I have two kids at Russian Hill Academy - one is leaving for Kindergarten this fall 2026 (started at the tail-end of COVID) and the other just started last year in 2025. We had our son in the thick of COVID and were nervous about sending him to daycare. His interaction with people outside our home was limited, not to mention the fear of illness at the time. Jiali and her staff made sure we were totally comfortable with their practices, and they are super clean in general. It is a safe and clean space for kids to learn, explore, and remain healthy. When it came time to send our daughter to daycare, it was a no-brainer. We jumped at the available slot and she has been happy and thriving for the last 9 months. She is in her own class with kids in her age group and has made her own friends. The school does a good job of having the siblings find one another at select points in the day but she also has a strong independence which is important as we prepare for our son to leave RHA. If we could keep our son at RHA we 100% would but alas it is time for him to move on so we will hold onto the remaining time our daughter has there, dearly. The friends we've made will be with us for a lifetime, and we give so much credit to Jiali and her staff for all the heart (and sweat) they pour into creating a community for kids and parents alike. read more

We cannot say enough good things about Russian Hill Academy and the care we get with Jiali and her staff. Our daughter started at a year and a half and thrived around having children her age and older around. She always came home with new words and found her best friends at the daycare. She has since started kindergarten but misses the daycare and always wants to come in and give a hug to the teachers when we come to pick up my son. The children go to the playground, have a beautiful indoor area for play and learning. The food is home cooked by the staff (my children eat more vegetables there than I can introduce at home!). I love to see the combination of fun with education as well. Our son now attends and also started at the same age, he loves going in and is always excited to tell us about his day. The school is Mandarin immersion (we do not know/speak Mandarin at home) but both children love and speak the language well, always singing songs and teaching me words. My daughter has loved it so much that we continue to find opportunity to continue to learn Mandarin. They both are able to identify symbols and converse easily with the staff. The activities that are posted and shown to us through Brightwheel are always impressive with respect to the breadth of activities like learning about caterpillars and butterflies or doing motor coordination activities. The children are always enthusiastic about singing and dancing and my children's Mandarin proficiencies are demonstrated through the video as well. While we do not always get to communicate as thoroughly with some of the teachers, Jiali is always very responsive to questions and keeping us updated on our child's progress. We have not had issues despite not speaking Mandarin for our children and we have loved that another language is being developed with our children. The families in the community are also wonderful and we love attending the yearly event where the children learn dances and songs to present to the families. Jiali is second to none in expertise in care for children. I credit her for both of our children being potty trained at the daycare, and she had to use very different approaches for both of them which I know comes from her understanding there's different personalities and needs for children. She has the children's safety and growth both in mind. We moved away from the Russian Hill area but felt so strongly about our great care with Russian Hill Academy that we have continued to have our care with her despite moving further away. read more

I truly wish I could give more than 5 stars. Russian Hill Academy was one of the best choices we made for our daughter, and if you can get a spot, run don't walk!! Our daughter started there at 15 months (before the recent upgrade) and just graduated last year. I credit Jiali and the teachers for teaching our daughter how to walk, potty training her, and giving her both discipline and love in a learning environment. We saw huge differences in her manners, social skills and language skills while she was at RHA. We still can't believe how fluent she is in Mandarin given that we don't speak at home. Jiali and the teachers are wonderful and work hard to develop an educational, safe, friendly and clean environment. RHA's community is also amazing. All the families we met were fantastic and some will be our life long friends. We never expected to have such a wonderful community and develop friendships of our own but that is the type of welcoming and healthy environment Jiali and Randy developed over decades of doing this. When I first met Jiali I knew she had a special touch. As a first time mom I was nervous to leave my child anywhere, but the moment I saw Jiali's calm, reassuring, and encouraging energy, I knew it was the perfect place. RHA is also a great place for parents who have two demanding jobs. They have a full time program and provide snacks lunch and early dinner. They do their best to take the kids to the nearby park, have lots of activities, and practice language, writing and even math. My daughter's TK teacher is regularly impressed with how high she can count and clearly spell her name. Being at RHA really set her up for success already. Overall, we can't say enough amazing things about RHA and highly recommend it if you're looking for a safe and loving place to teach your kids about culture, social skills, manners, and prepare for a bright future ahead. Thank you Jiali!! We miss you!! read more

My husband and I made the mistake of not enrolling our daughters in daycare before they were even conceived. So, when we applied for Russian Hill Academy (then on Union St.), we were waitlisted. Since we really liked the program, we enrolled at their larger campus, Richmond Academy, while we waited. 2 years later, we finally got off the waitlist and started at this brand-new Pacific Ave. location. Reasons why we love this place: 1. Mandarin immersion. The girls probably know more Chinese than English at this point. 2. Homemade meals provided. No need to plan lunches/snacks and clean up more containers at night. 3. Monthly videos that summarize their school activities. It gives context to the new dance moves and vocabulary they come home with, and it feels like we're sharing those missed experiences with them. 4. Potty training. Our younger daughter has been potty trained since 20 mos old ONLY thanks to the teachers here. 5. Communication is clear and easy. Jiali (director) and the teachers are immediately accessible when needed. They use the brightwheel app. 6. At the Pacific Ave. location, they go to the park daily or close to it. I can smell sunscreen on their faces at pick-up and know they had another fun filled day. read more

Russian Hill Academy - Front - Preschools Near Me - San Francisco, California

Our daughter has been attending Russian Hill Academy for almost ~2 years. We were very worried about the transition from being at home with our nanny to school, but it has been nothing but smooth. She joined RHA when she was almost 3, and in the last ~2 years has become fully fluent in Mandarin, learned numbers / basic math / the alphabet, improved her social skills dramatically, learned to memorize all kinds of Chinese songs and poems (as well as dance to them), and in general has become an even happier and healthier kid than she's been before. She loves her school, her classmates (in her "big" class as well as the kids in "medium" and "small" class), and her teachers. She also rarely gets sick which was the biggest surprise for us. Jiali, teacher Sunny, and the other teachers take wonderful care of the kids and are extremely responsive if we have any questions. They also put on an amazing end of school year / graduation ceremony every year. This last June it was at San Mateo College where the kids danced and performed for over 2 hours and everyone had the best time. We are incredibly appreciative to Jiali and her team for making our time at RHA so amazing! We feel like our daughter will be more than ready for Kindergarten when she starts next fall. read more

We are forever thankful for RHA and it's director, Jiali, and the two fantastic teachers, Wendy and Loraine, at their Union St location. We feel so fortunate to have been a part of such a wonderful school (their wait list is long!) and wish we could stay forever! Our daughter is very shy and not only was she nurtured by the caring teachers but she has grown so much socially and learned so much academically. She just turned 4 and is already learning math! In addition to learning Mandarin, she has been learning to write, count, and sing/dance to Chinese songs. She is always so excited to come home and show me all that she has learned. The program is phenomenal - they do everything and I couldn't be more impressed! The community is also wonderful - the other children and families at RHA are some of our great friends now that we regularly see on weekends. We are blown away and so appreciative of the environment that RHA has built. It has been a JOY and I recommend RHA to all the families with Littles that we know. read more

We love Russian Hill Academy (RHA)! When we first toured RHA pre-pandemic, what stood out was how happy and engaged the children were. We joined RHA in summer of 2020, and our twin daughters started as quiet and shy toddlers and have since blossomed into curious, kind, and responsible rising kindergarteners. Jiali, the preschool director, and teachers Wendy and Loraine are amazing, devoted, and very nurturing and kind. They provide exceptional care with seemingly unlimited patience. Teachers Wendy and Loraine make learning fun! My daughters come home showing off amazing choreographed dances they learned, while singing accompanying Mandarin songs. They recite full stories and songs in Mandarin from memory. It's incredible! What I admire is the curriculum is balanced and accelerated without compromising fun. Through dance, song, and movement, all the activities are thoughtfully planned by the teachers and steeped in learning. Our daughters are always so HAPPY at pickup and have thrived under the personalized and wonderful care of Wendy and Loraine. Jiali is fantastic - very warm, approachable and super responsive. As preschool director, she really keeps the best interests of her students and their families in mind in everything she does. Jiali truly understands the challenges and dilemmas busy parents face, and she strives to make our lives easier. From providing nourishing and healthy meals and snacks (I never worry if the girls eat enough) to handling the weekly laundering of naptime blankets and to cleaning of their water bottles, so parents don't have to shuttle those to/from school every week. Even simply providing the nap mats. All these small things add up to one less parenting item that persists on our endless mental checklist. She is a lifesaver! We drop off our girls everyday with 100% reassurance they will be loved and nurtured by teachers Wendy and Loraine. RHA kids are well-prepared for kindergarten -- their social and emotional development, individual and social responsibility, and even practiced focus time on an activity or math or writing worksheet - all translate back into the home and beyond for a strong foundation. We were thrilled CAIS accepted our daughters into kindergarten, and I credit Jiali, Wendy, and Loraine for their preparation and instruction. We feel extremely honored and grateful to be part of this remarkable school and community. As we transition to kindergarten, we are sad to leave our RHA friends, Jiali, Wendy, and Loraine. If you are a parent considering RHA for a daycare/preschool, do it! We could not recommend RHA enough. It is that magical of a place. read more

Our daughter has been attending Russian Hill Academy since she was 20 months up and now is close to 'graduating' as an almost 5-year-old. The experience we've had with the school has been nothing short of phenomenal. The entire staff - Jiali, Wendy, Loraine - establish a positive, nurturing, and educational environment that our daughter has thrived in. Our daughter has nurtured many positive habits, both educational and social, that have carried into our household and we believe will set a strong foundation for kindergarten. We originally enrolled in the school partially due to the location being so convenient from where we lived. Even though we moved 45 minutes away, we're making the commute every day because we feel so strongly about the positive experience our daughter is getting at Russian Hill. We could not recommend the school more strongly. read more

Perfect place for kids to grow up and transition from home/daycare to kindergarten. Jiali and her team will take care of it all: getting kid more social, teaching good habits, potty training, working in a group, concentrating and completing a task and preparing them for school. I feel like we outsourced most of the parenting to RHA, they are not just watching your kids, they are actually educating them in a comfortable home environment. Kids have opportunity to progress when they are developmentally ready. My daughter is learning Mandarin, singing and dancing every day, doing crafts, learns how to count and write while playing, how to take care of younger kids, and she is happy. The place is very clean, my girl didn't get sick when she started RHA, like she used to when was exposed to a new group. Home made food every day, although I wish I knew more about the specific dishes. Definitely worth the money, but the wait list is long. Consider second location in Richmond, you might get more days or even move when the place opens up. read more

My daughter Isabel who is 5 years old now absolutely LOVEs thispreschool and has been going to Russian Hills Academy (RHA) for 18 months now. We found RHA by accident. When Nihao Kids abruptly closed in 2011, we scrambled to find another good Mandarin pre-school mid year. One of our friends recommended we visit RHA and we are so glad we did. Here is why I give it 5 stars and I don't give 5 stars easily 1. Jiali is an amazing lead teacher there - loves kids and knows how to handle their energy, I can tell from the first time I visited. She has more boys there then and they got a little distracted. Instead of scolding any of them, she smoothly re-directed each kid's attention back to the singing and games at hand. She also knows how to resolve conflicts between kids that help the kids understand their actions without being scolded. This skill was important to me in looking for a good school.. 2. The preschool program is fun and educational. I wanted Isabel to learn by playing at this age and that's what happens at RHA. They sing, they play games, they go on field trips to playground, chinatown library, fisherman wharf etc... Isabel goes only 2 days a week and she is fluent in Mandarin, can count to 100, recognize and write a handful of characters, do some basic math as well. It's all done in a fun way, so Isabel is happy to show off her skills to us. 3. Isabel gets to be an artist as well. As a Chinese parent, I didn't just want a school that was only teaching her Mandarin. I also wanted Isabel to explore and expand her creative side. She loves to sing, dance, and draw. Jiali is super creative. You will see when you visit. All the decorations in her home are done by her and they are elaborate. The art projects Isabel brings home are quite amazing. Isabel is now teaching us how to draw some of the stuff she learned in school. I am just so glad Isabel is getting a chance to expand her creative wings at preschool 4. Great location and facilities. RHA is a home based school so it's located in a gorgeous victorian home with high ceilings (complete with a 2 story play structure inside the living room) in Russian Hill on Union near Polk. The place is immaculate. Looking back, I think Nihao kids was quite dirty compared to this place. There is a view of the golden gate bridge from the kid's dining tables. Heck, I wanted to be a kid and go here after seeing the place. 5. All is taken care of. RHA is open from 8am -6pm. I love the long hours and they take care of everything - washing the sleep sheets for naps, all the food are included. All we provide is an extra change of clothes. The less I have to do as a parent for the preschool, the happier I am. 6. Jiali listens and adapts. No preschool is perfect. Jiali and I had a miscommunication once. I told her my point of view and she listened intently and we were able to easily resolve it. She even followed up with me afterwards to make sure. I really respect her professionalism. 7. Great ratio of teacher to kids. There are 3 teachers and I think 12 kids at the most. You will have to confirm exact numbers. But I felt like each kids really gets a good level of attention without being spoiled. As you can see, I can't say enough great things about this school. We visited Presidio Knolls, Little Footprint, Little Bee, and RHA. We are very happy to have selected RHA for Isabel. If you arrange a visit at RHA, then you can see for yourself. Hope this was helpful. :-) read more

When our daughter Violette turned two years old, we started shopping for a preschool. We checked out close to 20 schools and none of them came close to the warmth and level of care that is so apparent at Russian Hill Academy. The space is super clean, organized and just feels inviting. I firmly believe that they have the right balance of learning and play in a very comfortable setting. Our daughter is able to speak Mandarin Chinese very well, now. She sings songs and recites poems near flawlessly (with words not taught in the home). I am thoroughly impressed with how much she has learned in just over one year's time. At three and a half, she is learning to write in English and Chinese. I don't think that would have been possible with any other preschool. On top of the learning, Violette has connected with her classmates. She is always telling us about how much fun she had with so and so. Prior to Russian Hill Academy, Violette was very shy. Now, she's opened up a lot and from what we've been told she is quite the class participant. We are so lucky that Violette was able to secure a spot here. read more

I was pretty clueless when it came to preschools but then after a few visit to different places, I really wanted my son to be in a mandarin immersion school. I was thankfully introduce to RHA from one of my gf whose daughter goes to a few times a week. Not only was this place such an inviting and playful environment, it was SUPER clean! Number one in my book! My son and I felt right at home. Since this would be his first time away from home, I loved that this school was in a cozy and beautiful Victorian house. Then I met Jiali. What a warm and sweet teacher who really loves kids. You can see that she was a very passionate person who loves what she does. My son is now speaking mandarin and bringing home a ton of stories and beautiful artwork :) I highly recommend RHA! read more

We are so lucky to be part of RHA and its community. The head teacher/Director, Jiali is nothing short of amazing. Our son joined the pre-school in the summer of 2015 when he was 3 yrs 2 mos and we have seen him thrive in an environment that is very loving and nurturing. Jiali fosters an environment of learning and creativity, with focus on helping develop the ability to think imaginatively and creatively. I am constantly amazed with his progress over the past +7 months he has been attending RHA: his command of Mandarin (we are not native speakers and he speaks it like a native), songs and dances, art work and drawings, writing letters, Chinese characters and numbers. It is truly a harmonious environment - the kids all play well with each other (younger and older kids) and have fun with their friends. They are thought to respect each other and learn to be independent. Our son is always talking about his friends and is always excited when he is dropped off in the mornings rearing to go with an ear to ear smile. When we pick him up, we are given an update on how he did for the day and we get a video monthly of his activities. They also go on field trips to expand on their learning, trips to the library, playground, local parks, etc. I really believe Jiali has a special gift with children and the positive energy she emanates. I say this because our son had completely stopped napping at the age of 2.5 at this prior daycare and it had always been a struggle for us and prior daycare to get him down longer than 45 mins. On day 2 of his preschool, he started to nap for 2 hrs/day (unfortunately only at pre-school) and by the 2nd week, he was napping without any help. The community of parents are very friendly and down to earth. We are truly glad that our son is in a happy and fun environment that is a great foundation for his learning experience. read more

I can't agree more with all the positive 5-star reviews that RHA has received over the years: great staff & director, positive learning environment, super clean facilities, and wonderful group of children and parents. My husband and I do not speak Chinese at home, so learning Chinese for our son was a new experience. We were lucky enough to get admitted into RHA in June 2016, when our son was 2 years, 10 months. He was previously attending another Chinese immersion preschool but after about 6 months, we knew that school was not for our son. I remember at their Christmas concert, he looked so lost, and during circle time, he would often be disinterested and disengaged. The teachers would explain to us that they used English periodically "because he didn't speak Chinese at home"--which would seem to detract from the learning process/potential. In contrast (and I mean a huge contrast), Jiali runs a true Chinese immersion program. I have never heard any of the teachers speak English to any of the kids, although they will speak English to parents who don't know Chinese. They are teachers who know how to communicate and teach in Chinese. They know how to make learning fun through song, dance, and game playing; each teacher truly cares about each child, who is given a very high-level of individual care. You can immediately sense the special bond between the children and the teachers-- one that is organic, positive, and warm. And, you can see the level of individual care, simply by how well they eat (3 well balanced meals/day), how happy the children are at drop-off/pick-up, and how clean your child is at pick-up. You would have never known that they had been to the playground, the library, or other outing (which they try to do daily). And, if you are wondering how we know that our son is interested and engaged in learning... through Jiali's videos, by the fact that our son never wants to leave Jiali's house when we pick him up, and recently, he's been teaching us Chinese! Jiali also provides regular informal updates. The school's year-end celebration "graduation" event epitomizes the amazing program that Jiali runs: the children recited Chinese rhymes, sang Chinese songs, and danced for an impressive 60-90 minutes. The performance really displayed the level of confidence and discipline that Jiali and her staff have instilled upon the children. Thanks Jiali and the RHA Family! Yvonne & Chris read more

We love Jiali and her team at RHA. Our daughter is not only cared for but has learned a lot of Mandarin as well as social skills, etc. She has made many friends and enjoys going to school. There are a lot of fun activities including music and dance and endless fun crafts for the kids to create and enjoy. We've really cherished our time at the school. read more

When I started looking for a pre-school, I had no idea it would be such a process in San Francisco. In my mind, within a matter of weeks, I'd be kid-free for a day (or two) in my life. As we began to search, we decided that we wanted our daughter in a Mandarin-immersion program, and that cut our options down dramatically. We attended five orientations (that I could remember), showing us the wide gaps between care programs. The reality of my expectations set in. Some were basically day-cares, (that just made sure your kid didn't die while you were away at work). The two runner-ups were decent, although they still felt like day care centers to me. I found Russian Hill Academy on an obscure website, and went to their webpage. The webpage had videos of the teacher singing songs with students, and a few images of her school with some contact info. We contacted the teacher, and luckily, for us, she said she may have room for a part-time student in the near future. We scored an interview! When we came to visit her class, we saw other children playing and learning. We were able to walk through the facilities, which was kept very clean, bright and organized. I admired all the child-friendly artwork (like a giant paper tree in the main class room), which she had made herself! I was amazed at her creativity, energy and enthusiasm (all of which are great traits to a great teacher). She told us about her curriculum, the seasonal performances that the children put on for the parents and her view on bilingualism. The schedules for the class are sent out monthly, candid videos of the kids are shared with parents via USB drives, AND she takes care of kids for 10 hours of the day. She spoke English and Mandarin to us (as I speak Vietnamese and English, while my husband speaks Mandarin and English), and was able to communicate with us very clearly in an open and honest manner. The both of us left feeling that our daughter would benefit tremendously if she were to be accepted into the program and environment. We had our hearts set on RHA. We got news that she wouldn't have space for our daughter until the following August (which was more than half a year away). My husband and I unanimously agreed that we would wait, and have her enter into the opportunity with Russian Hill Academy. Russian Hill Academy is located across the city from us, and the commute can be an upwards of 20-45 minutes (one-way), depending on traffic. She attends twice a week. We have two other children (that are also in a Mandarin-Immersion program in SFUSD), and the private school tuition is a little costly for us. However, every minute spent driving her back and forth, every penny spent, every preschool I pass on the way to her preschool does not outweigh all the things she has learned in the past year and a half she has been going to Russian Hill Academy. Our daughter has grown and developed so tremendously in a positive manner by way of Jia Li and her dedicated and friendly staff. They are always warm and helpful with the children. She is almost four now (started when she was two and a half years old). She can hold witty conversations with her Mandarin-speaking grandparents. She can count to 20 in English and Mandarin. She can write her name in English. She knows her shapes and colors in both languages. Her vocabulary has expanded immensely in Mandarin, including names of different nations, animals and lyrics to Mandarin nursery songs. She has began to trace Mandarin characters recently. The teacher, Jia Li, has explained how she encourages the children's motor skill development (to ready them for writing) through painting with brushes and playing games using modified plastic chopsticks. Another crucial addition to our daughter's academic skills is the development of her social skills. She used to scream and cry all the way to school (as she thought mom and dad were her best friends). As flattered as I was, she has finally been won over by the comforting welcome she feels when the teacher opens the door, and all the kids say hello to her. She has also developed a few closer friendships, motivating her to get out of bed for school (sometimes). No matter what she may have said on the way to school, she always comes back telling us what a lovely time she had with an activity, art project, a friend, or an outing. RHA also holds gatherings for the kids to perform song & dance routines for their parents, which is unique to most pre-schools I interviewed with. This gives an opportunity for the parents to develop relationships with each other, fostering a caring community of bilingualism and support for our kids. I believe the friends my daughter have made, and the friends that I have made, through Russian Hill Academy is a reflection of the astounding amount of love, effort and passion Jia Li and her staff put into their care for our kids. I highly recommend this school with all my heart. read more

I truly believe that this is the best Mandarin Immersion pre-school in San Francisco. It has actually been in business for about 4+ years, but wasn't on Yelp until earlier this year and so it was very hard to find! My son has been going here since he turned 3 and we plan to keep him here until kindergarten. The thing I love most about it is the warm, nurturing and family like environment that Jiali has created for the kids. Jiali is very creative and loving with the kids-- this is so extremely rare in a 100% Mandarin immersion program. There are 3 teachers at the school and around 12 students of all ages-- this ratio ensures that each child really gets the individual attention that they deserve at this age. It is no wonder that all the kids here can speak Mandarin so well and really thrive in this environment. Each month Jiali shares a summary of her lesson plans with parents so we know what the kids will be learning. It usually includes any new Mandarin songs they will learn, specifics about art projects, 'science', gardening and etc. Older kids have more formal 'classes' to learn characters, but this is balanced with PLENTY of free play time. At the end of each month the school gives us at least 100 photos/videos of my son & what he has been doing at school. It is so incredibly cute to see videos of him singing or counting in Chinese, and wonderful to share with grandparents too. There are other bonuses to this school as well: 1) super clean 2) nutritious meals prepared by the school, this is such a help for busy Moms! (Jiali has even hosted a weekend nutrition workshop for parents.) 3) great art projects -- including free painting, which is so good for little brains 4) plenty of field trips, physical activity & free playtime -- all this in Mandarin. I would give 6 stars if I could. This little school is really a gem! read more

We have been so thrilled with our experience at Russian Hill Academy (RHA). Our son started at RHA at 18 months and cannot be happier. He is now almost 3 years old and when I pick him up he talks non-stop about trip to the library, the playground and playing with the teachers and all of his friends. Jiali, the owner/teacher is fantastic with the children (and parents)! She has an endless amount of energy and all of the children clearly love her. We feel very connected with the daily routine at RHA because Jiali somehow finds the time to download lots of photos and videos of the children onto a thumb drive for us to take home. She also sends us a monthly newsletter outlining the month's agenda. The kids always come home with beautiful art projects reflecting the seasons and holidays. Jiali's determination to keep the children healthy and the facility immaculate is very apparent the moment you step inside. Everything is so clean and organized and the first thing she does when the kids arrive is have them wash their hands. My son has only had a couple of minor colds during his time at RHA! We feel so fortunate to have found Jiali and the Russian Hill Academy, and I highly recommend it! read more

Amazing program I feel so lucky that my son got a spot here. If you want a mandarin immersion program this is the one. The school is super clean, organized and the kids are well cared for. I plan to keep my son here until Kindergarten and he started when he was almost 3. Jiali is an amazing person and is very nurturing, all of my experiences and interactions with the school have been extremely positive! read more

Our daughter has been at Russian Hill Academy for 2 years now and loves it. I've seen Jaili (the head teacher) in action and I really don't know how she does it but she is amazing! She is very patient and affectionate and has a great rapport with all of the kids. I think its a good reflection on Jaili and RHA that my daughter loves speaking mandarin and comes home wanting to teach me the songs, numbers and chinese characters she's learning. Other plusses: I really like the school's intimate setting. The interior of the house is built out nicely and has fun indoor play structures and the space feels warm and clean and inviting, not at all institutional. And another big bonus is that they provide meals! read more

Amazing mandarin immersion pre-school. The director Jiali really loves all the children. She creates a very fun and stimulating environment for the kids - each month she maps out the goals and activities for the month - teaching the kids about the seasons, holidays, different cultures and things that make San Francisco unique. Jiali and her team have a great relationship with the kids. The space is clean and vibrant, they cook nutritious meals for the kids, they help with potty training, I only wish we started my son there sooner. I was very nervous sending my son here at first and I don't normally like to give too much praise but I feel like more people should know about this little gem. If you are considering mandarin language immersion, you should tour this place. read more

Russian Hill Academy (RHA) is THE SINGLE best thing that has happened to our daughter. And WE feel extremely lucky that our daughter is at the best preschool in The City. It really is. Read on to find out why I wish I could give 6 stars. Our daughter started here just after turning 2 years old. I thought she was a bit young to go to preschool but I realized shortly after starting at RHA that she not only outgrew her nanny but she needed a much bigger opportunity to learn. RHA was definitely it! She came home after a week or two speaking Mandarin even though she was just forming sentences in English. She also learns the alphabet in English and other fundamentals there. She loves to practice the Mandarin songs and dance moves as well. Jiali, the preschool director/owner, truly cares about each of the kids. You not only just "know" after meeting her, but you can tell by the way she goes above and beyond for them. And not to mention how she throws parties in her home for all the families to get to know each other better while SHE takes care of the kids. I don't know any other teacher period that would do that! She knows each kid's likes and dislikes and really knows how to treat each one of them so he/she feels super special. She makes nutritious homecooked meals daily and feeds the kids lunch and dinner(!). She also personally bakes a cake for each kid's birthday! She has a way with them that is so amazing. I have seen the way she talks to them -- so patient and loving; they will do anything for her. My daughter talks about Jiali all the time. And to top it off, Jiali keeps the preschool spotless (think about the words preschool + spotless...sounds like an oxymoron...yes, everywhere BUT at RHA). We visited other preschools, both Mandarin immersion and English only, and NOTHING compares to RHA. My husband and I knew INSTANTLY that RHA was "the one" and not only because there are 12 kids at any given time (with 3-4 teachers). I just wish I hadn't wasted my time at all the others. Another Mandarin immersion preschool we visited was dark, dingy, not so clean, and had insincere owners. We actually heard from other parents that the cleaning lady would be the only one "watching" the kids during pick-up time (isn't that illegal??). RHA is bright, clean, and impeccably clean. One HUGE observation we made is that each and every kid is sooo well behaved at RHA. In fact, the older kids take care of the younger kids -- so cute and heartwarming to see such genuine sincerity. We can attest to the fact that all the families are great -- friendly, unpretentious (unlike at other preschools and private schools!), diverse, willing to share information -- but I believe the common denominator is RHA. It sounds unbelievable but neither my husband nor I have ever seen a child act out when in the presence of Jiali or any other teacher at RHA. Moreover, the kids are extremely well behaved and a true joy to be around. RHA has unquestionably loving teachers without a doubt. In addition, Jiali takes the time to tailor learning to each kid as well as photos and videos to send home! She is simply amazing!!! We can't imagine sending our daughter to another preschool. One of the reasons we struggle with applying for kindergarten is because we know we will never find a school like RHA...it simply just does not exist. I guess we have time to plan for that bridge crossing. In the meantime, we are excited for our baby to join her big sis at RHA in the future! read more

We could not say enough about Russian Hill Academy! My son has been going here since he was 14 months old, and we are amazed by how much he has learned. We were so lucky to have found such a great daycare. We are constantly in awe by Jiali, who opens the door everyday with a bright smile. She has an incredible amount of energy, and has developed such a wonderfully playful and inviting environment. It is the perfect size, so each child receives ample attention. The evolving curriculum keeps the children constantly engaged and learning. We're always impressed by the amount that my son learns...he comes home speaking new words each day, and brings home adorable crafts. He even performs his chinese nursery songs for us...too cute! The daycare is impeccably clean, and decorated with colorful seasonal decorations. They feed the kids with 3 healthy meals a day...makes it much easier on us during the week! When our son first started there, we wondered how he was adjusting and what he was doing each day. We were pleasantly surprised when we received an entire album of photos & videos of his first month! We thought that this was something special that they did for his first month...nope, we receive nearly 100 photos and videos of JUST our son EVERY month. It is so special to go through each photo, and it puts a huge smile on our face to see how happy he is there. We couldn't recommend Russian Hill Academy enough...it has to be the best Mandarin pre-school in the city...we can't imagine anything better! read more

Our 2.5-year-old daughter has been attending Russian Hill Academy for four months now, and we are incredibly impressed by the level of care and education that the director Jiali and her assistant teachers provide. Some examples: - The kids are provided a well-balanced healthy morning snack, lunch and early supper every day. They also all nap. As a result, we get to always pick up a well-fed well-rested child that is ready for play and only needs a light evening meal later. - The kids have a good balance of both structured activities and unstructured play time. The former include dance and other gross motor skill developing activities; various games, arts and other fine motor skill developing activities; and language, math and other more academic material masked in puzzles, games etc. Jiali is incredibly thoughtful in how she builds the curriculum around the kids' ages and ability levels, with the kids gradually transitioning from toddlerhood activities in the younger kids' subgroup to kindergarten readiness in the older kids' subgroup. Jiali also records videos periodically so the parents can follow the kids' progress. - Jiali and her assistant teachers speak very good English but run the school as a true Mandarin immersion program. As a result, while we parents speak none, our daughter seems to be doing great in picking up Mandarin. The older kids also learn to write it. - At any given time there are three or four teachers per 12 kids, 2-5 years old, which allows for great individual attention. - The kids go out every day to the park, for walks in the neighborhood and on field trips to the library, the Palace of Fine Arts, Chinatown etc. - To give you an idea of Jiali's thoroughness: the list of items to bring along on the first day included a toothbrush and toothpaste. Promptly, three months later, we got a note that we needed to bring in a replacement toothbrush. Let's just say that we hadn't kept track at home. ;) - And last but not least: all the kids seem really happy at Russian Hill Academy, and we are always greeted with a smile by the teachers at pick-up and drop-off. We researched and visited a large number of preschools in San Francisco and can attest that Russian Hill Academy truly stands out as exceptional, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have made it out of the waitlist. Jon & Nelli and Daughter Taika read more

Amazing, loving teachers. Especially the head of school, Jiali. Full mandarin immersion. Worth the persistence / effort it takes to get in here. read more

We feel very lucky to be a part of the RHA daycare/ preschool school since its inception. Over the past 4 years, Jiali has built an incredible mandarin immersion program that offers a nice balance of traditional and progressive practices in an intimate setting. Both my sons have attended RHA (the oldest for 1 year, youngest for 4 years) and have benefited tremendously by being under Jiali's care and instruction. To start with the basics, as a parent its very comforting dropping your child off in the morning with Jiali's warm greeting which includes a big smile and hugs for the children. Picking up is no different; in addition to a tender goodbye or Zài jiàn as Jiali likes to say, I am typically given a quick, verbal progress report of how my son is doing. I also receive a memory stick about once a month that includes pictures and videos of him and his classmates in various activities. All in all, Jiali uses these moments to create a valuable exchange with the parents. The rich curriculum combined with Jiali's enthusiastic, high energy offers a fun, stimulating environment in which the children becomes kindergarten ready while learning Mandarin. I am always impressed with the sophisticated craft projects along with the pages and pages of Chinese characters, numbers and math equations that my son brings home on a weekly basis. Many of it is on par with what my kindergartner brings home. I have highly recommend RHA to friends and strangers over the past 4 years and will continue to do so. read more

My husband and I went to an open house at Russian Hill Academy and were very impressed with what we saw - happy, engaged children, teachers dedicated to teaching (as opposed to only letting children "play"), and a cheerful and positive environment. Earlier this year, our son got into Presidio Knolls, but when Jiali let us know that we had also secured a spot at her newly-opened second location in the Inner Richmond, there was absolutely no contest! We are extremely happy with our decision. Our son has been at Richmond Academy for about 4 months, and his Mandarin has improved immeasurably - we have a bilingual household, and while he understood Mandarin, he didn't reply in Mandarin until he went to Richmond Academy. Now, he speaks to the Mandarin-speaking parent exclusively in Mandarin! His vocabulary has exploded, and he sings several Mandarin songs. He comes home with amazing artwork, and can describe them in detail. More importantly, he really looks forward to going to preschool, and speaks very fondly and enthusiastically of his teachers and little friends. He tells us how much he likes Teachers Jiawen, Kathy and Jiali. We can see why, as they are wonderfully affectionate and kind. We are so grateful to them for providing a warm, loving and stimulating environment for our little one! Absolutely 5 stars (I'd give them 50 if I could...) read more

My son Wesley has been attending Russian Hill Academy for almost 2 years, and we could not possibly be happier with our experience there. He started at RHA when he was almost 2, and did not speak one word of Mandarin. We chose the school then because we really liked Jiali's approach to learning and it was a beautiful, fun space. We also really liked the idea of giving him a second language at such a young age when it is so much easier for kids to absorb language. Within 3 months of being there, Wesley was completely fluent in Mandarin and we were glad to see that his English was developing equally well. Jiali is a wonderful teacher and gives the kids a perfect balance of physical and outdoor play, reading, learning and art projects. I'm always so impressed with the creative projects that she makes with the kids and her thoughtful approach to teaching about the seasons, holidays and songs. Truly, we feel so lucky to have found RHA and we plan to keep Wesley there until he starts Kindergarten. Nothing but the absolute highest marks for this wonderful little preschool. read more

This is my daughter's third and final year at Russian Hill Academy and we are fortunate to have her attend this school. Jiali truly puts in the effort to ensure all her students are progressing well - academically, physically and socially. I remember the first time I toured RHA. I was immediately drawn to the clean, beautifully designed, inviting space. All the students were singing Mandarin songs and I was told some had just started a few months prior. I was very impressed. I knew RHA would be a great fit for my daughter when she took to Jiali so well on her very first day. To our surprise, my daughter didn't even look back to say bye when we left. Since then, she has not only thrived as a Mandarin speaker, but Jiali has helped her come out of her shell and develop as a caring and friendly person. My daughter is always happy to go to school and brings home such creative and colorful artwork. read more

We love Russian Hill Academy! Our son started there when he was 18 months old and it has been a great experience for him. He is now 2.5 yo and we plan to keep him there through preschool. The head teacher, Jiali, is warm, loving, and dedicated to the growth and education of the children at her school. She made us feel extremely comfortable leaving him there in the early days. I trusted that he was in good hands and he was always happy and energized when I picked him up at the end of the day. We are not a Mandarin speaking home and yet our son has picked up the language with ease. It is a such a joy to watch him speak and communicate in another language at such a young age. I think it will pay off for years to come. I highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a language-immersion school for their child. It can take a while to get in, so you'll want to get on the wait list early. read more

Like most parents in San Francisco, my husband and I began our adventure of finding a preschool for our daughter with some trepidation. We visited close to a dozen preschools and reviewed many more and it was clear from the moment that I stepped foot into Russian Hill Academy that I wanted my daughter to attend. The warmth and joy that Teacher Jiali (the owner of the school) exudes is remarkable. It was clear that her love of children created an environment where children wanted to learn and play which was wonderfully displayed as the children danced, sang and participated in a number of activities despite the our presence which could have been a disruptive distraction. We were completely overjoyed and after my daughter's first day at preschool she came home and asked when she could go back again. After about a year and going practically full time, my daughter often asks me why Jiali can't come home with us or why she can't sleep at preschool at night. She speaks of her classmates often and has developed many friendships with them and she now sees them at organized activities and just randomly around town at places like the park and art class. This nurturing and creative environment has provided our daughter a place to develop and be fully engaged as she not only learns Mandarin, but other preschool skills such as drawing, writing numbers and interacting with other children. It should be noted that neither my husband nor I speak Mandarin, but our daughter is learning quite a bit and is very comfortable speaking and communicating with others in Mandarin. I could not be happier with my choice to send my daughter to teacher Jiali and would definitely recommend Russian Hill Academy to anyone. read more

Our daughter has been attending Russian Hill Academy for 2 years since she was 6 months old. RHA is an outstanding Mandarin immersion pre-school in an in-home setting. Jiali Zeng is the main teacher and owner of the pre-school. There are two additional well trained teachers to assist her. Although my wife and I do not speak Mandarin, we immediately fell in love with Jiali's teaching style, passion for children and warm and clean environment. The added benefit of our daughter learning another language was a huge plus for us. We were primarily looking for a well structured pre-school in a more intimate setting. Jiali and her assistants provide a fun-loving curriculum that allows them to learn, explore and challenge themselves. She takes them on field trips to nearby neighborhoods which allows them to learn and explore outside of their school setting. Jiali gives personal attention to each child like they are her own. She always takes the time to give us an update on our daughter's progress and achievements. Our daughter creates the most impressive artwork, sings full songs in Mandarin and can perform a few yoga moves these days. She attends RHA full time M-F and looks forward to going each and every morning. We encourage you to tour the pre-school if you are looking for a well organized and diverse pre-school curriculum in a nurturing environment. read more