We were involved in a hit and run accident in front of the school this morning. The person who hit us 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. read more

Negatives: * Bad / inconvenient 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. read more

Our children have been at PKS for a little over a year now. Our older son was part of the inaugural kindergarten class and is now in first grade. Our younger son started in the preschool at age 3 1/2. Neither had any exposure to Mandarin before they began attending PKS. We have been thrilled with the school, and our children have thrived. They have very different personalities and different strengths and challenges, but the school, its ethos, and its staff and teachers have all contributed to help each of them blossom. Our older son is sociable and flexible, but a bit cautious and reluctant to try new things if he's not sure he'll be good at them (which turns out to be most things). PKS offers a supportive environment that encourages children to try and experiment and make mistakes - all of which has helped him grow so much more confident, able, and curious. He went from not knowing any Mandarin to being a very enthusiastic speaker, writer, and reader of Chinese. Moreover, he's matured so much in the PKS environment that it is really heartening to see. Our younger son is a less flexible character by nature, and he tended to get defiant at his old, more traditionally structured preschool. At PKS, though, he has really bloomed. The teachers are so well trained and are able to give each child individual attention, and they work with parents on anything your child is working on - all in a very loving, nurturing environment. He is a different kid now, and it's amazing. Both kids LOVE speaking Mandarin, and I also feel confident that they're learning English, math, science, and all the usual skills at a level at or higher what they would have done at a non-immersion school. The elementary English teacher, Maggie, is a real pro, and all of the kids in my older son's class are reading at (or in some cases way above) grade level. The head of school, Alfonso Orsini, and the preschool director, Simona Chongo, are experienced, compassionate, and amazing at dealing with any issues that arise. I cannot say enough about the PKS community of parents, staff, and teachers. Although it's a private school, it has nothing in the way of an elitist, materialistic, or stuffy vibe. There are many two-parent working families. Lots of people seem to work in technology, scientific research, medicine, nonprofits, and education. We love the urban location and the fact that the campus doesn't end at the gate -- the elementary students get out and about all over San Francisco in their units of inquiry, and I feel that it is making them confident, capable, and creative future citizens who will, most importantly, value the common good. I can't recommend the school highly enough. Check it out! read more

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Our daughter started as a preschooler at Presidio Knolls School in 2011, she is now in 4th grade. It was important for me that our daughter learns Mandarin, but we are delighted that the school's progressive approach has taught her to think critically and problem solve. PKS is fully committed to fostering the love of learning and social-emotional growth of every child that comes through their gate. The admin team and teachers at PKS are caring, knowledgeable, and open-minded. Students are engaged in active learning environments every day. I cannot say enough good things about the warm and collaborative community at PKS. Most importantly, my daughter loves going to school and is thriving. read more

Presidio Knolls School - My daughter demonstrates her Wonder Works Project, How to Keep Kids Safe on the Playground. - Preschools Near Me - San Francisco, California

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It's been over two years since I wrote my little review of PKS, and it's about time to update. My daughter graduated from the school in 2010, and is now in 1st grade in a Mandarin immersion elementary school (public). She is truly thriving with a real love of learning, a strong toolbox of social skills, and a proficiency in Mandarin that awes me. I give much of the credit for all this to the teachers and staff of PKS. My son, who is 3 years old, started PKS this past August, and so far, so good. The school has expanded greatly, nearly doubling in size. The community is very involved and invested in the success of the school, especially with the new expansion all the way up to 8th grade underway. The newer teachers are passionate, sweet, and completely committed to creating a safe, fun, engaging environment for the kids. My family feels really lucky to be a part of this wonderful school. read more

A little end of the year update, our kids graduating from Kindergarten & Preschool. I can't say enough about how much this school has helped and supported our kids. Some time around Christmas last year the world turned over for our older daughter and she really understood that her teachers and the head of school were truly trustworthy. It's like a new dawn with her, one we weren't sure we could expect. One of the standout aspects of this year which is very touching for me personally has been the way the teachers and administration have worked with the kids in a cooperative way --- not setting down arbitrary rules, "managing" behavior, punishing and rewarding --- but taking the time and doing the difficult work of assisting the children to come again and again to reasoning with emotions (not dictating to emotions, which results in "failed states" if you take my meaning). This respect towards the children, the demand it places upon their understanding and honor, I think has a great deal to do with our turn-around. All this within the context of a learning environment anchored in creative, whole thinking, cooperative (did I say creative) problem solving, situational awareness, personal responsibility... PKS is the real thing, they're investing for the long term. read more

We were one of the lucky ones. In 2009 we applied to only two preschools and were accepted by both. One was a well established highly regarded San Francisco institution and the other was Presidio Knolls. We chose Presidio Knolls and for us, it was clearly the right decision. Yes, we were initially attracted to PKS by the Mandarin immersion program, but that is not what closed the deal for us. We were impressed by the enthusiasm of Wendy and the teaching staff. There was a palpable sense of excitement for what was then little more than a one year old experiment in creating a new preschool with a singularly unique focus. That enthusiasm was and is contagious. The facility is relatively new and includes a large backyard where the children have planted and tend to a garden. Located adjacent to the Presidio Gate and and two blocks from the Palace of Fine arts, outings to the Presidio and the duck pond at the Place of Fine Arts seem to be a regular part of the curriculum. There is also a senior center directly across the street that the kids visit from time to time. Although my wife is Asian neither of us speaks Chinese beyond a few childish phrases. Our daughter has Chinese language skills far beyond ours and we want to build on those skills. Like many parents we initially had some trepidations about her being disadvantaged by the fact that no Chinese is spoken in our household. Fortunately, these concerns were unfounded. There are quite a few other kids from families where little or no Chinese is spoken and they, like our daughter, seem to be thriving at PKS. The teachers have extraordinary credentials and a true love for the children. For the first few weeks of school our daughter had a very rough time being separated from her mom. Every day we would receive a call suggesting that we pick her up at lunch time because she just wouldn't stop crying. Then in October two of her teachers came to her birthday party at our house. After that, all of the separation anxieties were gone. We were touched by the extraordinary efforts on the part of those two teachers in sacrificing their Saturday afternoon to help our daughter through a rough adjustment process. Ultimately, we know that we made the right decision in selecting PKS because our daughter loves it. read more

My daughter skips to class in the morning. And she's not the only one. I've never seen so many kids so happy about going to school. We suspected our daughter would enjoy Mandarin immersion, but had no idea how much she'd love PKS. After her first weeks at the school, she came home singing "Y Shn Y Shn Liàng Jng Jng" ("Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star"). After a few more weeks, she gave her most important stuffed animals Chinese names. She now tells us she's going to be Chinese when she grows up. The school's approach--engaging with the children to bring out their creativity, teamwork, and confidence--brings out the best in her. The teachers are delightful, and the school grounds are lovely. Our whole family's smitten. read more

My son has attended this school for the past 1.5 years. The combination of Mandarin Immersion and Reggio principles has been a wonderful experience for my son. Each day I walk in to the school, the children all seem so happy and engaged with their teachers. I have seen his personality blossom in so many areas that are born from the lessons and experiences he has daily at PKS. Lastly, while the mandarin immersion is an important aspect of this school, this school is quickly emerging as one of the top all around pre-schools in San Francisco. read more

My boss's daughter goes here and from time to time I pick her up. She never wants to leave. Its an armed compound with a ten foot tall iron fence and a guard out front, but its lovely inside and looks like a high end European designer got a blank check to flesh out the details. If you're new to town and worried about public schools. This place will be your salvation. read more

This is a really amazing school. Each of the 4 teachers in our 3 year-old son's classroom possess an astounding level of energy and enthusiasm for working in groups and one-on-one with the children, teaching, and most importanty, establishing a relationship with them. There is such a strong culture at this school of social learning - kids learning how to interact kindly and pro-socially with one another. I also really like the principal. A very friendly, experienced educator, who always seems to be present, and to take an interest in each child. I see him playing with them outside, and I know he also has a presence in the classroom at times. He always seems to have time for the crowds of kids that gather round him. They do all of this in Mandarin, which seems to me not so much the subject they are teaching, but the medium through which it happens. The result is that my son now speaks Mandarin. After only one year there. It's getting to the point where maybe 40% of what he says around the house, after one year, is in Mandarin. And although my wife speaks Mandarin, she didn't really feel comfortable enough with it to speak with him before he went to school there. He only heard Mandarin with his grandmother before he started PKS. Now that he speaks it so much at school, and is coming home and speaking it to, she is starting to speak it with him, too, and it's really cool to watch that ripple effect. I really couldn't be happier with this place and the people there. Thanks! read more

Our son has been at PKS for a little over a year, and we love the school. Our son has learned a tremendous amount, including the ability to speak in Mandarin. On top of that, he has established amazing friendships that will last a lifetime. The faculty and staff of PKS strive for excellence in every capacity, and the attention to detail is amazing. The lesson plans, songs, athletic programs, and art lessons are always done with planning and a goal in mind. The students learn the subject matter while participating fully the various activities. We know that this school will profoundly shape our son's life in a positive way and can't recommend it enough to prospective families. read more

Our son's first year of preschool is over, and it has been great! As much as I wanted to be (and resigned myself to being) a "Tiger Dad", it has been quite clear for some time that our son is not that kind of boy. So it was with some trepidation that we enrolled him in a "progressive" "Reggio Emilia" program that was just getting off the ground. He grew up speaking Mandarin Chinese at home, and now his skills in Chinese (from school) and English (from all his new friends) are more than we could have hoped for. He is extremely happy going to school, and is always happy to see his friends outside of school. Every day at home when he is playing, he is always incorporating all the new things he has been learning at school. The staff is excellent, and the teachers are extremely caring. The teachers especially are very accommodating with schedule change-ups and such to accommodate busy parent schedules. read more

We are in love with PKS! Our son started in PK and now he moved on to K. It's a fantastic community, a very driven and engaging school. It's quite terrific to see your little one speaking Mandarin with his teachers and being very confident and happy to be at school. read more

So it's 2 years since my last review, but so much has changed so it's time for an update. First, our daughter has now had a full year at PKS in the Pre School class for 3 year olds. It did wonders to give her a strong sense of independence, helping some of the younger children in her class, and now being able to converse in Chinese with her older brother. She bonded deeply with her teachers and always has a spring in her step on the way to school. Second, PKS expanded from being "just" a Pre School into an Elementary school as well. The school recruited an outstanding Head of School Dr Alfonso Orsini who has built and run immersion schools in Switzerland, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai as well as the US. See him for yourself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hVV4QkUDRY. We're delighted to have his energy and his experience. Third, the school campus has expanded with new classrooms and new external space, with so much room to continue the expansion over the next few years in an up and coming area where Twitter just became our neighbors. Fourth, we decided to take our son back to PKS after 1 year at the preschool at CAIS. CAIS is a good school with a long history of success in their pioneering Chinese Immersion program. However the attraction of being part of parent community in building a new school so committed to both Mandarin immersion and progressive educational approaches was just too strong to pass up. The rate of change and progress at PKS is astounding. We've now had our children at the school for 3 of the 4 years it's been in operation and we've seen it grow from 2 classrooms of about 20 children to 8 classrooms of 140 preschool children, plus launching an elementary school. Imagine how much growth change we will see in the next 3 years read more

PKS has been one of the most rewarding communities that we have been involved with in academics. Our son joined when he was 3.5, now in his second year. Very strong administration, facility, parent network, and interesting & engaged children. The teachers have amazing insights to our child - some that are surprising to us as parents. This tacit knowledge is only gained through careful observation, engagement with children, and good documentation & follow-up. It has been a hands on + creative learning environment. The Chinese community was very welcoming to our family as we do not speak Chinese at home - this cut across culture and language both. Our son is better off for having this unique opportunity. read more

It goes without saying that people in the school would have a positive view of the school and its leadership (otherwise they would have left!), and those who are not in the school might have mixed or even quite negative feelings. Duh. Alas, maybe Robin B is right as she implies that I am a bit bitter about not being able to attend PKS. Indeed, as the director says (and Robin B echoes), these two years of preschool are "critical formative years." I even remember the director going so far as to say that attending her preschool would enhance a child's chances of getting into a top-flight Ivy League school. Give me a break...this statement either means she's preying on every parents' anxiety and fears about their child's future, or she's a bit deluded. Maybe a bit of both? In all seriousness, the original comments were directed toward people who are applying, and one (well, actually, I know of others who agree) family's experience. To those who are looking at the school, go in with an open mind and see for yourself. I think you'll have a visceral reaction to the leadership. You will either be attracted or repelled, and if you are repelled, you are not alone. read more

If you are looking for one or all the following: * Immersion education, * A multilingual learning environment, * Chinese (Mandarin) instruction, * Reggio-inspired approach, nurturing environment; * Child-interest based learning, * Being part of a supportive parent community, and * Dedicated, experienced teachers I highly recommend that you check out Presidio Knolls School (it's preschool and elementary school). As a multilingual family, we really wanted to find a preschool program where children were recognized for their individuality and interests, while at the same time as respected and cherished for their home/non-English languages. As a non-Mandarin speaking household, we been truly impressed and happy with the Mandarin that our child has learned, and how he's learned it. Given that he was already fluent in Cantonese Chinese (which is different from Mandarin) and in another non-English language, we've extremely happy that our child has picked up as much as he has during his first two years there. With one more year to go, we believe that PKS (through it's thoughtful teaching and dedicated instruction) will continue to help our child establish a great Mandarin footprint to be curious about learning new things, including languages, and think about things with different perspectives and open mind (a benefit of early immersion schooling). While at PKS, we've had the great pleasure of watching our little one blossom over the last two years. We're constantly surprised at what our child has learned both socially and skill-wise. For instance: * I remember my shock the first time, I saw my new-3 yr old get in line and at his first non-Parent/Child class by himself at Acrosports (we had yet to tell him how to line up and wait by himself);or * Hearing our child politely tell another child who wanted his toy shovel (at the park) to "wait 5 more minutes for your turn" without flinching; or * Starting to introduce Chinese numbers on a whiteboard to our 4yr old, only to find out that he could already recognize and read some numbers out loud, as well as finish writing the a few of the Chinese numbers; or * My favorite, going to school to sign in and seeing our child write out his entire name in English and then trying to do the same in Chinese (without my help). My response has been the same to each of these events - "wow did he learned that in school?" Perhaps one can say these are things that every child eventually learns at any preschool. However what we've loved is how seamless the Mandarin and learning has been at Presidio Knolls. The PKS teachers do a fantastic job at embedding and integrated language learning into the children's play, art, music and projects. As a rehabilitated Saturday Chinese School alum, I only wish I could have attended such a fun "Chinese" school! read more

I am the parent of a preschooler. We couldn't be happier with the first year and eagerly await the start of the new school year. Our child flourished throughout last year, making many new friends and growing by leaps and bounds both emotionally and intellectually. The teachers blew us away with their level of care and attention. I was frankly somewhat skeptical of the possible level of detail in a preschool but the 8:1 student to teacher ratio really provides a nurturing environment. At our first parent : teacher conference we were presented with literally an 8 page checklist that gave us insight to a level of detail that included above age level marks for jumping off of two feet but below age level for one foot! This is a somewhat trivial example but the point is that the teachers pay so much attention to the children that you feel very comfortable that your kids spend most of their weekday waking hours at the school. We are very excited that we have found a long term educational option for our family as we plan to keep our child at PKS through 8th grade (thereby preserving a little bit of our sanity by limiting the number of times we have to go through application processes). If you are interested in progressive, bilingual education for your child with an energetic community around a school, you should consider PKS. read more

Our preschooler really flourished at PKS. The teachers are wonderful and warm. They really do care about the kids, and it shows! The student-teacher ratio is fabulous so there's always an adult there when needed, or simply just to do a project with. The teachers really follow the Reggio-Emilia approach, which is really very different than traditional Chinese/Taiwanese methods of teaching. However they do it quite well, in Mandarin, I may add, which I attribute to their dedication as well as the time the school also puts into teacher development. It really is a treasure of a school because I don't know any other place that could pull that off. The teachers work really hard putting together a presentation for the families at the end of the year, highlighting the kids work. There are many late nights preparing this, as we have seen. They really view each child as special and give them the attention that they need. The teachers put a lot of thought into the parent-teacher conferences, and give good detailed feedback. The English level of the teachers is good, so you shouldn't have a problem communicating with them. The preschool director and the head of school are also quite excellent and professional. The most wonderful thing about the school is the parent community. The parents are very involved in many aspects of the school. The administration embraces this very warmly. The board of the school is mainly parents also. Parents are active in the school, but this doesn't necessarily mean a huge time commitment, unless that is something you are interested in. It's really a warm and wonderful place, and I highly recommend this school. read more

It's been a couple of years since I wrote my last review, we're still here, still happy, and in fact we're staying for Kindergarten. My daughter has really blossomed at this school. While by temperament she is "slow to warm", at Presidio Knolls, with the wonderful, caring teachers and good friends that she has made there she has become quite confident and outgoing. She shows a curiosity about the world and how things work that is extremely exciting for me as that is how she will have to live her life. And she just loves the place. Her Mandarin has continued to grow and grow. We took a vacation in China this Spring break (I hadn't really been there before) and she was able to translate for us and help talk to people on our behalf. I remember one time we were taking a rowboat ride through the Xi Xi wetlands and trying to figure out what caused these circular holes in the river banks. She asked out boatman in Chinese, had a short conversation, then informed us that they were made by river crabs and that they were their "homes". That was pretty cool! She surprised me the other day at dimsum in Chinatown too, where she pointed to one chinese character on the bill and read it, then another one, and when I asked her what they meant she told me that this is where the big plates get stamped and this was where the small plates get stamped. Since we speak English at home (and I don't speak any Chinese), she is getting this all from PKS. I'd recommend the school to anyone looking for an inquiry based approach to education (vs a more "traditional" approach) and an international perspective. read more

We love this school. My wife, I, and most importantly our daughter love Presidio Knolls School. Our daughter's been attending since the Summer of 2011 and we intend to keep her enrolled through eighth grade for a number of reasons--but before I get to them, I want to tell you a little about us. Neither my wife and I speak Chinese or are Chinese by heritage, but we recognize that the most opportune time to become multi-lingual is early. The toddler years are when the language centers of the brain explode, and not only are children more quick to pick up specific languages than adults, doing so at an early age improves their capacity to learn additional languages later in life. Not only do they learn to speak in the languages they learn, but they learn almost immediately how to distinguish not only between the languages they know, but even those they don't. Their brains adapt to support multiple languages. That said, what brought us to the school was their values. Designed after the successful Reggio Emilio approach, the school focuses not only on Mandarin in a de-facto manner--it is the language they most rely on to communicate with students--but on communication in general, putting as much attention into emotional development as intellectual development. Our daughter is spirited, independent and self confident--but through her time at PKS she's learned to understand her feelings and how she chooses to express them. She's learned to look at learning as an opportunity to make decisions--and see the results of the decisions she chooses to make. Her interests guide her early education and the teachers follow up with relevant information, teaching them independence to pursue knowledge and a love for doing it. It's all so elegant and effective, it's amazing. And although my daughter is easily the best review I could offer, I'd like to tell you why I think Presidio Knolls is worthy of consideration for your child whomever they happen to be and whether or not you have a distinct interest in Mandarin. Understanding another language is like having a whole new laboratory with which to study your own thoughts. Ideas are constructed differently--humor is executed differently. Even the words--which in the western world are simply phonetic implements--are literally illustrated with allegorical meaning. Chinese isn't just another subject to learn--it's a whole other means in which to learn--and oftentimes an idea that's a struggle to comprehend in one language can make vivid sense in another. Trying to teach a kid when they're not interested is like trying to feed them when they're not hungry--but unlike hunger, which only time can create, an interest can be created by any activity in which a particular skill is necessary for participating--such as Mandarin. The only way to truly learn a language, as anyone who's tried to learn a language in their teen and adult years will tell you, is total immersion. Children in America are immersed in English; there's no way around it. Children born in America, whether their parents are fluent or not, learn English. Similarly, if the language they speak at school is different than the language they speak at home (or, in the case of English, everywhere else), it will only compliment their english Education. The only problem with this approach is that it requires attention to each individual student. Some students have some Mandarin background, others do not. Some children speak English at home, some do not. To bring everyone together, it requires the teachers know their students as individuals and can cater their education to their students' skill sets. Most schools find it impractical to teach every student individually, but that's why a K-8 program is so important (and a PRE-8 is even better). You are afforded time to be patient--and like respect, if you're patient with children they'll be patient with you. It's not always easy--for most schools it isn't practical either--but PKS is a different sort of a school. There is so much I could add to what I've already said--and will if you meet me in person--but what's most important is to meet the school yourself. If you're anything like my wife and I, you'll fall in love for the reasons I've expressed and a few of your own. Even if you don't, their approach will influence the way you view Preschools and schools in general and will help guide your choice, whatever it happens to be. read more

Our son recently started kindergarten and he has very much enjoyed the experience. Before school even started, we were invited to several parent and parent/child gatherings, where our son actually was quite familiar with several class mates before day 1. It made for the first day of school to be a very simple transition. The teachers have been very caring and communicative in addition to having a talented and very hands on head of school and administration. We are in the first month and our son has already started to pick up Mandarin, which is a new language for him (we are non Mandarin speaking). He recently started writing down characters and repeating their names; my husband and I discovered these were the numbers 1 through 10. We were amazed this was happening so soon given this was all new for our son. In general, we have noticed a jump in the level of his other languages (English and Spanish) as well as in his reasoning, confidence and overall maturity. We think he is being challenged and it has affected him more broadly. Most recently, he told is grandmother how much he loved his new school (nothing could have made me happier to hear). We get detailed weekly updates from his teachers and have had a chance to speak to the them regularly as they make themselves very accessible. In addition, PKS has a new technology that allows for us to get pictures of our children throughout their day to get a view on how and what they are doing. We feel we have a good idea of what goes on in class and how are son is doing with the new language and environment. We feel the families and community are very strong and feel fortunate to be part of PKS' first kindergarten class. We will put further updates in as the year progresses. read more

Our whole family loves PKS, it has been an incredible experience for child and parents. My daughter just finished her first year of preschool. We chose PKS because of its Mandarin immersion element and proximity to our house, but we love it now because of so much more (great community, parental involvement and enthusiasm in the school, great teachers and leadership). Our daughter spoke only Mandarin when she started, and it is truly impressive how much the teachers communicate with the children in Mandarin, even for the non-Mandarin speakers. We were a bit concerned at first about our child not developing English skills, but she picks things up on the playground, and has improved in both languages such that she can interpret for the Mandarin nanny when they go out. Don't be worried if your kid has had no prior exposure to Mandarin, I think the majority of the kids are in that category, and they do just fine. The community feels authentic and natural. We feel very comfortable with other parents, and can relate to them well. We were a bit hesitant about the private school privileged environment being too isolating for our kid, but we found that there was a range of family backgrounds, mostly seems like two working parents, very down to earth. Everyone seems to be really invested in the success of the school and our kids, and there is a genuine excitement about building a great school and community. The Head of School (Orsini) is at the entrance every morning I drop off my kid. The campus is spacious and beautiful, which is rare in a dense urban environment. We're excited about the expansion. I was not familiar with the "progressive" Reggio Emilia inspired program, but it seems to work really well for the preschool age. I'm curious to see what it looks like for the elementary school. Overall we are super happy with PKS, and are planning to send all our kids there. read more

It was with no small amount of trepidation that we enrolled our five year old daughter at PKS for their inaugural kindergarten class. In the previous months, Ron, Jeremy and, of course, Wendy had filled us with their commitment, vision and passion for the future elementary school. That vision was one of combining a Mandarin Chinese language immersion program with a progressive inquiry based teaching methodology. She would not be sitting at a row of tables memorizing her words and characters. Their vision allayed our fears: that the school would be too small to succeed; that the class would be a grand experiment doomed to failure and our child would languish; that in a couple of years when they inevitably closed we would be searching again for another school. Not only was the school able to live up to that mission, it went well beyond our expectations due to the commitment of: a remarkably accessible head of school who earnestly listened to our concerns, a fantastic staff of teachers (three Chinese instructors, one English, one art, one music and one P.E.) who were nurturing, caring and responsive to each child's learning needs, and to a community of parents who would volunteer time, energy and resources to the program. We would get weekly newsletter updates, some written rather hilariously by Teacher Matthew, that helped us see the progress of our child and helped us appreciate the school more. The year was not entirely without its bumps and trials. Our child attended a Montessori preschool which was mostly populated by female classmates. So, she struggled with early socialization with her male peers, but through the guidance of her teachers and the head of school she was able to navigate through these difficulties. There have been other personal challenges, but we want to say again that the alertness and patience of the teaching staff, and Alfonso have made this one of the best choices we have made in our life. I can't imagine our little girl getting as much care and support elsewhere in helping her develop as a young student and person. And, she is learning Chinese as well! read more

My son is starting his second year of preschool at PKS, and it has been a great experience for all of us. We were initially drawn to the school because we were interested in mandarin immersion. The language aspect of the program has been wonderful, but I think the big surprise for us was how deep the Reggio Emilia aspect of the program is. The teachers get to know the kids so well and pay careful attention to all of the aspects of their growth and development. The kids are encouraged to pursue topics and activities that interest them. They are encouraged to be themselves and are allowed to develop at their own pace. This program really does foster a healthy independence, creativity and curiosity. A word on the parent experience-- we love the community! The parents are engaged (in a healthy way) in their kids' lives and are involved in the school. We really enjoy spending time with the other parents in our classroom and the parents we've met volunteering. read more

Great school! Both of our boys attended PKS. Our older one has since aged out. Very involved parent community. Wonderful Reggio approach. Lots of good Chinese immersion. read more

My daughter attended Presidio Knolls School for a year before we decided to unschool our children and I am so glad that she had the chance to go to this preschool for many reasons. First and foremost, the founder of the school, Wendy Xa, has her heart in the right place. She created this outstanding preschool with a genuine vision to allow our children to have a multifaceted, multicultural, deeply caring, fun and educational learning environment. Secondly, all of her staff undergo frequent training to help them learn about the psyche, learning styles and growing needs of children and how to best help a child learn life skills, cultural expressions, and how to best express their own creativity. My daughter came home with interesting art work and great stories about what they played with and who all became her friend. The director of the school is deeply caring, wonderfully competent and just sweet, and she is a mom herself, just the right person who I would want my kids being taken care of in a preschool. Oh, and another thing that I found so fabulous (and lacking in all other preschools I had looked at before!): It's an environmentally healthy space, no bad chemicals in the air or on the floor, and wooden play furniture made by a high end furniture maker. I felt very safe sending my daughter here, as she has asthma and other allergic reactions. We couldn't have been happier with the time we were able to spend at PKS. I would highly recommend this preschool to anyone. read more

My son has attended PKS for the past year and a half, during which I have been incredibly impressed by the quality of teaching, the diversity of the students, the commitment to keeping the building clean of environmental contaminants such as fire retardant chemicals in furniture and cleaning products, etc. and the obvious excellent care of the kids. I have also been incredibly impressed by the founder, who despite having her own young kids, is a tireless worker on behalf of the school and always available to talk with parents. Until recently, my son was attending only 2-3 days a week (now going to 4 days) and would deny that he had learned any Mandarin. But recently when a teacher started speaking with him in Mandarin about his toy rabbit my son began laughing, and it suddenly dawned on me that he had been learning Mandarin just fine -- but didn't want me to know! Btw, I think its telling that the only negative reviews on PKS are by those parents whose kids were not accepted. read more

I can't add much that hasn't already been said by the other reviewers. I just wanted to reiterate that PKS is an incredible place that has some truly amazing and caring teachers. My kids have developed some much, both emotionally and intellectually. Each of the positive reviews are fairly representative of most of the other experiences. I could not recommend it more. read more

When we first began the preschool search process we started and stopped with PKS. From the moment we walked into the school and met the teachers, we knew this was "the one". Our goal was to find a Mandarin-immersion program that offered our daughter a nurturing and creative environment to thrive. And while we were on the waitlist for a year and didn't have a plan B, we felt this was the best place for her. We have not been disappointed. The teachers are absolutely fantastic and show great compassion and resourcefulness, as well as a genuine care and love for the children they teach. We love to consistently receive newsletters about what the children are engaged in from week to week in both classes. Our daughter, who is mixed African-American and Asian, can speak Mandarin in full sentences now and has grown leaps and bounds in all areas (artistically, maturity level, logical thinking, observation skills, etc.) since starting in September 2009. As parents, you get what you put into the school. There are plenty of social and volunteer opportunities, and with such a small number of families enrolled, the likelihood of making friends is tremendous. Both my husband and I work full-time, so having extended hours in terms of drop-off and pick-up has been a godsend. PKS may not be for everyone, but it is definitely the only place we could have imagined ourselves to be! read more

Our son is in his second year at preschool at PKS. He loves it and so do we. The program is wonderful, with a unique combination of Mandarin immersion and a progressive educational approach. The administration searches high and low, around the globe, for the best teachers with the relevant experience and the right mindset. We are very excited about the expansion to elementary school, and the recent hiring of a new head of school. While admissions can be frustrating given the high numbers of applicants for a small number of openings, I know the administration really tries to build a balanced class with children and families from diverse backgrounds. read more

I have two kids at PKS, and they are both thriving. My daughter is in the kindergarten class, and my son is in the Maple classroom for 3 year olds. Neither of them had any Mandarin experience prior to entering the school, but that didn't phase them in the least. My daughter has easily made friends and learned Mandarin already. We moved to San Francisco earlier this year from Seattle, and my daughter used to say that she wanted to move back. Now, she says that she wants to be in San Francisco during the school year so she can go to PKS and then spend her summers back in Seattle. While my daughter had no problems adjusting to the new school, my son had a bit of a rough patch entering preschool for the first time. Even before he started preschool, I was worried about how he would adjust since he tends to be very clingy to me. We enrolled him in a week of camp at PKS before school to help him adjust, and sure enough, he cried and was unhappy about it. However, Simona, the director of the preschool, was AMAZING in helping him to adjust and become comfortable with preschool. She was his anchor and stayed with him every morning until he wasn't upset anymore. She also sent us photos and called us so we wouldn't worry about him. By the end of the week, he was happy to go to camp, and when school started, there were no tears at all! I refer to Simona as "the kid whisperer" now. My husband and I chose PKS because it was a perfect combination of language immersion with a progressive educational philosophy. Neither of us are of Chinese descent nor do we speak Mandarin ourselves, but we both value Mandarin as a language for our kids to learn because of its difficulty and its growing importance in the world. When we were living in Seattle, we couldn't find a Mandarin immersion school that also had a progressive foundation, so we felt like we had won the lottery when we came upon PKS. We chose PKS also because we were very impressed with the director of the school, Alfonso Orsini. He comes with an incredible amount of experience, energy, and dedication that is rare in this world. Whenever I see him at school, he is always very hands-on with the students. He helps in the classroom, plays with the kids before school starts, and even helps with lunchtime duties on occasion. We're really happy with the teachers as well. In my son's preschool classroom, the 3 teachers are so loving, nurturing, patient, and animated. My son gives all his teachers hugs when he leaves, and he's always so happy to see them the next day. In my daughter's kindergarten classroom, the teachers are great as well. We have one American male teacher and one female teacher from China. They make a great team, and they do a great job of teaching my daughter in Mandarin while making sure that she doesn't get frustrated. I love how they're teaching the kids more than just academics. There is a focus on independence, intrinsic motivation, and being a part of healthy and vibrant community of people. read more

When moving to San Francisco from Shanghai, we looked for a school that would give our daughter continued exposure to mandarin, but in a less traditional setting. We ve found that at PKS. She and her class mates are exploring different subjects, and mandarin is just the tool of communication. Being from Europe it was important for us to have an international outlook and multicultural environment. In our daughter s class at PKS there are families from Chile, the UK, Russia, Taiwan, China and the US, as well as us from Sweden. Her Chinese speaking teachers are from China, the US and Ireland. We think this adds to her perspective of the world. So, what about her reading and writing in English if she goes to a mandarin immersion school? Even as parents who is not a native English speaker, we needn t have worried. So far she and the kids in her class are beyond the national reading level standards, they are given tools to compose stories and help in writing their own; we re happy with the English curriculum. The campus has great outdoor space. It s in a sunny part of the city, so they spend PE and breaks outside. It's still new and open to parents' initiatives in forming a great school for the kids. read more

We were not originally seeking an immersion program for our son's Kindergarten, but we checked out PKS at the suggestion of a friend. I'm so glad we did! PKS is great in a number of ways, but the three that stand out to us are the parent involvement, the administration, and (of course) the Mandarin program. While PKS has hit its stride and has all of the amenities you'd expect from a private school in SF, it still has a "startup" feel in many good ways. Parents regularly take on projects that they think would make the school a better place for everyone. There are so many incredible ways to be involved (parent-hosted lunches for the kids, volunteering to help with technology, fundraising, etc.) that it's often hard to decide which ones to take part in. The staff of PKS is excellent. Alfonso is more involved in the day to day goings on than any Head of School that I've met. He reads stories to the kids, plays with them in the courtyard, and accompanies them on field trips. One time we expressed a minor concern to Alfonso about our son. Alfonso took the time to meet with us and assure us that everything was going well. A few weeks later, Alfonso emailed us with a story of what he had observed our son doing that day, highlighting the progress he had made in the area we had been concerned about. We were very impressed that he not only took our concerns to heart, but observed and followed up. Alfonso also shares his vast knowledge of child development with the PKS families. We've learned a lot about how children learn, how to help with transitions, and what we can do to better support them from Alfonso. Similarly, the emails from the teachers have helped us feel involved in what's going on in the classroom. We were excited, but apprehensive, about our son learning Mandarin. Nobody in our family speaks Mandarin, and we had this vision of our son coming home every day saying "I have no idea what anybody was saying." Luckily, that's not how it works. The classes are balanced with kids who speak Mandarin and kids who don't. The teachers have experience working closely with the kids who are new to the language. While it's still early in the school year, our son is definitely picking up more than even he realizes. He's proud that he's learning something that even his parents don't know and loves pointing out Chinese writing to us around town. For many (including us), finding a school in San Francisco is a frustrating and infuriating process. I'm extremely grateful that we found PKS. It's a true gem. read more

We have had our son at PKS for over a year-he's in his second year of preschool and he loves PKS! We originally chose PKS for it's progressive education and the language immersion as well as the strong and connected parent community. As a psychotherapist/social worker and mother my primary focus for my son's early school years was developing his curiousity, learning social/emotional skills, and engaging his brain. My husband and I went to one information session and heard Wendy Xa, PKS Founder and parent speak about the importance of progressive education (and what it is), specifically about a young child's brain development, and heard about the active parent community and we knew this was the place for our son. After a year our son is thriving and understands Mandarin spoken to him and can respond in Mandarin in short sentences. He loves the classroom teachers he has and the other students as well. The teaching at this school is excellent; there is a great deal of attention paid to not only the student's academic skills, but learning social and emotional skills as well. The teacher's work collaboratively with our son and other students, and they communicate with us (parents) daily about the work our son is doing in the class and outside. We have met many wonderful parents in our son's classroom and connect often outside of school times with other families. We are part of a engaged and connected parent community at PKS which feels like an extension of our own family. I would highly recommend PKS to any parent in SF! read more

our 4 year old son has been going here for a little over a year and he's getting a great experience. We would recommend this school highly. The teachers are really good and you can tell they definitely care about the kids. The facilities and outdoor space are really nice. The other parents are great. We've made some nice friends through this school. They send out weekly newsletters with updates on little trips they take around the neighborhood - these are fun to read because they always include pictures and little details about the funny things the kids do. The other thing we love about the school is that the administrators and teachers are very passionate about the school and are always trying to make it better. We're glad we sent our boy to this school and we look forward to sending our little girl when she's old enough. read more

After completing our first year at PKS, we're confidently committed to the school and its community. Our son's mandarin speaking ability (from 3 words to now conversing) has exceeded our expectations. We did not specifically choose the Reggio approach of PKS, mosltly felt the fit was right for our child; and now very pleased at how the school's educational best practices have influenced the budding development in our son's inquisitiveness, association, creativity, etc. Aside from our projections as hopeful parents, we know our son just loves to go to school. He is incredibly adored by the teachers, who care and educate without inhibition. We are always touched by their passion and tireless encouragement for the children. From some negative feedback posted, I understand the frustrations experienced during the admissions process. Given that they were posted a few years ago, I see that your input have been considered and process updated, with expectations to further improve; I volunteer on this committee in hopes to do just so. read more

Having recently gone through the admission process at PKS, I would like to share my experience to provide another viewpoint. Due to the imbalance of over-demand and under-supply of pre-school spots in SF, parents are put through an unusually stressful application process for quality pre-schools. This often involves more than one visit to the school for information gathering, child and/or parent interviews to determine a suitable match. Having gone through competitive selection of schooling for myself I have to say I was incredulous at how soon one needs to apply to either place, or be at front of waiting lists for popular pre-schools. I have thus to come to term with how this lopsided supply-demand situation has made the whole experience seem unpredictable and reassurance hard to come by. Knowing the admission odds to be around 10-20:1 for PKS, I sympathize with both parents and director/ admission committee who have to turn away many qualified families who recognize the special Mandarin immersion, Reggio Emelia, education PKS has to offer. Since the demand is so high, it is only natural for the director to want to expand and offer more spots to other children who may benefit from the seemingly successful model of the school. During the interview process, other than the hope that parents would donate their time to help the school succeed in various ways, it was never implied that those with more financial means, or potential donors would receive preferential treatment in the admission proess. Granted parents still have to be of some economic mean to afford the tuition; price that we are all paying to live in the city, no? And there is financial assitance for those who may qualify at the school, as I understand it. The director at PKS is a a highly educated, dedicated individual who has surrounded herself with equally dedicated and educated teaching staff who are terrific with children, and continue to advance their understanding of childhood development and methods of education by being required to attend seminars for themselves, with ample opportunity for parents to particpate also. The staff at PKS aim to prepare children for our ever changing world; and time will tell whether their approach for children at this age will have lasting impact for the child- Mandarin comprehension, being the least. In the end, I highly recommend for parents who are interested to find out more for themselves; and not let the low acceptance ratio discourage you from applying, if you find the program attractive, and a good fit for your child. read more

This is a wonderful school--my daughter absolutely loves it and I'm very happy to be a part of the parent community. The teachers are talented, committed and nurturing. Children are encouraged to explore, interact and follow their curiosity. My daughter has attended two years of PreK here and just started kindergarten. Her confidence, social skills, love of learning and Mandarin language skills have grown exponentially thanks to the excellent, progressive teaching method that encourages kids to learn by asking questions, experimenting, hypothesizing and collaborating with others. Last year my daughter's class explored the concept of villages and communities, and working in small groups the kids were encouraged to come up with stories about their imaginary places that culminated in a student performance. The children created the dialogue, helped design the sets, made the costumes, sold tickets... they even served refreshments they had chosen for the audience. They were so confident and having the time of their lives. The project is a great example of how good this school is at going beyond teaching the basics of numbers, letters, language and socialization to helping kids develop important life skills--working with others, trying new things, taking ownership, seeing themselves in a larger context. And did I mention that this is all happening in Mandarin? The language immersion is effortless because the kids are so engaged and the teachers are driven and creative. I don't speak Mandarin and I wondered about the language adjustment, but the patient, engaging teachers made it so simple for my daughter, whose first language was Mandarin but spoke only English when we enrolled in PreK. The school has a wonderful sense of community, led by an amazing head of school and talented administration and staff. I'm a single parent and from day one I felt comfortable among a group of very down-to-earth parents. I wasn't sure I'd be able to remain in a private school for kindergarten and beyond, but the staff showed great care and worked with me on tuition so I could stay. There's really an atmosphere of excitement at this school as it expands its physical footprint and student population (it's K-2 now and adding a grade a year up to 8th). After-school enrichment is very important to me as a parent working full-time, and the school offers a robust assortment of sporty, crafty and nerdy classes, including Math Playground for kindergarteners, soccer, yoga, chess, dance etc. Bottom line is this an excellent, unique school that's got it's eye on the future. read more