About Us

Welcome to Bret Harte Middle School!

Bret Harte Middle School is located in the Dimond/Laurel neighborhood. Students come from a large geographic area, making the student population one of the most ethnically and economically diverse in Oakland.

Bret Harte prepares students for high school and beyond. Established in 1930, the school currently serves approximately 400 students. More than 23,000 students have graduated from Bret Harte since it opened.

Fun fact: Actor Tom Hanks attended Bret Harte MS (Class of 1971).

Vision

Bret Harte’s diverse community embraces mutual respect, hard work, and resilience to nurture the whole child in pursuit of academic excellence during the transition to young adulthood.

Mission Statement

We are committed to taking action as individuals and as a community to break down systems built on racist ideas and practices. We are devoted to the ongoing process of learning about others and in doing so we are also unlearning our own implicit biases, growing, reflecting and healing as we strive to be a community of anti-racist educators, students, and families.

Contact Us

3700 Coolidge Avenue
Oakland, CA 94602

Office Hours

The Bret Harte Middle School office is open during the following hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Parents and caregivers are advised to come in between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. (9 a.m. and 12 noon Wednesdays) to steer clear of the office's busiest times and avoid a potentially long wait for assistance.