My son started 6th grade this year (~2 mo. ago) and has had a positive experience so far. It began back at the beginning of summer, when he attended Hoover's week-long Step Up orientation program for incoming 6th graders. It was a chance to meet other new students and "get the lay of the land" - move between classrooms, learn how to use a lock/locker and get a sense of how to be prepared and organized for each class.
Hoover is a big school - over 1,000 students - but overall I find them well-behaved (for middle-schoolers!) and basically respectful. The school is clean and well-run. The principal is well-liked and easy to communicate with. Hoover is known for its' orchestra and band programs, as well as academics. They have a STEAM elective, which my son enjoys. There is also continued language pathways, both Spanish and Cantonese. If your child is in one of these language programs, they begin the school day one hour earlier, in order to have that one more class in the day.
This school has strong teachers, and a challenging curriculum. My son likes it so far!
My son really likes it
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