Related page: Living in Orinda

We are considering moving to Orinda and would like to hear experiences with Wagner Ranch Elementary. Are you happy with the school? What is the social climate like? And how intense are the academics? Any experiences with the afterschool care program? What about the school bus? What's the community life of the school? Our son will be entering 3rd grade next year and is artistic and sensitive, a good student, not into sports. We both work full time so don't have time to be super involved with the school but to hope to meet other families. Thanks! Megan

Hi, Does anyone have feedback/personal insights on the Orinda elementary schools? Based on API's, all 4 schools look great (950-980 API's) but I'm sure there are differences among the schools that #'s don't reveal. I'd like to understand the pros/cons, differences in culture, etc. We're househunting in Orinda and I don't yet have any friends/contacts I can ask. Pls note I've checked the archives.

The 4 schools are:
1. Sleepy Hollow
2. Del Rey
3. Glorietta
4. Wagner Ranch

The young woman who babysits for me lives down the street and attended Sleepy Hollow several years ago (she's now 16). She said she got a great education and was very excited about learning and loved her classes, but she felt a little left out socially because her family did not have as much money as most of her classmates and even in elementary school it was an issue. She said that when she went to an Orinda Middle School she made all new friends and her social life improved. Sleepy Hollow is mostly populated by a neighborhood called ''the downs'' which, I've gleaned, is one of the most expensive/ostentatious neighborhoods in Orinda. We live in the ''country club'' area which has some older more modest homes sprinkled in it. It feeds both into Sleepy Hollow and Wagner Ranch, depending where you are in the neighborhood (We live closer to St. Stephens church).

One thing I can say about the kids I've met in the neighborhood and in Orinda in general, is that they are all very well spoken, seem to have great self esteem, and are very friendly. Coming from Alameda and before that, North Berkeley, I can't say I had the same experience with kids there. These are kids in the age range of 3-17. So very broad. But I can honestly say that when I take a walk in my neighborhood, children will, unprompted, wave and say hello. When they talk to me they look me in the eye and they have interesting, funny, and clever things to say. I hope this is a reflection on the local schools, because I'd love for my children to be as friendly, confident, and smart as the kids around here seem to be. monika

We are starting Kindergarten this fall at Wagner Ranch in Orinda. We signed up for Orinda Enrichment Summer School, headed by Jim Bartleman, Summer School Principal. Has anyone had experience with this 4-week, M-F, 9am-noon program? How are the teachers? Was your child happy with this program? Soreya

Hello, I have the opportunity to transfer my children from a middle/lower-middle-class neighborhood school to Orinda, a much wealthier community and school system. I know that the academics will be much stronger and am glad for it, as my kids are at the top of their classes here, and have essentially ''topped-out.'' My concern and doubt about the transfer surround the differing socio-economic levels (we are not wealthy) and making new friends while continuing to live outside of the community. (The social upside of a private school is that all the children come from all over the bay area, so no one is an ''outsider'' unlike transferring into another district. ) A previous past poster said: ''The school with the craziest Get-Your-Kid-Into- Harvard-at-10 parents is Sleepy Hollow. The most relaxed and creative schools are Glorietta and Del Rey'' 1-Does this still ring true? Anyone know anything about Wagner Ranch? 2-Are ''outsiders'' welcome in Orinda? 3-Which of the elementary schools in Orinda is least overly-wealthy? 4-How can I best help my children acclimate to a new school? 5-How can I best help my children make new friends and integrate? 6-Anything else I should consider with this lifestyle of getting schooled outside of my own community? thanks in advance!

Our kids made new friends quickly, without any help from us, so I wouldn't worry too much about that, either. I don't think being an ''outsider'' is much of an issue. None of my kids' friends live within easy walking distance, and once you're in the car, it doesn't really matter if your friend lives one mile or five miles away.

The one thing to be aware of is that the Orinda schools do not receive their fair share of money from the state, so there is a lot of pressure on parents to contribute. We have learned to just contribute what we can afford, rather than what they ''suggest,'' so that they'll stop calling us. Edna