88 out of 10GreatSchools

Mira Catalina Elementary School

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
  • Public
  • |
  • Grades K-5
  • |
  • Enrollment: 362

Overview

Mira Catalina Elementary School
30511 Lucania Drive
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
(310) 377-6731
Mira Catalina Elementary School is located in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA and serves grades K-5.It received a GreatSchool rating of 8 out of 10
This information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Student Diversity

Race

Percentage

Native American
0%
Pacific Islander
0%
Black
1%
Filipino
3%
Asian
11%
Two or more races
13%
Hispanic
21%
White
50%
Other
1%

Reviews10 Reviews

4.0
parent
I have had my three children go through Mira Cat and I have nothing but positive things to say about our school experience here. The teachers here can't be beat! From Kindergarten to fifth grade, I always felt my children were in great hands. My kids always felt safe here and learned so much during their years at this school. Anyone who has any negative thing to say about this school, obviously has no idea what they are talking about. Do you realize how much schools and curriculum have changed over the last 30 years? These teachers have the hardest job educating our youth. What schools need are supportive parents and families, not people who get in the way of teachers teaching. The teachers and staff at Mira Cat are dedicated and hard working and do a wonderful job!
parent
I think I'm in a unique position to critique this school. I have had several children at Mira Cat, spanning several years, starting when Todd Mirsky was principal, up to the current administrator, Mr. Eagan. The school has really changed over the years. The Keeney years were by far the best. Recently, I have been seeing a rise in bullying and aggressive behavior, teachers who seem to have lost their mojo (these are the same teachers who taught my eldest children over 10 years ago), and an overall decline in what used to feel like a warm and nurturing environment. For the first time in all of the many years my family has spent in. PVPUSD, I'm considering other options for the education of my child, all because of this school
parent
Grades K-3 Excellent. . . . Grades 4-5 - Could use more emphasis and rigor in the math program, perhaps looking closer at the teachers covering this topic and assessing if another teacher can do a better job. This is a key area where a student can easily fall through the cracks and this will impact the pathway through middle and high school. Find the best math teachers and pay them extra, (of course, the teacher's union would be against this, along with many other meaningful reforms). Many parents ask about tutors after a difficult math test when the subject matter was not well covered. Unfortunately, class size jumps by about 10 students in grades 4-5, not just at Mira Cat but all elementary schools on the Hill. The PTA is excellent and (with help from the District) was able to fund a new $100K+ play structure for the lower field. Hopeful that the new principal will put Mira Cat on a better footing, all signs are looking positive! PS - A few years ago, during State funding cuts, a beloved 5th grade teacher, one of the two best teachers at the school, was given a pink slip due to union-driven last-in first-out seniority rules. Fortunately for our kids, he was retained.
parent
Agreed. This school used to have a great reputation years ago. Many teachers take their jobs lightly and don't spend time really teaching the kids how to read. Kindergarten should be doing more than parties when there's a need for the kids to be learning how to read in the classroom and not just at home. Which leads me to my next point: so much of what the teachers "teach" is passed on to the parent. Projects are busywork and not ever done at school, and teachers expect parents to either teach it themselves or pay top dollar for a tutor. Most people don't say that they have tutors, but it's a common factor for way too many kids. The new principal seems very good but hopefully knows that he can't make everyone happy and do the right thing too. Hope he starts to light a professional fire at the school or we may look elsewhere for future years.
Showing 4 of 10 Reviews