Oakland Tech started their Centennial Celebration last year with a kick off of a presentation in…read moreits library on October 18, 2014. There were many people on hand, listening to the speeches and appreciating the history of the school. I could not stay long to enjoy the company of my fellow alumni. However, I purchased a copy of the Centennial Book, 1915 to 2015. The book is filled with memories and photos of many alumni who received their education at this fine school. When I did the initial review of Oakland Tech (hereafter Tech), I gave the school a 3 star rating due to something tragic happening on the campus during the school year 1972/1973. A student named Rita King (Class of 1974) was killed during a fight in the cafeteria. This incident had an impact on the school the following school year; to wit, that the majority of the white and Asian students transferred out and enrolled in other high schools (Skyline or Oakland); thus, resulting in a school that was no longer diverse or lacking diversity. Tech had to set up their campus at another location (the old Merritt College on Grove Street) in the late 70's due to the building not being up to earthquake standards. It wasn't until the fall of 1982 that the newly renovated Tech had its dedication. It was great for the students to be back on a campus in classrooms where there were no big puddles of water on the pavement and no leaky roofs when it was raining hard. I cannot say for sure when Tech was gradually becoming diverse again, but I would like to believe it was during the 1980/1981 school year. Even though the seniors of that year were known as the Apollo Class, still there needed to be more improvement in race relations. I know the graduating seniors of the Class of '81 had good intentions in having speeches delivered in different languages - English, Spanish and Chinese. The sing-song mimicking and clowning displayed by some of the adults sitting near me proved that the process of improved race relations still had a way to go. Several months ago, I was on the campus for a meeting on a Saturday. I did not meet up with two gentlemen and a committee for all these upcoming events. I liked what I saw in the trophy cases, the Tech memorabilias and pink breast cancer items in the glass cases by the library. The rating was upped to four stars. I had the intention of doing an update after another kick off celebration in front of the school on November 1, 2014, but I had other things occurring and the holiday season was a busy one. The Centennial Celebration Talent Show held two days ago in the school auditorium for the cost of $10 was more than enough to give my alma mater five stars for outstanding performances by the alumni, teachers and current students in singing, dancing, drama and oral speeches. Kudos to the principal, PTSA and all who were involved in organizing this event. All hail to Technical I sing. Finally, I can still say it loud, I'm from Tech and I'm proud.

The school is very nice and vintage. the first day there…read moreduring summer school I got lost inside. I like the hallways, they're like little alleys and the windows are very nice. i thought they were going to open all the way up. I went here for the 2010 summer school so i did not really experience the whole thing. The cafeteria is very interesting..don't know why but yea. during summer school I missed my regular school Skyline High School! Tech is an okay school but not for the whole year for me.

Sport L.'s experience doesn't reflect the Redwood Day School that I send my kids to. Redwood Day is…read moregreat in so many ways, from the teachers, administration, the beautiful campus, and a true sense of community. I have two kids at the school, and I am grateful that I made the decision to send them here for these very important years of their education. For math, the school uses a hybrid form of Singapore Math, which for most parents seems very different from what we learned, but it works (and has success metrics - students in Singapore have one of the highest math mastery in the world). They use a different model in the Middle School for the 6-8th span that equally prepares students for higher level math in High School. Redwood Day has ways for kids who need or seek more in math - my kids are always challenged. They also have a Math Olympiad program and programs/staff to help students who may need additional support. I have never found Redwood Day to be lacking in helping my kids learn, grow, and master math. Culture and celebrations are also very integrated at the school - which celebrates everything from Latin, African American, Asian American, and Jewish Heritage months to Women's History. The school is having something for Ramadan, and I know they have also hosted a Shabbat dinner in addition to other cultural celebrations. All to say, Redwood Day is super inclusive, and my kids come home learning a lot about their friends' cultural traditions - just a couple weeks ago, they did a Holi event. No school is perfect, but I believe that Redwood Day is always evolving, changing, and listening to the parent community. For discipline, I'm thankful for the social and emotional learning that starts in K and goes through 8th. Even as 5 year olds, kids learn about choices, options for dealing with conflict, and what and how to make different (and better) choices when there is conflict. I don't know what the prior post means about authoritative discipline, but long gone are the days of that type of discipline model. My kids (and these next generations) need to learn self-awareness, self-regulation, critical thinking, and agency in working out their own differences - with the guidance and oversight of teachers, coaches, mentors, and role models. Personally, I much prefer that my children talk through issues with their friends, take accountability, practice humility, and have the support of trusted adults to help them navigate challenges. Not everyone is the right fit for any school - and as a parent, it is absolutely on us to ensure that we find mutual synergy with the school, teachers, faculty, and community. For me, Redwood Day was the absolute right choice for my kids - and I know they are more because of it.

I don't usually participate in online discussions, but I'm speaking up here again. Redwood Day has…read morea history of downplaying negative experiences that don't fit their narrative, and their response here is no exception. 1. Singapore Math is an excellent way to teach math. However, its execution at Redwood Day falls short tremendously; pacing is inconsistent, and children move between levels without achieving mastery first. 2. I'm glad the parent in the previous review had a positive experience with inclusivity. Listing cultural months and one-off events, however, is not the same as demonstrating that all children feel equally seen and heard. Inclusivity is not a calendar; it has to be embedded in the ethos of the school and in day-to-day practice. When the classroom consistently centers the voices and experiences of some communities over others, children from less represented backgrounds are left on the margins. It's worth asking whose experience is reflected in a positive inclusivity review and whose isn't. 3. Authoritative discipline is well-defined in child development research, and it's worth understanding before dismissing it. All the qualities that the parent wants their kids and the next generation to learn are in fact core to the authoritative discipline model, which calls for: administering fair and consistent discipline when rules are broken; allowing children to express opinions; encouraging children to discuss options; expressing warmth and nurturing; fostering independence and reasoning; listening to their children; and placing limits, consequences, and expectations on behavior. Redwood Day's approach to discipline lacks clear boundaries and consistent follow-through. If teachers struggle with conflict resolution, how are they going to model it for children? It's worth understanding a concept fully before using it to invalidate someone else's experience. Redwood Day is teaching children that it's acceptable to be whoever they are without consideration for the world around them. Teaching history, social justice, and displaying cultural symbols is not enough; all of this is superficial when there is no expectation from children to be upstanding citizens of the world. It makes for a good brochure, but does little for the social-emotional development of children. Every family deserves a school that genuinely aligns with their values. For those considering Redwood Day, I'd encourage you to look beyond the marketing and beyond the parent advocates who echo it. Ask hard questions about whether what's promised is what's actually delivered.

Montera is a really good school, the teachers and…read more staff and principals might not always be good but they make it fun to be there and learn most times. I think that it is the people and friends that I made who made it fun to be at Montera.

Montera is a really good school, the teachers and staff and principals might not always be good but…read morethey make it fun to be there and learn most times. I think that it is the people and friends that I made who made it fun to be at Montera.

We came here to pick up our niece. This was my first time picking her up. The pick up line of cars…read moreis an experience. There is even a line just getting off the freeway. Luckily we saw her as soon as we pulled up. I was worried we wouldn't be able to find her in the crowd. Picking up isn't for the lighthearted.

I had two children attend here. If your child is interested in a career in the sciences this school…read moredoes not prepare them for the way classes are taught at a top tier university. The way in which they test (multiple corrections opportunities) and teach (use of calculators) is the opposite of what they do in university. O'Dowd is focused on the appearance of grades but the grades aren't real. They worry about what they can say about college acceptance rates and types of institutions students are accepted to but they don't actually prepare them for how to study for or take exams properly. It's not worth the cost for the outcome. Maybe if your child is interested in the liberal arts or some general finance degree it's fine. If their focus is to just play sports this might also be your spot. If your child is not a minority likely also fine. If you want them to go to one of the top schools in the nation and survive - this is not for your child. Counseling staff have outdated ideas and a relic leading them all. The school does not offer anything that supports essay writing at school or as part of an assignment as many other high schools of a similar position do. They do nothing that provides value. They provide a place for students to submit their college options (for their tracking nothing more) and provide zero coaching on applying. They do not offer support to those that are paying their wages and keeping the lights on. Look elsewhere. This is not worth the financial investment given the lack of genuine college preparation experienced here. Huge disappointment.

While bullying from other students is always a concern, Bentley School has the unique problem of…read morehaving one of its teachers bully her students. Over the course of the year (school events, play dates, birthday parties), without prompting, classmate after classmate informed us that our child's teacher constantly put down our child and those other students who were not favored by her. Weekly, often daily, she would demean and certain students in front of the class. And yet while fellow students saw the problem, and the matter was brought to the school's attention, the school administration did nothing. Enabling bad people is what bad schools do. This is a bad school.

Fabulous, well rounded school. High academic standards, great social emotional support, incredible…read moreteachers and administration. Lots of extracurriculars to get involved with. We are very happy and grateful to have 2 kids here (who joined from OUSD)

We love it at JMSG! Our sixth grader is thriving. She receives so much personal attention and help…read moreto become a confident student. She struggles in math and is becoming a confident math learner. She absolutely loves the emphasis on women's empowerment. This is helping her grow into the kind of woman we want her to be. She participates in musical theater after school and is looking forward to playing basketball next season. What a gorgeous campus, dedicated teachers, and unparalleled curriculum! I'm so glad we found JMSG for our girl!

My 6th grader loves JMSG because "all the classes are really fun and engaging. It is a forest…read morelearning environment with positive teachers and nice friends." The Head of School and the school counselor / wellness teacher welcomes every student at the curb as they arrive every morning! They ask them how they're doing and they answer parent questions. All the teachers are incredibly kind, generous with their time, enthusiastic about their subjects and about teaching middle school girls, engaging, and well qualified. They arrive an hour before school starts in the morning for "cornerstone" when the students can come in and get extra help From them, ask questions, and look over homework. Every week they have special guests and special events, like a whole day dedicated to "words" last Friday, where 3 different authors came in and spoke to the students, and then students got to pick from a variety of literacy-themed electives to attend for the rest of the day. Pi Day was also very fun, with many activities centered around understanding pi and eating homemade pies. At the end of the year, the whole 6th grade class produces a musical. And this year the musical is an original score written by the school's very talented music teacher and a Berkeley Playhouse Children's theater educator and director! We feel very lucky that our daughter was accepted into JMSG and gets to have such a magical middle school experience. She is enjoying learning and is enthusiastic about all subjects. She is excited to go to school every day and takes pride in being completely independent and confident about all her homework assignments.

When we moved our family from San Francisco to Oakland, we searched for a school that would reflect…read moreour 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.

Our time at Park Day has been so refreshing, our child LOVES the school, and we are so happy to…read morehave 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.

The most brilliant staff in the bay, led by an incredible admin team supports some of the brightest…read moreminds in this Oakland haven.

CPS is the pre-eminent high school in northern California and competes with Harvard Westlake as the…read moretop secondary school on the west coast. At last check, something like 3/4 of graduating seniors were National Merit semifinalists, finalists, or winners. Historically strong programs include English (world class), forensics (world class), foreign languages, arts, history, and math. Historically under-resourced programs include advanced sciences. Secluded from the freeway in a gully, the campus looks like an idyllic, architecturally balanced ski village, a fantasy of rolling floral slopes and cascading, homey classroom buildings. Like Yelp, CPS has succeeded in cultivating the delicate balance of social norms and incentives whereby the overwhelming behavioral tendency is a joyous contribution to the common good, both within the campus and without. You can't put that in a bottle -- but you can put it in a gully.

Piedmont High tends to really only benefit those who are incredibly academically gifted, and in…read moreturns puts any student who's "average" or "below average" at a disadvantage. If your child is incredibly smart, this is the school for them. This school is their ticket to any top tier UC or Ivy League school. However if they're just a low B or C/D student, this school will only hinder them when it comes time to find a college. I was one of these students, and I often wonder if I had been able to attend a "not as good" school like Berkeley or El Cerrito High, where I wouldn't have had to constantly feel like I was just barley keeping my head above water,(academically speaking) if I could've had the grades to get into a better college. So my best advice to perspective parents is... JUST BECAUSE A SCHOOL IS CONSIDERED "GOOD" DOESN'T MEAN IT'S "GOOD" FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CHILD.

Awesome track . My go to spot for running . Unfortunately under construction now until 11/2023. So…read moreit's out of use atm.