Re: How are El Cerrito/Kensington Schools?

Our kids are doing El Cerrito public schools (elementary, middle, and high school) and with the exception of a few teachers that they really didn't mesh with, it's been an excellent education.

El Cerrito High is like a smaller version of Berkeley High. A wide range of choices for kids (Special Ed to Advanced Placement), a strong sports program, drama, art, dance, It's a palace compared to the high school I attended. public school mom

El Cerrito High School Homework and Environment

Living in El Cerrito, I had de facto considered El Cerrito High the school our soon-to-be ninth grader would attend, although we've also applied to a public charter in a nearby city. After an ECHS school tour, I have concerns about homework time (we were told by both a teacher and a student to expect 4-6 hours per night). With sports and other extracurricular activities, I am questioning whether 4-6 hours of daily homework is feasible for our child or family. This time commitment seemed extreme to me, based on the homework time in the (academically oriented) middle school our child attended. Because of class sizes, I also wonder how ECHS works for a quiet, more reserved type of student--is it easy to get lost in the crowd and have little contact with teachers there? Or does everyone seem to find their 'niche'. My impression from the tour was that an outgoing student would do well there -- how about a quieter student? I understand there will soon be 'academies' or mini schools within the school but not for 9th graders. El Cerrito Parent

1. Students take three to four classes each semester; every class covers an entire year in a shorter period of time. This is both good and bad. It is good because students only have homework in a few classes every day, rather than in six or seven classes everyday. Our daughter (current 10th grader) tries to schedule classes with the ''difficult'' classes spread out over each semester. So, one semester she has homework ONLY in English and Math (her elective did not have homework); the next semester she has homework ONLY in AP World History, Chemistry, and Japanese (PE has no homework). So, as you can see, this allows students to really focus on a few classes at a time; it also means that classes move very quickly, and students really cannot miss school, because each day covers about two or three days of curriculum.

2. Students may have more homework one semester, and less the other, depending on their classes.

3. If students only have three classes (they usually have three one semester and four the other, which equals a total of seven for the year), they get out of school around 2:30. If they have four classes, they get out at 4:00.

4. Our daughter seems to have about two hours of homework daily (give or take half an hour). She NEVER has four hours of homework! She does have homework on the weekends, and also over breaks.

5. So far, the homework seems reasonable. The classes do move at a quick pace, but kids manage. Of course, AP classes have a lot of work, because it is all crammed into one semester. But otherwise, homework has not been an issue for our family.

Hope this helps! EC Mom

Starting ECHS next year ...

Our 14 year old will start El Cerrito High in Fall 2012. I am interested in any feedback on your son/daughter's experience there, especially in regard to class size and academics. My hope is that there is the option of my 14 year old taking classes that are academically oriented. In addition, I have some concerns about class size being extremely large and I am hoping this is not the case. Any feedback appreciated... Future ECHS Mom

ECHS is a little bit of a weird mix, demographically. You have a lot (a lot) of kids who are coming from the worse parts of EC and Richmond and are very behind academically. But then there are the Kensington kids and the kids from EC and Richmond who are doing just fine. For a teenager who is already on track, ECHS can provide a good college prep education. (It can for a teenager who is behind, too, but that teenager has much bigger hurdles to jump.) Jessica

PROS:
-- Math department is top notch. Great instruction, support, and challenge.
-- English department is also very good.
-- Opportunities to take a variety of electives. I have heard that art and photography are both very good classes. Our daughter has taken drama and creative writing.
-- Japanese is one of the foreign language choices
-- COMMUNICATION: any time I have ever e-mailed a teacher or an administrator, I have received a response the same day (including the principal).
-- Teachers are responsible and communicative with parents and teachers
-- Every kid seems to find their niche and their place in the school
-- Lots of great clubs to belong to. Clubs have a lot of support and some are nationally known
-- New, beautiful campus
-- Safe atmosphere. There have been a few fights, but always between two parties who have a history and who seek each other out; other students are never involved or targeted. I feel that in every case, the school responded appropriately.
-- Some Academies (three or four, I think) that kids can apply to. They are on the website.

CONS:
-- Class size is large. Some classes are larger than others.
-- Freshman year is a little bit of a gamble (but ONLY freshman year). It's hard to navigate to get the ''right'' classes, and the classes are not as tracked freshman year. That is, for example, your freshman in Spanish 2 may have seniors in the class who need to take the class to graduate. That is not ideal, because the needs are different.
-- Spanish department does not seem to be that great
-- Some kids are not interested in being there (is this the case with all public high schools? Maybe. I don't know). This really annoys my child.
-- The sports programs vary. Some are great; some are very mediocre or poor. Depends on the sport. Coaches seem transient.
-- Academics vary. Freshman year is sort of hit or miss. Sophomore year seems much better in terms of challenge and expectations. I expect junior year will be more so.

When talking to our many, many friends in Albany and Berkeley, it seems that there are pros and cons in all of the schools. I have not seen the drugs or alcohol at EC that I hear people talk about in Albany schools. I have also heard that Berkeley can be hit or miss as well. So, there are good things and bad things about all three local public schools. Personally, I am happy with EC, and am involved in my child's classes and keep communication open with all of the teachers. Happy to stay in my community

I am considering moving my son from Piedmont Middle School to El Cerrito HS next year. (He's got residency in both.) He's not a super-motivated kid, and loses homework almost as often has he loses focus, but he's bright and responds to good teachers. He is an athlete, and is probably most motivated when we tie sports participation to grades. He likes history. He makes friends easily. He could be the kid who slips through the cracks if we let him. We'd like him to emerge from high school with good decision making and problem solving skills, some educational exposure to politics, economics, (including critique), strong enough math and science skills for him to build on should he need to, and a stronger interest in making the world a better place. We'd like him to be able, even if he's not ready just yet, to go to a good college that won't bankrupt us. Is this likely to be a good match for my kid?

We're attracted to ECHS' diversity, and the reputation for it not being clique-ish. Still true?

I've heard good things about El Cerrito High, and the postings here are almost completely positive, but they're a few years old; nothing since the economic meltdown and the loss of funding to schools. How's ECHS holding up? Is it still a safe school? Potential El Cerrito Parent

Thanks to the generosity of W. County voters, school bond funds paid for a new earthquake-safe school. Hallways are pristine with brand new lockers, classrooms are beautiful, the science labs are fully equipped, the gym has a workout/cardio room with high-end treadmills, ellipticals, and stationery bikes used by the P.E. classes, and brand new playing fields are currently under construction.

There is a world-class performing arts center on campus. The music program is fantastic and I was impressed by the dance teacher when she had her students perform. They also have a drama program. There are many options for sports and special interest clubs and good second language options (French, Spanish, and Japanese). The school has a radio station, an auto shop class (rare these days), and some good vocational ed options to prepare students for the work force. However, most of the students in our neighborhood go on to attend four year universities after graduation.

My student likes his teachers and I was particularly impressed with them when we visited the classrooms during back-to-school night.

This is a very diverse school with a wide range of students, from very affluent households to lower income households. My student attended Portola before coming to ECHS so he was well prepared, both socially and academically, to thrive at a public high school. The experiences he is having will prepare him for college and for life.

I am grateful to have such a wonderful school in our community.

Our daughter will be attending El Cerrito High School next year, as a freshman. She is currently an eighth grader at Portola. I am wondering how the academics and opportunities at El Cerrito High School match up to those at Albany High School. Our daughter lives half time with her father, who lives in Albany, and can attend either high school. She wants to attend El Cerrito High School. Can any one chime in on the following points?

--Academics
--Safety
--School culture and climate
--Opportunities and electives

We are thinking of moving to either Berkeley or El Cerrito, and would appreciate some input on how El Cerrito High compares to Berkeley High. El Cerrito is much more affordable, but more of our friends live in Berkeley. (If we can find a place in Kensington, that would put us in ECHS too, right?)

BHS seems just too darn big. I like the fact that ECHS is 1/3 the size. But how does ECHS compare to BHS academically, socially, athletically, and in terms of race relations, drug scene, teacher and administration accessibility?

We have two kids, one who is very sociable, very organized, loves English, Social Studies, Drama. The other is an introvert - he is a good student, but when struggling (math) does not ask for help easily. He also is slower to make friends. He is is athletic (lacrosse, track/cross-country, rowing) and very gifted at languages (French, Spanish, self-taught Japanese). I know BHS has lacrosse and rowing, but ECHS has Japanese.

I've read the reviews on the BPN website, and the one thing that isn't clear to me is how kids choose classes at ECHS. Is the whole program open (unlike BHS with its obligatory lottery assignment to a specific program/school?) Also, ECHS has a block system (but rumor is BHS is about to shift to block). What do people think of the block system as it exists at ECHS or may exist at BHS?

But mostly, would we be crazy to move to El Cerrito rather than Berkeley for the high school? Thanks! ...swimming upstream to El Cerrito?

I am considering El Cerrito High for my daughter. I am hoping some parents will share their experiences and insights into their children's experience at the school.

I say mixed because while there is a smallish group of excellent students, there are also a lot of students who don't want to be in school, poor grades, attitudes, troublemakers. Socioeconomically this is a very mixed school, rich kids from the hills and a lot of kids from inner city Richmond whose parents don't want them going to two of the worst HSs in the state, Richmond and Kennedy. While there are constant problems including some fights, there is an EC police officer on campus and tight security. I asked my daughters many times if they feel safe there and they always said yes. And they say no one ever bothers them. If your child is one of the good kids (political correctness be damned) who studies and has good friends then s/he should have no problems.

A plus is that EC is one of the smallest public HSs in the area. Another plus is also that the school is a mixed bag. I like that. I don't want my kids going to some lily white school full of rich kids. I want them to get a practical, real world education as well as an academic education. My daughters' best friends are all college track kids but they also have many friends they met in class or sports who didn't/will not go to college; who are working at silver screen video or the supermarket etc. The admin. is okay. I've had good and bad experiences with them. I like the new principal, good guy.

A neg. is not a lot of AP courses to choose from. They offer what I would say is the minimum; Calc AB/BC, Chem, Bio, US Hist. and a few more.

Overall I would say EC is adequate and for the good kids it's pretty good. sean

Of course, a great deal depends upon your child. If you have reason to fear that he or she may be especially vulnerable to falling in with ''bad companions'' or cutting class or taking drugs, all of that is certainly a possibility -- as it is anywhere, even in private school. Overall, we've found that most of the kids are good kids, most of the teachers are very good teachers, and most of our experiences were quite positive.

One of my boys went to school, made friends, got reasonably good grades, but never really went out of his way to participate in any school activities. He had a good time, he turned out just fine, and he is doing well in college. But the other boy really made an effort to belong and to participate in activities. There is no doubt that his experience of the school was much richer. (I'll put in just one small plug for the Marching Band. It provides an instant place to ''belong.'' I can't think of a better niche for a kid.)

This is all pretty general. If you have more specific questions, post them and I will try to be more specific in my answers. anonymous

There are enough AP classes to take GPA higher than 4.6 or .7, and these students were accepted to Stanford, Yale, Harvard, Cornell, CAL, UCSD, and UCLA. Many of them belong to leadership or volunteer programs. At least two of the top ten students do sports, one was accepted to Cal or UCLA, and other was accepted to Cornell and CAL engineering. The latter goes to US championship, too. There are students who were accepted to Columbia, Brown, and Dartmouth. Several students were accepted as chancellor's scholar or got into honor programs at UC. At least 6 students were accepted to Cal engineering.

ECHS provides the best Math education. Two Math students at CAL started tutor programs for ECHS students several years ago, and it is working really well. Many students took 5 on both AP Calculus AB and BC exams. It is a trend to finish Calculus AB and BC by junior year, so students can submit AP scores when they apply colleges. A few of them take Multivariable calculus at CAL or BCC during senior year, and the tutors still help them. You don’t need a private tutor.

Science classes do not have enough money. There was an egg experiment in the Biology lab, and it was the same experiment my daughter had at her elementary school. Although my daughter took AP science classes, it was hard to take good scores for AP exams and SAT subject tests. Taking science classes at a community college might help.

My daughter enjoyed Two AP English, US history and Euro history. World War II simulation class is something that you can not miss, although it is not a AP class. She was disappointed about a French teacher and a Japanese teacher.

Although there are many good teachers, some of the administrators cause the problems at ECHS. Until last year, the school often sent a school event notice same day or after, so I missed the several. It was difficult to talk to one of the vice principle. She stayed in her office and sent a student to a counter to talk to me. Sending the student back and forth, finally she gave ma a wrong information, and I almost missed the due date. I called the office later, and the administrator helped to solve the problem. Textbook librarian also focuses on private phone calls, so students need to wait 20 minutes to obtain her signature. ECHS used to have good counselors. One moved last year, and one retires this year. We are disappointed about the new counselor.

My daughter didn’t feel unsafe at ECHS except two students forced her to pay money for the student who was killed at a party two years ago. They got money from the class saying ‘Donation,’ but they didn’t have permission. We reported school, but nothing was done. Also two boys were attacked by students when they were freshmen, and one of them sent to a hospital on a Freshman Friday three years ago. We have a hard working new principal. The situation might be better now. Mom of 2008

This year there are students going to many prestigious schools: Brown, Yale, Columbia, USC, Cal, UCLA, Stanford, Dartmouth and many others, including most (if not all) of the UCs.

Pros: We have a very strong math department, with free, wonderful tutoring available. We have a strong upper-division English department. Both AP English teachers (AP Literature and Composition and AP Language and Composition) are young, enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable. The sciences have their strong points, including a great Physics/AP Chemistry teacher. Your student will not enjoy his class if he/she is not willing to work hard. Social sciences at El Cerrito are phenomenal in the upper division/elective level. US History (both AP and regular), AP European History, and World War II all have very enthusiastic, caring teachers who want their students to succeed. The arts are strong at El Cerrito, covering music, theater, art, and dance. The ITA Academy teaches students about computer programming, etc, and helps place them in jobs and internships. UC Berkeley's Educational Guidance Center helps students with everything they need to get them into college. It is a great resource, and I highly recommend utilizing it.

Cons: The administration is new, and somewhat overbearing. Mrs. Quein, a great counselor, will be retiring after this year. Many lower-level teachers' classes are somewhat lackluster and uninspiring. This is countered by that fact that if you work at it, you and your student can find the gems at ANY level. The transitional campus is small, crowded, and almost entirely asphalt. Again, there is a counterpoint, in that the school is expected to move into the newly-built campus sometime next year.

The student environment at ECHS is really open and laid-back. We have a very involved student body, and that is something I liked most during my time at El Cerrito. In general, students mix together, and socioeconomic stratification is not as readily apparent as you might think. Students here are generally accepting of everyone, whether they're different on a racial, sexual orientation, religious, or any other plane. It's a really nice environment to spend your high school time in, and still experience diversity on almost every level.

Overall, if your student is motivated to do well, they can get a high-quality education at El Cerrito. It helps to be strong-willed, as sometimes you have to annoy the administration to do what you need them to do, but the tradeoff is far worth the trouble.

I have been speaking mainly to the motivated student thusfar, but it's important to know that students who simply want to get through high school, graduate, and move on with their lives have a place at ECHS as well. There are easier classes that will fulfill a student's graduation requirements, help him or her get into a community college or trade school, or simply move into the workforce. There are rumors that the Auto Shop and Wood Shop classes will be returning with the new building, although I am not sure how true these will be.

Good luck! EC Student, c/o 2008

We have been considering El Cerrito High for our son as a freshman next Fall. I am very concerned with the changes I hear are coming as a result of the major budget cuts . I understand that this is the reality for all schools and in our already underfunded district the changes could be very fundamental. From parents who have experience at El Cerrito, would you start out a freshman there next year given what is likely to happen? What I know of the changes so far are the ending of the block system and the letting go of many teachers, starting this month I understand. Is there anything other than working through our representatives etc that we can do to address this situation? Any input in general about El Cerrito would be appreciated as we need to make this decision asap.. Thank you, Jennifer

Of course, it's not perfect. As with all schools, some teachers are better than others. ECHS seems to have a high percentage of very caring and talented teachers. We've known Vince Rhea, the new principal, since was vice principal there and he has always been hard working and supportive. The counselors are over-worked and have, in the past, been unhelpful -- however, the current group of counselors seems much improved.

The down side of ECHS is, unfortunately, its facility. It's depressing to see how the community has allowed a place of education to deteriorate so badly, and it's a credit to the teachers that they are able to teach so well despite the poor physical conditions there.

The looming budget cuts are a serious problem. All public schools face them. Although teachers have received lay-off notices, they have not been laid off yet. The decisions about budget cuts have yet to be finalized. We all need to contact our board of education and state representatives and governor to let them know that we will not tolerate any cuts in education.

To the family asking about El Cerrito High and schools outside of Berkeley and Albany:

In our family's experience, ECHS is excellent. It is half the size of BHS. As at most schools, there are both good and bad teachers. Generally, the science, math, history, and English faculties are topnotch. French is good. Spanish can be problematic. There are excellent music, dance, and drama programs. The debate program has been nationally recognized, although it's undergoing changes since the wonderful coaches retired. The community is very excited about the new principal, Vice Rhea, who had previously been a vice principal there.

Which school is better depends on your student. ECHS seems to meet the needs of a broad spectrum of students. It has a full program of advanced and AP classes, and also receives special assistance from Cal and other programs.

About middle school, although Portola has had problems in recent years, it has a new principal who seems to be well- liked, and its size should be decreasing since a new middle school is opening in Richmond. I don't think it's necessary to live in Albany to get a good education in the area. Good luck!

Does anyone have anything to say about El Cerrito High School, good or bad? How has the block scheduling worked out for your children? I was really surprised to see that there were no entries at all for ECHS on the UC Parents website. Wendy