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.

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 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

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.

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!

great HS experience, just graduated 4 months ago! im goign to give it 5 stars for the people - most…read moreof the students are very dedicated to learning and even those who arent big on the education aspect are very nice and open minded - not a gang-dominated school. mr.murphy the stats teacher is great - puts tons of effort into making sure his students get the material. we have the best history dept ever. mr.ko, mr. vera, and mr.layug were the 3 history teachers i had soph, junior, and senoir year and their classes literally changed my life b/c they were the most attentive, caring teachers ever who gave 200% to their students, even tutoring them outside of class with no extra pay whatsover. it changed my viewpoints and perspectives on not just history, but in life - to be more open minded and senstive to political idioms and the real life curent problems and to be more active in our communities and just to be a better person. so thank you. the honors and AP classes are popular here, our school has its share of dedicated, intellectual students who are up for a debate on anything. - we have a speech and debate team and a dance company. we are one of the fw SF High schools with a speech team and one of the ONLY High schools that have a dance company, aside from lowell. lots of really dedicated, kind people here. we do have our share of crazy, really bad teachers though - public edu system, what can i say, and the on campus beanery food sucks and the balboa street off-campus resturants are Overpriced, but definitely consider coming here - there are tons of opportunites you can take advantage of here :]

I am posting this review to make families aware of what happened to my sister at George Washington…read moreHigh School. My sister who is African American was suspended for two days after a verbal incident involving profanity. I am not excusing the language she used. What I am challenging is that the school broke California education law, violated SFUSD's mandatory suspension procedures, and violated her constitutional due-process rights by falsely escalating the incident into "Battery" and "Threats" and immediately suspending her. The school's report did not describe her hitting, pushing, grabbing, striking, kicking, spitting on, or physically touching the principal. She did not touch him. Yet the school marked Battery. California Education Code §48900(a)(2) concerns willful force or violence against another person. That did not happen. The school also marked Threats, but §48900(a)(1) concerns causing, attempting to cause, or threatening to cause physical injury. The report did not include a threat by my sister to physically injure the principal. SFUSD's discipline rules say suspension is generally a last resort. Outside limited serious first-offense situations, the school must exhaust and document mandatory interventions before suspending a student. SFUSD also requires additional review before suspending an African American student to confirm required interventions were exhausted. Those intervention steps were not exhausted before my sister was immediately suspended. The school violated its mandatory disciplinary procedures by suspending her without that required intervention process. During my mother's meeting with the school, she asked why Battery and Threats were marked. A staff member responded that "this is what she had to mark it as in Synergy." Battery, threats of physical injury, profanity, and defiance are separate categories. A school database does not justify entering a more serious offense than what occurred. We were also told that during the incident the principal repeatedly spoke to my sister in an escalating tone, saying "I'm going to write that down" and "I'm going to write that down too," instead of de-escalating the situation. This was not the first concerning interaction with school staff. Earlier in the school year, Paulina Revero removed my sister from the school and told her she did not attend there. That was false. She did this without checking the enrollment system, and the principal later confirmed that my sister was enrolled. There is also a serious racial-discrimination concern. During the meeting about my sister's suspension, my mother heard an Asian student in the school office say "fuck that shit," and that student remained on school grounds. Meanwhile, my sister, who is African American, had already been immediately suspended after profanity was escalated into unsupported Battery and Threat classifications. We are alleging racially disparate discipline and asking SFUSD to investigate whether race influenced the harsher treatment. The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits intentional race-based unequal treatment by government officials. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §2000d, prohibits race, color, or national-origin discrimination in federally funded educational programs. Her constitutional due-process rights were also violated. In Goss v. Lopez, 419 U.S. 565 (1975), the U.S. Supreme Court held that public-school students facing suspension are protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Students must receive notice of the charges, an explanation of the evidence when charges are disputed, and an opportunity to present their side. In my sister's case, the school created a record accusing her of physical violence and threats that its own written narrative did not establish, bypassed the mandatory intervention process, and removed her from school. We are formally challenging this as an unlawful suspension and a violation of her Fourteenth Amendment due-process rights. We are demanding that SFUSD remove the suspension and false Battery/Threat classifications, preserve and review camera footage and the Synergy audit history, investigate why interventions were skipped, and investigate whether she was targeted or disciplined more harshly because she is African American. Parents should check the exact Education Code, compare it with the written narrative, ask who entered the codes into Synergy, ask what interventions were completed, and request preservation of camera footage. A student can be held accountable for inappropriate language without school officials falsely turning profanity into Battery, bypassing California-mandated discipline procedures, and violating that student's constitutional rights. This is a serious matter involving California Education Code, SFUSD's mandatory discipline rules, the Fourteenth Amendment Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

I am writing this review as a parent of two Lowell kids, so if you are a parent wondering whether…read moreyou should put Lowell as your first high school choice, read on... As far as academics is concerned, it is an EXCELLENT school. You learn, all right. There is plenty of homework. Teachers don't just drill the information; they make sure that the students learn. The down side of this is that it is not easy getting As, so when college application time comes around, the Bs and Cs won't cut it for elite schools. Of course, on the other hand, if your student got the As, then the doors are wide open for Ivy League and every top university available. Many Lowell alumni have gone that way. Reflecting on this, regardless of where your child goes to college, this quality of education can't be bought. After going through Lowell, your student will be ready for any college, period - Ivy League or CCSF. As far as extracurriculars, there is plenty, from sports, to arts, to robotics...EVERYTHING. My son is doing archery this semester. Cool, huh? As far as parent involvement, this is top notch. The reason Lowell continues to do well despite massive budget cuts is the PTSA. God bless them! There are resources of all kinds, from college help, to mental and physical health (A nurse is available much of the time, people...where else can you have one in SFUSD?) Some people complain that the school is overrated and the environment is competitive. To them, I say that if your kid is an underachiever, then don't force the issue. To succeed in Lowell, your student must want to be a winner. The teachers are super nice and super helpful. I can go as far as confirming it because I was a former student of one of the teachers there. They are the best. Final word: It is the best free education available in San Francisco if you really want it.

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

My son went to school here. It's an amazing school. The Principal, teachers and PTA are all…read moreoutstanding. When my son was there, Principal Rosina Tong was very caring and knew all of the students in the specials needs classrooms. She was very active in all of the events, classes, IEP meetings etc. She really cares about the students and the school is so blessed to have her. I went to middle school right next door at Giannini and Sunset used to be John O'Connell when I was in school. They've since relocated somewhere else and I'm so glad that Sunset is now in it's place because it's such a great school. The school is small but it is a very special school. I was hoping my little girl would be able to attend this school but we moved up north during covid. We have returned back to the city and are now at a different elementary school with SFUSD due to the lottery. I'm hoping we can get in next school year. I definitely recommend this school. We loved our time there.

Okay I went here and things changed a LOT…read more This place is wonderfully blessed with tons of caring teachers and staff. Makes me wish I was a kid again!

As a first-time mom, finding a preschool amid the legendary waitlist stories was daunting. We…read morehappened to learn about the Tiny Knights Preschool grand opening, and I can't even begin to express how wonderful the school and teachers are. The actual space is smaller than many other schools we visited, but it was by far the most inviting and gave us the best vibe. It's bright, airy, clean and open. The program is well-rounded and we were attracted to the various schedule options available. They also take kids who are not yet potty trained (extra plus for us!). All that aside, what has made our experience outstanding is the excellent leadership and teacher staff. Prior to attending school, our son had only been left with my husband, myself or his grandparents so the transition was particularly difficult for him (and us!). But through it all, from my first-time mommy anxiety to my son's drop off hysterics, the Preschool Director Ms. Kelly was patient, kind and understanding. She listened to my concerns and offered solutions specific to how my son was adjusting. She and the teachers were very attentive and communicated with me daily on his progress. Any questions I had were addressed quickly and honestly. Best of all, our son now LOVES going to school and is picking up so many more social skills. The teachers here genuinely care for the kids and I'm so grateful to have found a preschool that we have complete trust and have confidence in!

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 a new Waldorf family and my son's a 9th grader. What an amazing experience WaldorfHS has…read morebeen for us. When we visited last year, I felt the curriculum and opportunities(foreign exchange, class trips) sounded wonderful but still wasn't sure how my son would fit in- as the school is smaller. However- the school's been fantastic on all fronts- including the social aspect. Though smaller, there's a welcoming & friendly vibe between all students. I think my kid has MORE friends than he would at a much larger school where he'd hang with the same 2 or 3 kids daily. Teachers care about the kids and "see" my kid for who he is. The academics are amazing & yet the workload isn't overwhelming. Meaningful project assignments & plenty of available support from teachers when needed. HW load comparable to most privates- but not excessive. He has plenty of downtime & isn't staying up until 11pm doing HW. I'd absolutely recommend this school & SF Waldorf HS school has surpassed expectations.

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.