Hi Parents, The most recent posts on Glenview Elementary date back to 2009. Can anyone share their recent experience with the school? How is the diversity levels, teachers, academics, other focus, etc. Any thoughts are appreciated, Thank you! Liz

Bottom line: I think the best thing you can do for your child is know their temperament, know their strengths and weaknesses, know where they can rise to the challenge, visit lots of schools (public and / or private) because there really are differences, and trust you and your spouse / partner's gut feelings. Glenview Parent

My son will enter kindergarden next year and we are very interested in learning more about our neighborhood school, Glenview Elementary. I'm eager to learn of families' recent experiences and also about ways parents of entering students can get involved to support the school. Ann

1st grade has been much more focused on academics and there doesn't seem to be as much time for music and dance like there was in kindergarten. They do have more science however. I was a little worried about the curriculum for 1st grade but my daughter and her classmates are thriving. Her skills are skyrocketing and she truly loves school and learning. I'm very impressed with both her teachers so far and I know that the teaching staff in the upper grades is also excellent so there's a lot to look forward to. There are also excellent after-school programs- chess, choir, spanish, art, etc so overall, I think she's getting a very well-rounded education. AT, the after-school program is great! Our daughter really enjoys it.

Glenview has a dedicated science teacher (we share her with Sequoia) and we're starting new programs- surrounding an editable garden and school nutrition. Parents and the school staff started a very successful composting program which has been a great teaching tool. The science fair is very popular at Glenview- and all grades participate. Our daughter is already planning her experiment!

The library is a highlight- we have a full-time, fully credentialed librarian and it's made such a positive difference at the school. The collection is being updated, the kids have their own library cards, authors come to read, etc. Our annual read-a-thon has been running for over 10 years, and attracts many local journalists, authors and artists to the school for the annual read-a-thon day.

On the downside, it's hard to get OUSD to come and fix things - it takes a lot of pressure and organizing to get things done. Luckily, we have a very active and organized parent community who really work hard to fight for what we need. I think you'll hear that from many OUSD schools- you have to work hard for basics- such as proper lighting in the auditorium, or drainage on the back playground. I find this maddening and depressing. But I am constantly inspired the parents, teachers, staff and administrators at the school site who all fight to make a difference.

I think the best way to check out the school before you make your decision, is to come to PTA meetings, come to the Halloween Carnival (a very big deal at Glenview), or the Science Fair (another popular event). If you're looking for a public school with strong parental involvement, excellent teachers and a truly diverse community- Glenview is a good choice. And- if you're local, you can walk- which is great fun! Paula

Re: Oakland ''Hidden Gem'' Elementaries
I think of our school- Glenview Elementary-- as a hidden gem. Our daughter just started Kindergarten there this year and so far we are very happy with our choice.

Her teacher is amazing! I honestly can't imagine a better kindergarten experience for my daughter. The kids are great, very sweet, smart and engaged. She does so much more art then she ever did at the expensive preschool she attended. They put on puppet shows and sing songs while her teacher plays the piano (yes, they have a piano in her class!). The school has a pretty great science program and science fair and was the first solar school in Oakland. We have a full-time, credentialed librarian with a master's in library science. This is a great resource and the kids are really benefiting from her expertise. I also believe there are Macs in all the classrooms- including the library.

The school offers Adventure Time (after-school care) and also has a bunch of after- school classes such as Spanish, Choir and Chess. The PTA is very active and growing by the year. The level of parental involvement is still not at level of the 'hills' schools but it is growing. Last spring, a group of parents raised $90K to build a new play structure for the older kids and it's already installed (a major feat for any Oakland school!!). We have a garden committee with a school garden in the works and we'll be launching a new composting, recycling program soon. This year Glenview has 7 teams competing in Odyssey of the Mind- a creative problem solving program. I believe Glenview is one of the first Oakland schools to offer this. These are just some of the things that come to mind.

Come visit our school anytime. You can get a visitor's badge at the front office and sit in on classes. It's a great community. We're meeting lots of interesting and hard working people and most importantly our daughter is thriving.

Good luck in your search. I do think there are some great options out there! Happy Glenview Parent

We have two sons, 5th and 2nd graders, who have been attending Glenview Elementary since kindergarten. They love their school, and so do we and here are some reasons why.

Our new play structure. It's very futuristic, put out by Kompan and the excitement the kids have for it is palpable! This structure focuses on creative play and upper body strength.

Our new fully-credentialed librarian. She has also taught for a number of years, will be able to do research skill lessons with the older grades and great book reads and talks with all kids. Plus she really knows her books.

Strong commitment to arts programming by our principal. Kids move through an arts rotation every 10 weeks, including science, visual arts, dance, music, drama, and video production. Many people say that arts programming is dead in public schools thanks to No Child Left Behind. But that's not true at Glenview.

And if you're an LGBT family, you are welcome at Glenview.

So when you're checking out Oakland schools, add Glenview to your list. We're in a sleepy little neighborhood between 13 and 580 with Park Blvd and MacArthur our main arteries. Teri and Karen

I am interested in learning more about Glenview due to sudden changes to the after school program at my child's current Oakland public school. The last reviews of Glenview I found are from January 2005. I am interested in learning about teacher quality, parent involvement, PTA projects, and the after school program. Thanks very much. Help!

My daughter loves Glenview. The wonderful staff, high level of parent involvement, and hard-working principal make this school the best it can be. I can't recommend this school enough. Also, the Adventure Time after school care is great. My daughter attends three days a week, and doesn't want to leave when I pick her up. Feel free to contact me if you want anymore info on Glenview. Good luck! Angelica

I was planning to enter my daughter into a Oakland Public School. She will be in the 2nd grade for the 2005-2006 school year. She has always been in a private school environment and this will be the first time she will attend public school. My school district is Glenview. As a child, I went to this school from K-6th grage. But that was YEARS And YEARS ago. I have an oppourtunity to put my daughter is another school since this is open enrollement time.

I am concerned about Glenview because it is listed as one of the schools that need ''Improvement''. What does this exactly mean? I looked up Glenview's API score for 2004 and it was 732. I know the state's goal is 800. What does the API score really mean? Is that all I should be looking at?

Please, any Glenview parents, tell me your pros and cons of the school. I looked at the archives, but I need something that is recent.

Other schools I am considering is Crocker Highland and Carle B. Munck. Any parents from these school, can you please tell me your pros and cons.

I would like to make a good choice and I need current feedback of the school.

What are the nationality mixture for all three school. First Time Public School Mom

* Proximity to home. While we don't live in the Glenview, it's the next neighborhood up the hill and we already spend a lot of time at Dimond Park and walking the Sausal Creek trail. Glenview Elementary has a warm, welcoming, and commited group of families from the neighborhood and the energy they bring to the school, I believe, is partly due to their nearness to the school. If we had to give up walking to school, we at least wanted to feel relatively nearby, as the school community quickly became part of our extended social circle.

* The commited teachers and administrators at Glenview love their jobs and take their work seriously. I have found that as a parent and a volunteer at the school, the school staff pay an unbelievable amount of attention to the children in their classrooms. The principal reads every report card before it's sent home. I like that kind of dedication and, quite frankly, didn't observe it at some of the schools I visited that had higher test scores.

* Diversity is a huge plus at Glenview, but almost more important to us was that the kids at the school mix and play and enjoy each other regardless of age, class, race. Kate

In terms of your question about ''No Child Left Behind'' (NCLB), Glenview is on the Program Improvement List. However, we made Adequate Yearly Progress last year and hopefully we will be off the list this year. You must make AYP for two consecutive years to get off the list. I will try to briefly explain NCLB, but you should know that it has many problems and certainly cannot tell you everything about a school. At this point, not all schools are subjected to the Program Improvement List, it depends whether you receive certain federal funding. Glenview receives this type of funding. There are two criteria to NCLB and the Program Improvement List: you must have a 95% participation/attendance rate on the day of the tests for all subgroups (ethnicity, economically-disadvantaged, english learners, etc.) and you need to have a certain percentage (it increases over time) in the proficient and advanced range on the test scores (there are five ranges: far below basic, below basic, basic, proficient and advanced). During the 2001-2002 school year, Glenview made the test score percentages for all the subgroups, however, one subgroup had 93.4 for participation. In 2002-2003, a similar situation occurred, where all the subgroups made the appropriate number in the proficient and advanced range, however, one subgroup had 94.8 for participation. In other words, Glenview remained on the PI List for those school years, not because it did not improve the test scores of each sub-group, but because of a 1.6% and .2% shortage in the attendance on the day of the test for one sub- group (all other subgroups had 95% or higher for participation/attendance). As you can see, the PI List can be deceiving.

Come visit Glenview! There are quite a few neighborhood children who will be in the 2nd grade next year with your daughter. We are having a prospective parent brunch on Saturday, February 5th from 10am to noon at the Dimond Library Community Room (2nd floor). It is an informal gathering where prospective families can meet current Glenview parents and children. If you have more questions about the school or the brunch, please feel free to call me at 531-3124. Wendy

I am a Glenview parent and PTA president this year. My son is in second grade and is having a great year. He loves his teacher, he loves his friends, and he loves his school. There is so much to tell about this school, but I'd like to focus on a few things that I think you may find particularly helpful. I think the most important things to look at in a school are 1) academics/teachers; 2) parent involvement; and 3) enrichment (both academic/arts and social).

First, I'd like to speak to Glenview academics. While Glenview is on the NCLB program improvement list, as others have written, it's solely because of test attendance issues, and not low scores. Glenview students by and large score well. The API of 732 (800 is the state goal) is a good score, and the school plans to improve on that score this year. The teachers at the school are diverse, dedicated, talented, and professional, bringing to the classroom outside interests as varied as broadcasting production, jazz guitar, and native African horticulture. Some have special knowledge regarding special education and some hold masters degrees in education. All are fully credentialed and tenured. Most are fully dedicated to teaching to as many different learning styles as the OUSD curriculum will allow.

Second, parent involvement is very strong at this school, with little of the exclusivity found in other schools. We openly welcome any and all who wish to come forward with their ideas, creativity, and rolled-up sleeves! There is a wonderful sense of neighborhood , with much support and good will. All in all, a very smart, highly dedicated, down-to-earth, creative, and enthusiastic group of parents. I feel very privileged to work with them.

Third, the enrichment at this school is likely superior to any you will find at the other schools you are considering. This year, the children receive science as a separate class once a week. The teacher is Sue Morgan, director of the native plant nursery project for the Friends of Sausal Creek group. The school also offers both drama and art during school hours, as well as the Spirit Team, directed by E.W. Wainwright, a world-class percussionist who had the Glenview Spirit Team perform at Yoshi's this past December for a benefit. Like most OUSD elementary schools, ours has an upper grade instrumental program as well. The PTA has also organized after school programs, including Sarah Science, Berkeley School of the Arts, Spanish, Recorder lessons (with Louise Carslake, who teaches chamber music at Mills College), Chess, Oakland Youth Chorus, Rhythm Rocks, and Capoeira. Glenview's principal and the PTA are working on a matching grant proposal for next year to fully fund many of these programs so that all students may enjoy extensive art programs during school hours. There is a very real commitment to the arts and sciences at this school.

Finally, social skills are also an important part of life at Glenview. The PTA partially funds two social/emotional counselors at the school to assist children who are having behavioral or learning issues, or who are struggling with family break-ups, illnesses, or tragedies. Dr. Morgan and/or Mr. Scott are at the school almost every day helping kids. And Glenview kids are very well-behaved. A few of our after school program teachers (all of whom teach at other hills elementary schools in Oakland) have frankly commented on how well-behaved Glenview students are compared to other schools at which they've taught. Of course, Glenview is diverse. Recent statistics tell me that the ethnic makeup of Glenview is as follows: Asian/Pacific Islander-24.3%; African-American-43.4%; European-10.2%; Latino/Chicano-18.5%; Native American-0.3%; Other-3.3%. Along with such diversity comes the opportunity for kids to learn how other families operate and to make friends using the sounder barometers of sincerity and honesty, rather than skin color or material wealth.

And I'll quickly mention that Glenview has Sports 4 Kids on site for non- competitive recess play, a newly renovated and absolutely gorgeous library with 1.5 librarians to help maintain the thousands upon thousands of books on the shelves and to help kids check out books on a weekly basis and to conduct research for book reports and other projects. We also have Adventure Time on site, a separate before and after school program with coverage for many school minimum days and holidays as well. Great for working parents.

So, of course, I think your child should come to Glenview, and I hope he or she will. Glenview is a wonderful school, with wonderful teachers, staff, children and parents. Are there problems? Of course. There are problems at EVERY school. But we love our school and we love our neighborhood. At the very least come check it out. Please contact me if you'd like even more information (teachers, testing, other schools, etc.). Believe it or not, the information here just scratches the surface of all that is good about this school. I'd be happy to help in any way I can. Patti

RE: Glenview's reading program and API score . . .

We are members of a neighborhood parent group committed to supporting our local public school and are advocates for our school and its teachers. We have asked the very same questions and commend the reader for considering Glenview AND for asking questions about it.

Glenview, like all Oakland Schools, is mandated to use the Open Court series for language development. While this phonics-based program has its strengths and limitations, the experienced teachers at Glenview manage it well, building student strengths of decoding and sightword recognition while supplementing direct ''phonics'' instruction with other, thematic inter- disciplinary materials. An experienced, knowledgeable teacher is the most important variable in improving achievement in the classroom and our school has a long-term, committed staff.

RE: API score--this score is used to rate schools by test scores and does not necessarily measure the quality of instruction or other support services provided. Test scores are normative, designed to rank students across a bell curve and test scores are central to the API score. Standardized tests generally measure the cultural and linguistic knowledge students bring with them to school, therefore, the API score is somewhat based on influences outside the school's control. Standardized tests do not directly measure what is taught in the classroom, but scores do correlate with parent income.

Glenview's projected API score for 2002 is 676. This score places it in the top 25th percentile of the district's elementary schools. Oakland schools have historically been under- funded and under-supported and our schools can and must be improved. Parents and teachers at Glenview are striving to improve our school because all schools need improvement, not because we don't feel positive about its current status. But do take time to visit our neighborhood school for yourself. The one most important way to improve public schools is to send our children to them and be active supporters.

Michelle , Glenview Parent

CONS:
1. This is true for all Oakland public schools: the budget crisis is pretty stressful for the schools and for the parents.
2. The kindergarten class needs to be longer. Currently, it is 3 hours and 20 minutes long. The kids and the teachers need more time to learn and teach the curriculum and to have more time to play and learn materials beyond the curriculum.
3. We could use another portable.
4. I wish more neighborhood families would send their kids to the school...

If you are really interested in giving Glenview Elementary a chance, go to the school, meet the principal, meet some teachers, look at some classes. And stay tuned for the next Consider Glenview meeting. We will hold a meeting to discuss school choices within the next 2-4 weeks. Go to www.yahoogroups.com, and sign up for the considerglenview listserv to receive notices about upcoming Glenview Elementary events and Consider Glenview meetings.

I have two questions about Glenview:

1.) Do they teach reading through phonics? I recall reading about how the whole language method was repudiated in the 90's at some point. But I don't know if all California schools were required to drop whole language as the teaching method.

2.) What's your take on why Glenview kids have poor test scores resulting in the low API ranking? Thanks

Now, on to what is probably of more concern to the person asking about Glenview -- the academics. First, the API issue. Glenview's API has risen 17 points in the 3 years since I have returned to teach at Glenview.Our API sits right in the middle of Oakland public schools.

Glenview has one of the best kindergarten teams in the district. The teachers work and plan as a team so no matter who your child gets, all kindergarteners are getting an equally good start. The teachers are warm, thoughful teachers who understand the developmental needs of kinders and work very well with parents. In first and second grades there are seven teachers who meet regularly to plan curriculum, discuss student progress, and have release time to do peer observations and coaching. In the 4th and 5th grade we team teach. In 4th grade, one teacher teaches math and reading, the other teaches social studies/language arts and reading. In the 5th grade, we have three teachers. One teacher teaches three classes of reading/language arts, another teaches math, and a third teaches social studies/language arts. So that we can share circuit prep time ( we have all day prep twice a month, allowing us to meet as a circuit for an extended period of time), 4th and 5th graders have enrichment Wednesdays -- science, music, P.E., video production.

We teach Open Court, like all Oakland schools do. Any school that tells you they don't is not entirely telling the truth or can expect a visit from a district literacy coach. There are many ways to embellish the Open Court program for strong readers. In addition to Open Court, we do literature circles, inquiry projects, and poetry projects, to name a few. My point to this long response is --- don't be scared away by the API or test scores. Glenview is a gem. Call the office, 879-1190 and make an appointment to check it out and talk to the staff and principal. Jennifer

Open Court offers a combination of phonics, whole language and other strategies and uses literature to teach students. Some of the strategies at the primary level have students make connections to other texts and to themselves, make predictions, summarize what they read and ask questions about what they read. They also have students use art to make meaning of the text. Teachers read aloud to students, students do guided reading and read independently. These are strong components of a literacy program.

Whole language has not been repudiated in the education world. Many of the elements of whole language--particularly using real literature to teach comprehension skills--have been embraced in California schools. Although whole language didn't get rid of phonics completely, many students lost out on phonics instruction. Research has shown that phonics is an important component in any primary reading program. Sound-letter recognition, the blending of sounds, etc. are crucial for the majority of students to know. Open Court is not exclusively phonics-oriented, but it has a very strong phonics base.

Some of the literature from Open Court isn't the most compelling for students, and some of it is decent to very good. However, like all good teachers, teachers bring in other reading for the students to work with and experience.

One of the concerns of Open Court is that it is ''teacher- proof'' meaning that anyone, as long as they have the teacher's edition and the materials can teach it. Teachers, such as myself, reject the notion of teacher- proof materials. What I have seen at Glenview is that teachers use Open Court as another set of materials to complement their teaching. They are required to use it, so they do, and they follow the Open Court progression, but they haven't thrown out all their creative teaching ideas and strategies.

As a parent, I cannot say I am displeased with the Open Court program. My kindergartner loves school (he even said he couldn't wait to come back today after our long vacation), is learning to read and write and is thrilled about that. Teri, Dashka

This is in response to Glenview elementary in Oakland I have 2 children in Glenview one in 4th and other in kinder. I transfered into Glenview since I didn't like th school we are assigned to. I have been at Glenview for the past 4 years . I can address most of the questions.

Safety
I would say a safe school. Safety was an issue (what I mean by safety has to do with fights, no guns, no serious kinds of violations). We had a politcal problem with one child who caused havoc. With the diligent work of the teachers and staff at Glenview we got rid of the kid. We brought in an outside organization Sports for Kids to help organize games at lunchtime. That really seemed to help cut down on the fights. In terms of location, its nestled in with private homes, not a busy street. Its very community. I like the location.

Class Size
There are 465 students in the school. I belive there are 17 teachers. K-3, 20 children per class 4, 5, 6 up to 30. My son is in a 3/4 combination, 22 children in his class. I am happy with the class size. It has made a difference.

State Exam Performance
Glenview faired well for Oakland Public Schools. It was up there with Redwood Heights. My kids are doing very well. They scored above to average in different categories. I think you can't use those scores to heavily. You as a parent must stay involved. Help your children develop good study habits.

Level of parent involvement
The school itself welcomes parent involvment. Depending on the teacher, there are many parents who help out in the class. Those that can't help out during the day, help out by participating in the various events. When we have school events parents as well as the Glenview community come and help out. We have 2 major fundraising events: Walkathon in the Winter which has netted 10k and our Spring Fair which the Glenview Association is a very big part of the event. This year the PTA is taking over the Science Fair, we are incorporating a 5 week Saturday Science Camp for the children and in March we will have a Pancake Breakfast, Science Fair. Like all schools, its normally your same families that pull the weight. We would like to see more parents involved and its slowly coming around. The principal is open to parental involvement, ideas, events. We done the cookbook fundraiser, with school support, assemblies. If parents have ideas or connections for bringing in new programs or so forth. There are also on-site boards you can join. I for instance belong to the SCC, which is a school counsel which makes decisions and recomendations on how monies can be spent. There is also a bi-lingual counsel that parents can belong with same decision making abilities.

Teachers
We have been totally blessed. Everyone of my son's teachers except for 1 which was changed within 2 weeks of school and by the way is no longer there have been great. The teachers are the best. Both of my kids have the same kinder teacher--wonderful. My daughter, the kinder is beginning to read. She can read the very easy Dr. Seuss books. I have found that when the children are assigned to a teacher they attempt to match personalities and abilities. It really makes a difference. I have no bad words for the teachers at Glenview. I think they are dedicated to the teaching of children. They are also very willing to work with parents.

Overall recommendations
I think Glenview is a good elementary school. My kids are doing well. I really like the diversity at this school, it celebrates the different groups in classroom education, assemblies, field trips and so forth.

Cindy