Advice about Moving to the Bay Area

3 parent questions ▼

Parent Q&A

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  • Moving to a new city at the end of the school year

    – Feb 3, 2022
    (4 replies)

    Hi folks,

    We are moving to bay area around the middle of May this year. We plan to start looking for apartment and schools after getting there. It might be too late for the current school year by the time we make up our mind. So, will it be okay if our 9yo starts school only in Aug/Sep rather than May. We have read about the super strict truancy laws in California and do not want to be on the wrong side of it. So, any opinions on that are most welcome.

    Thanks

    AM

    Feb 3, 2022

    Can your kid finish the year with his current school by doing independent study after you move? When my kids were younger, there were a few families who did this when they needed to be away for a month or two.

    School ends in May in many Bay Area districts, so I don't think you will even be on their radar until the fall. (Do be aware that school starts in early-to-mid August if you're coming from a post-Labor Day state!) In general, the truancy laws come into play if your child is enrolled but not attending school. If you are new to the state, the district won't even know you're here until you show up to register. (That said, registration for next year is already underway and you will be a late applicant if you apply in May, so depending on where you are moving, you will want to be aware of which schools you may still be able to get a spot at--in most East Bay districts, it isn't solely based on where you live. You'll want to get an application in as soon as you have a confirmed address, and if school options play a role in where you'll decide to live, you'll want to talk the districts you're considering first to see which schools potentially have space.)

    I suggest that you get permission from your current school to do an "Independent Study" for the time your child will be gone. Even if that time is the last month or two of their school year. That way, (1) your child can stay current with their learning, (2) their other school (assuming it's public) won't get reduced money due to your child's absence, and (3) the transition to the new school will be easy. Just be sure to give them a couple of weeks notice so the teacher has time to put together the learning plan and the materials needed. Good luck!

    ~Mailisha 

    The replies are very helpful. We will explore the "independent study" plan from the current school.

  • Relocating to Berk/Oak/Orinda - need BART station and good schools

    – Jul 1, 2018
    (7 replies)

    Hello,

    We had originally been living in Chicago, moved to the Philippines for nearly seven years and are moving to SF area for a job offer.

    We are relocating in September 2018, a bit late to enroll them anywhere. In Chicago, you can automatically enroll your kids if you live within the boundary. It seems this is not the case here. What can we do? We plan to sign a lease as soon as we find a house walking distance from a good school (at least 8 rating in GreatSchools.org). Of course budget is also to be considered.

    Areas we are considering are Berkeley, Oakland, Orinda. We need proximity to a BART station to allow commuting to SF.

    My kids are also musically gifted. Any music enrichment programs will also be helpful.

    Thank you very much.

    Jul 1, 2018

    Hi, there - best wishes for your move. Because you are enrolling so late, if you move to Berkeley your child/ren will be enrolled where there is room. If the school is over 1.25 miles, they get a school bus to take them there for grades K-5. The good news is: all of the Berkeley public schools are terrific, and an excellent music curriculum is built into the education. K-2, kids get visits from the Berkeley Symphony and get to play rhythm instruments. In 3rd grade they get a recorder and music class. In 4th grade they choose an instrument, and music is built into the day 2-3 days a week for grades 4-5. For grades 6-8, it's optional - your kid has to come to school early, or stay in the afternoon, but it goes to daily instruction. But you get a good quality instrument for $20 a year. (Yay - Berkeley voters! We pay an optional parcel tax to cover this program.) Some schools also have dance, drama, and other programs. My child stuck with her instrument all the way through 12th grade, and it's been a tremendous experience.

    Berkeley has 3 BART stations, as well as express buses to downtown SF. There are parking lots at two of the stations, but they do fill up quickly. (There are also casual carpools - you line up to get a free ride into the city with someone who wants to use the carpool lane. Some folks take $1 for the toll.) As long as you don't move really far up in the hills, getting to BART or the buses is not too onerous.

    Now the bad news: there's a hideous housing shortage here. Be prepared for scarcity and brutal pricing.

    Check out the Crowden Music school in Berkeley!!!!

    Have a look at The Berkeley School. www.theberkeleyschool.org

    You didn’t specify ages, but thornhill elementary has a great music program. You’d go to the rockridge Bart or use the trans bay bus that picks up in Montclair village (the thornhill neighborhood is called Montclair)

    If looking for pre-conservatory style training, SF Conservatory of Music has a preparatory program. Crowden is also very well regarded and has academics too (not sure what grade it starts at). Don’t know what your kids play, but if piano and wanting more intensive private training, feel free to PM me for names of highly sought-after private piano teachers in the area. I can recommend teachers who are all active in the performing scene for young pianists (Junior Bach, local competitions, summer music festivals). Good luck!

    Among the three cities you listed, public schools are strongest in Orinda.

    I saw you got a lot of answers, mostly covering music.  I wanted to mention that Orinda is not diverse since the other posts did not seem to cover that.  We lived a long time in Oakland and also in Orinda's neighboring city of Moraga, and there are tradeoffs.  If your children are people of color, you may want to consider that.  We did not fully take in account the importance of racial and economic diversity when we moved from Oakland to the Lamorinda area, and I would not make the same decision if I could go back in time.

  • Moving to Oakland/Berkeley Area, looking for Arts HS and diverse neighborhood

    – Mar 28, 2018
    (5 replies)

    We are moving to the Oakland Berkeley area in the Summer 2019 with our now 13 year old daughter. We are an interracial (white, Asian and African American) family and so diversity is important both racially and economically. Our daughter is interested in the arts (singing, dancing) as well as sports (Lacrosse). Can anyone recommend areas, neighborhoods and schools we should consider in these cities? Thank you.

    Mar 28, 2018

    If you're considering private schools, the sky is the limit. You can live in either Berkeley or Oakland. For girls, Julia Morgan School for Girls is an exceptional private school. If you're considering public schools, there is no "bad" school in Berkeley. Many people agree that the Berkeley schools are all in the spectrum of good to great. Also, Berkeley schools are more integrated which means kids get mixed up, leading to diversity but you may not be going to the school that is a block away from you! Oakland public school system has a wider gap because you get neighborhood preference. A handful of Oakland schools are excellent and many schools struggle. Also, OUSD budget cut is something to consider. OSA is an amazing arts magnet public school, but I'm not sure if you can get in mid-year. If you can swing the budget, Piedmont has excellent school system but there isn't much racial or economic diversity. For high school, Oakland Tech is highly regarded and diverse.  I'm not sure where you're moving from, but walkable neighborhoods are incredibly expensive. Hills are not as hotly in demand as flats. If you're ok with Condo/Townhome living or rental but do have means to send your kid to private school and like the suburdan amenities like big box store (Target, Home Depot) and chain restaurants (Chevy's), living in Emeryville is pretty convenient. In Oakland, there are many wonderful neighborhoods. Our favorites in Oakland are Rockdridge, Piedmont Ave. Grand Lake, Lakeshore, Glenview, Dimond, Montclair Village, Lincoln Heights which are all very family friendly and relatively safe. Alameda is another neighborhood that is safe and has good schools. It's not culturally and artistically as exciting as Berkeley or Oakland though. 

    Berkeley High has diversity, a super strong girls Lacrosse team and incredible dance and music programs.

    Berkeley High is still a fantastic school.  It's hard to recommend Oakland public schools, although some of their charter schools are doing well.  School districts in Piedmont, Alameda, Albany, Danville, and Orinda are very strong (and not very diverse).

    Thank you Anon, MkimC adn WatersCarol,

    I appreciate all the thoughtful feedback Peter c

    You must have a look at Oakland School of the Arts! My stepson goes there. I’m not usually a fan of charter schools, but he is having a great experience both academically and artistically (he is in the visual arts program). You have to apply to get in. 

    I saw that others have recommended berkeley high. My other stepson only lasted 2 years there before getting his nose broken by a bully and then being suspended and treated like garbage, but your mileage may vary.