Our family has been a part of the Children's Day School community for 5 years and counting.... As a parent, you can feel the joy that the kids are experiencing day to day. The community of parents is a strong and down to earth crew. The teachers are intentional with their teaching and overall, we have been thrilled year to year with the teaching teams. We feel very fortunate to be a part of such a diverse and vibrant community in the heart of the Mission District.... The farm and garden is a bonus to an already beautiful campus. But, most importantly, the absolute excitement that both my kids feel to get to school everyday is number one! read more

Amazing community based on inclusion and diversity. I feel welcomed since day one as a Latin background family and a safe place for my children to be . read more

I've had the pleasure of being a CDS parent for going on six years and both of my children are now in the Lower School. Our family couldn't be happier with the school and the wonderful community of families we've gotten to know throughout our time at CDS. From the wonderful caring teachers and staff, to the approachable and forward-looking administration, to the cool, creative academic projects the kids have done each year with CDS's focus on project-based learning, CDS has been such a welcoming, caring world for our children. We've really enjoyed watching them grow academically, while also developing their social consciousness and sense of self. We can't recommend CDS highly enough. Our kids have thrived and the school has helped us discover and become part of a tight-knit community of families who enjoy spending time with one another in and out of school. read more

Our older child joined CDS in the Lower School last year (in a non-typical entry-point grade). From assigning us a buddy family ahead of the school year to proactively partnering with us to assure a smooth transition, we have been impressed by how intentional CDS has been about welcoming us into its community. This school really walks the talk around equity, community partnership, and inclusivity. We have been impressed with the school leadership and the teachers. Like many schools post-Covid, it has experienced some teacher transition, including mid-year. This isn't ideal, of course, but the school has navigated it as best it can. We have been so pleased with our family's experience that we decided to enroll our younger child in CDS this coming year as well. read more

I am a seventh grader here and I love it. I've been at this school for my whole life. I've made many friends and the school has been very fun to go to. read more

We are so fortunate to have been a part of the Children's Day School community for the last two years. We had the most amazing experience in preschool with such loving, experienced and dedicated teachers who guided my introverted daughter through learning to be in a school environment. The preschool teachers are receptive to student led inquiry which engages the children on a daily basis. My older daughter loved her Kindergarten year and the teachers are particularly great at teaching the students to read using phonics based methods. The community of families is down to earth and our school values are present every day in every initiative we undertake. We are unique among the independent schools in that we have a cutting edge learner competency framework which guides all aspects our students' learning. read more

My daughter is finishing her first year at the school as a Kindergartener. She has had a wonderful year with two very smart, caring, veteran professional lead teachers in a class of 24 students. They have done an incredible job of fostering the social, emotional and intellectual/cognitive development of the students. I was very impressed with the scope and sequence of the curriculum this year. Students studied the lifecycles of pumpkins (fall), trout (winter/spring), trees and plants (winter/spring), and now recycling (spring), throughout the year. The approach is inter-disciplinary, meaning that each of these themes was covered in every subject - math, science, language arts (reading & writing) - and related activities in art, music and Farm and Garden, followed by culminating field trips (i.e. visit to pumpkin patch in Half Moon Bay, trout release in Lake Merced, trip to Botanical Garden, and visit to recycling center). Students have made a series of bound books throughout Kindergarten (over 30 so far) on various topics, with each student contributing a page with his/her ideas, drawings and written words, and you can see the incredible growth over the course of the year. Each student also creates his/her own "newsletter" that keep throughout the year, documenting their learning and experiences with written words and drawings. This will be something we keep forever! The teachers are committed and passionate about their craft. We get detailed weekly updates from the teachers by email on what students are learning, and suggested activities to do at home to support what they are doing in the classroom. All teachers/staff at the school are trained in Responsive Classroom, which is very well-respected approach to creating a caring classroom and school community and used by other independent schools in the city (SF Day School, SF Friends, etc) as well as other independent schools and many public schools across the country. Most importantly, my daughter is excited to go to school and to learn. What a gift! The parent community is diverse, warm and welcoming...Most are working parents and there is robust after care program as well as vacation camps and summer camps offered on-site with fun and engaging staff. It has a very low-key, down-to-earth feel compared to most private schools in SF; the values feel right. The only place where CDS might not seem to measure up to other schools is its facilities, but you have to take a closer look. If you visit other schools you will see a wide range of facilities - none is perfect. The CDS campus and buildings have a lot of positives. CDS has a very limited library close to the lower school building, there is no common room space in the lower school as all events are held outside on the yard, which works well for the most part. There is no cafeteria and kids eat outside at picnic tables, but that seems to work just fine. Kids don't care at all! The yard is very large, sunny and protected - so nice that the lower school campus is set back from the street unlike many city schools! It feels like a little oasis for kids with the garden, farm (with 2 sheep and 4 chickens that the kids love) and plenty of space to run and play. You will immediately notice that the classrooms in the lower school building are large, and sunny (all have southern exposure light with huge beautiful windows). It is a very happy place for kids to learn and grow. The new middle school building -- located right on Dolores Park -- opened in the spring of 2015 and is gorgeous and state of the art (Makers classroom, fully-wired, beautiful central community space, roofdeck where student eat and grow vegetables). The building is in a converted church and has beautiful views of the newly-renovated park. From everything I have learned about the school, it feels like CDS is prioritizing getting and keeping good teachers and offering sliding scale tuition, which is the right choice. Come visit and see for yourself; ask current parents and kids about their experience directly; and don't take every negative review at face value. read more

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I don't think 5 stars means it's perfect, but it does mean that we as a family love it. Schools are made or broken by their communities. And the great thing about CDS is that the relationships you build across all the different actors build a really fantastic community. The kids find friends you hope they can keep for a lifetime. You find parents who can sympathize with the trials and tribulations of parenting in San Francisco, teachers who help support the growth of your child, and a support staff who are nothing short of miracle workers for all they do. It does require you put in some time and muscle to building the relationships, attending Friday assembly, and being involved with school events. But honestly if you don't want to put the effort in then find a community where that's okay, and be happy with that. Because if you can work the CDS way, then you're going to fall in love. We sure have. read more

OMG .Childrens day school=the besttttttttttttttttt:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) yay you should send your kids there your kids will not complain at all!!! They will be sad at the end of the year read more

Unfortunately, what use to be "the happiest place on earth", has turned Into a plastic, fear-based enviroment where the children and education are secondary to money and growth. After 15 years, 3 administrations and two children at CDS, the nightmare of the past 3 years is finally behind me. It is a shame to see such an amazing journey and promise of education flushed down the drain by the ignoranance and ego of one individual. read more

CDS is an incredible school. We are a new family to the CDS community with a daughter who has just entered kindergarten (and who was waitlisted last year for CDS' preschool program). First, CDS' admissions process is thorough, informative, and respectful. Going through the admissions process was truly an educational process in itself -- admissions is handled very thoughtfully and thoroughly and we felt, at the end of it, that we had an excellent understanding of the school and its unique approach to education. It is quite a time consuming process to go through private admissions and the public lottery (we did both) and I can honestly say that CDS did a wonderful job of welcoming prospective families and communicating their unique POV. As for their educational philosophy, CDS takes an inspiring approach to learning -- one that is both interdisciplinary and holistic. CDS encourages critical thinking, creative problem solving, left / right brain learning, civic engagement as well as social and environmental sustainability. We especially love their environmental education program (the kids get to work in the organic garden and with the sheep and chickens every week!) Overall, from what we've experienced, CDS kids are thoughtful, poised, confident and creative. And the community itself is warm and welcoming. The school just has a certain ineffable vibe that is hard not to fall in love with. read more

I fell in love with CDS from the moment we stepped foot on campus 8 years ago. But that was based on my original first glance at the sunny campus, special farm & garden, classrooms of engaged kids... But since then the single most important thing about CDS that makes me continue to love it 8 years later is how happy my daughter is to go to school every day. She loves it. Yes, she has had some tough times - first grade was especially challenging as boys and girls navigated how to be separate but still nice to each other. But even then I always found the school handled things very well, enabling the kids to express their feelings and work out their differences. Overall she is absolutely thriving - enjoying her subjects, her classmates, her teachers, the campus... But here is the thing, prospective parents, just like every workplace doesn't work for every employee, same goes for schools and kids. Many of us are extremely lucky to have options - most don't - and can find the school where their children will thrive. So look at a lot of schools and really consider where your child will thrive. As for my experience as a parent, I jumped into the community with both feet from the beginning by volunteering my time. I have made some great friendships that I know will last forever and I love giving back to a community really cares about the world outside our SF bubble. I found that engaging as a parent by giving back has made my experience at CDS very wonderful. I have had the opportunity to really get an inside view of the administration, staff, and teachers and these are people who really care about what they are doing - first and foremost educating our children to be good people and great learners. Are they perfect? No, one one is, but the school is always, like any good organization, working to improve. There is so much heart in this community. And I find that if one approaches challenging situations with a willingness to listen, learn, be respectful and cooperate, things will work out. read more

cds is o mazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i go there and i luv everything about it cause everyone luvs each other plus its preschool to eigth grade!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and everyones unique like a.................... cow hee hee no (but parents don't dout that it's amazing) There is a big structure area and lots of classes for different topics.There is tons of performences and assemblys and your kid will make lots of friends!!!! -Nikki read more

My 7th grade daughter is in her 11th year at CDS, so I have watched the school grow and mature from a small preschool and early elementary school into one whose first 8th grade graduates are now applying to college. I would echo the previous comments. CDS is a special place and a special community. Its graduates are wanted by San Francisco's best high schools because they bring not only excellent academic skills but a sense of social justice and responsibility that translates into being valued contributors to their schools. CDS not only grows smart, engaged learners but children with strong emotional intelligence. Both these abilities will serve them throughout their lifetimes and are known to be critical to adult success. Finally, CDS is a warm and inviting community for both children and their parents. My only complaint is that I don't have the time to develop deeper friendships with more of the families there. read more

when we did the pre school tours i didn't pay very close attention to the presentations. these were all good, polished, profession. i just watched the kids to see if they looked engaged and happy to be there. i believe the first few years of school are key since this is an introduction to a lifetime of learning. the best thing i can say about my daughter's first year at cds was she often didn't want to leave school. this is a school that takes community seriously. there is a large fundraising effort for sliding scale tuition. a large effort for inclusion. this is part of cds' core values. they don't just want you to be good at a narrow set of academic skills. they want you to be decent human beings and citizens. its a good mix of parents over there. mostly "professionals" but also some very cool creative types (my peeps like musicians and artists). one thing they all have in common imo is kindness. there are some high function corporate types that are enormously generous with their time and money for the school. these are people that could have had their kids in more traditional prep schools for the rich but have a commitment to community. the campus is very nice tucked back from dolores street with an urban farm (2 sheep, chickens, garden). middle school is expanding to a very nice building off of dolores park. i read through some of the one star reviews here. they don't reflect my experience at all. read more

CDS is known for it's warm, inviting campus and it's farm animals in the middle of the city . What my family and I have found is that the school is much, much more. When my son entered as a middle schooler. We were looking for a very challenging academic program that also fostered critical thinking, creativity and responsibility. Moreover we were looking for quality in the academic program and not just quantity of work. We have found all the above and more at CDS. Since our son entered CDS, he has: published poetry... written a play that is to be performed... performed lead roles in other productions and scored very well on the standardized tests. In fact, his class's average was also well above the independent school norm. From my perspective, the school focuses on helping children develop a life long love of learning. CDS's hands on approach brings subjects and course work to life in a way that inspires inquiry and confidence in students with a multitude of learning styles. The teachers know the students well and help each student grow and thrive. It is also a warm and welcoming Community. It didn't take us long to feel part of the school. Just witness one Friday Morning Assembly in the palm tree-lined courtyard full of students and their families, and you will see what I mean! read more

unfortunately for us, we failed the interview as parents. we failed the question..."how will you help us fund our endowment?" i hope this was a deviation from the mean and the existing and prospective families have different experiences. read more

My criticisms center around two ideas: lack of emphasis on rigorous academic standards and an overemphasis on political "education" of children. Academics. My son arrived at CDS from a great Montessori program enthusiastic about math and a very competent early reader.By the Christmas both skills had atrophied to the point where he lost everything gained in preschool.When I compare the work saved from preschool to the work brought home from CDS it's genuinely startling.He still complains about not being challenged mathematically. Politics.My son was taught a song which included the lyrics " protest, petition, let big business know..." I'm not particularly concerned that he learn the "skills" of protesting and petitioning at the age of 5. I would prefer something along the lines of "innovate, invent, do the hard work" I find it telling that this political correctness is taught within the context of a private school and its hand picked diversity. The school has a contingent of true believer parents who undoubtedly disagree with me, but this is my experience. read more

Disaster is really the only word you can describe a school where your 8th grader shows up the first day and they don't have a classroom to my 5 yr old who has been run over so many times in the overcrowded yard that she has suffered head and eye injuries (school has doubled in 4 years in the same small yard). When our older daughter and her classmates completely bombed the only standardized test they take , we were to told to LIE to our daughter about her scores in an email sent home! WOW not, how do we improve our children's basic skill set which is a year behind everyone else! The constant fund-raising has only raised one thing: the head of school's salary which has DOUBLED in the last 4 years while more and more children are shoved into that small building. I loved this school for many years but the quality has dropped like a rock and the financial strain on the school is overwhelming as this school doesn't have a gym, art rooms or even a library. We transferred our younger daughter to Brandeis mid-year after we were told we needed to sign a GAG order after complaining. Yes, a gag order that they keep as a standard form that they serve parents who object to just terrible conditions after paying $30,000 a year. We have spent thousands and thousands on tutors this year to get our 8th grader up to an appropriate level of math where she might have a chance to survive high school. You cannot solve problems if you do not admit them - and this is the real challenge for CDS. read more