was a short break at the midpoint of the competition, & another at the end while the scores are tabulated. The school's score is the calculated mean of their 2 teams. Unlike Math Field Day, there's no "trail mix" snacks offered during breaks so we gave M a quickie snack at home before the competition, & added a granola bar in case he needed a little lift. The auditorium wasn't as packed with competitors... I think maybe 1/2 of TUSD's elementary schools participated? Though it was standing room only with all the parents & families out to support their children. 2026 Academic Pentathlon Winners 1st: Victor ES (40.5 points) 2nd: Hickory ES (38 points; so proud of my l'il guy & his teammates!) 3rd: Towers ES (35 points) No back-to-back wins for Hickory ES (placed 1st in 2025)... M plans to come back next year to help regain the honors before he graduates. =D Congrats to all the lifelong learners... great job!!

Now, let me tell you that my kids do not go to this school, but if I lived in the area they would…read more We were there to go to their wonderful and new theater to see a play for Special Needs kids, of which my grandson is one. The people working there were so nice and patient with all 4 showings. It was put on by Anchorless Productions and the Friendship foundation. First, parking is so easy right in front to the theater. The theater itself is beautiful and spotless. It is comfortable and seating is easy. They are great with disabled people and are just super nice. They have it all, from the cool curtain to a super sound system. We were so lucky to be able to use this venue for the play. Before the play we walked around just a little bit, a lot of it was locked as it was a weekend, but the football field is so pretty and there is a tennis area. I think this school does a lot of performing arts. I wish all schools looked like this.

We've had two nieces graduate from Vistamar and our daughter is currently a junior. We have been…read morethrilled with the experience that all three kids have had at the school. The school has an excellent academic program. The curriculum was carefully researched and designed based on best-of-breed programs from private high schools and universities across the country. Classes are rigorous and the faculty is knowledgeable and very focused on the learning environment. We've observed how our daughter has quickly become comfortable seeking out her teachers when she has questions, attending office hours, and becoming a strong self-advocate. Great skills to have for both college and life. One of the most amazing things about the school is the strong culture that Vistamar has created. While the pressure of academics is part of the experience, much of it is neutralized by the strong sense of community and support across both faculty and students. It's an environment that has been really beneficial to our daughter, because it's one that encourages kids to take risks and try new things. She's discovered areas of passion that she may never have found had she not been at Vistamar. Again, something that we want our kids to find at this age so that they can have it for the rest of their lives. The school also does an excellent job bringing students together from different backgrounds and points of view and, through the culture they've created, enable them to build relationships and work together. Group learning and group activities are a big part of the learning culture which help develop skills that will last a long time. The actual school building can be a bit surprising when you look at it from the outside. It's much more of the converted-warehouse-tech-company sort of look than the green-campus-boarding-school. But step inside and watch how the kids work and interact with the environment. It's designed in a way where students and faculty are constantly interacting and creates a comfortable environment where you will often see students lingering well into the evening.

I have two daughters, one who chose to attend Vistamar School. It was the best decision we made…read morefor her. (My other daughter attended a different high school that was the perfect fit for her.) Vistamar is a unique and special school. Its most important characteristic is their intentionality. They have carefully thought through each part of a high school and made intentional choices to build a different and excellent small high school that allows each child to bring their individuality to school every day. The intentionality comes up in both large (why they offer Spanish and Chinese in their language program and require students to pass an oral proficiency language exam in order to graduate) and small (the temperature in the building) ways. You will not find a more enthusiastic and dedicated faculty. Their math program is incredibly strong that is joyfully brought to life by amazing teachers. Their high-level Humanities curriculum requires engagement with great and challenging literature like The Odyssey. My daughter, who wants to be a doctor, has taken advantage of the robust science offerings. All of this is wrapped by two key principals: (a) small class sizes that allow the faculty to know your student and (b) the idea that "there are no spectators" in learning. Your students will be challenged and engaged. As for extracurricular activities, this small school has a number of great opportunities for students. On their sports program, you are not going to have Friday Night Lights football. But what I appreciate about their program is that students are encouraged to try new activities. They have a "no cut" policy when it comes to sports. Their program is built to inspire students to build good, long-term, healthy lifestyle habits and find opportunities to go outside their comfort zone, as well as make new friends. On college prep, the school has built a system that prepares students to be successful in college, while not making the students feel pressurized by the college application process. The school does not want to have students focus their entire high school time on getting into college. The counseling team works closely with each student to ensure that they get into the college that is the best fit for them. As someone who has worked in education for most of my career and as someone who has seen the joy in my daughter's eyes when she talks about her school, I cannot recommend this excellent and innovative high school strongly enough.