Laurel Elementary School

My youngest child is currently a student at Laurel Elementary School in San Mateo, CA and my 15 year old daughter is a Laurel alumnus. Let me explain just how fortunate WE are to have Laurel in our lives.
My son’s kindergarten teacher, Miss Andrea Wong was the perfect instructor to get him acclimated to his life long educational journey. My son has always been apprehensive to any new situation or the unfamiliar in general. Miss Wong was the absolute finest fit for his smooth transition from preschool to elementary school.
I cannot leave out Liz. My son loves PMT and Liz Wiegand is to blame! As much as Liz Laps are tough on all, she has taught my son the importance of physical fitness and good eating habits. She consistently challenges him to do better.
In 1^st grade he was placed in a 1^st/​2^nd grade split class with the most awesome Mrs. Janet Amato. She was able to get my son to open up to the fact that reading is fun and to not be afraid of making mistakes, as that is how we learn.
This year in 2^nd grade he scored big time with the top-​drawer himself, the unsurpassed Mr. Kevin Fiddner. My son says, «Mr. Fiddner is the coolest and funniest teacher ever, but he makes us do our best work before we get to have fun.» My son struggled with reading from day one. It was extremely challenging for my husband and I and his teachers to help him to «get it.» I credit Mr. Fiddner for instilling in him that extra something he needed to help open up his ability to finally READ.
My first experience at Laurel was with my middle child, my now 15 year old daughter. She attended a private school from kindergarten through most of 3^rd grade until we transferred her to Laurel near the end of her 3^rd grade year.
It was perfect for her that she was placed in a 3^rd/​4^th grade split class because being in a highly academic private school, she was a bit ahead of most public school third graders. Her 3^rd grade teacher, the imperturbable Miss Rebekah Lubrano helped my daughter to adjust to Laurel by getting her connected with a 4^th grade buddy to show her the «ropes» of Laurel. Miss Lubrano kept my daughter engaged and academically challenged. Miss Lubrano was also her 4^th grade teacher. My daughter adored Miss Lubrano.
In my daughter’s final year at Laurel her 5^th grade teacher was the humorous and innocuous Mrs. Janet Chappell. Seriously, at this point with my daughter’s hormones kicking in and attitude building, she needed a deeply caring, yet tougher than most no-​nonsense teacher. Mrs. Chappell’s teaching style is truly helpful and desperately needed especially for children who have been coddled. Believe me I do my share of spoiling my children. But, in real life we do not always make the team, get the best jobs and be told we are super special people no matter how we behave. Mrs. Chappell understands that in-​coming middle and high school students do not get their hands held and egos stroked. They will fail if not focused and prepared with the knowledge and learning fundamentals that are taught from birth through fifth grade. Mrs. Chappell volunteers her personal time to organize school fundraisers, serve on educational boards, and she supervises student body activities. She does this out of the kindness of her heart for our school district, children, teachers and families.
I give thanks to the aforementioned teachers as well as to the many other teachers, paraprofessionals, office staff and families at Laurel. Principal Glines stands strongly beside her teachers, students and Laurel families. Sure, with a myriad of personalities, values and beliefs one is bound not to be fond of everyone or everything, but for the most part the Laurel community rocks!
It takes a village… Both parents and teachers alike need to work together for the better of our children. Parenting is the toughest job out there and teaching is a close second.
Respectfully Submitted by
Teresa Campbell, M.Ed.

My child has been going to Laurel for a couple. of years. This school has some great teachers, unfortunately the PRINCIPAL Glines never address any of the problems we had eith some teacher aids. I could go on with examples of her poor ways to resolve a problem, but she just does not care about children. Sad

My son has been going to this school for 5 years, this year we are home schooling because he had the worst teacher ever. Don’t get me wrong, this school has some AMAZING teachers: Kellin Armstrong, Mr. Fidner, Mr. Agius to name a few. However this school also has some whackjobs, speaking from experience Mrs. Chappell falls into that category. Her theme for her classroom is, «You have to let your child fail to learn.» These are words that came out of her mouth. I’m sorry but in my opinion (and yes I do get an opinion as I pay taxes and this is Unilocal) teachers are supposed to give children every opportunity to succeed not fail. She also doesn’t teaach! Logan was with her for 3 months they didn’t work on science, they did 4 sheets of grammer (that wasn’t finished) and something called Cornell notes that she will talk about forever. She’s a mean and angry teacher that kept 6 students from not going on a field trip for not turning in one assignment! Parents had come to drive their kids to the field trip ended up having to drive, and not even having their kids on the field trip! She gives massive amounts of homework so that the parent has to work with the kids and she can just correct it and not worry about doing any work in class. She will test the kids on stuff they haven’t done in class aka states and capitals. When you ask her about it she says that she’s a wonderful teacher and so many students love her, and yet if you bring up how several parents complain she says that’s hearsay. She also refuses to work with kids if they are having problems. My son was deathly afraid of her and would cry and beg to stay home, even though last year he tried to go to school with a 103 fever just so he wouldn’t miss math! The principal does not care about your child. We asked to have our child moved because he had tourettes and his ticks were getting worse because of the teacher and the stress, and they told us we just needed to deal with it. My son’s eye is bleeding because he keeps pulling on it because he’s stressed about his teacher. I will preach it high and low, this is a BAD TEACHER!