Berkeley Parents Network: About El Cerrito Public Schools

Berkeley Parents Network

About El Cerrito Public Schools

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > K-12 Schools > West Contra Costa County School District > About El Cerrito Public Schools

See West Contra Costa USD page for a list of schools with reviews

January 2002

We're thinking about buying a home in El Cerrito and would like to hear about other families' experiences with the public schools, especially Fairmount Elementary Thanks! Kathryn

Although I went to Harding School (circa 1950) I would strongly recommend raising small children in El Cerrito. Its a very special (if unknown) place for families. Fairmount is located next to the Senior Center and the library. (Its also one block from the El Cerrito Natural Food Company, which is truly child-friendly.) Many families have lived in the city for two or three generations, sending their children through public education from kindergarten to college. (UC Berkeley is a common destination.) Kids who need extra help can go to one of the nearby learning centers or even spend a year or two at private alternative schools. (My kids spent time at Crestmont and Yellow Brick Road.)

Try it...you'll like it. And if you don't...you can always sell your house in a year or two for $100,000 more than you paid for it...take the proceeds and move to Lafayette! But you won't want to. Once you live in El Cerrito, you are home. Dorothy

PS...for great EC school news, check the El Cerrito Wire, available online and produced by elementary school teacher, Betty Buginas

To the parents considering a move to El Cerrito: I visited Fairmont School two years ago and was not impressed at all. Since then they have gotten a new principal and some additional funding, so things may be on the upswing. The only way to know is to visit some classes and talk to parents who are there now. The PTA newsletter will also give you a hint as to how involved the parents are and what they are doing. You can pick it up in the office.

Also, take all the boundary stuff with a grain of salt because there is a new middle school opening in January 2003 in Richmond, and as a result the district is currently looking at redrawing boundaries for the entire district. When we bought our house 8 years ago we were in Harding. By the time we started school we were in Fairmont. Now who knows, we may end up in Harding again! As for the quality of the middle schools, I'm afraid I haven't heard much positive input on them, but we are hoping that things will be better (and that we can work to make them better) by the time we get there in 5 years. El Cerrito High has a pretty good reputation, much like Berkeley High, it's big, but allows most kids to find a niche.

In general, El Cerrito is a great community with a lot happening. The Plaza is finally open with new shops, the pool at the Community Center will be completely renovated in the coming year, and there are lots of families in the neighborhoods. Good luck with these big decisions! Anne-Marie and Tim

(Also see pages for individual schools' recommendations above.)

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