281 1/2 Amherst Ave
Berkeley, CA 94708

This is our fourth year with El Cerrito High School and we've been extremely happy. My kids both went to K-8 in another district, where test scores are sky-high but there is little to no real diversity. We were excited to send them to a school where the student body better reflected the diverse Bay Area community and the real world. The teachers at El Cerrito High are talented and committed. The James Morehouse Project (the student wellness/mental health support center) is a godsend for teens going through the ups and downs of adolescence. The PTSA is dedicated to helping make the school as supportive a place as possible for students and teachers. Principal Norrington is an outstanding school leader--he's extremely communicative; cares deeply about the students; is equally committed to helping support academics, sports, and the arts; and leads the school with integrity. My youngest is graduating this year and she's grown academically and personally thanks to her experience at El Cerrito High.

We really wanted to love this school. When we moved to the neighborhood, we heard that KHS was the best elementary school in the district. However, the reality left a lot to be desired. Academic rigor was lacking, even in K, but especially as we got into 3rd/4th grade. A lackluster math worksheet would come home each week for homework. Were the kids reading books in class? Not really. Were they getting instruction on grammar and writing? Nope. Science? LOL, no. Really not sure what was happening in the classroom all day. Teaching seems to cater to the lowest common denominator, and teachers don’t have support to manage classes of 25-30 kids, many of whom have behavioral issues. Our kids didn’t need any additional support or struggle with learning, nor are they so gifted that they need a special curriculum. They were just unchallenged, bored, and frustrated. Their percentile scores in state testing kept going down, despite being top students in the class. I can’t even imagine what parents of kids with additional needs think of this school. We kept saying “next year will be better,” but we finally reached the end of our rope. Once we moved to another district the difference was striking. Our kids had to work hard to catch up with their new peers, despite being at the top of their class at Kensington. But now they’re thriving. We just wish we’d listened to our instincts earlier. There’s a reason the class sizes get smaller in 5/6th grade…parents who want to support their local school eventually get fed up and seek other options.

I worked at Korematsu as a student teacher for the first semester of my teaching credential and it was a terrible experience. This is largely due to the bitter and negative mentor teacher that I worked with, Diana Jenkins. She has a negative reputation at Korematsu for being controlling--something that is very apparent after only a brief period of time spent working with her. While working with her, she would constantly complain, sharply badmouthing both staff and students. Teachers should not engage in arguments or quarrels with children. Nor should they sharply rebuke or criticize staff for trivial things when students are nearby. Her behavior and persona were so bad that I switched mentor teachers before the semester was over. If anyone has a child or relative that is assigned to Diana Jenkins for physical education, the best thing for them to do is to switch out of her class as soon as possible.