Ruth Acty Elementary

1400 Ada Street

School District

Berkeley Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:21
Type

public

School Map for Berkeley 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 other on March 15, 2022

Ruth Acty is amazing. Principal Mary is an excellent principal. All the teacher and assistants care so much about the kiddos. I feel so support, my kid feels supported, and we are lucky to be there.
Submitted by parent on August 30, 2021

Jefferson Elementary is now Ruth Acty Elementary school! It is under the loving and energetic guidance of a great Principal, who has clearly a great sense of community among her teachers. Our kids have been at the school for many years including through the distance learning of COVID-19. The teachers in each grade play on each other’s skills and keep the kids across classes together as much as possible. The PE, Science and music teachers are all stars in their fields, as is the school librarian.
Submitted by parent on July 17, 2018

students have a lot of opportunity to learn and the after school teachers are wonderful.
Submitted by parent on January 26, 2018

Jefferson has been a wonderful school for our child. The teachers are committed and the school projects a healthy learning environment supported by a great PTA and the after school programs
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2017

We're only in our second year here but LOVE it. The staff, teachers, students and parent community are awesome! Loads of love, respect and enthusiasm for learning.
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2013

This is hands down the BEST school my daughter has attended. The BEST teachers and administration that I have ever dealt with. I am a very visible parent when it comes to my daughter and I have no problems having my questions answered and/or addressed. My daughter is very soft spoken, she has a sweet spirit which of course in some schools can be a very easy target for bullying and was bullied at her previous school. Her teacher prior to moving to Jefferson was horrible, she taught like she would rather be somewhere else, but her degree choice stuck her there. My daughter came after Christmas Break and right off the bat, Mr. Keller was great and continued to be great the duration of my daughter's fourth grade year. No complaints whatsoever only praise. This school is a big family of love and education. The children are being taught to respect and find greatness in differences. I love this school and I am very sad that this is my child's last year here.
Submitted by parent on September 23, 2013

Jefferson elementary has a tightly knit community of educators, students and families. Teachers, school staff and volunteers go above and beyond to ensure all students are cared for and a love of learning is truly nurtured here.
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2013

Jefferson has an amazing staff. During career day they put up posters about the colleges they went to. I was surprised at what an overeducated group of teachers we have. They are really dedicated to making sure that every child gets what they need to achieve their best.
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2013

Amazing school. The teachers are all excellent. The JefferSons and daughters program that helps families in need with things that make kids feel part of the school (holiday costumes, back to school backpacks) so kids feel great being part of the school. We love it.
Submitted by parent on September 13, 2013

Fabulous teachers and community. Strong parental involvement and excellent range of PTA-run activities and after school classes. Principal is obviously dedicated, but often does not appear open to input from either parents or the PTA.
Submitted by parent on September 12, 2013

I have two children at Jefferson -- a first and fourth grader. It's a small school with a great teacher and parent community, and deep commitment from both! The teachers are really committed, and work hard to meet the needs of the kids and to be sure kids are having fun in the process. The school is under construction this year, but that doesn't seem to have dampened the spirits of teachers who are working hard to keep things 'normal.'
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2013

This is a really good local Berkeley public elementary school. The teachers are great, the kids are happy and engaged and the sense of community is strong. The only downside this year is that some of the school is blocked off due to construction. But, that is going well. Next year when the new library and classrooms are ready it will be really great.
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2013

Recent transplants from Brooklyn, NY and feel so lucky to be part of this school. Berkeley schools limit the number of students to around 20 (in Brooklyn we had 25-30 per class). I also really like the small size of the school (~300), strong PTA and the teachers & headmistress seem very dedicated and enthusiastic.
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2013

Teachers are very caring and form a supportive community. There is a healthy PTA and the school actively works to address the opportunity/achievement gap. All in all, it's an excellent school. The only concern I have is that this year there is a large construction project that will disrupt the schoolyard. But the staff seem to be making every effort to keep it from affecting instruction.
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2013

Due to a spread in ages for our three children and moves in and out of state, this is actually the fourth Berkeley elementary school at which I've been a parent. It's only been a few weeks, but we've been extremely impressed with the quality teaching staff, as well as the overall morale and just the good feeling on site. We're very happy to have landed here!
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2013

I don't fail to be impressed by the quality of education my girls are receiving at Jefferson. I went to a fancy-pants private school when I was their age, rated one of the best in the state; I mean it when I say that I'm pretty sure my girls are receiving an education that is every bit its equivalent, if not its better. Every teacher we've had (one girl has been there 6 years; the other has been there three) has been impressive; engaged and engaging. You would be hard-pressed to find a more committed principal than Maggie Riddle. Lastly, parents are highly involved and lend support the the Jefferson community in hundreds of ways, big and small. We feel extremely lucky.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2013

Jefferson Elementary has an active parent community that works incredibly hard to round out the standard Berkeley education (which, all things considered, is pretty good). There's a stellar afterschool program run by the PTA, which includes chess, circus, art and lego classes. A Science Team is collaborating with teachers to enhance science education, and the Garden Team is nurturing the school garden, even planning for the official garden to be moved due to construction in the 2013-14 school year. And speaking of the construction, what could be just a total pain is being seen as a pain but also a learning opportunity by parents, teachers and students alike. Nearly all of the teachers at Jefferson are awesome; the principal is dedicated but hard to work with.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2013

Jefferson is a wonderful school with talented, committed staff, outstanding leadership, great morale, and super-involved parents. There's a palpable sense of community, and our family feels lucky to be part of it. Our son is enjoying learning and is excited to be in school. It's a very diverse place; as a two-mom family it has felt very comfortable and welcoming.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2013

As the parent of two students at Jefferson, I cannot say enough great things about this school. The principal, teachers, staff and parent community bring together a positive learning experience for my kids, promoting a truly inclusive environment. The school offers a lot of wonderful community building activities (art night, science night, gardening parties, bbqs, and much more) that go above and beyond the tradition school curriculum to promote a well-rounded learning experience. Thank you, Jefferson!!!
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2013

Jefferson is a first-rate public elementary school. I have 3 boys- one in 8th grade, one in 5th grade and one in 1st grade. All have gone to Jefferson. The quality of the teachers is very high with every single teacher being good to outstanding and most are outstanding. They take the extra time to make sure every child is succeeding and progressing. The principal, Maggie Riddle, is always present and a calm and reasonable voice. The school has a wonderful blend of diversity. There is good parent involvement and numerous fundraisers held throughout the year to support all the extra programs that make the school special.