Bella Vista Elementary School

BAD SCHOOl! Run by hipocrets that pretend to care when all they care for is their pay checks .---------------------------------------------------------------------
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter is about to finish 1st grade and we have had a good experience here. The teachers are all involved - so much so that I've had parents from other grades come up to me and comment on my child. The current principal will be finishing up her first year here and while many probably still miss Ms. Yip (who can blame them) - personally speaking I think the new principal has stepped up to the plate. She's involved and strait forward. Only flaw with this school is the fact that they're so busy getting all the kids who cannot speak English caught up that kids like my daughter can get forgotten/get bored. Thankfully her teacher realized this and was proactive enough to make modifications into her lesson plan. While some of the parents may be less than appealing (parking in the middle of the street or not being at all involved) - all in all I couldn't be much happier.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter is a student at Bella Vista and will enter the 1st grade in a week. She loved her kindergarten teacher and flourished in their program. However, the building is falling apart and the neighborhood isn t amazing. And to top it off the office staff is terrible. They have little to no information on after school programs. They rely heavily on the CDC to provide info to parents. No one in the office has the initiative to partner up with local after school centers or to create a day care referral list of for working parents. This school is great for parents with extended family members who can assist with child pick up and drop off. But if you are a single parent, be prepared to be frustrated at the office staff and their lack of initiative and constant blank looks. Any information they do give is incorrect or outdated.
--Submitted by a parent

my son has been to this school since kinder and now second grade, i think this is an ok school as far as comparing to other oakland schools. i admit there are lack of after school activities but as far as academic they are alot better than some of the ele. schools in oak. so far my son has some of the best teachers, caring, kind,loving, easy to talk to.
--Submitted by a parent

This school is an absolute gem! Principal Yip is a great leader...fair, approachable, very involved in her school. Teacher quality is excellent. Many of the teachers have been there 10 years or more. My daughter said that her 5th grade teacher is the nicest teacher she's ever had! She has had a tough year this year...this is her 4th school this year. So we are new to Bella Vista, but after such a difficult year and dealing with uncaring staff at other schools (uh-em...Glenview) she has blended right in at Bella Vista. Please check out this school as another option in Oakland for your child! Very diverse student population, and they have a beautiful remodeled playyard and a computer lab.
--Submitted by a parent

good school to me teachers are nice
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter has been at Bella Vista for grades 4 and 5. I found the education offered there to be very poor. They seem to simply 'pass' the child with no regard to her/his academis achievements. There are no extracurricular activities. Supervision is lax. The teachers rarely return homework, so unless you persistently (weekly) enquire about test scores, homework, progress etc., you are not aware of your child's standings until grades are issued. My suggestion is to run from this school.
--Submitted by a parent

My son was at Bella Vista a few months, and although the teachers seemed to really care about the students, I don't think that they get much support from the principal. The Kindergarten classes were held downstairs in a gloomy looking part of the school, and the schedule did not allow any time for play. I think the teachers do the best they can with what they have to work with though.
--Submitted by a parent