Erle Stanley Gardner Middle School

Posted: March 13, 2026

GMS is a fantastic public school. My son loves attending every day. The principal, counselor, and teachers are very professional and truly care about the students. The learning environment is positive and supportive. This school has been a perfect fit for my son, and we feel very grateful to be part of this community.

Posted: March 13, 2026

Posted: March 13, 2026

Posted: March 13, 2026

Posted: March 13, 2026

Posted: March 13, 2026

Posted: March 13, 2026

Posted: March 13, 2026

Posted: January 26, 2024

If your child has disabilities, I urge you to enroll your child in another school. My child has been bullied, suspended for something he didn’t do (and his bully accused him of) and the principle is awful. He does believe there is a bullying problem at this school but clearly there is because other parents are talking about it too. I’ve seen the way he treats children of disabilities and it’s really sad the way he taunted a child when he kept telling him he was going to call his mom. The kids are not allowed to play at lunch, they can’t go out on the field, the principle has narcissistic traits and I can’t urge you enough to avoid this school if you can, especially if your child has an IEP! The District is even worse.

Posted: January 26, 2024

Posted: January 26, 2024

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Posted: January 26, 2024

Posted: January 16, 2024

I have 2 daughters that attend GMS. I have nothing but positive to say. Mr. McKee and Mrs. Slowbe have been an amazing team and helped both my girls to thrive. Mr. Portis has been an amazing pe teacher and helped my girls both in so many ways. His teaching of progress over perfection has helped them to not focus on being the best but giving their best. Mrs. Cosgrove, Mrs. Carlton, ms. B, have all had such kind dispositions and helpful to them. I am so grateful for this school.

Posted: January 16, 2024

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Posted: August 20, 2023

Id give zero! A nightmare. Awful experience. Serious bullying issue. Take my word for it. You can try your best handling the situation professionally. The way the principal and vice principal “handle” issues, absolutely awful. Their technique, is to jeopardize the victims safety. Their favorite sentence “just know, moving forward, if I investigate, you will make more enemies”. My child completed 6th grade and will never return to this school. The culture in the campus is in the gutter. My advice to any new parents sending your child to this school. If you encounter a issue, go straight to the district. Or call 911 if your child is assaulted. Don’t wait like I did. Some may not believe this, unfortunately until it happens to their child or someone they know. I typically don't write reviews. I felt it necessary to share.
FYI- keep your eyes open for vaping, alcohol and drug issue. Take mental note, nothing good happens at the park next to the school, before or after school or at the sport park. Good luck.

Posted: August 20, 2023

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Posted: January 27, 2018

Posted: January 27, 2018

I had two kids go through here, overall we liked the majority of the teachers, and a few were amazing!

Posted: January 27, 2018

The new principal is great with the kids. Loved our guidance counselor Mrs Polk

Posted: January 27, 2018

Posted: January 27, 2018

Posted: January 27, 2018

Overall pretty good. There was routine middle school drama but I think that's unavoidable

Posted: July 31, 2017

Posted: July 31, 2017

Posted: July 31, 2017

Posted: July 31, 2017

Posted: July 31, 2017

Posted: July 31, 2017

Posted: July 31, 2017

AWFUL. They do nothing about bullying. There are some horrible spoiled rude brats there and kids are sneaky and approach vulnerable students and harass them and bump and hit them between classes and do so in groups. The only way to get away from this is to actually remove your student from the school. The bullying causes severe anxiety and depression and it has destroyed my childs life.I would never send them back to this school. Now trying to put back together this broken kid from middle school hell.

Posted: October 2, 2016

The new principal is a tool. There is also an incompetent English teacher subbing in all year for the 6th grade and many stories of bullying. Overall, a school with very poor leadership

Posted: May 18, 2016

Posted: May 18, 2016

Posted: May 18, 2016

Posted: May 18, 2016

This is my third child in Temecula and they have all attended different middle schools. Vail Ranch, Temecula Middle School, and Gardner Middle School. Of the three schools, Gardner is hands down the best in just the overall atmosphere and attitude the students have at the school. It must come from the top down. The school is much friendlier and more inclusive than the other schools. My son who went to both TMS and Gardner noticed a huge difference even though he liked both schools, he said the kids at Gardner were much more open and friendly where especially the girls at TMS had cliques and could be mean to other girls. My daughter has had very good experiences with the teachers here as well. Especially Mrs. Fontez for 6th grade. The drama department is great too!

Posted: October 22, 2015

Posted: October 22, 2015

Posted: October 22, 2015

Many of the teachers are allowed to show favoritism to students that they like, as it begins with the staff, and the front office, and the principal. She continually allows front office staff to talk about students and other staff in front of parents and students in degrading and unprofessional ways. When bullying is reported front office staff have made fun of the child, and berated them by saying things like "oh you again". This leaves kids not wanting to report anything for fear of further intimidation.

Posted: October 22, 2015

I have had two students go through this school and currently have another two going through. And all have dealt with or seen serious issues with bullying that are observed by teachers, done by teachers and staff, that are never stopped nor handled properly. The principal is impossible to get a hold of, and due to a teacher berating my child, and the principal stated she never got the massive amount of phone messages left for her, or emails that were or sent to her, I have had to go to the school district in order to get resolution. The teachers and staff seem to run all over the principal as she is out of sight out of mind.

Posted: May 22, 2015

Posted: May 22, 2015

The staff nor the students are held accountable for bad behavior. Bullying by both and nothing is ever done. They shortcut everything allowing everything to continue.

Posted: May 22, 2015

We left this school because of bullying. The school did nothing even though we notified them more than once. We moved our child to a better school. He thrived in his new environment. We notified the principal first. She did nothing. We went in a second time and no principal was available the counselor said he didn't need to fill out the report paper and changed his classes; while this helped some it didn't eliminate the problem. We went again and they said oh this is the first documentation of this because nothing was ever put in writing. We moved him very shortly thereafter.

Have friends who have kids there now and those kids are facing the same issues and have no help with the school or staff.

Posted: August 7, 2014

One of my children just finished GMS and I have another one starting there. We had a wonderful experience and are looking forward to 3 more years there. Teachers are helpful, respond to concerns/questions quickly. My child was not afraid or intimidated to approach staff. The principal has been easily approachable and encouraging. This is a school you can be proud of.

Posted: February 4, 2014

Extremely poor training of teachers and academic aides working with ASD/LD kids in the classroom! TVUSD won't allow contracted ABA contractors/ therapist to work with students on campus in the classroom! This is a disgrace! Proper support and appropriate accommodations for ASD/LD insufficient within the new Common Core standards! Common Core not working for special ed and RSP student body! Quality of Speech and Language SPL providers extremely poor! SPL won't share data or notes/logs with parents! Assistive technology is available but not properly integrated into students IEP there is no training/support for student or parents, very limited and restrictive software options! Making iPads/tablets/laptops virtually useless!