Thurston Middle School
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Phone: (949) 497-7785
Fax: (949) 467-7798
District: Laguna Beach Unified
GreatSchools Rating
public • Grades 6,7,8 • 524 students
Thurston Middle School, a public school located in Laguna Beach, CA, serves grades 6-8 in the Laguna Beach Unified School District.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 8 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.
Thurston Middle School is a public school located in Laguna Beach, CA. 524 students attend Thurston Middle School.
School Ratings
| Category | Rating | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Test Scores | 10/10 | 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 | 6/10 | 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: September 5, 2025
The teachers are mostly fantastic, but the bullying is horrendous. It's beyond anything at my friends' children's other schools. The school's leaders need to stop protecting and tiptoeing around bullies that beat the you know what out of good kids and destroy their self-esteem with severe harassment that is tolerated by the adults. They need to give bullies a required class to help them change, tell the non-caring parents that their bully students are on probation, and expel them if they don't shape up. It's an epidemic at Thurston, and older parents tell us it has been this way for years.
Posted: September 5, 2025
Posted: September 5, 2025
Posted: September 5, 2025
Posted: September 5, 2025
Posted: September 5, 2025
Posted: September 5, 2025
Posted: September 5, 2025
Posted: March 28, 2025
Laguna Beach school district provides quality support to its teaching staff. The district support allows teachers to perform at a high level of educating their students. The students at Thurston receive an excellent education with several options of electives to also choose from. The students leave Thurston ready for high school and a college preparatory foundation .
Posted: March 28, 2025
Posted: March 28, 2025
Posted: March 28, 2025
Posted: March 28, 2025
Posted: March 28, 2025
Posted: March 28, 2025
Posted: March 28, 2025
Posted: June 2, 2024
I have had a good experience at Thurston, they have very good teachers, a great principal, and good extracurricular activities. Mrs. Martinez is such an amazing teacher and you won't regret attending this school.
Posted: June 2, 2024
Posted: June 2, 2024
Posted: June 2, 2024
Posted: June 2, 2024
Posted: June 2, 2024
Posted: June 2, 2024
Posted: June 2, 2024
Posted: January 24, 2024
This community is terrible. I would not suggest this hell to anyone.
Posted: January 24, 2024
Posted: January 24, 2024
Posted: January 24, 2024
Posted: January 24, 2024
Posted: January 24, 2024
Posted: January 24, 2024
Posted: January 24, 2024
Posted: November 22, 2023
Posted: November 22, 2023
Posted: November 22, 2023
Posted: November 22, 2023
Posted: November 22, 2023
Posted: November 22, 2023
Posted: November 22, 2023
Posted: November 22, 2023
Awful people! Worst schools years of my life!
They have a strict no phone policy you cant even use your phone during lunch or you break.
Posted: October 18, 2019
I would rate this school 10 out of 10. As a student there, I feel that I get the education and support I need. This school also has a huge library and I am very pleased because I have so many delightful options of books to choose from. The teachers and staff are all very supportive and kind. I feel very safe and come home every school day with little homework and plenty of new things learned. The school is well maintained and kept clean. They have an effective discipline program in place. I wake up each day looking forward to middle school and am excited to go to such a welcoming, fun place. Each night I go to sleep, eager to see what tomorrow has in store. Thurston is truly an amazing place that I love.
Posted: October 18, 2019
Posted: October 18, 2019
Posted: October 18, 2019
Posted: October 18, 2019
Posted: October 18, 2019
offers special classes and services for students with disabilities. Very inclusive, provides equal opportunity.
Posted: October 18, 2019
Posted: December 22, 2016
The school has a lot of thoughtful and caring teachers - unfortunately the administration seems much less supportive of cultivating top learners. With the impressive school budget and all the community support for the only middle school in affluent Laguna Beach, there should be more accomplished learners in stronger courses.
Thurston (and LB High School) should be ranked highly, but they aren't. This may also come from a school board which does not prioritize higher school rankings nor support and encourage strong/advanced learners.
Posted: December 22, 2016
Mostly caring, smart motivated teachers, save for some who are long tenured and who seem to phone it in. But thankfully there are no poor teachers in this school that I am aware of. They range from excellent to pretty good
Posted: December 22, 2016
it seems that the school administration does not support advanced learners and discourages differentiation
Posted: December 22, 2016
the administration does not seem to support strong learners
Posted: December 22, 2016
Posted: December 22, 2016
Emphasis on kindness, non-bullying is helpful to guide students
Posted: December 22, 2016
Homework seems mostly helpful, occasionally more busy-work
Posted: October 20, 2015
This school has no leader - the principle is invisible - and no warmth or team spirit. Office staff is mean and cold. There is never any consideration or attention for any problem your child may have, if he has any. Only the teachers are doing their best and actually thet do it all. The administration is just nonexistent. Socially, it is verty clicky and nothing is done to avoid it. Many students can't even get a table for lunch and have to eat on the floor/grass. Good comments are referring to few years ago, when this school had a fantastic principal. This time is over. Good luck for 3 difficult years...
Posted: October 20, 2015
Posted: October 20, 2015
Posted: October 20, 2015
Posted: September 25, 2013
It comes from the top as the saying goes. TMS principle and staff care that each student is educated and important. The community in a whole and the parents involvement make this a #1 school.
Posted: November 1, 2011
This is the best school anyone can ever go to! I encourage everyone to go there!
Posted: May 5, 2011
My son transferred to Thurston from Newport-Mesa School District last year and the difference is night and day. LBUSD is amazing and Thurston is a prime example. The facilities and teachers are top notch and they don't have any of the ridiculous "policies" or petty bureaucratic tyrants that plague many schools. My son loves it and is doing much better than he ever has. As soon as you set foot on this campus and meet the staff you'll be sold, but you won't really know how good it is until school starts. It's really an idyllic school.
Reviews provided by GreatSchools™
| # | Name | Type | City | State | Overall Rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whispering Winds Apartments | Apartment Complex | San Clemente | CA | 12.1 mi | |
| 2 | Copper Canyon | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Murrieta | CA | 29.9 mi | |
| 3 | The Ranchos | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Murrieta | CA | 30.7 mi | |
| 4 | Amberwalk Townhomes | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Murrieta | CA | 31.9 mi | |
| 5 | Montecito village apartments | Apartment Complex | Oceanside | CA | 35.1 mi | |
| 6 | St. Cloud | Condominium/Townhouse | Oceanside | CA | 35.3 mi | |
| 7 | Mira Costa Estates | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Oceanside | CA | 36.1 mi | |
| 8 | Palisades Pointe | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Carlsbad | CA | 37.5 mi | |
| 9 | Redhawk | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Temecula | CA | 38.9 mi | |
| 10 | Shadowridge | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Vista | CA | 39.8 mi | |
| 11 | Windsor at Aviara | Apartment Complex | Carlsbad | CA | 41.2 mi | |
| 12 | La Costa | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Carlsbad | CA | 42.3 mi | |
| 13 | Hollyglen | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Hawthorne | CA | 42.6 mi | |
| 14 | Rancho Carrillo | Neighborhood/Subdivision | Carlsbad | CA | 42.6 mi |
| # | Name | City | State | Overall Rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downtown | San Clemente | CA | 12.2 mi | |
| 2 | West Side | murrieta | CA | 31.2 mi | |
| 3 | Downtown Oceanside | Oceanside | CA | 33.1 mi | |
| 4 | Murrieta | Murrieta | CA | 34.8 mi | |
| 5 | Carlsbad | Carlsbad | CA | 36.1 mi | |
| 6 | Murrieta, California | Murrieta | CA | 37.3 mi | |
| 7 | Temecula, California | Temecula | CA | 38.1 mi | |
| 8 | Lake Rancho Viejo | Fallbrook | CA | 38.5 mi | |
| 9 | Encinitas | Encinitas | CA | 44.7 mi |
| Base | Distance |
|---|---|
| Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station | 23.1 mi. |
| Camp Pendleton | 25.1 mi. |
| Los Alamitos JFTB | 27.7 mi. |
| March Air Reserve Base | 37.8 mi. |
| Los Angeles AFB | 43.4 mi. |
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