My children love the School of Rock! No matter their mood coming into their lessons / rehearsals,…read morethey always leave beaming, inspired, and excited for their next visit! The staff are friendly, helpful, kind, and on top of everything; the teachers are intelligent and fun and are great at accommodating the needs of all the students no matter their age or level! The concerts the kids put on at the end of each season are fantastic! I'm so thankful for this place, and I can't recommend it high enough!

From the owner: School of Rock Alameda is the leader in performance-based music education. We provide in-person…read moremusic lessons and group rehearsals (bands) for students ages 6+ through adults. Our bands rehearsal weekly to put on seasonal live performances at local venues. Reach out to schedule a free lesson!

Improv Central is such a cute space! I rented the space for a small arts and crafts session with my…read morefriends and the booking process was quick and easy thanks to Claire! She was very responsive to my questions and gave us a quick tour of the space before our rental time. We had everything we needed including a table and chairs, plus the place was so bright and beautifully decorated it really set the tone! Thank you for everything, Claire!

Improv Central is an absolute gem and we in Alameda are so lucky to have this in our…read moreneighborhood!!! (I have been taking improv classes in the Bay Area, as well as performing, and teaching myself for decades and so, I do not say this lightly.) The Grand Opening day was magical. The opportunity to improvise nearly every hour, all day long! I took three different classes with three different teachers and each one was wonderful! I love the yoga studio model -- this is an absolute innovation, unlike any other improv school currently operating -- you can just drop in on a single class or have a membership and all-access, or get a multi-class pass, rather than signing up for a six-week or 8-week workshop. Each instructor offered such a high-quality level of teaching and great energy and care! I also appreciated how the classes are geared toward all skill levels. Again, this is unlike other schools where often one has to progress through levels with a goal of performing. This is improv for the sake of joyful play, connection, and personal growth. Creativity as the secret sauce to life! I have already purchased a 2-week newbie pass and I'm really excited to dive into as many classes as I can fit into my schedule during this window of time.

I received my 100 Ton Master Mariner license through Maritime Institute in Alameda, Ca and it was…read morean excellent experience. I was able to earn my license in the San Francisco Bay Area. The instructor was knowledgeable and patient and having the class close to home made it affordable. This school is top notch and a highly recommended getting your license here.

Our daughter started 9th grade, new to ACLC. The school is super small, relaxed, and promotes…read moreindependence. Regular project periods provide freedom to manage her own time. Soon she will take some college classes nearby. Facilitators (ACLC's teachers) are on a first-name basis with learners (ACLC's students). When I signed my kid out early, I stated her first name and the office staff knew exactly who she was. In September, she had a large Scout project to complete. The principal, head facilitator, parents, and learners helped her refurbish the school stage. She even appeared before the school's funding board; it was empowering. Her favorite event to date was a field trip to San Francisco to attend a mock trial by the SF Trial Lawyers Assoc. The class then staged their own trial, using the storyline from John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" The school isn't perfect, but works well for us She is being prepared to go out on her own, in an environment that suits her introverted, artistic self. Plus, the parent community is wonderful!

We spent quite a bit of time reviewing middle schools and trying to find a good fit for our 6th…read moregrade daughter. After touring a few middle schools including our district school (Wood), other Charters (Academy of Alameda, NEA), and possible inter-district transfer schools (Bay Farm Middle School) we decided ACLC was the best fit because of school size (smaller, staff will know your child), curriculum (good balance of academic focus and college preparation), and a focus on learner participation and self-governance (lots of activities are learner-led and there is a fair amount of "independence" on how to accomplish work). Overall we feel like ACLC has been a great fit after a semester there. - CURRICULUM: The curriculum seems to be well-balanced with a mix of knowledge-based learning (learning math principles and math worksheets) along with more open-ended projects (team-based science fair project which seems largely student-run in groups) - SMALL SIZE: A smaller school has meant knowing most of our daughter's facilitators as well as the principal (aka Lead Facilitator) and other staff - INDEPENDENCE: The school makes it a point to really involve the students in self-governance, leading activities, and learning to manage themselves. For example, we were really impressed that all 6th graders had an overnight camping trip at the beginning of school (Hannah Camp, named after the student who founded the program) which was organized by ACLC high schoolers (with staff supervision) to welcome new 6th graders. Other "Pros": - It sounds like other AUSD middle schools are dealing with some bullying issues. So far (fingers crossed) it seems that ACLC hasn't experienced as much. - There seems to be good accountability from staff to students. Issues seem to be addressed quickly and students seem to be involved in much of the process. - Good communication. There are weekly updates from the principal. There's a portal where we can contact teachers directly and they respond quickly. There's a Slack channel for the PTA and the wider ACLC community. "Cons": - Homework load is light. We came from an elementary school that didn't assign any homework. We expected a little more work than they've received - Campus is pretty small and spare compared to many of the newly renovated middle schools - It seems like mobile phones and other devices are pretty prevalent and distracting... including in classrooms. Facilitators should try to manage this better.

Loved the different varieties of pretzels! Also the variety of mustards, chocolate and cheese!…read moreThe beer was delicious! The garden is full and beautiful! Can't wait to go again

The beer making class was a lot of fun for our multiage friend group. Beer drinking and non beer…read moredrinking participants in their 20s-70s were engaged with fascinating information about Bavaria, beer, gardens and even gnomes-lol! Thank you Pedro and Hans for taking us to Bavaria while never leaving Alameda.

Bayfoils is big on customer service and satisfaction. I…read morebought an eFoil several months ago and was having some control issues which they repaired and serviced promptly. Then they took me out for a test drive and let me try out a Pro model all at no cost. We're thinking of getting another eFoil so we can enjoy it as a couple and we'll definitely be buying it from them.

Very satisfied with the service and instruction. They have a…read moresystem down and waste no time on getting you on the water. Good instruction when needed and left alone to ride when appropriate. Did the efoil as training for wing-foiling. Good practice. Now time to sail that foil.

Weezie is amazing, and her cooking classes are so much fun. When I "grow up", I hope I have a…read morequarter of the life experiences, joy, knowledge, and energy that she does. Weezie and her wonderful husband, Howard (aka: The Sommelier), have traveled the world, and in the process have gained a massive amount of knowledge about food, cooking techniques, and wine. Classes are done in the kitchen of her home, and she is excellent at walking you through every step. She is always prepared and takes much pride and enthusiasm for what she does. I use tricks that I have picked up from her classes every time I cook. As a side, Weezie was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the San Francisco Professional Food Society. So, if you don't believe me that she's incredible, believe them! :)

I adore Weezie and her classes...and meet so many interesting 'students'. I have brought friends…read morehere, husband and daughter and they all have enjoyed these experiences. If we all could live life as full as our 94 year old Weezie and with such exuberance! Bon Appetit!

Our son has been going to the after school program since TK and he loves the STEAM program (STEM +…read moreART)! He enjoys the van ride from Bay Farm to the big island with the other kids and now that he's in K, he spends about 2-3 hours after school there - playing with new and old friends, learning more coding, math, reading, and science and experimenting with art methods. It definitely fills in the gaps of public school with the stronger focus on academics. We are very happy with his progress. And of course, he loves his STEAM teachers, Ms. Yuan and Ms. Jamila, as well as the coding, art and math teachers (Mr. Francisco, Mr. Patrick, Ms. Emily, etc.). That being said, this school isn't for everyone and parents have to be open to finding the right school for their child (which can change over time). For our family, I appreciate that this school respects the learning environment best for kids who are ready and motivated to learn on their own. This means that the kids are ready to learn and appreciate the lessons prepared (not yelling, standing on tables, napping, or other disruptive behavior), responsible/sensible to sit in a van full of kids and listen to the teacher, get along and be respectful to others, etc. To keep the kids on schedule with the van and different subjects requires tremendous patience, planning and care from the teachers, staff (Mr. Long) and Director Sunny - we appreciate you! If your kids can focus and manage at YY, they can sit through movies, dinners, airplane rides, etc. - self-managed discipline is what I appreciate the most. The staff communicates well in advance and also is very responsive and accommodating (e.g. if I have to pick up early, miss school, have another parent pickup, etc.). They also have parent-teacher conferences twice a year with a newsletter about your child's class with photos. Also, when we first signed up for TK when my child was 4, I was worried about the transportation, but that's one of the best part that our kid looks forward to when he goes to YY with his friends - it's safe and the van is there early for pickups (and the fee is very economical for us working parents!). We also have friends in the Mandarin program whose parents are very impressed with their children's language and writing skills and enjoy their class performances! We also have a friend who moved their child here due to allergies. Our kid also has a mild allergy and Yuying is very good about keeping everyone safe with allergies (making sure there's no nuts in anyone's lunchbox, no sharing, educating kids about allergies and keeping everyone safe, etc.) and also keeping up with the parents for updated EpiPens and meds.

Our two boys started in the YuYing Preschool and had an excellent experience with Ms. Pearlie, Du…read moreLao Shi and all of the teachers there. Our boys came home teaching us Chinese. We learned about how to talk about dinosaurs, vehicles, continents, money, plants, photosynthesis, Chinese culture and poetry--it was incredible. Our boys also learned to dance and learned their letters and numbers (in English), thanks to Ms. Pearlie's diligent efforts. It was a wonderful place for our sons to grow and learn. Our sons are older now, one is in TK and the other is in 1st grade and are now in the afterschool program. They both love taking the van from their school to YuYing. I appreciate that the staff is attentive to our kid's needs. My younger son was expressing that he felt bullied by another kid. The staff addressed our concerns by mediating between the boys and making changes in the classroom to build more safety for the kids. Our kids have also been teaching me how to read and write simplified Chinese. My 1st grader came home with his workbook. I was impressed at how proficient he was in doing his assignments--making sentences and word pairings in Chinese. I don't think he would know how to do that with English textbooks! Lastly, we appreciate how thorough they are about making a plan for emergencies and communicating them to us. When Alameda had Tsunami warnings or there were concerns about ICE, we appreciated that YuYing made sure to let us know what their plans are in all of these situations.

The classes are generally good but the program needs better organization. The website is confusing…read moreand needs design improvements. The office is not easily accessible on the phone. To improve service, it would help if the school were to put itself in the position of its students and then proceed to design better systems, both online and by phone. All information needs to be well-organized and easily understandable.

The yoga class was canceled and it's a HUGE hassle to get my refund…read more I show up for class dressed and with my new yoga mat and it was canceled via a piece of paper on the door. Really?! You have my email and phone number, can you let me know before I go through the hassle of changing and driving there that I shouldn't show up? I email AND call to try and receive a refund to no avail. My phone call with Kristin this morning was something like "Did you pay online?" "Yes" "Oh well we can only give you a cash refund. And we only get cash on certain days so call us in the afternoon and you might be able to come by and get your money." "Well can't you set aside the money for me to come by tomorrow and get it?" "No, call us this afternoon." Blech, would not recommend.