John E Steinbeck Elementary School

Bullies are rampant and current administration is very ineffective. It takes years and so much follow up to get anything changed. All the great teachers are gone, few good ones left, but classroom size is currently at 32 or 33 students per class for 4^th grade. I don’t doubt this school used to be great, but that is certainly not the current situation.

The 5 stars are mainly for Mrs. Alvarez-​Cortez. I’m shocked that she would even get a bad review EVER!
My son had her last year and he has done nothing but flourish! Mrs Leonard (who unfortunately is no longer at JES) and mrs Alvarez were the best team of 1^st grade teachers I have ever come across. The field trips were great, her class was well behaved and her educational structure was fabulous. My son didn’t want another teacher for 2^nd grade … He wanted to keep mrs Alvarez because she made it a point to TEACH. Someone mentioned she was racist?! In Salinas … Really?! That actually made me lol.
Unfortunately, teachers now-​a-​days have to babysit uneducated parents. We have to understand that teachers have a class of 27 or more kids with NO ASSISTANCE! Give them a break and teach your kids to behave so someone else doesn’t have to do it. Do homework with your kids which will help with building their educational foundation. I can’t speak for all parents but I fully appreciate all that Mrs Alvarez and JES teachers uphold.

As an alumna of this school, I must say, the greatest memories I’ve ever had while growing up took place here. I recall talking to the supervisor, Bob (may he rest in peace) and him constantly telling us to hold our horses while we waited impatiently to get our lunch, talking about Barbie, or simply making us giggle with the many things he had to say. Mrs. Casey’s 3^rd grade class, where I wrote «Mathy» instead of «Cathy» while doing a math worksheet (I still tell that story, to this day). I had great joy in taking part in the after school GATE program with Mrs. Loy and making zucchini bread. I loved when it rained because that meant that everyone in our 4^th grade class (also taught by Mrs. Loy) would get a nice cup of hot cocoa. I remember bidding the music teacher farewell as she retired (Mrs. West, I believe it was). Ms. Myers’, art class; oh the joys of playing with paint and using a marshmallow as a makeshift sponge to get that circular shape for our caterpillars. 5^th grade Science Camp with Mr. Mayfield, those were the days. Being a 6^th grader and feeling like we were finally at the top of the social pyramid. The many field trips we had throughout our years or the days at recess when we would take turns on the swing as someone counted to 90. They were all wonderful moments that I will cherish forever.
I don’t know how much the school has changed since I’ve been there, but the many friends that I have made, the teachers that have taught me; if I had the choice, I wouldn’t choose to attend any other elementary school. It was amazing. The carnivals equipt with dunk tanks and the snow cones or popcorn sold every Wednesday added to the greatness of it all.
It has to be one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. They prepared me for my future, as any school should. I go off to college this year, and before I go off to major in film and minor in anthropology at SJSU (and in four years hopefully teach abroad); I will be sure to go back and visit my former teachers before I begin my venture into the unknown because without them, I am almost positive that I wouldn’t be an AP student or very literate for that matter. So yes, I think this school is pretty great. Maybe it has changed since I’ve been a 6^th grader (about six years ago) but from what I can tell you, this school is one of the best in town.