Breakthrough SF
Breakthrough supports San Francisco students on the path to college and trains the next generation of educators. Our students make an eight-year commitment - from the end of fourth grade until high school graduation - to attend our program during out-of-school hours. In 2023-24, we're supporting 235 students in grades 5-12; 86% will be the first in their families to attend a four-year college. We're proud that 100% of students in our first six graduating classes have gone on to college.
Through our summer teacher residency, Breakthrough also trains college students who are considering an education career, about three-fourths of whom are people of color. 47% of Teaching Fellows who graduated from college in the past decade are now working in the education sector, most as classroom teachers in urban public schools.
Breakthrough and SF Day
Breakthrough has been a community involvement initiative of San Francisco Day School since 1993, when a steering committee comprised of parents, administrators, and trustees explored options for broadening the school's impact. SF Day Summerbridge launched that year under Founding Director Al Gonzales and then Head of School Jim Telander. The school has preserved and deepened its commitment in the two decades since; Sally Rosenblatt and Barbara Scavullo, founding families at SF Day and two of the steering committee members, remain involved today.
Breakthrough is closely aligned with SF Day's mission and values. The SF Day community supports the program in a number of ways, providing classroom and office space, volunteer support, financial contributions, and much more. Roughly two dozen eighth graders also volunteer each year as tutors in Breakthrough’s after-school program – a unique and very meaningful service learning opportunity; some even return after graduation to volunteer in Breakthrough’s school-year and summer program