Religious Institutions and Schools
Berkwood Hedge School
Photo: Hal Reynolds
Berkwood School, a progressive, private, elementary school, was founded in 1946 by a group of left-leaning parents seeking an alternative to public schools that “emphasized small classes, academic proficiency, and the development of each student’s potential.” It was located originally on Durant Ave. but moved to its present location in the District around 1960. Berkwood was the first racially integrated school in Berkeley. Its director for some 15 years was Betty Halpern.
The Hedge School was established in the late 1960's by a small group of former Berkwood teachers and parents as a teacher collective. It brought art, music, drama, and dance to the forefront.
Berkwood and Hedge schools merged in 1975. The school changed from a collective structure to an administrative one in 2001. It is the first school in Alameda County to be certified as a Green Business.