• Reviews of St. Paul's Episcopal School
• After-school program
• African American Children at St. Paul's
• Jewish Children at St. Paul's
• Same-sex parents at St. Paul's

Reviews of St. Paul's Episcopal School

St. Paul's education is unsurpassed. St. Paul'sm teachers are amazing. St. Paul's students display rare confidence, compassion, collegiality, and social intelligence. St. Paul's students are well prepared for high school and do extremely well in the high school placement process. St. Paul's students ...are good people. They are creative thinkers. They know how to learn. They have nice manners. They are leaders. St. Paul's was diverse before diversity was cool. Diversity extends beyond the students and their families. The faculty is diverse as well. St. Paul's award- winning Service Learning Program is woven into the fabric of the curriculum. This is one of the unique features of the school. The school was created for children of all faiths. This adds tremendously to the St. Paul's educational experience. Every Friday, the entire school community participates in Chapel where the values of compassion, tolerance and social justice are taught largely by the children themselves. The term kchapelm refers to the spiritual space as opposed to the Episcopal church service. Much is underway to enhance the facilities. St. Paul's is an urban school. The location of the school is central to the schoolms mission to be a part of the city of Oakland and to prepare the children to be community citizens not autonomous, privileged children who are cloistered behind high walls. We feel truly blessed to have this amazing school. Proud parent of St. Paul's Kg and 3rd graders

Re: Private middle school for academically advanced but socially insecure 11-year-old
Look at St. Paul's Episcopal in Oakland. I live just off Hwy 24/13 in Oakland and it's a pretty quick drive for me, so I don't think it would be a bad commute (BART is an option too). I have a child in the lower school, and I have been impressed by the middle school kids at St. Paul's. There is an emphasis at St. Paul's on personal responsibility and service to the community, and the kids really learn how to be self-assured and confident in a very supportive and encouraging environment. It is also excellent academically, with kids going off to the top public and private high schools. I think it would be a great place for a child like your daughter, because there is such a range of kids. No one stands out as "different" because every kid there is different. When you visit St. Paul's you will notice right away that it looks more like an urban public school than a private school, with all sorts of kids - poor kids, preppy kids, artsy kids, all colors and cultures. It is an urban school, which would be a different kind of experience for a kid from the suburbs, but it could be the right place for your daughter. Check the website http://www.spes.org/ for upcoming admissions events and feel free to email me if you have any questions. Ginger

Re: Considering BMH or Aurora for 1st grader
I suggest you check out St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Oakland. We have two boys at the school and have been very pleased. Like your son, one of our boys, now in the 5th grade has fine motor issues and is very active. He has been at St. Paul’s since Kindergarten and has always loved it. We are very impressed with the teachers, who use Mel Levine School’s Attuned Program, and are very adept at making accommodations for all kinds of learners, as well as children with challenges. In the early grades, when there was a fair amount of workbook activity in spelling and handwriting, he was encouraged to do the best he could and the expectations were quite modest. Since the 4th grade our son has been encouraged to learn to keyboard and he now uses either a computer or a word-processor called an Alpha- smart for much of his written work, which really facilitates the writing process. These are just a couple of examples of the age appropriate accommodations the School makes. Despite our son’s challenges with writing, I think the reason he so enjoys school is because the curriculum across subject areas (language arts, social studies, math, spanish, etc.) is very engaging and he is recognized in the classroom and on the playground for his many strengths. From the earliest grades, St. Paul’s students engage in a lot of project-based learning, which is a great way to delve deeply into a subject area. There’s a good balance between independent and collaborative work so that the students learn how to manage both effectively. Lastly, St. Paul’s teachers recognize that kids today are active and they learn best when they have plenty of opportunity to move around both in and outside the classroom. I hope you’ll check out St. Paul’s. es

Re: Private Middle School for Nature Loving 6th Grader???
Check out St. Paul's Episcopal School in Oakland for your 6th grader. The academics are excellent, but the school avoids a pressure cooker environment. Rather than empahsizing achievement for its own sake, St. Paul's really works to get student to be engaged learners.

And while I don't want to oversell the school on its ability to deliver on the nature front (it is an urban school), the 6th grade class does its weekly community service cleaning Lake Merritt with long nets and hip waders. They incorporate what they learn about the lake and its ecosystem into their science curriculum. (For the kids who have been there since lower school, this follows their 3rd grade service learning project of performing the migratory bird census of Lake Merritt). Other service learning opportunities in middle school include working at an animal shelter and a community garden, which my son loved.

It's a wonderful school, and wonderful families are a part of it. You and your daughter sound like you would fit right in. If the ''Episcopal'' part of the name gives you pause, please know that families from all religious traditions (including those with no religious traditions at all) are welcome and represented. The school's emphasis in on spirituality, not a specific religion. Also, there are other families who come through the tunnel to go to St. Paul's. Happy St. Paul's Parent

Re: Stong music program for entering kindergartener
I have been really impressed with the music program at St. Paul's Episcopal School in Oakland, where my son is in kindergarten. We're new to the school this year, so I don't know as much as more seasoned parents, but I can tell the music program is going to be great for our son, who seems to be really musical. He has been coming home singing all sorts of songs every day - everything from 50's era folk songs to Dona Nobis Pacem. All the students at the school, K-8, have music instruction, and the kids give four concerts each year. The entire school sings together every Friday. We recently attended the first concert, featuring a selection of songs from each grade level. Even the little ones stood tall with arms at their sides, belting out the songs. I had to get a tissue out - they were incredible. They sang a finger-snapping Nat King Cole swing song, a Native American song, an old union organizing song. There are 5 music teachers on staff. St. Paul's has a strong percussion program for all students, and the school makes a point of teaching the music of many cultures including (to quote the website) Arabic, African American, Afro-Cuban, American Jazz and Swing, Brazilian, European, Ghanan, Japanese, Jewish, Latin, Native American, Swahili and Trinidadian. Afterschool lessons are available for brass, piano, violin and woodwinds. Although the music program is not the main reason we chose St. Paul's, it figured in to our decision. You should go check out this school! Ginger

Re: Do (should) parents have a say at private schools?

We've been a St. Paul's family for 6 years now. I'm happy to share my opinions about whether parents should and/or do have a say at private schools. However, I strongly encourage you to talk to the admissions office for the school's official policy. In fact, I think these are good questions to pose to each private and public school you tour.

In general, I believe that private schools are inherently more responsive to parents than public schools can be. Public schools answer to politicians and are governed by a state-wide (and, as in the case of No Child Left Behind, nation-wide) agenda. Private schools like St. Paul's are driven by their mission and really do answer to the parents. If they lose their faith in the school, they will leave.

At St. Paul's, I have felt that the administration cares deeply about its parents' desires and opinions. Although the school doesn't methodically solicit general parental feedback, there ARE multiple levels by which parents are encouraged to share their concerns and ideas with the staff. In all levels, the staff strives to be thoughtful, respectful (a big word at St. Paul's) and responsive. However, they do not simply react to the whims of the parent body. The staff - both teachers and administrators - are experts in their fields with years of experience. They are paid to live and breathe education, and for the most part the parents respect their expertise. This is not to say the parents don't speak up or even apply pressure at times. They (we) do. But we also try to understand the philosophy behind the curriculum and the larger issues contributing to certain school policies. It's a two-way communication, as it should be.

Concerns and grievances are communicated to the school in multiple ways. Overall, the school encourage parents to direct "accurate information to the person who needs it.” The communication methods vary according to the type of concern: For personal issues, such as those pertaining to a particular student's academic or social situation, the school strongly encourages parents and teachers to just pick up the phone and call one another. The staff is generally very responsive to parents, although like in most organizations, it pays for a parent to be persistent and polite. If a parent doesn't feel that the teacher has completely answered or managed the issue, the parent is encouraged to contact the lower or middle school head (aka, the teacher's supervisor). From there, the school will turn to whatever other inside or outside experts are deemed necessary.

For more general issues, such as concerns or ideas about school- wide policies, events, or facilities, parents can call the appropriate administrator directly. Alternatively, they can attend a monthly "Parent Council" meeting or ask their Parent Council (PC) representative to communicate on their behalf. The PC primarily acts as a fund-raising and community-building organization for the school. But, the monthly meetings are open to all St. Paul's families, and are usually attended by the school head and/or other administrators. This makes the PC an effective means for parents to raise issues of general concern and get quick responses from the administration.

The head of school and other administrators also hold an annual "State of the School" meeting in the Spring, and usually host or attend dozens of gatherings each year with parents to facilitate casual communication.

Finally, the school's governing body, its Board of Trustees, is largely made up of current and alumni parents. Since the Board is responsible for the school's finances, strategic plan, and the hiring /firing of the school head, it is a fairly powerful body with lots of oversight.

I hope this summary helps. Again, I encourage you to ask your questions of the admissions offices when you tour or apply to schools. Good Luck! - Happy St. Paul's Parent

I also agree that these are VERY important considerations when evaluating ANY school, whether it be public OR private. I currently have a child in kindergarten and I went through the ''kindergarten frenzy'' last year. I looked at both public and private schools trying to determine the right fit for me and my child. I was very nervous about sending my child to a private school for a number of reasons, but I was also nervous about sending her to a public school. I have to say that I've (we've) been really happy so far at St. Paul's. I feel everyone is very approachable and sincerely interested in hearing what you have to say. At every school event that I have attended including kindergarten-only functions, the Head of School, Director of Lower School and even Director of Admissions have all been present. They have always encouraged input and feedback from the parents. St. Paul's has an incredibly active group of parents (as do some of the public schools), who really participate greatly in the day-to-day operations of the sch ool as well as in special school functions.

I had some concerns about my daughter and when I sent an e-mail to both of her teachers, (each Kindergarten has 2 full-time teachers for 18 students) I promptly received a response and, much to my surprise and delight, I saw immediate results. I can only speak about my experience at St. Paul's, but I would caution against drawing gross generalizations without really checking out all the different schools that this area has to offer. Talk with lots and lots of parents attending both public and private schools. Visit the schools themselves; talk with the teachers, adminstrators and even the students. I will bet that you will be hard-pressed to draw broad conclusions about either public or private schools in the Bay Area. There is truly a broad spectrum of both types of schools. This in and of itself speaks to the wonderful div ersity of this area.
Another Happy St. Paul's Parent

Re: Oakland Elementary school for possible learning delays
I strongly recommend you look at St. Paul's Episcopal School (K- 8) in Oakland. Our two boys, now in 1st and 4th grades, have attended St. Paul's since Kindergarten and we are delighted with the School. St. Paul's program is grounded in 4 key tenets: academic excellence, diversity, service learning and spirituality. One of the things that distinguish St. Paul's is the degree to which these tenets are integrated into the curriculum.

St. Paul's program is academically challenging. My children have very distinct strengths and learning styles and both are being academically challenged. St. Paul's uses a constructivist approach to learning where children are encouraged to not only learn specific skills but develop their own intellectual curiosity and power. The curriculum builds in complexity each year with children taking on progressively more responsibility for their learning. St. Paul's uses Dr. Mel Levine's Schools Attuned Program and close to 100% of the teachers and staff are trained in the program. This program helps educators recognize, understand and manage differences in learning. In the 5th grade, as part of a science unit on the brain, students' study Dr. Levine's work to determine what kind of learners they are and how they can be most successful in school and in life.

St. Paul's teachers are amazing. They are extremely committed professionals who love kids. Each of my children's teachers has really sought to get to know them personally, which has a positive impact in the classroom and beyond. Over the years, when there has been a concern about our kids, we have always found the teachers to be extremely responsive and helpful. At St. Paul's there's a wonderful teacher, staff and parent collaboration.

St. Paul's students are well prepared for high school and do extremely well in the high school placement process; for example, close to 30% of this year's St. Paul's graduating class was admitted to CPS. What is even more impressive to me than the high schools or even colleges St. Paul's students attend, is the kind of people they become. St. Paul's students are leaders in their communities. It is not at all uncommon to hear about a current or former St. Paul's student forming a new club, initiating a funding drive, or traveling to a far off country in the service of others. I believe, the School's commitment to diversity, service learning and spirituality drive this.

At St. Paul's diversity takes many forms. Children come from a wide variety of family structures and have many different learning styles. More than 50% of the students are children of color. Close to 40% of families receive tuition assistance. Respect for oneself and for others permeates the curriculum at every grade level.

St. Paul's award winning Service Learning Program is woven into the fabric of the curriculum with each class working on at least one project throughout the school year. For example, the third graders conduct the annual bird census for the City of Oakland. Students learn about migratory birds in class and then are assigned an individual bird to observe with their class each week at Lake Merritt. At the end of the School year, after charting their bird's migration pattern, the students each present their findings in both writing and orally to a Naturalist at the Rotary Nature Center.

Students and families come from a wide variety of faiths and traditions and this adds tremendously to the St. Paul's educational experience. Every Friday the entire school community participates in Chapel where the values of compassion, tolerance and social justice are taught largely by the children themselves. Students in each class lead Chapel twice yearly, sharing their own lessons with the community. My children have participated in wonderful chapels on such diverse subjects as family, hunger, islands, Mardi Gras, Chinese New Year, and St. Patrick's Day. Through these chapel presentations, students have the opportunity to practice public speaking and also explore their leadership skills.

I hope you will take a look at St. Paul's. We are just thrilled with the School. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to know more about the School or its programs and check out the website at www.spes.org. Debra

My ''immature'' 10 year-old son was recently accepted into St. Paul's and St. Leo's for middle school. He is a bright, silly, African American boy who would some day like to go to Bishop O'Dowd high school. Preferences and why? Dazed & Confused

Re: Private Schools with No Bullying
I can tell you after exposure through multiple offspring in different independent schools that St. Paul's Episcopal School does an extraordinary, almost fool-proof job of eliminating the bully culture. There is really no bullying, exclusion, meanness, all the stuff that most of us experienced at one time or another in middle school. St. Paul's seems to achieve such a culture through a few avenues: an unwavering expectation that everyone will be kind and respectful to each other, their teachers, the administration, even the environment. As well, the teachers seem vigilant about how its students are treating each other and, then, immediately responsive when there is less than kind behavior. I have been impressed to hear very young children at St. Paul's reminding other children about rules such as ''no whispering, no body stuff, use your words, no gossiping.'' I don't believe that every child who enters St. Paul's is an instinctively kind and compassionate child, but I have witnessed that the children who leave St. Paul's are particularly aware of how they treat others and how they are being treated. It's impressive.

Finally, a colleague of mine recently started the search for a private middle school for his inward, cerebral son, feeling that their local Orinda middle school wasn't going to offer his child the kind of support that a sensitive, smaller school might. To quote the education psychologist the family consulted, ''I would advise you to take a look at St. Paul's. It has zero bullying culture based on the feedback I have rec'd in nine years of acting as a consultant.'' Independent School Veteran

Nov 2003

As for academics, my older boy attended a very non-academic preschool and is young for his class. He has found the academic program at SPES challenging in all grade levels. My current kindergartner, on the other hand, attended a very academic pre-school (Lakeview) and is not young for the class. I think he is certainly learning new things in SPES, but it's not quite the stretch it was for my oldest son.

If you have any particular questions, feel free to contact me directly. stephanie

What we really like about St. Paul's is that it is a balanced school--it emphasizes academics, and it prepares the kids exceptionally well for high school, but it also is deeply committed to turning out kind and respectful kids. That philosophy is reflected in every part of the school, from the school's deep and abiding committment to diversity, to the the curriculum, to the after school program, to the service learning program, to the buddy network. As an example, my kindergartner has formal ''buddies'' in just about every grade level (reading buddies, science buddies, service learning buddies, general eighth grade buddies, etc.), creating very strong ties among all of the students as well as a support network wherein the older kids really care about and look out for the younger kids, and vice versa. There is a strong sense of community both among students and among the families there that may not be unique (I don't have experience with other schools) but is certainly special and very valuable for our overall experience. Pam

My kids are/were happy at St. Paul's. The school is well and consistently run. The teachers are mostly good to excellent. There is not however the goal of academic intensity much like a Bentley and/or Head Royce. We knew that going in and were happy with our choice. Other families have left SP in pursuit of what I felt was ''too much, too soon.''

SP is not for everyone but

Would do SP, again

March 1998

Although my child is in the lower School at St. Paul's, we know the teachers, philosophy, etc at St. Paul's as a whole. Although no school is perfect, St. Paul's is marvelous. It not only is academically challenging, but the diversity and community service is like no other private school in the Bay Area. The kids are intellectually curious and adept, have compassion for society, and are generally happy. High school admissions officers love St. Paul's students because they really do stand out from the crowd, both academically and as interesting people.

We elected not to send our child to Head-Royce or Bentley - we were worried it would be too snobbish, homogeneous and focused on academic output rather than the whole child- and, by the way, our child and most kids I know at St. Paul's are academically on par with or ahead of the students at the so-called academic schools). The only other school we considered for our child with a similar child and community centered approach to St. Paul's is Park Day. They also have a marvelous program. We didn't investigate Prospect-Sierra, so we don't know anything about it.

My opinions are based not only on my personal observations and visits to the schools, but on countless conversations with parents (including several who pulled their kids from Bently and Head-Royce to come to St. Paul's), administrators and high school counselors. On the other hand, everyone has to make their own decision about what is best for their child, based on the child's particular needs.

Good luck

After-school program

I have applied for my son to attend Kindergarten at Redwood Day, St. Paul's and Head Royce. I wondered if parents with experience in these schools' aftercare programs have anything to say about them. Thank you! -prospective mom

When my daughter was in kindergarten, she often told me she didn't know what to do because the activities were open for kids to initiate the process of ''joining in'' but my kid was on the shy side. She often wondered around and just watched what other kids were doing.

It got a little better when she was in the 1st grade, when she had some friends she could play with in the after school program. She liked to stay in the art room, for example, or play at the play structure because her friends liked those activities, although I still found her wondering around especially when her friends had gone home early.

There were short-term, small cooking classes, sports activities, and other classes periodically, but you'd have to check the bulletin board often and sign up right away; otherwise, the classes became full quickly. The only exception was chess, taught by the Berkeley Chess School, and Mandarin, both with low enrollment and I think they stopped offering Mandarin.

When my kid entered 2nd grade, she told me she was bored with the after school program, so we began to sign up for classes outside of school. We had to be creative with our work schedule in order to transport her from school to activities.

In general, if your kid is independent, outgoing, and knows what he/she wants to do, the cafeteria style open entry activities would be great for them to choose from. Even so, your kid may still outgrow the same old activities like my kid because they are not skills-building or interest-building types of activities but instead places for kids to socialize and pass time before they're picked up by their parents. I feel that my daughter's much happier and has learned so much from taking outside after- school classes. Anon

African American Children at St. Paul's

Re: Seeking Diversity & Top Academics K- 12 Bay Area
We've been very happy at St. Paul's and came looking for the same things you mentioned. The teachers are awesome. The school has more than 50 percent children of color, which I didn't find at any other independent school we looked at. We get tuition assistance, as do a lot of families, so there's a range of economic backgrounds, too. One of the things I like best for my kids to see is the number of African Americans who are running things: the head of school, the head of the lower school, and the director of admissions are all African American. To me, this sends a message to my kids that's more powerful than talking about diversity. Also, St. Paul's kids end up everywhere in high school. My kids will be at Berkeley High when their time comes, but St. Paul's kids go to College Prep, Head Royce, Athenian and Bentley. jane

Re: Lonely 2nd grader is the only African American in her class
Hi, I can relate to your situation 110%. We also have two African- American daughters in different private schools, and understand what your child is feeling. My youngest daughter goes to St. Pauls, where there are a good number of African Americans. Even though the number is small, it is larger than I've seen at other private shcools. The director, admissions director, and some teachers are African American. I don't have the exact count for second grade, but I don't think she'll be the only minority. It is a difficult balance for African American parents who want the best education for their children, but also want their children to feel comfortable in their skin. We still haven't found the right balance, but St. Paul's seems like a great start. Good Luck anon

Oct 2003

St. Paul's Espicopal School near Lake Merrit in Oakland is a wonderful very racially diverse, very academic, yet nurturing private school near Lake Merrit in Oakland. It might be farther away than you had planned, but you should visit it because it has so much going for it (except physical facilities- but outweighted by all the other positives). Also, they have scholarship money if you're eligible. Diane

I am happy to be a resource for Jewish families interested in St. Paul's school. I have three children at the school and my fourth, currently happily attending Temple Sinai Preschool, will hopefully end up there as well.

We could not be happier at the school. The academic program, the diversity, the service learning, and most especially the financial aid program, more generous than any other I know of, make St. Paul's an outstanding school. But the reason I'm writing specifically is that if you're like us you might not have considered it...as my husband said the first time he refused even to tour - ''Hey, Paul was the worst apostle. He invented anti-semitism.''

But St. Paul's is the perfect environment for Jewish children. There is little in the way of specifically Episcopal doctrine (the closest IÂ’ve seen was the chapel about St. Brigid). Most importantly, there is no hypocrisy about the supposed secular nature of the major Christian holidays. Christmas is recognized as a religious holiday some people celebrate and some do not. And they even do Tashlich on Rosh Hashanah!

Please feel free to email me personally if youÂ’d like to find out more. Ayelet

Does anyone have experience with what it's like for Jewish children at the St. Paul's Episcopal school?

Same-sex parents at St. Paul's

Re: East Bay Schools for child of same sex parents
As a two-mom family, we've been extremely happy at St. Paul's Episcopal in Oakland. Beginning in kindergarten, kids spend a lot of time talking about what makes a family. A poster from the film ''That's a Family'' is on the wall showing two mom families, two dad families, and other kinds of families. The kids share about their family structures. Second graders watch the film ''That's a Family.'' When a new third grader entered my kids' class this year and used the word ''gay'' as a pejorative, the third grade teacher promptly put on ''That's a Family'' and held a class discussion. I don't know the numbers, but there are lots of two mom and two dad families at the school. Also, there are openly gay faculty members, which sends a great message to the kids. We've felt very comfortable and respected. Feel free to contact me if you'd like to talk further. Jane

Re: Gay Friendly Private Schools
I can't speak to the situation at the schools you listed, but can suggest that you take a look at St. Paul's Episcopal School which (despite, or perhaps because of, its general affiliation with the Episcopalians) is extremely progressive on social and community issues in general. In particular, the school -- both administration and parent body -- are very mindful of and commited to diversity in family structure. In fact, the school's ''gay-friendly'' reputation and track record were one of the selling points for us in sending our kid there (tho we are straight) .... If you e-mail, I'd be glad to provide more details or help you make contact with a gay family at the school. aj