411 W Richmond Ave
Richmond, CA 94801

John F. Kennedy High school is a great school for any student! It has extracurricular activities that will give a boost to your child's creative side, and the students will actually like it, because it's fun! Although it isn't the greatest school in the universes, it has a lot to offer. From free tutoring programs, to a study program so that those reporte cards will be great grades... Great just like our school, so hey folks, JFK is the right school for you. -Wanda Gonzalez 9th grader at JFK High

This lovely campus belies the deep, systemic failures now infecting public education in our golden state. In an effort for equity, not equality, the campus staff have attempted to ensure students fail equally: overcrowded classes, no academic challenges, barely homework, removal of gifted programs, no theatre arts, theft a constant companion. And for dessert, most restrooms are shut down due to vandalism. Infuriating as a parent, a tax payer, and a citizen.

Really disappointing. I knew going in that the school had bad ratings, as learning in a second language always causes a learning curve and can thus drop ratings, but I was not prepared for just how badly run the school would be. The office staff are wonderful, as are the librarian and music teachers, however the Principal is all talk and no action, very friendly but doesn't attempt to improve conditions for the children or teachers, for instance, a kindergarten teacher was pulled away 3 weeks in, right after the first parent/teacher conference, just ripped away, the children were then split up between a seasoned and a brand new teacher from Spain. The children in the teacher with experience at Washington had a very different year then the children in the alternative class, yet both had a lot of struggles. Children were not properly assessed for IEP's for extensive periods of time, including a child with Autism. Due to the poor leadership of the incoming Principal, her lack of fundraising initiatives or attempts to get volunteers or paid helpers for the unmanageable classes (despite parents best efforts to encourage or find ways to assist) the children and teachers suffered, a lot. If it weren't for a few parent volunteers who consistently showed up to help, things would have been much worse. It was very sad, particularly given what it might have been.