Middle School/ High School Options in WCCUSD
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Middle School/ High School Options in WCCUSD
Sept 2007
My family is considering buying a home in Kensington and we've
heard good reviews of the elementary school. We wonder though,
what percentage of parents go on to send their kids to public
middle and high schools versus private schools. Are there even
any private high schools within a reasonable driving distance
to Kensington? We wonder whether there's a loss of community as
6th grade ends and kids who've been through elementary school
together disperse to various places for middle/high school?
Anon
I think the questions you are asking are similar to what others
wonder when they consider moving to Kensington. We certainly
did, and I think it comes down to a personal choice as to
whether the middle school/high school options work your family
or not. I have no idea about actual percentages, but the
elementary grades at Hilltop (5 and 6) start reducing in size
by about half because many families start pulling their kids
out then to put them into private school options because it is
thought that if you wait until 7th then your kid might not get
in to their preferred private option. We have talked to
several families who have their kids at Portola-- some do well,
some don't and they transfer. We plan on giving Portola a try,
but note that the school's location is in upheaval and will be
in a location to be determined within a few years. I think the
Kensington community is strong, so even if kids aren't at the
same schools, seems like there is still a lot of ways to
interact within the community-- haven't heard that as an issue.
anon
June 2007
This is somewhat premature but I'm already stressing about the
fact that there seems to be no good public school option for
middle/intermediate schools in my area. My home elem is
Kensington Hilltop, which is what I researched before we moved 3
weeks ago...they are rated 10/10 on greatschools.net (org?) so
that sounded pretty good. But now I see that all the middle
schools are rated 5 or lower!! What do people in Kensington or
surrounding areas do for middle school? Is private our only
option? Any info greatly appreciated! THANKS
I think that what you are going to hear is that many families choose to
opt out of the public school system in middle school for the reasons
which you cite. I would like to suggest that you look beyond the
numbers and consider the benefits to your own children as well as to
our community if you stay in the public schools. The middle schools in
your area are rated lower than Kensington Elementary because they
draw students from a number of elementary schools, many of whom
have very different demographics from Kensington. My children went to
Kensington and then attended Portola and ECHS. Granted, the Portola
years were more difficult than Kensington; some classes were less
challenging (while some were more challenging), the mix of students
was very different and challenging in its own way. My children made
wonderful friendships with kids they never would have otherwise met,
and with whom they continued on to high school. They have both since
graduated from high school and are attending very prestigious colleges,
as are many of their classmates who also attended Portola and ECHS.
They learned to get along with a variety of people, the same variety
with
whom they live on a day-to-day basis. They learned to look beyond
ethnicity, to look beyond superficial differences, to advocate for
themselves and their educational opportunities, to realize that they
are
citizens of this community and that what affects others affects them,
too.
They have become passionate about working for school reform for all
children, and I can't imagine a better education than that for them in
middle school.
Judy
We attend an elementary school in El Cerrito and will be sending
our kids to Portola because it is close to our home and my son's
friends are planning to attend. Portola has some strong teachers,
the new principal is working hard to improve the social
environment, and the music program is internationally-recognized.
The elementary school my children attend is ranked 2 out of 10
but both of my children have had great experiences
there--excellent teachers, a fantastic after school enrichment
program, and extra intervention in areas where it was needed. The
rankings you are referring to are based solely on the ability of
students to bubble in the correct answers on standardized tests.
This has much more to do with demographics than the quality of
instruction.
I would caution you against making a snap judgement about schools
based soley on academic ranking. Albany Middle School is ranked
highly but is overcrowded; King Middle School has a lot to offer
but with over 900 students, it's easy to get lost, private
schools have their strength but are out of the reach of most
typical families already saddled with housing costs that are the
highest in the nation.
I encourage you to ignore rankings and go visit some
schools--attend their information nights and open house events.
Our daughter (currently at Madera Elementary) will attend Portola
a year from now. We talk to many parents who are unsure, who are
considering moving, or paying for private middle school. I
understand their concerns, but wish more people would give
Portola a closer look. We just met a wonderful college student
-- Madera/Portola/ECHS grad -- who talked about the many benefits
of going to a diverse school where she met many people she would
not have interacted with at a private school (or, e.g., Lamorinda
public schools). She believes it gave her a lot of confidence
and ability to relate to people from all walks of life. If more
people who were on the fence would decide to hold hands and go
together to Portola, the school would be that much stronger, with
committed parent involvement. It's unfortunate that the school
has not been rebuilt yet, due to seismic and political upheaval,
but it will happen! If you are thinking about Portola, or
planning to go to Portola, please join the Yahoo list:
Portola-tomorrow@yahoogroups.com. We will keep you up-to-date on
the issue of rebuilding Portola (location, configuration, etc.)
and other issues, and you can find out more from current and
prospective Portola parents.
Lori
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