One kid already graduated but still going back for summer camps, and another one going through school now. Love this school, if only they would let me enroll myself! Kind and knowledgeable staff, a different environment full of creativity... read more

Our family has had an incredibly positive experience at KMS. The teachers are truly the heart of the program -- thoughtful, caring, and deeply invested in each child. Over the past two years, our son has grown and thrived in the Pumpkins (preschool) and Strawberries (early elementary) programs, and KMS has been a safe, nurturing, and formative place for him. The Reggio-based approach, with its emphasis on open-ended learning and play, has allowed our son to explore, ask questions, and build confidence in a way that feels both joyful and meaningful. The field trips are exceptional and thoughtfully tied into what the children are learning, bringing lessons to life in memorable ways. The aftercare program is also outstanding. It's engaging, well-run, and a real extension of the school's values. We are deeply grateful for the community, care, and creativity KMS has provided our son, and we couldn't recommend it more highly. read more

My son's been going to KMS afterschool for 3 years now, and also spent the entire summer at their camp (and that's our plan every summer from now on!). He's the kind of kid who prefers the comfort and familiarity of home over pretty much anywhere else...except KMS. He actually tells me to leave when I arrive at pickup because he wants to stay longer! First off, the space is AMAZING. It's a huge Victorian mansion that gets tons of sunlight, with rooms for all kinds of activities. They have a large commercial kitchen where the kids get to practice cooking, a library, a room with lots of instruments and space to dance, and tons of art areas. Outside there's a basketball court, a garden with plenty of dirt for the kids to get covered in, a stage for performances, and even a workshop with actual tools (and also piles of kaplas which is usually where I find my son). I don't know if they host tours, but if they do, you should see for yourself :) Just a heads up for anyone reading older reviews that point out some negative experiences with their admin operations- they had some significant staff changes a couple years ago and communication with parents is very streamlined now. And the best thing to come out of that turnover was the new director of afterschool/camp, Andrew, who really improved every aspect of the program (and KMS as a whole). Highly recommend if you're looking for an elementary school, afterschool, or summer camp for your kid. read more

Preschooler started in Sept, amazing experience so far. Very dedicated teachers and staff, highly recommend to check out for your family.

Our son Arnie had an amazing experience in the Preschool/Pumpkins program at KMS and we could not recommend more. The teachers are amazing, warm, loving and helped with so much of his development. The space/campus is amazing and has so many more opportunities for kids to learn and play in then other preschools we visited. read more

We've had two kids in daycare, pre-school, and summer camp at KMS and have loved so much about the school, teachers, and the community. Our kids have consistently had warm, loving teachers and they always come home with big smiles and lots to say. Worth researching their Reggio Emilia approach, it's different, but has been great for our family. Always felt well taken care of at the school. read more

Teachers and staff are extremely caring. Very personalized care. Extremely diverse families, all very invested in their child's upbringing. Our son loved going here every day and we always felt he was in great hands. read more

I went here, and look what happened to me. No, seriously, it's a great school. Me notwithstanding. read more

My girls have been attending summer camps for years. Their favorite ones are where they can build meaningful relationships with their fellow campers and the instructors. KMS has such camps. They run for two weeks at a time. Having 3 different camps every session. This was helpful as I could have one drop-off and the girls could take different camps depending on their interest. This past summer my 12 year old took the Spanish De Colores Language and Culture Camp. She enjoyed the field trips in and around the Mission visiting a panadaria, mercado and the Mission Cultural Center all while practicing Spanish. Catalina, the lead instructor, and Jessica, the co-teacher, were both excellent at engaging my daughter who happended to be the oldest in the group. With my daughter's dance background she was able to help assist the other campers in lessons of baile folkorico. My 8 year old was in the Art, Maker Camp - Cardboard City. She loved the activities and projects in that camp. She was able to make jewelry and a pinata. Her most memorable creation was her giant cardboard box troll. All the kids in the her group made one each and even put on a performance about Box Trolls at the end of camp that us parents got to see. The teachers, Marian and Julian, were excelent at incorporating the children's idea of Box Trolls and creating a whole project and play around it. They also both did the Beginning Science Camp with Randall and had blast. They did all kinds of experiments. From seeing the effects of sublimation (dry ice) to engineering towers using uncooked spaghetti noodles and mini-marshmellows. Unfortunately, my eldest is too old to return next year. Yes, I am already thinking about it. , summer is right around the corner. read more

Katherine Michiels School - Every morning all summer campers meet in the front courtyard. sweatshirts + jackets = summer in the city - Elementary Schools Near Me - San Francisco, California

I moved with my family from the UK in the summer of 2016. My boys were extremely sad to be leaving their friends and family behind and my husband and I wanted to look for a school that would embrace them like a family and give them confidence. I was daunted by the larger schools, as my eldest son hadn't had a great experience in his previous school, whereas my youngest seemed happier happy wherever he was, albeit shy! Now we are here approaching the to summer of 2018 and wow.....what a SUPER lovely little school. We have been welcomed like part of a family. The pupils in the school get a lot of attention and assistance, which has really helped my eldest to grow more confident in his ability, whereas before, he would sometimes refer to himself as 'stupid' or would feel like the odd one out. I feel like KMS embraces each child and brings out the wonderful in them. It fosters a love of curiosity and learning that sometimes can sadly get lost in the bigger schools due to the sheer number of pupils. I have, as a result, two very happy children who are respectful of their peers, care about their school and their teachers deeply. read more

One Star for their follow thru after paying the $75 application fee... I paid the $75 application fee, wrote a personal letter and didnt hear squat from them until a year (!!!!) later. We had moved to Brooklyn, so weren't able to spend our life savings on daycare. We went to the open house and were immensely impressed - but the chances of getting in are slim to none (emphasis on NONE). I finally got a call a year later saying that they "might" have an opening. Honestly, is it that good of a school to get into? I would rather send my kid to the French American International School (which is not that much more). Thankfully, we now live in NY and have access to amazing public schools. Suck it SF! (don't worry, I still totally love you and the Giants) read more

My original review was a critique of applying in fall 2013, paying $80, and hearing nothing by september 2014, no acknowledgement, confirmation, waitlist number....which I posted when I saw (and heard in talking to other parents) that others had the same experience. Interestingly, days after I posted a review of my experience of applying here, and nearly a year after I applied and heard nothing, I received a message from the school to let me know there wasn't a place (amazingly, a month into the school year: I'd worked that out for myself) and letting me know that to keep the application open I need to attend the next open day. (I already attended the open day last year, something they might or might not have kept a record of ?) Anyone who has been through the preschool process will know that most parents apply to several preschools. This means all the preschools are oversubscribed until they start offering places and parents commit, at which point a lot of shuffling around takes place. And its very time consuming and somewhat worrying for parents, many of whom, are working as well as working through this process. The other preschools I applied to kept me up to date about the status of my application and their waitlist without any prompting. And the application fees ranged between free and $30. Thanks to competent administration on their part, my own situation has worked out well. I wish the teaching staff, parents and kids the best for the coming year, and I hope that the positive reviews of those aspects of this place are bourne out by current parents and kids. But they need to take a realistic look at their admissions process. In addition to looking at yelp ! read more

Great school. Great place. My son left there 3 years ago, and still wants to go visit the staff! He often looks at the year books he received while attending there for two years and has very fond memories of his time at KMS. As a parent, I love KMS, too. I have to admit that at times their administrative stuff can be a bit confused, but the main goal, the work with the kids NEVER disappointed. They have an amazing outdoor play space which includes "dirt mountain" - a place where kids are allowed to get dirty and muddy and dig and play like kids. They also have a play structure, a garden and tons of great outdoor toys. The overall curriculum is incredibly individualized and allows for your child to make choices every day with the gentle direction of the teacher if he or she is staying away from particular tasks or lessons. There is consistent talk of being "kind-hearted" and belonging to the community of people at KMS. The environmental lessons in the curriculum are outstanding, too. The kids learn about organic gardening and food - they only eat organic, home-made, vegetarian, whole foods. It will blow your mind how fast they have your kid loving beets and cauliflower! They can help potty-train your child with love and patience, too. I am eternally grateful for my son's time at KMS. If I could have been able to swing it financially I would have kept my child there until 5th grade! Don't let the voice mail tree turn you off. Be persistent and leave more than one message if you have to. WORTH IT. read more

Writing a review of your child's school is such a deeply personal thing that it is hard to even begin. Before sending our daughter to Katherine Michiels a bit over two years ago, we must have looked at well over two dozen schools. I noticed that some of the reviews posted here pertain much more to the admissions process or to the experience of walking by, then to the actual functioning of the school from the point of view of a parent whose kid is enrolled in it. Fortunately, when it comes to schools, people tend to read the entire thing and not just make their decisions based on an arbitrary star rating. As you read this, you will notice that I am deeply biased. I saw my daughter truly bloom over the course of the last 2 years. That in itself makes all of my troubles getting in touch with the right person during admissions, or having to pay money for the tour, seem so profoundly inconsequential! So let's start with the general vibe. This is where the deeply personal part comes in - what I feel about KMS reveals more about me than it does about the school. I love that the school and the teachers all swear by and truly maintain a deep sense of respect for the child - for the child's intelligence, their autonomy, and their emotional choices. This philosophy permeates every aspect of the school's operation. The result: kids who are open, inquisitive, thoughtful, and full of joy. The children feel completely free to approach any adult they see on the school grounds and demand to know who they are, what their name is, and everything about them - but with such a sense of open and loving curiosity that makes you as a visitor feel like an honored guest. The kids here learn to see the world as a series of opportunities, not as a series of dangers. Learning and academics: The world is rapidly changing around us - fact-based learning has already become obsolete, and KMS's approach- focusing on skills and skill acquisition above all, makes more and more sense. When I see the matrix on which the kids are evaluated at the end of every quarter, that matrix makes complete sense to me, with social skills, research skills, organizational skills, and academic skills being focused on equally. I saw the presentations of kids graduating from fifth grade - and I was blown away by the quality of thought and work that these kids produced. I also had a chance to speak with several kids who went from fifth grade at KMS to more traditional schools - it does not appear that they had any trouble. The teachers all seem to be devoted to the school and really happy to be there. I guess at a place with a really strong philosophy, you would typically find people who agree with that philosophy and want to promote it. Every teacher and administrator with whom I have interacted at KMS is committed to the kids above all, to their happiness and growth. That is fairly typical of the schools that I have seen. What is more unusual, is their commitment to respecting the kids, seeing each one for who they are, and taking all the time needed to see where a child's curiosity will lead them. read more

Both my daughters attended KMS in the infant and pre-K programs. We can't say enough about the positive affect it has had in our lives - both for me as a parent and for my daughters as "KMS kids". I was a busy working mother when I first entered KMS, and chose it because of its reputation in caring for kids, its curriculum based on Emilia Reggio teachings, and because of how well my 8 mon old responded during our initial visits. In our first few months I found I could trust the staff completely. Over the following years, I learned a lot of parenting strategies from the teachers and it helped my family cope with the trials of busy modern parenting. The trust I felt for KMS staff helped me feel connected to my daughters through their days spent there, even though I was at work all day. My daughter seemed happy with KMS the second she arrived for our first visit. To be honest, I was a bit overwhelmed that first time seeing the school. I'd seen the insides of a few other daycare schools before then, but on this visit it seemed loud and it seemed to me there were a *lot* of babies there! But as I watched my daughter start playing with the other kids and interact with the teachers, I realized she felt comfortable and ready - as if she was at home. It was the first of many such moments - where KMS and my daughter impressed upon me how capable and knowledgeable they are about what these kids needed and what helped them and us thrive. They taught my girls everything that's important to our family - how to be content working and playing solo, how to play well with others, how to respect herself and others, how to thrive in the natural world, and how to resolve conflict with others. My girls would come home covered in paint or dirt, but also with a huge smiles and a bunch of stories. They would run to my arms at pickup time and immediately tell me all that they'd done that day. It was really all I could have hoped for in a school. Of course, there were moments that it seemed less than perfect. Like with any school (or any parent/child interaction for that matter), there were moments where there were miscommunications or confusion. But any time I felt something was amiss, I would raise the issue with the teachers or directors and they would resolve it without spinning wheels or having to wade through a lot of bureaucratic debate. These are real people working together to resolve issues that are bound to arise! I feel so fortunate to have established lifelong friendships at KMS - with teachers, administrators, and other parents. My kids have graduated and moved on to middle school and high school now, but still cherish our relationship to the KMS community. My girls still like volunteering at school in the summer program, attending summer camps, and reuniting at alumni gatherings. They will always consider themselves KMS kids! read more

My son graduated from KMS' elementary program and just entered a great middle school in San Francisco, where his performance and capacity of adjustment show he got a great foundation for his academic and personal future. Felipe started at KMS when he still used diapers and grew to become a creative, happy, respectful, and confident middle schooler thanks to the child-centered approach of this school and to its great teachers. KMS follows the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia, an innovative take on education that teaches responsibility and community through exploration, discovery, and play. One of my favorite memories of this project-based school (and I have many) was a couple of years ago, when the elementary program produced a delicious evening called KMS Cafe. The project included visiting a farm to learn about food production, planning the event's budget, creating artistic invitations and menus, shopping for items in Spanish in the Latin stores of the Mission, good cooking, and poetry reading, with the kids sharing their verses to entertain the proud guests. Ah, the kids decided to donate all profits to a philanthropic organization that supports a cause of their choice. read more

I waited a long time for my first child to get a slot at KMS. As soon as I saw the big blue house of a school with the real dirt pit in the front I knew it was the school for us. My oldest son started at KMS 3 years ago when he was a Preschooler and is now a 2nd Year Kindergartener (although he spends most of his time with the 1st and 2nd graders due to his interests and the level of learning that challenges him.) Our second child has been at KMS for a year now and is in Preschool (or what they call Pumpkins). He transitioned from staying at home with me to full time care easily partly due to his temperament and mostly due to the expertise of the teachers in Pumpkins (whom if you check have all been there for 10+ years which is pretty much unheard of in childcare). What our family loves the MOST about KMS is that its 100% a child focused school. I love that even though they are city kids they are having rich childhood experiences we can't give them on our block, from playing outside most of the day and picking them up completely dirty, to eating lunch outside in the beautiful Mission weather, to gardening and creating with their hands to even experiencing moments of independence and risk (safe risks of course). These things are important pieces to a rich and memorable childhood. Yes the school may not be filled with the latest technology or shiny lockers and squeaky gym floors but kids don't care about the latest trends in educational design or tracking their progress on an iPad - they care that their ideas are heard, recognized and elaborated upon. They care about being part of a deeply connected community that is filled with friends and teachers who "get them". And I care about these things too because it's the 21st century and we all need to start focusing on the process not the product, on the child not the grade, on instilling the social emotional tools needed for learning, innovating, and growing whole children into socially responsible, caring adults. I have never picked my sons up from KMS when they have been sad or happy to leave. They are always engaged, happy and I know they feel connected to their home away from home. If you are a parent that can relate to this review then you should send your children to KMS. If you can't - you should do a bit of reading (maybe a little Tony Wagner) and then reconsider. read more

After two years of my little Maya going to this school, I have nothing but a great recognition to this fun, authentic and motivated group of people who manage the school. There are always things to be perfected, but I believe it's actually not about perfection, but about having a positive attitude to discuss and embrace the children needs, and the parents' too. This is a wonderful school for children having an artistic soul, who love to discover new things, out of the box, and with a your entrepreneurial spirit, which is the case of my daughter. read more

My sons go to Katherine Michiels School, we are on our 5th year at the school. They are happy at KMS. My youngest son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, 4 months ago. The school stepped up to the plate to help manage his diabetes while he is at school. Knowing that this can be a real issue with some school and even legal matters ensue. KMS has supported us on this issue. It is a small project based school with heavy emphasis on social learning. read more

My child has been at KMS as a preschooler the last school year and she is loving her experience. The teachers are super caring, engaged, and genuine. The back deck/garden space is a dream and the kids love exploring plants, the sand area, and much more outside. The school has been responsive to us whenever we have questions or need follow-up. Overall, a great place for our little one who comes home with great stories, art projects, and new things learned --happy to be returning for the next year! read more

This review is completely about Maria Luna, the Spanish teacher/director of the school. We do not attend the school but my kids get private tutoring from Maria Luna. On our first day when we arrived for the first tutoring session, we were greeted by the most wonderful woman who turned out to be Maria Luna herself. My children instantly fell in love with her. She has incredible kid magic - my daughter, who is very shy and slow to warm up, was laughing and playing with her right from the very beginning. My kids are six so she works a lot on their spoken Spanish, site words and building vocabulary. It is very specific to their needs. Her tutoring sessions have been very helpful to get my kids to the next level in their Spanish. We are going to attend the De Colores Spanish camp this summer and are looking forward to more time with Maria Luna! read more

This school is very different than other schools. Little kids use the same bathroom with the doors open, you have to wear slippers when inside the building and kids are allowed to play in an open area with nothing but mud and dirt on the floor. The teachers basically allow the majority of kids in the lower grades to do what ever they want during throughout the day. There are books they can read, but, the Kindergarten class needs more teaching on how to read instead of just allowing them to look at books. Some assistants read out loud to these Kindergarteners. The staff uses little hymns like, "Olay, Olay Olay Olay" to garner the kids attention and then use, "Hey everybody..." to get more attention lol. This school is more like a montessori school and attempts to provide love and care to all students. There are a number of students who, like public school trouble makers, can make the day arduous. read more

I agree with the bulk of the reviewers. I also was put on a waiting list, mind you- this was when my daughter wasn't even born yet. I received a call when she was around 8mos old saying that there would not be a space for her when she was 2 1/2. Now, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it ethically wrong to accept application fees from so many people who clearly have no chance of getting in? How on earth do they know that no space will be available 2years out? The school itself is very charming, great location however for the hassle & they infinite wait list- I'm excited & pleased to say that we will be enrolling our daughter at the JCC Brotherhood way school, which is excellent & has 5star reviews. read more

Our girls have attended KMS camp the last couple summers and can't wait to go back again this year. KMS offers a smaller scale home-and-garden type environment, friendly and nurturing staff, and enriching, hands-on programming. Spanish, cooking, music, science, art - we love it all. And, bonus, it's easily walkable from BART or Muni. We look forward to it as a stretch of relaxed fun in the crazy parade of summer camps all over town. read more

Unfortunately had almost the exact same experience as Foo, two years later, when you think they would have learned better. People seem nice on the surface, but that doesn't last. To summarize: POOR CURRICULUM-- Our child was in the Spanish Camp, but she came home complaining because "nobody speaks Spanish" and "even the teachers speak Spanglish." NOT AGE-APPROPRIATE-- The daily field trips were cancelled "because the kids couldn't behave." Our child was told she was not allowed to eat snacks on rainy days, because she dropped crumbs inside. (for kinder-1st graders) POOR OVERSIGHT-- Our child was also hurt in the play area, when teachers were not supervising; the only good thing was I was approaching the school and saw it happen--and the fact there was not a supervisor in the play area. Only when I asked were we given a towel for the blood, and an ice pack (hard); we were never given an apology. The only fortunate part was that the cut was inside so no scar to show. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE-- Did not honor their own policies -- substantively changed another camp session and did not give money back. There are many, many good camps in San Francisco, and none may be perfect, but this is substantially below par of any of the others we have ever tried. read more

I called KMS and asked about their pre k program. Whoever answered the phone immediately asked how old my daughter was. I told her she is only 2 but I want to at least get on the waitlist if they had one AND if they had financial aid. She said that there was a wait list but it's very long and by the time my daughter would be called, she'll probably be close to getting ready for kindergarten and that their financial aid only covers 'part of the the tuition'. She said tuition was $1900 a month for pre k and even with FA, it'll stil be close to $1500. WTF? So I asked if I can still get on the waitlist and she was silent for a second then proceeded to tell me that I shouldn't even bother because the waitlist is too long. OH HELLS NO. I hung up on her snooty ass! read more

The pros - very convenient if you live in Noe Valley/Mission/Bernal. Great staff, very caring and well trained. The garden / playground is fantastic and kids love it. My son (in their pre-k) is having a great time there and is happy when he goes to school. They have a true schedule / curriculum and foster child curiosity. You can be sure your caregive won't be watching tv or on the phone (like some do in home day cares) and they keep a good track of what your child does every day. The caregivers know what they are doing and actually give you great tips/info about your child's development and progress. I've learned a ton just by listening to the teachers. The parent community is very active and with interesting people. The cons: Very expensive ($1900/child under 2 years of age), and facilities are not the most pristine or new. Their infant care / pre-K space could do with a serious makeover. The infant care and pre-K is in a basement, which means kids have no natural light.. Yes, they do spend 2 hours a day outdoors, but when it rains (which does happen in SF) kids stay inside all day. They close 3 weeks a year. Overall we are happy given the fact that good, clean daycares in SF are rare. read more

This school is a gem! We originally came here as it was just 2 blocks from our house for pre-K thinking we would move on after that. But we are still there as our daughter is now in 4th grade. We toured many other schools over the years, but keep coming back to KMS as the best school. We love the play based learning they have inspired by Reggio Emilia. The mixed grade learning is a really great way for them to relate with kids different ages. My daughter loved her 1st grade teacher so much she called her her second mom. It really feels like a big extended family. So different from other schools where it seems they are just stuffing information into kids regardless about who they are. At KMS they really take the time to give the kids attention and tools they need, based on their individual strength and needs. I have been blown away by how well the kids collaborate together. The teachers are truly amazing, always available to talk, really caring about your child as a person. They believe that each kid is competent and really practice that. My child does not want to leave the school and I don't blame her! read more

We have been sending our daughter to KMS for two years and it has been a very positive experience for her. The child-centered, project-based program allows kids to learn and develop at their own pace and according to their own interests and styles without the pressure to conform, get ahead, or always have the right answer. For this reason, It is a very liberating and celebratory place indeed. My daughter is in the third grade, which is considered "upper elementary" or grades 1-5. I highly recommend this program for any family that would like their child to have individual attention and nurturing. A key focus at KMS is teaching kids social emotional awareness and the kids become skilled at conflict resolution and tolerance of others. There is NO rote learning at KMS - the kids learn by doing. In addition, there are mixed- grade classrooms that allow for mentoring and grouping by developmental stage. I don't recommend this program for those folks who seek a traditional, top-down approach to learning where teachers lecture and test kids. This is not the school for families worried about their kids "falling behind" in preschool. This program is for creative, intelligent, out-of-the box thinkers who value curiosity, investigative learning, flexibility, and FUN. The teachers are extraordinary in their ability to engage and encourage kids of all walks of life. They are energetic, creative, and committed. They are always available to talk to parents regarding anything and they genuinely want all the children to flourish as individuals. KMS is very different from the institutional model based school. That means no testing, minimal homework, and plenty of spontaneity. This does't mean that kids can do whatever they want. Last year, my daughter wrote a novel, did a research project on cells, helped write the school play and served me dinner when the entire school became a restaurant at the end of a unit on food and agriculture. The best endorsement comes from the kids: they are happy and excited to go to school each day. As one of the many happy KMS families at the school, I consider us extraordinarily fortunate to have landed here. read more

We have sent our daughter here for camp the last 2 years. She always has a blast and learns so much! Can't say enough about the camps and the beautiful building on Guerrero. read more

After the first day at KMS De Colores Summer Camp, my daughter reported to me "Hey Mom, the kids aren't mean to each other there." The beauty of these camps are that along with the exciting subject matter, they always include the cultural attention to EQ that KMS is known for. So sure, they love the dragon lizard, or the cooking class, or the dance studio, but always *always* the core is comprised of KMS respect for self, others, community and environment. Needless to say, upon hearing that from my daughter, we came to more of the KMS summer camps. here are some additional highlights: - science camp: experiential: experiments, line of inquiry, and "Mom, i LOVE science!!" - de Colores: wonderful Espanol with a large dose of culture - the combined Yum Chefs camps: ha, so you think cooking is just Rachel Ray? nope, it is math, chemistry, camaraderie, all in a Viking Kitchen (donated by a restaurant closeout) with windows overlooking the charming herb garden. - Little Rivers Theatre: four week program; child-created, child-guided with support from experienced thespians - the result is a team-creation that each camper had a real role in and will clearly be proud of. - camp leaders: these are not college students on break; these are grownups who are in the business of child enrichment and education. The environment is a gorgeous old SF mansion remade into a school. Charming garden and play area out back. Aftercare is available to sign up at the same time you sign up for the actual camp. As a working mom, i feel this is crucial. So does KMS! My daughter loves KMS - Full disclosure, we moved to KMS after experiencing the summer camp here. read more

My son is beginning his third year at KMS. He's 7/1-2 now. Our family loves it so much. I am a sign language interpreter and have interpreted many times in other school classrooms. There is a lot of discipline and busy work going on. The feeling I had was of constriction and wanting to escape. When I visited KMS I was immediately struck by the overwhelming feeling of joy. We were lucky to be able to attend on scholarships and that joy has continued the last two years. The Reggio Emilia educational approach is phenomenal. Hands on, play based where the teachers are partners with the children, not dictators. My son is reading like a champ and adores going to school. They get double or triple more play time outside than other schools. Constant field trips and a school owned camp ground near Yosemite. Cooking and capoeira classes. All make learning and life joyous. And, bonus, tons of learning happens along the way that sticks. Of all the schools I have stepped in, both professionally and personally, this is the best. read more

I am a KMS grad that is currently in college. Its hard for me to express how close to my heart I still carry my time at KMS. I attended KMS all the way from 3 months to the fifth grade and it is where I received the foundation that has made me who I am today. The more I hear other peoples preschool and elementary school experiences the more I am grateful that my childhood consisted of very little sitting behind a desk and being lectured at or told that my way of learning was the wrong way. I truly believe that because the KMS environment was so supportive and encourages self motavation I still to this day have more confidence and strength in who I am. At KMS I got to have an imaginative and creative school experience. I was given the time and space to explore what interested me. I can remember spending hours creating plays, sewing and designing outfits and costumes or filming ourselves cooking recipes and turning them into cooking shows. The sky was always the limit at KMS. Out of my four college roommates I am the only one who is an only child but I am by far the best at listening to what everyone has to say and coming up with a compromise (when dealing with household disputes) and I learned that skill at KMS. When we would have arguments teachers would not come over and end them but would facilitate the conversation and let the students come up with the solution. I remember a year when there were only twelve students in the second to fifth grade classroom and we would say that we were the cheaper by the dozen family. When we went on a class trip to Yosemite and people would ask us who we were we would tell them we were brothers and sisters. We not only did this because we thought it was funny to see there reactions considering we were twelve kids around the same age ranging in ethnicities we also said this because we truly felt like family because that is the sense of community that KMS fosters. read more

My son loves KMS (he went to preschool there) and had a great time at Musical Theater camp last year. It suits his big personality and love of song, pretend, and the spotlight. Vincent, the camp leader, is a warm, gentle, bright light and so good with all kinds of kids. Can't wait to go back this summer. read more

I am continually impressed with the kindergarten education my daughter is getting at KMS. The teachers put in so much extra effort and love. I appreciate their developmental approach, it has been a blessing for our family during a time of transition at home. I am so grateful my friends told me about this school! read more

We have 2 children at KMS; both have attended since kindergarten and our oldest will "graduate" next May (sniff, sniff). Absolutely wonderful experience and I cannot recommend the school highly enough! In particular, project-based (cross-discipline) learning has really resonated with our children and greatly benefited their conceptual thinking , self-confidence, and individual discipline skills. From a social aspect KMS is like no other school I know of in SF. The mantra "we're all friends" sets a really positive tone of respect and acceptance in addition to guiding self-directed arbitration and conflict skills amongst the students. I truly wish the KMS experience was available through middle school and beyond. I view it as some of the best practice for "real life" that you could offer your children. read more

I am submitting a one star review based on the on-line application. Seems a bit odd that they REQUIRE to submit your occupation, ethnicity and salary immediately. Why does this information matter? My only answer is that they are placing you into certain slots based on that info....and making them believe that this is 'diversity' As I was researching pre-schools it always made me laugh that you'd get these certain type ppl that wanted to 'immerse their child in all of SF diversity' yet choose to send their kid to a school costing upwards of $20,000. If these people REALLY wanted to get that diversity that they all love and talk about so much, they'd simply send their kids to a public school in SE part of the city. Guarantee most of those kids (and parents) attending this school would get a dose of reality as well as diversity. read more

My six year old daughter attended two summer camps at KMS this year for Spanish and Science. I can't say enough great things about her experience there. She loved both camps and her teachers. I really enjoyed seeing the camp shows at the end of each session too. It's amazing what you can teach kids in a matter of just two weeks per subject! I was very impressed with everything my daughter did at her camps including Mexican folklore dances, songs, and various crafts in Spanish camp as well as her lab notebook in Science camp. The Science camp kids learned some pretty advanced things for their age! I will definitely be putting my daughter in more camps at KMS next summer, and I am also going to enroll her in some enrichment activities during the school year. read more

I have never seen KMS on the inside, and likely never will. The have a policy that prohibits people with a tighter financial belt from applying. You cannot even see the school without submitting a 75 $ fee with your application. A very exclusive policy, and one that will surely keep riff-raff out. However, it will also keep hard-working parents out who are trying to find good educational options for their children without breaking the bank. read more

My son went to a Spanish summer camp here but they spoke mostly English to him. and one day while he was playing in the yard, another child swinging a stick hit him in the face and his eye was swollen shut for 2 days and he had a shiner that lasted for a week. I did not receive an accident report, a phone call or even a follow up from anyone. All they gave him was a hard square ice pack, (the kind you put in a cooler) to put on his eye. Thankfully he didn't need stitches but he does have a scar under his eyebrow. guess it could've been worse but I felt the supervision and even the quality of care I saw was subpar. especially for the price! read more