Niguel Hills Middle School in Laguna Niguel, California

“My daughter is going into 8th grade on September 8, 2009 and she loves the school. The teachers are nice and she has been getting wonderful grades since she has been going there.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I have learned an amazing deal from school. The academics are so well-developed and I just feel, for the lack of a better term, better than those who go to other schools. Sure, my work load is high, maybe a little too high, but I get it done and it's good for me in the long run. The Gifted and Talented Edu. program I'm in couldn't be better. When things get out of hand, there's a good deal of punishment. We have lots of extracurricular activities and special elective groups like Associated Student Body, Peer Assistance Leadership, and AVID. The faculty couldn't be any nicer. I only have 50 more days left here and I'm going to miss it !”
This review was posted by a student.

“The homework is a little too excessive, and some teachers just don't seem to care about the students' learning quality. Overall, however, the GATE program is good and we students seem to succeed on tests despite the careless teachers.”
This review was posted by a student.

“It is the greatest school there classroom helps my kids get smarter everyday”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This school is great. The person under doesn't no what shes saying. This is the third best school in Orange County. the food is the only poor part.”
This review was posted by a student.

“The classrooms are severely overcrowded, buildings are old, budget is being managed poorly, they throw AT LEAST one fundraiser per WEEK at us, test scores are low, materials are low and poor, quality of education is poor, rules enforced poorly- people dressing sleazily and bullying, students are under-engaged, fights outbreak often, excessive 'filler' homework, lack of disciplinary system, second rate math and science, old books, special education program is poor, english learners program is poor, disgusting walls and hallways, 20 year-old lockers which only half of work. Overall this school is despicable compared to the other nearby schools and pathetic in almost all aspects. I have dreaded coming to this school for the past 3 years, and can tell you from personal experience, that, this school is most definitely the WORST school in the Orange County area.”
This review was posted by a student.

“The 6th grade AAA/Gate program is extremely homework intensive. I was warned by every parent that it would be a ridiculous amount of homework...nothing prepared me for the reality. My child hates school for the first time in his life. I'm hoping seventh grade is more reasonable.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This is a great school! School loop is the best program!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Quality of academics is extremely high. they offer a wide variety of advanced classes, including AAA or gate classes. Their new program this year is AVID for college bound students is a progressive step toward helping those student organize their notebooks and maintaining their high grades. This program allow students to tour colleges and involves tutoring from outside professionals. The class also have their own tutorials where the student teach other student who to solve common academic problems, such as writing a better essay. The program will follow them in to at least two local high schools. The math at this middle school is way above the local private school offerings. This improves the students chance for success in high school math courses. My son's social studies teacher is the best he has had. My son used to hate social studies, but this teacher has such a passion for the subject.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“We are new to the school this year but so far the staff has been helpful and kind. The drop-off and pick-up is going fairly well so far considering the amount of traffic it gets.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Niguel Hills is a good school that offers a variety of programs. The teachers are very willing to take time to speak with the parents regarding their childs progress. I particularly like the idea of emailing the grades every week. It allows me to keep track of the homework and test scores. Not having a gymnasium puts the students at a real disadvantage and the phyical education equipment needs to be severely upgraded. I've been told by students that the bathrooms are in dire need of attention.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Ths school has really challenged my son. I love the accountabillty. The comunication with e-mails and teacher web sites are great. However, as a parent, I do feel a little uninvolved. I have yet to be told about any PTA meetings.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Niquel Hills is in dire need of renovations. It is also very overcrowded -- I would guess that there are 30-40 portable classrooms. The sports fields are lovely. I was not impressed.”
This review was posted by a parent.