2024/2025
Welcome to Plaza Vista School and our 25th Anniversary!
Plaza Vista opened its doors in 1999 as a year-round option for Irvine students with a focus on community, the arts, and academics. Today, Plaza Vista is a neighborhood school with many of the traditions from its outset continuing to thrive. We’re honored to serve your children here at Plaza Vista and endeavor to provide the highest quality educational experience we can envision.
Plaza Vista is a California Gold Ribbon School, a (twice awarded) California Distinguished School, and an Educational Results Partnership and Campaign for Business and Education Excellence California Honor Roll School. Our students' achievement on standardized exams consistently ranks amongst the highest in the state (like other Irvine schools!).
Science specialists and science teachers serve students starting in 4th grade. Our supportive PTA helps fund technology, art, lunch time activities, coding classes, supplementary curriculum, and more!
IPSF helps fund numerous instructional aides (with many of those staff holding teacher credentials), music classes for all students, and more! In addition, IPSF offers after school enrichment classes on our campus.
On the athletic front, keep an eye out for IPSF’s Tournament of Champions and Irvine Junior Games sign ups!
Computers are available for students in all grades along with Chromebooks and iPads (thanks in part to our amazing PTA). We are a 1:1 (computing device per student) K-8!
Plaza Vista’s Positive Behavior Intervention System framework is PRIDE- Partnership, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Empathy. Our entire student body benefits from our middle school students’ leadership via student council, PRIDE mentoring, National Junior Honors Society, No One Eats Alone Day, recycling work, and more.
Our amazing PTA strengthens community and provides resources for our school program in numerous ways including our renowned annual carnival in May (please join us!), the Jog-a-thon, the annual membership drive, family nights (which have included a magic show, bowling, restaurant nights, a “drive-in” movie, bingo, and many more), guest speakers, the book fair, assemblies, bake sales, lunch-time activities and games, field trips, Red Ribbon Week, and more!
We have had a number of student teams and associations including robotics, math, Peer Assistance Leadership, spelling, academic pentathlon, and more!
The Mission Statement of Plaza Vista is: All staff through collaboration, shared leadership, and while engaging in intellectual risk-taking, will support every child. An unofficial but hallowed slogan here painted in the hallway is: We take care of this place, we take care of each other.
What else is new in 24-25?
Lots, this is just a sampling:
-We have hired awesome staff around for our vacancies. Learn more about them here.
-New and improved middle school electives including Advanced Statistics, Digital Literacy, Advanced Choir, & additional support for students learning English.
-Our MPR continues to be improved and remodeled! We have invested about six figures in new paint, new wireless microphones, upgraded speakers, stage/facade resurfacing and more with help from PTA and IPSF. More to come!
-Every elementary classroom will have 1 device per student and students will have the option to check out a device for use at home. Students in middle school will check out a device for school and home use. We recommend Chromebook insurance for checked out devices.
We also feature after school classes and childcare (before and after school) on site.
If you are new to the area and/or are interested in a tour, please contact our front office.
Sincerely,
Plaza Vista School- home of Stars!
James Parker, MBA, MA
Principal
(949) 936-6950
I graduated from UCI with an MBA in June and here are 10 lessons:
- Irvine (and/or North America and/or Europe) may not the center of the universe
- “Yes, that!” is far more effective feedback than “No, this…” for learning
- AI is a must
- More data with less ink = more learning
- Correlation ≠ Causation
- Relationships, vision, participation, & coaching leads to higher achievement vs. directing & over-achieving
- Psychological safety is the number one predictor of successful teams
- Not nearly enough capable students in math, science, and/or technology & especially women & people of color… yet
- Working harder and more is not necessarily better & may be worse.
- Warmth first… then strength