Mr jang (Joaquin Jang) is an awful counselor. he does not deserve to be working with children. Rude…read moreand dismissive, disrespectful to students, an absolute pathetic excuse for an "educational and mental health authority". Parents BEWARE!

Don't. Just don't…read more This school has been an incredibly disappointing experience, largely because of its staff and counseling department. The counselors offer little to no support and often seem unprepared or unwilling to help students who genuinely and obviously need guidance. Instead of providing clear advice or solutions, they dismiss concerns or pass students around without actually addressing the problem or even probably asking to help. The staff overall come across as unprofessional and disconnected, making students feel unheard and unsupported. A school should be a place where students feel guided and encouraged, but this one fails badly in that responsibility. Serious changes are needed in how staff and counselors do their jobs if the school expects to truly support its students. Bullying gets absolutely dismissed, horrible disrespectful teachers with no passion in educating students. Genuinely disappointing considering it is so called a great school. I often find myself wondering if staff here are even licensed or suitable, makes me question if they were in desperate need of staffing and just hired anyone on the spot. If anything i'd give this school an outstanding award for knowing how to completely fail their students.

It's been over 45 years since I've visited the campus save an event that my friend invited me to…read moreattend about 13 years ago at the girls' gymnasium. With that being a sit-down Father's Club event, I didn't tour the campus nor interact with many people other than those at our table. My thoughtful and generous friend and fellow alumni (7 years my junior... yes, I'm ancient) invited me to the 2025 Red & Blue Celebration (the school colors in case you wonder) (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=5s3hwZL7O__cD3sB352W0A) (thanks for giving me this sense of appreciation). The school changed, dare I say, actually evolved since I was a student there. It's co-ed now, unlike the boys only policy when I roamed the halls. There are tennis courts, a training room, a swimming pool, and a women's gymnasium, besides a spacious library and new theater here. Since my 2012 visit, they've torn down the Carlin Commons and the Orradre Chapel to build a student center and expand the campus. There are piazzas and viewing decks (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=oOKX0YeUCx8PkpynlKc-PQ), an improvement from our view of the sand dunes and the Pacific Ocean back in the '70's. The view (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=FGD9kf2tLvU3ivSZPNSCpA) is still there but the sand dunes are gone. You know you're old when buildings or halls are named after staff who you personally met as they taught at the school. The event was festive and a great way to reconnect with fellow alumni and possibly classmates. I met one and was surprised that he remembered me and, yes, I remembered him at the mere mention of his name as one of the participating food donors to the event (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=dcKbKC0yJ_bdKMg4I8dBnA). I met another acquaintance in the local restaurant industry and got to catch up with him (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=4wgzMRh0KVTIvEjhaWklYw). It was nostalgic yet at the same time exhilarating, seeing the passion of the alumni who participated in this event, whether contributing or attending. The night ended with a heartwarming encounter with a recent graduate who returned for this event. After getting her degree from an Ivy League university, she was taking photos of the campus like I did and was preparing to take a selfie. My gracious host took the photo for her and we struck a conversation. What we learned was that she just graduated and just moved back to the Bay Area to start her career. My deeper reading is that the loyalty, devotion, and gratitude from former students to the school for providing them the necessary tools to realize their dreams and goals. To me, that is invaluable. Bear in mind, my perspective is from an alumnus, not a student.

As a San Francisco native who has lived in this city my entire life, I have watched St. Ignatius's…read moreculture since I was a teenager. It is heartbreaking to see that after all these decades, nothing has changed. In fact, it's gotten worse. They almost won me over with their presentation, but it's all fake. Throughout the admissions process, they do this aggressive sales pitch to get the kids excited. They send out "pick us" emails and even have applicants start picking out freshman activities and clubs as if they are already part of the community. While other schools do a bit of this, SI is on another level of aggression. It is dangerous and honestly sick to manipulate young, impressionable kids into imagining their whole future there, just to turn around and reject or waitlist them because they don't have the "right" last name. My kid is a First Honors student and a dedicated student-athlete. My kid did everything right and proved they belong in any top-tier classroom in this city. It is insulting to see kids in the exact same class with extremely poor grades get accepted while a First Honors student is sidelined. I understand that legacy can help maintain a school's culture, but you cannot put unqualified kids in that environment at the expense of students who have actually earned their spot. It proves SI is prioritizing family trees over academic standards. It's a "who-you-know" club masquerading as a meritocracy. If you are a hard-working SF family without a legacy connection, don't let them waste your time or your child's heart. . As a native, I'm done with the SI "tradition" of prioritizing connections. Parents deserve to know the truth before they pay that application fee.

I pick up my niece here once in a while when needed. Love that they have the conveniency of a…read more'drive-thru' to pick up your child. lol. Since there aren't enough parking to park and run in and pick up your kid.

As a student of this school the teachers are nice and the the place is clean the place is just over…read moreall really great. There is also barely any bully and actively there is no bullying. However the lower level boys bathroom is dirty due to kids peeing but missing the toilet or urinal

My daughter transferring to Holy Names School was one of the best decisions she has made, and I…read morecouldn't agree more! She transferred this year as a 7th grader, and we have been so impressed with how organized and welcoming the school has been. From the very beginning, the school made a real effort to welcome new students and families and help us feel supported. One thing I really appreciate is the variety of academic classes offered, especially in Math and ELA. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Math or Advanced ELA, which is a wonderful option for students who are ready for an additional academic challenge. The school is doing an outstanding job preparing students for this important year and, most importantly, for the transition to high school. BTS Night was amazing and incredibly informative. It was filled with valuable information about academics, high school preparation, and what students can expect in the years ahead. So much of what was presented aligned with what I believe is important for my daughter's education and future. What makes me especially happy is that this was my daughter's decision. Holy Names is not the closest school to us, and the commute takes an average of 30-45 minutes each way. But honestly, it is worth every minute of the drive. When my daughter first visited the school and shadowed for the day, she immediately fell in love with Holy Names and the environment. She was the one who made the decision to leave her old school, and as a parent, seeing her feel excited, comfortable, and confident about where she goes to school is priceless. We came from a small Catholic school where, unfortunately, we often felt that parents' concerns were not heard or given much attention. Our experience at Holy Names has been completely different. We feel welcomed, listened to, and supported. We are so happy with our decision and grateful that our daughter found a school where she feels happy, challenged, and prepared for her future. The commute may not be the easiest, but Holy Names has truly been worth every bit of it! #gopanthers

Great school with awesome teachers! My daughter transitioned here for middle school after attending…read morea public elementary school. She made new friends right away, and the kids are all very nice. I also love their policy of collecting phones during the school day so the kids stay focused. Academically, they offer two levels for Math and English (regular and advanced), which is fantastic. Above all, the teachers are truly caring and passionate about the subjects they teach. Highly recommend!

Joined a group of my alumni classmates for a tour of our high school after ## years. The school…read morelooks great and what used to be the typewriter classroom is replaced with Apple computers. The back track field is no longer a dirt track but is made of synthetic material and they even have a batting cage too. The names of swimmers who had a high school record used to be on a large blanket hanging on the wall in the Boy's Locker room is long gone but the names are still written on a board. The controversial murals are still up and look great. What used to be the shops in the basement is now an auto class and the only high school in San Francisco that has an auto shop.

SFUSD failed immigrant and ESL students like me…read more As a former SFUSD student, my experience was that the district did not provide meaningful education, safety, guidance, or protection for immigrant and ESL students. SFUSD did not feel like an educational pathway. It felt like institutional containment. I was placed in ESL, given limited guidance, exposed to bullying and discrimination, and left without clear rights education, complaint mechanisms, counseling support, or alternative pathways. A school should help students develop, not merely contain them until they age out of the system. ESL was supposed to be a bridge. In my experience, it became a low-expectation track. ESL science and history classes did not provide the academic structure, English support, reading/writing training, or serious guidance needed to prepare students for college-level work. Students were left to figure things out on their own, and the system treated that as "learning." That is not education. That is neglect. My family was not properly informed about the risks of ESL placement, how to exit ESL, how placement could affect academic tracking, or how to access stronger academic pathways. I was not clearly informed about honors/AP options, community college pathways, career training, adult school, independent study, continuation school, GED/high school equivalency options, CHSPE/proficiency options, vocational programs, or youth employment programs. A school district should not leave immigrant families to discover these pathways years later by themselves. The problem was not only academic. I also experienced bullying, insults, racial discrimination, and humiliation in the school environment, including PE. I did not experience SFUSD as a system that protected vulnerable students. There was no clear, accessible, student-centered complaint or help mechanism that I understood. I was not meaningfully taught how to report bullying, discrimination, harassment, unsafe situations, or abusive dynamics. I was not taught how to document incidents, seek outside help, or understand my student rights. This caused long-term damage. I did not simply "struggle in school." I went through an educational environment where language barriers, immigrant family limitations, low expectations, bullying, racial discrimination, lack of counseling, lack of rights education, and lack of career guidance overlapped. That kind of system can derail a student's confidence, academic direction, career planning, financial judgment, and trust in institutions. SFUSD may have policies on paper today, but policies mean very little if students do not know how to use them, families are not informed, and adults do not actively identify when students are being harmed. A real support system should not wait for a child or teenager to already understand legal language, civil rights, complaint procedures, or alternative education pathways. My criticism is not directed at every individual teacher. There may be good teachers and good schools within SFUSD. My criticism is directed at SFUSD as a system. In my experience, the system failed to protect and guide students who most needed structure, advocacy, safety, and clear information. ESL should never become academic isolation. Language support should not become a low track. Immigrant students should not be left to survive bullying, discrimination, poor guidance, and institutional confusion on their own. SFUSD needs to do much more than offer language programs. It needs real accountability, real family communication, real anti-bullying and anti-discrimination protection, real sexual harassment and student safety education, real counseling access, real complaint mechanisms, and real college/career pathway guidance. A school district should not only teach students English. It should protect their dignity, rights, safety, and future. In my experience, SFUSD failed to do that. Most importantly, I was never meaningfully taught my rights as a student. As an immigrant and ESL student, I did not understand that bullying, racial discrimination, harassment, unsafe school conditions, and abusive dynamics were not simply personal problems or "things to tolerate." I did not know what my rights were, how to document incidents, how to file a complaint, how to seek outside help, or when legal support might be necessary. A school district should not expect a child or teenager--especially an immigrant student still learning English--to already understand civil rights, complaint procedures, Title IX, anti-discrimination protections, or alternative education pathways. If students do not know their rights, those rights do not function in practice.

Class of 86. I came from SF public schools, a minority, into sports (soccer). I could have…read morebenefited from affirmative action, but didn't need it. As it was a feeder school at the time (not sure now), many students coming in were top of their class (I was) and later (shockingly) found themselves middle of the pack at Lowell. It didn't affect me, but I realize that for many, that can be rough. If you can't handle that pressure or simply don't want the competition, maybe its not for you. I wasn't a studyaholic like many others at Lowell were (you don't have to be), I wasn't a study nerd. I wasn't in the back lawn crowd either (which were the more popular kids) ... I was very into sports and led a very healthy high-school life, with numerous friends and social activity. I did my fair share of late night cramming, though, I had to in order to keep up the grades. I was very responsible with homework, always on time (or ahead of time) and in good form. I was never the smartest kid in the class, but hard work kept me near the top, which is where I wanted to be. That was a life lesson that would serve me well, throughout my career and to this day. I never needed a tutor nor help from parents, I just assumed my responsibility and did my work. In the end, I had good grades going in and got good grades going out. Top 5% of my class. Looking back, I have nothing to complain about. Competitive ... yes, but so is life. My memories of Lowell are summed by, great school, hard, but manageable if you are bright, hard working and responsible. If I had to do it again, I would.

it's a great school, but I feel the woman I spoke to in the office this morning was not very…read morefriendly. I have no idea what the problem was when I was just calling about my daughter since I was worried she was not responding to any of my messages, which she normally does. so many kids going missing these days it's hard not to worry, especially if your kid is not informing you when they get to school which they normally do. This is not the first time this woman has had this behavior with me. I've let it go a few times, but it definitely should be corrected. it's not necessary.

I'm a student and the teachers are tuff and really nice, my friend Alex is awesome the lunch is…read morereally good.

My experience at this school was mostly great but some things are wrong about that place. The…read moreboiler room has a decaying cat body in it, weird tunnels down there a huge empty room with nothing but old desks and so many more things in the boiler room. A room full of old and new books that we still use today complete full of black mold and students still get workbooks stored there. The water system is so bad that someone tossed an apple at a ceiling tile with said damage and the whole fell, there is another one just like it that hasn't fallen yet. There is a blocked off room that looks like a storage closet that was apparently used to store guns in the past and had a thing that looks new said "gym area ready to arm" the next day it said "gym area disarmed" so whatever that means and an old shelf in that room. On the other side of the school an old room called "the dungeon" never been inside but a teacher told me about it, it is a long hallway that goes straight down. Lots of weird things about this place, there is a lot more but I don't have enough info to talk about them if you have any experiences please tell me about them

Watched a game of St. Gabriel vs St. Thomas More. Dirty player from St. Gabriel sticking her foot…read moreout more to trip another player from the opposing team. Is this the kind of Catholic example the school sets for the kids???

We are beyond happy with our choice ! The community is incredible and so welcoming the academics…read moreare outstanding our little is excelling so much with the support from school !

After the response from Waldorf it's sad to see how there were no promises or accountability…read morepresented about the IEP concerns. I have also talked to some staff who have said they were extremely glad I was standing up for others and who were also thinking about leaving which is very depressing to hear from people who wish the best for young people. I also hope Mr Jackson(and his dad), Ms.Gressel, Ms.Yamamoto, Ms Baldwin, Ms Aranda and the mandarin teachers are all doing well they are unfortunately the only good memories I have of that school

I don't know if the word negro is a joke within books being produced out loudly. If this is about a…read morebook, teaching or not, the word negro shouldn't be replaced with anything else or misused. This truly misguides student who are not Black and encourages them even more to think that word is okay while being used in school books and teaching context.

UHS has stellar teachers and offers a supportive environment for high school students. The school…read morepushes students hard on the college-prep route. Advanced Placement courses and tough courses all-around. They get you in to college and make sure you do well there. Top notch school. Very greatful for having gone there. They recently added a new building at 3220 Sacramento Street which houses Ceramic and Art Studios, a film lab, offices, and much more. They are in the process of renovating their lower campus on Washington Street and have already completed a new library on Jackson. A new theater was added in 2001.

I was spoiled by my four years here and received an education that is on par with (if not superior…read moreto) that of many universities. Make no mistake the coursework here pushes students hard, but the opportunities here are endless and display an incredible diversity of passions and talents. During my time at UHS, I played on the varsity tennis and badminton teams, played intramural sports, performed in the spring musical, wrote for the school newspaper, founded a club, sang in the chorus, took a photo class...oh and I took a few academic classes in between. The kinds of classes I took included AP US History, Mandarin Chinese, Literature of the Vietnam War, Western Civilization, Calculus, and the list goes on. My only regret? Not studying harder and pushing myself to try more new things. You can be an artist or a businessman. You can explore the sciences or delve into the literature of your favorite foreign language. It really is as much as you want to make of it. The faculty is top notch, with credentials from outstanding academic institutions and more importantly, a great ability to encourage the students to WANT to learn. And let me save the best for last. The students. The people. Ambitious, talented, and bound to do amazing things. Yes, I sound like a propaganda tool. But I cannot say enough about this school. Alumni events connect me to a wide array of grads in locations and industries far and wide. If you are considering sending your child here, you are doing them a great service. Don't let the finances deter you - the education is first rate and financial aid is available to those who qualify.