"Our experience at Walgrove elementary school has been absolutely wonderful! The large campus - beautiful wild-lands and Garden - theater, tap, steam studio, chess, etc. and the teachers are truly loving and dedicated. Parent involvement is strong, which creates a real sense of community. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a supportive and enriching environment. Couldn't be happier!" read more

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Awesome community! Academics are strong, plus great steam offering, amazing extra curricular (violin, chess, ridiculously musical theater, etc) , plus a HUGE campus with lots of nature. Really don't know what more you could ask for!!! We've had two kids go through the school! read more

We loved the quirkiness and especially the wild lands of the school our first year. After that it slid rapidly till the week before lockdown (some years passed) some kid broke my child's arm shoving her to the ground during recess and the teachers and administrators refused to call me. All day they left her cradling that crooked arm and they refused to call me!!! The poor kid was mid intervention for suicidal thoughts as it was. As I made a brace from classroom supplies the aids were still taunting her about 'wasting ALL night' at the ER; as if neglecting it altogether would have been a viable idea, that the time was 'wasted' as if she wasn't worth doing what needed to be done medically. Forget about that had he called me 5 hours earlier we would be done with it. She didn't return but the lockdown swallowed our attention less than a week later. Fast forward to August 2021, her teacher refuses to call me for dental emergencies 3 times in a row even though we kept telling her we were anticipating a call when the affected teeth became a problem. This is the point where my daughter lost respect and trust and gave no care to who knew it. She started using profanity to get them to call me (clearly she's a problem solver) the last straw came when she tripped on a vine under some leaves on the playground another aid grilled her why she was wearing my sneakers ( we wear the same size and frequently share footwear) this time they did call me and requested a meeting. (I kept her home in the interim) The meeting turned out to be an IEP, only they never said so. Iep's have a protocol of steps and this had none of it. But essentially they wanted my permission to create a behavior log to track her profanity. We never returned. She's autistic and it's supposed to be a standard protocol to always rule out a medical cause. read more

the best school LA!! the community, the teachers, the education, and the extra curricular activities are just a dream!

Walgrove is such a warm, inclusive place. In addition to tradition subjects, there are wonderful art studio and theater programs. The outdoor garden, native wildlands, and large campus is the perfect place for city kids to have space to play and be in nature. My favorite thing is that every child gets a yearbook - for free - so no one ever feels left out or less fortunate. Walgrove is a wonderful school and community. read more

Excellent students and teachers. It's a very large school area for the kids to enjoyed themselves.

Do not enroll your child in this school if you are looking for a school that's great with Academics. My sons is in kindergarten at this school and I can honestly say he has taken a step back. The teachers do not know how to control their classes and are not consistent with how they teach the kids. Since he's started I have not received any homework or classwork inside his "homework" folder. But when parent teacher conference rolls around he's not doing well in class...okay well if you do not send any work Home, we as the parents have no idea what exactly you guys are doing in class how are we suppose to help him??? Okay let me calm down maybe it's my son and not the school. Let me sit in for the week maybe 2 to see how the class operates......Me observing the class made me realize I should have taken him out of this school along time ago. What I observed: 1.No consistency with teaching the children 2.A brunch of yelling to control the KINDERGARTEN class and the teacher aids are not up to par 3.The teacher did not make sure the students understood the concept of which she was teaching 4. Children leaving out the class whenever they felt like especially the really bad kids 5. After the teacher was done with the lesson she would break the KINDERGARTENERS into groups not check on them and she would go on to a different lesson and call each table up to interrupt the assignment they were already working on. In return you can see how lost and check out (including my son) the students were. 6.Did I mention I have never received any type of class or homework from his class. This school is big on fund raising and will email you consistently about everything that's going on but will not inform you about your child....the reason your actually there for....let that sink in There are pros to this school 1.They have a wonderful performance arts teacher 2.The principal knows everyone's name 3. They have a wonderful edible garden that they keep well maintained and educate the kids about wildlife and allow them to try the food that grows from there. But that being said that's not enough to keep my child there he will not be attending Walgrove elementary for 1st grade. read more

We continue to be surprised by the incredible Walgrove community. There is a warmth, connectivity, and parent involvement I haven't seen or experienced at any other school (public or private). The beauty of Walgrove is not any single teacher, class, extracurricular, or resource, but the collective experience. For us, learning in the classroom was important, but learning within an engaged and supportive community was critical. I never thought I would feel compelled to write a recommendation for my child's elementary school, but I know there's a lot of noise out there... if you're looking for a truly special learning environment and community, Walgrove is right for you. read more

We love Walgrove Elementary! For us, having a strong connection to nature and art was a big priority- the Walgrove Wildlands, art STEAM studio, and theater program went above and beyond to meet those needs. We open enrolled to join this very welcoming and friendly school community and we are so happy we did. The entire staff at Walgrove have shown how much they care about, not only my child, but every student enrolled there. We wanted a special school and we definitely found one here. read more

We learned about Walgrove Elementary from my neighbor whose child is a year older than ours. She caught our attention when she started talking about the chickens at her school. I asked her where in Los Angeles could there possibly be enough room to have chickens? Come to find out Walgrove is seated on 9 acres of land, has gardens, wild lands, and is a small Los Angeles public school that has open enrollment. We signed up for a tour immediately! The classes are small (15 in my child's kindergarten class), the school is diverse, and the community is so engaging. The parents are so involved and there are so many opportunities to get involved, even during COVID (my child's kindergarten year was virtual). We feel like we hit the jackpot with Walgrove. We love it! read more

Walgrove ES is a wonderful school with an amazing community! We have 2 children there in Grades K and 1. Both their teachers, Ms. Biolatto and Ms. Perez are so supportive and tuned into the needs of our children. The classes are small which we really appreciate. It's our neighborhood school and it's great to be able to walk to school and see their classmates on the way, at the park, at the market, everywhere! So many positive things to say! Come check it out! read more

This school is academically a complete waste of time. At the end of the school year, I looked at my kid's math workbook, and it is mostly empty. He said no one asked him to fill in the answers. I asked him if they read even one novel as a class, and he said no. I am also sick of hearing about this amazing garden they are planning. We used Walgrove school for years, and the playground has always been dead, yellow grass with no trees. read more

Walgrove Elementary School is a hidden gem on the West Side of LA. I have been a parent to two children attending and they have thrived in the environment Walgrove provides. Walgrove is basically a STEAM school-- (and is in the current process of getting their credentials/ rating,) which means each classroom and most enrichment classes teach using Science/ Technology/ Engineering/ ART and Mathematics within their lessons. We are one of the few, if any, public schools on the west side with an emphasis on ARTS/ Humanities. Walgrove nurtures a creative culture. Our PS arts program provides a year-round theatre program where each spring, a full blown play is done with most of the student population. Our edible organic garden, with it's own teacher has class with every student-- my children have grown up picking fava beans, eating kale off the branches and feeding chickens in the yard. They both have a favorite place to sit in the natural landscape we created called The Wildlands, where outdoor classrooms are held making sure our city kids understand the benefits of nature- we have like 6 acres of outdoor land where children learn and play. My kindergartener studied and painted in the style of Piet Mondrian in her Studio lab classroom where they also developed and tested engineering projects like building nests that hold up actual eggs using only a handful of materials.... This type of enrichment is paired with academic rigor. But one not solely based on testing/ scores and homework. On the contrary, this community seems to be one of the few that understand a students learning ability and intelligence isn't based only on a test score or how much homework can be accomplished. It's a progressive place. Walgrove is where kids learn to love learning. Where kids are happy. Where we are trying to teach the "Whole Child," to help build empathic, critical thinkers. These are things impossible to measure with a test, this is why I'm a parent here. Our teachers have their students interest at heart. I have had an array of different styles of teachers, some strict and structured, others like social emotional experts where my child learned life skills like how to deal with friendships.... my kids do great in both. There is a thread that connects all the teachers we've had, a commitment to understanding who my kids are and what they need, and a Principal looking out for everyone's well being like a captain on a ship, staff and students. They are all invested and engaged in my children's learning. I can't say enough about the new principal, Dr. Kittelson. She values both the academics and the arts, having a background that's similar herself. She never lets up and is always charging towards the next challenge with unrelenting optimism! The parent community, which is one of the most welcoming, inclusive and active communities I've been a part of all value this type of environment for elementary education. When I found it, It was a great feeling of being a part of something really important. We have a very diverse student body and we love that about our school. We celebrate it and our children understand the world around them better because of this diversity. We love this school. read more

I have two children at Walgrove and the school is such an eclectic melting pot of culture and philosophy. The staff is amazing. Tracy in the office is a miracle worker and even remembers my kids birthdays! My daughter is in the fifth grade and is sadly leaving this home away from home. Her teachers are fantastic. They team teach so that each kid has the best environment for each subject. Mrs. Perez, Mrs. Elkins, and Mrs. Webster should all be applauded. My sons kindergarten teacher Mrs. Chin is one that makes him work harder and he now reads brilliantly. Your children will blossom in this environment and I highly recommend Walgrove. Where your kid is not just a number. read more

The school has been wonderful from beginning to end. My oldest is in his 6th and last year at Walgrove this year, and I have nothing but great things to say about our experience. He has been academically challenged in every subject, and has learned incredible things. From performing in the Shakespeare club to taking a class field trip to our state capital in Sacramento, from learning how to compost to studying the Chumash Indians--he has been engaged and interested in every grade level. Not only that, but socially and emotionally he has had a wonderful experience, making so many great friends while feeling success and building confidence at the same time. He actually enjoys going to school every day. No school can be the perfect fit for every child, which may explain some other reviewers' experiences, but for my pretty typical son, it has been perfect. To top it off, on a personal level, the community of other parents and educators I have become part of enriches my life in so many ways. There are easily 15 people I can call on, all who live right in the neighborhood, who would drop anything to help me if I was in a bind. Or who would meet me out for a glass of wine if I need to blow off some steam. You just don't find that everywhere. I encourage you to give Walgrove a try. You won't be disappointed! read more

I went to Walgrove many many years ago. I liked the school then. I love the school now. Small class rooms, great caring teachers and staff, wildlands, the gardens, Studio lab. I could go on and on about the great qualities of this school. I'm over joyed my children are able to go to such a great hidden gem. read more

Walgrove Elementary - Elementary Schools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This school is horrible, the principal is rude to parents. They are always asking for money or should I say demanding it. They had a list of parents who hadn't donated and called them to say to give $100 dollars per month per child crazy. This is a public school people. Communication between teachers is terrible, think twice before attending this school. read more

Walgrove Elementary has a wonderful community and great teachers. The parents have made such a big difference in turning this school from an average public school to a richer learning environment. It has an art studio, P.E. classes, a food garden, and is currently undergoing a new upgrade: the Wildlands project, where a whole section will become a sanctuary for native plants and a peaceful place for children to spend time. In the art studio, the kids were already learning about Picasso and Juan Miro in kindergarden and doing some very cool artwork based on theirs. My daughter and I love to take walks along the running track, where it is quiet and feels like a break from the city, among the tall sycamores (if I remember) and young fruit trees . Her teachers have all been great as well. Yes, the booster club often solicits you for money (and no, no one has to give $100 a month, it is whatever everyone can afford) but these contributions really make noticeable differences. They also have good after-school programs (STAR and Beyond the Bell), both free, where classes are also offered for a cost (it varies but they have had clay, gymnastics, capoeira, and more). STAR also offers free classes each day: art, martial arts, Eco-station, theatre, etc. I am not putting a whole five stars because I am too liberal for public schools (but not rich enough for private schools) and don't like the whole rigidity of testing and the drill of test-prepping - so it is not against this school in particular really but the public school system itself. Public school cafeterias are also really awful. read more

Walgrove Elementary unveiled six original campus murals designed and created by local Venice artist Renee Raymond with funding and support by The Venice Neighborhood Council, Lincoln True Value Hardware, Naylor Paints, B&B Hardware, Level Line Construction, Orchard Hardware. Walgrove Elementary is living proof that engaging community partners directly strengthens and enriches our children's education. Renee worked closely with students across all grade levels collaborating on the theme, design and execution of the murals. The students were encouraged to express their creative vision and support each other's differences throughout the project. These murals are an extension of the broader community engagement and enrichment initiatives happening at Walgrove. The Walgrove Wildlands, a native schoolyard habitat on campus, recently broke ground with a massive volunteer day connecting hundreds of parents, students and community members coming together to help build one of west LA's largest outdoor school learning gardens. Tommy Hilfiger Foundation and P.S. ARTS - have announced a partnership to develop a multi-year arts education curriculum in only two schools in the Los Angeles school district - Walgrove Elementary was chosen based on their established reputation for supporting inclusive education, a dedication to valuing diverse experiences, backgrounds and voices - and a community committed to the value of arts in education. P.S. ARTS what an awesome time to be at this school!! read more

Great community school. Sent all 3 of my kids there. My daughters did well, and my son needed additional work at home. Kids just develop at different pace. Love most of the teachers there. read more

We have been at Walgrove for 3 year snow and my son is thriving in their environment that focuses on the socio-emotional well being of each child in addition to core academics. I've noticed grade levels team teach to ensure an integrated, well-rounded educational experience as well as letting the kids get to know each other better, even if in different classrooms or on different education paths. There is so much more than I found at other local schools, which is why we selected Walgrove in lieu of our own local LAUSD school. They have an AMAZING theater arts program (PS ARTS), a free after school musical theatre and violin programs, an edible garden when kids learn the science of seed to table, an orchard and huge Wildlands space (also a Monarch butterfly habitat). Kids also have weekly PE classes taught by a specialized PE teacher in addition to what the regular teachers do on a daily basis. Basically all of the programs that have been cut from most public school's budgets are alive and thriving here, thanks to community involvement and fundraising. Community is a HUGE part of this school and a big part of what makes it such a great, welcoming place. It's the kind of place you have to experience for yourself to understand what a hidden gem it is. read more

We have just started our 6th year at Walgrove Elementary School and we LOVE IT. Our kids are in 3rd and 5th grade and they are so happy to go to school every day. Things that make Walgrove different than other neighborhood schools... 1 - The teachers are dedicated to teaching the kids how to think not just spit back information. 2 - The school is small and the parents are involved so we have really cool things going on around campus constantly. 3 - Programs like Studio which every kid gets to participate in weekly. This is hands on learning at its best. 4 - Small group learning. The kids are broken up into small groups by their academic ability and taught in a way that will help them succeed. 5 - The parents are an amazing community. We love hanging out together and we always watch out for each others kids. We truly are one big family. 6 - I could go on and on about our amazing neighborhood school but my advice to you would be...come tour the school yourself and see what you think! read more

I have found the administration, especially the AP to be very nice. Really as accommodating as they can be. Our child's interest at heart. It's nice to see! read more

I love love this school. Its a very welcoming environment for kids k-5 . My son and niece attend this school. Awesome teachers , good group of kids lots of special programs funded by the parents. read more

Walgrove has been an amazing school for my children. With programs like Differentiation Groups, Art Studio, PS Arts, the Wildlands - I know my kids are getting access to a lot of individualized teaching and enrichment classes that are not offered at most schools. These programs take a lot of work to plan and implement - the Wildlands which have taken years to plan and hours and hours of volunteer work are looking amazing and the kids are thrilled with their new schoolyard habitat. The dedicated staff and parent community are planning and implementing new programs to make it an even better place! Grants by Google & Tommy Hilfiger are going to brings some fantastic opportunities to Walgrove. Overall it's been a great experience for my children and the fact that it's in our neighborhood makes it all the better! It's taken team work from everyone involved with Walgrove (the staff, parents, students, community) - and it will take more - but this little school is something really special. I am proud to be a part of the Walgrove community, and so are my kids. read more

YOU WANT TO TRY WALGROVE! If you have to go to public school in Los Angeles, WALGROVE is where you want to be! Even with severe budget cuts the WALGROVE community of parents, teachers, staff and kids, work together to keep this school up to speed. Raising funds to bring back lost programs; volunteering to provide enrichment and assistance; collaborating and working as a community. Parents role model what we want from our kids. Making connections everyday socially, emotionally and academically. This is our fourth year at WALGROVE and we are happy. We've had some of the BEST TEACHERS and LOVE the FAMILIES. In second grade, my son read five novels as a class. Each child had a copy of the novel to read along for four of the books. They would ask questions, discuss, get excited and beg the teacher to continue reading. Our third grade continues to have free reading, teacher reading and now they read to younger grades too. Reading other reviews, a math journal might seem empty, but everything is not about what you do on paper. WALGROVE is now looking at different ways kids learn. We all have different strengths and some of our brightest minds struggle with writing. WALGROVE is using small groups to learn. WALGROVE team teaches throughout a grade level and mixes grades through Reading Buddies and Enrichment Classes. Studio is our Reggio based program which is hands on project based support of what students are working on in class. It is tailor made to the individual class, through Studio teacher and grade level teacher collaboration. Whatever subject the grade level teacher wants explored, is covered through different medium. Council (Council in schools, Ojai Foundation) is used in class and in the community to connect on a nonjudgmental emotional level. This connection is academic and social emotional learning. WALGROVE is focusing, even more this year, on thinking outside the box and supporting our students to be problem solvers. Our kids are learning so much and doing it together! read more

This is an amazing school. A wonderful community of parents and teachers. I am feel so lucky that my daughter gets to attend this school and that my sons will follow. The parents are very dedicated to doing everything in their power to keep all those programs that have been stripped away by budget cuts. It is the commitment of the educators and the additional programming that make this a very impressive school. The teachers are compassionate, caring, thoughtful and passionate educators and the parents have allowed for ALL of these programs to continue to flourish: full-day aides for the younger classes, a specialized educator who works with accelerated students and those who need help catching up, a studio program where the arts and hands-on projects are used to explore science and social studies, a full-time PE program, drama, a garden, a Shakespeare club, a grow-to-eat program and a wildland nature preserve for the kids to explore. On top of all that, they have managed to keep the library open without a librarian through volunteers and a book fair. A totally impressive school. read more

My child was not asked to read a single novel or other piece of literature his entire fifth grade year. All of the focus of the administration is making sure they count your kid each day so they can get state and federal money. There is no serious focus on academics. Yes, a typical crummy LAUSD school. And I've seen nicer playgrounds in Death Valley (no trees, dead yellow grass). read more

Kindergarten was such a bad experience that it was up hill from there. Really good experience in 2nd grade, but it was time for a change. Many of the mothers at this school act as if they are still in high school and it is very clubby. read more

I'm writing to address the bad reviews....If you want a school to be great, you need to participate in making it so. I will have four children at Walgrove this year, and am looking forward to another amazing year. The community of people there is great and it's so nice to have friendships forged and rooted in the neighborhood school. It is not a UTOPIA...what school is? The parents and teachers are working together to figure out the best for our kids. read more

My child is thriving at Walgrove. They have a "whole child" philosophy which means they believe socio-emotional growth goes hand-in-hand with academics. I am so relived that my child didn't have homework for kindergarten and first grade. Kids need time to decompress and play. According to homework guru, Harris Cooper of Duke University, there is "no evidence that any amount of homework improves the academic performance of elementary students." and that is more important to "study in class." They have many things other schools do not have: a theater program, a STEAM lab, outdoor classroom in their Wildlands, PE plus the kids are learning CGI math (Cognitively Guided Instruction) which increases true problem solving rather than learning by rote. We are very happy with the school. They also do a lot of project-based learning which is far more hands-on. An added bonus: the families are very involved and friendly. read more

Today I attended a community yard sale at there school . Horrible people either staff or parents I asked about a table for the kitchen that was marked $20 someone took the price off so I asked the people running it had know idea of the price a short haired blond woman said $40 then asked the group who priced it at $20 she then looked at me as if I took the price tag off the other woman said no I took it off are you sure you want to sell it for 20 then they said 40 so I offered 30 they said we said 40 I then said yes but would you take 30 is it maybe in two hours with a smirk I said I'll be gone two hours then right in front of me they excepted an offer on something I asked for earlier and they took to the same offer from someone else I believe they want all the Mexicans to stay in the kitchen and babysitting their kids and are willing to treat them like crap not a great place to be horrible horrible women running a horrible horrible community garage sale if your brown maybe you should stay away from this community garage sale read more

My son is a kindergartener at Walgrove and we love it! After 3 weeks off for the holidays with lots of awesome vacation time and special family and extended family time, I was worried he wouldn't be excited to return to school. I was WRONG! He was super excited to go back! I have been shocked by how much he is learning -- all while having great fun. He is reading and writing beautifully. Importantly, he is EXCITED to read books at home and to attend school. We have been so happy with his teacher. The community is amazing -- very active and down to earth people. The teachers are first rate. The programs are programs you would expect at a private school: art studio, where the kids do collaborative projects; council where they talk about feelings; the walgrove wildlands with butterflies and an organic garden; a theatre arts program, etc. Definitely tour the school if you are looking for public elementary. Honestly, we applied to private schools for kindergarten because we didn't know anything about our resident school, which is Walgrove. Before deposits were due, I toured Walgrove and was blown away. SO happy we decided on Walgrove. read more