We've had the most amazing experience with the Kumon in El Cerrito. I became really concerned about…read moremy son's math instruction at school when the transition was made to Common Core. Not only was math being taught in a very confusing way, but the materials were awful, and the teachers were unable to explain the material to either me or my son. That's when we enrolled in Kumon, and it allowed me to relax and breathe again. Greta and the Kumon staff are incredibly capable, dedicated, and kind, and I felt confident that they would keep my son's math learning on track regardless of what was going on at school. That was 5 years ago, and my son has gone from a poor math student in elementary school to a straight A math student in high school. You won't regret giving Kumon a try!

My son has been attending Kumon for both Math and Reading programs for over 7 months now, the…read moreresults are surprisingly good! Academically, he is very comfortable with math problems now, and loves to read on his own. With Kumon work, he's math and reading levels are above other classmates'. In terms of self discipline, he is used to doing the homework everyday on his own and tries his best to avoid any unintentional mistake. I am a proud mom! The Kumon el cerrito and Pinole instructor Greta has been so patient and kind to all the children and the parents. She knows everyone's name and level, and is very involved in the progress of every student. Hats off! and what a kindhearted person to be around. To those who are still thinking about joining, I would say, Kumon (like any other program) is not a promise to the success. However it is a great opportunity for the kids to create the healthy habit of studying and to boost their self esteem, and a reliable way for the parents to help our kids to make the most of their potentials. Your effort will be paid off!

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 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.

We've had such a wonderful experience at this school. The teachers genuinely care about the…read morestudents and create a warm, engaging environment where learning feels exciting. My daughter comes home eager to share what she's learned and the books they're reading, which says a lot about how much the staff inspires their students. My daughter actually looks forward to seeing her teacher (Mrs Keller) who she says makes learning fun. She loves her friends and a lot of her friends are in other grades. This shows me that they really prioritize community. When she goes to afterschool care I notice the older kids sometimes tutoring or reading to the younger ones. The afterschool care (Mrs cook) also has great snacks - my daughter prefers to not get picked up right away because she doesn't want to miss out on the daily menu. Mrs cook does so great with the kids I really applaud her for staying all day and keeping great energy with kids when they are full of steam after a long day. My family is not known to be athletic but coach Mike has pulled some special magic with my daughter who has runs faster than me! I used to hate dodgeball but it's my daughter's favorite game. I love that she has teachers that know how to get the kids engaged and having fun consistently. A special mention goes to Mrs. Trombettas, who brings incredible energy to the school. She greets everyone by name each morning--students and parents alike--and somehow remembers not just names, but grades and families too. That level of personal attention really reflects the benefits of a close-knit, community-focused school. Communication is another strong point. The teachers are approachable, responsive, and make it easy to stay involved. Whenever there's even a minor issue, the school is quick to reach out--and they always start by reassuring me that my child is okay, which I truly appreciate as a parent. The facilities are modern, clean, and well-maintained, adding to the overall positive experience. After four years here, we couldn't be happier with our choice and plan to continue. It truly feels like a special place, and I'm so grateful we found it.

Such an amazing campus ..the teachers are so supportive and patient..I totally recommend this…read moreschool to others ..the programs are flexible and work with your schedules..check them out you will not regret it

I would like to thank Alvarado School for giving me the opportunity to take the classes that i…read moreneeded to get my high school diploma. and also would like to thank the teachers for helping me to not give up and to accomplish in getting my high school diploma after 20 years. its never too late to accomplish and achieving in yourself and not giving up. never give up in your life . Thank you for all the staff and teachers in Alvarado School for giving me the opportunity in finishing my high school diploma and graduating. I highly recommend anyone who in getting back into school and in getting your high school dilploma.

My kids had such a great experiences at Keystone. Both my daughter and son went there from…read moreSandpiper to Snowy Egret. My younger son is moving on to Kindergarten this fall and I had to come here and leave them a review since we had such a great experience. The staff is warm and loving and they really do plan a great curriculum for the kids. They plan different units with different themes and focuses and they do it in a way that the kids have so much fun learning and exploring. They also do a great job fostering independence through teaching the kids to set things up, clean up, taking care of the classroom and things of that nature which my kids loved doing. Both my kids felt safe, happy and loved throughout their whole time there. I also feel that my kids were very prepared for kindergarten both behaviorally and academically. I highly recommend, I think the admin and staff there really do an excellent job.

We had a great experience at Keystone in our 3.5 years there and miss a lot of the engagement,…read moreeducation, and support. It felt like a real community. Our child was there from ~18mos old to 5 years old; from the thick of Covid in 2021 to August of 2025. She loved it and continues to talk about the teachers and staff. As she transitioned into Kindergarten, it's clear she and her keystone classmates are much further ahead academically and socially. We love the Montessori approach and Keystone seems to have a great facility and application of it.

I do not recommend the school. On my first day of school I had a male staff walk my daughter to the…read moreclassroom and later thanked the principal for having the staff member walk my daughter to school. She said oh was it Mrs------? I said no it was a man and her response was we don't have any men working at the school and then she goes. Oh well it must just be a staff member of the day. This was very concerning and I did not like this happening on the first day of school. Then the second day of school, my daughter was put into the afterschool program which she's not enrolled in by her teacher. I have been asking since day, one to volunteer in the classroom and have gotten fingerprinted and have gotten no response about it. I have been completely dismissed. She picks other people to volunteer in the classroom, even though I was the only one to sign up at open house. I've been persistent about wanting to volunteer and no response. My daughter has been through trauma, and I shared this with the teacher on the first day of school and I feel I've been discriminated against. It's been quite upsetting and it was a big mistake to have my daughter register at the school. Staff are not understanding and can be very under mining.

This is our second year at Fairmont Elementary. My daughter is in Ms Cook's 2nd grade class and we…read morelove her! I love the way she carries her voice and she has a way of calmness whether she is happy or upset with the kids. As a parent I would like to be more like her when I am especially upset with my kids! Parent participation is welcomed at the school and I can't encourage parents enough,to take advantage of volunteering. I love that my daughter sees me active with her school along with the other kids asking me if we are doing an art project? We had our 2nd Silent Fiesta Auction which was a huge success. When we walk on campus, all the teachers on yard duty always smile and say hello! The office staff and Principal Ms Murphy are wonderful and always ready to help! I am looking forward to another 4 years at Fairmont Elementary.

Hey Everyone!!!! OMG…read more- so today I had to re-exam to renew my CNA license. Which was a bummer, because I did not know how to obtain the correct CEU's. I was so nervous, because I haven't took this state exam in 2 years, and I did not know if it was going to be with others, a large size class or anything... just going in blind. I remember when I had took my exam 2 years ago for the first time, I was with my classmates. However, I got here very early. I was the first to arrive. Later, I was greeted and welcomed by a beautiful nice woman name Mrs. Drusilla. She opened up at Vasco Career College, and she then opened the for for me and told me to come inside to have a seat. I was so nervous you guys, and she was very nice it sort of soothed my demeanor. I then checked in with her to begin my written exam first, I explained to her how nervous I was and this was for my renewal. She literally turned to me and looked in my eyes, and stated, " you will be fine ". I honestly felt like this was a sign from god. I then took my exam, in a very quiet room, she went over everything for me in full detail. The rooms were spacious, clean and organized. After, it was time to take my skills exam. Again, y'all, very nervous and I sat in another room, (room C ), while another student finished their skills exams. Once, this student was close to finished, I was asked to be the patient for them. I was introduced to my Proctor, she was so sweet and pleasant. Her name was Mrs. Bella, she reminded me of a sweet family member you just hug when you see them. After, I helped the other student, it was my turn, my pulse was going a 1000x per sec. She told me to calm down, again, nice and pleasant. I finished and felt so good about my outcome with taking both my exams here just due to their personalities and how nice they were. This helped me in ways they will never know I needed, just them being kind. I have not received my results yet, or do not know if I passed, but I wanted to share with everyone a great place to come take you exams and also.... * As I was leaving, Mrs. Drusilla heard me state I was renewing my CNA license and she informed me on next time, what to do in order to receive my continuing education credits, to qualify for approval from California Department of Health. THEY HAVE A WEBSITE, www.cnabase.com ONLINE, and they offer the in person CEU's in person at their school. You guys I could have cried right there. Renewing my license was the hardest thing ever for me, and I felt like it should have not been. I asked everyone and no one could give me the correct information on where to go or how to obtain your continuing education credits. So, I want to share with everyone so they do not go through what I went through, the panic, stress, and anxiety on having to take the state exam over.... you can take these CEU's with them!!! DON'T WALK, RUN TO THEIR CAMPUS.. THEY OFFER SEVERAL OTHER CLASSES AS WELL, CHECK THEM OUT!!!!

Vasco Career College was a great experience for me! I graduated from the clinical medical assisting…read moreprogram in February of 2026. I took the evening class because that's the only way I was able to attend class while juggling with work and being a mom. My instructor Bianca was amazing! She guided me and encourage me to do my best especially when I was close to taking my NHA exam. Bianca provided all the resources that I needed when it comes to my assignments, labs, and my exam. After graduating from the program, I was assigned to a clinic for my externship and my instructor also have been keeping in touch with me while I was in my externship. I couldn't have done all of this if it wasn't for my instructor and Mrs. Dru who also went above and beyond, most especially she was so happy for me that I was able to complete my externship. I highly recommend enrolling in Vasco Career College for anyone who is starting out in the medical field.

"I urge families, do NOT make the mistake of choosing C2 Education! My experience with them has…read morebeen nothing short of appalling. Ever since Simon, the Center Director at C2 Education, Berkeley abruptly left in December 2018, the entire operation has gone downhill. I, along with my oldest and middle child, had a positive experience with Simon, which led me to purchase an additional 100 hours of tutoring in the hopes that my youngest child could benefit as well. Little did I know, when the pandemic hit in 2020, these hours (remaining 56) suddenly had an expiration date that no one bothered to inform me about. Had I been aware of this, I would have never invested in more hours. I have had to deal with a constant turnover of incompetent staff: Michael, Andrew, Tina, Selene, Lisa, Jonathan...the list is endless. Each one had a different story, showcasing a complete lack of professionalism and consistency. And let's not forget about the condescending tutor, Christopher, who had the audacity to belittle my youngest child and suggested she had a learning disability. Why would a tutor ask if you're dyslexic and from another country because of grammatical mistakes and you're there for Chemistry? It was highly inappropriate for Christopher to make assumptions and condescending remarks about a students abilities or background. Despite the contract clearly stating that C2 Education has the discretion to reinstate hours, I've been met with resistance from Thomas, District Manager for C2 Education, who outright refuses to do so. It's an absolute disgrace on how they do business.  Consider this a public service announcement: there are plenty of other tutoring services out there that not only offer better value for money but also treat their customers with respect. Unless you want to endure the nightmare I have experienced, steer clear of C2 Education."

FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A POTENTIAL C2 STUDENT: Most reviews for tutoring centers are from the…read moreperspective of the parent, but I implore you: ask your kids whether they like a certain place. TLDR: Ableism, invalidation of students' efforts, lack of overall regard for mental health I got a consultation years back with C2 education, where I was put into an empty room and made to complete a practice SAT test. When I requested a break 40 or so minutes in, Simon got angry at me because the "real SAT doesn't work like this". He didn't know that I literally got back from my exhausting workplace that day and that I have ADHD, but he didn't even give me a chance to explain this. Then, he made me feel bad for my low scores in their practice test and tried to convince my parents to buy a tutoring package of some sort. I refused. Fortunately, I dodged a bullet! My sibling did end up getting tutoring from C2 for her junior year, but their "tutoring" was mainly Simon micro-managing her grades. She was in an honors course where most students were lucky to get even a C, and he made her feel bad for having a B on her report card. Awful. She eventually quit too and found a private tutoring who was far more empathetic and helped repair her relationship with academics. Meanwhile, my parents thought C2 was so "great" and helped her so much with academics - but I saw firsthand that it damaged her mental health. Fast forward years later, I am now a graduate student in the field of education, and I can confidently say that these types of test prep centers utterly terrify me. I have seen wonderful test prep tutors that know how to properly treat a student with low self-esteem or neurodivergencies, and this is definitely not the kind of place. Thus, I implore you: ASK YOUR CHILDREN what they think of a teacher and believe them. Especially if they are going through difficult times.