"An urban school with a village atmosphere." The School embraces San Francisco's ethnic, cultural, and economic diversity.
The San Francisco School is a Preschool through 8th Grade independent school with a commitment to a multicultural and inclusive community. Our progressive approach to education encourages children to develop self-reliance, strong academic skills, creativity, and a sense of social justice. They graduate academically prepared inquisitive, courageous, and eager for the challenges ahead.
We are continually proud of our alumnus, Karan Gupta ‘23, who was recognized as San Francisco's new Youth Poet Laureate!
05/26/2026
The Bird Project takes flight in 2nd grade! 🐦
Our students explored the amazing world of birds through science, art, music, Spanish, and more. From real-life birdwatching adventures to hands-on creative projects, every student discovered the wonder of birds in their own unique way. This is learning that soars—full of curiosity, creativity, and joy!
Students were excited to share what they learned with their families at the Ornithology Expo last week!
05/22/2026
Exciting news from our fifth graders! 🎉
They’ve just launched Wordy Walruses, a brand-new word work program for all students. Wordy Walruses is all about igniting curiosity and fueling a love of language. Students and staff can submit words they’re curious about, and our team of Walruses will research the word and present their findings right in your classroom!
We’re so proud of our fifth graders for creating such a fun and educational program. Let’s celebrate a community of learners who are passionate about words! 🐋📚
05/21/2026
🎶 What an incredible week of music at SFS! The Spring concerts last week were a joyful celebration of the SFS community, led by music teachers Sofía López-Ibor and James Harding.
The Middle School concert featured 6th graders performing music from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Thailand, India and Spain; 7th grade rocking the house with virtuoso mallet precision on tunes from Handel and Beethoven to Coldplay and Ed Sheeran; 8th grade singing, playing and improvising over three classic Jazz standards from the Harold Arlen songbook and ending the night with a unique arrangement of Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rondo a la Turk" featuring Indian tabla played by 8th grader Raza.
Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders shone in a concert tied together by the book "Earth Dance," by Joanne Ryder. Third graders performed a lively choreography to a xylophone accompaniment and a haunting Japanese song about the rain, including recorders and a beautiful, dramatic movement scene of raindrops on a giant, yellow umbrella. Fourth grade performed a medley of West African songs and then an exquisite song about the cuckoo from Finland. Fifth graders showed their ensemble unity with the Mango Walk from Jamaica, then accompanied a touching, original poem by 5th grader Zosia with movement and sound, and rocked the house with the "Celestial Symphony" from Journey to the West, complete with sunglasses, saxophones, flute, electric violin, vocals, and drums. The concert ended with three songs from the Elementary chorus. 🌍✨
05/19/2026
🌍🐒 Our 6th graders embarked on a virtual adventure to Spain, where they connected live with Fundación Mona—a sanctuary dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating chimpanzees and macaques from the entertainment industry and the pet trade.
Judith from MONA’s Education Department delivered an inspiring and interactive session covering climate change, global warming, and the impact of palm oil on wildlife. Students asked questions in Spanish and were deeply engaged throughout the experience!
A huge thank you to Fundación Mona for sharing their mission and to our students for their curiosity and enthusiasm!
05/15/2026
🌟 Celebrating AANHPI Heritage 🌟
This year, our AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander) Celebration was all about honoring the amazing individuals who make up these vibrant communities in the U.S.! 🎉
The assembly featured inspiring student presentations, beautiful music, and a dynamic kung fu demonstration from the Extended Day program—all showcasing the diversity and spirit of AANHPI cultures. 💫
05/07/2026
🌪️🌊 Our sixth grade scientists are diving into the world of natural disasters and severe weather as part of their end-of-year projects! Through hands-on research and data analysis, our students are learning about the effects of these events on communities and how they connect to Earth’s changing climate.
They aren’t stopping there—our young meteorologists are also investigating environmental hazards, testing river water, and analyzing clues to solve real-world mysteries like declining fish populations. By collaborating as environmental detectives, they’re discovering how ecosystems, pollution, and human actions are all interconnected.
We’re so proud of our students’ curiosity and teamwork!
🌱💧
Photo credit: Dr. Justin Lenzi, 4th-6th Grade STEAM Teacher
04/30/2026
Our 8th graders recently participated in the SFS civil rights trip to Alabama, a capstone experience exploring pivotal moments of civil resistance and non-violent protest. They visited significant historical sites in Birmingham, Selma, Tuskegee, and Montgomery, and met key figures from the era, including Barbara Shores and Carolyn McKinstry.
The trip included visiting the Equal Justice Initiative's monuments and museums in Montgomery, which address the legacy of slavery and ongoing issues such as mass incarceration. Students engaged with this history through various mediums, including visual arts, music, and discussions of bioethics. We extend our gratitude to our chaperones—James Harding, Juna McDaid, Raquel Vizcaíno, Sandra Suárez, Eugene Stampley, and Sadie Wilcox—for their support in making this experience impactful.
Photo credits: James Harding & Sandra Suárez
We celebrated 🌎 Earth Week with practical ways to honor the planet together with small choices and big impact! This included meatless Monday, less trash day, and no electricity day.
Today, we wrapped up with earth friendly transportation by walking & rolling to campus.
04/16/2026
This year, our drama program brought an epic to life with our talented 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders! Under the direction of music directors James Harding & Sofía López-Ibor, students took to the stage to perform the timeless Chinese tale "Journey to the West," featuring the mischievous Monkey King.
We're so proud of the creativity and teamwork these young performers have poured into this incredible production!
Photos by: Ellen Fey