URSA Berkeley

The school has great teachers and traditional education for the most part . My issue with the social aspect is that they don't have a dress code. I understand we are in Berkeley CA and there are nudists but that's different. They allow their girls to wear very tight daisy dukes that show not only the gluteos maximus but the genitals. This has been an ongoing going issue for almost ten years and I really don't understand why. I feel the students should be educated on why it's a bad idea. The students have off campus lunch and harass passer bys and spread what ever infections they have with those genitals shorts. Aside from this real big issue there are some ok teachers there that are trustworthy

We absolutely loved Emerson and thrilled that our child is a student there. The principal Ms. Holmes is amazing and is constantly going above and beyond for the students. Emerson is one of the smaller elementary schools in Berkeley but feel fortunate that there is such a great sense of community among the parents.

Es una escuela muy complementaria porque laConexión entre el personal y las familias es increíble!

Phenomenal school is every way. Diverse and welcome in learning community with high quality teachers in TK and K. My student has thrived here and I can’t wait to see what next school year brings. The after school staff really connected with my student and principal Hunt is a very dedicated. Don’t skip the potluck and movie nights as well as other school functions like back to school etc. they are so so worth it. Forgot to mention one of the best aspects, the specialists! My student has dance, garden, nutrition/ wellness, and art!

We had a horrible time at Willard. While some of the teachers were excellent (we had some great math teachers, for example) and we loved the cooking and gardening programs, bullying was a huge problem that, despite many, many complaints to the school, went un-addressed. My child was bullied mercilessly by another child the entire time and that other child would basically play innocent - it was never dealt with beyond that. My child is in high school now and we have spent thousands of dollars in therapy to help them get their confidence and sense of self back. I'm not sure whether that will ever happen. Additionally, although some teachers were fantastic, there were many others who were not, and those set a negative tone for the entire experience for us.

John Muir is a phenomenal school and has only been getting better in recent years. Excellent principal and leadership team that led the school to receive the National Blue Ribbon School Award in 2024. Very involved community and a beautiful school campus; enrichment opportunities for students abound. We're so grateful to be a part of this amazing school community.