I left this school after my son attended K-3. They definitely have a principal that is rude to…read moreparents, as stated below. They also have an unfriendly vibe overall and, as stated, the principal comes off as uncaring in many areas yet overzealous with unfounded reprimands. I have never experienced a school with so many issues with infighting amongst the students - including bullying. We gave it our best "go" and they do have engaged, dedicated teachers and staff, but the problems are at the top. The last straw was spring 2019 when a 1st grade parent (and the husband of a Portola teacher) approached my child and his friend over his own child's lost football. He interrogated them, preventing them from getting on their after-care bus; boarded the bus to further interrogate the boys and, after being removed from the bus, followed the bus in his own car to the childcare facility (while filming it out the window with his cell phone) where he entered the childcare facility (totally against their protocol) and was finally prevented from his maniacal stalking escapade when the childcare director intervened. The experience was reported to the principal by the childcare director and myself and was handled ineptly and sans empathy. No one at the school or district level could tell me the student safety policy - I had to dig for it online. I took it next level (Superintendent) but was not heard. In the end, no one was able to tell me why my child was able to be verbally accosted for over 15 minutes - why the poor childcare bus driver had to act alone without school support staff - with a bus-load of children - and why this parent -- who is constantly on school property due to his own job and spouse-affiliation was never asked to sit with the boys and apologize or tell them they are safe and that THEY did the right thing (told the truth- that they did not have his son's football/which was later found) even though HE did not do right by them, or the other children or the young driver who was visibly shaken by the incident. The only person that DID react with professionalism, accurate sensitivity and safety protocol was the childcare director. I wonder if that 1st grade parent knows this director had to call an immediate safety meeting amongst her staff and afterward, a "stranger-danger" meeting with every child under her care that day? Shame on him, shame on the Portola principal and shame on the VUSD staff and management that wouldn't return my calls and couldn't answer basic safety questions about their school. It took them TWO months to call a meeting with me. Happily, we found a new school that has a warm, safe environment and professional, capable- seeming principal and staff-- so far so good!

It's our second year at Portola & we couldn't be more pleased. The principal & teachers we've had…read more(Mrs.Smith & Mrs. Chilcutt) are engaged, caring & fantastic! I've never seen a principal engage with students the way Mr. Ruiz does. We've always felt welcome & part of the Portola family. Koleen the librarian is amazing. She's put on the best book fairs! The office staff are all very nice as well. The PFFO put on some pretty cool events for the kiddos last year. Portola Ninja Warrior is a fun day of fitness for the kids & the end of the year carnival was full of fun games, music & food. We're looking forward to more fun events this year. We're very happy to be part of such a great school.

Wow! My xe/they/her son luna had an amazing and wonderful experience! She told me the…read morenon-biological-systematic-smoke-free-zone-bathrooms helped her feel safe during snack/play time I can't thank the staff enough for accepting my little Luna into the big and scary high school scene Sincerely, Michelle J

This school is FULL of drama!! And that's not even in the actual drama classes! Our student was in…read moretheir junior year when they were being sent threats by a couple of 'friend groups' which resulted in them leaving the school and doing independent study. Thankfully they were able to graduate a whole YEAR early!! But this was not with any help from the principal who did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING and did not care to verify he proof we had of this situation! He is completely inadequate in his role! Another teacher had an affair with a custodian-apparently on campus, the front of staff is Very Unfriendly, a teacher keeps hair clippings of students on the wall!! Which I'm certain is an OSHA violation and the music department, is headed by an untalented narcissist whom had an affair with a new hire and left their partner of 28yrs!! Simply....this is not a school that reinforces kindness or positive 'real world' morals of ANY type!!

A Warning to Parents: Our Traumatizing Experience at PVCS…read more As an associate marriage and family therapist, I never thought I would encounter such a neglectful and dismissive environment in a school setting -- especially one that claims to operate under Christian values. For several months, my daughter was subjected to repeated physical and emotional harm by another student in her class. She came home with glue in her hair, sand in her mouth, and bruises on her body. Despite numerous attempts to alert her teachers and administrators, including Mrs. Wilson -- the school's principal -- no meaningful action was taken to protect my child or address the behavior. When I attempted to speak calmly with the parent of the other child, I was dismissed and deflected. I approached the teachers, including a daycare staff member whose training and experience appeared insufficient for the role, and received minimal acknowledgment. At no point did I demand the child be expelled -- I asked only for accountability and protection. Instead, my concerns were reframed and misrepresented by the administration. I ultimately made the decision to withdraw my daughter, and she is now thriving in public school. She no longer returns home in tears or covered in bruises. She is safe, learning, and happy. In my professional opinion, the school failed in its duty of care. It seemed more concerned with image management than the well-being of its students. There was also a troubling pattern of older children -- including a second-grade boy who repeatedly displayed aggressive behavior -- being allowed unsupervised or inadequately supervised access to younger students, including kindergarteners. These decisions put many children at risk. Several other parents I know made the difficult decision to remove their children as well. We were all met with the same pattern: avoidance, minimization, and spiritual language used to deflect responsibility. It pains me to write this about a religious institution. But in my experience, it is precisely behind religious language and rhetoric that some of the most egregious forms of gaslighting and inaction are allowed to persist. If you are a parent considering this school, I urge you to ask direct questions about their conflict resolution processes, staff qualifications, and discipline procedures. Make sure your child's safety is prioritized -- not just spoken about, but truly upheld.

Terrible food. The school has you pay for food and constantly has to make budget cuts. The teachers…read moreare very sexist and like the girls more than the boys. Even though I am Christian I see them force the students to and if they are not christian than the teachers will make you feel guilty. Just not a good school. I prevously went there and the staff there would spread rumors about me being a bad kid even though I was pretty nice. What did I do to deserve this life at the terrible school. Its not a school more like a Prison.

This district is the worst district ever!! Let me rephrase, the District Board members are the…read moreworst ever. This is so sad because their are wonderful, caring and brilliant teachers in this district only to be undermined by the board. The board DOESN'T support the teachers. They have zero knowledge of the inter workings of the schools, especially the middle schools. If you have a child that works hard, has no behavioral issues, turns in assignments on time, works well with others and EARNS his A+, he will also be sitting next to the kid that is the complete opposite and the district board members with blame the teachers for the problem kids inadequacies and pressure the teachers to pass that problem kid, given into entitled parents and allow that kid to have the same rewards and privileges as the excellent student. Basically setting up the problem kid for failure in high school and life. This district has terrible accountability for supplies and never replaces much needed equipment blaming it in the "budget@ and not their inept accounting. This caused teachers or parents to pay for those much needed supplies. It's a shame, a district with great teachers that has had many students go off to great 4-year universities, those teachers have to work under poor management where they and the students end up suffering in the long run!!!! Shame on the district board members!!!!!!!!

Staff is amazing, inclusive of all kinds people who work hard for the new generations of education…read more Community at its finest.

This is a great middle school. It's k-8. The front staff are so helpful. The principle and…read morecounsellors are great! They are very accumulating to foster youth. They always answer my questions and make the students feel welcomed. They have students in the front desk helping, they are awesome! The school is nice and the food provides to the students is great! Plenty of healthy options. We have a youth who is lactose intolerant and with a doctors note they were able to accommodate her dietary needs. Drop off and pick up times are a total zoo, so make sure you have patience.

As our daughter finishes up Kindergarten at Lincoln, I figured I would take some time to share my…read moreexperiences at this fantastic school. Sending a first child off to school is of course an anxious moment for any parent and I admit I was no exception. But my anxiety was quickly relieved; the staff, teachers and principal at Lincoln have been tremendously friendly and welcoming. Perhaps my favorite aspect of Lincoln is that it is a relatively small school. Within a short time after starting school, my daughter was known not only to her own teacher, but also to the other teachers on campus and even the principal greets my daughter by name as we arrive in the morning. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and Lincoln is a part of that village. It truly has a cooperative, community feel to it. I find this a refreshing contrast to larger schools where children can get lost in the crowd. Lincoln is also blessed with caring staff, a fantastic principal, and an excellent and hard working PTA. Does the PTA fund raise too frequently? Yeah, probably. I admit it got a bit tiring. But after seeing the benefits of not only ART, but also MUSIC, PE and a full time on-site nurse, I really came to appreciate the "extras" that are provided far beyond basic education. All of these extra programs come about though the tremendous efforts of the PTA. Next year I plan to be more involved in the PTA and hope that by helping out we can make the fund raising more effective and less frequent. In closing, I want to say "thanks" to all of those who clearly pour their heart and soul into the children at Lincoln. It is much appreciated.

Nothing but positive things to say for the past two years, never once seen an instance of bullying…read moreor heard about it from my child. Since governments cut education funding, things like the Lap-A-Thon are a great way to promote community-building and get extra money for school programs. Neither the PTA nor the teachers at Lincoln have demanded or even asked me to have my child participate in door-to-door fundraising. The school also places strong focus on art and does not seem to have overbearing attitudes about homework or learning in general. It has a "comfy" and "laid back" feel that kids will enjoy. I've not once had my daughter complain about anything regarding other students or teachers. And the school plays are great!

I went to the football field to watch a football game this past weekend. It was a nice day. The…read moregame was very entertaining. Our team won!!! I love the ice cream truck, and the taco truck was out there. I had a good time.

Best school! I went to Buena myself and graduated in 1996, and now my son goes to Buena High class…read moreof 2019! I'm so proud of the continued success at Buena! Buena keeps the school looking fresh and it has a clean vibe. Some of the staff has been their since I went there! (Love you Liz) I am so proud to be a Buena Alumni ‍!!

School pride amongst the students, faculty and parents is amazing. You will not find one student…read moreon this campus without an SB sweatshirt. Its kinda like that TV series FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS of how much pride everyone has at this school. The classrooms are close together and the faculty is quick to respond to anything you need for your child.