Principal's Message

Dear Stanford Families,

It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the 2026–2027 school year! I am Brian Ball, and I am honored to enter my third full year as the proud principal of Stanford Elementary.

Over the past two and a half years, I’ve seen firsthand what makes Stanford such a vibrant, special place. Building on our back-to-back recognition as a U.S. News & World Report "Best School" in both 2025 and 2026, our dedicated staff remains deeply committed to delivering high-quality, engaging instruction while nurturing the whole child every step of the way.

To prepare our students for a lifetime of success (Goal 3), we continue to focus on Goals 1 and 2 of our GGUSD Strategic Plan: building strong Academic Skills and essential Personal Skills. Reaching this shared vision takes a true team effort. When the dedicated work of our staff on campus is paired with your love and support at home—and brought to life by our students showing up ready to shine each day—there is no limit to what they can achieve.

We warmly welcome your involvement! Research and experience tell us that when families get involved, students truly flourish both academically and socially. Our wonderful Stanford PTO offers many meaningful ways to volunteer and make a direct impact, and we would love to have you join us. Please feel free to contact our front office anytime for more information.

Staying connected is key to a fantastic year ahead. Please look out for my weekly principal's bulletin sent via ParentSquare, and be sure to follow our school website and Stanford Instagram for regular updates. Above all, open communication is essential—you are always welcome to reach out to your child's teacher or me via email or ParentSquare with any questions or thoughts.

Finally, to ensure a safe environment for all our children, please remember that Stanford is a closed campus. All visitors must check in at the front office before entering.

It is a true privilege to serve the Stanford Elementary community. Our entire team is eager to work hand-in-hand with you to make this a joyful, memorable year for all of our students.

Sincerely,
Brian Ball
Principal, Stanford Elementary School

Our School

Welcome Stanford families!

Stanford is a PBIS school that strives to create a positive class climate for our 524 students! To promote a positive campus-wide culture, our highly-trained teachers give out RED (Respect, Everyone cares, Do our best) tickets to students who show good behavior. Every Monday morning, one student per grade level is selected to come to the front office and receive a prize! Our scholars grow motivated to exert phenomenal behavior every day.

Our after-school programs provide students with enriching educational and extra-curricular opportunities:

• Stanford has an AVID Program that serves as an early college preparation course for students. What makes Stanford unique is that it is one of the seven schools in the district to implement the AVID Elementary Program. By the end of the program, scholars will have learned effective note-taking and study skills.
• Our Academic Pentathlon consists of scholars who challenge themselves in subject areas such as English, Math, History and Science. They compete with schools in the district and county, exerting the importance of collaboration and critical thinking one competition at a time!
• 2019 our school opened our Innovation Lab focusing on creating an exciting environment around STEAM. Students can participate in various features including Lego wall, green screen station, 3D printer, robotics, and more! The lab will help kids get engaged in technology and learn skills needed for 21st-century careers.
• We are proud to announce that Stanford received the 2018 California Distinguished School Award and was named to the 2018 California Honor Roll! Stanford was named a California Gold Ribbon School in 2016. We would like to thank our students, teachers and staff for giving it their all every day. Keep up the amazing work!

Our yearly events are a great opportunity for students and parents to enjoy a sense of school community.  Events include: 

• Fall festival
• Winter Breakfast and Holiday Social
• Winter boutique where students and parents come to purchase unique items
• Jog-a-thon
• Kids Run the OC
• Monthly Pastries with the Principal
• Skate Night sponsored by the student council
• Festival of Friendship celebrating Tet
• Hour of Code - teaches students coding
• Kindness Challenge
• Monthly Spirit Assemblies organized and led by Student Council

Our dedicated parents have an outstanding PTA program that helps with assemblies, events, fundraisers, field trips and classroom volunteering. Participants meet monthly to communicate and collaborate on organizing engaging events for all students. Parents can become involved by reaching out to teachers, the office, or other PTA members. 

Please feel free to stop by our office for questions or concerns.