Walker Elementary

Walker is a quality neighborhood school, dedicated to seeing every child experience success.

A very dedicated and experienced staff serves students in grades Preschool to 5th. Our student population of approximately 500 students is markedly rich in diversity. While a great number of our students grew up in Mira Mesa, many have families and histories rooted in countries around the world. Our school has approximately 50% English Language Learners and boasts high rates of reclassifying students as "Fluent English Proficient." There may not be a better environment to prepare children for future success in a global society. Walker is on a traditional year school calendar and is located in Mira Mesa off Interstate 15 and Black Mountain Road

Our core values drive our interactions, decisions and work with children.

We value collaboration.

We are convinced that students will achieve more if parents, teachers, classified staff, and community partners work together. Therefore, we are committed to clear communication, accentuating one another's gifts, and making decisions that benefit children first and foremost. Our Parent Teacher Organization, Family Fridays, and Site Governance teams are places where high levels of cooperation exist. Teachers collaborate with one another in grade-level Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). In PLCs, lessons are planned together, student work is analyzed, and teacher practice is strengthened. Community partnerships contribute to student success through after school tutoring, school-day volunteering, and supports that meet critical family needs. A few of our partners are Christ Community Church, Mission Federal Credit Union, and individual volunteers.

We teach the whole child.

We are convinced that students will reach high levels of learning, if we invest in the development of the entire child. We ensure basic needs are met with a proactive nurse/ health technician and free beakfast/ lunch for all children at Walker. We address the social emotional well being of students by funding a full-time counselor, teaching social skills in classrooms, and employing trauma-informed responses to student misbehavior. We invest in the physical development of children by providing regular Physical Education, morning Running Club, and an "Play First, Eat Second" approach to lunch. In addition to core academics, we offer music and art programming for our students.

We focus on foundational skills.

Students will leave Walker with the foundational skills they need to succeed in middle school and beyond. With a balanced approach to literacy, we take great effort to help every student read at grade-level. Students develop writing skills at every grade, through writing tasks intended for a variety of audiences. Through a rigorous mathematics curriculum, students are challenged to solve complex problems and to describe their thinking. In Science, teachers are seeing engaged students, as they seek to explain naturally occurring phenomena (NGSS Science standards).

We ensure students are future-ready.

We are preparing students to make contributions in a global society that we have not yet seen. To prepare them for this, we know that students need skills in critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, and effective communication. In our classrooms, these skills are modeled, practiced, and affirmed. Additionally, our school provides access for students to augment learning through tech devices. Throughout campus, and at home, students are developing expertise using technology, in a way that accelerates their learning.

We expect consistent progress.

Children come to Walker with varying levels of skills. As a staff, and a learning community, we are committed to pushing and supporting students, so that they demonstrate consistent academic progress. At Walker, students set goals for their learning, commit to hard work, and track their progress. When students take ownership for their learning in this way, the experience of success is all the more exhilarating!