Willard School will not be site for REALM Charter School

March 24, 2011 4:51 pm by Tracey Taylor

Willard Middle School: no longer under consideration for the REALM Charter School

Willard Middle School is no longer in the running as a possible location for the middle school part of the city’s new REALM Charter School — much to the relief of many Willard parents who were campaigning against the move.

After a closed meeting Wednesday, the BUSD Board announced it had decided against Willard as a home for Berkeley’s new Revolutionary Education and Learning Movement (REALM) middle school

Victor Diaz, REALM’s principal, told Berkeleyside on March 17 that he was opposed to Willard as a site. “We don’t want that solution,” he said. “We don’t want to disrupt Willard’s program. We think we’re coming close to a deal on the commercial property, and we’re still on course to announce plans by April 1.” Diaz also made clear his opposition to the BUSD Board.

At the Board meeting parent teacher Sharon Arthur spoke about the “great improvements” that had been made at Willard in the last few years, and about “the successful and growing programs that would have to be curtailed or canceled entirely if Realm were at Willard, and about the difficulty of managing two schools within one location.”

This leaves a commercial property at Addison and 8th Street as the most probable site for REALM’s middle school, and there is a “high likelihood” that its high school will be located at BUSD’s West Campus site, according to Diaz.

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  • Abigail S.

    Good news for all involved. I’m wondering what the “Willard School Board” is. Is that the BUSD School Board?? Thanks.

  • http://www.tktaylor.com Tracey Taylor

    Abigail S: My mistake. I meant to say BUSD school board and have now made that correction. Thanks for pointing out the error.

  • Lisa Wiggins

    So, I wonder when REALM was going to notify those of us who live right next to the building at 8th and Addison that the school is likely to go there? With that type of disclosure, I say he’ll no and I am going to let all my neighbors know about this sheister dealing. When did they get the zoning changed?

  • Alison Keene

    Sharon Arthur is not currently a Willard parent, but a fabulous 6th grade English and Language Arts teacher who has been at Willard for twelve years.

  • http://www.tktaylor.com Tracey Taylor

    @Alison Keene: Thanks for the clarification. I’ve made the correction.

  • bigfriday

    My god, dosn’t Berkeley have enough continuation and adult schools as it is? For years those Eyesores on University ave and San Pablo sat dormant for decades. Think of all the millions the city could of raised by selling that property off and and putting the cash into necessaries like surveillance cameras to nap these Perps that are murdering honest-working citizens and cash poor exchange students. Moe BS from the sewer by the bay.

  • Abigail S.

    For the record, REALM charter is a charter school for grades 6-12, established to serve students who want an alternative to the conventional public schools available. So not technically a “continuation school.” I believe the school would like to primarily serve students at the bottom of the achievement gap who feel they have not been getting their needs met through the regular public schools, though anyone can attend. REALM charter is in contrast to B-Tech on Derby and MLK. which I assume is considered Berkeley’s only continuation school. The principal of REALM left B-Tech to lead this project.

    The properties on University and San Pablo don’t belong to the city, but to Berkeley Unified School District. BUSD has not had enough money to upgrade these properties until this past election when Measures H & I passed. At some point now they will be starting construction to turn the University property (“West Campus”) into administrative buildings, which may also house the middle school portion of REALM charter.

  • Abigail S.

    I found this from the Charter itself (on line):

    “Our development team is dedicated to providing a learning environment that produces well-rounded students who are prepared for both college and the rapidly changing 21st century job market.”

    “REALM … will offer an intensive college preparatory program integrating academics, technology, research, resiliency, and social action with site-based matriculation”

    “The outreach goal would be to achieve a student population that is roughly 26% African American, 9% Asian American, 14% Latino and 24% White. …Satisfying another stated aim of the charter school law, REALM … will especially seek to serve students who are presently academically low-achieveing.”

    “Students will navigate and create complex information networks, virtual worlds, and immersive learning environments by utilizing emerging technologies. Moreover, through culturally relevant instruction and curricula, students will recognize and own their ability to shape our world and to better humanity.”

    Victor Diaz, the principal of the school, was honored by the Robert Redford Foundation last year, awarded by Robert Redford himself. He has an M.Ed. and J.D.

  • The Sharkey

    Dang, they sure are specific in their racial breakdown. And it’s pretty markedly different than the racial breakdown of the City of Berkeley (~40% white, 16% asian, 14% black, 10% latino).

    I like the idea of Charter Schools and will be happy to see another alternative to BHS. Hopefully they can keep the guns under control at REALM.

    I’d love to see someone start a Charter School for gifted kids in Berkeley. Maybe a student-as-entrepreneur kind of program where the kids are partnered with local businesses and encouraged to actively use the skills they’re being taught in the real world to come up with new ideas of their own.