Positives: typically plenty of parking in the limited space of a parking lot. If you can't find any…read moreopenings, just use nearby parking. A great amount of good-quality basketball courts, and even a big baseball field surrounded by a good-quality track for people to walk or run. Using this place outside of noon-4pm hours, is a wise idea in warmer and hotter months...noticeably May-November, since there's little to no shade in those hours. But outside of those hours, you get cooler weather and/or a very good shade from the south side of the basketball courts. As if that wasn't awesome enough, there's very good wind protection here. This is my new favorite go to spot for basketball practice and outdoor exercise...John Muir Middle School is just too windy. Negatives: none of the basketball courts have the trademark square above the rim. Would be nice if they each had that.

I was a student at Bancroft Middle School a few years ago and really had to think about what to…read morerate it, I have to do multiple ratings, the teachers would get a 3/5 because they really helped me a bit learn what I needed, but others like Mr.Alvarez who is not their anymore really set me back, Mr.D was not a good teacher for me, he would pressure us to do push ups and be super mean if you did not follow his rules. But their were some good teachers like Mr.Murphy,Mr.Gary and Mr.Fox who were really cool. Their staff could have been better 1.5/5 I was their when the old principal I think he was Mr.Duorio or something like that got fired because of hiring a teacher who said insulting stuff to a student and was recorded. The next year I was their all the principles left because the students were fighting literally everyday sometimes 2-3 times in a single day! I don't really blame them it was tough, but I feel like the principles could have been a little more professional leaving. And I heard one of my teachers having a breakdown because the school environment was too chaotic. Which brings me to my next point the staffs control and handling of situations, now normally I am pretty fair and this is middle school, but come on now Bancroft, 0/5! In my 7th grade year their was at least 2 fights a day, In fact I was going to the office one time and talked to a kid who had been in 2 fights in a single day! Once I was in 6th grade and I LITERALLY see the ENTIRE school running including my friends who never watch fights, went over to the hallways to see a fight between 2 students that the sub-principal was trying his absolute best to break up. The ONLY reason I went over their was because I was trying to go to the restroom and almost got hit by someone throwing a milk carton and it bouncing off the restroom wall. When I got out, I just see the whole school running toward me so I run as well because I did not want to be stampeded, that was one of the scariest times of my life!. Then the school issues severe punishments like 4 out of 6 classes were tardy sweeps (which was if you did not make it to class on time, you would get a detention in Ms. Hall's class which traumatized me the only time I went, as Ms.Hall spoke harshly toward us as if we had committed a serious felony. I had a IEP so I got other special need help at the school so I would have to rate that reaction pretty solid a 4.5/5 because I had a really cool case manager who helped me out Ms.Arias and Mr.Gamba who was a really cool guy who helped me with schoolwork and other conflicts at the school. I had some counseling therapists who really helped me when school was too much. The special events get a 3/5 they had some exciting events at the end of year where the whole school went out to the field and their were bounce houses the gym was open and their were many games to choose from, but the dances were ok, in the first year I was their, it was after covid, so their was no dances. But the first few dances were choatic, but what can you expect from a Middle School dance. But over the next two years, it got better with just $5 you got a taco, a bag of chips, a water and admission to your schools dance as a student. And school recognition was a 2/5 because I was a student and I became a peer advocate for Ms.Slaton's class and had only heard of it once, no one paid attention to that. We tried to help students over the year who had some mental health challenges but I did not even talk with one student even though I was supposed to that year. But the clubs I did go to were really cool like Dungeons and dragons club in Mr.Foxes room, that was fun and their was a program called: Code Campus where us middle schoolers went afterschool to learn about career skills like how to code in minecraft to making hot plastic toys out of a sort of hot plastic glue gun? Bancroft was an ok school, if i were to do middle school over again. But bullying was really bad at this school I am nice to give anti-bullying here a 1/5 I had so many kids bully me and call me slurs in the sixth grade alone I lost track. I remember in 7th grade, a kid committed suicide because of the amount of bullying that was happening to them. I felt really depressed in 6th and 7th grade because of the bullying. I even had a friend tell me that their friend left the school because they got harassed in the restrooms. I sat with my friends who sat with a kid who was not fit to be at school, I remeber suggesting something too him and he physically stuck his fingers in my neck as well as my friends and threatened to hurt us if we did not apologize. I was very scared and once I saw that he had a knife in his bag, I immediately left my friend group that I knew because of that. I would have gone to a private school or John Muir; Bancroft needed a lot of improvement to be a normal middle school. I highly DO NOT recommend sending your kid to this school, or if you are thinking about this school, consider a different one.

Good luck speaking with the enrollment specialist (JW). This individual does not have any manners…read moreat all. She is EXTREMELY argumentative. If enrollments have gone down, I guarantee she (JW) has everything to do with it. After attempting to have a polite conversation with the enrollment specialist (JW), I have decided to choose a different career path. Unless they replace her (JW) with someone who doesn't interrupt you, while she (JW) demands to not be interrupted. I'm using (JW) because Yelp flags reviews with names on them, but (JW) is the enrollment specialist I spoke with. How can someone so rude be the face of this institution?!

Carrington in general has many barriers to get started. In order to receive any type information,…read moretheir website automatically ONLY gives you a number to call and makes you enter in your contact information, which then they will not stop bombarding you with calls. Not transparent (about costs). Admission personals utilized sales tactics (acting as though there were limited spaces and exclusivity when they are a for profit organization); some were rude and just stood there in order to try and show a level of organization (figureheads). In order to get simple questions answered, you have to go through too many people. Wasted an hour of my time. This is indeed a for-profit organization. Unfortunately that is the reality of the Bay Area and the unique programs; I would suggest looking at Community Colleges early on before considering this, or consider other careers.

My kid has been there for half year and I am glad to see him building a good study habit which he…read moredid not get from school. Also the tutors know how to work with him so his attitude is positive and being a good learner at PEL. The director Mr. Lawrence knows how the students perform, their strengths and weaknesses. Also Mr. Lawrence is happy to join a school teacher conference and being helpful. Highly recommended!

When I first came to PEL Tutoring, my son Ayden was in kindergarten. I noticed he was struggling…read morewith the school curriculum and had a hard time staying seated for long periods of time. I shared my concerns with Mr. Lawrence about the challenges we were facing both at school and at home. He reassured me not to worry and said he would help my son. In the beginning, Ayden struggled a lot. He couldn't stay in his chair for even five minutes without getting up. Mr. Lawrence took the time to have a serious talk with him about the importance of focusing and doing his work. Throughout the process, Mr. Lawrence was patient and understanding of what Ayden was going through. He truly cared. Over time, he became like an extra father figure not only to Ayden but to many of the kids at PEL Tutoring. Mr. Lawrence and his wife genuinely care about the well-being of the children in their program. In just the last few months, my son has improved so much. I 100% stand by PEL Tutoring -- it is absolutely worth it.

My son started Kumon at this location four years ago.. The program has helped him perform well in…read moreschool, he's often the first kids who finishes the class works. This program has helped him to become a more independent thinker in every way. Kumon teaches him to be self discipline to the point where he is self-sufficient. The instructor is very direct and honest about my child's performance. Also his staffs are friendly and dedicated. I recommend this location to anyone who's looking for an after school program for their kids. Aileen N

Mr. Leif is an incredible Kumon instructor. He pays close attention to his students and is…read morepassionate about his work. Above all, he is deeply committed to the children who come to learn at his center. Before deciding on this one, I visited several Kumon Centers and quickly realized that other instructors do not exhibit the same level of care and communication as Mr. Leif. His center is immaculate and incredibly well-organized.

Our child was a late talker, so we did our research and found East Bay Child Development Center…read more(formerly PLTA). From intake to our final class, the staff made sure that the scheduling process was a breeze, and that visits did not fall short of expectations. They have an excellent staff dedicated to your child's development, and the office is pristine. Not just clean; very well kept. I noticed that there wasn't one tear on a book or broken toys. They put lots of effort into upkeep, knowing well that toys and books can take a beating with younger kids. East Bay Child Development Center has terrific speech therapists and therapists specialized in helping in all other types of child development, including but not limited to physical therapy, etc. We went through 2 different speech therapists and 1 or 2 therapy students which was a little harder for our son to grow accustomed to because it would take him awhile to warm up (which I've learned isn't unusual for any development therapy center), but each therapist tried their absolute best to ensure they were giving him the utmost care and attention.

They failed my son after 3 session. Excuses that he doesn't listen, he runs fast that worried about…read moreyounger children there. That speech is not a good fit for him, that his sister runs around the hallways exploring toys and opened doors of offices, about me get a phone call so they discharged him from services. This is racism and discrimination by the way ladies I want to give you suggestions, your office needs a new administration, organisation and functionality. Everybody there seems to go everywhere, I don't know if these people work here are they clients. The back door to the outside was open, this is called dysfunctional. The office receptionist was like his first day to work, confused and looked around like a lost boy. There four people by office were speaking loud and chatting. They failed my son years ago when he was younger because they said he was not ready for speech when I just changed my insurance to get accepted to come here. Now he's 12 years old saying he's not a good fit. Shame on you to say that to me. You can't discharge him that's illegal. My son is trying with his speech and he has rights in California to receive speech therapy any age. Discrimination by the ability, then age, what's next because his sister running around the office and also I was on the phone? For that lady who spoke with me today over the phone couldn't wait on me. And making me feel like I was being fired from the job, she sounded rude and said my daughter was running around the room and I was speaking loud on the phone so the excuse to fail my son. Then changed her words saying he's not a good fit and he runs fast and wants to push the kids. She needs to find more excuses for her to dismiss him. You don't know how hard and challenging to be a mother of autistic kid. I finally thought I have him his speech going and then you locked me up like shutting my mouth. Go see if your speech therapist is the one who has the problem. She too lazy to give speech therapy or has a lack of skills. This is Shameless and discrimination.

We had them come to our daycare and they were great! Our kids and parents loved the experience. It…read morewas clean and organized. We also loved the clear communication.

Such an amazing experience! The staff was on time, super friendly, and great with the kids. The…read morechildren loved seeing and being able to experience these animals in a comfortable and familiar environment. If you're thinking of hiring them for a birthday party or other event I definitely suggest Little Explorers! The alpaca (Rosie) and bunny (hot chocolate) were our personal favorites from the crew! Thank you for making it such a memorable day for the children

We've had such a great experience with this Montessori school! My daughter started at 2 years old,…read moreand Miss Noemi was so supportive, especially with potty training. With her help, she was fully potty trained, including nighttime, in just one week! She's now 3 and has learned so much--educational songs, tracing, playing independently and with others, and she's become much more confident and independent. Her teachers are very nurturing and comforting, especially when the kids are adjusting, but they also have structure and expectations, which I really appreciate. We're so happy with how much our daughter has grown here and are very grateful to Miss Noemi and Miss Karina for all their care and support! Our daughter adores all the teachers there.

The only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars is because my child genuinely liked her teachers…read more Unfortunately, my experience with management was completely different. The attitude often came across as stuck-up and dismissive, almost as if they were doing me a favor by allowing my child to attend rather than providing a service that I was paying for. I dealt with **two different managements during my time there: the previous management and the new management.** Under the previous management, the Egyptian lady I dealt with was noticeably more communicative, respectful, and professional. Unfortunately, my experience with the new management has been very different and far less welcoming. Communication in general is seriously lacking. Emails routinely receive zero response, and getting clear information or even basic acknowledgment is unnecessarily difficult. When you're dealing with parents and young children, communication should be one of the most basic expectations. What bothered me most was the lack of tact when handling concerns. You would expect people working in an educational environment to understand how to communicate with both children and parents, especially when a situation needs to be de-escalated. Instead, some interactions felt unnecessarily confrontational and unwelcoming. Considering the number of negative Google reviews this business already has, you would think management would make customer service, communication, and hiring approachable people a priority. Instead, the attitude toward paying families can make you wonder whether they realize parents are customers, not people asking them for charity. I could mention a bunch of specific examples, but at this point, I don't think it would do any good. My child liked her teachers, and that is what earned the 3 stars. The management and complete lack of communication are what prevented me from rating the experience higher.

Every year since my kid was little, he has been pegged for summer school because of math. He's a…read morereally smart, clever kid with a very artistic brain. He actually likes math and understands it--it just takes him longer to process, and memorizing and quickly retrieving math facts is hard for him. This summer we tried Mathnasium in Downtown San Leandro, and he flourished. The biggest thing? HE LIKED GOING. Three days a week, one hour at a time, and we never felt like we were dragging him somewhere he dreaded. Mathnasium gave him tips and tricks that clicked with the way his brain works. They helped him look at numbers and fractions differently, and a skill he had been struggling with finally clicked. The program starts with an evaluation and then they create a plan specific to your kid. Kids work in small groups with tutors, there's no take-home homework, scheduling is ridiculously easy, and parents get email updates about what their kid is working on. They also have punch cards, prizes and fun theme days. My kid worked hard enough to trade in his punch cards for a really cool 3D-printed dragon. Now it's this little reminder that he worked hard at something that was difficult for him, and got it. And Nehah, the owner, is a gem of a human. She is kind, thoughtful and genuinely invested in the kids who walk through her door. She wants them to feel successful and to develop a love of learning and math. My kid doesn't need someone to convince him he's smart enough to do math. He needs people who understand that his brain is fancy and sometimes needs a few different ways to get to the answer. Mathnasium gave him a few extra flourishes. This summer, that made a huge difference. If you check them out, tell Nehah that Gideon's mom sent you. :)

Mathnasium has been one of the best investments I've made in a long time. My 8th grader asked for…read moremath tutoring, so I scheduled the free assessment. During registration I noticed they offered a free sibling assessment too, so I signed up my 4th grader as well. The assessment was thorough and clearly laid out each of my daughters' strengths and areas for growth, along with an individualized learning plan and an anticipated timeline for improvement. My oldest tested below grade level (which wasn't a surprise after an ineffective 6th grade math year), and my youngest tested close to grade level but still had room to learn more efficient techniques. I almost put it off because of the price and the time commitment, but my girls loved it right away--whether it's because they love math or because of the prize incentives, I'm not even sure. Either way, they begged me to enroll them, and I'm so glad I listened. The instructors are knowledgeable, relatable, and supportive. I also appreciate that they provide session write-ups, and the kids earn stars as they master content. Once they fill their star card, they get to spin a prize wheel (and the prizes are actually good). A huge highlight for us was the individualized support my 8th grader received while preparing for her high school placement exam. Neha wasn't initially familiar with the test, but once I showed her the book and the types of questions, she customized my daughter's learning plan to focus on exactly what she needed. That extra support made a real difference--my daughter's confidence going into the exam was noticeably stronger. One honest note: 10 sessions a month is a lot, so I recommend getting everyone's buy-in before committing. But the environment is welcoming, they have snacks, they make learning math fun, and it honestly saves me time and stress after a long day when homework would otherwise turn into a battle. When I asked my oldest if it's worth it, she said, "Yes, absolutely." She's not only learning new concepts--she's retaining them and solving problems faster, and the confidence boost alone has been worth it.

My son has been going to PEL for over a year now and it's definitely positively supplemented his…read moreregular school learning. We felt like he was starting to fall a bit behind and school work/assignments alone weren't giving him enough practice/rigor. He's been doing both English/language arts and math programs. The extra attention and practice/repetition caught him up and then some. PEL also has some fun incentives for kids to help support their motivation: they earn "money" for work completed successfully and can "buy" prizes. This also helps teach value and rewards/incentivizes saving for bigger prizes. If your kid could benefit from some extra practice/structure, it's worth at least doing the free consultation to see if PEL would be a good fit for their learning style.

PEL stands for "Pre-Eminent Learning" and is the new Kumon with the Singaporean math trend focus on…read morecommon core math that us millennial parents didn't grow up with. There aren't any Russian math options around Alameda yet so we decided to sign up for the free consult/testing for PEL for our then five year old at the end of TK to see where he was at and he's been enjoying it ever since. We go twice a week for one hour and with the daily homework, our kindergartner is enjoying math drills and writing practice/phonics/reading. It takes a second to make it a habit but now he enjoys it and timing himself on the homework (cue childhood trauma from Kumon where my mom had a stopwatch!). I stopped correcting the homework for my sanity (more trauma - my mom corrected all our Kumon with the borrowed answer books and yelled if we got too many wrong). At this young age, they have Junior PEL which is with a teacher in a small group (versus the older kids who independently work and then raise hands for help). Our son's favorite teacher is Teacher Anna. For the waiting parents, this place has better parking, location and amenities than Mathnasium or Kumon with the Southshore shopping center. You can go grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and Safeway, pickup dinner, get a foot massage at W Spa, go for a run/walk by Crown Beach, return Amazon purchases at Kohl's, go to the bank, charge your car, etc. It's a carve-out time for errands that makes PEL seamless into our hectic family life with two young children. You can also just veg on the phone or work while waiting in the lobby (they have a super clean bathroom and it's quiet). The couple that owns this location also has a sister location in San Leandro and they run it efficiently and smoothly bc Alameda is their second location. Director Lawrence and Ms Kiwi are caring and kind and they also conduct regular parent teacher conferences, which is helpful at projecting and quantifying the hours invested into PEL. The icing on the cake is the annual honor roll ceremony in October. They did a great in putting the event together with the kids and parents in mind and our son is so proud of his honor roll trophy and shows everyone that comes over. Highly recommend PEL (especially those in public school in alameda bc K doesn't have homework!)

I cannot say enough great things about Lollipop Lane! My son has been attending the preschool (Ms…read more Judy's classroom) since 2.5 years old, and it has been incredible to watch him grow with the help of all his teachers and staff. Everyone at Lollipop Lane has been so warm, patient, and caring. They really take the time to understand my son's personality and interests, which is so special to us as parents. You can tell they all love what they do, and my son adores his teachers. He really looks forward to school, especially the art projects! It's been amazing to see how much his social skills and fine motor skills have grown since starting here. He's more confident, more independent, and always excited to show us what he made. The classroom is clean, organized, and full of so many engaging toys, books, and art projects. I always enjoy seeing the children's art projects hanging in the cabin, and we have built up quite a collection of letters, worksheets, and drawings. I feel that the curriculum is perfect for their age and skill level. Our favorite memories are watching the Halloween parade, holiday program, and graduation. Lollipop Lane really makes these days so special! If you're looking for a preschool where your child will be truly seen, supported, and encouraged to grow, this is it. Their prices are also unbeatable. We are so grateful to have found this school and community.

We love lollipop lane. My son started going here when he was 3. He was extremely shy at that time…read more Lollipop lane helped him gain so much confidence and he is so social now. He was always encouraged to participate and speak up. On top of the growth in a social aspect, lollipop lane truly prepared my son for kindergarten in the education they provided. Whether it was learning letters or objects they have always made learning fun and would incorporate projects and tasks with real life examples. My son recently started kindergarten and in the first week the teacher sent me a note saying "He is so engaged in class and so smart! I was sitting with him during our Activity Time at the end of the day and he was blowing me away with his alphabetic knowledge and how well he can do puzzles! " We are so thankful for Lollipop Lane and all it has done for our son during his formative years. My second son is starting this fall and we can't wait to see how much he grows socially, emotionally and academically at Lollipop Lane!