My son started at PBA in the fall of 2018 as a 4th grader and has had a wonderful experience. He was not part of the after school program but the boys were very accepting of him and welcoming right from the beginning. The teachers are very dedicated at the school and really work with the needs of each individual student. The musical training is excellent as well.
My son actually told me that he was amazed and happy to find other friends that were like him in interests. The boys are given many wonderful performance opportunities. Even with the shelter-in-place currently happening, the teachers have found creative ways to keep the students engaged and prospering. I highly recommend this school.
Anonymous Parent
…If you have a boy who would like a smaller school, I’d suggest checking out Pacific Boychoir Academy (PBA). It’s a secular, private choir school (no music experience necessary) with a very intimate elementary-grade 8 day school. It’s located in the Piedmont Ave area, just up the street from Oakland Tech. The tuition for elementary is very modest compared to the bigger private schools. The boys at PBA split their time between music and academics, and have the opportunity to sing and travel around the world. The kids I met there were astonishingly poised and all-around great kids.
Anonymous Parent
Our experience with the PBA Day School has been excellent. Since our son joined in the fall of 2023, we’ve seen tremendous growth in a relatively short time. He has enthusiastically immersed himself in reading music and delving into music theory, all while taking on more personal responsibility. We’ve also witnessed his math sense soar, which we attribute to the comprehensive music education he’s receiving.
Going into PBA, we were already aware of the top-notch music program. What has pleasantly surprised us, though, has been the academic excellence. The director of education has played a pivotal role in fostering strong connections with each family and ensuring that every student is appropriately challenged. Her dedication to supporting each student has far exceeded our expectations.
What truly touches us is our son’s genuine love for his school. The small classroom cohort has fostered a supportive environment where every boy, despite their differences, respects and uplifts one another. Witnessing their camaraderie has been heartwarming.
PBA’s robust SEL program also deserves mention. Students are recognized for embodying specific virtues, and the SEL sessions, known as ‘town hall meetings,’ focus on building community, fostering service, and nurturing leadership skills. This commitment to character development is deeply ingrained in the school’s culture. For instance, when a bathroom flooded recently, many boys voluntarily cleaned it up during their recess time, showcasing initiative as well as a strong sense of responsibility and respect for their school.
We transitioned to PBA from a home-schooling background with zero regret. PBA genuinely felt like the perfect next step in my son’s educational journey given that the class sizes are so small, the academics are individualized, and the community is so welcoming and inclusive.
Seeing our son’s enthusiasm for school and his sense of belonging fills us with excitement. We anticipate not only exceptional musical accomplishments, but also continued personal, academic, and leadership growth in the years ahead.
Catharine David
My son started at the PBA day school in the fall of 2018 as a 4th grader and has had a wonderful experience. He was not part of the after school program but the boys were very accepting of him and welcoming right from the beginning.
The teachers are very dedicated at the school and really work with the needs of each individual student.
The musical training is excellent as well. My son actually told me that he was amazed and happy to find other friends that were like him in interests. The boys are given many wonderful performance opportunities. Even with the shelter-in-place currently happening, the teachers have found creative ways to keep the students engaged and prospering. I highly recommend this school.
Rebecca B.
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My son is entering 8th grade, after 3 years of after-school and 2 years at the day school. We continue to feel it is a gift for him to be there. He has developed musically, academically and emotionally. The small environment is embracing and empowering and the teaching and music education is excellent. Can’t say enough good things.
Anonymous Parent
My son started at PBA this year in 3rd grade, came from OUSD. We happened to stumble on the school via a small ad in a local community paper. So if you’re reading this review, then congratulations! You are already like 8 steps ahead of where we were.
If you have a creative, sensitive, spirited boy at home, I HIGHLY recommend you look at single-gender schools. We were skeptical at first, but after tons of research and trying out multiple schools, we learned that public schools aren’t built for boys like ours. So we wanted an environment where he would thrive, not just survive.
The school? What an amazing difference! He spoke more about PBA in the first 3 days than he had in the first 3 years of K-2nd grade. The staff and boys welcomed him, and he feels like part of a larger school family, something he never felt at his other schools.
The PBA academics are differentiated, like an IEP for each boy. There is way more recess during the day (a HUGE plus for boys). The music program is literally world-class, and he’s happier, calmer, and more engaged both at school and home. Never in a million years did I think he’d be singing choral music in the shower… in Italian! Or asking me for help with his next spelling test.
There are boys enrolled from all over, from Alameda to Richmond to Walnut Creek. Speaks volumes of how strong the school is. Tuition is reasonable when compared to other private schools of similar academic and music output.
Danny G.
Our child has attended PBA since 4th grade, and the experience has been life changing. My kid loves going to school every day, has continued opportunities to perform, and has gotten great academic support. I highly recommend this school.
Anonymous Parent
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Wonderful day school and after school choir programs. Truly a wonderful, welcoming community! Our family is so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of PBA. My son is happy and loves school, loves his teachers and has built solid friendships. He came into the school during 6th grade with no music background at all and fell in love with this place instantly– after one shadow day.
He was impressed by the music classes and by the opportunity to participate in discussions in the small classroom setting. I had never seen him more purely excited about school. I had to make it work!
We have been so happy with this decision. Mr. Brown is an amazing music teacher, he makes learning fun and can turn a crow into a canary. The academic staff are awesome as well. My son has gotten a well-rounded education that includes hands on Science, Math, and Humanities, Theatre, Latin, Spanish, etc.. plus extracurricular activities such as cooking and basketball. And he has become a quite a gentleman!
My family and friends are all impressed by my son’s school friends whom all stand out among their peers as polite, confident and very articulate young men. My son can now read music and has had amazing opportunities to perform and tour– at Warriors, A’s and Cal games, with the SF Symphony, at cathedrals, colleges, and conferences, domestically and internationally. No exaggeration, I can not reiterate enough how truly special this place is!
Michelle M.
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