When we moved our family from San Francisco to Oakland, we searched for a school that would reflect our values, some of the things that came to mind were: K-8 to minimize transitions, prioritization on diversity, school rooted in its community, strong leadership and a great support system for our kids, collaboration with educations not a us at home vs. them at school approach. Luckily, we found them at Park Day. Here are other things that I love about the school in detail. Integrated Curriculum: I love how the curriculum takes a central topic and weaves it through multiple subjects across math, science, english, and writing- they interconnect rather than exist in silos. My kindergartener recently completed a project-based learning showcase on living things, creating a forest ecosystem with a stream and his own animal (created from his art class using boxes) in the classroom. What struck me was how my kid was able to articulate a connection--explaining that their environment was inspired by Greta and the Giants, a book about environmental awareness and how human activities contribute to climate change.  Commitment to Economic Diversity: An indexed tuition program paired with deliberate outreach to families in surrounding zip codes. The admissions team emphasized that sliding scale participation is normalized and fully supported. It is not viewed as a "special accommodation" but part of the school's values and makeup. It feels great to be part of the school and see my kids thrive. I only wish that school models overall were set up this way for all. If you have the opportunity to choose Park Day, I'd recommend it. read more

Our time at Park Day has been so refreshing, our child LOVES the school, and we are so happy to have found such a wonderful place for our child to learn & grow. The community has been wonderful & welcoming (so many play dates, camping trips and more!); the school leadership/staff is fantastic & communicative; the teachers are deeply invested in their students. Here are a few key things we've loved about Park Day: * Community that is authentic and actually does what they say in terms of inclusion & equity. It's a school with heart, soul and character. * Learning environments that are whole-child learning, from time outdoors on campus to academic differentiation without burning kids out or forcing them into a mold. Our child adores the diverse curriculum including learning garden, music, art, innovation lab. * Strong & consistent leadership to guide the school and its goals. There is so much top-notch communication, energy, engagement, approachability and the understanding of children is simply astounding. read more

Our first-grader started at Park Day this year, and we couldn't be happier. They're a kid with strong feelings and for whom transitions can be hard, but from our very first open house at the school, they felt more comfortable than at any other school we visited. By two months in, their teachers said they seemed just as integrated into the community as the kids who started in kindergarten, and I know that's because of how the school designs the beginning of the year. My kid seems comfortable to be themself at Park Day and has made sweet friends. The academics have been outstanding too. Our kid's teachers are phenomenal, expertly differentiating the class for math and literacy so every kid feels challenged. They do have some apps they use for math and literacy but screen time seems minimal compared to my friends' schools. There is a ton of project-based learning, integrating different disciplines through sustained group and individual projects. And the after-school enrichment activities are amazing: "coding," chess, jewelry design, Mandarin, movement, you name it. I was nervous that sending our kid to a private school would develop a sense of entitlement and disconnection from the rest of Oakland. While it's not like our neighborhood public school, the school does the best it can to openly address its position as a private school and build connections with neighboring schools. Each first-grader has a buddy at Oakland International High School, and they take turns visiting each other's schools and getting to know what the little ones and teens have in common. The school actually has a person whose job it is to cultivate community partnerships and service learning opportunities. We have been most impressed by the transparent and frequent communication, from the head of school to the teachers to the classroom parents. (Get ready to spend lots of time reading all the updates and reminders on Parent Square and WhatsApp.) You can even book mid-semester conferences with the PE, Art, music, and Spanish teachers, not just the homeroom teachers. The parent community is full of cool and welcoming folks, with lots of identity-based affinity groups. Also, Park Day allots the most funding to indexed tuition (financial aid) per kid of any independent school in California. So before you let the sticker price turn you away, check it out. There's so much more I could share, but this is already too long! In short, we *love* this diverse, beautiful, and thoughtful school. read more

My eight-year-old daughter, now nine, began her academic journey at Park Day as a third grader this year. For a TL;DR review: I absolutely love Park Day School and cannot recommend it highly enough. With that said, here's my more detailed review. Josie was our first point of contact at the school. During our initial tour, she guided us through the campus, and what a campus it is! It features numerous lush, tall trees, a garden with ample shaded seating, a soccer field, a gardening yurt, a large pavilion for various events, and an expansive play area for the kids. Needless to say, we knew our kiddos would love it here based on the physical attributes alone. However, it wasn't until summer school began that she got to know her peers, allowing the true scope of Park Day's offerings to shine. The intangible benefits--the level of passion and empathy from the teachers and their assistants, the transparent and frequent communication from the school administration, and the way the other students interacted with one another and their teachers--exemplify the kind of leadership Park Day demonstrates under the guidance of Angela Taylor. As I write this review, it has been about four months since the school year began. I am truly impressed and inspired by how quickly my daughter acclimated to Park Day. She has made several close friends and LOVES her classes and teachers, especially Gardening class. I couldn't be happier to be part of the parent-teacher community at Park Day. read more

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Our family has had an outstanding experience at Park Day School. This is our son's first year (kindergarten), and we've been continually impressed by the warmth, thoughtfulness, and energy of the community. The teachers are truly fabulous. Our son's kindergarten classroom has two teachers for 18 students, which makes a huge difference -- he feels known, supported, and encouraged every day. The campus itself buzzes with positive energy, curiosity, and joy, and it's clear that students feel excited to be there. What has stood out most to us is the sense of real community. The parent community is engaged and supportive, and there's a genuine partnership between families and the school. Most importantly, our son has developed a deeply positive association with going to school -- the kind of experience we wish more people had growing up. He feels happy, confident, and eager to learn, and that means everything to us. read more

Our 6th grade daughter has had a really positive experience at Park Day School for middle school. The community feels small and supportive, which has made a big difference socially -- she's made solid friendships and genuinely enjoys going to school. We've even had a few Sunday afternoons where she's said, "I can't wait for tomorrow." What kid says that? She's also really thriving with sports, and she genuinely loves the lunch -- the menu is surprisingly impressive. As parents, we're not mad about no longer making lunches either. Phew! Academically, she feels challenged and engaged, not overwhelmed, and the teachers clearly know their students well. We also really appreciated how the school organized several meet-ups before the school year started, so students could get to know each other ahead of that big transition into middle school. It helped her feel comfortable from day one. Overall, it's been a great fit for our family. read more

Park Day School is in our neighborhood it we had not seriously considered sending our kid to a private school until we visited in person. That day we toured the beautiful grounds, met some staff, teachers, and current parents; learned about the progressive, interdisciplinary education model; and heard about the JEDI values and affinity groups which support the constellation of student and family identities at PDS. We were dazzled by the community, focus on literacy/math/academics as well as creativity, and parent/teacher partnership. We were fortunate enough to receive some scholarship funding to make this possible for our family and we couldn't be more grateful. Park Day School has turned out to be everything they advertised - a well-run progressive school with kind, supremely talented teachers, and an enthusiastic, loving community rooted in Oakland. read more

I sent my kids here for a year before the pandemic, so perhaps things have changed. However, our experience was so terrible that my husband and I still regularly reference the multitude of ways our family was negatively impacted. For my kindergartner, he was able to wander out of the campus, on his own. Luckily, I was driving down the street at that time, and found him on the side of 42nd street. He didn't know how he ended up there and neither did the after-school teachers. When we spoke to the then Head of School, we were told that wandering is one of the possible outcomes of an open campus. No changes were made based on this experience. Children can walk out of the campus onto busy Oakland streets. For my second grader, we entered a social group that was already set. Her teacher was also the mother of a student in the classroom, and our daughter was outcasted because she didn't get along with the child of the teacher, as was our family. Unless you are friends with an administrator at this school who tells you that you would be a good fit, I cannot recommend it less. Trust your instincts, despite the gorgeous campus and reviews that staff ask parents to make. read more

Our Park Day School student joined the community this year as a sixth grader, and we could not be more grateful, excited, and impressed with her experience so far. While middle school is a daunting transition under the best of circumstances, we are blown away by how well she is adjusting to her new school environment. Full disclosure, PDS wasn't the original plan for middle school, but after a really tough 5th-grade experience, we felt we needed to explore more options for our daughter. The moment we stepped onto the PDS campus, from the orientation and the admissions process to the magical magnolia tree welcoming everyone on campus, we could all feel that it was a school that deeply cares about its students and community. After her "shadow day," we asked her how it felt, and she said, "It felt like home." We were blown away, full of so much relief and hope. That first impression has only seemed to deepen and expand from those initial hours. In her own words, our daughter expresses how good it feels to learn there - how encouraged she feels to become a learner, advocate for herself, and how she feels seen for who she is. The school intentionally forms affinity groups to help students lean into aspects of their identities and connect with students who share these parts of self; our student loves the groups she's joined. She's playing basketball for the school and loving it. She's having her first real experience in drama class and absolutely loves her teacher. I was fortunate to chaperone a field trip to the Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose as part of the 6th-grade history curriculum, and I really got to observe how the kids are encouraged to learn, explore, and engage with new information. The teachers who came along were engaging, warm, and present. As a witness to my daughter's new school, I could not have been happier for her to have this opportunity. Middle School can be challenging for so many reasons, but knowing my daughter is in an environment that is centered on academic and personal growth, whose values are focused on the whole education of the student, and where she is clearly thriving, is the greatest gift I can imagine. read more

Our son is in Kindergarten at Park Day and we couldn't be happier. His Kindergarten teachers are a dream team, and the art, language, music, and P.E. teachers have such well thought out programming. After a shy phase in his preschool classroom (he's a pretty extroverted kiddo otherwise), he now regularly contributes in class, has made friends and asks for extra math worksheets. Love to see the differentiation at work. We looked at several academic focused schools and felt like they tried to fit their students into mold, while Park Day makes learning fun and allows students to explore, discover and pursue their passions. Along with the social justice curriculum and emphasis on helping students develop self-advocacy skills, we love the community we've found there. read more

From the start of the admissions process, Josie was incredibly responsive and accommodating. We relocated from out of state, however, Josie made sure the application process went smoothly. I vividly remember my child telling me, "Mom, I want to go to Park Day" following our visit. It is something truly magical about the aura on the campus. Everything about Park Day feels so intentional and genuinely welcoming. As a parent of a new student, it has been such a relief to know she's in a place where she feels safe, supported and challenged. I worried so much about my child during the first week of school only to find her wanting to stay longer and play with new friends. My child's teacher is amazing and truly is invested in how to cultivate a safe environment, getting to know your child and working alongside you as a parent to identify strengths while also encouraging your child to reach their full potential. I am beyond grateful to we chose Park Day and I look forward to what is to come. read more

Our daughter attended from Grade K-8 and it was the most experience for her and our whole family. Life long community and friendships. She was well prepared for high school and is currently a student at The College Prep School. read more

We absolutely love Park Day! From day one our entire family has had an exceptional experience at Park Day, and couldn't be more grateful for the community we have built in such a short time. Our child had attended a top rated public OUSD school, but the difference in what we are experiencing with the shift to Park Day is remarkable: the breadth of leadership experience evident across all faculty and staff, inclusivity and diversity, educational rigor and support, values of social justice threaded through the curriculum, communication and responsiveness, community events, and so much more. Our child is thriving academically, and building new friendships in the classroom and through the incredible electives Park Day offers. They are so proud of their new school, and we as parents feel equally as proud and engaged. read more

We love Park Day! Our child started at Park Day in 6th grade after studying K-5 at another independent school in Oakland. A few highlights include: ADMISSIONS: everything about the process was top notch. Welcoming and friendly communication at every step. ORENTATION: Our assigned buddy family was awesome and made all of us feel welcome and prepared. The student orientation and tour day was amazing! ACADEMICS: The 6th grade teaching team is by far the strongest cohort of teachers our child has ever had. They are all gifted educators, creative, kind, and absolutely dedicated to their craft. The material is engaging and challenging, but accessible because students have the tools and support they need to succeed. SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL: Park Day is committed to making kids feel welcome and safe as they explore, embrace, and express their identities. We love that Park Day intentionally fosters a kind and inclusive community that celebrates every student's uniqueness. OVERALL: A+ read more

My daughter started Park Day School this past fall as a middle schooler and we couldn't be happier. The leadership is phenomenal, the community of parents and students is magical, and the academics are robust and just challenging enough. The school does a great job of making learning fun and relevant. My daughter who has always hated math now says math is her favorite subject, which is mind-blowing! My daughter came from OUSD so the start of school was pretty scary for her. But literally in a matter of 1 1/2 weeks she formed close friendships that are still going strong today. She truly seems happy. I feel very blessed that my daughter has the opportunity to attend such a wonderful school. read more

We transferred our second-grade son from OUSD into Park Day in 2022. We were in a bind to find a school quickly, particularly one with an afterschool program for two working parents. Josie and the admissions team from Park Day made an exception to allow him to join an already full class, in a very short timeline, for which we are grateful. Our son had about one month of transitional hiccups -- mainly missing old friends -- but has since adjusted well. Prior to joining, Josie also put us in touch with a 'buddy' family in the same class. He has been in school for four months now and three things standout. First, the communications with parents (via the app) are excellent. Second, the outdoor and aftercare programs have a range of creative activities. Lastly, our son really enjoys the nightly homework and reading assignments. He's taken ownership of completing it on time. read more

I have been consistently impressed by the thoughtfulness and integrity of the administration and teachers at Park Day School. I feel the academics of the school are solid; my child is always challenged according to his strengths and pushed to improve, where applicable. The culture of the school is inclusive, with a strong focus on social justice, using age appropriate information to empower all of the kids to be change makers in the world. Park Day School is a nurturing atmosphere, with kindness and thoughtfulness at its core. I notice the kids at the school being much more aware of what's going on in the world, and using critical thinking and embracing of differences than other kids their age. read more

We transferred our son to Park Day for fourth grade, and we have been very happy with his experience thus far. The school helped so much with his transition by making sure he felt included from the beginning. He had a late summer birthday so all the students worked on a padlet for him based on his interests. One of the things we hoped was that our son would be able to bring his interests to the school, which has definitely happened because the teachers make space for students to talk about themselves with their peers. There are also so many amazing specialty classes taught by highly skilled teachers: Spanish, music, art, workshop, gardening, PE, and podcast club. He talks to us so much more about school because he is engaged in what he is doing, such as making hash browns in gardening class, creating a field-o-scope in his workshop class to study organisms, and learning to play the recorder. As a lifelong educator, I am very pleased to see my son and his classmates participate in lots of hands-on projects in his core class, such as creating a timeline of California history starting with the indigenous people of this area and writing an expository essay about three artifacts that he cares about. My son loves the hot lunch program, which has exposed him to lots of different food and helped him become a more adventurous eater. read more

Our daughter joined Park Day in 4th grade and was whole-heartedly embraced by the community. It's everything we could have hoped for. Communicative staff, well-resourced classrooms, beautiful facilities and grounds, engaging curriculum, and supportive community. Our child is happy and loves learning again! read more

Our son joined Park Day in the Fall of 2021 as a fifth-grader and we could not be happier! We moved to the Bay Area the summer before he started, and their approach to welcoming new students and families was exceptional. There were multiple invitations to meet with incoming fifth graders and their families at parks for picnics and at school for events leading up to his first day. They even connected us to another student and family as part of a "buddy system" to help ease the transition for all of us. Park Day has provided strong academics for our son. He was falling behind due to Covid compromised public schools where we had lived. Now he has fully caught up in those areas, and is displaying writing talents that we did not imagine he might have! And beyond that, this school and teachers actively focus on social intelligence, inclusion, empathy and social justice. It is not just talk with Park Day; they really are serious about helping to develop and support well- rounded conscientious young people who have a chance to make the world a better place. We are very much looking forward to our son's upcoming middle school years as part of the Park Day Community. read more

As a parent of a kindergartner, I did not know what to expect this year; however, Park Day has exceeded my wildest dreams of what they would be able to offer in 20/21 school year. Most importantly, amid a pandemic, is that they handled the well-being of the children and staff with compassion, thoughtfulness, flexibility, and humbleness. I have been thrilled that my daughter has been able to have some amount of in person learning in a way that made us feel incredibly safe. The school has had to change plans no less than 6 times, but every time there was a curveball, they responded quickly and communicated thoroughly. During weeks of distance learning, I feel that my daughter is still learning and thriving due to a well though-out curriculum and amazingly low teacher:student ratios. Despite the limitations of the year, all of the reasons we chose Park Day still hold true. The main things that attracted us to park day were their commitment to social justice and encouraging the love of learning, in addition to an integrated curriculum approach. I have been so impressed on how they have delivered on these promises even when in a virtual setting. The only downside of sending your child to such a compassionate, value driven school is having to contend with constant pressure from a 5yo to keep every piece of trash we generate in order to be "nice to the earth" and constant pressure to donate to every person we see who needs help. We feel so blessed to have found a school that supports our values, has such a beautiful campus, and is teaching our child to love learning. We are thrilled and blessed to be part of this supportive, inclusive community. read more

We greatly appreciate having our daughter at Park Day. The school provides an inclusive, positive, thoughtful environment with a strong spirit of community. Particularly in this past year when we were all hunkered down in our houses and trying to manage with online schooling; after some understandable bumps, by the fall the school had gone above and beyond and implemented a thorough plan to get the students back on campus. We are grateful to say, our child has been back to school for months and experienced an almost normal school year. Park Day is an extraordinary experience for everyone, students, teachers, and parents. We cannot thank them enough for the all that they do and for helping us all feel part of such a thriving community. read more

Our daughter started this year in 6th grade at Park Day, and we couldn't be more grateful. Prior to Park Day, she was at Montclair Elementary school (OUSD) for K-5. We chose Park Day because we wanted an emotionally supportive, socially progressive environment. We are very happy. Becky, Rachel, Joyce, and the rest of the 6th grade faculty are so inspiring. They see the best in every single kid and they let them know that they believe in them -- they push them with patience and love. Both girls and boys at Park Day are confident to raise their hands in class because they establish a safe happy environment for classroom participation. Park Day is very good at integrating new students. The 6th graders start the year with an overnight trip to Westminster Woods and the teachers were very purposeful incorporating the new students and encouraging the entire class to bond with each other and the teachers. For our daughter it is important that she have a close relationship with her teachers, and we were impressed with how quickly this happened. Like other independent schools, Park Day has small class sizes. But what makes Park Day stand out is that the entire 6th grade cohort is small too, with only 36 total kids divided into two groups of 18. It all feels very cozy and manageable. Everyone gets to know each other and they become a tight group. The 6th graders also have their own physical space on campus (grandmas' attic) where they take most of their classes, easing the transition to middle school. We love the Park Day campus. It is a beautiful oasis, not far from Broadway, but it feels far away with the gorgeous magnolia tree, chickens, outdoor picnic areas, and playgrounds. It is a campus that lets the middle schoolers still be kids and run around and explore and burn all their energy. We still see our daughter enjoying the monkey bars and the swings and we can't imagine her in a place where she didn't have this space to run around. Park Day is a place that understands all kinds of different kids. Middle school is not easy, so the nurturing environment is great for helping students stay focused and feeling supported emotionally, confident to continue developing their skills. We have also really enjoyed the emphasis on social justice which is a good match for our daughter and our family. Lastly, we were so thankful to the Park Day administration and teachers for not cancelling classes with the wildfire smoke or power outages. We both had to work so it would have been difficult to find alternative arrangements, and Park Day is a safe place with plenty of indoor spaces with natural light, so it was a good place for the kids to be even during a power outage. read more

Our family has been so grateful to have our daughter at Park Day. She's in first grade now and absolutely thriving. She has exploded into reading this year, and is loving math, gardening, workshop (YES, they build really cool stuff!), art, PE and music. I personally appreciate the integrated approach to teaching, where the teachers work together to identify and build connections in the curriculum and interweave ideas between disciplines. Approaching ideas from different perspectives encourages critical thinking skills, excitement, and also empathy...which I think we can all agree is super important for budding humans to develop. The campus is tear-inducingly beautiful, an oasis that has obviously been cared for and loved for decades. They utilize the grounds in the curriculum, teaching about how to grow and care for plants, how to respect the balance of the environment, ecosystems and animals (they have chickens too!). The social justice and equity focus of the school is present and forward in the curriculum--these kids are learning how to be engaged civically, through kid-initiated fundraisers for nonprofits, peaceful protest through letters and marches, and a deep dive into identity work, respect and honoring diversity. This work starts in kindergarten, and just continues from there. I greatly appreciate Park's commitment to having a diverse staff and student body. They obviously have a resonant voice throughout the Bay Area's diverse circles. They also offer financial aid options for families, which is greatly appreciated by all. I am so impressed with the new head of school Angela Taylor. She came on as Head of School at the height of covid, and soon after George Floyd was murdered. She has been working with such fervor to discuss and address the social dilemmas and broken systems that our kids are growing up in. Her passion to lay a foundation for this upcoming generation to be present in the world as compassionate changemakers is inspiring and is perfectly aligned with the mission of Park Day. She is an incredible leader. Angela and the incredible staff has worked so hard during covid to keep the kids and staff safe with outdoor learning, strict sanitizing and social distancing and mask protocol, and of course remote learning when needed. This year, even with much of it through zoom, has still been an academically blossoming year for my daughter. The communication between teachers and parents is great, and easy, and the evaluations that each child gets twice a year are very thorough, packed with information and detail about all kinds of skills. You can tell that the teachers spend hours on these, and they clearly KNOW these children! This is a place where creativity is nurtured, collaboration and flexibility is routine, critical thinking is inspired, fairness and empathy are guiding lights, and children are honored as unique and valuable individuals, collaborators in our communities, and accomplices in the fight for an equitable and flourishing future. read more

We are a new family, starting in 4th grade this year (2020). I wish I had known about Park Day when we were looking for schools in Kindergarten. My daughter was at two different elementary schools prior, a charter and a Catholic school and neither met her needs or were what I wanted for her as a parent. I am so glad we found Park Day. Although the decision to move forward right as the pandemic and lockdown was announced was a hard one, it was a great one. Park Day has done an amazing job in thoughtfully and safely opening when the could and I am so grateful my daughter has been able to attend in person. Likewise, the distance learning has been very robust and has kept her interest. I am happy we are at a school where diversity and inclusion are important and Park Day really walks the walk. Likewise I have been impressed with the social emotional learning, which is so incredibly important, and the academic curriculum, in particular their Social Studies class and how the history of the indigenous people in California was told from their perspectives and was not just a whitewashed story about how nice the Spanish were to the Native Americans. Learning Garden is also a great class, my daughter has enjoyed her time with the chickens and learning about the various plants, the native plants, making tea, etc. It's a favorite class. I most appreciate here that my daughter is enjoying learning without high pressure grades as she felt very pressured at her last school. Likewise, even with the minimal time on campus this year I feel the teachers here know her far better than anyone did at her last school and she was there for 2.5 years. This was really important to me and Park Day's materials talk about how each child is truly known. Sometimes it's just great marketing, but I really do see it in action here at Park Day. read more

We are first year parents at Park Day School with a daughter in Kindergarten and were excited last year when we toured the school. We loved what we saw (and felt) from the faculty and students as we toured each grade in the lower school, K-5. As we talked to kids, and looked at the inspirational postings and lessons on the walls, we could clearly see our daughter thriving in that environment. Fast forward to now, one year later, and that same committed energy to joyful learning and social justice have rung true every day across all aspects of our family's experience. It is said a lot in a lot of places out there, but Park Day School is truly a community. We are still early on in our journey at the school, but are so looking forward to all that is to come. We highly recommend Park Day School to our friends and neighbors in the Oakland community! read more

We are a new family at Park Day School and our experience has been great. Starting with the admissions process everyone has been incredibly helpful, answered all of our questions thoroughly and made opportunities for us to connect with other prospective and current PDS families. We were also able to connect with other prospective and current families of color which was incredibly helpful in the decision making process. Our daughter loves the school. She has felt very welcomed from the first day and feels comfortable with her new class. She has come home exclaiming how much she loves school. We have felt very welcomed by the school community as a whole. We had a buddy family assigned to us in the spring before our daughter started and they have been great in our transition process. A strong sense of community was important among our criteria for a school choice and PDS has definitely made a great impression. read more

In such a short time, Park Day has been a truly amazing experience for our family. Having moved to Oakland recently from a new city, not only was Oakland new to us, but so was Park Day and the way our son has transitioned with such ease has been a joy for us when juggling such a big move. Our son has a smile every day at drop off and pick up, and has taken to the ethos and environment like he's been here for years. Park Day really fosters a sense of community and family, and again being new to the city this has been important in helping our family adjust. Something we're extremely grateful for. The teachers and staff are amazing, kind and engaged. Watching our son interact not only with children in his own class and grade but across the school, seeing how the older children respond and communicate to the younger kids completely reassures a parent when wanting to understand whether your child is in the right environment to develop as a person. The range of activities, both during the day and for aftercare offer the students a real diversity of options and ways to try new things. The communication, attention to care and detail throughout the school makes you feel reassured as a parent. We feel so fortunate to be part of the Park Day community and for our son to have this learning and developmental experience. When I asked my son if he liked school he said "no Mummy I don't like it, I LOVE it!" which sums up how I feel as a parent too. We can't wait for our youngest to join his older brother there in a couple of years!! read more

I have sixth grade twins at Park Day School, and our family couldn't be happier. After elementary school at a public school, the transition to independent school for middle school has been seamless. Given all that's going on in the world, we came to Park because of the tight community where we knew our kids would be both held and challenged. Distance learning is never easy, but Park has done a great job with communication and maintaining the inclusive and progressive community that we came to the school for. And the kids have been able to come back on campus in a way that we feel more than comfortable for their safety. I can't think of a middle school experience I'd rather have for my kids. read more

Now that it's been a full year since I last wrote a review, I wanted to add an update: Our kids are now in 2nd and K at Park Day.  Our Kindergartener's transition was a breeze, and we credit how brilliantly the teachers attune to creating a feeling of safety, comfort, and joy right from the get go at school, and also know how to make space for whatever feelings each child is experiencing during this big step for them. Academic snapshot: we credit our son's teachers for his voracious love of reading.  His 1st grade teacher took great care every week to send each child home with a "just right" book baggie--a bag of books tailored to each child's interests, at the just right reading level: not too easy or comfortable, in the stretch zone but not overwhelming.  Now in 2nd grade, reading is the first thing he wants to do when he wakes up and the last thing he wants to do before bed, and he is challenging himself with pretty dense chapter books these days.  Socioemotionally: this is where Park Day really stands out to us.  Our kids are learning so much more than math/reading/writing at school.  PDS focuses on how to strengthen resilience in children: how to tolerate disappointment, get back up after failure, learn from your mistakes.  How to identify your emotions and manage them effectively within relationships.  How to notice your impact on others, contribute productively, speak up for others.  How to empower young children to voice their concerns and use critical thinking to question unjust situations.  How to respect one's own body, respect those around you and the larger environment you live in.  As the years go by we are increasingly grateful to have our kids at this remarkable school. read more

We looked at many different schools when doing kindergarten tours. We wanted a school with a progressive education program, a diverse (racial and economic) student body as well as a diverse group of teachers and administrators, small class sizes, a nurturing environment, and room (and the time) for our kids to really play. We found those things at Park Day and more, and currently have a 1st and 3rd grader at the school. The Park Day education emphasizes critical thinking. From kindergarten on, students are asked to be curious, be collaborative, identify issues and discover and formulate solutions (and if those solutions don't work, to try again). It's not about how well a student does on tests (there are no tests in lower grades), it's about how a student is doing as a whole: what and how he/she/they is/are thinking, how well does he/she/they work with others, what are his/her/their strengths and where could they improve. Our children love going to school. They love their teachers, they love the friends they've made, they love the campus. Since kindergarten we've enjoyed seeing wooden boats they've made in the innovation workshop (with saws, nails, and other tools), seeing gorgeous art projects like the multi-grade Gee's Bend quilt-inspired collaboration that was just installed in the lower school, hearing about a friend's grandfather, a former Black Panther, who came and spoke to the class as part of a unit exploring the significance and work of The Black Panther Party, hearing about the lettuces they picked in garden group that were turned into a delicious salad for the class to share. The amazing and dedicated teachers at Park Day are teaching kids how to be citizens of the world, to identify problems and to take action, to embrace and champion differences and diversity, to care for others, to be curious and confident, and to really think. read more

Park Day School has been a wonderful school for my two kids, and for me as as part of the parent community for 12 years. It is a place where the entire family is invited to grow together. My son attended PDS 1st-8th and is now at Oakland Tech doing well as a college-bound Senior. Benefitting from Park's progressive mission and methods, he learned to advocate for himself as a learner and how to look at problems from multiple perspectives. He also learned to grow and give back in his community, whether in working with young kids, playing music, or playing and officiating a sport. His academic readiness for high school was absolutely solid and his opportunities for expression in drama, music and art gave him a nuanced skill base going forward. My daughter has also grown to understand herself as a learner, to put herself in another's shoes, and to pursue her interests and give back to her community in various ways. And academically she will clearly be ready for high school come June. I appreciate Park in additional ways for my daughter, who had learning challenges around reading that were identified right away by her K teacher. Her teachers and other staff were excellent partners to us in seeking the right kind of tutoring and she was a successful and committed reader by 3rd grade. She still is a strong reader and she is someone who always asks for the support she needs academically. As a parent, I have loved the integrated, project-based approach to learning throughout our years at Park, from watching 2nd graders "become" figures in history, to watching student-written and directed story plays evolve in 3rd, to re-enacting the Roanoke tragedy from multiple perspectives in 5th, to the blending of drama and humanities in Middle School. And then there's the Mini Maker Faire, which the school launched 7 years ago and in which most kids participate as makers. I appreciate more fully every year how Park students construct their understanding and knowledge through their individualized teacher-guided explorations and hands-on projects. As a Parent I have also felt that the school is responsive to my parent needs and desires. There are many opportunities for parents to learn and lead, and a rich dialogue about progressive education, learning differences and social justice and change. I am thankful for all I've learned and for the many meaningful relationships I've formed. It is a caring place. In my son's last year at Park, the long-time and well-loved Head of School passed away, which was challenging for the school community. Many long-time staff departed over the next few years to retire or to take on new challenges. And some practices shifted as leadership changed. Despite these challenges, and especially now that Park has an experienced and vibrant new HOS, the school perseveres in its commitment to progressive education and social justice. Some staff have changed, but the same progressive values and practices endure, and the kids are always held front and center. read more

Our daughter just started kindergarten this year at Park Day and she is having a wonderful time. She is engaged and learning quickly and loves all of the added enrichment activities that are included in the curriculum. read more

We first discovered Park Day School through the East Bay Mini Maker Faire, and our daughter, who was in pre-school at the time, announced that she wanted to go there. She's loved it since her first day in kindergarten. The teachers and administration are exceptional - not just in teaching kids how to think and learn, but they're also kind, patient, and nurture all the essential skills of being good human beings like resolving conflicts peacefully and without judgement. We also love the school grounds (amazing trees!) and the lunch plan is awesome (healthy & freshly prepared daily). Our daughter is happy, thriving and looks forward to school every day. While it might not be for everyone, we've had a tremendously positive experience. read more

I can't say enough positive things about Park Day and the experience our family and our 5-year old daughter have had at the school. Our kindergartener was in distance learning this fall before the school began to open and even though we were skeptical about how virtual kindergarten would go, we were amazed at the quality of the instruction, the welcoming environment the teachers facilitated and the community of parents who supported each other. Once they made the decision to open, we were so thankful for the steps they've taken to keep the kids, teachers and staff safe and healthy - they've set up outdoor classrooms on their beautiful campus, instituted weekly free mandatory COVID testing for all staff, students, parents and community members and required masks, hand washing, all the things. Most importantly, our daughter LOVES school - she can't wait to go each day and is learning a ton. Besides the normal math and reading, she's learning about events happening in the world and our community, which is really important to us. She's asked to set up a family call to encourage our extended family to protect the earth and not litter after a unit about recycling and the effect of trash on the earth and has started multiple conversations about racism, kindness and tolerance with us. The teachers are terrific and the new school leader is incredible and devotes personal attention to every child and parent. Honestly, we know it's a HUGE privilege to be able to send our daughter to this school and just are so grateful that a place like this exists. Knowing she is safe, happy and loving her school has saved our sanity and been a major bright spot in our lives this year. read more

Park Day School has provided our child with an incredibly well-rounded education that has challenged her, supported her, developed her own understanding of herself as a learner, and given her an approach to education that is rooted in creativity, curiousity, and independence. The teachers are committed and excellent, the school community is grounded in social justice and problem solving, and the administration is caring and responsible. read more

Choosing Park Day School was the best choice for our daughter who is now in first grade. We felt welcomed by the community, loved the beautiful campus, and appreciated the smaller class sizes. Our daughter had a tonsillectomy scheduled before starting her first year of kindergarten and was going to miss her first week of school. We were extremely nervous that she was going feel behind and left out, but the school was amazing and supportive. Even though she started the second week of kindergarten, she was able to acclimate and jump right in. She immediately bonded with new friends. She has gained so much confidence and love of learning. She feels extremely comfortable with everyone on campus, including friends from various grade levels to the wonderful teachers and staff. Additionally, the hot lunch has been our savior. Our daughter is a finicky eater but has been enjoying and trying new lunch items at school. read more

We've been here for 6 years and love it more each year. Our new head of school is an accessible, visionary leader with phenomenal experience and the ability to get things done. The teaching team is highly committed. The kids are kind people, guided by the school to recognize and take seriously their impact on the world around them. They're empowered to explore themselves and their worlds. to collaborate, to think as makers, to and work through the differences that come up between them. I'm continually impressed with the level of emotional intelligence inherent in the curriculum and school values. read more

As a parent with two kids in the lower grades writing a year into the pandemic, I can say Park Day has been SO valuable in navigating this time with our kids. An education at Park Day focuses not only on academics, but social and emotional needs, as well as what I see as important context for understanding the world right now, and how you can prepare not just to live in it, but take it by the reins. I'm confident our kids will be better people and citizens thanks to the curriculum Park Day provides. read more

Park Day School is a great place for my kids to grow up. They focus not only on knowledge but thirst of knowledge. My child was reading at a high reading level, and his teacher came up to me and said, "your child is reading at a high level, but he doesn't seem to be enjoying what he's reading." It took some doing, but we finally found some books that excited my kid, and he loves reading until this day. At other schools, I think they would've been satisfied with the fact that he was so advanced, but this exemplifies Park Day's philosophy and methods. read more