Berkeley Elementary School

351 Bloomfield Avenue

School District

Bloomfield Board Of Education
Grade

K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:10
Type

public

School Map for Bloomfield Board Of Education 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 February 18, 2025

It is a very bad school if your concern about your child safety i wouldn’t recommend sending your children there. Communication with between parent and teacher is a hit or miss depending on the teacher. There’s almost no communication with school principal. And the fight bully culture is atrocious there is no effective efforts to be done about it. This school has a serious problem with neglecting theses issue unless you do something about it to force them to address it.
Submitted by parent on June 26, 2024

The school has a lot of activities for students and have a good curriculum for students in each grade level. My 5 year old now has a laptop provided by school and will be used in his 1st grade class. My son knows educational websites to go to that help him learn more and enhance his knowledge. Teachers are well rounded and disciplines students accordingly when needed. Principal is very involved and present. I love it that she goes out of her office and greet the students and parents every morning before the class starts. Very warm and welcoming.
Submitted by parent on June 26, 2024

I have had 2 kids graduate from Berkeley, currently have 2 more attending one going into 5th grade she the other 2nd. I have had 1 bad explore first year but the issue was quickly resolved. Since then my experiences at Berkeley have been pleasant. The teachers are phenomenal the care and compassion they show towards the students is remarkable. If your child is struggling they assist with extra help or in class support. Every school has issues and your not going to like everything you see but at the end of the day our teachers and Principal do what is best for the students as a collaborative. It hasn’t been posted but we had a student get perfect scores in English on the NJSLA test. That is just one of the many achievements of Berkeley. At Berkeley they strive for excellence the schools testing scores have increased. At Berkeley as the years go by there has been much improvement. To finalize there is always room for improvement with any school.
Submitted by parent on June 26, 2024

I love all the teachers my kids had. I eould recommend this school
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2024

My son has been attending this school since kindergarten. The teachers and staff are wonderful.
Submitted by parent on June 06, 2024

Han sido 6 años de mucha lucha muchas batallas y mucho aprendizaje. Doy gracias a Dios por el camino recorrido en esta escuela con profesores directores empleados y padres y alumnos. Hemos logrado crear una organización para apoyar a nuestros padres y migrantes donde podamos todos apoyarnos unos a otros después de la pandemia. Al final ha sido una gran diferencia de lo que encontramos a lo que hemos logrado juntos. Por eso doy gracias a todos los profesores y empleados y sobre todo a la principal de esta escuela Doctor Baxter. Ya que sin ella y su apoyo y sus buenos consejos nada de lo que hemos logrado hubiera sido posible hoy como ella misma nos enseñó podemos decir que le hemos dejado una mejor escuela nuestros hijos y a los que vengan después de ellos. Creo que hay muchas cosas todavía que hacer y que cambiar para la mejoría de nuestros alumnos y profesores pero confío que con el apoyo de nuestros padres y de nuestro distrito escolar seguiremos avanzando para la mejoría de los alumnos y profesores en la ciudad de Bloonfield.
Submitted by parent on June 03, 2024

It’s awesome for my kids to be part of a School where they love to go. Their learning experiences have been remarkable through their different age groups. Teachers and staff are amazing and love what they are doing. So many programs and resources for the kids not to just learn but to experience the social interaction at their best. As parents, we are very grateful for Berkeley Elementary Family!
Submitted by parent on May 29, 2024

My son has had a great experience at Berkeley. He is enthusiastic about his learning, has a plethora of activities at his disposal to engage and challenge him, and is encouraged by an incredibly passionate, and supportive staff. I am consistently impressed by the array of options offered. The workshops made available to encourage mindfulness and aid with social skills are an invaluable resource for todays children. The STEAM camp was offered for the summer at no cost. There is a rolling calendar of stem activities. He was taught to play a violin in music class. The list is too long to cite it all, but they exceed all expectations of general education here. This school, and it’s phenomenal leadership, will restore your faith in the public school system.
Submitted by parent on May 28, 2024

Berkeley Elementary School has a lot to offer. I have two children in the school, and both are thriving. Great teaching staff who are engaged and communicative, always willing to answer parent questions. A wonderful parent community who is engaged and supportive. A lovely building staff who is always looking out for the students. The principal cares deeply for her students, inspiring them to be an active participant in their school experience and to make the most of their time at Berkeley.
Submitted by other on December 01, 2023

This school is by far the worst school I have ever and will ever go to, young students are forced to stand outside in the cold weather till their teachers decide to let them in. Displine is horrible, students are yelled at like they are adults, I’ve seen students cry under the wrath of the teachers. I’ve actually been on the end of this rage and it’s truly heartbreaking. I want to thank Mr.Couto,Mrs.Brown (library teacher), Ms.Brown (ELA teacher), Ms.Apney, Ms.Surpaco, and the school secretary. They are the only things that made this school better.This school has ruined happy jolly kids, making them sad and upset. The kids deserved better and it you want your beautiful and happy child to be a depressed emotion fulled kid then by all means put them here.You should figure out homeschooling then but your kids here, please as a student from here I really say you should put them in a different school. I had great friends here but that’s because we all had to face hard adults. This made us stick together, but we shouldn’t have had to connect like that.
Submitted by parent on January 24, 2023

My sons have attended Berkeley School since kindergarten. We love the school and have found it to be a warm and welcoming community. Dr. Baxter (principal) is friendly and accessible to parents and students and has cultivated a culture of excellence among her faculty and staff. Teachers are dedicated and engaged, working hard to connect to each student and ensure each develops a solid educational foundation. The Berkeley School community is extremely diverse in terms of culture, race/ethnicity, nation of origin, immigration status, languages spoken, economic status, and learning styles. I am pleased that my children have classmates from many different countries and backgrounds and interact naturally with children with special needs. Berkeley is an inclusive community where all kids are fully engaged in the life of the school. Berkeley has a dedicated group of parent volunteers who work hard to give our kids great memories of their elementary school years. Our basketball teams are dominating the elementary school league this year. Go Bulldogs!
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2023

Berkeley Elementary has been great for my kids. My daughter started there at 2nd Grade and my son started at Kindergarten. My daughter graduated last year and is now going to the Bloomfield Middle School where she is in all Honors classes. Berkeley has some awesome teachers. Teachers that truly care about each child's education and growth. They have Class Dojo which has been so helpful with communication throughout the school. They also have a great Home and School Association that really pull together and make great events for the children. Not to mention the guidance counselor who is super observant and in tune with the children’s needs. Our principal is super supportive, approachable and the children love and respect her. I truly love how she has the children do a Mantra every morning before starting school. Berkeley is a great school; I highly recommend it.
Submitted by parent on January 17, 2023

My kids wanted to try Public school, so we transferred from Private to Public. It was a smooth transition. My experience and from what I have seen, is that the teachers are dedicated to the students, they go above and beyond for their students. If a child is struggling they will make recommendations and strategies to help them. There are many resources for the students. The Principal, Dr Baxter is like no other principal, she is dedicated to the students, I’m impressed she knows all the kids names. She cares about them, starting their morning off with positive energy and acclimations. It’s evident the kids love her, I have witnessed many hugs at the end of the day. Even the custodians get involved. Yes, the school is on a main Ave. but that does not defy what goes on inside the building. Everyone works at keeping the kids safe. Don’t complain, get involved, don’t highlight the negatives, help make the negatives into positives. Be a part of the solution and progress.
Submitted by parent on December 16, 2022

My family and I moved to Bloomfield March of 2021 and initially, I was very concerned about Berkeley Elementary being our zoned school. This was based on ratings, rankings and reviews from sites like GreatSchools and Niche Schools, which certainly do not paint the full picture. If you are considering moving to Bloomfield, please do not count Berkeley Elementary out. It would be a mistake! Students are excited about what they are learning at Berkeley and it is evident by their eagerness to come home and share those details. Student progress is celebrated, intervention offered when necessary and there is open communication between the principal, teachers and parents about the curriculum year round.Our teachers love their students, as if they were their own. They are approachable, accessible and go above & beyond, wearing many hats & extending their services outside the classroom.Our students are afforded consistent opportunities to lead active lifestyles (e.g. gym class, outdoor recess, townwide track & field meet, basketball program).Social Emotional Learning is integrated into classroom curriculum, with a new theme selected each month. For example, in November we focused on gratitude and in December generosity. Additionally, our 6th grade students have the opportunity to participate in the Wingman Program, "a social and emotional learning organization that inspires children to go above and beyond for others." At Berkeley Elementary, this student led program is being used to create a safe, supportive community for all of our students.While it is true Berkeley Elementary is located near a busy two way street, there are measures in place to help with safety concerns noted in previous reviews. Crossing guards are strategically positioned on every major intersection around the school including Bloomfield Avenue/Berkeley Place, Bloomfield Avenue/Hill Street and Berkeley Place/Franklin Street. Students in grades 1-6 enter and are dismissed through the school doors located near the schoolyard, away from major roads. The state mandated fire & safety drills take place and each time that happens, families are notified through virtual backpack, a district wide communication tool. Visitors are highly encouraged to make school appointments in advance, check-in at the main office with photo ID and wear a Berkeley visitor's pass while on the premises. All doors, around the school, are locked throughout the entire school.Make an appointment to visit the school!
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2021

The most terrible school in town ! First of all it’s located on Bloomfield Ave- terrible busy accident prone street. Secondly, the children in this school have no home training! Blame the parents! These kids are bullies! Thirdly, academically they are rated very poorly. Once again I’m sure has a lot to do with the parents and some to do with management at the school. Also, if your child gets hurt , forget it! You won’t hear about it until your child gets comes home from school! The teachers so far , are ok. Especially the one my child has this year, she seems great. However , it takes more then one teacher to make a difference in a school. Another thing, some of the staff are very unprofessional, I was on the phone with one once, and this person was chuckling as he spoke to me about something that was not funny to me. Something to do with my child being hurt. My child goes to this school, this will soon change! My child comes from a Montessori school where he has been his whole life, this environment is not one he is used to !
Submitted by parent on April 04, 2019

Great school, great principal and teachers. They really care about their children.
Submitted by other on March 22, 2019

My experience at Berkeley has been awesome! The Alladin production was Amazing!
Submitted by other on March 18, 2019

I have a phenomenal experience each and every time I visit Berkeley Elementary School
Submitted by other on March 18, 2019

Excellent. I was extremely impressed with the Aladdin performance and the engagement of the students and staff.
Submitted by other on March 18, 2019

Excellent accepting environment. The children displayed great talent an enthusiasm at the Aladdin play we saw performed at the school last week.