Frequently Asked Questions

  Application process
  School statistics
  Philosophy and curriculum
  After-school and summer programs
  School facilities and logistics

Application process

How do people afford the school?

SFDS is committed to a strong tuition assistance program to ensure economic diversity and balance among our students. 19% of our students receive tuition assistance grants ranging from 5% to 95% of tuition. The average grant for the 2006-2007 school year was $14,170.

How old should my child be when we apply?

Your child should be five years old by August 1 of the year that he or she will enter Kindergarten. The SFDS Kindergarten class tends to be 5 1/2 to 6 1/2. The age range in any given grade can span a full year. We recommend talking to your child's nursery school about Kindergarten readiness.

How many children apply each year?

SFDS always has more applicants than available spaces. Since most families apply to more than one school, the number of applications is usually large. Openings in grades 1 through 7 vary each year. Some years as many as four spaces are available in a certain grade; other years there are no spaces.

What is the sibling policy?

SFDS is a family school. When possible, we want our families to start and finish at the same school. All siblings are evaluated and tested, if applicable, in the same way as non-siblings. As a courtesy to our current families, Kindergarten sibling applicants are evaluated in early December. Although siblings are not automatically accepted, all other things being equal, siblings are given priority. About 25 siblings apply to Kindergarten each year.

School statistics

How many students and teachers are at SFDS?

401 students are enrolled in the 2007-2008 school year. There are two classes per grade with 22 to 24 children in each class. The student:teacher ratio is approximately 11:1. Grades K through 5 have a head teacher and an associate teacher in every classroom. Grades 6 through 8 are departmentalized.

What are the credentials of the SFDS faculty?

About half our faculty have advanced degrees. 80% have teaching credentials, although this is not required in independent schools. All faculty are involved in continuing education through college and university work, workshops, and conferences on an annual basis as part of their professional growth. A rigorous faculty evaluation process supports faculty in their pursuit of the best teaching possible. Average tenure at SFDS is approximately 8 years.

What high schools do SFDS graduates attend?

The majority of 8th graders attend local independent high schools. A few attend boarding or public high schools.

Philosophy and curriculum

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a co-ed school?

Advantages: Boys and girls learn to work cooperatively and understand each other as human beings, not as members of one sex or the other. Both boys and girls avoid common stereotypes and see each other as leaders, as athletes, as scholars. High schools tell us that students from co-ed schools have easier transitions into co-ed high schools, which most of our students attend. Socially, girls and boys get along well in co-ed settings and seek friendships from both sexes. Gender balance is one of the many forms of diversity at our school.

Disadvantages: Actually, we don't see any if the school is aware of gender issues and makes sure that neither sex dominates in any aspect of the school. If a school strives to create an inclusive community, and uses curricula and approaches that are gender-fair, co-education is an advantage for both boys and girls.

How do you ensure that curricula and approaches are gender-fair?

We have ongoing training in gender awareness and equity. We have increased our staffing to better monitor recess and unsupervised times, where boys have traditionally dominated. We give equal time and support to boys' and girls' athletic programs, and provide leadership opportunities for both boys and girls in our classrooms, special activities, and student government. We watch classrooms to ensure that teachers do not give special attention to one gender over the other. We use cooperative learning strategies, experiential learning, individual research and inquiry, and critical thinking, all of which tend to level the playing field in terms of children's learning styles and gender differences.

What is the School's philosophy on cultural and ethnic diversity? How is it evident?

32% of SFDS students are students of color, including biracial and multiracial children. More than 20% of the faculty and staff in the school are people of color.

SFDS seeks to create a school community, including faculty and staff, that reflects the rich diversity of the city of San Francisco.

Which foreign languages are offered, and when?

Spanish begins in 4th grade. In 7th grade, students may continue with Spanish or choose Latin. The foreign language program begins in 4th grade because research has shown that students who start a language later learn it faster. That conclusion was reached in part through collaboration with Dr. Steven Krashen, professor of languages at the University of Southern California and consultant to our foreign language department. Below 4th grade, traditional FLES (foreign language in elementary schools) programs do not have long-term benefits. Students end up at approximately the same place in 8th grade whether they started in K or 4th. The only valid argument for starting earlier is that students can more easily recreate and replicate the exact sound of a language if they begin to reproduce those sounds early. For this reason, we are providing opportunities in grades K-3 for students to sing songs, count, and enjoy exposure to several languages in addition to English.

What is covered in the Health Education program?

Classes are prepared with the age level of the students in mind and with the expectation that students and parents will discuss these topics at home. Lower school students learn about family diversity, maintaining healthy bodies, and the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and drug use. Upper school sessions are devoted primarily to issues of sexuality and drug education.

What is Outdoor Education?

Outdoor Ed is an integral part of the SFDS curriculum. This program provides an outdoor learning opportunity that expands classroom studies, helps students understand the need to protect the environment, and builds community within each grade level. Full-day trips begin in Kindergarten, and overnight trips begin in 3rd grade.

What is Service Learning?

The program's goals are to demonstrate the interdependence required of community members, to increase sensitivity to others, and to teach students to become stewards of their future communities. 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are expected to participate in service learning opportunities both in and outside of school. Lower school classes and upper school advisory groups initiate projects throughout the school year.

After-school and summer programs

What kind of after-school care is available?

SFDS offers an After-school Enrichment Program (AEP) from dismissal until 6 pm. Care is provided on some vacation days and all faculty work days from 8 am until 6 pm. The cost is $8 per hour with prepaid blocks of 25 hours or more. Children may drop in for $12 per hour. Enrichment classes are offered several times each year for $15 per class. Tuition assistance is available for after-school care.

How is the playground supervised?

Two recess/lunch supervisors and a rotating team of teachers are with students on the roof and in the yard during recess. The adults on recess duty encourage positive behavior, observe children carefully, and intervene when necessary.

What sports program does SFDS offer?

Upper school students (grades 5-8) may participate on athletic teams which compete against other schools in the Independent School Athletic League. Club sports teams (grades 5-6) play against other teams within SFDS and have some games with other schools. Basketball, baseball, cross country, soccer, and volleyball are the sports offered during the Fall, Winter, and Spring.

What is Summerbridge?

Day School Summerbridge allows SFDS to share its resources and facilities with a larger community. The program serves 75 public and parochial school 5th and 6th graders, mostly from schools in our Western Addition neighborhood. Tutoring and mentoring throughout the school year complement a five-week summer session. A staff of college and high-school students handles all teaching and most administration. SFDS contributes facilities and 10% of the operating budget; foundations and private donors provide the remainder.

School facilities and logistics

Can students buy lunch at school?

Yes, full cafeteria service is offered for students in all grades who wish to buy lunch at school. Lunch cards may be purchased at the beginning of each semester. Students may choose either the hot menu item of the day or select from a variety of sandwiches and other healthy alternatives.

What kind of security does SFDS provide?

Masonic Avenue is the main entrance. The receptionist is on duty from 8 am to 4 pm. Visitors are asked to sign in and out and wear a visitor badge. A security guard is on duty during morning arrival from 7 to 8:45 a.m. and afternoon dismissal from 3 to 6 p.m. Both arrival and dismissal are closely monitored by faculty and staff.