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.

Sometimes I get parents who reach out and ask me more about redwood day school to them I say we…read moreleft here and went to Berkwood Hedge School in Berkeley where my daughter thrived. We made it though covid with an amazing pivot to outdoor classrooms and my child didn't miss a beat. She's now in a public middle school: wise, self assured, kind. confident and getting straight A's. I believe her courage and strong sense of self come from the education she received at Berkwood Hedge School. If you're looking for a truly inspiring progressive independent education check them out. Not as many Bells and whistles but what matters is there the heart and the academics.

Yeah, I read the other, very negative reviews, and I disagree!…read more First, I've been a teacher there for 31 years but I also graduated from OHS in 1981. My parents graduated from Fremont High School (but, hey, we can't all be perfect! Lol!) When I was a student at Oakland High, it was in the old building & I kinda miss it but I also thought it could've been better. The counselors were unavailable, there was a focus on the students who would go to University and not so much on "the rest"... and the food was gross. Luckily, I had friends and a little support group of other students who I ran around with. High school life is sometimes rough, especially if you don't have any groups to hang with. Not everyone gets into social clubs and school activities but as an adult, I see how many other opportunities there are at many high schools, but especially at Oakland High. There is a lot of student support and daily student access to teachers outside of class time. There is also a student health center with many other ways that students can engage. Oakland High School cannot be blamed by the other reviewers for the problems with society but in a way that's what they are doing. There is a LOT of violence, bullying, racism, inequity, sexism, homophobia throughout our city, our state and our country but it is NOT the fault of schools. Many teachers and schools, including Oakland High, are trying to do our part to help students think and cope with these issues. If there are not enough counselors then the solution would be to get more counselors but we are told there is not enough money. Therefore it behooves tax payers and all thinking adults to speak up and get involved about how the money a school district IS spent. Join PTA, visit the school to observe teaching and learning, run for school board. Sure, it is easier to just "move away" or to "go to a different school" or to just leave the area but you will never be able to escape the issues that drive the overarching societal problems which school district are always trying to address: racism, classism, homophobia and sexism. Sometimes the public schools are the ONLY places where these issues are openly discussed and solutions are lifted up by our students. Students minds are not vessels to be filled but individuals who can be educated to take responsibility for their actions and meet their futures head on. THAT is what Oakland High School is good at and I sincerely am glad to be part of that community. I hope folks reading this will feel that way too and join Oakland High School. Go Wildcats!!!

This school is the reason why I quit my job in Oakland and moved to another city so my kids can go…read moreto a better school. From the information above, that from that what ever you want and how ever you read it. Just saying.

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.

I am a little biased. I only spent three years here. But I even remember my teachers' names…read more Mr. Meadows for Kindergarten, Class A. Mrs. Barnhart for 1st Grade, Class A. Mrs. Klitza for 2nd Grade, I forget which Class I was in. I have fond memories of sitting on the stone walls with my best little friend and pulling the aloe, breaking it, and watching the clear goo ooze out of its veins, sharing a red delicious apple, pulling string cheese and wrapping it around all of our fingers. We often broke into the locked art closet to steal cat's eyes (plastic ones), climbed into the fenced garden to pick mint leaves, climbed over the stone walls to trespass into the neighbor's manicured back lawn, played hide and seek around the portable class rooms and permanently locked swimming pool. I collected dead bees and live caterpillars from all over the playground and showed my teachers. Both of my parents worked long hours, so I had daycare and afterschool extracurricular classes: stamp-making, ceramics, and book-making. I swung on the jungle gym bars, doing cherry drops - once I fell flat on my chest, which knocked the breath out of me, and for the first time in my young but conscious life, I realized I was mortal. I have almost endless memories of the part of my childhood that occurred here. Even at the beginning of summer, at the end of my 2nd grade school year, when I knew I wouldn't be coming back the next year because we were moving, I sat by the yard looking out over the playground with my hand-writing and math papers, and some craft I had made in art class, warmed by the sun, and feeling infinite (yes, children especially feel infinite), I cherished my time here. Education (one word for such a great thing?), good teachers (and good meaning sees to the children in their intellectual, emotional and spiritual development in school), good parenting, are the most important part of a child's life in their young years. A nurturing, creative environment it was, with fun, fair and disciplining hands to keep the mischievous ones in check.

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.

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.

I cannot say enough good things about our 6th grade transition to PDS. My son has been welcomed…read morewith open arms, deeply supported, and found his place in community. From teachers to leadership to support staff to then coaches, everyone has his back and is deeply invested in his success. When choosing between park day, redwood day, St. Paul's and head Royce, park day was a no brainer (even with another child at one of the above mentioned schools).

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.