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    Maybeck High School

    4.2 (21 reviews)

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    Ask the Community - Maybeck High School

    Review Highlights - Maybeck High School

    This independent high school in Berkeley has offered students excellent educations for over thirty years.

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    The Academy

    The Academy

    (22 reviews)

    Elmwood

    My son is currently in first grade at the Academy and we consider ourselves very lucky to have…read morefound this gem of a school. It is a place that nurtures his innate curiosity and encourages deep learning and a personal intellectual engagement with the world. This is balanced by a warm, diverse, and kind environment where children feel seen and are accepted for who they are. From our first visit, we were captivated by the cozy charm of the campus and its welcoming atmosphere. Walking through the halls, you can't help but notice the confident, composed, and articulate students. On any given day, they're engaged in meaningful conversations with peers and teachers or participating in lively, thoughtful classroom discussions. A Love for Learning What sets the Academy apart is its focus on deep, meaningful learning. In kindergarten, my son quickly grasped math concepts through Ms. Cherney's "double-decker bus" technique, a creative visual tool for numbers that add to ten. By year's end, he was proudly bringing home story pamphlets he had written, blending creativity with growing writing skills. He also adopted the SEL class mantra, "nothing is ever perfect," which inspires him to embrace a growth mindset daily. Now in first grade, Ms. Labarca builds on his foundation with hands-on, multi-sensory learning. Montessori cubes and open-ended questions challenge his critical thinking while teaching him to understand the "why" behind concepts, not just the "how." It's been great to see his curiosity deepen as he learns to think from first principles. The Academy fosters a culture where learning is both prioritized and celebrated, with academic rigor as the standard. This is beautifully balanced by a community that values students' well-being and sense of belonging and genuinely prioritizes diversity. A Thriving Community The Academy is a close-knit, supportive community where every child is valued and heard. The teachers are both kind and inspiring. Their passion for their subjects and for teaching shines through, making them exceptional role models. Many of the teachers have been part of the school for over 30 years, a testament to their dedication and the strength of the community. Our Head of School, Cecee Penney, has a remarkable talent for inspiring and connecting with the children. The parent community are warm and unpretentious. Many are intellectuals with ties to Cal/Berkeley and the surrounding research community and bring a rich diversity of perspective. Many volunteer their time and expertise to enhance the school experience. Some have given talks to the school, some recent topics include The Science of Climate Change, Cultural Lessons about Ethiopia, and Day in the Life of a Doctor. Why We Love the Academy The Academy is a place that sparks a love of learning while fostering a strong sense of community. From Yayoi Kusama-inspired art to Socratic discussions, it seamlessly blends an education that prioritizes creativity and critical thinking. It's a place where children explore, ask questions, and grow to be ambitious learners. For our family, the Academy feels like home--a place where our son is thriving, not just academically but as a thoughtful, curious, and confident individual. We're deeply grateful to be part of this community and happy to share more about our experience. If you are considering the school, feel free to reach out to me, Jaireh Tecarro, at tecarro@gmail.com.

    We decided to withdraw our children from The Academy after ongoing concerns about bullying, lack of…read moreaccountability, and weak leadership. Our son faced repeated exclusion and inappropriate comments from classmates, including remarks that he was disliked "because he is Turkish." Despite our repeated reports and requests for support, the school minimized the situation and stated that "there was no bullying." Yet even during classroom assignments, our son expressed in writing and drawings his deepest wish for a world without bullying -- something no child should have to feel so strongly about in the first place. We tried for months to collaborate with the school, to have meaningful conversations, and to trust that the situation would improve. Unfortunately, it did not. Two students -- one acting as the leader and another following his lead -- consistently targeted him, and there were no real consequences. The administration's responses were consistently dismissive, suggesting a lack of understanding of the emotional impact such behavior can have on a child. Our son's sense of safety was completely eroded. Leadership at the school often acts in denial rather than taking responsibility. Communication is reactive and defensive. We also learned later that the administration offered us a $6,000 refund in exchange for signing a non-disparagement contract -- essentially asking us not to talk about our experience. We declined. Families deserve honesty, not silence. Academically, the school claims to be "one year ahead" and to follow a rigorous curriculum. After transferring to another school, we learned this was not true. Many concepts were skipped or taught superficially, creating learning gaps. Teachers are inconsistent -- some are good, while others frequently absent or disengaged. The third-grade environment in particular suffered from poor classroom management, inappropriate peer interactions, and a lack of supervision during recess and lunch. Conversations among students included inappropriate topics such as smoking and alcohol, even at this young age. This reflects serious gaps in oversight. The school also advertises a French program, but in reality, students only learn a few isolated words throughout the year -- far from the language exposure and learning that parents are led to expect. This is one example of how the school's marketing and actual classroom experience do not align. The only staff member who genuinely helped us and consistently supported our child was the inclusion and belonging teacher. She truly cared, followed up, and tried to make a difference when others didn't. To our shock, after leaving the school, we learned that she had been laid off. It's hard to understand how a school that claims to value inclusion could let go of one of the few people who actually embodied it. Adding to the concern, we later found that in the 2024-2025 school year, the administration encouraged families to post positive reviews online to boost enrollment numbers, as the kindergarten class had only six students enrolled. That context makes recent glowing reviews highly misleading. I would advise anyone considering this school not to rely on those reviews, as many were written under pressure to improve the school's public image. When The Academy was founded years ago, it had a strong reputation. Sadly, under the current leadership, it has lost its integrity, its sense of community, and its educational quality. For us, both the financial cost and the emotional toll were high. We are writing this review not out of bitterness, but out of responsibility -- so that other families can make informed decisions. Our new school has shown us how dramatically things can change when children feel truly safe, respected, and supported. Every child deserves that.

    Berkwood Hedge School - Beautiful Spirit Happy @ School

    Berkwood Hedge School

    (39 reviews)

    Downtown Berkeley

    The process of looking for a new school is overwhelming due to the sheer number of options. You…read morecome up with a comprehensive list of 10-15 schools you are considering and try to knock any of them out for even random reasons so that you can focus on touring and applying to a more manageable list of schools. Berkwood Hedge was on my long list - and when I read some of the negative reviews, I almost just crossed it off of our list. I am so thankful that I kept my mind open and saw Berkwood Hedge for myself. My son joined the 4th grade class this past Fall and it has been truly transformational for him and our family. After years of unhealthy social situations in his past schools and lack of attention to his learning needs, due to the care from Berkwood Hedge, he is now starting to come out from a haze of low confidence. His teachers, Olivia and Elisa, have been invaluable in helping him grow in confidence. Before you make any decisions about schooling for your child, I implore you to just attend one community meeting that happens in person every Wednesday morning at 8:45 on campus. It really does take a village and Berkwood Hedge has set up just that - a loving village around our children. When you hear the head of school, Love Weinstock, speak, you know that this care for the whole child is everywhere in the school's culture. You will definitely see the intentional approach in your child's classroom but you will also see it with restorative justice with Silver, music with Ajayi, learning with Edie, art with Laura, school operations with Kris, and the list goes on. We will be moving to Berkwod Hedge's upper campus next year and we are really looking forward to it. They have really been able to increase the diversity in the upper grades. Furthermore, Love leads with so much clarity that I look forward to seeing that come alive in middle school.

    My child started at Berkwood Hedge this year after transferring from a much larger public…read moreelementary school. The difference in his enthusiasm for learning has been night & day. He is thriving -- academically, emotionally, and socially -- at Berkwood Hedge, and we are grateful! I can't say enough good things about this incredible school. The quality of teaching, arts programming, and true care demonstrated between adults and kids is phenomenal. Each time I think about our experience, I realize "but wait, there's more!" The list of wonderful things about Berkwood Hedge just goes on and on.

    Mentoring Academy - This picture was taken by a current Digital Arts student.

    Mentoring Academy

    (11 reviews)

    Downtown Berkeley

    Not the best, but Mentoring Academy started to give me a lot of believe again. I wish I could do a…read morelot better but over time, I started to have hope once again.

    Like other recent reviews, I am also a student that attended Mentoring Academy…read more I feel like I should address these reviews. I cannot speak to several of the things mentioned: teachers making inappropriate jokes, students making homophobic quotes masked as jokes, mental health being thrown out the window in Guatemala, and the school catering to male students are things that I simply have no knowledge about. (I will say that I am somewhat skeptical of them) Some of the other small complaints I do know to be true. Yes, the pizza in Italy was disappointing. Yes, the school wasn't very decisive about how to respond to the pandemic (the government wasn't either). However, these really aren't major problems to me. I do agree with some of the larger issues that the reviewers raised. 1. The cost. There isn't much to say here, the school is pretty expensive. 2. The atmosphere. The school does have a more laissez-faire culture, which does mean that things are more casual, sometimes even unprofessional. Sometimes this is a good thing, sometimes it is a bad thing. Parent-teacher meetings will take place next to science experiments, tests will be taken in the kitchen, and sometimes employees will be paid late. It's simply the culture. Generally the school is fairly relaxed on grading, and that combined with the casual atmosphere means many students don't give assignments their all. 3. The schedule. The school has very long hours, going from 9:00 to 5:30 four out of five days of the week. This comes with the caveat that work is done at school, not at home. This is only sometimes true. Teachers will often assign work that they expect to be done at home, which can make the long hours even more arduous. This long time commitment means that there aren't many opportunities for extracurricular opportunities, jobs, volunteering. 4. The size. This is once again both a positive and a negative. The small size means that the school is more intimate, and that classes have plenty of time for each student. However, it also means the school can't really include clubs, sports, or many classes. It also means that there just aren't that many people to meet. If you're an extroverted student, this can be a real problem, and is probably the most important thing to consider about going to the school. If you're an introverted student, I could see the small size being a pro, not a con. 5. The diversity. Mentoring is not very diverse. In particular there are very few female students. I wouldn't say that this is the fault of the school, but it's worth noting. Mentoring IS very welcoming of all people. Overall I agree with some of these points, but I don't really feel they warrant a 1/5 review, or the negativity that these other reviewers raise. Some other points: I have had negative experiences with some of the school's teachers, however they are all no longer members of the faculty. On the other hand, some of the teachers are quite excellent. In particular, the science teacher, Garret, is fantastic. He has a real joy for science and teaching. The school has a lot of "teacher cycling", but luckily most of them are pretty good. I personally went on two extraordinary adventures. One of them was a bit of a mixed bag, but the other was a fun experience. There are problems with them, but I certainly don't think they "straight up suck". The food options around the school are great, and are much better than cafeteria food. The headmaster, John, has a real passion for education, and a real love for every student. While sometimes he can be a bit unorganized, he truly does care about every student and wants them to succeed. I don't think that is true (at least not on the level it is with John) for most principals/headmasters at other schools. John's enthusiasm for teaching and young people (there's no way to type that sentence without it sounding weird) bleeds into the school's culture as well. It's a very welcoming, encouraging place. At the risk of sounding sappy: some of my fondest memories at Mentoring include the school-wide student presentations, lunches spent talking with teachers, and otherwise grueling layover flights. I suspect that most high school students can't say that! While Mentoring has its flaws, it's worth noting that every high school is too. I think for certain students Mentoring is an excellent fit, and for other ones it isn't. It simply depends.

    Maybeck High School - highschools - Updated May 2026

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