Berkeley Middle School

Both of my sons attended Berkeley at different times. There was at least 4 different principals during that time. Both of my sons have high IQs and learning ability is very high, although one is a book learner and the other is a hands on learner. Both had very poor grades. Both had IEPs. I didn’t know at the time that both were being bullied by the other students as well as the teachers. My youngest son had one health problem after another while he was there. When he was in a wheelchair prescribed by his doctor his math teacher said that he was only in a wheelchair in order to get attention. His IEP teacher told him “not to think, just do”. After they left and moved on to high school I heard from other students there that they were bullied and the teachers did not care. There is an imbedded attitude that new principals cannot break. The only way to increase the learning and student behavior is to start with removing most of the long term teachers and at least two police officers there full time. Also, the students that break laws need to be prosecuted. Otherwise, the bullying in the school, which claims to be a “No bulling zone”, will ever cease.

I am a student at this school. I hate it. Some teachers are good but most are super boring and rude, and its hard to learn. They over stuff you with papers and have a short exchange time between classes. And there is no break to refresh ourselves.

Until Berkeley, our children had only ever attended private school. We are impressed with the extra-curricular activities as well as the leadership within the school. Our children enjoy Berkeley, and feel safe and cared for. Our only complaint is the lack of innovation and creativity in instruction. There is a lot of "sit and get", and a lot of busy-work. We'd like to see more opportunities for technology enhanced learning, project based learning, and student choice and creativity.

I rcently finished 8th grade after spending my entire middle school here. When I was in 6th grade the school was pretty mediocre, the teachers could have been better, and a student's well being wasn't fully protected. After finished 8th grade, looking back the school had improved a lot. My Absolute favorite teaches were Mr. Collins, the band/study skills teacher, Mr. Goode, who teaches Invention & Innovation/woodshop, and Mrs. Wargo, the 8th grade honors english teacher. Police Officers were hired to keep the students safe, and while it may sound a little over-kill, it helped a lot more than a parent could ever see, even if a few of them probably should have stuck to busting actual criminals, and not little kids. There's plenty of after school activities and rewards for well behaved students, mostly dances and that sort of thing. The food, though, could still use some improvement.