Birney Elementary School in Santee, California

“Only great things are happening at Birney it is really above the rest. Small classes and great teachers really feels like you know everyone”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Because is a school that always try to bring parents to participate and the Principal always there if someone needs something.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I am so impressed with the quality of the teachers at this school. they care so deeply for their students.”
This review was posted by a other.

“This is truly a place where children and their well-being both physical and academic come first. Everything we do as teachers we do for our students. I feel privileged to work in an environment where parents and teachers work as a team!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Fantastic caring, dedicated staff; great programs that include music, art, Spanish, PE, folklorico dance, and drama; targeted interventions to help students attain grade-level proficiency, International Baccalaureate (and magnet) program that promotes globally minded, independent, students; inclusive classrooms and successful special education program; teachers are given collaboration time for planning lessons and reviewing data so that they may develop lessons that target studnet needs-- all around AMAZING school led by the equally amazing leader, Amanda Hammond-Williams.”
This review was posted by a teacher.

“We have the best teachers at Birney, and a Principal who truley cares and loves every student. We have alot of parent help and I believe that that effects the students. Our school is awesomeand I am so proud to be apart of Birney.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son has been at Birney for only 3 months, coming from a 9 rated school previously. He has gotten the attention that he needs for his reading and has jumped up almost 4 reading levels. He loves his new school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Because the administration, teachers, staff and parents are all on the same page working together to elevate and preserve a standard of excellence in teaching our kids the civic virtues they'll need to contribute to an enlightened citizenry, a more equitable society, a greener planet, and the forging of common dreams.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son comes home everyday with a smile on his face and is happy about learning. The administration and staff work as one. The IB philosophy is the way we need to teach and treat everyone!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Trista is thriving at Birney and she deserves the best!”
This review was posted by a other.

“The school has consistently improved its overall performance year after year thanks to a dedicated staff”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Birney both models and nurtures intelligence, creativity, community and compassion: we all benefit.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“The principal and staff at Birney have repeatedly impressed me, individually and as a group, by maintaining an across-the-board committment to their students' best interests and unlimited potential. While we watch our schools' budgets and resources being subjected to annual slashing and chronic reductions, we can also watch as our students' test scores rise and their curriculum evolves into an International Baccalaureate program. These folks are creative, resourceful, and they persevere.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“A fun, diverse, school, that puts students first. An IB magnet school for Spanish and a great family community.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Everyone at Birney is engaged in the goal of raising our children to be well-rounded, globally-minded, life-long learners. My boys are excited to go to school every day!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Birney has been recognized as a California Distinguished School. The teachers & principal are outstanding examples of what public education can achieve.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“A school that puts students first. The teachers and the principal work together along with the parents to create an collobrative learning environment.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“The children, teachers, staff, and wonderful parent volunteers that make the school so special!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Alice Birney is a wonderful city school: diverse student body, strong academics, a focus on shaping caring, kind, and passionate students. And, the kids have fun and want to go to school each day!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“It has dedicated teachers, diverse and motivated kids and a superb principal.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“They really have great teachers, and they care about the children.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“It has a great reputation and is heavily involved with our community”
This review was posted by a other.

“My son is in kindergarten at Birney, and I have to say that we're very pleased with the school, staff and principle. There was an issue with some kindergarteners wandering outside the school gate before their parents came to pick them up (the K leave at a different entrance than the other students) and I brought it up to the principle and she immediately tightened up the system, ensuring no student leaves without a parent in hand. Her response was very impressive and immediate. Great school!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son has been at Birney for 4 years now, and I have nothing but good things to say about it. The staff is friendly and everyone is willing to help whenever I need something. My son has an IEP and gets services from many of the special education providers, and each of them is nice and caring and concerned about his progress. From his initially being a grade behind, he is now at grade level in reading. The before-and-after school program is also good. They help with the homework before I get there, as well as having play time. This helps me after a long day at work. As I tell everyone, there is no other school I would rather have my son attend.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I have totally enjoyed my experience at Birney. My child is now entering 1st grade and will have a class size of 15. The principal is very responsive to parent concerns and is very dedicated to the school. In a couple years this will be the school that everyone wants to get into.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I have no idea what being an 'academy of international studies' has done to change the school. I think the whole thing is just to blow smoke at the parents and try to convince them thier kids are attending some type of special 'academy' when, really, it is just a standard neighborhood public school. The school is just average, with no extra features except a really cool garden that they recently put in on the strip of dirt near the parking lot fence. It seems though, that the kids did not really do much of the work. The school food is very strange. For breakfast my daughter is given bean and cheese burritos, quesadillas, and corndogs (called 'breakfast on a stick') which she is supposed to dip in syrup. Ugh. Maybe it's the quesadillas and burritos that make it an 'international' school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“The principle is very involved in every aspect of the school. My daughter loves the diversity of the school and so do we. There are many positives but most of all due to its status as an international studies primary school I beleive will better prepare her for the globalization,”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We started our child with the pre-k program, the teacher and her teaching were great. Now in first grade our child loves the school as we do too. They offer weekly special programs such as Spanish, art, dance, PE, afterschool clubs, and others. Some are offered more than once a week. The school is an older school, but it is kept as clean as much as possible (though a renovation should happen). The principal is genuine in her efforts to get the school academics up and working with the parents. They are very welcoming to parents and volunteering and they are very active with the local community. We are happy with the school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“The principal, Ms. Amanda, has been a joy to watch over the two years in which my daughter has attended Birney. For a school that was derided by many of my charter school neighbors, I have found a jewel that is proving that a public school can shine with a motivated and involved principal. I much prefer seeing a public school moving up in the world with my involvement than throwing in the towel and abandoning it to go with charter schools. We need to stick together to keep our public schools strong.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son attended Birney from Kinder thru 2nd grade. My other children attend charter schools and I have not had the best experience with traditional schools in San Diego. Our experience at Birney was quite different. Kindergarten was a very positive start and I decided that we could keep him at Birney for subsequent years. The past two years, things only got better. The principal is visible, approachable, and genuine. She really cares about that school and it shows. The garden program is absolutely wonderful and the 2nd grade teacher we were blessed with, Mrs. Donovan, was inspiring. This school proves that a neighborhood public school can do more than just get by, but can be a community where children can bloom. We have now moved to Oregon and I can only hope that we are able to settle into a school community as promising as Birney.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Alice Birney Elementary is now an International Baccalaureate School. Teacher quality is improving and extracurricular activities (art, music) have been added this year (2006-2007). They have a fabulous garden that the kids are becoming a part of and they are doing work to reduce energy use by using solar panels that the 4th and 5th grade kids are getting experience working with. While Birney is still working out the kinks, the principal is devoted to making the school a place we all will be proud to send our kids!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Ms. Brierton is an amazing pre-k teacher, she is wonderful, caring, patient...I don't have enough words to describe her. My son was also on a special program, he started speech therapy making random sounds, in two weeks he was saying complete sentences. The speech program with Mrs. Sand is also great.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My daughter has been attending Birney since kindergarten; she s in second grade now. Had she not had a great kinder teacher and had it not been her neighborhood school, I would have pulled her out of there after only one month. There is so much I wish I could say just to spare all you parents the trouble of finding all this out for yourselves. But I will say this: very unorganized and underfunded, no music or art programs. Cleanliness throughout the school is terribly poor. I still hesitate to take her there. Luckily I found out about the choice program in the district and she will attend a new school in September.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son goes to birney for pre-k, he loves it. He started the school year not knowing any letters or numbers, I thought that was something wrong with him. Six months later, thanks for ms brierton wonderful academic skills, he can not only count, but he can write his name and the rest of the family name, except for a few mistakes he can recognize e write all letter and numbers. Not many extra-curricular activities, maybe because he is not yet in kindergarten. The teacher has always a open door for concerns and opinions.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This schools seems to be trying really hard to be on an upswing. I thinkk that in five years we will see major improvement in this school. However I would be loathe to send my son too this school in itas present condition.”
This review was posted by a parent.