My son is currently in first grade at the Academy and we consider ourselves very lucky to have found 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. read more

We decided to withdraw our children from The Academy after ongoing concerns about bullying, lack of accountability, 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. read more

In credible school and incredible community. We've been at the school for 5 years and have two children at the school. Both children have grown and thrived. We highly recommend The Academy. read more

The reviews for this school tend to be quite polarized (1 star vs 5 stars), so I wanted to share our honest experience--both the positives and the areas that could use improvement. We are no longer at the school but hope this helps provide a more balanced parental perspective. Pros: The teaching staff is truly the school's greatest strength. The teachers are dedicated, passionate, and genuinely care about the students' learning and development. They challenge the kids in a supportive way, fostering both academic growth and confidence. Math, English, science, history, Latin are all so excellent. The art and music programs are also excellent and go well beyond what many schools offer. Additionally, the after-school program is well-run and engaging. My child learned a lot at this school. Cons: 1. Physical Education (PE): The PE program at this school leaves much to be desired. While the school maintains high academic standards, physical education does not receive the same attention. The current PE instruction is limited and not taken seriously, which is disappointing for families looking for a more balanced education that includes physical wellness. Coach Scott seems more interested in cello than PE. I am not sure why the school has decided to underinvest in PE and not have a serious PE program. 2. Language Program: French is a required subject, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem to resonate with many students. Engagement and retention appear low, and it would be great if the school considered offering alternative languages like Spanish or Mandarin, which might have broader appeal and practical value. 3. School Leadership: While well-meaning, school leadership struggles to effectively address parent concerns. Ms. Cecee Penney is caring and committed, but she also seemed overwhelmed and inexperienced when handling more complex issues. This has led some families to seek other options and leave the school. The smallness of the school is both a strength and a problem (when a child feels bullied, misunderstood, etc.). Strong leadership is missing at this school. There is also a lot of staff turnover in the office. read more

We've turned down a 6,000$ bribe to be able to write this review, so please read on. When we first decided to enroll at this school, we were sold on two things: 1. Small school and classes: We thought a small school would mean a SAFE environment where people knew and supported each other. We hoped small class sizes would mean more individual attention from teachers, less distractions, and faster learning. 2. The seemingly rigorous, old-school education with an advanced math and literary curriculum. We could not have been more wrong. We learned the hard way that without a proper moral and character education, it's not possible to create a suitable environment for learning, let alone any kind of "advanced" learning that this school falsely advertises. It's hard to believe the concentration of misbehaving kids, exclusionary behavior and bullying that can happen in such a small school. We have observed several underlying issues which contribute to the schools problems: - Despite more than adequate funding, the school always seems to be understaffed. As a result there is insufficient adult supervision, making space for neglect and inappropriate behavior - There is an active unwillingness on the part of teachers and administration to acknowledge and address disruptive behavior. Since there are no consequences to misbehaving, kids never get the opportunity to grow character, resulting in dysfunctional student dynamics. - Feeling socially unsafe, kids are totally overwhelmed by and unable to absorb the fast pace of curriculum that is thrown at them by equally overwhelmed teachers. Instead they act out and misbehave in various ways in class, further hampering the ability of well behaving students to learn. Our sons teacher regularly complained she is not able "control" the behavior in her class, even though the class had a grand total of 11 students. In classes of such small size (and getting smaller by the year, as the school struggles to recruit new students), disruptive behavior has an outsized impact, as often there is nowhere to hide from the class dynamics, or no alternative social circle. Even though our son had to deal with exclusion and bullying, he was far from the only one. Such experiences were so common as to be normalized and accepted. Being academically motivated, our son was one of the very few who was able to keep up in the classroom. Even so, in our new school we're finding that not only he is not "ahead" in math subjects, he is having to catch up in some areas because they were glossed over too fast or simply skipped in order to move faster through the curriculum. All in all, the school has been a complete disappointment for us, and we would advise prospective families to do adequate research, which we clearly failed to do. There are many better alternatives in the area we live, both public and private. Choosing this school would be a waste of your years of effort as parents to raise your kids in the best way possible, not to mention the waste of your hard-earned money. As for the bribe I mentioned in the beginning... After dealing with a lot of issues and months of waiting to no avail for any solution from the administration, we finally withdrew our kids from the school and joined a new school before the school year was over. According to our contract, we were not entitled to any refund. However, the principle was kind enough to send us a legal contract, offering a 6,000$ refund in exchange for us renouncing any rights to take legal action, or to say anything to anyone in any forum that might negatively reflect on the schools reputation. No, thank you. I'd rather help the next kid get the education he needs and deserves. read more

A unique gem of a school. Small class sizes, unapologetic academic rigor, warm community, and dedicated teachers & leadership.

I now have a child both in the upper school, while one is in lower school. I have always been grateful for our experiences at the school. I am also impressed with how the curriculum has evolved over time. My upper schooler appreciates the increasingly intellectually set of books he gets to read in literature, and ideas he encounters in history and math. He's also learning great life skills for how to organize his time. Both of my kids have friends across multiple grades which gives their classroom experiences a "family feel"-- something I think is only possible in a small school. The warm and inviting atmosphere of the school, and the sense of excitement about learning, is very special. read more

We have had a wonderful experience so far at the Academy with our son. Tiny class sizes allow for lots of individualized attention and tailoring the lessons to each child's needs. The community is incredibly supportive and nurturing, so despite the rigor and high standards, it doesn't feel competitive or cut throat. I'm so glad we found this school, I couldn't imagine a better kindergarten or first grade experience. read more

We feel lucky to have found this lovely gem of a school. When we searched for school options, it initially felt difficult to find a good fit for both of our children. The academic reputation of The Academy did both interest and intimidate us. However, from the open house to enrollment and now a few years later... The Academy proves to be a warm, sincere, friendly and supportive environment, especially since my children transferred in midway into elementary. The teachers are passionate about learning and healthy child development. They provide excellent day to day instruction and coordinated curriculum from year to year. As the children move up into more difficult work, it's apparent that they have been given such a strong foundation from previous years. Their confidence is growing and they take pride in their academic achievements. The most important aspect for me to observe as a parent, is that my children LOVE this school!! They are happy, playing at recess, bonding with friends, active at PE, enjoying art, music and even Latin! The focus of the school is on youthful children. Although the STEM program utilizes laser printers and current technologies, the school dose not focus on device based learning or homework. Books, notebooks, readers, etc take priority. Additionally, phones are not much incorporated into the social network of children outside of school. Connectivity seems fostered with in person activities. The teachers make the school fun and accessible. Ms. Penny is a kind and focused leader. Most teachers have been with the program for years, and this does speak highly of the program. There is an international and diverse feel to the community. Lots of family focused performances, community outreach and field trips. Small AND mighty is The Academy! I highly recommend both elementary and junior high. read more

In the 7th grade math was still very slow and nothing was done about it, but more importantly there was lots of corruption within the school. It seemed like students of families who donate a lot to the school could just get away with anything. The 7th grade girls got teachers fired and destroyed teachers equipment many times without getting in trouble. It seems like I would get in trouble for doing anything while Jaya(8th grade) was twerking with Ms. Summer. Most of the kids in my class were extremely two-faced. While they would tell on me for doing something barely not allowed such as having gum/candy in class, they would take home their finals/midterms because "they didn't have enough time to finish in class" and cheat on the midterm/final. They would tell on me for being on the wrong tab after completing my work, while the next day they would be copying each-others answers or passing answer sheets during a test. I understand that it was wrong of me to be on the wrong tab and to have gum/candy in class but it doesn't compare to what they did, I never told on them for what they did. In February, I was with my friends on the structure while they were passing a ball and I was just talking with them. The PE teacher(coach scott) called me down to talk to me, he proceeded to verbally abuse for 45 minutes about how I could never achieve my dreams because I was so dishonest. In March, I got into a conflict with my friend which ended in me getting expelled unfairly. I think this school has some good teachers but the upper management is very corrupt and the teachers are overworked. If you have any questions contact me at lhoofnagle@icloud.com read more

I've been going here for for 8 years and it is an ideal school. The elementary school teachers are very kind, but also provide a good foundation for the kids in academic and emotional ways. The upper school curriculum is very interesting and provides a good challenge. There is a lot of homework, but the teachers are very understanding if you miss it every now and then. Although the school is rigorous there are many fun events and field trips. There are some baked in challenges because it's a small school like lack of sports and clubs, but the admin is trying to improve that. The average class size is 12 which allows more attention and care for each kid. This is a great school and is a great option for any parent wanting to give their kid a great education. read more

The Academy is a pretty magical school for the right kids. It's gone through many changes over the years and it seems to have evolved into it's best version while striving to be better still. Small class sizes, diversity, amazing teachers who really care and invest on each individual student's success. It doesn't hurt that stepping into the cool Maybeckian architecture with it's internal spiral stair case with classrooms off to a nook on each floor gives it a decidedly Hogwarts vibe. That alone would have me excited to be at school/learning. Overhearing kids in the hallways decoding messages left by other kids using DNA coding sequences when picking up my best friends kid from school was super special. It's very Berkeley, it's challenging and engaging, super diverse, and they provoke thoughtful discussions with the students about real world and societal issues. As a Berkeley native, I've had a few lifelong friends who are Academy alumni, but I didn't realize the extent of their secret sauce until I stepped in the doors myself and felt the palpable difference in holistic and academic engagement in action. It's not for everyone and students are really challenged academically, but it's worth a checkout to see if it's a fit for your kid. If I was sending my kid to a private school and thought they would thrive at the Academy's pace/level of performance, it'd be the Academy. Hands down. read more

My daughter started at the Academy in fall of 2017 and I am really happy with the so far. The environment is secure and caring and the academics are off the chart - my daughter is in Kindergarten and already loving French, Science and Math electives and is excited to go to school every day. I highly recommend this challenging and exceptional school. read more

When I was at the school it was absolutely terrible. The english/latin teacher (Mr. Lynch) spent all of his time trying to relate the poems/books we were reading to his own ridiculous and often offensive political views. He taught us all that boys are always the aggressors in every situation and are always to blame and are terrible. Whichever lombardo sister that was in charge at the time fired the good headmaster (Ben Mohammed) and then put herself in place. And was not responding to any of the complaints of the parents (particularly where Mr Lynch was involved). I could go on for hours and hours about how terrible my experience there was. HOWEVER, it seems that Dana Weld is now in charge (should be much better) and Mr Lynch is far gone, as well as the very rude french teacher that we had. Ms Ruff, Ms Manson, Mrs Jondle, and Ms Alexander are still there. They are all very good at their jobs! It's too bad that Mr. Aho had to go but I believe there were health complications involved. I don't know anybody who has gone through the school recently (I graduated in 07) but you're in much better hands now than I was. read more

Our son is currently enrolled at the Academy and over the last two and a half years, he has truly thrived with an accelerated curriculum taught by outstanding and dedicated teachers, committed to educating the whole student at every grade level in an intimate, small-classroom setting. We took him out of an outstanding Montclair public school in 3rd grade when it became apparent that the tremendous class size and unchallenging class work were creating a bored and disengaged kid. We tried working within the system, but quickly learned GATE programs don't really exist at OUSD, and as long as your child is doing well academically by OUSD standards, there is no incentive on the school's part to challenge them further. We looked around for a long time before we found this gem of a school. The Academy has a truly diverse, multi-ethnic, multi-socio-economic and multi-national student body with outstanding academics. It does not have the facilities of Head Royce or Bentley, but it is as academically rigorous as either of those schools at a fraction of the price. Academy students get into any high school of their choice, including College Prep HS, Berkeley High's IP program, Athenian, Bishop O'Dowd, University HS, etc It has an international feel due to the parent community and the European model of learning (which includes a strong Math and Science focus, teaching French from kindergarten on, and introducing Latin in middle school.) The Academy fosters a true sense of community, while teaching tolerance, respect, and responsibility. There is truly something magical going on in these classrooms. We personally couldn't be happier. No school is entirely perfect, however, and the Academy has had its own set of administrative challenges over the past few years, primarily with the day-to-day management of school affairs. Throughout these challenges, the school remained committed to the most important constituents: the children. The quality of the teachers and the high quality curriculum never wavered. In July 2014, the founding family decided they were no longer interested in running the school. A few talented and committed parents, along with the entire teacher community decided that this special school must remain open, and did everything in their power to make it so -- and they succeeded! In record time, the community created a non-profit entity, wrote by-laws, obtained an agreement from the founding family to continue to conduct business under the Academy name, leased the same space and all supplies, honored the teachers' 2014-15 contracts, and opened their doors on time. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, the school was unable to open its middle school, so it ran as a K-5 only. The parent-teacher board, comprised of four full-time working parents, has operated the school throughout the fall without interruption. The Academy re-opened, with a revitalized parent-teacher community this school year. In addition to keeping many returning families, they also gained 11 new students, even after the school year started. This enabled them to hire a veteran head of school Buzz Heinrich, with 30 years of experience, including 17 at the Prospect Sierra school. Since January 2015, Mr. Heinrich has hit the ground running, with day-to-day management of the school, and assessing new students at all K-8 grade levels. He has a record number of commitments for new K-5 families for the upcoming school year. A collective decision was made to reopen the middle school, so beginning this September (the 2015-16 year), the Academy will fully operate as a K-8 school, as it always had. With the exception of one student, the entire 5th grade class will return for 6th grade, and many former middle school families will be returning as 7th and 8th graders. There is newfound passion in this community, as families, teachers and administrative staff work hand-in-hand to continue and improve upon 45 years of academic achievement. I urge you to take another look at the Academy and be part of a proud tradition and a promise-filled future. read more

Housed in a turn of the century Berkeley Brown Shingle building lies The Academy, a stellar institution that is celebrating its semi centennial this year. The school has small classes (most are capped at 12 students in the lower grades) which translates to lots of one-on-one attention with teachers who have a masterful command of their respective grades. Most private schools talk about how racially/ethnically diverse they are, yet when you step on campus you simply don't see such diversity. At The Academy you see it because they walk the walk. I like that the school is classically rigorous and doesn't dumb down it's curriculum or change it so that it's more palatable for little Johnny. Difficult concepts are challenging and this school realizes this; they understand that humans are brilliant creatures and hold their students to extremely high standards because they understand that children are capable beings and yearn for stimulation. The campus is no frills, yet you see all sorts of play across the yard with different grades mixing together on the playground. As for tuition, it's significantly less than most private schools. Who knows where life might take you, but one thing's for certain, when you leave this school you will have grown more grey matter than you could have ever imagined, and that's simply a wonderful thing. read more

Very bad school! The school doesn't offer anything to the kids , what you see and hear during the school tours, it's not what you get! Unhappy teachers and staff & high turn over of teachers every year. The academics & curriculum are not developmentally appropriate, too rigid, too much homework. In addition to their daily homework, kids bring home stacks of their unfinished school work, which is ridiculous since parents/ or private tutors have to work with the kids to keep them on track. Despite small size classes, kids do not get any individualized attention. Science, art, are so superficial, no hands on project, kids are not really engaged, nothing offered for social emotional learning, so called after school enrichment programs are joke, they are pretty much extended day care, same with the school summer program. Kids bullying happens and the school staff are aware of it but they do not do anything to stop or prevent it ( v sad and frustrating). We know a lot of families removed their kids from this school, specially after second grade. So do NOT waste your time with this school. Once this school was about to be shut down and it eventullay will be. Board members write fancy reviews, do your own research. Good luck. read more

It's a school for the kids who can't get into any other private schools in Berkeley or Oakland. No matter what time of the year you apply u get in because they need money and they have problem filling out their classes, and a lot of parents remove their kids from the school, so there's always space! The school desperately asks parents to leave reviews or spread the words so they can get candidates. Staff / teachers leave every year , there are only couple of teachers that they are there for a long time since according to them they know how to play the game with the head of the school and put up with everything, they are pretty old as well so the chances they get a job anywhere else is pretty low. The academics are one level above standard which makes it hard for kids to catch up , most of them they have private tutors or rely on parents help. They claim to teach French but it's so superficial. The school is pretty small size , tiny back yard that kids run into each other all the time , very old building with smelly classrooms. I do strongly believe public schools in the neighborhood are much better than this school , or if you want private , there are so many better options. read more

We toured a number of East Bay private schools--Head Royce, Bentley, Black Pine Circle, Prospect Sierra, and The Academy--for kindergarten. There was no question that The Academy was our first choice because of its academic atmosphere and accelerated, integrated curricula. We were especially impressed with the fact that French was taught four times a week starting in Kindergarten, Science was taught by a specialist K-8, and Latin was part of the regular upper school curriculum. This kind of program offering was unparalleled among peer schools. Plus, The Academy has always been the most affordable among comparable private schools. Two years into the program now, we are extremely happy with our choice of school and the overwhelmingly positive experiences we have had so far. Here are some highlights of what we like: 1. Fabulous Teachers. Ms. Crippen (kindergarten) and Mrs. Labarca (1st grade) are both top notch teachers who have been with The Academy for over a decade. Kids love them and find them caring, funny and approachable. Ms. Crippen's classes are fun and creative. Mrs. Labarca's classes have more structure, more singing, and more international flavor--the students sing greeting songs every morning and they count numbers daily in 8 different languages! The daycare "Mama" Ms. Sampietro is many kids' favorite character, who is very talented in sports and music, and has a special way to engage and entertain kids. The music teacher Ms. Alexander provides excellent music classes and organizes high-quality annual events like the holiday show, spring concert, and 4th- 5th grade musical. My son also loves Mrs. Drobny's art classes and Ms. Manson's P.E. classes. The list just goes on and on. 2. Talented and Kind Students. Because of the school's reputation and screening process, as well as self-selection by parents, the students here tend to be academically oriented and motivated. This makes the accelerated teaching possible. My son's class is blessed with an ideal size and perfect gender balance--5 girls and 4 boys in kindergarten and 5 girls and 5 boys in 1st grade. The kids in his class are all very active, bright, and well-behaved. They have different talents and interests, yet they all get along really well and are kind to each other, which makes every school day and birthday parties very enjoyable. 3. Rich and Effective Programs. Each day in kindergarten and 1st grade is packed with age-appropriate activities and exercises aimed at improving the students' academic, social and physical skills. The phonics and math textbooks they use are all one grade-level higher. The majority of the work is done in the classroom. Homework is very manageable. There is no homework on Fridays in kindergarten--during the weekends, the kids are only supposed to share with their family their Poetry Journal, in which they have collected new poems and songs learned during the week. This leaves ample room for them to pursue extracurricular interests or activities. There are many special occasions and events--monthly library visits, holiday fun centers, rehearsals and performances for various holidays and assemblies, field trips, international month, spirit week, French day, Science Fair--all serve to enrich the students' school life and make their educational experiences more memorable. 4. Warm Friendships across Grades. Because of the small school size, kids across all grades play together in the backyard during the recess and after school. Each week, the 1st graders have one P.E. class with the kindergartners, one with the 2nd graders, in addition to two P.E. classes by themselves. The kindergartners and 2nd graders are reading partners, and so are the 1st and 3rd graders. Thanks to these unique opportunities, warm friendships are forged across grades. It was very pleasing to watch a couple of 8th graders patiently helping my son and his classmates improve their basketball skills after school. My son also got very interested in geography just by watching a 4th-grader friend doing his homework in daycare. 5. Manageable Parent-Participation Expectations. Many of the parents here are busy professionals. The school's parent participation policy and requirements--20 hours or $400 a year--is very reasonable and manageable. In my opinion, The Academy offers the best environment and programs for academically-oriented, "gifted" kids in the area. Even though we have not toured the GATE Academy in San Rafael, I have checked out their website. The fact that their classes are mix-aged with no grade levels, their school year consists of six self-directed seminars, and they do not believe in homework or tests is unappealing to me. I think "gifted" kids, if left alone, have the tendency to follow their interests and develop unilaterally. The Academy provides an advanced yet balanced structure for educating an all-around scholar accompanied by intelligent and similar-aged peers. read more

For a bit of background, we toured the academy when we were looking for kindergarten, and it was our top choice for private schools. However, we decided to use our local (highly rated) public school for kindergarten. Two months into first grade, it was clear that the school/teacher were no longer a fit, and we moved our son to the Academy. The Academy was very accomodating of this change (we called them on Thu evening; he was invited to the open house the same evening, did the shadow visit and test on Friday, and was full-time in the school on Monday). Inspite of this sudden mid-year change, the school has done well integrating him into all the programs, and he loves the school and environment, as if he had been there from the beginning (which in retrospect, we certainly should have). While this is a review of grade 1 with Ms. Labarca, the comments apply quite generally to the school. As its name suggests, the academy is a highly academic environment, the most advanced in the east bay. English and Math levels are a grade above the public schools (they cover the second grade math book in grade 1 for example), and science and social studies are also advanced and interesting. There are specialists to teach French, Science, Art, Music and PE. Class sizes are small (usually less than or equal to 10 children in a grade) and it is a very family environment... children know each other from all grades through the aftercare program. While it is academically advanced, the Academy is also very sensitive to the emotional needs of children; the teachers are kind (as opposed to our public school experience in first grade). The children are all well behaved but can be goofy and playful as smart kids are wont to be. Although not explicitly stated, it is a school aimed at gifted children, and tests are required for admissions to higher grades (and a brief evaluation with the owner Ms. Claudeanos for Kindergarten, that tests knowledge of letters, numbers, basic puzzle solving, writing basic letters etc.) High school placements are excellent, with over a third of the children going to College Prep. For academically advanced children, I believe it is the best environment (compared to many other private schools we have seen in the east bay and elsewhere). Outside of the academic program, the aftercare is managed by a favorite adjunct teacher, and other teachers also contribute, continuing the family run tradition. The school is in a converted house in the Elmwood district of Berkeley, but there is adequate space in the yard for the groups to play; however there are no advanced athletic facilities. For a fair review, let me also point out some issues that I perceive as good, but others may see as disadvantages. - The academy is a hidden gem and not well advertised. So, some class sizes can get really small (4 kids in the extreme), especially in years the economy was bad. Given the high academic standards, it is more likely for children to leave than to enter in higher grades. - So far, the school has pretty much being admitting anyone that passes the rigorous criteria. While the community is racially and ethnically diverse (including many international families and Berkeley faculty), there is no specific effort at, for example, maintaining gender balance. - It is great to have specialists for some subjects (science, french, art, music, pe) and these teach K-8. However, this also means that issues with a teacher could persist for multiple years (we haven't had this issue yet, just raising a potential concern). There can also be turnover in some cases (a beloved science teacher left and we are on the second replacement... however the administration was proactive in firing the first hire when it was clear he wasn't a good fit). - The school's computer/technology usage and curriculum has been almost non-existent so far, but a major overhaul is planned with chromebooks in every classroom, so major improvements are expected soon. - A traditional model of education with fairly conservative (but not overbearing) notions of dress and behavior are enforced. - Homework is in all grades. This is very doable (a page of math and spelling for us in grade 1). The children get very independent in doing it, and our son mostly does it in school now. There are very few "busy-work" projects. - While the curriculum is at least a grade-level advanced, there is little adaptivity to the individual; everyone follows the same syllabus even though the class sizes are small. Some other schools for gifted children we saw in other cities have innovations like having the whole school have math at the same time, so kids can find their own level and progress at their own speed. The academy follows a more traditional grade-level (but advanced) model, and does not do that. - The aftercare feels like a family run environment, but there are very few after-school classes unlike the large enrichment programs elsewhere. read more

My first priority in a school for my son is academics, which was the main reason for choosing The Academy. I liked curricula in a couple of other schools as well, but The Academy had the smallest class size, offered French starting in Kindergarten, and also was the most affordable among the academics-oriented private schools in the area. It turned out to be the right decision. My son loves the school and his teachers, his school and after-school life is full of great activities (he enjoyed science, art, and math classes, as well as the field trips), and he always wants to go there. Academically, they are about a year ahead of public schools, and my son's friend, who is 5 (!) years older often asks him after my son volunteers some information about the world: how do you know this? The answer is almost always: I learned it at school. Why do they not teach us this in our school, wonders the other boy. I would recommend The Academy to anyone, who is looking for serious academics, great teachers, small classes, intelligent peers, and fun activities for their children. read more

The Academy is a "no frills all substance" school. I have a 1st grader and a fourth grader there and they both thriving and love it . The Academy offers a rigorous education in all fields. They state that they teach one year ahead of other schools and they actually do. The school also offers French to all grades and Latin in upper school. My kids are never bored and always challenged. They have GREAT teachers and the science teacher is the best ever! The after school teacher is wonderful and extremely creative. Day care is very popular among students and my kids always want to stay. The school might not impress some parents with "facilities" or a fancy campus. But being an educator, I can say that the frills don't matter when you know that your children are getting a top notch education. That said, the Academy is housed in a charming building in a lovely neighborhood in Berkeley within walking distance from a public library, the UC campus, and college avenue. In addition, the school community is culturally diverse and very down to earth. No pretentious behavior and stuck up attitudes here. The Academy also offers need based financial aid. I'm a very happy Academy parent and I encourage you to check the school out especially if your child is bored and not challenged enough at his/her school. read more