Berkeley Parents Network: Madera Elementary (El Cerrito, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network

Madera Elementary (El Cerrito, CA)

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > K-12 Schools > West Contra Costa County School District > Madera Elementary

Review of Madera Elementary

Jan 2012

Hi, my kid will be entering Kindergarten (hopefully) at Madera Elem. in El Cerrito in the fall. How are the K. teachers? I understand that there are 4 classes this year. Pros and cons will be helpful. Thanks. Kim

My son just left Madera after 6 wonderful years. I wouldn't get too focused on which teacher your child gets--you don't get to choose anyway. (During our time there, you didn't find out the teacher until the night before, by driving by the school and checking the lists taped to the front door!) For us, some years were better than others, but the education was excellent and my son started 6th grade at a private middle school where he was better prepared than the kids who had been there the entire time (it's a k-8 school). BTW, the aftercare program is also excellent, and they keep the kindergartners in a separate group from the older kids (not that they're tough bullies or anything!). Happy Madera Alums

Nov 2011

Re: New to El Cerrito - Junior High and Elementary

Welcome to El Cerrito! We love it. Great community, wonderful local park and pool, great community center with lots of activities, great sport programs....

Madera is great; so is Kensington. A word of warning: A local private school has come upon very difficult times, and a number of students have left for the public schools. I believe Madera is currently full, as are the other elementary schools. Do call and see. If your local, neighborhood school is full, you can receive an interdistrict transfer to another El Cerrito school.

Good luck in your move, and we hope to see you in our local public schools! It Takes A Village (and we welcome you)

Welcome to El Cerrito! Madera is a ''great'' public school, but that does not mean it works for everyone or that we love everything about it. I have a 4th grader there now. The teacher is creative and energetic and reaches well beyond the canned curriculum and the pressure to teach to the test (yes, it is a major fact of life in public schools). Not all Madera teachers are as impressive.

Madera has a very active parent community which raises money for music, arts, science, PE, you name it. There are lots of events and enrichment activities. It is a diverse and interesting student (and parent) population and all in all a pretty happy campus, with an effective and accessible principal.

Madera just added a 6th grade this year, so Portola is now a 2-year middle school. Some kids do fine there, others do not. (Some kids do fine anywhere -- others would be better served elsewhere for sure.) The mantra is ''if your kid is academically strong and takes all the advanced classes and has a tight cohort of friends and plays in the band and/or plays sports ... Portola is fine.'' In any case, two years is not forever, and lots of kids leave during middle school years (for another district, or homeschool, private school, independent study); some return to the district for high school. Maybe when the new Portola campus is built, this will change.

Best of luck, hope Madera has a slot for you (I can't really speak to that question, although they do make every effort to seat someone who is a resident . Reasonably happy, but learning should be so much more fun than it is

Jan 2008

I would like to learn more about your child(ren)'s experience in upper grades in Madera school. We are interested in transfering our child next year, to the 4th grade. We have heard many positive comments about Madera, but so far I only know about K to 2nd grades. What kind of special elective classes there are for older kids? How do they handle larger classes? How are teachers enjoying teaching, or being challenged with large group of kids? Thank you very much in advance!

My daughter loved her 4th grade teacher, who is a long-time veteran, providing her students with a rich and varied curriculum. The other teacher has only been teaching at Madera for a few years, but he works very closely with his 4th grade colleague and is very enthusiastic and personable.

My daughter's 5th grade teacher retired after 25+years and the replacement teacher, a former Madera parent of four and very involved and exceptional volunteer, completed her teaching creditials a few years ago. The 4th & 5th grades average about 29 students, but can technically accept 33. My daughter was a GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) student, as were about half of her class. While there were no special elective or separate classes for GATE students, teachers prepared more challenging work folders for students to complete. Thanks to one very committed volunteer, we do have special pull-out sessions for our high achievers...but this exists solely from this one parent's extraordinary energy and gift of time and resources.

Madera continues to be one of the top public elementary schools in the state and our API score has been our highest in recent years. A very involved parent community raises funds to support many programs, including computer lab, music, field trips and cultural enrichment. This type of support allows our faculty to excel. vicki

August 2006

Hi, Would parents of students at Madera share how they like the school? My family are considering moving to El Cerrito area and hear about this elementary school. What do you like or dislike about the school? What is learning atmosphere, discipline issue, teacher quality, after school care like? Thanks! anonymous

We have a daughter entering 4th grade at Madera -- our neighborhood school -- and next year we will also have a Kindergartener there. We've been very happy with it overall. All my daughter's teachers have been good so far -- each with different strengths and interests. The school was remodeled recently, the facilities are nice and welcoming. (And you can't beat the views!) We like the diversity of the student body, and appreciate the high level of parent involvement and fundraising which helps offset the lack of district/state money for music, arts, etc. There is a pretty strong offering of after school enrichment classes (e.g., languages, African dance, carpentry), as well as an on-site afterschool program. If you have specific questions you'd like to ask, feel free to contact me. Lori

If you are moving to El Cerrito you actually have three great elementary schools to attend based on where you live. My daughter attends Madera and we love it. What we enjoy most are the teachers, the active parents, the PTA which is providing so many extra benefits for the children such as computer and music classes and the real sense of community. Also the school was recently completely remodeled so the campus is very nice. The teachers enjoy what they do and it gets passed on to the children who love coming to school (most of the time.) Madera is what public schools use to be and should be again. Fortunately Harding and Kensington are very similar. Parents in this community are making very positive changes at the local schools. I know that wherever you end up enrolling you will have a very great experience especially if you are willing to get involved at school. Madera mom

May 2006

We are new to El Cerrito, and will be enrolling our two children in either Castro (our neighborhood school), or requesting a transfer to Madera (also very close by). Can parents chime in on the current standing (socially, academically, physical building issues, and so on) of these schools? Also, our children would be attending the After School Program wherever they end up, so I am interested in that, too. We are looking for a safe, nurturing environement for our quiet kids, and also some help for our son, who is not reading at grade level. So, any comments about reading or resource specialists is also greatly appreciated! Want to Stay Public!

We've attended WCCUSD for the past 6 years and have lived in the area for even more. We did lots of research before we moved here. If I was choosing between the two for my children I would definitely pick Madera. If you are transfering, you better get a move on, the transfer process was moved up this year and happened in Feb/March. Madera is easily the second most desirable elementary school in the district so you may want to call the school office and see how full they are for the grades you are looking into.
Sharing what I would do

Not to discourage you, but I'm pretty sure the school transfer period is closed. The on-site afterschool program is run by the City of El Cerrito. Here is the link: http://www.el-cerrito.org/recreation/youth_services.html. Castro Day Camp (info also at the link) will have pretty much the same kids and staff as the afterschool program, so sign up for a week or two of Castro Camp to get an idea of how that is. I like the afterschool program and the camp just fine, my child has been attending both for two years. --El Cerrito mom

April 2006

We have just moved back to the area and our local school is Madera Elementary. We have missed all the tours and have been told that it was too late to organize anything now! could anyone who have toured the kindergarten, who know of the kindergarten program, teachers, materials, facilities, aftercare program and other aspects (whether negative or positive) give us their views and impressions? Thank you! anon

My child is in first grade at Madera so we have two years of experience at the school. I'm sorry you missed the tours because I think that orienting and welcoming parents has not been a great strength of the school and it is hard to find extra ways to get familiar with the place. However, this was a topic of discussion in PTA this year and it may be better next year. There should be an informational booklet in the office and I think there will be an orientation manual available in the fall.

The other issue I see happening in the school is a lack of harmony between the PTA and teachers (even though they are both supposed to be part of the group, it feels to me like the PTA is pretty much just parents with a token teacher attending each meeting). I think both groups are very committed but there is some concern expressed by long term faculty (and people do seem to stay for long careers at Madera) that because parents are there for a shorter time, they don't understand the needs of the school as well. Just my impression.

However, I have many positive feelings about the school. All three kindergarden teachers appeared to be wonderful- warm, committed and leading kids into the world of school and ''formal learning'' in a very positive way. The PTA is very active and currently has two co-presidents who I think are doing a great job. You may want to attend the next PTA mtg. May 9 at 7:15 to get an idea of the community. The facilities are beautiful and there are many events, assemblies and after school learning opportunities that are interesting and educational.

If you start at Madera, I would recommend getting involved early with getting to know the other parents and PTA and even volunteering in the classroom if possible. I have found that increased involvement has helped me to know and appreciate the school. Good luck. anon

Our daughter is now in 3rd grade at Madera, and we are very happy with our local public school. The school has recently been renovated, and looks great. We loved our daughter's K teacher Mrs. Severy, but I think (?) all the teachers are well regarded, and you don't get a choice (although you can request morning or afternoon class). We used the afternoon on-site day care only slightly -- a couple of days a week, just to give our daughter a chance to play, since the K day is, as you know, a very short one. It was great for us, but you will probably find people who have used it more recently and can give more up-to-date info. lori

December 2003

I would like feedback about Madera elementary...class size, quality of teachers, curriculum, diversity. Is it a safe place for my child to be? Thanks
El Cerrito Hills Mama

My son will be starting kindergarten next fall. I'd like to hear about experiences with Madera Elementary, especially from parents whose children have attended the school in the past two years. The school does not allow parents of future kindergarteners to visit (per the prinicipal), which makes it difficult to decide if this is the right school for our child. luyo

My daughter is in third grade, and has attended Madera since kindergarten. Overall we've been really pleased with the school--her kindergarten teacher was wonderful, and she loved the whole experience. Madera has test scores similar to those of Kensington Hilltop, so I suspect that the classroom experience would be similar between the two. Madera has about a 50% transfer rate and is quite diverse. I don't have any experience with private schools, and so cannot compare private/public. But if you're looking for a good public elementary school, Madera's great. Jennifer

Our daughter is in 1st grade at Madera, and we are very happy there. Her 2 teachers so far have been wonderful -- very experienced, warm, thoughtful, responsive. I spent some time in her Kindergarten classroom, and I was very impressed. This year I haven't been in the classroom much, but I am spending a lot of time on the school yard at lunch time, helping with yard duty, so I am getting to know the kids, and some of the other teachers. The school is under construction this year, which puts a lot of extra demands on the faculty and staff (and students), but everyone seems to be rising to the challenge. There is a tremendous amount of parent involvement, lots of PTA-funded ''extras,'' frequent special activities for families, and a very strong sense of community. And we can WALK to school! Feel free to contact me for more info. Lori

see also: Anxiety about choosing a kindergarten Madera vs. Hilltop

Afterschool Care at Madera

August 2010

I am looking for an after school program or group in Albany, for a six yr old with a disability. Possibly one that has other girls, small, maybe at someones home, and can possibly pick up from a Richmond school. (Am currently seeking transfer to Albany school.) She seems like a normal girl. Her disability is not noticeable to most. But would really like someone who has experience with disabilities, similar to high functioning Asperger's. Would be a miracle if I could find the right support person. Thank you tons.

The City of El Cerrito Recreation Dept runs the on-site afterschool program at Madera. Check their website or stop by the community center on Moeser (next to the pool) for more info. EC Mom

August 2009

My child will be attending kindergarten at Madera this fall. Originally one of the parents was going to be at home and as a result, we did not sign up for the after school care. Well, circumstances changed very suddenly, both parents will be working and now we are frantically assessing our options. We put our names on the wait list for Madera after school care, but I am not sure our chances are really good, since it's now the end of June and everyone has probably signed up in February- March. In retrospect we should have probably signed up for the after school care even though we didn't think we needed it (but then another family would have been waitlisted, so that's not ideal either). If you are familiar with the Madera program, can you tell me if this is a lost cause at this point? What other options we have? If it's a different school, what does one do for transportation. Stressing Out

We noticed several children ''disappear'' from Madera after school care last year due to parental job loss. Call the EC Rec Center to get a sense of where you are on the wait list.

Also, there is a child care provider on Key Blvd. one block uphill from the Del Norte BART that has a van and I believe picks kids up from local schools for aftercare. It's a pink house. I believe it's called Casa de los Ninos. I stopped and talked to them once, and recall that it was pretty affordable. Best of luck. Madera parent

Oct 2008

My son will be attending Madera Elementary. Both parents are currently working full time and it is highly unlikely that the situation will change by the time he is in school. It is my understanding that the after school care is provided at nearby Castro School, with kids being shuttled to the location. I would love to hear from Madera parents whose kids are enrolled in the after school care. What is your opinion about the program and this particular arrangement? What does and does not work? Do your kids enjoy it? If you were considering the program but in the end decided against signing up your kid, what were your reasons? Thanks in advance for your responses. anon

Actually, as of the beginning of last year, Madera's afterschool program now takes place entirely at Madera. They expanded the program last year to include more children, and it now uses the school's multi-purpose room and the upper and lower play yards, as well as the afterschool ''clubhhouse.''

My kids have been enrolled in the program both last year and this year, and I am quite satisfied with it -- and they really seem to enjoy it! The staff is great, and they always seem to have fun projects planned for the kids. The afterschool program has four different activities to choose from each day, and kids sign up each day for the group/activity they want to do that afternoon -- play games outside, do an art project, do a cooking project, etc. In addition, your child can sign up for one of the MASEP (Madera Afterschool Enrichment Program) classes offered by the city. These are once-a-week classes and include things like carpentry, art, keyboard, and science, and typically last about 6 to 8 weeks, I believe. Many of the classes take place at Madera, but a few are at the El Cerrito Community Center, and in that case, the afterschool program will provide transportation to and from the class for kids in the full-afternoon afterschool program.

Did I mention how much I like the afterschool staff?

All in all, we've had a really good experience with this program, and I highly recommend it. Sign up early, though! The afterschool program tends to fill up pretty quickly. A Happy Madera Parent

The Madera afterschool program is very good and it is actually located at the Madera site, they no longer shuttle the kids to Castro. The kindergarteners have their own program separate from the bigger kids and are taken very well care of. They do lots of art, cooking, games, and play. The clubhouse has a good selection of art supplies, board games, toys, etc. The staff is enthusiastic and caring. The program is run by the city of El Cerrito, and they use the Madera clubhouse (located right next to the school) as well as the Madera school yard and multi- purpose room. Madera parent

My 4th grade son has been in the Madera Aftercare from Kinder. He is happy there. Kids who go to Madera don't get vanned to castro anymore. It is a large program, (about 1/3 of school goes, so lots of his friends attend) but the Kinder and young elementary children play in a smaller area with attentive staff. The director is great, caring and responsive. The staff are very good. They have a homework time and then many activities both indoors and outdoors. My son loves the organized kickball and other ball games. When he was younger, he loved the playstructures. It's a good way for kids to play with their friends afterschool, but I will arrange separate play 'date' with friends away from aftercare once a week to break up the routine. Feel free to email me with more questions. Amy

Madera after school program is at Madera, don't know where you heard about being bussed to castro but that's not true. My daughter loves it (she only goes 2 days a week) but has since K. The teachers are wonderful, they are young people with a lot of energy and they really care about all the kids. It's a great program. erin

Hi. The Madera after-school program is now permanently housed at Madera, in a separate building called ''the clubhouse.'' It is accessed from Devonshire. The staff will walk your kindergartener to and from their classroom. I think that some of the ''enrichment'' classes (like carpentry) are only offered elsewhere, but some (like art) are also offered at Madera. And they offer childcare during school vacations (usually at another site), which is such a relief!

The program has been wonderful. Our child loves it. The kids get to know children of all ages if they stay after 3 pm, which has been a great experience. They also get to know other kids in their grade-level, which will be helpful next year, when they have a whole new set of kids in their class. In fact, my child has made better friends through the after school program because there is little time to socialize during kindergarten, itself. I have no hesitation recommending the program. Madera parent

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