San Francisco Schoolhouse is a progressive, affordable gem in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of SF. The school is unique in offering a progressive curriculum in classes with a 12:1 student-teacher ratio in lower school (8:1 in K-1st) and 12:1 in middle school, at approximately half the cost of the typical SF private school. In the lower school, there are combination classes for K-1st, 2nd-3rd, and 4th-5th grades, and in middle school, students meet on a block schedule, with some cross-grade assignments based on academic level. The school’s current enrollment is 110 students.
I first toured the school when looking for kindergarten for my now 15-year old; the school has since moved and flourished in the neighborhood near Church of Eight Wheels roller rink. Over the years, I have met many parents at Schoolhouse, all of whom describe the school as warm and welcoming with a tight knit community.
When you enter the building, you find bright, airy classrooms and an outdoor space with a play structure, basketball court, and garden. Phones are parked in the office during the school day to maintain focus on school and their classmates. The school has a small library with donated books and a parent team who has curated their collection and built shelving. Gender neutral bathrooms are sorted by age; students can use the adult bathrooms if they prefer more privacy, and period products are available in both the adult and middle school bathrooms.
Academics
What makes SF Schoolhouse special? The goal of the progressive curriculum is to meet students where they are, and to grow the joy of learning. Like most progressive schools, projects are prioritized; there are no letter grades or standardized testing. Schoolhouse values Social Emotional Learning and makes it a priority to teach students interpersonal skills, such as being kind and a good teammate.
The lower school has combination classrooms for K-1st, 2nd-3rd, and 4th-5th grade, with approximately 12 students per grade or 24 per lower school classroom. Each lower school classroom has two full time lead teachers. Kindergarten has an additional assistant, and 8 part time flex teachers move between classrooms when not leading classes in the arts and music. In each grade, there may be one, two or more students who are more advanced at math, and these students receive work at a more challenging level with push-in instruction.
Middle schoolers operate on a block schedule with subject teachers; Spanish and math are grouped by academic level, while advisory groups are grouped by grade level. The highest math group (71% this upcoming school year) will complete Algebra I in 8th grade, and approximately one student in 8th grade level works on Geometry independently with a teacher’s support. Middle school advisory groups meet twice a week, with social emotional learning on Fridays. Each student makes a 7th grade Passion Project tied to doing good in the world with the help of a mentor. Each 8th grade class leaves behind a special gift or project.
Enrichment Classes
Schoolhouse offers aftercare until 6 pm, and optional after school enrichment classes are available for an additional fee.
During the daytime, students take art, music, PE, and drama, with separate middle and elementary school teachers. Students take STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) in the elementary years and science in the middle school. The lower school stages their drama performance in the school’s largest room; the middle school stages theirs in an off campus theater, most recently the theater at Fort Mason. Middle school electives include student government, student connectedness, murals, and photography. You can see the mural created by an elective group along the stairway as you enter the school. A pilot program with Rock Band Land will provide instrumental lessons to middle schoolers.
Types of Students Served
Schoolhouse looks for family fit. The school has a tight community with involved parents who are looking for a progressive education.
Students should be open to learning, curious, and internally motivated. Because Schoolhouse students work collaboratively in groups, students develop strong interpersonal skills. The school does not have a learning specialist, so parents sometimes rely upon outside resources for students with learning differences or neurodiversities. Students with mild autism or ADHD can fit in well at Schoolhouse if they do not have impulsivity or behavioral issues.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Schoolhouse tuition is $20,872 per year, with need-based financial aid offered to low income students.
Role of a K-12 Consultant
A consultant can help you craft your school list to be sure of a balanced list offering a match of services with the student and parent’s interests. A consultant can also review all admissions materials, in particular student and parent essays, to help focus them to each school’s admissions goals. A consultant can directly work with your child to brainstorm, draft, and edit their own essays. The consultant can provide feedback on whether the essays read as genuine and how to shine during the application process.
Want more input on K-12 schools?
Vicky consults with families to help select, apply to, and communicate with public and private schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. Vicky maintains a principle of non-judgment. Hourly, VIP, and Season packages include a discussion to review school options, applications, essays, and key decisions. Vicky offers a limited number of packages each year to assure her availability.
Vicky’s own children have attended both public and private schools, and have received both accommodations and curriculum changes; her elder is in high school, and her younger in middle school. New clients can email to learn more about her services, or see her website to learn about her packages.