The Elmwood Academy

2722 Benvenue Avenue

Berkeley, CA 94705

20 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by other on June 07, 2023

As a member of The Academy community, I feel compelled to share my thoughts and concerns regarding the school's current state. While the institution boasts about its ability to teach a year ahead, my experience has revealed significant shortcomings in terms of teacher support and communication surrounding racial incidents.One glaring issue that has plagued The Academy is the rapid turnover of teachers within a short span of time (especially evident in the middle school). It has become evident that the workload imposed on the teaching staff, without commensurate support, has taken its toll. The school's ambitious goal of accelerating the curriculum to teach a year ahead might have seemed admirable initially, but it has resulted in overworked teachers who eventually succumb to exhaustion. Witnessing educators, who are dedicated to their profession, leave due to burnout is disheartening and sheds light on the systemic issues prevalent within the school.Furthermore, the handling of racial incidents at The Academy has been deeply concerning. Instances of racism have occurred, yet the lack of open communication and swift action to address these incidents has been disappointing. The responsibility of any educational institution is to provide a safe and inclusive environment for students, irrespective of their backgrounds. Regrettably, they have failed to fulfill this responsibility, leaving affected students feeling unsupported and marginalized. It is imperative for the school to actively foster understanding, empathy, and respect among its student body.In addition to the aforementioned concerns, there is a noticeable lack of effective communication between the administration and the school community. Important updates, policy changes, and parental concerns often go unanswered or are inadequately addressed. This lack of transparency has left many of us feeling disconnected from the educational process and uncertain about the school's commitment to our well-being.
Submitted by other on April 12, 2022

A small school with a great teacher/student ratio. Strong academics and caring teachers overall. While there is homework, teachers always allow extra time if students are behind. Students form lasting relationships and are truly ready academically speaking.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2022

All the teachers at The Academy are very passionate and dedicated teachers. Though the school is small, students develop strong friendships with one another. The curriculum is rigorous, but teachers make themselves available and are flexible with students. While there are pros and cons in every school, The Academy remains a little gem.
Submitted by other on February 15, 2022

This is one of those schools that is always in flux and just a moment away from shutting down. This is a school that usually has openings because they often can't seem to fill their classes (hence the classes with 5-7 students). The teachers are hit or miss, and some are unfriendly and yell at children. Lots of turnover with students and faculty alike seems to be the norm here. The former head of school had a very elitist and cold presence. A new head was hired and only lasted a month or two. Many of the parents are tiger parents (the kind that live in Piedmont and choose this school because the publics there aren't good enough). The curriculum is meat and potatoes and their claim to fame is teaching a year ahead. The music teacher is very good and the French teacher is abysmal. This school tries to make everything overly academic, even PE. There are such parents out there that value rigor beyond humanity, and for them this would be the right school, but the school is clearly lacking on nearly every other front. The grounds and resources are sparse, it's the teaching a year ahead that lures the families, in hopes that their kid will join the Ivy League, even if it requires force feeding academics and subjugating them to a life of insular living. Better off at Black Pine Circle or a good public school.
Submitted by parent on September 06, 2020

Overall it's a great school for families looking for an academic program. There is room for improvement with leadership and communication with families.
Submitted by principal on July 02, 2019

This school is an amazing gem. We feel so lucky to have our son attending.
Submitted by parent on April 01, 2019

I took my daughter out after less than 3 months! They were more interested in money than the kids.
Submitted by parent on January 17, 2019

The Academy is a special school. The teachers are warm, and help the kids to do their best. The school has a wonderful community.
Submitted by parent on November 17, 2018

We love the Academy. Its focus on instilling a love of learning and simply teaching subjects in a straightforward manner because they ARE interesting as opposed to "trying to make them interesting" as many other schools seem to be doing was exactly what we were looking for. Our son is learning a lot and really loves going to school. The school is also great at creating a tight community even across grade levels. Really unique.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2018

Excellent school and a true gem in Berkeley
Submitted by parent on September 12, 2017

My son just started going there. It's wonderful! In a few short weeks, I can see the considerable improvement in reading, writing, and overall interest in his education. It's so great having such a dedicated teaching team all working closely with you. Priceless!
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2016

The Academy is a unique school with wonderful, caring teachers and challenging, inspiring academics. It has a family-like feel that makes all of the children in K-8 feel nurtured and loved. Friendships develop across grades to create an exceptional environment for learning and fun.
Submitted by other on August 11, 2016

Our child went to this school and it was not the best experience. The school is a bit dysfunctional and has been trying to rebuild over the past two years after being run by a family for many years. The school staff and teachers are entirely white (except for one teacher) and a lot of the classes have mostly boys. Some kids who have social problems or trouble following rules are being admitted, and that has affected kids who want to learn without a lot of distractions. The school also has a really small play area, and that made it very hard for kids to play without bumping into each other. Overall, the school has some promise, but has experienced a lot of student turnover over the past few years. The best private schools in the Bay Area are always filled and have waiting lists. This school always has openings.
Submitted by parent on March 03, 2015

Our daughter recently transferred from a Contra Costa School and within a few days we saw some amazing changes in her. First of all she sat upright when doing home work. Secondly, she shared with us and with excitement some of the work she performed during the day including science and music projects and finally she sang to us various verses of the Sound of Music. We hope with the current management, skilled Principle and wonderfully experienced first grade teacher for our daughter's continued great education.
Submitted by parent on July 20, 2014

My son has been at The Academy for two years. We are extremely happy with the school and the overwhelmingly positive experiences we've had so far. The teachers are fabulous. Ms. Crippen's (K) classes are fun and creative. Mrs. Labarca's (1) classes have more structure, more singing, and more international flavor--the students sing greeting songs every morning and they count numbers daily in 8 different languages! Due to the school's reputation and screening process, as well as self-selection by parents, the students tend to be academically oriented and motivated. This makes accelerated teaching possible. My son's classmates are all active, bright, and well-behaved. They have different talents and interests, yet all get along really well and are kind to each other, which makes every school day and birthday parties very enjoyable. In my opinion, The Academy offers the best environment and programs for academically-oriented, "gifted" kids in the area. Its academic atmosphere and accelerated, integrated curricula are unparalleled among peer schools. It provides an advanced yet balanced structure for educating an all-around scholar accompanied by intelligent and similar-aged peers.
Submitted by parent on June 02, 2014

Our son has been at the Academy for four years and we would not consider another school for him. The academic rigor is matched by caring and dedicated teachers. I am quite familiar with the other prominent private schools in the East Bay and I can say, without hesitation, that none can compare to the Academy. Our son has thrived both intellectually and socially, has found (overall) school-mates who are exceptionally compassionate, and educational opportunities that are simply not offered elsewhere. In regards to the teachers, I would have to respectfully disagree with previous posts that lamented a move towards mediocrity. I have seen this neither in the lower school, nor the upper school. If you are a parent who wants a strong academic program for your child, I would highly recommend the Academy.
Submitted by parent on April 17, 2014

As its name suggests, the academy is a highly academic environment, the most advanced in the east bay. English and Math levels are a grade above the public schools (they cover the second grade math book in grade 1 for example), and science and social studies are also advanced and interesting. There are specialists to teach French, Science, Art, Music and PE. Class sizes are small (usually less than or equal to 10 children in a grade) and it is a very family environment... children know each other from all grades through the aftercare program. While it is academically advanced, the Academy is also very sensitive to the emotional needs of children. Although not explicitly stated, it is a school aimed at gifted children, and tests are required for admissions to higher grades (and a brief evaluation with the owner Ms. Claudeanos for Kindergarten, that tests knowledge of letters, numbers, basic puzzle solving, writing basic letters etc.) High school placements are excellent, with over a third of the children going to College Prep. For academically advanced children, I believe it is the best environment in the east bay and elsewhere.
Submitted by parent on December 29, 2013

The school we switched to has a far more solid academic program than The Academy, particularly in Science, Math, and English. Our friends switched to another school, also with higher academic standards. A third family did say that the academics were "easier" at the school they switched to, - but the package of programs at the new school was much more interesting. The Academy likes to point to past successes - it used to be a good school - but it has lost most of its good teachers in the past three years or so, and hired mediocre ones. There are many other problems with this school - none of which mattered to us in the end, as the teachers and the academic focus that had originally attracted us to the school simply weren't there anymore, so we left, along with many other families. Just ask how many kids who're in upper school now have been at TA more than one year: almost none!
Submitted by parent on October 21, 2013

I was surprised to read in one of the comments that The Academy is "a place of bullying" and "mediocre academics". If anything, academic rigor is what this school is about. We have friends who left the academy and went to other private schools and all agree that the academy was academically more rigorous. When Academy students leave the school, they usually get accepted into any other private school of their choice. And when they go to public schools, they often get bumped a grade. You only have to look at where they place their graduates to see that the academics cannot be mediocre. As for bullying, I don't know where that came from. We've had our children in the academy for 6 years now and have never heard of a single bullying incident. The class sizes are too small to allow for bullying and it is in no way tolerated by the school. While no school is perfect, one should be fair in posting comments so as not to mislead others.
Submitted by parent on October 21, 2013

The Academy is the best kept secret among private schools in the East Bay. Both our children are thriving there. Several attributes distinguish it from other private schools: 1. high academic standards: the teachers are outstanding and the curriculum challenges the kids; one only need to look at the high-school placement of the Academy children to see that this school is doing something right! 2. true diversity, in all aspects: many students have parents who were born outside the US, which enriches the experiences of all children; there is also a remarkable ethnic and socioeconomic diversity for a private school. Unlike most other private schools, the families at the Academy are a true reflection of Berkeley's diverse society. 3. small size: this creates a caring community, and allows the teachers to give students a lot of attention in class. Both our children are thriving there, both academically and socially. If you are looking for a private school that will push your children to excel academically, receive a great education and have friends from all over the world, the Academy is the place.