Child number 2 has successfully graduated from the amazing AFY…read more Much has changed over the past 10 years. The implementation of the garden program. The morning "drop off " zone and the amazing parent volunteers, remodeled play area and structures, a PA system and the beautiful Great Wall design and California Blue Ribbon crest! Of course, there is so much more, for instance the excellent addition in our schools administration. And the multitude of new scholastic programs that highly benefit our children to keep them #1 in SF. Yes, I said "our" children as many of us feel we are truely an AFY family. And those parents are the core and tower blocks of our school. Thank you to "you-know-who-you-are". Yes, we all know who you are. And, thank you to our teachers and administrators. For me, 10 years in and 5 more to go. I love AFY! See you around campus! Michael

This school is okay I guess. Most staff are nice, especially the janitor, music teachers,…read morelibrarian, garden teacher, elementary teachers, and athletics director. However, in middle school, homework load can get pretty large. My child typically stays up until 12am-2am just finishing up the homework. According to my kid, you can survive the school by finishing your work, to "stay in line", don't forget any of your materials, and essentially, maintain a grade of B or higher. Those who don't meet all of the criterion typically get yelled at constantly or called out. Be careful. (This is with an exception to the 7th ELA and 7th/8th science teacher, who thankfully yells at students who are seriously disrupting class or not doing their work). Also, keep in mind that there is currently no counselor or advisory classes. SEL classes are nonexistent. Yard is quite small in middle school. All 3 grades eat lunch there, have PE there, and sometimes have assemblies. 8th graders leave yard messy though, slightly disgusting even afterschool. Please appreciate the janitor! Absolutely no field trips in the middle school too, excluding the 8th grade CEP. Many students seem to be upset about that. Lockers are fairly small. Can't fit much. Teachers give students many heavy textbooks and workbooks, not even allowing locker usage in between classes unless ask teacher. Either you break your back, use the rusty lockers, or buy a rolling bag. Not to mention, my kid told me that a few other students there are quite rude, impulsive, and genuinely mean. Nothing is really done to stop them, even when they're told that they will be held back a grade, they just go move on and they don't get much penalty. Athletics are good, some assignments look very fun and colorful, most students are nice, events can be exciting, pretty decent school. Anyways, your choice whether you want to enroll in this school or not. Many reviews that were recently made are true though, so I would recommend reading them.

We were involved in a hit and run accident in front of the school this morning. The person who hit…read moreus also hit another car as he fled the scene. We called the school to ask for the tapes and they refused. Their policy is not to release the tapes to anyone including the police. Do not rely on them to protect any of us.

Negatives: * Bad /…read moreinconvenient location for most SF residents * $32,000+ a year! * No part-time program, cancelled 4-days a week to earn more money * Feels like they are running a business, not a school with all their fundraising Positives: * Mandarin immersion You're paying $32,000+ a year for preschool folks. Don't be silly. Are you trying to raise kids to be clueless to how the rest of the world works? Are you trying to become like the parents that got busted by the FBI for the college admissions scandal? Come on now.

My daughter attended DW this last school year, and I'm giving it 3 stars only because her teacher…read moreMs. P was absolutely amazing. I was really excited to find out there was an available space for my daughter, but take heed, if your child isn't starting in Kindergarten and you aren't going to do the immersion program (Spanish introduced to the education) I would NOT recommend this school. It seems all the good kids are in the immersion classes and they've stuffed all the "others" within the General Ed. My daughters reading level barely progressed throughout the year (we had to do a whole lot of reading at home), and it was mostly due to the fact that the teacher spent the entire day just trying to get the kids to focus. There was a lot of bullying and kids that are trying to grow up extremely too fast and in all the wrong directions. Also, the parents aren't very nice or welcoming. The entire year I only got to know one parent in my daughters class. The staff is also not very nice. I understand dealing with kids can be rough, especially this crowd, but telling our kids to shut up and being flat out rude 85% of the time to not just them but the parents as well.... I don't agree with that. Having switched my daughter to Creative Arts, I already notice a HUGE difference... from parent participation, warm welcoming faces, not to mention the staff actually ENJOY their careers with children and it SHOWS! All things I did NOT experience at Daniel Webster. By far.

I have the privilege of working nearby and witnessing the good that goes on at Daniel Webster on a…read moredaily basis. The children are smiling and laughing, the teachers are very friendly and really seem to enjoy their jobs. The families seem to linger after drop-off to chat. There is a tremendous sense of community at Daniel Webster. I hope that my children will be able to attend there! See more at: www.danielwebster-sf.com

This is my daughter's 4th year at The San Francisco School (we started in preschool 3), and we have…read morebeen very happy here so far! The teachers and staff are warm and nurturing, and the community is very down to earth and kind. We especially love the strong SEL program and excellent music program. We also very much appreciate the school's Extended Day (aftercare and summer camp offerings) as a family with two parents who work full-time. SFS rocks!

We have two kids at The San Francisco School (SFS) and couldn't be happier. Incredible teachers, a…read morewelcoming community, and a well run organization that includes great extended day and summer offerings. Would recommend to anyone looking for a great place for their preschooler to middle schooler!

I attended Hamlin's l. The regimen was quite rigorous which prepared me for high levels of academic…read morecompetition.

My niece goes here. The school is doing a very good job at dealing with this corona virus. Thank…read moreyou for helping to keep her safe and her studies.

They had Chinese immersion program too, kids in this school learned and happy, teachers try their…read morebest to teach, and staffs support each other.

A great school, provides good monitors and teachers. Good classes, 5th grade teachers help students…read moreget ready for middle school. I suggest your kid to go to West Portal

My daughter loves her school. She is in fifth grade now and began at Kindergarten. Art being her…read morefavorite subject. They have ceramics, painting and all kinds of creative projects. They go into the Presidio one-two times per week and value being outdoors and learning about nature. We have felt supported as a family with educational classes for parents, teachers and a counseling group with other kids when she needed it. The community of families share in volunteering for events and class outings, which brings together a close network. The teachers and staff have been wonderful and I can't say enough about how well they fostered her education, projects and time here. I'm so proud of who she has become and it's due to Presidio Hill's values and academics. I highly recommend Presidio Hill.

Presidio Hill is a gem of a school that makes excellent use of the nearby national park and has…read morethoughtful and caring teachers. It is absolutely worth visiting first-hand. Two of my children transferred in midway through 3rd and 6th grade; the older graduated and is now at University High School, and the other is still at PHS, entering 7th grade. As an educator myself, I am aligned with progressive, humanist, and constructivist movements, and the ways those teaching philosophies prioritize internal motivation over external motivation aligned with more behaviorist philosophies. That's not for everyone, of course! Again, worth just visiting first-hand to have a look.

My son went to school here. It's an amazing school. The Principal, teachers and PTA are all…read moreoutstanding. When my son was there, Principal Rosina Tong was very caring and knew all of the students in the specials needs classrooms. She was very active in all of the events, classes, IEP meetings etc. She really cares about the students and the school is so blessed to have her. I went to middle school right next door at Giannini and Sunset used to be John O'Connell when I was in school. They've since relocated somewhere else and I'm so glad that Sunset is now in it's place because it's such a great school. The school is small but it is a very special school. I was hoping my little girl would be able to attend this school but we moved up north during covid. We have returned back to the city and are now at a different elementary school with SFUSD due to the lottery. I'm hoping we can get in next school year. I definitely recommend this school. We loved our time there.

Okay I went here and things changed a LOT…read more This place is wonderfully blessed with tons of caring teachers and staff. Makes me wish I was a kid again!

Brightworks is a truly magical school! It has been a place of complete transformation for my child…read more As a seasoned educator who has taught in public and private schools in both the U.S. and internationally, I can confidently say that the Brightworks ethos and pedagogy embody what children need to thrive and succeed in our ever-changing world. We came to Brightworks when my older daughter was in 4th grade (also known as the Quartz band). She had previously attended another wonderful school--where my younger daughter continues to thrive--but it simply wasn't the right fit for her. By 3rd grade, she was taking three half-hour "bathroom breaks" each day, essentially the equivalent of cutting elementary school. She was being bullied by peers, had grown to hate the process of learning, and was beginning to believe that she was "dumb." She was also nearly two grade levels behind in reading. After exploring many schools, we discovered Brightworks. It wasn't flashy, but it immediately felt like the right place for her. Our first day was challenging. Although she had struggled at her previous school, she also found change difficult and was resistant to starting somewhere new. She refused to enter the classroom and instead ran up a tree in tears. The teacher (collaborator), Shirvan, responded with remarkable patience and warmth, reassuring me that my daughter could join the group whenever she felt ready. The administrators were equally phenomenal, offering compassion and support when they could see how embarrassed and overwhelmed I felt with my "spirited" child. About four hours later, she finally joined the class. Within just a few days, she loved school so much that she was sad when the day ended and disappointed when holidays approached. After each winter, spring, and summer break, she was thrilled to return. Within a year, she progressed from reading at a 2nd-grade level (e.g., Dog Man) to devouring upper elementary and middle school novels such as the Wings of Fire and Warriors series. She came to love school, the process of learning, her teachers, and her peers. She transformed from a wilted flower into a blossoming tree. The ethos of Brightworks is to meet children where they are and to approach learning through real-world contexts that spark their interests. Science and math are taught through hands-on exploration and authentic problem-solving, while reading and writing are developed through both personal interests and guided learning around social justice topics. Students gain genuine critical thinking skills alongside practical experience using shop tools. The multi-age, schoolhouse model allows older students to care for younger ones, fostering responsibility, empathy, and meaningful mentorship. Every collaborator is dedicated to guiding each child to become the best version of themselves. I only wish that all teaching and learning could be approached in the way Brightworks does.

Our son is 8 and in the middle of his 3rd year at Brightworks…read more We couldn't be happier about how the school has supported his learning, both socio-emotional (he is high energy and we were worried he'd be seen as a 'bad' kid at a traditional school) and academic (particularly reading, where he's been a bit slow, but now is right on track and loving reading). Brightworks' approach is project based. Not just doing projects *in* classes--like the science class doing a science project about earthquakes--but doing interdisciplinary projects *instead of* classes, with a greater degree of fluidity and flexibility in time and approach. The school has a strong maker and tinkering culture. We also don't have things that more traditional schools have, such as tests or grades, though we do have parent conferences and documentation of progress in several key areas (like a swim school report card). The kids do NOT sit at individual desks. A lot more time is spent outdoors, and we're in the Presidio, so there's tons of nature to explore. The kids aren't organized into typical grade levels, like K, 1, 2, 3. Instead they're in "bands" of up to a dozen kids each, giving the school more flexibility in placing kids in the group that they'd most benefit from being in each year, with less stigma if a child is "skips" a grade or is held back. The school's approach is naturally well-suited for kids with different needs. E.g. the focus on meeting every kid where they're at, individual learning trajectories, and being able to take the time that the kids need rather than being tied to a fixed daily or weekly schedule with lists of specific learning objectives. We've gotten great and entirely non-judgemental support for our son. That said, as a small school and as a private school, not every need or circumstance can be accommodated and we have seen a couple classmates over the years with, e.g. dyslexia or autism, move on to more specialized schools. (If your kid has special needs, I would ask about it; we do have many neurodiverse and other kids with particular needs that are doing great and seem well supported.) One thing that exemplifies the school is our annual Maker Marketplace where anyone in the community can sell things-like crafts, food items, gifts, or even carnival games or other experiences. It's entrepreneurial and community-forward, and there's a fair amount of open-endedness in what is possible. Maker Marketplace is a bit chaotic and a lot of fun and learning, and to me that really is the Brightworks way.