Maybeck High School

My son attended Maybeck for all four years of high school. He loved it. Small classes, lots of mentoring from attentive teachers, the Spring travel programs (one year the whole group got scuba certified on a trip to the Philippines), beginning and end of year bike trips, and the great Elmwood location under the redwoods are a few of the reasons he is still close with friends and teachers there after three years away at college. He reported being very well prepared for college, especially his writing skills. The college search process was made almost fun by the fantastic college counselor on staff. As a parent, I was involved with the Parents Association all four years and am still connected to the community. Maybeck was a great fit for our son.

Our son is returning to his second semester at Maybeck, and for the first time he is not only not dreading the return to school but told us he is looking forward to it. He loved the first week of school, which is a series of seminars and courses at a camp in the Sierras, and he looks forward to visiting Turkey with his language and history teachers as part of the special programs spring session. He is a junior and attended the large public middle and high schools in Walnut Creek. Although very bright and motivated, he became progressively demoralized by the top-​down authority structure and the one-​size-​fits all tenor of the instruction in that system, a system that is resting on its laurels in many ways. At Maybeck the classes are small (7 – 14 students in our experience) and taught seminar style. This format is working well for our son, who is kept on track and is stimulated and motivated. The faculty is outstanding, both in terms of their qualifications (his teachers have PhD’s and masters degrees and have taught college) and preparation, as well as their genuine interest and dedication to each student. The mid-​term report card contains both a grade and a narrative evaluation; the narrative is an in depth description of the students’ progress, as well as a road map for improvement and sets specific goals for the student. We were amazed that after only eight weeks of teaching our son, the mid-​term reports showed that his teachers completely understood our son and his learning style and needs. For the first time in his academic career he is daily learning real critical writing and thinking skills, with papers redlined and many suggestions for improving writing and critical thinking skills on every written work. Work that is not considered the students’ best effort is returned for improvement and students are challenged and expected to rise to their highest level. We are thrilled and relieved that the school has a full time college counselor who is apparently the envy of many high schools, and who schedules visits from college reps, provides letters of recommendation and resume review, and guides the students along the confusing path to college admissions. Because of the small size of the school she is able to work closely with each student. In many ways the school is more of a small college experience than a high school experience. This school’s vibe and focus is on respect, intense intellectual exploration and preparation for college, and community and world values and events. It is a near perfect fit for our son (it does not have a traditional music program… but there are many opportunities for cultural and musical performance) and instead of writing off his last two years of high school, he is focused and engaged in high octane learning.

Excellent school academically and socially! My son started school this fall as a 9^th grader and is having his best school year ever. So far his transition into high school has been seamless. He likes the diverse student body and is making friends easily. He came from Black Pine Circle and is a strong student academically. He likes the small classes at Maybeck. The teachers are passionate and are aware of each student’s strengths and challenges. As a parent, I have easily become involved in the community. I trust that my kid is in a supportive and challenging environment. We are very happy with Maybeck.

Note that posted positive reviews of Maybeck are not recent. Just an FYI to anyone considering it these days: do check out its current situation very carefully. Make sure you spend a lot of time in classes and not just listening to what it’s said to be, or what the website says, or what it used to be. –from a former Maybeck parent

Our daughter was an excellent student in the Piedmont school system but we moved her to Maybeck to start high school. We were attracted by the small class sizes, instructors — including many who have taught at the college level — who seemed incredibly qualified and a community where teachers are willing to earn less to have a diverse student body. We have an older daughter who succeeded in the grind-​it-​out, AP-​Honors, four-​hours-​a night-​homework model but felt there must be something better but still offering a quality education. We think we’ve found it at Maybeck.

My daughter started her Freshman year and is now a Junior ²⁰¹³⁄₂₀₁₄ at Maybeck. Taking her out of public schools and placing her here was the best decision and investment our family has made. She started struggling socially and academically in middle school. After many talks with her we decided to venture out and look at private schools. We knew as soon as we walked into Maybeck that this was the place. All the usual social pressure disappears and the students are encouraged to be themselves. The teachers, students and administrator’s are outstanding! It’s a school where your child learns to look at the world in a more open and compassionate way. We said good bye to the public school politics 3 years ago and I’m so glad we did. Our daughter is thriving academically and now spends as much time giving through her volunteer work as she does hanging with friends. The Maybeck community has been her stable rock through these teens years. I highly encourage you to check it out if you want a solid and unique academic program and a socially accepting environment for your teen.

2013 Best Independent High School!!! If you are looking for a small independent, tight and personable community where your student can thrive, this is the school for your student. My daughter is a freshman this year, and we are very happy with Maybeck. The special programs is an awesome opportunity for the students to participate and explore the world around. The small hands on class room is what attracted us to this school and we love it! Cheers to Maybeck!

I had a great experience at Maybeck High School in the late 1990s. I had been successful academically and socially in Oakland public schools K-​8 and was initially not sure that I would «fit» at Maybeck. It turns out that, within such an intimate environment, they enroll a truly diverse group of academic passions, interests, social styles, etc. I found many students with whom I developed close friendships.
I also experienced advanced, thought-​provoking, and college preparatory classes. Yes, there is a liberal lean to the school and I believe that every student, no matter their political slant, was forced to think deeply. I wouldn’t have wanted anything less from my high school. Classes that still jump out as being part of my top 10 best classes in my academic career (after a BA at UC Santa Barbara and a Masters at SF State) are African-​American Writers, Biology (it was a great course), Origins of the Holocaust, and the Bible as Literature. I was well prepared for college level academics.
The special programs are wonderful. The Baja trip (3 weeks camping in Baja) was a life-​shifting experience for me.
Something that strikes me as fabulous about Maybeck is that I am one of 5 people in my extended family who have been students at Maybeck over the past 15 years and, though we are all five very different in many ways, we have all flourished.

This school had a giant influence on who I am and what I went on to do, educationally, professionally, and as a human being and community member. Compared to other small college preparatory schools in the area, Maybeck had more rigorous academics and a warmer social environment.
Outstanding classes from my four years there: invertebrate anatomy, socialism, photography, the essay, French IV/​independent study, and of course the special programs and camping trips. I was motivated to work hard, to be active in the school, and, for lack of a better word, to care. It isn’t particularly cool to care as a teenager, but Maybeck affirmed caring and thinking and questioning.
In fact, my experience was that challenging teachers and school policies was common and often productive. Teachers who challenge you back until you can support your beliefs with facts and an organized argument are truly teachers.

It’s been twelve years since I graduated from Maybeck, but my memories are still clear and crisp. After a difficult experience in a big public Oakland junior high school, I found that Maybeck’s small classes, opportunity for strong teacher relationships, and eclectic student population gave me the academic home I longed for. Additionally, the school’s varied extracurricular options helped me make friends and begin to shape the person I wanted to become.
I was a smart kid who’d always done well in school; this continued at Maybeck, but at last, my classes actually challenged me. My education at Maybeck prepared me well for my future academic endeavors: a BA in Literature from UCSB, and a teaching credential and MA from UC Berkeley. My experiences at Maybeck were instrumental in my decision to become a teacher – I wish all students could have the kinds of teacher-​student relationships that Maybeck offers.
That said, I don’t believe that Maybeck (or any school) is ideal for every student. It truly is an alternative school, and will not meet every student’s needs in the ways it met mine. I strongly encourage families considering the school to visit, to speak with alumni and current students, and to check out other schools as well. Maybeck can be a great choice, but it should be a choice you feel great about.

As the parent of a child that attended Maybeck, I feel nothing but revulsion for the strange little culture that pervades there. The place is reminiscent of «Lord of the Flies» in some ways. The students and teachers create the rules and, as a parent, one may participate, but not in any meaningful way. (And it’s their way or the highway at Maybeck, that’s for sure.) Our child certainly learned about the varieties of sexual experience, was exposed to others «acting out» in the classroom (which was permitted), learned about drug use from classmates, and adopted a disdain for his own background (white, straight, hard working, and financially secure). Due to his own strong nature, he (fortunately) did not particpate in all that was on offer and successfully graduated from the college of his choice. But the effects of four years in that environment are lasting. What a waste!

My daughter went to Maybeck (yes, I made her go). She went from a troubled high schooler to a well rounded adult. She now has her Master’s Degree from UC Berkeley. Yes, we thank Maybeck (and she thanks me too) for helping turn her life around. She hated me for the first few months (as I forced her to go to school with me every day) but did the work and found a place where being herself was accepted and valued. I will never forget her coming home one day soon after starting there saying «they asked me my opinion – can you believe that?».
Did I (as a single parent) wonder how to add one more bill to my pile? Indeed, but at the rate she was going, I couldn’t be sure she would grow up and ever need the small college fund I had for her. Maybeck worked with us and they were always supportive of my daughter.
Check out Maybeck. They are genuine and caring, kind, yet firm. The experiences your child (young adult) will get are far beyond any expectations and can not be counted in financial terms.

I’ve been trying to think of what to say about Maybeck for a long time now. In honor of my 100^th review, it’s about time I share with you what an amazing place this is.
The problem is, I’m not really sure how to say it. I don’t know if a single review can adequately convey just how much Maybeck changed my life.
I was bored by my classes at Piedmont Middle School, and wasn’t getting enough individualized attention from teachers to actively engage my interest. I didn’t fit in with the other Piedmont kids, and clearly wasn’t going to thrive at PHS.
Maybeck saved my life. The teachers at Maybeck are so passionate and patient with the students. They take the time to make sure everybody succeeds.
I got involved in bicycling, even getting PE credit for commuting to school by bicycle each day. I participated in the French exchange program, which led to me spending my Junior year of college in Paris. The open minded accepting environment they create means that nobody is made to feel like an outcast, and that was huge for learning self-​esteem. Being across from the Cal campus means easy access to lots of good resources. Not to mention being able to have lunch on Telegraph every day.
It is definitely an alternative Berkeley hippie school. The student population is gloriously diverse. The teachers are kind, open minded, and passionate about the students. The school year is nicely book-​ended by the beginning and end of the year camping trips, with the whole school spending a week in the redwoods.
At the same time, it’s also a serious college preparatory school. The classes are challenging, and much of the work I was doing at Maybeck was as difficult as anything I found when I first got to college. I was well prepared to enter the public university world, with a strong base of knowledge and skills to get me started.
I love everything about Maybeck, and know that this review doesn’t do justice to what a special place they hold in my heart. If you have any questions, I’m happy to chat with you about it. If you’re curious if this is the right school for you, visit for a day and see what they’re all about.

This independent high school in Berkeley has offered students excellent educations for over thirty years. The school is wonderful for students who want greater personal interaction with teachers as well as a more intimate school environment in general. There are generally between 90 – 110 students attending the school.
I graduated from Maybeck in 2002, and continue to appreciate the time I spent there. My two older sisters also attended Maybeck so my family has been connected with the school since 1994. We are all so glad that we found such a perfect community to have become a part of.