Borel Middle School

425 Barneson Avenue

School District

San Mateo-Foster City
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:20
Type

public

School Map for San Mateo-Foster City 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 26, 2023

Best school ever thwre is a homework club the best
Submitted by parent on September 26, 2022

Borel middle school is the worst school that my son went to. Always have fist fight and they don’t do something about it. My son got bullied here and the assistant principal is way beyond unfair. No justice at all. So beware and be careful. Until now the case is not yet over. They have cctv in the school but if you are trying to do investigation and will report it to the authority and police they will avoid them just to cover up everything. My son is having a trauma and the school is not helping at all. But we will do everything to solve this problem. But we just hope that the school officials will do action especially for the safety of the students. Throwing rocks and fist fight is very un acceptable at all. The safety of kids kids here is at steak. So beware
Submitted by parent on September 06, 2022

Our child attended Borel for 2 years and is finishing up 8th grade this year. I have to say, so far Borel has been a very good school for my son academically. He is doing great and has made academic excellence several times. The teachers have been supportive and he has a pretty nice guidance counselor. The music program is also very good at Borel. There is a nice bit of community support here at this school.We know many families with kids at the various schools in San Mateo (Abbott, Bayside STEM, St. Greg's Catholic, St. Matthew's Catholic). The curriculum at Borel seems to be in line with many of the other public middle schools. The homework level is pretty light for the most part, when compared to the Catholic schools where other kids we know seem to have more. The students at Borel are usually doing work in class and completing most assignments at school. If parents are comparing Borel to Abbott, both seem to be about the same in terms of test scores, homework, and the subject matter they teach. I have heard nothing but positive things from parents who send their kids to Abbott. So I don't think there is much difference in the academics and teachers at these two schools. We've noticed that all the teachers and staff in the San Mateo-Foster City School District are all well-educated and in general are very competent and positive. We've had a few clunker teachers at schools considered to be "highly-rated" and we've had great teachers at "lower-rated" schools. So there is no school that doesn't have its share of challenges and teachers who should probably retire.It is also important to note, that at Borel, there have been several fights my child has either witnessed or heard about. While my child has not experienced "bullying" directly, there are many social "clicks" at Borel. The school doesn't seem to do much to encourage more intermingling amongst kids. There aren't many social activities or opportunities (it seams) to encourage more cross-click socializing except in areas like sports. So that's not so great. We also know that Abbott has some of the same problems as Borel when it comes to bullying. Middle school is a strange time and it seems that this is all normal to some degree.Overall, Borel has been a very good experience for my child. But it's not an experience that is over-the-top in terms of "greatness". It's a very good school and is on par with other very good middle schools in the district.
Submitted by student on August 13, 2022

There are a lot of things to like about this school. The instruction is very good, all teachers are well up to date on Common Core. Adding on to teachers, they are all very nice and understanding of parents and students. The community is very diverse among races, economic, clas genders, abilities, languages, and sexualities. All of the teachers here are great, supportive and encouraging! Since it is a middle school, of course there is a bit of bullying, there is a bit of fights, there are a couple bad kids. People need to understand 11-14 year olds are young, and are having a hard time through puberty, and this can be a way of reacting.Many of the families who come from richer areas to Borel are concerned about mixing "with the poors" (a literal quote from my friend's mother.) IThe school understands the economic diversity, providing financial aid to families in need.Don't be scared by common things that happen with teenagers, we're just kids.
Submitted by other on June 03, 2021

Well I have a lot to say but I don't want to get in trouble for mentioning names so ill make it smaller and tell you my experience at Borel Middle School I think there was only 2 nice teachers on campus and both my math teachers which is a plus the other teachers made me feel like trash my inspiration with middle school was to play the cello cut that short now that im in high school I started dance best thing I could have done to heal the wounds that this school has done. councilors I could never trust with anything as I felt like I was being shamed on all the time as well as the staff in the office except the two ladies that worked on the front desk so nice and deserve a raise for sure because every time I would cry or be at my lowest point they made me feel better about myself it was a nice feeling and as for the other reviews yeah the kids where shady at moments but also it was full of toxic energy and to the kids that are at this school now please don't think that popularity will get you places it really won't "fitting in" is bull be yourself and love yourself for who you are and be happy oh and Borel do better not trying to offend anyone just stating facts.
Submitted by student on January 15, 2019

It’s a great school with encouraging people.
Submitted by parent on November 17, 2015

We've gone through 3 Principals in 5 years. There are a high number of students who's families are struggling financially and unable to make donations to the various fundraisers. Under 25% of our families join the PTA. The office is understaffed and often overwhelmed with students who require discipline. The facilities are very old and in need of repair. There is an emphasis on equalizing the classrooms so that the over achieving students are separated and sprinkled in among the underachieving students. This system isolates intellectual peer groups and puts pressure on the overachieving students to assist the underachieving students. The classrooms are often loud and many teachers spend a great deal of time trying to deal with disrespectful students who are not interested in learning. The saving grace in this institution are the handful of amazing teachers who have been given too many students and not enough resources, but are dedicated and good at what they do.
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2014

There are a lot of things to like about this school. The instruction is generally good, although many teachers use points and grades as behavioral consequences. The teachers are up to date on what Common Core has in store for them but can improve how they communicate that to parents. My child's English teacher has done a very good job of scaffolding instruction to build on what he already knows. Like many middle school math teachers, there seems to be an over-emphasis on answers over process but the method of instruction is sound and assessments are fair. What seems to be the biggest challenge for Borel is how to transition new 6th graders to a much different school structure than elementary school. While basic study skills are introduced, some classes jump immediately to multiple choice exams and a much more high school way of instruction. In many ways 6th grade has more in common with 12th grade than the 5th grade they just completed. Teachers need to be much better and more competent users of schoolloop as a tool for revision, intervention and parent communication. It has so much potential that is not currently being realized.
Submitted by parent on December 22, 2012

I'm trying to check up on my daughter grades, having some problems, getting into it, unfortunately, I'll get there. I would like to thanks the teacher for thier patience, and the time thier giving to help the children in Borel. Also all the staff in the office especially the principal, the smile and for welcoming us as we enter the office. Thank you all! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Submitted by other on October 29, 2012

I am totally new to this school and I'm not so sure I'm satisfied with it, I mean, one of my teachers was very mean. Not just to me but to the whole entire class. On the first day of school, she gave us ridiculous homework! She told us to color a map of the world she gave us and then label ALL the countries, in the world ( plus the oceans and the countries weren't even drawn on it, no borders, no anything, just land)! I took 5-7 hours on it and I probably even left out alot, I mean seriously, ALL the countries with no borders!, Then the next day she gave us a pop quiz on it ( but she let us use our hw)but still, many people flunked it. I almost failed since there were no grids on the hw, it was very hard to tell the placing of each country. But the rest of my teacherswere pretty good..