Our daughter loves this small Co-op community school in the East Richmond Height hills, CA. The Teachers purposefully engage their students in experiental learning. The students have a beautiful nature based campus, which I love ! Check us out read more

I have two kids at Crestmont and my spouse even attended so I know firsthand the lifelong positive impact this school has! My children love their school because the excellent teachers make learning fun, nurture my kids' souls, and meet the kids where they're at. What keeps me coming back to Crestmont is the truly wonderful community we've built here! I'm so inspired by the families and staff that show up every day to make the lives of kids better through all of our unique gifts and talents. read more

An excellent school if you are looking for a tight knit community of families, excellent academic offerings, and classroom culture that allows children to thrive! out kiddo has been here since 1st grade, and she loves it! read more

Crestmont school has been a great learning environment for my daughter since K. She has achieved so much academically, socially and emotionally . Crestmont has small size classes, innovative curriculum, field trips, art, music and community events and it is affordable! The administration and parents as a community, navigated through a pandemic in such a great way kids, teachers and family members felt safe during this harsh times. Look no further! read more

My Daughter had moved away from the loose educational style of waldorf and into the more ridged but comfortable higher expectations of public school. However she was floundering. Socially and emotionally the culture of public school was disconnected, cold, not inclusive, not respectful of the children it's supposed to serve. She was becoming sad and defensive, uncommunicative and her grades were falling. As soon as she came to Crestmont, after only the required tour date, she began to emerge. She's been at Crestmont for a month now. She's re-emerged, she's blooming, she's joyful, she's cooperative and communicative about academic participation. She, and I, appreciate the open and genuine communication of the educators and other staff at Crestmont. You feel seen and cared for and as if you are part of community that wants kids to succeed, understand and be active agents of positive change in the world they live in. I'm completely in love with what Crestmont offers to kids and their families. Coming to the school is absolutely life changing for my daughter, and for our family. read more

Our kiddo is spending their first year at Crestmont in the kindergarten/first grade class. The teachers are attentive, caring, and meet the kids where they're at. We're very happy with our experience this year. Our child is learning academically and socially. We enjoy being part of a co-op school and really can't say enough great things about Crestmont! read more

Are you looking for a unique and caring environment where your child can THRIVE? The teachers and staff at this school are the most caring and talented educators I have had the pleasure to engage with. My son attended public school in Benicia and he was 1 of 27 children in his class. He was "lost" in a sea of children and the teacher was not able to meet his needs. Crestmont meets him where he is, they believe in the power of " yet" and my son isn't lost anymore Crestmont is his school home read more

See all

Since the first day, my kid is in love with his teacher, classmates and the staff. He comes home happily and wants to go back to school happily each morning. As a parent, besides the happiness, I really do believe Crestmont has a great system and program. We are so impressed and proud of our son's development. Many Thanks to Crestmont family! read more

Crestmont is such a great school! My son has become his kindest self there. The teachers are wonderful and really reach the kids where they are. It's a wonderful community! read more

Crestmont school has been a wonderful part of our daughter's life and our life for the last four years. It is holistic full-rounded education that supports her academic learning, her love of the arts, as well as her social-emotional development. She'll carry the lessons learned here on how to treat others and themselves to the highest standards for the rest of her life. Being at this school has helped to develop her wisdom, problem solving abilities, creativity and so much more!! So highly recommended as the first primary school for your kiddo(s)! read more

Crestmont is a incredibly special place. We enrolled our son during the pandemic and could not be more grateful for the education our son receives and community we found. read more

I have two children at Crestmont and this sweet co-op has been a wonderful experience for our whole family. We like the innovative project-based curriculum, the diverse community events, the dedicated teachers, the creative activities for kids (tinkering, peace bench, multi grade bonding, monthly field trips) and the neighborhood style after school program. We truly love this little community. read more

Our child is absolutely thriving at Crestmont School. She is learning positive social and earth values, awareness, and skills in a very natural way. At the same time she is getting great prep in academics. The program is very comprehensive (while emphasizing the creative), with teachers for art, science, music, PE, and individual learning--in addition to the home room teacher. And all this in kindergarten (as well as the upper grades)! The community (teachers, administration, board, staff, parents) is amazingly supportive and positive as well. This is a very special place that can and does provide great support, education, and space for children, and works hard to make sure each child's specific needs are met and talents recognized. read more

I am posting a new review because my first review got deleted because it "did not provide enough detail about your personal customer experience with this business." My daughter went to Kindergarten here for the 2015-16 school year. This was one of the most disappointing experiences I could imagine in a co-operative experience. 1. This school values personalities over pedagogy. In March my spouse and I met with the Director to go over our concerns about the Kindergarten Aide, whom we thought did not provide adequate support in the classroom and in fact sometimes made choices that contrasted with the stated principles of the school. We expressed our concerns with the Director, asking for help. We thought: at least there will be some evaluation, or something. But when we later checked with the Personnel Chair, we discovered that the Director never conveyed our concerns to the Personnel Committee, choosing to protect the Aide over actually checking to see if our concerns had any legitimacy. 2. 3. During the a 2015-16 membership meeting, there were ad hominem attacks on a board member that were so distressing to me that I felt completely silenced, and quite frankly, ashamed to be part of a community that showed such disrespect to other members. Again, I expressed my concerns to the Director and, seeing no effort to make change, I decided to stop coming to meetings to protect my own family, instead accruing fines for failing to appear. In the end of the year, we concluded, as we re-read our contract for 2016-17, that we could no longer be confident that the school could provide an appropriate and respectful pedagogical and community-minded environment for our families. Their very efforts to get my previous Yelp review deleted are further evidence of how non-cooperative this particular co-op really is. read more

My son had an amazing Kindergarten experience at Crestmont. Mama Kay is a phenomenal teacher and a wonderful human being, and I feel so lucky that he had the opportunity to be a part of her class! Because of my son's needs, we decided to switch schools, but we love Crestmont and always will! :) Crestmont has a solid Elementary program and the staff is great! The field trips are especially fun and a key part of the curriculum. I would recommend Crestmont to anyone looking for a great school with great people! read more

My daughter started at Crestmont in the 6th grade, for the 2019-2020 school year. We were looking for a friendly, creative community that would foster academic growth and pro-social values, after some very negative experiences with bullying and a lack of responsiveness in the WCCC public school system. Crestmont was the perfect fit, and though the school year didn't exactly unfold the way we expected due to the global pandemic, I am grateful that we found ourselves in an environment that adapted so quickly to the challenges and continued to meet my child's needs for academic and positive social development. I am very excited about Crestmont's approach to the 20-21 school year, and would urge any family to consider this school as an option if you're looking for an alternative that supports both in-person and distance learning. I hope that helps and best luck with your search! read more

We are a very happy middle school family at Crestmont School! The teachers are caring, creative and know the kids and how to motivate and push them in exactly the ways they need. Classes are small and very tailored to each child, and unlike many other private schools, they actually have capacity to work with diverse learning styles. The co-op is not as daunting as it sounds - there is work to be done but it is also a good way to connect with the larger community. I love how transparent the operations and finances of the school are - as a membership community, you always know what's going on. Teachers are very motivated to continue growing and exploring cutting edge curriculum and integrating project based learning, non violent communication and so much more. It may not have the fancy bells and whistles that some bigger independent schools have, and is truly "homespun" (and there's not a whole professional admissions staff like other schools)- but the devotion and care you get for your child far surpasses any school our kid has attended. Definitely check it out!! read more

Crestmont School is an excellent institution. In the six years of being a part of the Crestmont School community, I can enthusiastically say that the teachers, administrators and other staff are hard-working and dedicated to the education, safety and well-being of the students. I have felt a tremendous amount of trust and confidence in their efforts. Crestmont has many wonderful traditions that the students and their families seem to look forward to each year. There have been numerous workshops aimed at providing new prospectives on parenting and achieving social justice. My child has made lasting friendships and I have become enriched by the connections I have made and the experiences I have had while being a part of the Crestmont School community. read more

Crestmont has been a wonderful school community for my children and our entire family. If you live in the Richmond, El Cerrito, or surrounding area and are looking for a high quality, lower cost K-8 independent school I strongly encourage you to contact Crestmont School! read more

We love Crestmont! Both of our children are very happy, learning and most importantly are supported. We have a 5th grader and a 7th grader and come from WCCUSD. We love how inclusive this community is. We love how the educators know that social and emotional support truly is just as or more important than academics. If a child is not supported, they cannot thrive. We wish we would have found Crestmont earlier. Also, this school does a wonderful job supporting a neurodiverse learner with project based learning, allowing kids to use the tools they need & giving extra time on work. read more

My son is currently in 8th Grade but has attended Crestmont since 3rd Grade. Let me start by saying I do have one regret....that regret would be that I didn't enroll him into Crestmont sooner. The community at Crestmont is indescribable. When my son came from public school he was a shy child and got lost in the shuffle of all the students in his class. Not long after starting Crestmont I witnessed a positive shift in my son and his personality. It was as if some sort of lightbulb went off that was on switched on by the community at Crestmont. I have never witnessed a more devoted group of parents and staff who focus on the children's social, academic and emotional needs. If I was able to keep my son in this community through 12th Grade, I would without any hesitation. I wish that all children had the opportunity to experience a community like this one. read more

We love Crestmont School. They are all about community. Families are very involved and all so fun. Teachers are amazing, they are so supportive and really work with each kid individually. Im personally so grateful that my son is in a school that truly cares. 100% recommend this awesome school! read more

Crestmont is an amazing & unique education experience. It embraces everyone where they are and pushes them to the next level. The academic program is top notch, as well as the social program. Crestmont is one of the only schools that we saw that really focused on the emotional social development of our child as well as their academic side. It's a wonderful extended family to have. read more

Crestmont is simply the best. As a parent of two children who have made their way from kindergarten on up to fifth grade at this little school, I have to say I don't think there is a better education out there. It is a safe, nurturing, warm, creative environment where children simply thrive. Crestmont is the epitome of the old adage of raising the bar high. The school excels at meeting the emotional needs of children. And that makes the kids jump high to get that bar. The teachers can raise the bar again and again, and the kids just keep reaching for the stars because of the incredibly nurturing environment. My daughter started high school this year and she still carries with her the lessons she learned at Crestmont. Not just the knowledge of marine mammals or fractions, but really deep core values: inclusion, community building, the importance of group decision making, tolerance. Her success in the real world got its foundation from the Crestmont bubble. read more

Crestmont is a wonderful independent small school that is community centered. We love being a part of the community and the safe space our son has to grow in body, mind, and spirit. read more

Crestmont really is a place different from the rest. I haven't ever seen a school like this before. They have a real sense of community. The classes are small, and the you can quickly see how much the teachers really care about the students. I'm glad that our daughter is here. read more

We love Crestmont! We moved our son to Crestmont mid year when he was in Kindergarten. We were at a well respected Berkeley school, but we were disappointed with the lack of supervision during recesses, the lack of social emotional learning, and the lack of response from administration. Our five year old didn't want to go to school and had become uninterested in learning. This all turned around quickly when he started at Crestmont. He is thriving and loves school! In fact, he asks when vacations will be over so he can go back to school! He is now going into 4th grade. We were impressed with the teachers' ability to maintain engaging, innovative, hands-on social-justice minded curriculum, even during Shelter in Place orders. We also appreciate the diversity at Crestmont and inclusive community feeling. read more

I have been part of the Crestmont community for 5 years now and both my kids have enjoyed their experience. The small class size (14 kids!), amazing field trips (tide pools in Bolinas; overnights at Ft Ross; Chabot Space and Science Museum; and more!), thoughtful community events (family camping trips, annual snow trip to Tahoe, kid-led flea markets, harvest fair, Stone soup), and an overwhelming amount of support for my kids have made me a Crestmont fan. If you're looking for a supportive community for your kiddo, definitely check out Crestmont. read more

Crestmont is an amazing school that focuses on experiential learning with lots of field trips. It is kind of like a home school program at school. My son attended K through 5th grade and my only sadness is that they didn't have a middle school. It is so wonderful to get to know all the participating families and see how we all support each other through our child's elementary experience. My son graduated from the school very prepared for life socially and academically. He really is able to identify his feelings and stand up for what he knows is right. It is amazing to see his confidence and abilities to navigate middle school. I wish I had gone to an elementary school like this. It is simply the BEST!! read more

I have been a parent of 2 children at this school for 7 years now, and I couldn't be happier with both the education my girls have received, and the community we love so much. My 5th grader is totally ready for the next level (middle school) - with a love for learning, an openness for expressing herself, and a confidence to ask for what she needs. Crestmont does what schools are suppose to do - understand the uniqueness of each child, and develop an environment that helps them thrive. Its never perfect for every child, or family. Every school is a human dynamic and interaction unfolding. Crestmont is small enough, value-driven enough, and thoughtful enough to give great education to those who come through its doors. read more

If you want to be truly involved in your child's education, Crestmont School is the place for you. As a parent, you will be able to participate in the classroom, be on the board to make decision, help organize events like Stone Soup , and find a supportive community for the whole family. This is our 5th year at the school and we marvel every day at the growth we have seen in our child. He has learned about solving conflicts peacefully, about reaching out to those less fortunate both in Nepal and locally, and most importantly about feeling accepted for who he is. The whole child has been educated, not just his brain, and we have the amazing teachers to thank for that. read more

We are parents of a now 7th grader. We've recently and happily returned to Crestmont to enroll our daughter in their brand new middle school program. Crestmont is a very special school. We think of it as a hidden gem and want to let more parents know about it. Crestmont has a deep and abiding commitment to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of each and every one of its students. Crestmont encourages students to think creatively and to interact with their fellow students compassionately. Most of all, Crestmont cultivates a love of learning. We tell people that Crestmont is one of the few schools we know which actually keeps its promise to parents - to truly work collaboratively with them to make sure their child's needs are met. Crestmont's walking the walk, not just talking the talk, came early in our daughter's time there. She had transferred in as a 4th grader to their 4/5 class (leaving Albany Public Schools because of a very unhappy 3rd grade year).* At Crestmont, our daughter, who is very social, found herself, through no fault of hers or the other students, disrupting the pre-existing social order. Another girl suddenly found herself having to compete with our daughter to be "best friends" with a third girl in class. Not surprisingly, the displaced girl shunned our daughter and encouraged her best friend to also do so. Our daughter was crestfallen and begged to go back to her old school. We wrote our daughter's teacher. She quickly met with the three girls and talked about Crestmont's non-exclusionary policy: if someone asks to play, you have to say, "yes". Our daughter reported that this solved the problem for a little while, but then things got bad again. We informed the teacher and she immediately met with the three girls for a 2nd time. Again, the problem got better for a short period of time; then worsened. We let the teacher know. This time, the head of school intervened. She met alone with the girl who had been feeling displaced by our daughter. We have no idea what was said, but the exclusion of our daughter stopped! Not once during this process did anyone blame our daughter for the problem; not once were we treated like overanxious or overinvolved parents; not once were we told, "It's just how girls are. They need to work it out on their own." Rather, the school took the situation seriously and with great skill and sensitivity resolved it. For the rest of that year and the next, our daughter loved school. She enjoyed all the things that make Crestmont special: the project based learning; the field trips; the many school traditions and events; the wonderful across grade community, including her being a buddy for younger kids. We enjoyed the very manageable amount of homework (do you know that research has consistently shown that homework before 6th grade shows no demonstrable benefits?); the individually based learning; the strong emphasis on social-emotional development; the minimal amount of tests; the small class sizes; the sense of community that comes from being a parent co-op; the affordability. And last, but certainly not least, we enjoyed that our daughter never once came home from school saying she was dumb! In sum, it was a great two years for her and us. When our daughter finished 5th grade, Crestmont had yet to create its middle school and we sadly had to leave. But now, a year later, Crestmont's middle school has opened and we've happily returned. p.s. You may be wondering - since Crestmont takes a creative, project-oriented, and social-emotional approach to learning - whether its students are prepared for more traditional middle or high schools. From all we've seen and heard, graduates of Crestmont have found the transition to such schools remarkably smooth and easy. A number of the students who graduated in our daughter's 4/5 class went on to Prospect Sierra; others to such private schools as The Berkeley School or the East Bay School for Boys; others to their district public schools; still others to charter schools such as Summit or The Oakland School for the Arts. * In 3rd grade, our bright, creative, cooperative -- with everyone but us -- daughter was often coming home in tears saying that she "was the dumbest kid in the class/school". (Our daughter has both dyslexia and ADHD.) Our attempts to work with the Albany Unified School District were fruitless. (This was due to a combination of the school system's funding troubles - which severely limited the extra support they were willing to offer; the 2nd grade teacher's angry refusal to let us have any meaningful input in the choice of the 3rd grade teacher, and subsequently the 3rd grade teacher's apparent lack of training in teaching children with dyslexia and ADHD - though she really cared about our daughter.) This forced us to start on a long, challenging journey to find a school that would be a good "fit" for our daughter. Cres read more

My daughter has truly blossomed at Crestmont. She came in quiet, resorting to tears instead of speaking up whenever she had trouble. Now she speaks up without hesitation, both in class discussion and with her peers. She loves the teachers and the learning. I am so impressed by how the teachers support each child in his or her academic and social-emotional development. read more

We have been at Crestmont for six years and each year has been a joy. Not only for our active and creative boy, but for our entire family. Crestmont is inclusive and welcoming. The more you put in, the more you get out. I would recommend Crestmont wholeheartedly to any family that would like for their children to be children; where they are nurtured and embraced by the faculty and every family at the school. The 50 year old magic of this school is alive and well. read more

Our son entered Kindergarten at Crestmont School this fall and the experience has been nothing but positive. The school has a new Kindergarten teacher this year and she is patient, warm and very caring as she skillfully helps the children adjust to life as Kindergartners. Her support also extends to the parents, and she has willingly set aside time to meet with me and other parents to ease our concerns about our children's transitions. She responds quickly to email, and regularly sends out updates to the parents on class activities and field trips. In addition to the email updates there is a monthly meeting with all of the parents in which she goes over recent class projects and answers any questions we might have. As a participating parent I'm able to spend time in the classroom and appreciate how our new teacher and her assistant present lessons in a creative, relaxed and often humorous way, always engaging the children, while at the same time maintaining a structured environment, where the children learn the social skills needed for school. Our son is completely inspired by what he is learning in Kindergarten, and often comes home and recreates his version of the projects he did that day in school. In addition to a wonderful classroom experience we have found the community at Crestmont to be incredibly welcoming, supportive and friendly to us newcomers. It's nice to have found the right school for our son, and we are looking forward to our years at Crestmont. read more

Crestmont School K-5 is a place where kids thrive and the community is like a wonderful extended family. My son was very happy there, emotionally secure, and he excelled in academics. He made lasting friendships and still hangs out with friends he met in kindergarten. The creative freedom that the teachers have allows for integrated subjects that connect to real world learning. The cooperative model means involved families and low tuition costs. We're so happy to have found Crestmont. It is in the El Cerrito hills, truly worth taking a look. When our son graduated from Crestmont and began middle school he had accelerated math skills, was comfortable speaking with adults and working with other children of all different ages, and had developed highly creative skills in drama and music. Now, he will begin high school and he is still a balanced and friendly teenager with high achieving academics and amazing creativity, I have to credit some of his foundation experiences at Crestmont for his positive attitude toward learning and being a responsive member of a community. 5.0 star rating read more

Crestmont School K-5 is a place where kids thrive and the community is absolutely like extended family. We've been at the school for four years and my son is very happy there, secure, and excelling in academics too. The creative freedom that the teachers have allows for integrated subjects that connect to real world learning. The cooperative model means involved families and LOW tuition. We're so happy to have found Crestmont. It is in the El Cerrito hills, truly worth taking a look. read more

My son had been attending a fantastic, private preschool for almost three years when I realized that I had no idea where he'd be going next. The school he was at was a real school (not a daycare center), they had high parental involvement, just enough structure, and a true sense of community. I loved his school, our school, and I questioned where we could find all of those elements in K-5 or K-8. I began to ask other parents (from our preschool) which schools they were considering for their children. I asked the faculty at our preschool which elementary schools they recommended and why. I looked at the flyers posted at our school with invitations to open houses or information sessions at elementary schools, and looked at publications like Parents Press, and Bay Area Parent. When I scheduled school tours, I took my son with me. We both had things we were looking for in a school (on our lists), but it was equally important that we felt the "right vibe" on the campus and amongst the staff. I received an email from a former parent from our preschool telling me that she had just moved her son from one of those other schools we'd toured, to this "really cool" school called Crestmont and she recommended that I check it out. I was a bit apprehensive when I showed up for the tour as I questioned if the campus was big enough (the Crestmont campus is smaller than most public elementary school campuses). I had expected to see just the Kindergarten class, common areas, and have some conversation about the school but was pleasantly surprised when my guide took me into each and every class. I got to meet the teachers from all grade levels, observe each class in action, and then sat down for a full discussion about the school, admissions process, future plans and the co-op structure. I had no idea what a co-op school was/meant, and it initially it sounded like just more work for me. The school was great, the teachers were amazing, and it checked off all the items on our lists, but I was still unsure about the co-op thing. I shared my concerns with the admissions director and asked other Crestmont parents about the co-op situation (including parents that had children who had previously attended our preschool). They all advised me not to be turned off by the term "family job" and reassured me that it really wasn't that much. They explained that I had a choice in how I contribute to Crestmont and recommended that I contribute in areas that I like or that were in line with my skills or hobbies. Nothing was forced, everything was flexible, and I began to understand that Crestmont isn't just a school, it's a community. My son was as excited as I was to attend this magical place, this new school, and to be a part of this new community. He received a letter in the mail from his new Kindergarten teacher stating how she looked forward to having him in her class in the upcoming school year. He had connected with Crestmont over the summer through several of their events and activities, and with his teacher. On his first day, I was more nervous than he was. I anticipated a tear-filled goodbye with him gripping my hand tightly for reassurance. He was greeted at the door by a friendly, familiar face and instantly began socializing with his new friends. He turned to me and cavalierly said, "Bye, Mom!" This was definitely the right place! read more

While there are some good things about CM, unfortunately, when the curtain is pulled back, it is messy and poorly managed. The leadership will do what they can to keep you as long as you serve the agenda of "this is a great school". Most of the community events and field trips have been cut. One of the Middle School teachers is verbally and emotionally abusive to the students and the Head of School is doing nothing about it. The younger grades are great... up til about 3/4....and the teachers do work hard and are creative...If you can handle the duplicity and nepotism from the leadership, and don't mind being lied to....Luckily, the students don't usually see this side. However, the Middle School program is poor at best. It is not recommended AT ALL. The leadership is not to be trusted as they sell you the school. Socially & Emotionally the model is great. It is nice to see these elements of development treated with equal importance of classwork. Unfortunately, the benefits of this school do not outweigh the cost. read more

Unfortunately, we cannot recommend this school. Our child attended for 7 months of kindergarten in 2008/2009 year. We found the communication from the teacher to be practically non-existant. We were told conflicting things about our childs behavior during the first few months of school but were lead to believe all was ok. Than, without any prior notice of any behavior issues for the preceding 2 months, we were abruptly informed that our child would not be invited back to school. The president told us it was a behavior issue but no-one could articulate what the issues were. Surprisingly, we discovered, the decision was made after the school had filled its applicant pool for the following year (and well after the season we as parents could find an available place for our child). Our requests for information were responded to with personal attacks by the spouses of members of the board. All in all in our opinion this is not a trustworth community to join. read more