I feel like the education here was pretty good considering it was mostly in cantonese for k-3, and…read morefor 4-5 it was half-half. The things that do need work are the math (Since it was all in cantonese) and the science (We only started learning it in the 2nd half of the school year) Other than that, I would say that it is just an incredible school. I currently know cantonese fluently, and, I know a lot of math in a totally different language. I feel that this school should deserve at least a 4 star review.

My son is a student at this school and he has told me that the morning bus driver was screaming on…read morethe microphone just because we were talking in a normal voice. The teacher are nice especially the forth grade teachers Mr.phung and Ms.Wong they are pretty nice but it is only the morning bus driver.

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.

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

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 am a current parent at the school - one preschooler and one elementary. We looked at all the…read moreprivate schools in San Francisco, and could not be happier with our choice. We love that our kids are so happy at the end of day: singing songs, talking about things they learned, and dirty from playing so hard outside. The kids are learning about the world (how to be strong community members, take care of the environment, etc.) as they learn traditional academics. The campus has beautiful outdoor space, so the kids get outside while growing up in a big city. Additionally, the school provides our whole family with an amazingly supportive and diverse community. Not growing up in San Francisco, it is fantastic to have people help drive carpool, have playdates with, and develop strong friendships with. Mostly, I am continuously impressed with the faculty and administration. The Head of School is so energetic, devoted, and committed to the school. The entire administration is responsive and supportive to our needs, which, at times, have been many! (It is expensive though...but worth every penny)

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!

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!

I go to this school and it is the best school in San Francisco!!!!! My 3rd grade teacher took my…read moreclass to a GIANTS GAME!!!!!! Grattan is the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Grattan!!!!!!!!!!

I've been really impressed with this school so far. The teachers and staff are so attentive and…read moreengaged with the children and practice creative problem solving (and include the parents in the process!) to meet each individual child's unique needs. My son is learning so much and is always so excited to share it all with me every day. The school is also just beautiful. It has a gorgeous mural, a large garden that the children get to be a part of caring for, plenty of shade and spaces to play, and sits in a peaceful part of the neighborhood surrounded by great parks and playgrounds in every direction. My only complaint is that we're stuck on the waitlist for their after-school program.

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.