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Frequently Asked Questions about Admissions
General Admissions
Preschool
Elementary School
Middle School
General Info
Access and Affordability
School Program
School Community
General Admissions
This process makes me feel anxious. Where do I start?
Before you get started, take a deep breath and rest assured that everything will work out just fine. One of the benefits of living in San Francisco is that you have many great choices when it comes to schools. This means that your child will most likely end up in a place where he/she will thrive and be happy. Be thoughtful of your choices and keep your options open. Your first step in the admissions process is to attend a school tour. Tour sign-ups are available online on our website beginning early September of every school year. We recommend that you sign up to attend a tour as soon as possible because space is limited. School tours run roughly from October through January. All preschool families are required to attend a school tour. Kindergarten applicants must attend the October Open House before attending a school tour. Elementary School and Middle School families are encouraged to attend a school tour and/or an open house event.
I was not able to tour the school. Can I still apply? Will I get a chance to see the school?
Yes. You are still more than welcome to apply after the January deadline. However, all applicants who apply before the January deadline receive priority consideration. If you are not able to tour the school during the months of October through January, and we feel as though your family is a good fit for one of our openings, we will give you an official tour of the school when we bring your family in for an interview and assessment.
I have submitted my online application before the deadline.
Can I put my check in the mail or does it also need to be received before the deadline?
Yes, you can put your check in the mail and have it postmarked by the application due date.
What is the transition like for new students?
All new preschool students are “phased in” to our program throughout the month of September. We begin the first day of school by inviting all of our returning students back into the classroom. After the first day, we begin phasing in all of our new preschool students starting with the oldest (new kindergartners) to the youngest (new 3 year olds). All new students, preschool through eighth grade, are also paired with a current SFS family, called a buddy family, the spring before they enter the school. New families are also invited to welcome events and other community-related events beginning the spring prior to entry.
What are your main entry points into the school?
We admit a new class of students at age three and later on in 6th grade because we expand for Middle School. On average, we have 24 spaces for three year olds and 12 spaces for new 6th graders. In addition, we also generally admit an average of 5 new students into a Kindergarten class every year. Other openings depend on attrition and space availability.
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Preschool
What is your preschool birthday cut-off?
We require all of our 3 year olds to be three on or before September 1 of the year they wish to enroll. The same applies for our 4 year old program (ie: four years old on or before September 1st) and our 5 year old/Kindergarten program. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to this rule.
When does the application process begin for my child?
Do you have a long wait list for your preschool program?
Unlike some other preschool programs, we simply ask that you apply the year before you wish to enroll your child. We do require all preschool parents to attend a tour and/or open house event the fall prior to their desired enrollment. We assess all applications every year to find families who will be the best fit for the spaces that we have available. All of our applications remain active for two years. Therefore, if you are not offered admission the first time around, you are more than welcome to reactive your application the following year. All we ask is that you update your existing application with any new information that will be helpful to our process (ie: a new teacher evaluation, if applicable).
Does my child need to be potty trained in order to start school?
Yes. We ask that all children are potty trained before their first day of school.
Is your preschool program full time or do you offer partial days?
SFS offers only a full time program for our preschoolers. The day begins around 8:45 and ends at 2:45. We find that the consistency of a full day program is most conducive to the educational success and personal growth of the child.
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Elementary School
Do you have openings in 1st-5th grade often?
Each year, we do admit students into grades 1-5. However, openings depend on attrition and depend heavily on current SFS individual family circumstances.
What is the process for Elementary School admission?
Admission into 1st – 5th grade depends on space availability. Therefore, we are only able to invite a handful of families in for an interview and assessment based on the number of spots we predict will be available for the following school year. Retaining the balance and integrity of class composition is very important to us. Much of how we decide on which families to bring in is based on the current class composition. Therefore, if we feel as though your family is a good fit for a specific space, we will contact you in early February for an interview and assessment. All families will receive a letter by early February with an update on your child's application status. 1st-3rd graders are invited to spend time after school with the teacher of the grade to which they are applying, while 4th-5th graders are invited to spend a morning with the class. Parents are interviewed on the day of their child’s visit.
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Middle School
Can my child come and visit the school?
Yes, we offer optional half-day shadow visits for our prospective middle school students from mid January through mid March. Students are paired with a SFS “buddy” in the grade to which they are applying. Unfortunately, we do not offer shadow visits for our prospective students preschool through 5th grade.
Can my child visit before submitting an application?
Yes, all middle school applicants are allowed to visit the school before submitting an application.
How many middle school students do you accept a year?
We expand our grade size for middle school which begins in 6th grade. Therefore, we add 12 new middle school students to the 6th grade every year, increasing the class size to approximately 32 students. Each middle school grade is then split into two groups in order to retain the low student-teacher ratio.
Where do most of your middle school students come from?
The majority of our new middle school students come from local public schools, and a few come from local independent schools.
What is Middle School Assessment Day?
Middle School Assessment Day is just another opportunity for us to get to know your child. We invite all of our middle school applicants to the school on a Saturday morning for an interview, math assessment, reading & writing assessment and group activity.
My child needs special accommodations. Can we request to have these accommodations put in place for them during Middle School Assessment Day?
Absolutely. Please contact the Admissions office beforehand.
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General Info
Where are you located?
We are located in the middle of a family-friendly and wonderfully diverse neighborhood called Portola. We are just south of Bernal Hill Park, east of Glen Park and just blocks for the historic Alemany Farmer’s Market. For directions, please click here: http://www.sfschool.org/sfs/map.shtml
Do you offer morning and extended care?
Yes. Morning care begins at 7:30am and extended care ends at 6:00pm. We offer a variety of after-school programs such as academic chess, Mandarin, break dancing, etc. Extended care can be purchased in 90 minute blocks at a rate between $8.50 and $10.00, depending on usage. An indexed rate is available for families who are a part of our indexed tuition program.
What is the average class size and student teacher ratio?
The student teacher ratio is 9:1 for preschool through Elementary School. The preschool consists of 2 classrooms with 37 students and 4 teachers in each classroom. The class size for our Elementary School – grades 1 through 5 – is approximately 22 students with 2 teachers in each classroom. We expand for middle school beginning in 6th grade by increasing the grade size to 32 students. Each grade is then split into 2 cohorts of 15-16 students so that the small student/teacher ratio is retained.
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Access and Affordability
What does tuition cover?
Tuition for preschool through 5th grade covers the regular school day including all snacks and hot lunch. All over night trips, performances and special events are also part of tuition.
Does the school have different types of payment plans?
Yes, we have 3 different types of payment plans. Tuition can be paid in full with 1 payment or can be broken up into 4 payments or 10 payments.
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School Program
What part of your school is specifically Montessori?
Our preschool is a Montessori-inspired program. 1st grade through 8th grade is not.
Do you provide lunch?
We provide a healthy snack and lunch for all students preschool through 5th grade. Middle school students are required to bring both a snack and lunch daily.
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School Community
Are there any school events that are open to the public?
Yes. We have several school events that prospective families are more than welcome to attend. The first is the Walkathon which takes place in October. The second is our Holiday Plays which take place in December and the last is our school Auction which takes place in March. All events are posted on the calendar portion of our website. Please check it periodically during those months to find details about these events.
Where do most of your families live?
Most of our families live toward the southern end of the city: Noe Valley, Bernal Heights, Glen Park, Ingleside, Inner Sunset, etc. However, we do have families who live further north in Pacific Heights as well as farther south in Pacifica and Millbrae. Many of our families live in San Francisco and commute to the Peninsula or South Bay for work and find the location of our school very convenient for drop-off and/or pick-up.
What does parent participation look like at SFS?
We are a community-minded school that relies heavily on parent participation and volunteerism. Since tuition does not pay the full cost of a child's education at The San Francisco School, all families are expected to participate in the Annual Fund and in periodic campaigns for capital improvements at a level consistent with their capability. This participation is key to maintaining moderate tuition and an economically diverse student body. In addition to voluntary financial contributions, parent participation is essential to the overall functioning of the school. We expect all school parents to be personally involved as volunteers in a capacity appropriate for their interests and skills.
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