My daughter loves her school. She is in fifth grade now and began at Kindergarten. Art being her favorite 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. read more

Presidio Hill is a gem of a school that makes excellent use of the nearby national park and has thoughtful 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. read more

If you're looking for a magical and safe place for your child to learn and grow, then PHS is the school for you! We love that our children feel seen and heard every day. As parents, our ideas and contributions are valued. We couldn't have found a better place for our kids to stay kids, learn outdoors, and become lifelong learners! read more

My kids transferred here from another small SF private school this year (2020) and we could not love it more. It has been a rough pandemic year for kids (and adults, let's be honest). Starting a new school under any circumstances is daunting, let alone at home with distance learning. The admin team, the teachers, the students and the parents have been so warm and generous and inclusive. The communication with parents is thorough, honest and somehow upbeat, even with Covid rules changing seemingly daily. The kids are back learning in person now. They spend a ton of time in the Presidio. Families we don't know at all have reached out to include my kids in Halloween activities, weekend get togethers, online games. We even got holiday cards. The school is well established (opened 1918) but progressive. The building is adorable and in a gorgeous neighborhood. There. Is. Parking. PHS is a hidden gem and I wish my kids had been here since Kindergarten. read more

Presidio Hill School is amazing! Our daughter started at PHS in Kindergarten and is now a proud fourth grader. She absolutely loves her teachers and fellow students. It has been pure joy watching our daughter grow and thrive at PHS. She is so enthusiastic about learning and each year that enthusiasm grows. Her teachers are so supportive and their dedication to and connection with each student is truly genuine. Our daughter literally runs and skips to school each morning, and is eager to teach us what she has learned at the end of each school day. PHS takes full advantage of having the Presidio so close to campus. I cannot overstate how amazing a resource the Presidio is as an outdoor classroom space, a place for physical activity such as PE and exploration, and just a gorgeous, natural, and vast area for the students' well-being. Our daughter loves, loves, loves going into the Presidio throughout the week to explore, play, and learn about nature. The teachers at all grade levels are incredible, as well as the assistants. They have an innate ability to connect with each child on a personal level, fostering a sense of belonging and security. The teachers, as well as the support staff and administrators, all handle any student disputes quickly and with kindness and understanding, focusing on resolving issues rather than using punitive measures. The teachers at PHS are so positive and caring towards the students, and make a real point to meet every child where they are at socially and emotionally.  The school buildings are gorgeous. The art and music programs are top notch. Our daughter has enjoyed incredible after-school classes offered through PHS such as cooking, gymnastics, piano, hapkido, theater, illustration, coding, and many others. I am incredibly impressed with how PHS prioritizes social-emotional learning. Students at PHS not only excel academically but also develop the emotional intelligence and resilience needed to navigate life's challenges. The middle school students exude a remarkable level of poise, confidence, and maturity. Year after year, all of the graduating class get admitted into one of their top choices for High School. We feel so lucky to be a part of the PHS community. We have met so many amazing families and made so many friendships across all grade levels. Events like family picnics, all-school camping trips, fundraising soirées, festivals and performances foster a strong sense of belonging and camaraderie. PHS is a haven of learning where children's dreams are nurtured, their potential is celebrated, and their futures are shaped with love and care. I wholeheartedly recommend this extraordinary school to any parent seeking an exceptional and comprehensive education for their child. read more

Presidio Hill School is an incredible place - helping students nurture a love of learning, build confidence, and become informed, global citizens. We have been incredibly pleased with the experience our child has had at PHS. The close-knit community means that each kid is truly known - by teachers, admin and peers alike. In the classroom this means that students are challenged and encouraged at levels that are calibrated and individualized based on their own learning needs and strengths. In the broader community, it means that students make deep friendships (often across grade-levels) and they feel safe, welcomed and included thanks to the intentional culture created by the school. Our child LOVES school - leaping out of the car each day with eager enthusiasm. We attribute this to many, many facets of the incredible place that is PHS, but to name a few: - The teaching teams are experts at their craft. Watching and interacting with the teachers we have seen such deep passion that comes across strongly in the experience the kids have in the classroom. Their ability to harness student curiosity and leverage that into new ways to learn and be challenged is impressive. And, we value their personal knowledge of each student and exactly what makes them tick and what each individual student needs to best fulfill their potential. - The time students spend in the Presidio is intentionally woven into the curriculum itself and isn't just bonus outdoor playtime (though there is lots of time for play woven into the days too, especially in the early grades). - The progressive approach to education shuns things like rote memorization and instead makes learning real for the students through opportunities to turn their learning into action and get hands-on whenever possible. PHS has been continually refining their approach to education for more than 100 years and it shows in the expert ways the teachers build their engaging curriculum. - The parent community is also wonderful - filled with lots of caring and down-to-earth people. There are lots of opportunities to build community through volunteer opportunities and school events, so the school is a place where families and educators work together in partnership on a daily basis in a really natural way. read more

If the whole world was a large Presidio Hill School, what a wonderful world it would be! It is a kind, inclusive, community oriented progressive school. And where I first learned about non-violent communication. My granddaughters love going to school. I wish I had had the same experience when I was in school. They definitely instill the love of learning. The community of staff, teachers, students and guardians (parents and others) is strong, warm, and welcoming. At the beginning of the COVID confusion the school reached out, even to me as just a grandmother, to check in. They offered help if needed, in any form, and encouraged me to reach out at any time. The teachers and staff are all engaged, dedicated, communicative and tire-less. PHS "walks it's talk". My eldest granddaughter has been at PHS for 5 years. I've found myself loving this community more every year. read more

PHS is such a special place. Last night, I went to my ninth "Follies," the all-school musical production at the Palace of Fine Arts and it reminded me how fortunate it is that we selected PHS. This is my daughter's second to last year at the school and, as I start to think about High Schools, I feel so much gratitude to PHS for providing a top-notch education and for the amazing experience the whole family has had at PHS. Not only has the school provided a solid academic curriculum, it also provided excellent social and emotional guidance. The school is truly a gem where kids are allowed to be kids and flourish in a warm and awesome community! read more

PHS is simply wonderful. So wonderful I'm not sure where to start my review. My son is currently there in TK and will start K there in the Fall. And what a crazy year 2020 was to start school. But PHS handled the pandemic beautifully and really came up with a great distance learning program that engaged my 5yo, which is not an easy feat. I'm sure so many parents can relate to how difficult distance learning was, but even more so if your kiddo is so young. The school provided us with all of the materials so that it was effortless for me as a parent. Teacher Steve, who has been at the school for over 20 years, was so engaging and kind. A few of the kids had little brothers and sisters and he was great at engaging them for class too. This included my 3yo who felt like he was part of the class. The school did a wonderful job of adapting and staying on top of SFUSD guidelines so that they were able to get a waiver and start in-person learning in Oct 2020. They were on top of Covid testing as well, having the testing provider come on-site and set up right in front of the school so that you can get your kid tested at drop off, easy peasy (as my 5yo would say). I could say even more about how wonderful the staff is and now on top of things the administration is but I'll move on. My kiddo is thriving here. He is happy and excited and learning to become such a confident and kind person. They focus on social justice and equality for all is such a natural part of life at PHS, it's just part of their every day learning. (For example, one of the art classes was about the different skin colors and tones that people have and how that's normal and natural and the art teacher even provided everyone with a set of skin toned colored pencils to use, which I didn't even know was a thing.) Compassion and consideration are just a seamless part of how they teach and how they approach learning. It's incredible. It's the big things from discussing what might be happening in the news and seeing if the kids have questions and want to talk about it to little things like just this morning when my kiddo mentioned they don't say potty words at school, like poop, because it might make someone uncomfortable and that's not nice. There's also a weekly SEL class, to teach kids to embrace their feelings and help them learn how to express and manage them. I'm so impressed and excited for the kind of people these kids will become because of their experience at PHS. And they make learning fun. There's no rigid lesson plan, the teacher is great at adapting to what the kids are interested in. When it became apparent early on that all of the kids like animals and insects, he started to work more stories about animals and insects into story time and art and other lessons. Then each kid got a turn to pick a favorite animal and a whole week would be devoted to learning about that animal. TK also has music classes, which I think is so cool. The school is charming and nestled right by the Presidio so a big part of their day is to spend time in the Presidio and climb trees and roll around in the grass and look for bugs, etc. Nature is a big component of the school. They learn about plants and even planted seeds that they cared for in class and then got to bring home when it started to sprout. Our radish plant is still alive and growing well 2 months later! And he's made great friends with his classmates and they are encouraged to celebrate each others differences. There's zero toxic masculinity or pressure to conform or anything like that. They're learning traditional stuff too; he's learning to write and read a little and can count up to 1000 (he's very proud of that). And the community of parents have been awesome. Even though all in-person events and socials were put on hold this year because of Covid, the school still put together things like a weekly 30 min coffee and trivia zoom that the parents could log on to socialize, they also regularly held zoom sessions on social justice issues, there are diversity group meetings that anyone can attend, and social emotional parenting classes too. Plus the PGA is very involved and offers tremendous support not only to the staff but also for each class to make sure the families stay connected with each other and feel supported. I can't wait to see what next year will be like when I can finally get to meet all of the parents in person. I feel as if I've gotten to know several of them already so well via zoom, so I can only imagine it'll be even better in person. We could not be happier with our choice to send our kiddo to PHS. If you are considering PHS for your kid, in whatever grade, don't hesitate to reach out to the administration and schedule a tour. They will gladly answer any questions you might have and you can check out the beautiful campus for yourself. I wish there were schools like this where I grew up! read more

Our son has thrived at PHS! Small class sizes mean his teachers really know him, his learning style, and where he may need support. Daily time in the Presidio has fostered a love of nature. The diverse and caring community has benefitted our whole family. We have loved watching our child blossom in the care of this school! read more

PHS has been such a warm community to be part of, I will be forever grateful to the teachers, administration and other students for the many life long lessons my children continue to learn here everyday. Both of my children love their school, have made strong connections, and I see their love for learning exploding, with an eye for critical thinking and social justice. As a parent at PHS, I am challenged myself to become a more thoughtful human participant in our world, and I love that PHS puts meaningful learning in the forefront, which keeps us all connected, thinking and questioning the world around us. In our home life, PHS has further solidified the notion that we are stewards of our world, animals, and our community and that we must care for each other! I love the connection to the Presidio, and how my children get to dig deep and develop an understanding of science and ecology as it directly pertains to where they live and play. If you are looking for a school that captures a sense of wonder, is a small, tight knit community, relishes in outdoor learning, seeks acceptance and understanding, and dedicates itself to progressive values, then look no further! I am writing this with deep gratitude that all Presidio Hill has done for me and my family. Thank you PHS~ and to all of you who make it such special place. read more

My daughter attended Presidio Hill till grade 8. She had a great middle school experience. She was well prepared for her high school career. My son graduated today. Awesome staff! I can not thank Presidio Hill enough for creating such a learning experience for my kids. My heart is filled with gratitude for all the memories our family made at this school. We will miss the Presidio Hill community. Happy 100th anniversary Presidio Hill! read more

This is a sweet school located just blocks from the Presidio. We are glad be at the school as it celebrates its 100th year of progressive education. Teachers and administrators address curriculum in a rigorous way, but we love it for how they go beyond curriculum to challenge the students to think deeply about bigger social issues. Presidio Hill seeks not just to inform, but to empower their students. Diversity is important to our family and we are happy to be a part of a community of teachers, administrators, and families that represent a spectrum of races, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, family structures, gender identities, sexual orientations and languages spoken at home. Inclusion is a priority at PHS and there is evidence of that in everything from the class curriculum to how, when and where room parents plan class get togethers. read more

Presidio Hill School - Elementary Schools Near Me - San Francisco, California

Presidio Hill School is an amazing school, and I should know that. I went to PHS for nine years and just recently graduated. Ever since I started Kindergarten, everyone has been inclusive and accepting of everyone's differences. People of all different races, income levels, and religions are in a class, and we all got to teach each other about ourselves! Every year, there are posters up on MLK day describing his life. In Seventh grade, our class read "March", a book on the civil rights movement. In eighth grade, when Jordan Edwards was shot and killed, posters of him were up all over the school. The entire school is a family. The eighth graders know the names of the transitional kindergarteners (pre k) and will talk to them whenever they have the chance. The same goes for every other grade in the school. There are also events at the school that lend themselves to talking to students of different grades. The walkathon is a big one. The Walkathon is a fundraiser to pay for the tuitions of kids attending PHS who need financial assistance. They set up a large rectangle in Julius Kahn park that kids run around in. Every single year there are older kids walking with the younger ones on their backs. Even I carried people. The teachers are great too! They are more like friends than anything else, and they constantly care about not only the learning of the students, but how they feel too. At PHS, we call the teachers by their first names, not their last. We do that because it makes the teachers seem more like a friend, and more accessible. The teachers actually care about us. The teachers also really understand that outside of school, we have things we need to do. Whenever a student doesn't have enough time to finish their homework, the teachers let them have extra time, or let them catch up during a break. Also, at PHS, there are no grades. We as students are expected to follow guidelines, but we never fail them. We can either be still working on a guideline, we can meet it, or we can exceed it. Then, we get told in a paragraph by every teacher what we have been doing well, and what we need to work on and in which areas. This way we know exactly what we need to do to be the best student we can be. The teachers also help the students with the high school process. They helped us prepare for the SSATs, HTCP, and the Lowell test (the standardized tests that you have to take to get into the different private and parochial schools, and Lowell), they helped us write the essays for the different schools, and they made sure we didn't miss any deadlines. When I visited some other high schools, I didn't see the family that I saw at PHS. In some of the schools everyone was in groups of three or four, not socializing with anyone else. At PHS, everyone talks to everybody. I eventually found the school that was perfect for me in every way. I told my teachers, and they helped me to get in, in any way possible. Because of PHS, I got into my top choice high school, and so did many others. When I graduated, it really showed the PHS spirit I had grown up with. It was the nicest thing I had ever been too. Each middle school teacher would call up a student, and talk about the student and how they have grown. The teacher I had was so sweet, and he nearly broke my heart as I stood before my friends and family. Then I gave my speech. Every student in the class had prepared a speech, and each one was different, sweet, and heartwarming. After the graduation, we had a party. By the end of it, everyone was sobbing. Why? Because we all love each other, and we never wanted our PHS experience to end. At PHS, a single metaphor is used whenever describing their teaching style. At other schools, it is believed that the children are empty pots, and the teachers provide the seed, water, and dirt to make the student flower into an adult. At PHS, the student already is the seed and has the potential to become an adult, and the teachers provide the dirt and water to make the student into who they are. PHS has helped make me into the person I am today, and I wouldn't want to go to any other school. read more