Berkeley Parents Network

Berkeley Parents Network is an online forum for parents in the San Francisco Bay Area of the United States. Despite the name, the discussion board addresses issues in and around Berkeley, relevant to a far greater number of people than solely Berkeley parents. Sending out 10 to 12 email newsletters each week, the network has a readership of over 19,000 people.^[1]

Although members do not need to live in Berkeley, they do have to live "within commuting distance," which includes San Francisco, about as far north as Richmond and Pinole, as far south as Hayward, and as far east as Lamorinda. About 90 percent of BPN members live in the East Bay communities of Berkeley, Oakland, Albany, El Cerrito, and Richmond.^[2]

BPN was begun in 1993 by Ginger Ogle, as an organization for parents working at University of California, Berkeley.

Members post and respond to questions posted and previously asked questions serve as reference material. Subjects may range, sometimes beyond parenting, from birthday parties to which school to choose to how to find a church. The site includes a "Reviews" section, which covers critiques of local schools and school districts, dentists, doctors, insurance options, and entertainment opportunities.

The site has three mailing lists: Berkeley Parent Network, Parents of Teens, and UC Families.^[3]

In 2011 Ginger Ogle was honored as an Outstanding Woman of Berkeley ^[4] for her work on BPN.

External links

• Official site

References