I'm not going to get into my general experience, which was overall quite good but challenging-…read moreInstead I want to say something very specific. I received the letter I wrote to myself in my eight grade advisory (10 years ago) and I was moved to tears instantly. Thank you for blessing me with that gift

This is the middle/upper school campus, with a slightly smaller playground, but more centrally…read morelocated than the kiddie campus. Tennis courts are right across the street, and the community center (hooray for the pool and martial arts classes!) are about 2 blocks away.

And you'll be wanting to know what happened to my review of El Cerrito High School. Yep, the…read morecleansing sweep of Yelp TOS'd this review too. But, I live within a block of the school and follow its progress every day. So...I think I'm in a position to tell you about the place. Here's the review: Yes, I went to ECHS a thousand years ago, and no, it wasn't my finest educational hour! But... It wasn't the school's fault. I was a teenager. Get it? So, lets start with a few corrections: Bronwen, I've been watching over the school now for sixty years.Literally. I don't think that at any time "the board got pushed by a couple of homeowners." There were a number of community-based meeting when the new campus was about to be built. Homeowners went to these meetings and were asked what they would like to see in a new school The result was a very nice school building, awesome auditorium, and appropriate "setbacks" so that the hillside wouldn't slide into the new school. We do live at the edge of the Blakemont slide... Wouldn't want our neighborhood kids to be buried in mud, you know. Speaking of which...DO NOT refer to the kids as "pretty ghetto." These are kids in school. Not out on the streets. Where the kids are from is irrelevant. Where they are going is to the university. Good jobs. Good places. They have hope in their hearts, these kids in school...and the future really does belong with them. Easy on the mudslinging.....it smacks of inappropriate racism. Lots of nifty programs at the school these days. FIne (local) principal. All very well managed by teachers, staff and students. Campus police available for those intruding moments, which are rare. Do stay hopeful. I think these kids are going to be able to support you in your old age. When Social Security comes knocking at your door. And it will. Trust me. Trust the future.....

I am an El Cerrito High graduate and my younger sister is a current student there…read more I was fortunate enough to spend a year in the old building, but spend the remainder of my years in portables. Despite the portables, ECHS was enjoyable. The block system has changed a bit since I attended but it still maintains the general 3 classes for half a year, and then another 3 classes. In my opinion this system is nice in the fact that we're not simply in a class for 50 minutes and then off to the next one. But on the other hand it's easier to not remember information learned in one class and having to carry it over to the next school year. The new school looks great. I've heard there are multiple gyms, a dance studio, and tons of brand new buildings. The teaching staff was nice and helped me get into the college I had wanted. Since then I'm sure some of the teachers have moved on, but I did see a few memorable faces when I go to pick up my sister. All together ECHS is like any high school. It has its ups and downs, depending on who you hang out with. But in terms of teaching and facilities, it's one of the better schools in the area.

I'm rating the track area only…read more Plenty of parking right now. I asked one of the school county workers to be sure, and he stated the gate for parking that is next to the entrance of the field doesn't close until the evening between 7-8pm. Currently it's open everyday because obvi, school isn't in session in person. Anyway, great track. I did 3 miles and (about 12 laps) and I feel good.

Facilities review:…read more The middle school houses a full-sized track/field and basketball courts that are open to the public during "off" hours (when school is not in session). The full-sized track is glorious and located just beyond the "black top", the cement area that the parking gates lead to. The track is orange rubber which leaves a distinct red coloring on your shoes. It's easier on the knees than dirt or cement tracks and has painted lanes. The field is great for soccer, ultimate frisbee, football, shotput, and long-jumping. The basketball courts and parking area is on the aforementioned "black top". There are 5 or 6 full-sized courts with painted lines. Some of the baskets are lopsided and the floor is not level; however, these are the best courts for the public in Albany. Lighting past dark is non-existent unless there's a game/event going on at the track, so if you plan to go jogging on the track after dinnertime, then you'll probably be running in the dark. Generally not an issue since the track is so perfectly shaped and there's a very low chance of tripping.

I wish I could say I'm completely happy with the school, but that's not entirely the case. I have…read moretwo children who attend St. John--one is already in high school, and my youngest is currently in fifth grade. Overall, many of the teachers have been very good. When my son was in middle school, he had a great experience. His 8th grade teacher, Ms. Katie, was truly outstanding. She was well-prepared, kind, and knew how to connect with her students. She exceeded all my expectations and made those years some of the best in my son's educational journey. She is very involved in the school community, always willing to help, and very reliable when it comes to communication with parents. My youngest son's 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Wilson, has also been amazing. She consistently encouraged my son to do his best and kept me informed about his progress. Her professionalism and dedication really stood out. I also want to recognize Ms. Cooke, who is part of the after-school program. She is incredibly caring, attentive, and someone I trust with my children. It's clear she genuinely looks out for all the kids. While I do have some concerns about the school overall, I want to highlight that many of the teachers who have worked with my children are dedicated professionals. My highest appreciation goes to the 8th and 4th grade teachers for their exceptional care and commitment to their students.

The school recently paid Yelp to remove my original review. It was lengthy, but I'll keep this one…read morea little shorter and to the point. Ready? Here we go . . . We were a family in this school for eight years. During that time we experienced the following: - bullying (gender based, physical, and verbal) toward our child by students that were served no consequences and whose parents were very obviously favored; the principal refused to meet about this matter - a teacher told our 11 year old daughter she used to be a beautiful girl as she yelled at her in front of the vice principal. The VP witnessed this, told our daughter it was wrong, but still victim blamed our child for the teacher's behavior and the teacher served no consequence - this same teacher had been harassing our child for months; she waited outside her stall inside the STUDENT bathroom while she used it and kept trying to talk to her, she continuously begged our daughter to talk to her and say hello, saying things like "we used to be friends. What happened?" (our child was scared of her because of this odd, immature behavior). We told our child she didn't have to speak to the teacher unless another adult was present and that she could say she didn't feel safe. When she expressed this to the teacher, the teacher yelled at our child saying, "I know that's what your parents said but I can talk to you when I want to." The administration did not assist in holding safe boundaries for our child - the same teacher hung up on us during a zoom meeting with our child and the principal and vice principal. It was super unprofessional and rude. She kept insisting our daughter had to speak to her to show respect, yet she hung up on two parents and her supervisors mid-call -The principal had ZERO caring or helpful response to this behavior by her employee. She didn't apologize for her, require her to give us an apology, or even acknowledge that her teacher was targeting our child in an unprofessional way that crossed lines and safety boundaries. - one of our children was coerced to write lies about his actions and intentions in a statement about an incident. When first asked about what happened, he told his truth, but the principal and vp were not satisfied. They kept him in the office without calling parents until he lied and wrote what they wanted - stating he felt he was a danger to himself. When we told them he felt forced to lie and provided them with his truthful written account, they did not acknowledge our email or address this part - our child's therapist and doctor both offered to speak with the principal and sent correspondence affirming our child's health, wellness and ability to be in school. Administration never responded to anyone - we were told our neuro-divergent child would receive support and care from middle school teachers; instead the same teacher who harassed our daughter publicly humiliated him in front of his class because he finished a test "too fast" and then refused to tell us the grade he received on the test. (She informed him 6 months later that he got an A) - multiple parents told us similar stories about the non-response of the principal; most disturbing was that we were not the only family who experienced the written statement coercion. I was appalled, but not surprised that our child was not the only student who was forced to write untruths to self-incriminate themselves - the principal played favorites with students and families when she ignored bullying; she told Spanish speaking parents they were confused about situations they witnessed involving a teacher because they couldn't speak English; she did not take accountability for the unprofessional and harmful actions of her teachers; she was harmful in her own behavior - our child and their classmates witnessed their third grade teacher drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and slur words with a half clothed man in her presence while they were on zoom class. The teacher remained on faculty, and the principal took no accountability. She only addressed the matter after parents approached the topic multiple times. The behavior was excused, and we could not talk about it again because she said the teacher was protected by HIPPA; the family that first brought it to the principal's attention was told they were confused because of their language barrier - we also had amazing teachers while at the school. Ms. Fehr (skilled and fantastic, but obvious to us she was not supported by admin), Mrs. Barber (BEST teacher!), Ms. Cordova (so loving!), Mr. Bauer (excellent teacher) - all of which left the school. Also Ms. Cooke, Ms. Bains and Coach Mike are wonderful people and were very kind to our children and family. Ms. Bains is an EXCELLENT teacher and person. -we found the principal to be fake and untrustworthy That wasn't short. Oh well. They might pay to delete it again. Maybe they just should have responded to our emails and concerns to begin with.

I just have to do this school justice because the previous reviews really slander the image of the…read moreschool. Harding since four years ago has been a diverse, supportive, caring environment! With many dedicated teachers and staff. They will say hi to your kids even at the grocery store! I have nothing but positive feedbacks for this school and it takes the community/village to raise young people. This is a dedicated community of parents who are constantly volunteering and giving back to the school. This community keeps the students safe by prioritizing safety, and investing in teachers ongoing development!

First of all, my child said that a special Ed student tried to light a kids computer on fire. They…read moreshould have better watch on the special ed students and actually try to teach them. Second off they have also let me in on that their friend has been mentally abused and scarred by their third grade teacher. For privacy reasons, is called Ms B. In other events, I was also alerted that a suicide note was inside of the boy's lavatory and was most likely from this school and school caused it. The new change in authority was nice though because the old principal was pretty rude. As previously told, there is a janitor currently in charge in the cafeteria. What baffles me is that this janitor isn't even letting the new lunch monitor do her job because the janitor thinks she has more power than she already has. Don't really recommend, 1.5 stars.

I have two kids who attend this school and it has surpassed our expectations. We live in Orinda,…read morewhich has a very good school district. Our girls chose St. Mary's for the faculty, community feel, diversity, rigor, and e-week experience-among other things. It has not disappointed. The Vice Principal, Ms. Molinelli, goes above and beyond, talking to me outside of school hours despite me saying that I am happy to adjust to her schedule as I am also in education and know the challenges. She is knowledgable, up-to-date with current research (she mentioned articles from The Atlantic and other publications/books that I had also read), and is clearly passionate about education. There are other notable faculty who are just so pleasant, so warm, so willing to sit with an anxious parent and walk them through making these difficult choices for your child: Dr. Troyani, the new principal, is also wonderful as is Mr. Filson, Ms. Esposito, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Mosby and so on. We love that the adults in St. Mary's have high expectations for the students. They hold them to a dress code (no torn clothing). They have days where professional dress is required (as someone who has interviewed people in cargo shorts and open toed Teva sandals for a job in education, I appreciate that my children are learning that there are still appropriate ways to dress for more formal events/presentations, and that they implemented a cell phone ban. As a practicing Catholic, I also appreciate St. Mary's focus on LaSallian virtues and SERVICE, and that it is so incredibly inclusive, which is what I believe true Catholicism should always stand for. We could not imagine a better place for our girls, who both love going to school (which was NOT my high school experience) and who now have such a wonderfully diverse group of friends. As a mother of two Asian American girls, one of whom is darker skinned, I have deeply appreciated that my children have been in an environment that is nurturing and supportive; that celebrates who they are, allowing them to be comfortable in their own skin. St. Mary's is a special place and we are so grateful to be part of this school community!

Saint Mary's College High School came into being as part of St. Mary's College in Moraga, It was…read morefounded in 1863 by the Catholic Church, and put under the auspices of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in 1868. Saint Mary's is Albany's other High School, although the main entrance is on the other side of Codonices Creek in Berkeley. None of my kids went to school here, although I have been on their pretty, green, and 7 building campus several times. My most notable experience involved Leo, a now departed orange tabby cat that decided to run away from home, and take up residence at St. Mary's. In fact, when I found him, he was hanging out under a tree and holding court with a few students. After I took him back home, the school called to make sure that he was OK and to tell me that the kids really missed him! He was a great cat.

Tilden Prep has been transformative for our son, who's twice exceptional. It offers greater depth…read moreand breadth of curriculum and more highly educated staff than its competitors, like Fusion Academy. For example, Tilden offers Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra. While such courses are offered at a community college, having the option to learn 1:1 is critical in giving a student a more solid foundation before entering a 4-year college. At the same time, the rates make more sense than Fusion Academy, which is on a trimester system and 30% more. Tilden is run like a school rather than a corporation. It's more pure to its cause. Good job Tilden. Keep up the good work!

Our son had a great experience at Tilden. He is very bright but struggled to organize his thoughts…read moreand get them down on paper. We enrolled him in English 9 at Tilden and had him take the rest of his classes in his public high school. His Tilden teacher, Dave Locey, helped him learn the steps of writing and feel good about his progress and talents. He said Mr. Locey was the best teacher he'd had :). He wanted to get ahead in math (because the common core track forced him to take math slowly with a lot of boring repetition) so we enrolled him in Geometry through Tilden over the summer. Even though he could have taken Geometry online for less money, we felt the one-on-one instruction and monitored pacing and instruction helped him stay on track and thus made it more likely he'd succeed. He got through the course very quickly and is now starting Algebra 2 at his HS so he'll be able to take Calculus before he graduates. His Tilden math teacher was also very knowledgeable and positive.

I can't say enough amazing things about Prospect Sierra. Our family feels incredibly grateful to…read morehave found this school and be a part of this wonderful community. Prospect Sierra is a truly exceptional elementary school (K-4 at lower and 5-8 at upper) that fosters a welcoming and vibrant community where diversity is celebrated both among students and faculty. There is a strong emphasis on emotional intelligence woven throughout their curriculum which feels balanced with their focus on academics. The school provides a warm and nurturing environment for holistic development and has the support of learning specialists, a wonderful school psychologist, etc. The faculty is beyond exceptional and in my opinion what sets Prospect Sierra apart. The teachers and administration are all dedicated educators that embody PS's commitment to leading with respect and joy and creating an environment that fosters a love for learning. My daughter is genuinely excited and happy to go to school every day! Prospect Sierra has a very well-rounded enrichment curriculum that creates a rich and engaging learning experience. Specialty classes include drama, music, art, Co-Lab, and Spanish to name a few. With two teachers in each classroom we certainly feel the personalized attention and extra support. The afterschool program is also wonderful and my daughter has enjoyed participating in the afterschool program classes such as cooking, legos, chess, judo, etc.! The campus and the physical spaces including the classrooms and enrichment rooms are beautiful. The school does an exceptional job with communicating with the parents (via emails, a fabulous newsletter, etc) and there are plenty of opportunities for families to get involved (as much or as little as they want to!) including volunteering in the specialty classes, driving for field trips or leading a school committee. The school is also extremely committed to diversity which is woven throughout the curriculum. As part of the professional development, they recently sent a large number of the faculty to a POCC conference, there are family cohorts and racial cohorts for students including a Black, AAPI, LatinX, Pride and Swana cohort and lots of cultural celebrations throughout the year. Beyond 5 stars! We have had the best experience and pinch ourselves everyday that PS is a part of our family and our child's development.

My children love this school, and at the end of each day, they do not want to leave!…read more This is a well-resourced, beautiful school perched at the top of the El Cerrito Hills. The school culture, which has become our home culture, is one of overt and active kindness. My children learn in an environment of safety and celebration of difference, and from my perspective, the school's administrators actively seek to build community wherever possible, and the faculty actively work to remove all barriers to learning.