Sycamore Academy Of Science And Cultural Arts in Wildomar

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	6/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) data from California Department of Education, and using 2025 California Science Test data from California Department of Education.
Student Growth	10/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student growth data from California Department of Education.

Posted: June 3, 2025

THIS SCHOOL WAS MID AVERAGE LIKE A NORMAL SCHOOL BUT TRYING TO SURRIVE it Was Like a SURRIVAL CHALLENGE VIDEO

Posted: May 12, 2025

I would not recommend this school for several reasons. 1. The middle school is not a great experience for students. Too small, not enough selection, clubs, etc. If you want a true middle school experience, I don't recommend this school. It will not prepare your student for high school. 2. The Special Education Department is subpar at best. If your student has an IEP, it will only be followed 50% of the time. If your student has severe needs and requires more help, this school will not be a good fit. The school goes out of its way to make things uncomfortable for the high needs student so they will leave. 3. School test scores are low, very low. This stems from poor leadership, use of outdated curriculum and teaching methods. The administrators are very removed from the learning processes at the school, aloof and cold. The ED lives out of state and runs the school from there. As a parent and grandparent I thought the situation to be very odd. 4. School Discipline....there isn't any. They don't suspend students as they should for fear of looking bad. Bullies love this school (adults and students) because bad behavior is allowed. 5. Lack of inclusivity for students who are gay, trans, or don't fit into the status quo. Many administrators and teachers feed into this. Not enough counselors on staff.

Posted: May 8, 2025

My son is part of special education and let me tell you that his school has gone above and beyond accommodating my son with his learning disabilities. And because of that he has excelled and is now at grade level learning. And that is because of his teacher and all the people who are on his case plan. And not only that they do not separate the special education kids from the regular kids, which i think is really important to do.

Posted: May 7, 2025

I am writing to highly recommend Mrs. Campa, who has been my daughters 2nd grade teacher this school year. From the very beginning, Mrs. Campa has demonstrated a remarkable dedication to her students academic and personal growth.

She creates a warm, nurturing classroom environment where students feel encouraged to take risks, ask questions, and develop a love of learning. My daughter comes home excited to share what shes learned and truly looks forward to going to school each day a reflection of the positive and inspiring space Mrs. Campa has built.

Mrs. Campa is patient, kind, and communicates clearly with both students and parents. Her teaching style combines creativity, structure, and empathy, and she makes every child feel seen and valued.

It has been a pleasure having her as my daughters teacher, and I believe any school would be fortunate to have someone as passionate and effective as Mrs. Campa on their team.

Posted: April 17, 2025

This is a wonderful school. I am so impressed with Mrs. Anderson, my child's TK teacher this year. This is because I know exactly where my son is and what he needs to do to improve academically. She is a great communicator and always thinking ahead. The children are always actively engaged in learning.

Posted: April 14, 2025

Our family has been with Sycamore Academy for over 12 years now. My oldest went from 1st through 8th grade here, while my youngest began in 3rd and is now in 6th grade.

One of the things Ive always appreciated about this school is that even as it continues to grow, it still feels small and approachable. This type of environment makes it really easy for parents to be involved, which I truly believe plays such a HUGE role in your kids school experience. When parents are present and engaged, youre not just supporting your kid, youre also staying in tune with whats really going on in the day to day. It helps you understand the school from the inside, NOT just from the outside looking in!

The teachers, aides and staff here have always been awesome! Theyre supportive, empathetic and I truly feel they care about and are invested in these kids. The new principal has also done an amazing job. She was a teacher at the school for many years before being promoted to the principal role, so she really understands the values and vision that make Sycamore special. She is a perfect mix of positivity, professionalism and strong leadership. She is involved, approachable and always willing to help. I was both relieved and excited when I found out she was promoted into this position.

Sycamore has been such an important part of our lives for many years. We will always be grateful and appreciate the care and support our kids (and us as parents) have received here.

Posted: April 13, 2025

We feel incredibly lucky to have had Mrs. Wilson as our daughters teacher this year. From day one, she created a classroom environment that was welcoming, supportive, and full of encouragement. Our daughter has grown so muchboth academically and personallyand we know thats thanks in large part to the care and dedication Mrs. Wilson brings to her teaching.

She has a special way of making each student feel seen and valued. Whether its through engaging lessons, creative projects, or simply the way she speaks to her students with kindness and respect, Mrs. Wilson goes above and beyond every single day.

Thank you for being such a positive influence in our daughters life. Youve made this school year one shell always remember.

Posted: April 10, 2025

We absolutely love this school. We moved our kids there during COVID (ONLY SCHOOL THAT STAYED OPEN IN PERSON!!!). Our girls love the friends they've made and adore their teacher. Academically they have improved leaps and bounds from where they were at in public school which is not just apparent in their grades but also shines through in their self-confidence and intellectual curiosity.
Besides the teachers being great, the office staff are a cut above as well. The new principal Ms. R, must run a tight ship behind her friendly demeanor, and it shows. GREAT SCHOOL ALL AROUND AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Posted: September 19, 2024

My 2 children transferred here. One 2nd grader, one 3rd grader.

The academic standard is higher than their previous school; good news to me. The teachers have been amazing and the staff is really supportive and excellent to deal with. Communication from the school is better than I have ever experienced.

The facilities are beautiful from the (shaded) lunch tables, sports area, (shaded) playground, restrooms (which are assigned to each grade), water filling stations, and the classrooms, all behind secure locked gates. There are video monitors as an additional layer of security for my kids. Parents are also able(with live scan clearance) to be involved in pick up drop off and security monitoring. Security is the best Ive ever seen.

Sycamore offers after school clubs- homework club, gardening, sign language, Spanish, creative writing; its free. They also have teachers providing free tutoring for kids who need additional support.

Sycamore has sports teams that play competitively in volleyball, soccer, basketball, I think thats all (but for a k-8th that is mind blowing, right?)

Sycamore does field trips, awesome ones. Some over-night. Camps, historical, science museums, zoo safaris and more.

My kids, 7&8, love this school. Our family is grateful. I drive 12 minutes more every morning and again in the evening. Best 24 minutes of my day because my kids are worth it.

Posted: August 16, 2024

I love this school! They are beyond amazing. The way the structure is set up, even during Covid there was no delay, and all the kids were up and running from home immediately. MY school completed 4th through 8th grade, and we did the public-school side from 4th to 7th grade and the home studies program 8th grade. We loved both the public school and homeschool program. Every teach he had was incredible. From a parent side I love how involved they are, and they notify in depth of trends and issues. Since they are such a great school, they are able to enforce rules because parents will not want to have their children kicked out of the school. I felt safe dropping my son off every day there. I know many in public schools worried about their children's safety and have been able to refer them to this school. Also, the staff and teachers are long term, so you get to build relationships with them and that says a lot when there is not a lot of turn over. Only request I would have for future parents is for them to expand through 12th grade because they are that amazing and you will not want to search for another school once your child is ready to graduate 8th grade :)

Posted: June 14, 2024

My son is in 5th grade and has been a Sycamore student since T-K. We have been very fortunate that all of his teachers have been excellent, especially Mrs. Gruntz, who during the most difficult period of our lives have been unconditional moral and academic support, as well. I would like to mention Mrs. Dunn for providing us with all her support and the necessary resources to improve the upbringing of the children, Evelyn (Nurse) for her excellent work and affection, Lupita and Jessica for their kindness and willingness to expedite all the administrative issues. Thanks Sycamore!!

Posted: June 10, 2024

My daughter has been at Sycamore since Kindergarten. We have had some ups and downs with teachers in the 4th grade but overall she has loved coming here. My biggest thing with what is going on in the world right now is parents rights and at sycamore nothing is hidden from the parents.
I love the small school setting, no more then 2 classroom and no more then 60 plus kids. More 1-1 with the teacher, tutor and education clubs.

Posted: April 26, 2024

This is a wonderful school that loves parent involvement and gives the kids so many hands on learning opportunities. They take field trips, do little skits, have cool hands on science projects, and learn a second language on Rosetta Stone. The parents are invited to stuff all the time, so many cool things. I cant help but think that these negative posts are from the teachers that tried to unionize the school but failed.

Posted: April 19, 2024

As a parent who's children were formerly enrolled at Sycamore, I absolutely do NOT recommend Sycamore Academy. The curriculum is horrendous. There was only 1 text book for both of my children (Elementary & Middle school grades) which was a math book. Other than that, all learning is done on computers. The school states that they are taught foreign language via Rosetta Stone, which is a lie. Both of my children stated they never received any foreign language teaching in person or on the computer, yet the teachers gave them a grade for something they were never taught. I have the school report card to prove that. Many of the children had discipline issues and have aides/mentors sit with them in class. There is classroom disruption on a regular basis from students and it hinders learning of the entire class. There is also a big staff turnover rate. My children had multiple teachers during the time they were there and it lead to inconsistency with classwork and staff. Many parents are aware of these issues regarding school work, staffing turnover and disruptive children- so that makes me question where these stellar reviews are really coming from. My children now attend a different charter school in the district where they bring home mutiple actual textbooks, there is a designated in person Spanish teacher /class where they are required to speak back in Spanish. They have several sports and various clubs. If you choose to send your child to Sycamore, please research the school. Just because the schools "feels like a family atmosphere", and "is a smaller campus", does not mean the kids educational needs are being met. Ask questions like why are there no textbooks? What is the staff turnover rate? Why are children that continuously disrupt the classroom allowed to stay in class? Can they prove that foreign language is actually being taught and if so what proof can they offer?. The school is easy for parents who don't like much homework, or challenging work. Is that really in the child's best interest, or the parents? If so, then Sycamore is the daycare environment for you.

Posted: April 12, 2024

Sycamore Academy has been wonderful for my son. From his initial enrollment in Kindergarten to now tackling 5th grade, the growth he's shown is truly remarkable. Initially, he faced challenges with speech and fine motor skills, which led to his placement on an IEP. The first two years were tough!

But then came Mrs. Romo, his 2nd and 3rd grade teacher, who was a real blessing and game-changer for him.
She provided the perfect blend of structure, patience, and tailored instruction that not only aligned with his individualized plan but also pushed him to exceed all of my expectations. The once reserved and sensitive boy emerged as an independent thinker who excelled both academically and socially.

By the end of 3rd grade, he successfully completed speech, occupational therapy, and his IEP requirements.
This year he even joined the flag football team and delivered speeches at the History Day showcase to both parents and students!

I'm forever grateful to the wonderful teachers and staff. I can't wait to see what the next 3 years will bring for him!

Posted: April 11, 2024

My child is currently a 7th grader and I couldnt be happier with his middle school experience. He has a great teacher, communication is easy and open, small class size means he gets better attention and there are always school activities going on. Middle school is a hard age and hes had minimal issues. The school as a whole has been the best choice for our family and we recommend it to friends all the time.

Posted: April 11, 2024

We have been at Sycamore Academy for 4 years and I love their program. I love the personalized learning. The tight knit community where the staff knows who all of the students are, is something that you would not get at a district. Friday Academic clubs are something that my kids look forward to every trimester. I know what is being taught in the classroom, school choice is very important. I would encourage everyone to check out Sycamore Academy when considering putting their kids in grades K-8.

Posted: January 17, 2024

I had a bad experience due to certain situations not being handled properly.
One kid was caught vaping, and his punishment was to help my 5th grade class with simple tasks for about an hour. They also dont handle bullying, and school threats. Dont go.

Posted: November 4, 2023

As a former teacher at Sycamore Academy, I can attest to these reviews. Teachers are horribly underpaid and overworked with zero appreciation for the amount of time given or personal funds donated to make classes fun. Any teacher at this school LOVES children and education, but are misguided when hired on that they will have the freedom to teach, and are beaten down when attempting to make it better. The curriculum is poor quality, which explains the horrible test scores. When teachers spend their own funds to use better options, they are reprimanded and villainized. Report cards are misleading as grades are inflated by the system despite the many requests to change by the teaching staff. There are 23 teachers at this school, over 30 have left or dismissed over the last four years, and 4 administrators. No union can fix this school. Personally, I poured my heart and soul into this school for four years; my exit was heartbreaking but necessary. I feel for those interns and first year teachers who have taken the place of quality, credentialed, experienced teachers. I can only hope that families that remain will get involved and engage in their children's education to support them in their academic path - they are going to need it.

Posted: September 27, 2023

The director (principal) is on the board, which is a huge conflict of interest. If you complain about her, and she'll give you a myriad of things to complain about, she is the one who fields the complaints. It's so ridiculous that I couldn't make it up if I tried. I am aware of several teachers working at this school without credentials right now. Granted, they might have emergency 30-day sub credentials or student-teaching internships, but I know they don't hold multi-subject teaching credentials. Furthermore, my child was bullied for weeks, and the school refused to do anything about it. That's not an abstraction, she came home with visible marks on her body, but the director insisted that it wasn't bullying; it was just an example of kids learning social skills. I suggested conflict mediation to figure it all out. They didn't pull my kid and the other kid in to talk for 7 days! Within that time, my daughter was continuously hit by the other kid, and we reported it! The administration at this school is an absolute joke, the teachers are underpaid & underqualified, and the school caters to wild misbehaved kids. When we pulled my kids out and put them at a real school, we realized how behind academically they were, and how negligent this school was with disciplining kids. This school is terrible. I'd give zero stars if it were an option.

Posted: August 15, 2023

Parental involvement is strongly encouraged in the school.

Posted: July 31, 2023

I heard a lot of good things about this school and was excited to bring my son here. It ended up being the worst thing I could have done for him. We dealt with an unstable teacher, major lack of communication with staff, rude "mentors", and bullies that seemed to have no consequences. My 6 year old had a classmate put hands on him multiple times in the classroom and I was never notified that anything was even going on until I finally got him to tell me what was going on. Another time my son tripped and hit his temple on the corner of a metal bench (it was swollen and bruised), was sent to the office where he was given ice and then sent back to class without even a call to me to make sure I was fine with that. On fridays they have a "snack cart" (where your child can buy a giant tub of cotton candy btw) so i didnt pack him anything to eat but sent him with money to buy something. They canceled the snack cart with no notice and he went hungry the day. When I called about it the front desk lady said there was food in the cafeteria. My child doesn't eat school lunch so he had no idea. When the snack cart was canceled, it should have been told to all students by the teachers that going to the cafeteria was an option.

My son has completely lost the sparkle in his eyes and its really upsetting that nothing was done about the kids bullying him.

Posted: April 19, 2023

This school did its purpose when all other schools were closed during Covid. Once I transferred my kids back to our local neighborhood school, I realized my kids were behind their peers. I had to get my kids tutoring to catch up. The academics are not special at all. I was told by many teachers there that, I made the BEST decision ever by removing my kids. The staff turnover is insane, It starts at the top.

PS If you have a special needs child RUN...

Posted: January 20, 2023

The teachers are wonderful and they really care about the kids but they are handcuffed by the administration. There is no real curriculum for them and the teachers have to make things up. My daughter received 4s on her report card but when I pulled her out and put her back in our district school, she was 8 months behind! The director is arrogant and berates students and staff publically. Her emails are condescending and mean to the parents. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO THIS SCHOOL!

Posted: January 12, 2023

There was a lot of things about this school I was excited about. However, the 2 years that my son attended Sycamore (Kindergarten and 1st grade) he had a total of 4 different teachers. During 1st grade he absolutely learned nothing having had 3 separate teachers plus countless subs in between. Unfortunately, this school has a ton of teacher turnover and that is not good especially in primary grades when they are trying to learn to read and write. This school lacks consistency and I feel most of their teacher replacements are filled by 1st time teachers with little experience.

Posted: November 3, 2022

Ive had my daughter in this school for six years and I have to say I am more than dissatisfied with how this school has changed in the past years. When we were looking at this school we were initially drawn by the high ratings and friend recommendations however this school has gone no where but down. We have had 6 teachers in the past 3 years and it takes a toll on the kids mental health and sets them up for trust issues in the future. I am very disappointed in this school and we will be switching at the end of the year.

Posted: April 13, 2022

If I could give this school 0 stars I would. Some of my children have had 3 teacher this year alone. The Executive Director has an ego and this supersedes the importance to help the children who need it. Bow to her. Educationally they are well below the local public schools and the staff are far too involved in areas they do not need to be involved in. The education here is a joke.

Posted: March 17, 2022

This was the worst school my son has ever been to. Their customer service and response turnaround was terrible. When emailing administrators about issues and concerns, it takes days or weeks to reply back. They were very disorganized and have poor standard operating procedures. They dont care about their students or parents. It took 3 months for them to update my childs grades.

Posted: March 17, 2022

Posted: February 24, 2022

Let me start by saying I have stuck around at this school for much longer than anticipated because my kids love their friends and teachers there. The experience with the teachers have been pretty well for the ones that do decide to stay. Unfortunately this school has become a revolving door for teachers. Many leave even mid year. I know subs who have worked for this school who refuse to go back due to it being an unorganized mess. During COVID the school opened through a loophole as a "DAYCARE" despite them jeopardizing everyone's health. They claimed to be mandating mask only to see staff mask-less during pick up. They put up hand washing stations that from my students view's rarely had water and didn't even have soap. Their COVID protocol is hardly there, rarely any mask and you can go back to school relatively quickly as long as your fever free. According to the attendance clerk as long as a child is there for a few minutes they can still get to count it as attended so they may obtain payment. The school has gone downhill in my opinion. Its a chaotic mess, nobody ever seems to be on the same page and are quick to throw each other under the bus. The office staff typically has attitudes. A couple years ago they had my 1st grader up in the office for an hour in a half (who was suppose to be in tutoring) before they noticed she hadn't been picked up. My son (who is immunocompromised) had a 102 fever and had to be rushed to the hospital immediately after school nobody noticed he had chills and couldn't breathe, never thought to send him to the "nurses" office. I have bypassed major instances that should have been handled differently. The staff is terrible even the principle has been changed multiple times since we've been there. To anyone who is thinking of attending this school, I would recommend it solely for the teachers, if they choose to stay long enough.

Posted: January 10, 2022

I don't suggest this school because it doesn't prepare the students for highschool because there are only one class.

Posted: January 10, 2022

Posted: December 18, 2021

This school used to be amazing, but this school year has proven just how bad it has gotten. Barbara Hale, the principal, runs this school any way she wants. Half of the teachers and one of the admins quit a few months into the school year. Ms. Hale allows bullying, vaping in the bathrooms, students to be physically assaulted, moldy food to be served, and countless other issues to run rampant at her school. Filing a complaint with the board is pointless because shes the executive director of the board and all complaints go to her. Such a shame that something that was once so amazing has turned into something so awful.

Posted: December 18, 2021

Posted: July 17, 2021

The teachers are not only supportive but the kids can learn at their rate. They support them of course to meet standards and go above. My son lost interest at his previous public school but with their programs it challenges the students and helps them to be independent. We love this school. Even down to the meals they are healthier over all compared to other schools. It is a smaller school so the teachers remember and know the kids as they grow. There is also more control as far as not hearing about kids being bullied. I am sorry for those who have not had as great of an experience as we have had. The staff just truly understand and help and work with any situation to help all the kids succeed.

Posted: July 17, 2021

Posted: February 17, 2020

Teachers have very long hours with no prep and insufficient curriculum to work with. There are many great teachers here who are being smothered by unrealistic expectations. There are also a lot of new teachers who are being given the support or guidance they need to be effective

Posted: February 17, 2020

There is no trust or respect for their teachers

Posted: February 17, 2020

Mainstreaming all students with special needs does not work without support. The support given is very minimal because it is split between so many students.

Posted: February 17, 2020

I am so disappointed with my experience here. On paper it sounds like a fantastic environment. In reality, classes are over crowded, many students have special needs which are not being met, classes are micromanaged by admin, students and teachers are simply not supported. Unfortunately, you can feel how much the bottom line matters here. They've done a great job marketing but that's it... learning is not a priority. There is a reason they have such high turn over.

Posted: February 17, 2020

In theory the CAR homework given is a good idea. In practice, a lot of students get away with minimal work.

Posted: January 22, 2020

If you want the teachers to like your kid you need to kiss their a** . I'm sure whoever rate the school a 5 star is one of them

Posted: May 17, 2019

Not her circus not her monkeys is her motto

Posted: May 17, 2019

They let kids slide under the radar

Posted: May 17, 2019

No communication no respect for parents , lies from staff

Posted: May 17, 2019

Very high teacher turn over is bad

Posted: May 17, 2019

Horrible, no accountability, its all about money

Posted: May 17, 2019

Its a joke, traveling Tuesday ha ha

Posted: May 17, 2019

Miserable horrible, as a parent you think your being awesome by choosing a charter school but your actually risking your kids well being

Posted: May 17, 2019

They ignore it and let it get worse

Posted: May 17, 2019

Horrible experience with a staff that lacks any sort of knowledge when it comes to dealing with kids properly.

Posted: January 8, 2019

This school has a big problem with bullying. Vary little supervision so many things go to the he said she said so nothing gets resolved.

Posted: January 8, 2019

The leadership at this school is terrible. The principal is unprofessional and very rude. She like to threaten kids with Extreme punishment.

Posted: January 8, 2019

The school is vary stuck in their ways. Not open to other learning options.

Posted: January 8, 2019

This school has a big problem with bullying. Vary little supervision so many things go to the he said she said so nothing gets resolved.

Posted: January 8, 2019

Absolutely zero communication . It takes days for them to email back.

Posted: January 8, 2019

The home work is a joke. Most of the homework in on the computer that is very ineffective, kids dont retain the information with the programs. The school sets the bar so low its ridiculous.

Posted: January 8, 2019

Two thumbs down! Vary poor, if your not wanting your child to become a successful adult by all means inroll your child to this school. Good luck with is school.