Explorer Elementary School

Posted: August 10, 2020

Needs genuine leadership that cares about the students.

Posted: August 10, 2020

The original teachers were fired or had to quit. Saw a few of the new, younger teachers not practicing the social emotional model. Addressing kids in a disrespectful manners. Not even greeting parents that were there on a regular basis. Ignoring and given dirty looks instead. Always pay attention. If it seems too food to be true, even more. Pulled my child out. Best decision.

Posted: February 13, 2020

This was a hallmark of the original Explorer. It’s slowly being watered down.

Posted: February 13, 2020

The director does not have the skills to lead a school. She lacks understanding of social emotional learning, and has pushed out all of the amazing teachers.

Posted: February 13, 2020

Posted: February 13, 2020

Posted: February 13, 2020

In the last few years since Briony Chown has been the director, Explorer has gone steadily downhill. It used to be an amazing school, and might still look like that on the surface, but beware. The most competent and well-loved teachers are gone. Explorer is just a shell of what it used to be.

Posted: February 13, 2020

Posted: February 13, 2020

Most of the strong teachers have either been let go or have left on their own accord.

Posted: October 17, 2019

Posted: October 17, 2019

Posted: October 17, 2019

Posted: October 17, 2019

Posted: October 17, 2019

Posted: October 17, 2019

Posted: October 17, 2019

We love Explorer and we are so grateful to have such a special school for our child. The teachers are strong and there is a definite sense of being part of a wonderful community. My child has grown academically and is challenged by thoughtful and rigorous work, but she is also learning a lot from the social emotional approach that Explorer takes to everything.

Posted: October 9, 2019

Ms. Chown is an excellent leader. She has vision and empathy. I love how she relates to the kids.

Posted: October 9, 2019

Posted: October 9, 2019

Posted: October 9, 2019

This school is one of a kind. The caring adults cultivate kids who can reason, collaborate, and care for each other. My kid loves her teachers and learning and cannot wait to go to school.

Posted: October 9, 2019

Posted: October 9, 2019

Posted: October 9, 2019

Posted: October 4, 2019

The current director is failing this school miserably.

Posted: October 4, 2019

Posted: October 4, 2019

Posted: October 4, 2019

Posted: October 4, 2019

My child was bullied constantly, the schools approach is ineffective.

Posted: October 4, 2019

My oldest experienced Explorer when the original director was leading the school. It was a special place that instilled a love of learning and strong friendships. My youngest had a very different experience, the veteran teachers are amazing but unfortunately the director drove many amazing teachers out and replaced them with inexperienced ones. The teacher turnover is insane!! School desperately needs new leadership.

Posted: October 4, 2019

I like that homework isn’t a strong focus, kids should be able to turn the school day off and relax at home.

Posted: October 3, 2019

Posted: October 3, 2019

Posted: October 3, 2019

Posted: October 3, 2019

We are so grateful that our children are able to attend Explorer! It is exactly what we wanted out of an elementary school experience. The social emotional focus has been powerful for both of our children, and we often hear them using language learned at school to help navigate situations at home. The teachers at Explorer are talented, bright, and enthusiastic about designing engaging project work for the students in addition to the regular curriculum. They are a bright and progressive group of educators. We have felt really lucky to be a part of this community.

Posted: October 3, 2019

Posted: October 3, 2019

Posted: October 3, 2019

Posted: August 27, 2019

Posted: August 27, 2019

The director, Briony Chown is simply a pawn for the CEO. She lacks the leadership skills necessary to direct this school. She has no rapport with teachers or students. It has gone downhill since she has been director.

Posted: August 27, 2019

Posted: August 27, 2019

Posted: August 27, 2019

They have let go of many well-respected teachers in recent years without just cause, and have hired weaker, inexperienced teachers.

Posted: August 27, 2019

Posted: August 27, 2019

We had a fantastic experience in kinder and 1st grade, but the current director, Briony Chown is sadly changing the school for the worse. She has let go of experienced, well-loved teachers in exchange for inexperienced, younger teachers. She is a weak and insecure leader who lacks basic leadership (and social) skills. I would street clear of High Tech schools. The CEO is no better. They have a glossy, attractive veneer, but once you dig a little, you find out they are not what they say they are.

Posted: May 1, 2019

There is no official performance evaluation process for teachers and all are on a one year contract. Leadership essentially uses subjective reviews to determine if a teacher may stay for another year, which leaves a lot of room for personal feelings about a staff member rather than their ability to teach/lead effectively. Leadership is not present in classrooms for accurate assessment and feedback from teachers, students, parents.

Posted: May 1, 2019

Our experience in the last 2 years, up until recently, has been remarkable. My child's teacher has been phenomenal, has really effectively balanced curriculum/grade standards with social emotional and project based learning. My child has grown and thrived immensely. Unfortunately, the school recently opted not to renew 2 of the founding teacher's contracts - these are 2 of the strongest, most well respected teachers at Explorer. The school seems to be taking a different direction. There are less models for the social emotional component to pass down to the newer teachers. This is not a concept that can be taught in a book - it has to be experienced and it was the main reason my family chose this school rather than one closer to our home. This recent turn of events has brought several concerns to light for many of the parents at Explorer, especially pertaining to the future direction of the school, the performance review practices for teachers, and the high turnover of staff.

Posted: May 1, 2019

I appreciate the approach to homework, which allows for children to focus on other important aspects of their social and family lives after school and on weekends.

Posted: May 1, 2019

A handful of teachers at this school are amazing! The teachers who have been at the school for 5 or more years and have adopted the true Social-Emotional Learning model are effective. Unfortunately, the movement in the last few years has been to hire new teachers with little to no experience in the social emotional model. There has been a lot of turnover at this school in the last 2-5 years as well, which is very alarming, especially in grades 3-5.

Posted: May 1, 2019

My child's teacher has done a remarkable job with this. This would be "strongly agree" if it were based on her. Administrative Leadership seems to lack integrity, especially in how staff issues are handled, as well as transparency with school processes. What is stated on the web page and in the charter (relating to the importance of teachers and parent involvement) compared to what is currently being practiced seem to be incongruent.

Posted: January 20, 2016

Posted: January 20, 2016

Posted: January 20, 2016

Posted: January 20, 2016

My son at Explorer is in one of the most truly diverse and multicultural settings I have ever seen in a school. The leadership has true vision and the teachers are dedicated to developing the whole child. Sure Explorer kids can read, write, and do math, but they can also collaborate, problem solve, and create. I couldn't be happier.

Posted: December 3, 2015

12/02/2015
Make sure you look at the dates of each review. Whatever this school was, it is no longer. There is very little emphasis on Math and Reading skills. Children are subjected to group projects where they only become as capable as the weakest member. If you child has any abilities, it will only drown in this environment of social emotion learning. After receiving the test results ranking Explorer students to the national average, every parent I spoke to said their child ranked Below average. This contradicts what Explorer Elementary is publishing. Since last year was the first year this particular test has been taken, I believe Explorer will have to update their ranking to show that their learning process no longer works... and maybe never has.
Explorer Elementary Student Parent

Posted: December 3, 2015

They are somewhat effective social and emotionally. But they need to start learning and preparing for continued learning after this school as well.

Posted: December 3, 2015

There are no text books at Explorer Elementary. Yes, I repeat, there are no text books at Explorer Elementary. This shows in the current national below average ranking!

Posted: December 3, 2015

Many children do not work well in this social and emotional environment. Teachers do not know how to deal with them and hugs only go so far. Bullying becomes uncontrolled and these children end up holding the whole class back. Since Explorer is group base learning, a groups with these individuals end up paying the price. It is Explorer's dirty little secret.

Posted: August 10, 2011

Explorer gives children an opportunity to become deep, caring thinkers, engaged learners, and excellent communicators. None of this would be possible without a great minds of this community working together to design a learning program in which everyone -- children, parents, and staff -- are a part of the process. Explorer's use of gifted-level learning strategies for ALL children makes it a place children LOVE to learn. Excellent principal, outstanding staff, supportive parents, great volunteers working together to help children learn that the world is a beautiful, complex and wonderous place to learn and grow.

Posted: July 31, 2011

As the martial arts enrichment instructor at Explorer Elementary, I have to say that I have never seen a more tight knit faculty and a more nurturing principal than Jill Green. She genuinely cares deeply for her teachers, parents and students. Each time she has stopped by my class, she treats the children with such kindness and love and is respectful to me as the instructor. She has definitely created a comfortable place where children feel safe to be themeselves and also where teachers feel safe enough to express their creativity.

Posted: July 29, 2011

The founding principal of Explorer Elementary changed our lives for the better when we received our acceptance letters! We as parents feel that her profound, unique vision brought Explorer to the heights it stands tall at today. She communicates well with parents and has always made our children feel safe, loved and heard. She is excellent at helping children come to peaceful solutions when there is conflict and we have personally witnessed her calming very emotional children is such a soothing way. The social and emotional curriculum is phenominal. Her parenting classes are so enriching. She and the teachers treat the children like real people and address their emotions so lovingly.

Posted: June 27, 2011

We joined Explorer Elementary the first year it opened in La Jolla and followed when it moved down to Pt. Loma. Jill Green, the principle welcomed us with open arms 11 years ago and made each and every day special. I have a debt of gratitude to Jill Green and the faculty of Explorer for helping us educate the our children, as well as educating us to be better parents. Our children feel that they are a part of Explorer and that Explorer will always be a part of them. Jill Green's vision of what a school should and can be is the foundation of what has made Explorer so successful. I truly feel blessed to have been able to have my family be a part of this community. Thank you for 11 amazing years and a lifetime of memories!

Posted: June 27, 2011

Finding a school that supported children's social and emotional development inspired our family to send our children to Explorer. From our first day at the school, we noticed the friendly and welcoming culture and environment found from the hallways to inside classrooms. This special school was established and guided by the founding principal's vision and leadership. Her love for all students is apparent when she tells a personal story about every graduating fifth grader for over 10 years.