Claremont Middle or Longfellow?
Based on our dual addresses, my child could attend either school. So I'd love feedback from parents with recent experiences with either Claremont or Longfellow -- how has your child's experience been? I'm particularly interested in hearing about STEM experiences and also social dynamics. Thanks!
Jun 26, 2024
Parent Replies
You have probably heard, but the Longfellow campus is being relocated to the Berkeley Adult School for the next two years. It sounds a bit chaotic because it was so sudden. I live near BAS and that campus is 100% NOT ready for incoming middle schoolers. I would not even think twice about Claremont in this scenario. If you're considering BHS for high school, they might benefit from making Berkeley friends before high school (unless they're coming from a Berkeley elementary school already). But it isn't necessary.
Please note that the Longfellow building was recently red-tagged as condemned and will need to be rebuilt before students can return. Students will instead be attending school at the BUSD Adult School site in northwest Berkeley for at least the next two years. There are a couple detailed Berkeleyside articles about it that I recommend you read before making your decision. Honestly, in light of the situation, I would highly recommend to anyone against choosing Longfellow for the next few years.
We are assigned to Longfellow (Berkeley), but my kid won't be in middle school for another 3 years. If you are going sooner than that, be aware that Longfellow will be at Berkeley Adult School for 2024-2026(?) (see article below).
https://www.berkeleyside.org/2024/06/18/longfellow-middle-red-tag-dry-r…
I believe you're looking at two different school districts. If you haven't seen/heard the news you will want to check this out: https://www.berkeleyside.org/2024/06/18/longfellow-middle-red-tag-dry-r…