Relocating to North Berkeley from SF mid year

Hello, We are moving to North Berkeley from San Francisco in November 2011. We are wondering how the school placement would work. Our daughter is in middle school and our son is in the 4th grade. Is school placement based on where you live? We are considering purchasing a home in North Berkeley. Not sure where I should start w/regard to schools. Our kids are coming from private schools in SF. Thanks for any advice. Emily

There are three middle schools - two are geographic based, with the northern zone school being King. Any student can apply to Longfellow (which also has the District's dual immersion middle school program) through a lottery. All 3 middle schools have API's over 800. King has 900-1000 students while Longfellow has about 425.

More detailed information, such as how to apply to the lottery should be obtained from the District's administrative offices (there is also information on the District's website). Hope this helps guide you in making an informed decision for your children. I really encourage you to visit all of the schools that your children could potentially attend. Visit classrooms, check out hallways during transition times, check out the playground/lunch room time, go to a PTA meeting, etc. This will give you a good idea of which school best fits your child's needs (while academics are fairly equally strong, each school does vary in less tangible ways) based upon personal knowledge. There are a lot of urban myths and old information out there about particular schools - good and bad. Check it out yourself! And, look forward to your family joining our District community! School Board Member Karen Hemphill

Moving to Berkeley from San Diego - which neighborhood?

Hello, I am a San Diego resident relocating to the Berkeley area for school. I have two boys, currently 4 & 6 yrs, who will be coming with me and I would greatly appreciate any guidance I might receive regarding schools/neighbrhoods in the area. I am coming from a small beach town where my oldest son attends a small public school that has a wonderful community feel. I live in a very safe area that borders some relatively affluent areas but also provides some diversity. I am looking for the bay area equivalent, but unfortunately, no one I know in the area has children and therefore they do not have much to offer in the way of advise for schools. I am a single parent, need to live somewhere with relatively decent access to transportation (although this is not a first priority), need to live somewhere where my children can safely play outside (family friendly), but do not need to be directly next to the UC Berkeley campus. I am willing to travel to school if need be...depending on the accessibility of public transportation. I would like the most well-rounded neighborhood & school possible...which equates to a quality education, a safe area, diversity, arts, parks, and so forth. Does this wonderland exist? If so, where shall I look? Thanks so much for your time & response. - Erinn

Bad news: you'll likely not have much, if any, choice of schools. Kids have already been assigned by lottery & many schools are "full". If you're moving to Berkeley during the summer, you may simply be placed into a school that has a spot. (That's my understanding, but talk with BUSD Admissions.) Don't assume you'll be assigned to your neighborhood school, or even one in your zone. Berkeley is divided into 3 school "zones" with 4 or 5 elementary schools per zone, (so you can live right next to a school, but get assigned to school across town that is also in your zone).

GOOD NEWS: Berkeley Unified is a desirable school district with great elementary schools that are well-rounded, generally small (less than 400 students) and diverse. Our schools are generously supported by the community through BPEF, PTAs, taxes... Thus, many schools have been able to continue enrichment programs (such as cooking/gardening, music, arts). While enrichment may differ by schools the general core curriculum is the same at each school. Naturally, families have different priorities/preferences as to schools, so advising you on which schools are best for you is difficult (but I would recommend all the schools in our Northwest Zone). We based our school selection initially because we liked a larger school, it was convenient & the playground had grass. Turns out there's a whole lot more to love about our school, namely the teachers and the community. As far as well-rounded neighborhoods, generally North Berkeley or anywhere in the hills. Public transportation is fairly good throughout the city. Hope this helps. Mama of 2 Thousand Oaks Kids in NW Zone

Moving to Berkeley from the East Coast - which zone?

Hi - We are moving to Berkeley from the East Coast and are wondering in which section of Berkeley to rent. What is considered to be the best zone for elementary and middle schools? Thanks! -Jason

Regarding elementary schools, there are 3 zones, each with a few schools, each school with its strengths. Each zone crosses lines of household income, and parent education level; and has a mix of ethnicities. Students that attend a given elementary school come from throughout the zone. These zone boundaries can change over time, too.

Given all this, you may not want to base your decision about where to rent on which school zone you will be in. THey are all about equal. Which ever elementary school you end up at, please try to find time to volunteer. As you are likely aware, it will help you become a part of your new community faster, and it will help you better understand and support your student's school. There are also many great opportunites for volunteering at middle schools (writer's coach, fund raising, gardening, libraries).

And the high school is good, too, despite its own challenges. Welcome to Berkeley! another berk. unified schl dist mom

Thinking of moving to Berkeley - which zone?

We want our kids in public school all the way through high school (also, can't afford private), and currently reside in a neighborhood with a very bad school. So, we are thinking of moving to Berkeley from Oakland.

I've learned that there are 3 zones in Berkeley and within each you don't necessarily get your neighborhood elementary school or your top choice. So, can anyone comment upon which zone has the best elementary schools or, conversely, which has the worst?

Also, if anyone has experience with the middle schools and can comment upon which are the best/worst that would be appreciated too.

We value diversity and good solid teaching tailored to the children above mere standardized test scores (although I know this differs from the State's approach to public schools). Thank you!

But I believe these good qualities are true at all BUSD schools --- we know BUSD families at pretty much all of the elementary schools and middle schools and most of those families are for the most part satisfied. Frankly I would not believe anyone who said one zone is better or worse.

That is not to say all the schools are identical. But different does not mean better or worse, just different.

There are only 10 elementary schools and 3 middle schools. Go on a few tours, attend a PTA meeting, visit the school during one of the many school events: spring carnivals, concerts, etc. You will not know what is right for your family until you check it out for yourself. Good luck BUSD parent

Moving to Berkeley from Australia mid-year

My husband and I and our two children (5 and 2) will be living in Berkeley for 6 months from July - December while my husband is a visiting fellow at UC Berkeley. We live in sydney Australia and our 5 year old son Max has just started Kindergarten here. We would like to enrol Max in kindergarten while we are in the States, but are having difficulty finding any web information regarding processes for international student / short-term enrolments in elementary school. (eg we can't find any information on the Berkeley Unified website re this and haven't been able to get in touch with Berkeley Unified staff through emails / phone). Our other issue is that our accommodation isn't finalised yet but we are waiting to hear about a place in the Southeast district.

So I thought I'd try this email list just in case there is anyone out there who can provide any pointers which would be fantastic! thank you

Admissions and Attendance Office
Central Administration Annex Building
1835 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA 94703
Phone: (510) 644-6504 E-Mail: Admissions@berkeley.k12.ca.us
Hours: 8:00-12:00 and 1:00-4:00 P.M.
Closed Tuesdays at 3:00 P.M.
http://www.berkeley.net/enrollment/

Moving to Berkeley in the middle of the school year

Greetings, All. My family and I have been exiled in LA for the last 3 years. We are in a public charter school down here,but now my husband is out of work and wants to move back to Berkeley. While I am happy to move, I don't want to move the kids mid-school year, so we have agreed to wait and come back next summer. Here's the prob: We need to have a Berkeley address by Feb 6th in order to get into the first round of the lottery. We can't afford to maintain two households, so that isn't feasible, which means we'll either make the second round, which is in May or something, or just come back in June and take our chances. I spoke with the admissions folks at BUSD, who pointed out that we're going to have an additional challenge , as we will have a 3rd and a 1st grader, so the spaces will be limited anyway. This is all for background,here are my questions: 1. Has anyone moved in the summer and still gotten the school they wanted, or at least one of their preferences? 2. Am I mad to just let go and let God, so to speak,rather than trying to move heaven and earth to make it all work in time for the first lottery? I could move by Xmas and home school for the rest of the year. 3. All the schools (elementary) seem to get good reviews of one sort or another, so is it reasonable for me to relax about it? Abbi

I wouldn't think you are mad to just wait and see what happens. I wouldn't stress my family and myself too much over making a certain date on a calendar. If you have the option to do homeschooling after you move back here, that's great, but I would still go to the BUSD office and try to enroll the children mid-year (no lotteries involved here.)

With a little faith and God's holy intentions, you will get the school that is best for your children. Wishing you the best.

The key is to get involved in your kids school, and pick one thing (at least one) that you can dedicate time and energy to there each year.

Welcome back to Berkeley, in advance. Whichever school your family lands in, and wichever neighborhood you land in, will be glad to have a caring and supportive family. Mom

Moving to Berkeley - which school?

Hi, we are in the process of buying a house in Berkeley. We have two girls, ages 4 years and 7 months. We would like to send our kids to public schools if the public schools are a decent option. My husband has heard that the schools work on a lottery system. Is there any particular area in Berkeley where we should look for a house to take advantage of the public schools?? Thank you for your help! Lori

Best thing to do is to visit, and then suss out your lottery choices based on that. And be prepared to be involved in your child's education. Busy BUSD parent

Moving into the district mid-year

We are planning to relocate from Seattle, to Berkeley/Oakland area in the new year. Depending on the job situation we may move as early as Jan/Feb, or else later on, probably early summer. Either way we'll need to enroll our current kindergartener in school. I would appreciate ANY advice/first hand experience, on what to expect about this situation... I have heard that the Oakland schools are supposed to keep a few slots open for mid-year entries, but I expect at the more popular schools these may be gone. I haven't been able to find any info for Berkeley.... Vanessa