Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier School

Posted October 4, 2009

I was an Arts Magnet parent from 1981 through 1989. Now I will have been an Arts Magnet parent again, from 2004 through 10/01/09. Arts Magnet has consistently provided a diverse, safe, fun, and well rounded ediucational experience for my 2 girls.
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Posted October 3, 2009

The only school in Berkeley that retains a focus on art inclusion in the curriculum!
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Posted December 21, 2005

Very good school, but my child is now in an independent one because teacher quality isn't consistent. Whittier has a terrific philosophy and many dedicated people working on its programs, but its challenges, particularly class size, will not change. I must rate the teacher quality on this survey, but it's really a crap shoot--some are outstanding, others only average. Most attractive to BAM are its dynamic mix of children and its music and performing arts program. Children leave BAM benefitting from and valuing the fine and performing arts programs. If one's child were able to have BAM's best teachers at least every other year, the school could be rated higher. But a child's classroom assignment is left to either chance or parent politics.
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Posted November 15, 2005

My 10 has been at BAM since she was five and she started off great. When she reached 3rd grade her grades began to drop. BAM has the potential to be a wonderful educational environment but the classes are too large. In her 4th grade class there were 32 students to one teacher and one part time assistant. It is too easy to fall between the cracks when the class size is so large. BAM has a great staff and leadership, but they are trying to accommodate too many families and the children are failing.
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