REALM is a middle and high school that opened in Berkeley in Fall 2011. REALM will teach to state standards and will administer standardized tests.

No. REALM is a free public school, there is no fee or tuition to attend.

No. REALM is open to all interested students, wherever they live.

No. REALM is not run by a private corporation. REALM is a Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) approved charter school.We are governed by a board of Directors and report to BUSD on fiduciary matters.

Apply online or request a printed application by phone (510 809 9800) or email. Applications are now being accepted. The application period for the 2012–2013 school year will close on March 2, 2012, at which time we will notify all families whether or not their child has been accepted. Admission is on a first come first served basis. Should we receive more applications than openings per either 6th or 9th grades, admission will be by lottery.

Yes you can. Application to REALM will not affect your standing in the BUSD school lottery.

The middle school is located at 2023 8th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710 (map). For the 2012-2013 school year, the high school will be located in a newly renovated portion of the West Campus site located at the corner of University Avenue and Bonar Street (map).

At capacity the middle school will serve 300 students, 100 per grade. The high school will serve 400.

BUSD is the authorizing agency for REALM. This means that while REALM is an independent financial entity, we still report to BUSD on fiscal and administrative matters. REALM will benefit from BUSD shared resources, and parents and staff will have an additional management structure from which to seek assistance should the need arise. No money passes through the district to the charter school. Collective bargaining and pay scales are established independent of BUSD.

Read about the faculty and staff for 2011-2012 school year here.

REALM seeks teachers who have a demonstrated record of success in the classroom; who support innovation, have a deep understanding of technology and its use in the classroom, and who are adept at collaborative teaching across multiple grade levels. Candidates will be evaluated based on rigorous professional criteria, in addition to a general love of students, enthusiasm for teaching; and the belief that each student can and will succeed and the willingness to do what it takes to make that happen. Positions will be posted in early Spring. A hiring committee, made up of board members, parents, and staff, will complete an initial paper screening, followed by demonstration lessons for top candidates. Offers will be made in March. Realm has already received a high volume of inquiries from interested staff, both from within BUSD as well as from other, surrounding district

REALM welcomes and encourages parent participation at all levels.

REALM's mission is to cultivate resiliency, develop critical thinking skills, and equip students to serve our communities and the world in the 21st century.

REALM students will engage with all subjects through hands-on, real-world projects. REALM teachers will receive professional development in cutting edge technologies; project-based learning; and innovative assessments. In addition, REALM families will benefit from a student-centered model, meaning each child will be evaluated based on his/her unique strengths. Teachers and staff will be empowered to interact with students and their families in ways that foster these strengths and help students overcome challenges. Through culturally relevant instruction and curricula, students will recognize and own their ability to shape our world and to better humanity.

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