My teacher is awesome and their chicken nuggets are so yummy they have movie nights and more…read moreawesome school 5 star.

The school had barely any security!!! I drove by the school one day and see teenagers climbing the…read morefence I and out just to play!!! They only had fences and they are so short that I'm almost as tall as it and I'm a pretty short person! I can almost say that there are no real gates around the school and most of them were "climbable" and the other ones I wouldn't consider it as a gate.the lunch lady are nice when they feel like it and if not...

My son has had a wonderful experience at this school. The teachers have been supportive and kind…read more He enjoys his time at this school, and feels very supported. I have to admit, I was unsure when we first started. When Lum closed, we were shifted from Franklin to Love, and I was not happy about it. However, I have been pleasantly surprised by this school.

The principal called my son gay And also took his water bottle. I do not recommend this schoolread more

Date: 8/22/2016 Time: 2:10 PM 71° Sunny…read more Paden Elementary School is within walking distance and the closest school, besides Encinal High School from my home. I don't have any school age children or grandchildren attending either school. It never hurts to pay a visit to the schools and occasionally volunteer some time to help the teachers in their classes, be chaperones for school excursions, or read to the students. Monday was the first day of school for the students and there were plenty of parents picking up their children. There were parents in the attendance office, too. Purpose of my visit: Since I know the school secretary, Sue, through a mutual friend of mine, I waited to talk to her. I am aware of the fact that teachers will spend their money to buy school supplies for their students. This time around I decided to offer a hand by donating 25 boxes of 24 Crayola crayons to a class. I requested Sue give them to any class with at least 25 students. The cost of the crayons was less than $15 and it was for a worthy cause to give back to the community. I still have other supplies (staples, post it notes and 4 rolls of scotch tape) to donate to the school office. Thus, a return visit is forthcoming to Paden. Go Pelicans!

Paden is a great Alameda school. It is nestled a few blocks down from Webster Street and two blocks…read morebefore Encinal High School on Central Ave. Many of my friends are products of Paden's education. Traditionally an IRT, year-round school, Paden is now a traditional K-5 school. The site's current focus is on putting students first and cultivating skills for life.

Great school! Attractive. Great teachers/staff…read more And I love the drop off situation here! So easy to drop off my 1st grader... especially compared to nearby Earhart Elementary.

I went to ask some questions about the upcoming school year and after a few minutes discovered I…read morewas talking to the principal. She didn't have answers to any, but one, of my questions even though they were all related to the school directly, and her one answer was very snarky. She essentially talks down to you rather than to you, not a great quality in a principal. I was not impressed with her overall sour attitude towards new parents and students. She did not make us feel welcome and my child is now not excited for the first day of school because she believes all the teachers will be "like that mean lady". I also noticed that there were no teachers and very few parent volunteers present, which really made me question a lot of the other reviews from yelp and other sites because community involvement is touted so much. There was also a lack of organization, communication, and efficiency in the mess of lines crowded in front of the office where everyone was. It was a really bad impression/experience and I can only hope it gets better, or we get a new principal who isn't riding such a high horse. And for those who grew up in Alameda or have older kids, this is the same principal who was at Lincoln Middle School, probably 15 years ago. She wasn't there long before both teacher AND student complaints had her moved, not sure if it was by choice or from above, but now I know where she ended up. I gave it 2 stars rather than just 1 because the campus is nice and I went to open house last year to meet the Kindergarten teachers and the ones I met all seemed relatively nice and the classrooms were clean, organized, and well-stocked. Some of the office staff seemed to be very pleasant as well, and tried to keep things moving; leadership just seems off, which made the entire event lack direction. There aren't too many reviews for this school on yelp, and I hope this one isn't removed for its brutal honesty. I hope there will be a response and that the relationship is improved over the year/s since this is our home school. It is just disappointing to be confronted with such a negative experience when the school has received such high scores and having heard some positive things from parents who have children enrolled.

St Philip Neri School, Thursday, 8/29/24, 3:20pm, @Encinal Market Please teach your students in…read moreuniform to flush the toilet. I'm sure many of your students don't flush and are so courteous to pee all over the seat. Open the door, and not even hold it open for a lady but as parents and faculty, it's important to teach etiquette especially in a world that's full of wars, slavery, and disrespect for one another. They're kids. They need their parents around, not on IG, or Tik Tok, but to teach them manners. Description: 5 foot, 12 years old looking, blue eyes, dirty blonde hair, tennis shoes, St. Philip Neri uniform, Caucasian male: I did not appreciate pee all over the seat, floor and in the toilet. Please be thoughtful and caring to others who use the baño after you. Good luck in school and your endeavors and please be kind and courteous.

We are so thrilled and feel fortunate to have joined the SPN community! Our little in TK is…read morethriving. Seeing her social emotional, academic, developmental skills and creativity grow is so visible and know that we've made the right choice for our child's future. The staff is extremely helpful and overall communication from school is a 100%. Not only is SPN intentional on the student's school experience but they do a great job with the parent community in feeling involved and empowered to support their children. Cannot recommend SPN enough. - SPN family since 2024

If we can go back in time, will never, ever send our child here for frikkin nine a$$ years. All…read morethe principals from O'Callaghan to Yriarte were a joke. Teachers were not as knowledgeable as you would expect from a private school. Extended care charges an arm and a leg for after school snacks...and guess what Sims/Benavente give them? goldfish crackers! And, we just heard about the priest this week. Wow! We actually never liked him. There was just something about him. The Dioscese should really look into this SCHOOL.

It was alright. As a former student, teachers were always uptight and children were rude (both to…read morethe teachers and peers). Little to nothing was done when a student was being made fun of or bullied (except for our math teacher at the time expressing his concerns). One of the teachers would always make rude comments, such as laughing at anti-Semitic jokes- two of our teachers were Jewish- and making rude comments such as when someone said they were going to convert (religion undisclosed), she said, "as long as it's to Christianity!". Had an awful classmate and no one would do anything about it one of the teachers said she pitied him. The principal, Colvert, was quite dismissive of any concerns and did not contribute to a positive learning environment. A few of my teachers were stressed and just overall exhausted, and I felt bad for them. Other than that it was your average Catholic school, I would rate it a 4/10. Do better!

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

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

Our experience at The Child Unique Montessori has been very positive. The environment is calm,…read moreenriching, and full of gentle encouragement. The teachers are kind and genuinely attentive to each child's growth and development. It's no surprise that this school came recommended through word of mouth. Many families speak highly of it, and it's easy to see why. Some of the parents here once attended TCU themselves and are now bringing their own children. That kind of legacy speaks volumes. Dr. Cindy Acker and her team have built something rare and lasting in Alameda, a women-owned and led school that has quietly left a mark on this community through years of dedication and consistency. The involvement stretches beyond the classroom and into the home, where Dr. Acker gently shares knowledge that parents may choose to engage with through periodic letters and events. That kind of support, offered with care and respect, creates a meaningful partnership not only between the school and the parents, but also among the many families who feel part of this community. This is a special place that continues to shape lives, quietly but powerfully.

Both my sons have attended The Child Unique, from 2019-2020 and then from 2021 up until the…read morepresent. My older son is shy and a bit anxious, but I believe his Montessori teacher's calm presence really drew him out and helped him establish a strong bond with her. He loves creating and drawing, and his teacher last year really encouraged that and he flourished under her care! He graduated from TCU this past spring and is now doing well in kindergarten at our local public school. Our three year just started attending TCU this summer and similarly, has bonded really well with his primary classroom teachers. He's always happy when I pick him up and is signing the Mandarin songs he's learning from his Mandarin teacher. He seems to really be loving school and so both my husband and I are relieved and happy he is at TCU like his brother was!