Sylvia Mendez to Longfellow
Hi, we are trying to decide on which school to enroll our rising Kindergartner in. We are considering Sylvia Mendez (if he can get in), but wanted to understand better the Middle School choices. We live nearby Willard and he would normally go there. I know there is a preference for SM kids to go to Longfellow, but does going to SM impact their ability to go to their more proximate middle school if we decide to do so?
Jan 8, 2024
Parent Replies
One of the changes made last year for the middle school zoning was that Sylvia Mendez kids are now required to attend Longfellow, even if they are choosing to opt out of the TWI immersion program at that point. It was a hotly contested issue during the school board meetings when the rezoning was happening. Many parents called and wrote in complaining that they enrolled their children in Sylvia Mendez years ago, assuming they could still have them attend their nearby middle school when it was time. The district's rationale was that the only way to keep the numbers at the other schools right was if all Sylvia Mendez students were assigned to Longfellow. Now, no matter where you live in Berkeley, if your child graduates from Sylvia Mendez, they will be automatically placed in Longfellow, even if you request otherwise.