Website for COVA: /www.covaconservatory.org

Re: Just moved to West Oakland, need good school for 7th grade
Dear stuck, I understand your frustration. I don't have any good suggestions for you for an online school, but there is a charter school you should look into called COVA. If you can't start there this spring, think about it for next fall. You could get there from West Oakland by taking BART to Fruitvale station and then a bus runs from there up to Redwood Road. The reason I think COVA would be good for your son is because it is able to accommodate very gifted kids through a partnership with the Peralta junior college system. COVA kids go to Merritt College and take some classes there, receiving both high school and college credit for them. The director of the school is committed to getting kids an education that is at the right level for them. To succeed in it, your son should have the maturity level to handle self-directed work. Kids who take classes at Merritt still participate in regular school activities, particularly music and enrichment classes, so this would also fit your son's desire to attend school with his peers. Just a suggestion, take a look at it: covaconservatory.org Good luck!

After-school care for kindergarteners at COVA?

Hello, My son is #2 on the waitlist for COVA for Kindergarten this fall, and I'd love to hear from anyone with children in COVA with any advice about the school. I'm especially interested in hearing about how the after school program for Kindergarteners at Redwood Heights Recreation Center worked out. I would also love to hear from any parent's who might be interested in car pooling to school or in a nanny share or child care exchange for after school. Any input or comments from anyone with experience at COVA would be appreciated. Thank You!

Rockets costs slightly more than COVA afterschool, but, it is well worth it considering the the facility, the grounds and the counselors. Kids need to be enrolled in the Rockets program ahead of time, so parents need to contact the Rec. Center directly for enrollment info. Please contact me if you are interested in your child walking to the Rec. Center with a group of other COVA kids. Thanks

Cova is a very good school, our second grader has been there since kindergarten, and we have no complaints. The school concerts are the greatest! Grandparent of two Cova kids

COVA or Sequoia elementary school?

I am lucky enough to have a choice between two free schools for my son to go to in the fall - COVA and Sequoia. My son is naturally talented with music so I think that he could really benefit from all of the training that he would get at COVA, but I haven't heard many recommendations for it. While I have had people I know say that Sequoia is a good school. I went to visit COVA but they did not let me sit in the kindergarten and just observe. We were led through different class rooms and the classes had prepared for our visit. Anybody have any advice? Heather

We choose COVA for our son and are extremely happy there. The small charter school with a music emphasis is a great fit for us. It is an emerging school who is growing in diverse community. Many parents are finding their way, finding how to get involved to make the school stronger. I have worked closely with the director and various dedicated teachers on small projects and have been happily impressed. Good Luck! Beth

Editor note: a reply was also received for Sequoia

I periodically see requests for information about COVA, the Conservatory of Vocal/Instrumental Arts. First off, our experience of the music program in the early grades has been excellent--music class happens every day, and in addition to learning to sing beautifully, the kids pick up a good bit of music theory. Instrumental training begins later, around 4th grade, I think. Older kids can choose to major in voice, an instrument, dance, maybe something else? The campus is lovely but rented, and the owners of the space will be wanting it back for their own school, so my guess is that COVA will move at some point. The teachers are dedicated, but resources are limited (eg. there is no usable library and I have not seen a computer, parents provide classroom supplies). I have not been impressed with the level of academics so far. We are still waiting to see math more challenging than the work offered at our child's preschool. Supplementing for academic weaknesses in the program is tricky with a program that runs until 4 pm, though on the upside the extended schedule provides a lot of coverage for working parents. Parents are regularly asked to provide money (mandatory donations, emergency donations, performance uniforms, everyday classroom uniforms, auction donations, bakesale and fundraiser purchases, purchase tickets to the kids' concerts, pay for planned activities), resources (classroom supplies, snacks for the kids), and time (entirely run pick-up/drop-off of kids, volunteer at lunch and recess, etc). In other words, it is a typical cash-strapped public school, albeit one with a stellar music program. Expect to spend a minimum of $1100-1500 per child per year, and expect to spend a good bit of time as well. Public schools are not free! COVA is run in a strict, top-down manner, and there is a strong bias against independent communication among the parents as a whole (eg. a strong ''no'' on a school-wide Google or Yahoo group). This may tend to hamper the development of the needed strong, interconnected, dedicated parent community. There are things we love and things we really don't love, and we are still trying to decide whether to stay. COVA parent

We are considering enrolling our daughter in COVA this fall. I'm looking for any input from anyone who has any experience with the school. Thanks! prospective parent

To answer the specific questions:

Is there pressure put on kids to perform at a high level? The kids are expected to practice their instruments, but they are not required to become virtuosos. Personally, I do not think they are pressured or pushed. They are encouraged to do their best -- as students and as performers -- but at a level that is realistic for elementary-aged children.

How much science? Not very much.

Is the atmosphere intense? The director practices ''tough love.'' She really cares about the students and wants the best for them, but she doesn't always show it in a warm and fuzzy way. If your children are young, and are coming from a nurturing preschool environment, this can feel different.

Teacher turnover? There has been some. They have a tough job and the days (8 school hours) are very long for them. We also have some truly outstanding teachers.

Supportive, positive, caring atmosphere? That partially depends on the classroom teacher. The kids are very close. I think that comes from working together outside of the academic classroom on different ensembles. There is a tight-knit feeling at the school; they feel different, special, because of what they do.

COVA is really unique and I'm glad that it exists as an educational option in Oakland. COVA parent

Like the previous poster however, I agree that the clarity of communication to parents and potential families has been VERY poor. We have been told a number of inconsistent things in the course of applying to the school, and when we've brought these issues to the attention of the administrators at COVA we've found that there is often no apology or acknowledgment of the problems caused. This is one of the most significant reasons why we are considering going elsewhere, although we have yet to make a final decision and there are a lot of things we love about the school. I assume that COVA has someone who monitors this list, and if so I strongly urge them to do a better job communicating information with families and potential families.

Has anyone had any experience with or opinions about the Oakland charter school COVA, Conservatory of Vocal/Instrumental Arts? anon

The school seems well organized, the parents are nice and the whole atmosphere is pleasant and positive.

We would certainly recommend it.

I should probably mention that our student is very well behaved and has a long attention span, not sure about how this school works with kids who need more help. Happy with COVA

Has anyone sent their children to COVA charter school in Oakland? How has it been for you? Musical mama

The school puts together 2 concerts each year to give the children an opportunity to show their musical talents. Their performance includes singing, drumming, rock band, violin, keyboarding, wood wind instruments, ballet and drama. WeC-ll be performing at Jack London Square around Thanksgiving, call the school (510-531-0110 or 510-285-7511) for the exact time and date. You can meet and talk to parents volunteers there. Hope this answers your question. Happy COVA Parent

We are seriously considering sending our daughter to COVA next year for elementary school. It is a relatively new charter school, and reviews both here and on greatschools.net are mixed--about 90% joyous and 10% seriously concerned. Do you or have you sent a child to COVA? How was your experience? We love music above all things in our family, so on that level the school would be a good match. But what about the emotional and the academic? Are the few bad reviews just a matter of growing pains, or a personality conflict exaggerated by the internet, or signs of an underlying systemic problem at the school? Thanks so much for whatever information you can provide about your family's experience at this school! Anonymous

My son just spent his 6th grade year at COVA. We would have left in the fall if they hadn't hired a very good teacher for his class. I have to say I honestly disagree with the tone of the other posts about the new charter. The posts were posted in the fall of the academic year. The concept of the school is fantastic. The academic teachers are good, some of the music teachers are great. But the turnover in staff during the year was very high, and I have questions about the current leadership at the school. If you have any interest in this charter, spend a day or two hanging around, meet the director, spend some time observing her interactions with staff and students, sit in on some academic classes, and you will get a first hand experience of how things are run there. Don't go to a school concert, get swept away with the children's talent and rush to enroll. I spent many volunteer hours supporting the school, feel very strongly about some things, and would be happy to elaborate off line. -s

Just looking over the past posts about COVA. Seems like the most recent was 11/07 and a lot has changed. Next year the school will grow to about 150 students K-8. The student population is about 50% African American, 25% white or mixed race white. About 30% of the students were formerly homeschooled. The school is full for the fall of 2008 and there is a wait list. Since touring, I am on the whole impressed by this new charter school and its director. anon

Are there any BPN parents whose child(ren) currently attend COVA? I am interested in information about the middle school academic program and its instrumental arts program. Any feedback you have on the school is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Re: Lonely 2nd grader is the only African American in her class
Please see my answer above to the question about ''Charter Schools in Oakland.'' The Conservatory of Vocal and Instrumental Arts might be good for your family. The student body is mostly African American. Although it is a public charter, it has small classes and focuses on music, so it somewhat has the feel of a private school. In addition to music, it also stresses academics. It is probably not as smoothly running as a private school yet, as it has just started and is still working out a few kinks. COVA does not have a first grade this year, but if your daughter is academically advanced they might be able to accommodate her in their 2/3 class, and certainly would be able to next year. The school welcomes visitors. covaconservatory.org

Hi Parents, I am exploring options for my son for Kindergarten next year and wanted to see if anyone could offer some feedback on COVA http://www.covaconservatory.org/ in Oakland. The school is close to where we live and I like the approach but know that the school had to move locations last year and may need to move again next year. Thanks! Marcy

Re: Oakland Public Middle School
Look into COVA -- it's a new public charter school just off Highway 13/Redwood Road. It is a small school (50 students this year, should be bigger next year), with small classes. The 6th-7th class has 18 kids in it. It stresses music as well as academics. http://covaconservatory.org/