As an educator and psychologist, I took her out because I felt Berkwood Hedge was not healthy for her well-being and the poor academics did not justify the high tuition. Public schools must provide any special services your child needs (e.g. I know families who have left Berkwood Hedge for various reasons, and I know families who have come to BH and have never been happier. Our hands-on program is designed to meet the needs of students and to spark their interest and enthusiastic engagement. The teachers are amazing and while we are losing some great ones for a variety of reasons, we are also getting some fantastic new additions. My son is a kindergartner there now and I can honestly say that I am constantly amazed at how happy and motivated and excited he is about learning and school! The school excels in project based learning and that seems like a good fit for what hasbeen working for your kids. How do you see the transition from Berkwood Hedge School as an elementary school to Berkwood Hedge Middle School? Berkwood Hedge also offers Spanish and art classes, with specialists and taught in smaller groups, and this part of the program has been incredible for our child. However, I know with the loving support that the school provides, our children will inquire the skills needed to be ok has they learn to navigate conflict and friendships. NEW! She then began reading all of what she was putting down on paper, and telling us enthusiastically, ''If you can write, you can read; if you can read, you can write.'' I am writing to suggest that you visit Berkwood Hedge School in Berkeley. Rod, Kindergarten enrollment varies from year to year. The school has strong effective leadership in its director and board. You will always find families who aren't happy at any school you go to, so you have to really trust your own feelings about the place. Photo: Gabby Jones for The Wall Street Journal. There is a strong focus on differentiation and project based learning. Through individual and collaborative projects, students develop skills in appropriate use of tools, project management, active listening, healthy risk-taking, and more. Only you can make the best choice for your own family. BERKWOOD HEDGE SCHOOL - 11 Photos & 29 Reviews - 1809 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, California - Elementary Schools - Phone Number - Yelp Berkwood Hedge School 4.3 (29 reviews) Claimed Elementary Schools, Middle Schools & High Schools Open 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM See hours Write a review Add photo Photos & videos See all 11 photos Add photo At the end of the school year, uncompleted hours are billed at $20.00 per hour. Reading, math, and writing were canceled/shortened because of behavioral issues. I'm a Berkwood Hedge parent of both a 1st grader and a 4th grade student, and I also am a preschool teacher and director with over 20 years experience in the field. Performance & security by Cloudflare. School alternatives for 20-21 academic year? Good luck. In addition to on-site activities, there are usually some field trips to parks or museums. On that front, in addition to the social-emotional curriculum that is taught, the teachers, staff,and head of school are wonderful at modelinghow to engage others with kindness and empathy. If you'd like more input about Berkwood Hedge Aftercare and/or Teachers, don't hesitate to contact me. I gathered that my son would not be singing the national anthem every morning and filling out ditto sheets like I did as a child. Tuition and Fees - Educational Support - Berkwood Hedge School Sixth Grade - Middle School - Berkwood Hedge School We have a moment right now when we need to change the human trajectory for this planet, and we adults have not been able to do the work that needs to be done. Anyhow, wherever you go, you'll probably like the school and learn to live with what you don't. Other pleasant surprises that we've found about the school include: Investor Boaz Weinstein leading rival bid for hedge fund Sculptor Both historically and currently, Berkwood Hedge is a great school. It is a small school that can be responsive to changing situations. All the 5th graders participate in creating and presenting a play where they get to shine as - themselves! Is it something new?I think it is both/and. Our child is doing very well academically because she feels safe and she receives alot of learning support and encouragement from her teacher and the two other members of the classroom teaching team. I strongly believed that this approach has made the difference in enabling him to gain confidence in his learning abilities. Which in returns allows him to take an active approach in creating his own knowledge with the guiding support of his amazing teachers and peers. Check it out Donna, I would agree that Berkwood Hedge is a good school, but only for the first few grades. Students leave Berkwood Hedge prepared for success in middle school and beyond. Private or BUSD, I am writing to recommend Berkwood-Hedge School to you for your son. Bush about stopping the war. Issues were handled in very inappropriate, haphazard and underhanded ways, that avoided actually addressing deeper cultural and leadership problems. The weekly Community Meeting, which includes Not because we say so or because we expect it of him but because he has a very personal and profound need for understanding. The KG teacher, Hanan, is very wonderful and was so welcoming to our family the whole year in KG. Our young child had no trust in educators, felt singled out as a girl of color, had no confidence as a learner and hated going to school. I have met the kindergarten teacher (Rachel) and wish I had started my son there in time to have her. I wasn't about to keep her there until there was physical evidence that I could photograph as proof. Teachers and administrators are loving, talented and smart, and the parent community is welcoming. When you visit various schools, try to spend time talking to other families. We have had two incidents at BHS, once in kindergarten and this year in third grade. Berkwood Hedge School is a progressive, independent elementary school located in Berkeley, CA. but the school has generally filled the lead positions from within, maintaining the continuity of the curriculum and program. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7fa6a2ac0ab103c4 Children are expected to work things out in the sense of being responsible for their own behavior and their own role in a given situation. I am very impressed with the way that Erica and Vera, the two fourth grade teachers and the fifth grade teacher, Marianne, have been willing to meet with me to help me sort through what is going on and how best to deal with it. engage as fully as possible as learners. power with earnestness and authenticity. I cannot speak for the past and though things do change, I can whole-heartedly express my belief in Berkwood Hedge and fully expect a bright future for our family there. But also, helping them figure out how they fit into this bigger world. We have been part of the Berkwood Hedge Community for the last four years and our son is currently in the third grade. 510Families.com is the best website for parents in Alameda, Berkeley, and Oakland to find kid-friendly activities every day. The Berkwood Hedge School is a school that truly nurtures creativity. on social and emotional levels - are given room and attention at this school. My son started kindergarten (the Spirit class) this fall at Berkwood Hedge. I thought it was maybe just us who were so lucky, but when i mentioned to a local education specialist about this, she told me that BH loves ALL their students like this. We are SO happy with this school and are heartbroken that our time with the wonderful families and staff at BH will have to end at the end of next year when our daughter graduates. What happens on a rainy day? My child is thriving there. Next year he will have an amazing teacher who is returning to Berkwood Hedge after several years of training teachers and supporting children's literacy. We enrolled our daughter here because the school appeared very supportive and nurturing but after the first weeks, we realized we made a mistake. I would urge you to check out Berkwood Hedge school (berkwood.org). I saw your posting and can only speak personally about Berkwood Hedge, and we've been so impressed by the combination of strong academics, the social justice curriculum, and the arts, I don't know where to begin! I also can say that my oldest moved on to a big public school and is doing so well there. Simon, I wanted to encourage parents of incoming kindergartners who are interested in finding a small school with strong academics, a commitment to the arts, and a wonderful sense of community to take a tour at the Berkwood Hedge School. There are even families who live in Hercules and Pinole. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Berkwood Hedge has already kindled my son's interest in learning. We've never had a problem there. My third grader has blossomed into a beautiful writer at Aurora. The Kindergarten program is full of fun and challenging activities and curriculum, held together by the strength of the teachers Hanan and Silver. Lunch and recess are very unstructured and the kids get to do dance parties and have some free range of the lower school campus. Happy BH Parent. However, the school has taken time to reach out about each transition and subsequent selection process of new hires. There is some staff turnover this year, but it's less to do with the school than with life. They were able to both challenge my boy who started Kindergarten reading, and inspire my daughter to read this year. I'm not a parent in that class (and those issues have not been shared with the rest of the school), but the teacher (who was new to the school) has since left, and is not indicative of any school-wide, fundamental problems. He is compassionate in his relationships, and thoughtful about the wrongs he sees in the world. Communication was also poor. Also, the campus is lovely, they have a garden and chickens and plenty of open play space. Berkwood Hedge really specializes in an integrated curriculum that's tailored to each child's specific learning needs. If you live in Berkeley your child will get a fairly large dose of that kind of curriculum in any school. We are very happy there, as are our children. It helped him enormously. They need to feel known, because it is a time when they start to have a different relationship with their families, lifelong friendships start to shift, and their bodies start changing. I'm happy to find time to chat by phone if it helps even just one other family make a more informed choice for their child(ren). Academics in general are very strong at the school while still very tailored to individual children, balanced with a focus on socio-emotional development. I explained to him that it likely wasn't allowed and he could show his teacher prior to entering the classroom but she would probably ask him to remove it. As parents, we witness this at multiple points All Rights Reserved. With acknowledgment that the region we celebrate is the unceded territory of native peoples, our mission is to share activities for East Bay families. I didn't have to take him anywhere special, it was just a regular part of his day. All the best with your school search, and be safe out there! We allocate 25% of our gross income to our need-based Tuition Assistance program which serves nearly 50% of Berkwood Hedge School families. The administration and Aftercare staff are also very helpful when I need to reach my son in an emergency or because of a change of plans. Behind The Hedge Summer 2014 Pages 1-20 - FlipHTML5 I can speak as a parent in a different class and from all the other classes that feel so grateful to have our kids at BH. Although small, the school has math, science, Spanish, art, music, & P.E. In truth, you aren't going to strike an even balance in any school in the Bay Area. Berkeleyside relies on reader support to remain free for everyone in our community. Berkwood Hedge has been serving students of the East Bay for more than 75 years. Our daughter never really felt challenged by either math or reading while at BPC. The Berkwood Hedge Aftercare staff is lots of fun, caring, warm, responsive and responsible. The teachers are competent and confident, and very motivated to work with the parents. We were in a panic, because were were a mid-year transfer of two to 3rd graders, and needed a school FAST. Our son is graduating this year from Berkwood Hedge. ChatGPT set the academic world ablaze after it was introduced in November, when the AI chatbot suddenly gave students a hard-to-detect shortcut for . I have three children -- the youngest is in kindergarten and the oldest has moved on to middle school, so we have been involved in the school for a long time now and we love it. I trusted when we applied and enrolled in this school that it would be thoughtful, creative, intelligently designed program, but I had no idea what a unique and special place Berkwood Hedge is. Good luck with your move and school search! We have two children who are very different from one another in terms of their interests and academic needs, and both of them absolutely love their school. It's possible that you could still get the services from the local school district, but then you would have to shuttle the child to and fro. There are still challenges related to being a little short-staffed and maintaining faculty that are the right fit but, over the two years that we've been at the school, we've seen steady improvement and our child is thriving. One of the things that always inspires me is hearing the students honoring their teachers for great lesson plans or fun homework at our community meeting, which happens every Wednesday morning. It's a very small school so it was comforting to see so many other brown and black faces around the campus. Unlike many schools that seem to start with a traditional education model and add interesting aspects, Berkwood feels like it started with a clean slate and consciously picked educational curricula, activities and philosophies that are kid-centered and engage the students in their learning in meaningful ways. Registration for tours for the 2024 -2025 school year open in September. I can't imagine a better environment than that. Yoko. Berkwood Hedge is conscious of, and careful with, its use of resources (water, electricity, paper, etc.) My kids LOVE the reclaimed materials available for their art projects during lunchtime open studios on Mon/Fri. Berkwood Hedge focuses on being "green", diversity, Yelp users havent asked any questions yet about. We also weren't interested in learning for the sake of learning. Come on in!'' For the most part I liked the faculty and the parent community. She had been socially abused, excluded and ridiculed, while the teachers stood by passively, later, blaming the children and accepting no responsibility themselves. 3. We've been very pleased about our son's enthusiasm for school as well as his progress. He actually told me the other day that he wants to grow up and be an artist like the art specialist at his school and teach other children. Jane, Re: Pros & Cons of Cooperatives Berkwood Hedge School | Berkeley Parents Network The banner on the front of the school reads ''Respect for Children and the Way they Learn,'' and here again they definitely ''walk the walk.'' My son appreciates the restorative justice model of conflict that is used to resolve conflict between two peers. We have entered into an agreement with Berkwood Hedge School to lease on-campus space beginning in fall 2021 to open Berkwood Hedge Middle School. They're excited about learning, and - best of all - they're learning how to learn for life. lower grades by maintaining the K-5 grades without some of the complexities that 6,7,8th It is taught directly by specialists, but also woven into the day by classroom and after-school teachers. It's not as much on the radar in Oakland but it's such an incredible school and the drive has proved to be no problem. Every day when I pick Julian up from school I am amazed at how happy and peaceful he is. The PE program and teacher are great - and the kids have a lot of fun and get great exercise and development of many skills. We were relieved to hear that our son sense of identity had not been impacted by his learning difference, and he felt no different from the rest of his peers. The teachers have all been great for my child, I haven't always agreed with them, but I feel my child has been extremely well supported emotionally. Here's a plug for Berkwood Hedge school if you are looking for a wonderfully nurturing educational environment for your child with chronic medical conditions. I am not sure where my sons will attend middle school or high school (where the racial diversity is bound to be less given the size of our local independent upper schools but given their experience at Berkwood Hedge, I feel confident that they will walk in to any school with the swagger that Berkwood Hedge alumni are known for that of a self-assured creative and critical thinker in tuned in social justice issues and academically grounded for success. One drawback is that it only goes up to grade five. Please come visit Berkwood Hedge in central Berkeley at Bancroft and Grant! Berkwood Hedge School is an award-winning private independent school serving students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Our family made the decision to leave Berkwood Hedge right after the Back to School night. In this reporting period we provided education services on 173 instructional days (late August 2019 through mid . 2021-2022 Berkwood Hedge Middle School Curriculum Guide I would describe it as a small, tightly knit, yet VERY welcoming community. hope you find the right place for your son. However, we as parents, dwell not on the reasons why a teacher may have had to move on; but on how the school and community handles the replacement of such teachers. a very happy Berkwood Hedge parent, We have had a wonderfully positive experience at Berkwood Hedge. At parent-teacher meetings we notice how thoughtful the teacher's evaluations are; they show that they really "get" who our child is. If you're a parent considering an independent school education, I urge you to check out Tax ID:46-4347971, About BPN Contact BPN Credits Terms of Use, Connecting Bay Area families online since 1993, Daycares & Preschools with Current Openings, Parent Classes, Workshops & Groups with Openings, Advice about Classes, Camps, Groups, & Tutors. The school is a warm indoor/outdoor space and there seems to be a lot of fun school-wide events all the time. All of my kids access the developmental curriculum with confidence at their levels -- one kid is very strong academically and she is challenged and so happy and the other has learning disabilities and he is confident and excited about learning and is making great progress. Two of it's primary committments are to diversity and social justice and they fulfill both with enthusiasm and grace. Social learning is big too, kids learn how to work well with each other. We could not hope for a better set of role models. This year the school had so many kindergarteners that the school had to turn away applicants for next year's first grade. anyway, it was sad to read about your friends' experiences. She loves her teacher, she feels loved, respected and seen by the staff and other teachers, and, our entire family feels embraced and respected by the Berkwood Hedge community. Our daughter has made strong connections within the community (students across grades, the teaching staff, administrative staff, the director and other parents). Published by Berkwood Hedge School , 2020-09-29 01:59:57 Description: Behind The Hedge Summer 2014 Read the Text Version Pages: 1 - 20 1 to find the answer 10. We just landed at Berkwood Hedge from the Waldorf School in Baltimore Maryland. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. His teachers are amazing and I can see him learning math concepts and reading because they make it FUN, something I feel is extremely important. This is a school that really lives by its progressive mission statement to the fullest! There is a real positivity to the school that you feel upon entering and when you see the children's comfortable and contented faces. We have never questioned our decision to send our child to BH and couldn't imagine him at another school. Wow -- no wonder they feel so comfortable! They even have learning specialist on staff and incorporate educational therapists from the outside if needed. My kindergartner has a 5th grade buddy and a 3rd grade reading buddy. They are still sorting out the enrichment programs-there has been a different music teacher almost every year we have been at the school and at this point it is a disastrous program. We know this would not be the case if he was at a different school. when trying to get me out of the house to go to the park. It's great that you are spending this time to consider the nuances of how the culture of a school affects the experience of your child. Middle Schools in Bergen Beach - New York City, NY - Niche BH is a community, a safe world in which young students are nurtured and encouraged to explore the world of ideas in ways that follow their natural curiosity and support their growth and development. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Oh, and they have forest day in Tilden every week when the weather is nice. Whenever I have gone into the classroom the kids all seem to be actively participating and engaged at levels that are comfortable to them. Berkwood Hedge School Also, many children know who is whose parent :) Teasing and bullying are noticed and adequately addressed by the afterschool staff and/or teachers. We are not bound by a model other than our own long tradition of being child-centered. Copyright 20042023 Yelp Inc. Yelp, , and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp. He is thriving academically and emotionally. It is more than just a school. What has stood out for us at Berkwood Hedge, compared to the multiplepublic and preschools wherewe've had our kids, is that we have found ways to work with the school when things haven't landed. He attended Berkwood Hedge School, a small private school in Berkeley, from K-5. The community is tight, the parents all really do care for each other. The school cares deeply about social justice. It is true that there is going to be significant teacher turnover next year, and given how amazing the teachers are and how much each individual teacher's input matters at such a small school, no one is happy about this. And while our child had a hard time with transitions or diving into group activities in preschool, the small school size has suited her well, and she now will stand up to do a short presentation at the school's weekly "community meeting." Last reviews on this school were 2 years ago. We are grateful to be at Berkwood Hedge and to enjoy being in such a supportive community. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7fa6a27f99f4d580 Happy Berkwood Hedge Parent. well-attended to on multiple levels. 146 were here. We know that there are lots of great school options in this area, but Berkwood Hedge really does seem outstanding. Right now my kids have a combination of 1 on 1 feedback meetings with their teachers, small group working meetings and live art, music, PE and dance class. Re: Peaceful, Kind, Elementary School in Oak/Berk??? By the end of the day, they have lots to tell us (and teach us). Most importantly, no child will slip through the ''crack'' at BH - every child is an individual and all the kids/staff/teachers know every child. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks.
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