AriL

We were excited when we first signed up for our YMCA family membership and teen center access. We signed up for a number of classes early on in hopes our child would enjoy it as much as we did as kids. My child has since gotten disillusioned by the teen center for a number of reasons. The high staff turnover, dropped classes/activities, and unpredictable daily routines upset our child.

As parents, we are surprised by the lack of a dedicated teen hang out room and age appropriate programs. This YMCA could take a page from Palmer schools summer program, Valley Views game room, and DVCs college for kids. There should be life training classes, a comfortable hang out room, and plenty of field trips and enrichment activities. What they have is a borrowed conference room, a snack, and maybe an afternoon exercise. We now understand why so many preteens skip the teen center and just hang out around the gym on any available chair, nook or corner.

The kids might feel more welcome on the Diablo Valley junior college campus across the field. Where there is a huge library/computer center/private study rooms, cafs and restaurant, a variety of enrichment classes and exercise options for youths. This local Y is not the YMCA we remember as youths in Berkeley. Those were the days where YMCA kids were embraced, mentored and trained. This location doesnt seem to realize they have missed an opportunity to embrace the community.

When we first moved in the neighborhood families were very social with regular events (4th of July potlucks, softball games, Bonfires and regular dinner parties) held in the culs-de-sac. Over the years all of the kids grew up, families moved away, got transferred out of state or divorced. Most of the development is now dual income professionals (no kids), retirees, or older singles mixed in with a handful of families.

The floor plans range from modest to large homes ranging from three bedrooms two baths single story to two story four bedrooms three baths with a bonus room over the garage. The lot sizes in the development very greatly from barely there back yards to large back lots backing up to hilly open space. Most of the homes were built in the early 1980s with roof top solar heating panels and water heaters which have mostly been replaced. Regular residential concerns include ants, field mice, and the need for extra drainage or french drains along the property lines. We occasionally have problems with the locals using the Kawaii Lane hilltop trail area as a gathering place for drinking, bonfires and off road activity.

The local HOA charges a modest yearly fee for basic landscaping, administration and over site. They send out regular emails regarding votes, meetings, neighborhood alerts and notices. The HOA occasionally hosts (and sometimes 11th hour cancels) social events with wine, ice cream or potluck food. You must get approval for any external changes in advance (paint color, new roofs, landscaping additions). They do regular neighborhood inspections and enforce updates (now with fines). The HOA can be very opinion-ed about paint colors. One homeowner took the HOA to court and won, forcing the HOA to update all their CC&Rs and have it approved by lawyers. This neighborhood is a paradise for active people and dogs, with nearby trails, open space, and Paso Nogal and Briones Regional Parks.

If you have kids this information is for you. The closest playgrounds are Golden Hills park (right off of Beatrice and Reliez Valley Roads), Rogers-Smith Park (on Greyson Road) and Hidden Lakes Park (on Morello Avenue at Chilpancingo Parkway). There are a ton of local full time daycare centers in the area some with and with out bus service: Forest Hills, Stepping Stones and Child time. There is also a daycare center at the local junior college DVC if you are an enrolled student. If you can afford it and don't have a long commute go with the across the board award winning Play and Learn School next door to the Pleasant Hill Elementary school.

The kids in the area go to a variety of public, private and charter schools. Our neighborhood elementary school is Valhalla on Kiki Drive off of Morello. Some kids are bused in from Willow Pass area so there is a good mix of backgrounds at this school. Contact the school office for a list of after school providers in the area the good places fill up fast. Be forewarned the on campus after school YMCA program has limited space and has a waiting list that you need to reserve a spot years in advance.

Other school options in the area include Christ the King school, register before your child is born, spend 5 years on the waiting list and you must be an active member/donor/volunteer or alumni to get a spot. Go the charter school route with Sequoia Elementary and Middle schools. You need to call the elementary school office to get on the list, get assigned a number, and call every year to stay in the lottery. The middle school has an application process that requires getting paperwork done before the district's early new year deadline.
There are other private school options in Concord, Martinez and Walnut Creek. If your kid has ADHD stick with the public school so you can get built in regular evaluations, services and support. Private school are not a good place for kids with ADHD because they have trouble fitting in academically and socially which private school administrators don't have the patience for. You don't want to find out your privately schooled kid can't read or write half through elementary school.

If your kid is a good student and sports star you can put in a inter district transfer to the nearby Acalanes school district (public) or De La Salle High School (all boys private) or Carondelet High School (all girls private). You will have to reapply every year. The best way to get in is to join a Lamorinda sporting team, hire a private coach, use after school tutors and attend a feeder school.