Brentwood Tutors

About Brentwood

Located in the East Bay of the San Francisco area, the city of Brentwood is a town that has undergone a significant transformation over the last century and a half. What started as an area dedicated to growing cherries, peaches, and other fruit has turned into a bedroom community of San Francisco, with burgeoning suburban growth over several decades. However, Brentwood has not forgotten its roots in agriculture and appreciation for the world of nature. Marsh Creek State Park, announced as the newest state park in California, is mere minutes from downtown Brentwood—a contrast between suburban life and wilderness preservation.

Pioneer John Marsh, for whom the park is named, was one of the first non-Hispanic Europeans to settle in the Contra Costa County. He was variously a medical doctor, rancher, land owner, and a highly influential figure in the establishment of cities like Brentwood and nearby Antioch. His home still stands, and has been restored to its original glory, as a feature in the park for visitors to see.

The Marsh home is a sight to behold—it stands out against the rural landscape of his old ranch that was comprised of many acres he purchased upon his arrival to California. With deep porticos, dormer windows, and a sprawling presence, the home brings to mind the life of another time and age. The sandstone that comprises its exterior was quarried locally, and while beautiful, requires significant upkeep to maintain the house in good condition. Millions of dollars have been invested in keeping the Marsh house standing, and for significant reasons—the structure serves as a reminder of Brentwood’s beginnings, and its once rural roots. The park’s various trails, including the Marsh Creek trail, also call to mind the time, effort, and energy that volunteers have put in to make Marsh Creek State Park an attraction worth visiting for residents and visitors alike.

The Marsh Creek Regional Trail follows Marsh Creek through ample tracts of farmland. The paved, multi-use trail is about 6.5 miles long and extends from Creekside Park in Brentwood to the wave-lapped Delta shores of Big Break. At completion, the trail was 14 miles long and connects the Delta region with the hills of Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and the quiet serenity of Round Valley Regional Park, east of Mt. Diablo State Park. Trail users can visit several community parks and greenbelts along the way, which offer respite from mid-day summer heat, and a refreshing walk during other times of year.

The formation of Marsh Creek State Park and the Regional Trail is all about remembering the virtues of the past and the foundations upon which Brentwood is founded. Tutors in Brentwood also strive to remind students of the good habits they can foster to see academic achievement in times of struggle. Change and progress are important factors in intellectual development, but equally important are the foundational skills required for good study habits, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking. Grade Potential tutors seek to build on these foundational skills, and remind students that sometimes, going back to the beginning is part of the process of academic progress.