KIPP King Collegiate High School

I just wanted to add my two cents of what I have observed at this school. My husband and I service the Healthy Gourmet Vending Machines there (just one example of the perks that this school has that many don't...even though they re not private). Anyway, there are plenty of times we are there filling our machines when there is a class going on and we are always impressed at how unique and creative the instructors are. They seem to really care and engage with their students. We find ourselves engrossed and interested at what the students and the teacher are doing and discussing all the time. And for a public school, they seem to have a lot of athletic activities, fun social clubs and music. These kinds of activities will keep a young person engaged in their school and will help to give them a well-rounded education. I have no knowledge of the actual curriculum, but I see teachers who are smart and thoughtful, and students who are the same. When my child is old enough, I would certainly consider this school.

One review was not sufficient for me to say everything I wanted to say. Most of my teachers were great (not sure about the newer teachers, they're all incredibly young!), save for a few sequences of drama and teachers that didn't make eye contact (and gave tons of busy-work). If you want to help your kid develop that burning desire to read everything you give them and learn as much as they can, KKC will help with that. The teachers are probably some of the best teachers in the world, better than my college professors (and my professors are much more lenient!). They actually care about the students and push them to work harder and think for themselves, not become the robots that will eventually fail when thrown into the college tank. For the parents who really want to play the "keeping up with the Jones" game and say "oh, my kid goes to Harvard/Yale", GOOD LUCK LOL! The only gripes I have are that it's hard to be committed to outside opportunities or even find any. College nowadays don't just want transcripts full of As, but students that are able to be leaders and be newspaper editors and start organizations, etc. It was a bit hard for me to do that at KKC, but not impossible.
--Submitted by a student

I cannot believe some of the posts about how the parents do not want their children to go to the school because it is boring and too many hours or that the teachers are not teaching anything. REALLY? I would expect to hear that from a student, however it came from a parent. It sounds like the problem is not the school, but maybe a lack of support from parents. At any school you will find a few teachers who need support, but at KIPP King the focus is on helping to support teachers. No school is perfect;but at least at King teachers are working late into the night and on weekends to make sure students are provided the best their teachers can offer. It is my hope that the students realize they are actually lucky to be receiving a free education where the mission is to actually prepare each student for college. There are countless High Schools in urban areas all over California where teachers, administrators, and students are underperforming and King is NOT one of those schools. King still has a long way to go to make sure students are very prepared for college, but students, parents, teachers, and administration are doing the best that they can each and every day.
--Submitted by a parent

this school hire new teachers and they can not teach very well. the principal does not listen to other parents opinions and ideas. one of my daughter is in AP Biology and she does not have a teacher for her to teach her anything.
--Submitted by a parent

As a student I also have a serious problem with inflating grades. All it does is make us think we're prepared for something we're not. On top of that it seems like some of the teachers who have rigouous courses are pushed out of the school in place for ones who DO a lot but don't TEACH much. I work extremely hard for my grades and don't appreciate it when I see someone else who does nothing or just cheat (becaue lots of the so-called smart kids at King cheat like crazy) and get the same grades as me. The fact that another student would defend grade inflation is not only sad but helps explain why most of even this year's seniors with the highest grades aren't necessarily scoring very well on high stakes exams like the SATs.
--Submitted by a student

All the parents crying over how "horrible" KIPP King is need to get a grip on reality. A parent heard about "boring and long hour studies", what more could you want for your children? Studying is part of learning. You don't have to whine because your kids will get bored at school. Another parent "watched the school transform from an upstart institution to just another high school only interested in mass production of students." Does this parent sit in during classes? Surely not. I know for a fact that teachers absolutely DO care about our education. EVERY school has some form of grade inflation to support students who have trouble learning; pointing out such an obvious concept is simply brash and foolish. Sub-par English? These reviews make me laugh. The parents who live around KIPP King just love to complain and cry over every little thing.
--Submitted by a student

Principals never care of nearby community. They blocked the bridge between San Leandro and San Lorenzo without consent of families living by. They rarely replied parent's email regarding to kid's enrollment and concern. Our kids refused to get in this school because they heard about boring and long hour studies in this school even they got admission.
--Submitted by a parent

I don't see how the high school can be rated in terms of college admissions when they haven't graduated a senior class yet. There are no inter-league team sports. The quality of english class performance is sub-par as exemplified by the poor grammar of some students' posts on this site. San Lorenzo kids are not given priority admissions to the high school. The principal has been unresponsive to the concerns of the neighborhood. He does not pick up his personal cell phone nor respond to e-mail. KIPP King and KIPP Summitt are a burden to the neighborhood. They are proposing expansions when they should limit their enrollment and improve their existing facilities for the students they do have. Most students do not appear to come from this area, creating traffic congestion and an overall nuisance to this community.
--Submitted by a parent

The staff are so cool and model educators. The cultural diversity is the plus here at this prep for college bound students establishment. And the campus is located in a great area and safe environment.
--Submitted by a parent

Fantastic learning institution and the children thrive there!