Melrose Leadership Academy

MLA is a fantastic school that provides a bilingual learning environment that embraces diversity and promotes global awareness. There is extensive parental involvement, and a teaching staff that is passionate about what they do. Our daughter is now in her second year at MLA and we couldn't be happier. Don't let the test scores fool you, this school is precious.

We love this school for its location in Oakland, for the dedicated and personable principal, for the parental involvement, and for our daughter's kindergarten and now first grade teacher. We didn't get in originally, but appealed and were fortunate enough to get in. We live two blocks from a really good neighborhood school, Cleveland Elementary, but elected to go to MLA for its dual language program. Super happy we did!

We had a great experience our first year at MLA with Maestra Bean. We love the school culture and active community of parents, the teachers and administrators are incredibly dedicated to providing a nurturing and fun environment for learning, and my son at age six is speaking, reading and writing in both English and Spanish -- looking forward to many more years here.

My husband and I are incredibly grateful that we found MLA and we are constantly pinching ourselves because we can't believe how great it is. Does it have shortcomings? Of course, it is a Oakland Public School in a state where the priorities lie elsewhere, but those shortcomings fall away when you see the heart and soul of the administration and teachers and you become involved with the community. My daughter is speaking and reading Spanish/English in a school that looks as diverse as Oakland and learning about community and heart and soul. I'm a grateful parent.