Ocean View Elementary School

1000 Jackson Street

School District

Albany City Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:15
Type

public

School Map for Albany City Unified School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on November 15, 2024

My daughter attended Kindergarten in 2023 and faced challenges related to separation anxiety, stress disorder, and ADHD. Throughout the year, she struggled with anxiety, but the principal and her teacher were incredibly supportive. They implemented a 504 Plan, which included additional classes to help her with reading and writing, as she felt behind academically due to her anxiety.I discovered that much of her anxiety stemmed from her dissatisfaction with the after-school program, which affected her performance during the school day. This year, she transitioned to first grade, and I’m pleased to report that she is doing much better. Her new teacher has been very supportive, and the YMCA after-school program has proven to be a fantastic fit for her needs.Overall, I highly recommend this school for its supportive environment and commitment to helping students thrive.
Submitted by parent on November 08, 2024

Avoid this school if you can. When our older child went to school here it was fantastic, we felt so fortunate to be part of such a diverse community and there was no question they got a solid education. Unfortunately they've let our youngest down in every way since Kindergarten & as much as it pains me to say this, OV isn't going to rebound any time soon. There is a new principal who is a bureaucrat and has no interest in serving families. When I asked to meet with her to discuss a difficult situation with a new teacher, she actually greeted me with "What's your agenda?" and told me I should be happy we've only had one bad teacher. I sat in the car afterward in complete disbelief. The year after that, another new teacher who wasn't getting enough support from the administration and had 0 classroom control. Our child would come home frustrated every day due to the chaos in the classroom. That was the year I learned other fed up families were augmenting their children's education with tutors. We now send our child to tutoring twice a week to try to make up for lost time. We've had one bad year after another here and I am so disappointed. If I had the chance to do it over, I'd have sent my child to Cornell or Marin.
Submitted by parent on August 13, 2024

My kids went to Ocean View 2020 to 2024. I can't say enough good things about this school. The teachers , parents and kids all make it a beautiful community.
Submitted by parent on March 12, 2021

Our child attended Ocean View from Kindergarten through 5th grade, and we could not recommend a better place to send your child to school! Nestled in a fairly affluent suburb of Oakland/San Francisco, Albany boasts of excellent schools (and that is why we chose to move here). The community is quite small, so “people talk”, and boy do they when it comes to comparing the 3 Elementary Schools (insert eye roll). Compared to the other 2 Elementary Schools, Ocean View is perceived as the underdog—(but we attribute this to “White Flight” and self-segregation). Boo on YOU, Albany!! Upon touring Ocean View’s campus, we were astounded by its incredibly diverse student body, creative, caring and TALENTED teachers, and it’s warm, welcoming atmosphere! And did I mention the teachers?! I have never experienced a more dedicated, loving, reflective, adaptive and inspiring staff! We especially appreciated the teachers’ focus on identity, culture and social justice. Take all of that and wrap it up with a bow of a bustling school garden, and class pets like “Corn Chips” the guinnea pig, and you’ve got yourself a winner of a school! Our child made friends from all backgrounds, from all parts of the world, and developed an amazing social skill set because of that! We’ve made friends for life at Ocean View (both our child and ourselves). Ocean View was, quite truly, our second home...and we will forever cherish our time spent there. And, by 2021 Ocean View will have been completely re-built and modernized. If you live in Albany, do yourself a favor...think for yourself, and give Ocean View a look (it’s Albany’s best kept secret). You won’t regret it; I know WE didn’t!
Submitted by parent on May 30, 2019

I toured Cornell, Marin, and OV and expected to like OV the least based on where I knew other parents were sending their kids. I was blown away by the attention to the social emotional learning at Ocean View. Kindness, generosity, and compassion seem to be the primary characteristics they foster. I cannot emphasize enough how much we loved our kindergarten teacher. There are many parents who volunteer and the PTA is thriving. I think the test scores are lower at this school than the others but they level well for advanced learners and the equity rating is really strong. The diversity here is perhaps my favorite aspect of OV and I love that my son has friends from so many different countries including Chile, Ukraine, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, etc. The school really benefits from the highly intelligent University Village UC Berkeley population next door.
Submitted by parent on March 23, 2018

My kid is only in kindergarten but I lover everything about this school so far, especially his teacher.
Submitted by parent on September 21, 2017

Great if your kid fits the mould. Outdated building for a city that is basically here because of the schools. Community leaves a lot to be desired.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2016

My daughter was very welcome when she arrived at Ocean View last year. She loves her teacher and quickly made new friends in her class. Furthermore, as the school is adjacent to UC Village, there are many foreign students (children of scholars connected to UC Berkeley) which contribute to a very interesting multicultural environment.
Submitted by parent on January 07, 2014

Coming from the East Coast I'm not impressed with this school/district given the HYPE about Albany schools. This is my opinion and experience so far: My child has spent 4th and now 5th grade at Ocean View. Emphasis on math over reading. That's fine I guess because my child is a big reader. Science education is good but science teacher is rigid - my child now says "i hate science!" just because of the teacher. Music education is okay because of new music teachers this year. Communication is good. The principal is good but she really could use more help. My concern since the beginning is security. They do have "Doug" who's the best crossing guard ever(!) but he's only one person. Everything is wide open, no security guard, unsupervised drop off and pick up. I see young children walking home alone (like, 3rd graders) and 4th and 5th graders are just released alone at the end of the school day. I don't feel this is safe but that's me being from a big city. Overall - I wouldn't move here for this school. Maybe Cornell and Marin are better. We were placed at Ocean View which is the largest school because the system is overcrowded. I don't know if we'll stay for middle school.
Submitted by parent on November 05, 2013

A very fun and diverse community. Great teachers and staff dedicated to student success as well as a very active and supportive PTA.
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2013

Ocean View Elementary School is a vibrant place where diversity is the norm. There are families from all over the world in this community, as adjacent to the school is housing for graduate students at UC Berkeley. Families from this housing of course value education. My son has met kids from Iran, Equador, Israel, China, Korea .and on and on. Of course the academic learning is also important, and sometimes that is frustrating due to increased class size, but that is the case with most public schools in California. All in all Ocean View is a very special place and we are happy to be there.
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2013

I have third grade twins who have been in separate classes since they started at Ocean View in first grade. After two full years (and now into our third) and getting to know six teachers, I have to say we have had a wonderful experience. I've been so impressed by the classroom teachers' skills and experience, as well as the quality of many of the specialized teachers and the other staff. And I think we have an exceptional principal -- calm, caring, dedicated, and smart -- a true leader. The school is diverse in all respects, is a fantastic community, and has an active PTA. Like many public schools in California it has its challenges (aging physical plant, larger than desired class sizes, not enough funding for art, music, etc.), but it has been great for us.
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2013

My son started kindergarten at Ocean View this year. We have an older child that attended the top ranked school in Oakland a few years back and honestly I wasn't looking forward to returning to the politics and clicks of elementary school parents. I'm thrilled to say that I've experienced none of this at Ocean View. The teachers are wonderful and the parent community is truly there to help the kids learn (rather than prove something about themselves) - I highly recommend OceanView to anyone in the area.
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2013

We've heard great things about Albany schools. So when we moved from Takoma Park MD (great Montgomery county schools) to Albany, we are happy to land at the very diverse Ocean View Elementary. My kids are in 1st and 3rd grade. And their teachers are fantastic.
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2013

The teachers are wonderful and set education as the number one priority. There are reading labs where they break up the class into smaller sections in order for more personalized attention during reading development. It's a small teacher to student ratio so kids get the individualized attention that they need. The do various activities such as P.E., art, math lab, reading labs, and have various organizations that kids can be part of. Our school could improve if they had more clubs that the "smaller kids" could join such as chess for 5 and 6 year olds,or a dance or cheer team.
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2013

Ocean view school is one of the best school in the bay area.my son is second grade and i was very happy last year and this year about the ,great teachers,staff,great leadership.
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2013

It is the school my daughter attended, I' d like recommend the principal who I often saw standing in the main gate of the school. She wanted keeping the traffic there in good condition, I think she is a responsible lady!
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2013

We transferred in last year and it has been nothing short of miraculous. My child needed services that our former school would not provide. Ocean View staff and teachers have really made an effort to get to know my child and get him the services he sorely needed, including rearranging their schedules to accommodate his needs. I love the principal and the PTA is fabulous! I wish more parents were involved and could volunteer, but those that are involved are exceptional and all of the parents have shown a great respect for the children, teachers, and staff, giving Ocean View a real sense of community.
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2013

We love the openness and friendliness of the community at this school. The principal, Terry Georgeson, is personable and welcoming. The surrounding neighborhoods are reknowned for friendliness, and the UC Berkeley University Village adjacent to the school means we have wonderful families from all over the world volunteering to make a great school for their children. Our school reflects the interlocking circles of communities that make up Albany, and the bright optimism and passion for education that radiates from world scholars. Our daughter struggled with reading until she came here and was recognized and helped by the Reading Specialists. Now she tests in the highest levels. Most importantly, the school has a positive environment for learning and friendship.
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2013

We have been very impressed with the teachers at OV and their dedication and attentiveness to their students. The student population literally comes from all over the world. Children learn about and experience other cultures on a daily basis and this, in of itself, is a valuable learning opportunity!