Winter Gardens Elementary School

Posted: August 5, 2025

Worst experience and had to withdraw my kindergarten. The teacher was more of a daycare mentality and did old copies of worksheets and made them put their heads down in the desk for “calm” time. Worst experience ever.

Posted: August 5, 2025

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Posted: August 5, 2025

Posted: August 5, 2025

Posted: March 11, 2024

My son currently goes to the school, and my daughter will too. My family loves the Mandarin immersion program. The teachers care about the students and they have fun teaching. I would highly recommend this school, and joining the Mandarin immersion program!

Posted: March 11, 2024

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Posted: October 28, 2021

Great school, my daughter is in kindergarten in the mandarin immersion program.

Posted: October 28, 2021

Posted: October 28, 2021

Posted: October 28, 2021

Posted: October 28, 2021

Posted: October 28, 2021

Posted: October 28, 2021

Posted: October 28, 2021

Posted: October 11, 2016

We have had a great experience here. Mrs Stein and Wu Laoshi were amazing kindergarten teachers. All the parents are very involved and the teachers are great. Learning languages at this age is so beneficial.

Posted: May 24, 2015

My son attends Kindergarten at this school and we are quite satisfied with his teacher and his school.

Posted: December 9, 2014

Winter Gardens was a big mistake. I hate to leave mid year, but I'm moving next fall. I haven't seen the principal on campus for over a week!!! Yes, she's out sick,but there should be a replacement. It's parent/teacher conference week and AM I DISAPPOINTED!!!!!! The teachers are crying for help. Who is guiding them? Who's teaching and mentoring the teachers? Should they not have specific teaching strategies for non native Spanish speakers? Why are they lost? Why can't they answer my questions? There is so much uncertainly on this campus, no lead, no administration and no one cares. Unfortunately, I am trying to look elsewhere for other immersion programs. I am confused on what to do!!! I am not happy. Am I the only one ?

Posted: June 24, 2014

Worst teacher selection ever! The principal from Riverview took all experienced teachers and put new teachers at Wintergardens. What?! That's a great leader! This campus is crazy with inexperienced teachers and an administrator that talks but doesn't walk. She has so many tricks up her sleeve. To sum it up without boring you!!!! GO TO LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY. I'm taking my son there. Even is you decide on an all English program, their Spanish enrichment is awesome and they are very organized and EXPERIENCED!!!!

Posted: May 3, 2014

Wintergardens is not good. I notice the difference from the school I switched from. Do I regret it? Not yet, but I'm so close! In becoming close friends with a teacher I have learned that 6 of 8 teachers are new! They have no support from administration which is never there and their TOSA who is suppose to mentor has never taught immersion nor Kinder, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. and she's never around. Who is training the teachers? I don't speak unless I have the facts. So, I walked around to every classroom. Everyone is cohesive, some teachers sing all day (from random visits in one day), some have nap time, one teacher was on the computer every time I walked in, no administration for two days. Ask a teacher and they will sugar coat their answers because they are new and will not speak up and loose their job. Ask the administrator and she will paint you a pretty picture. Judge for yourself on a surprise visit and be the witness. Now to see my other child at Riverview. I fell into the bandwagon following the popularity name of the program, but i'm afraid it's washed down.

Posted: June 22, 2012

I too agree that Winter Gardens was wonderful and the teachers were great. We had such a small-town feel which we loved but since LUSD opted to expand the Language Emmersion programs. We were told we will now go to Lemoncrest. We were never asked what we would like to do yet our tax dollars are going for programs we never signed up for. Such a shame we will leave this district because its only going to get worse. So sad the English (primary language) speaking children will soon be on the very bottom rung...just saying.

Posted: June 21, 2012

This school is as close as you can get to a private school. The teachers and staff are wonderful! Unfortunately Lakeside Union School District is taking it away to expand the Language Academy!!!!! Without any community input, LUSD does not care about our community or the best education for the children of Lakeside!! They only care about Money! Yes I am leaving the district that we pay taxes on because I refuse to put my child in over crowded schools!

Posted: June 21, 2012

I love this school - we live in El Cajon but I put my daughter here at my sister's recommendation, as it is a small school and not overcrowded. She has been here for two years, Kinder and First. Mrs Mizar is a wonderful teacher, she has helped my daughter excel in her studies. Of course, all good things do not last and because of LUSD greed, this lovely little school will be a Riverview Language Academy extension. They are willing to plow money into a new Language Academy rather than into keeping this a traditional school. They shouldn't be allowed to do it. They didn't even tell us parents until March of this year and we didn't get to vote either. They kept sugarcoating and advising of "changes" to the school, but wouldn't come out and say that they were transferring the entire student body to an already overcrowded school until they were point blank asked about it. Now I'm seriously thinking about transferring my child back to Cajon Valley School District - maybe the parent who posted today also can advise of a school in East County that isn't overcrowded???

Posted: July 19, 2011

the teachers and principle do nothing at all about bullying, they let the kids do what they please and pick favorites. worst school my children have attended.

Posted: April 29, 2010

I love how small the school is. It's a more close-knit family feel than larger schools. Plus the teachers and staff are great and there are a lot of parent volunteers.