Berkeley Parents Network: Walnut Creek Schools

Berkeley Parents Network

Walnut Creek Schools

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > K-12 Schools > East Contra Costa County School Districts > Walnut Creek Schools

Questions

From a Lafayette private school to Palmer in WC?
Walnut Creek Intermediate
Interdistrict Transfer to Walnut Creek?
Schools in areas with rentals in WC?

Reviews of Schools

Buena Vista Elementary
Parkmead Active Learning School (PALS) Walnut Creek
Northgate High School
See Also: East Contra Costa County School Districts

From a Lafayette private school to Palmer in WC?

April 2012

Hi. Thank you in advance for any responses. We are currently transferring my son to Palmer for second grade next fall. His current school is lovely but stress social development over academics. He is really bored. I would love to hear about other families experiences with the culture, amount of homework, academics and discipline at Palmer. Any info you are willing to share would be so helpful with my sons transition. Thank you!!!

We had a similar issue with our experience in a private school in Oakland. While we like to have some focus on social, we've been much happier with the level of academics at Saklan School in Moraga. We researched Palmer, but don't have direct experience. A tour will give you a good sense, and one way to access is to see how many of the kids get into their first choice high schools. LJ

My child is currently in kindergarten at Palmer, and we LOVE it. In kindergarten, they split the kids into three levels for reading and math. My child is on the older side, so he is fairly proficient in reading and math, and he is definitely not bored. The teachers really try to tailor work for every child, and his math teacher has told me that she provides extra work for some of the kids that want/need it. I believe they continue splitting the kids into the three levels beyond kindergarten, but I'm not positive. My son does have homework every day except Friday, but it is fairly minimal at this point. I have heard from parents with older children that the work gets more intense, but they still say that their children love the school. Beyond the academics, Palmer is just a warm, friendly environment. The teachers have been amazing, and we feel very lucky to have found this school. A Palmer Fan

Walnut Creek Intermediate

April 2012

My son is bright but has never been terribly interested in school. He wants to go to WCI next year with his friends, but I've heard both good and bad things about the school. Many parents I know are very happy with it, but I've also heard that a lot of kids fall between the cracks there. I'm worried that my son will find a group of like-minded friends who think school is dumb and who will reinforce his natural tendency to do the absolute minimum and not try for good grades. I'd appreciate any information or suggestions from parents of kids who've gone to WCI, especially kids who didn't start out being very academically inclined. anonymous

my kids went to public school in WC K-12. I think WCI is the weak link (I am much more positive about the elementary schools and Las Lomas). The school is too big and most of the teachers my kids had weren't very good. My youngest child was there 4 yrs ago, so my impressions are a bit out of date, but I am guessing it may have gotten worse cause class sizes have increased.

You mentioned being worried that your son would fall in with kids who think school is dumb. That is rare. Most kids there do well academically. But my son was bright and did the minimum and I think he did fall through the cracks--very few of his teachers engaged him. If you can afford private for a few years I would go for that, but if your son is really determined to go to WCI, use that as leverage, ''ok, you can go, but you have to have a B average otherwise you will have to switch schools'' or whatever... best wishes

Interdistrict Transfer to Walnut Creek?

Jan 2011

Hi - We are hoping to have our son start kindergarten at Parkmead Elementary in WC in fall 2011. We currently live in Oakland and are looking for housing in that section of WC. In the meantime, we've heard one option might be an interdistrict transfer. Has anyone done this? Can you request a specific school (at least as a first choice)? Any advice on how to make this work? I've also heard you can get a transfer if you work in WC, at least 32 hrs week. Anyone know if this is true? I have called the district office but not yet gotten a call back. Thanks!

Hi there, Parkmead mom here. There are a number of kids at Parkmead who don't live in the district, so I think interdistrict transfer is probably an option. I don't know if you can pick a particular elementary, however. I think it just depends on space available, so it depends on how many Parkmead-area kids enroll. I know there are always kids moving around between the elementaries the first few weeks of school as they try to adjust class sizes. You might get a faster response from Parkmead itself, rather than the district. The principal is Dr. Kathleen Scott, and the schools number can be found on the Walnut Creek School District's website. Parkmead is great! I can't recommend the school or the area highly enough! WC mom

Schools in areas with rentals in WC?

Oct 2010

WC Parents - we are seriously considering a relocation to WC for the schools. Our son will start kindergarten in fall 2011. We have so many questions and would be so grateful for any advice - we've called several elementary schools, but have gotten limited information. So ...

We are separated and we will be renters, with both parents working f/t. WHICH elementary schools are in areas of WC that have rental properties (small houses and/or apartments)? Presumably some areas are only expensive houses. If you live in such an area, what do you think of your school? Also, we are concerned with sending our child to a school in which he may be unusual, with divorced parents and a full-time working mom. Any thoughts on this? Also, after school programs - what is available in that area, and what has your experience been like?

The schools have advised that we relocate by Jan 2011. Have you found elementary schools hard to get into after that timeframe?

Thank you so much! Sarah

I think every elem. school in WC school district draws from neighborhoods with apartments; I know ours (parkmead) does, as well as walnut heights, murwood and buena vista. You will definitely not be the only ones, and wc has a broader range of housing than you might know. There are still some very rural areas, and you'll often find very modest homes next to the big remodels. As for divorced families, again, probably more here than you might suspect. Not the '' norm'', per se, but common enough that most kids know a couple of families in which the parents are not together. Put your mind at rest, you guys will not be social pariahs!! Wc is a great town...welcome! Happy wc mom

My son is in K at Murwood in Walnut Creek, and I don't know much about the other schools here, but: Murwood draws from an area that has a lot of single-family houses, as well as a fair number of apartments (Creekside and other areas). There are lots of stay-at-home moms, but also lots of working moms (full or part time). There is an after-care on sight that seems to be really terrific so far.

You might do well to get a map from the elementary school districts (there are 2 that cover Walnut Creek), and then overlay that with apartment or rental home listings. I imagine (but don't actually know) that there will be rentals that feed to most of the schools. Good luck!

My kids attend Parkmead Elementary, and I love it. My kids are getting a great education, the staff are caring and warm, and I feel there's just a very nice atmosphere to the school.

As far as elementaries with renter areas, Parkmead covers the condos/apartments on Olympic Blvd. & Boulevard Way/Saranap areas. Murwood covers the Creekside area (many apartments) and Indian Valley covers the downtown/Walker Ave./Sharene Ln. apartments & condos. Of all the WC elementary schools, I'd say only Walnut Heights would have a low proportion of renter families.

Parkmead has numerous two-household families, renters, divorced parents, and a few gay/lesbian families. I don't think your son would stand out as 'unusual' just because you don't happen to own a home or be together.

I haven't used Parkmead's after school program all that much, but I know many people who do and are happy with it. WC mom

this page was last updated: Jul 29, 2012

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