Admission FAQ

San Francisco Day School is committed to a strong Discounted Tuition program to ensure economic diversity and balance among our students. In the 2019-20 school year, SF Day offered $2.12 million in tuition assistance to 89 students. Click here to learn more about the value of SF Day's Discounted Tuition program. 

SF Day typically has more applicants than available spaces. Since most families apply to more than one school, the number of applications is usually large. Every year we enroll about 44-46 students in kindergarten, half of whom are usually siblings or faculty children.

Openings in grades 1 through 8 vary each year. Some years, as many as four spaces are available in a certain grade, other years there are no spaces. Although we do not add an additional class in sixth grade, we are mindful of managing our enrollment to allow for several sixth-grade students to join our community each year, as this is a common middle school entry point. 

Sibling/faculty applicants meet one of the following criteria:

1) Sibling of current students.
2) Child of a current full-time faculty or staff member.

San Francisco Day School works closely with families of siblings, faculty, and staff applying for kindergarten throughout the month of November. This provides our school the time to partner with families as we work together to determine the best kindergarten outcome for each individual child.

1st-8th Grade Sibling, Faculty Staff Applicants:

Enrollment in grades other than kindergarten at San Francisco Day School is dependent on available spots and grade level fit. Our sibling, faculty, and staff applicants to grades 1-8 will be considered in the same pool as all of our other 1-8 applicants and decisions are shared in March.

Although siblings are not automatically accepted, all other things being equal, siblings are given priority. All siblings are evaluated in the same way as non-siblings. 

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San Francisco Day School appreciates hearing back from our accepted families as early as possible during the decision week. The sooner we hear of the family's decision, the better we can serve other families who are patiently waiting to hear from us about their status in the wait pool.

Each year, SF Day and other independent peer schools will enroll students from their Wait Pools. Numbers vary each admission season. 
 

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The After-School Enrichment Program (AEP) provides a safe and friendly environment for children to play, work on homework, or attend enrichment classes. In observance of local and state health protocols, SF Day is currently conducting classes online, which we refer to as Connected Learning. While we are teaching and learning virtually, AEP continues to provide synchronous and asynchronous offerings to our families and students.

In an on-campus setting, AEP begins each day at dismissal and extends until 6:00 p.m. Individual 10-week enrichment classes offer students the opportunity to explore specialized interests such as cooking, yoga, theatre, movie-making, and robotics. The standard AEP program provides students with abundant activity choices; they may choose organized outdoor games, art, reading, computers, science, crafts or cooking, or choose their own creative form of play. This is a fee-based program.

In an on-campus setting, 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.

In observance of local and state health protocols, SF Day is currently conducting classes online, which we refer to as Connected Learning.

In an on-campus setting, upper school (grades 5-8) students may join SF Day sports teams that compete with schools in the Bay Area Independent School Athletic League. By competing on a team, students develop their physical skills and their ability to work toward a common purpose. Coaches balance their emphasis on good sportsmanship, self-discipline, responsible behavior, healthy competition, and consideration for others.

Girls’ teams include volleyball, basketball, soccer, and cross-country. 
Boys’ teams include volleyball, basketball, soccer, and cross-country.

For students in grades K-4, families organize team sports (soccer, basketball, and baseball) with leagues in the city.

In observance of local and state health protocols, Breakthrough is currently conducting its program virtually.

Breakthrough has been a valued community involvement initiative of SF Day since 1993. The program supports motivated public school students in grades 5-10 from across the city on the path to college, providing academic enrichment and other key services after school, on weekends, and in the summer. Breakthrough also trains outstanding college students for education careers and engages volunteers of all ages, including eighth graders at SF Day. For more information, please visit www.breakthroughsf.org.

At San Francisco Day School, we believe in co-education because the world in which our children will collaborate, explore, debate, problem-solve, and learn is not made up of a single gender.  Our school celebrates gender diversity by offering an educational program in which all learners are served for who they are. Students are presented with leadership opportunities which require they work collaboratively to learn with each other. 

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We have ongoing training in gender awareness and equity. 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 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.

San Francisco Day School welcomes, recruits, and celebrates children, families, faculty and staff who reflect the broad range of diversity in the Bay Area. Diverse points of view and experiences are preconditions of learning to think critically and are integral to an outstanding academic program. We strive to create an open and welcoming learning environment in which children and their families feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to school.

To learn more about how we approach diversity, equity, and inclusion, please visit www.sfday.org/diversity, which highlights our school's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement. 

The School’s diversity programs include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Student and Adult Affinity Groups
• Parent Group on Diversity
• Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) for Faculty and Staff
• Board Committee on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• A robust professional development program for faculty and staff on DEI-related workshops and institutes

44% of SF Day students are students of color.
32% of the faculty and staff in the school are people of color.

SF Day seeks to create a school community, including faculty and staff, that reflects the rich diversity of the city of San Francisco and the world in which we live.

Students learn a second (or additional) language and thus further advance the understanding and skills that will prepare them for true global citizenship. The program utilizes developmentally appropriate communication-based approaches that address varied learning styles. All students begin the study of Spanish in Kindergarten and have the option to continue with Spanish, or to begin the study of Latin in grades 6, 7 and 8.

Our science teachers and school counselors collaborate to teach health and life skills in grades 4 - 8. Topics addressed include interpersonal relationships, bullying, self-knowledge, peer and media influences, changing bodies, communication skills, stress reduction, healthy use of technology, and others. These sessions are conducted in either co-educational or single-sex groups, depending on the session topic.

Yes, during on-campus learning, full cafeteria service is offered for students in all grades who wish to buy lunch at school.  Options include a 5-day a week or 2-day a week program.  For more information, visit www.sfday.org/lunch.

Although the school address is 350 Masonic Avenue, our community uses Golden Gate Avenue as the main entrance. The Masonic Avenue gate entrance is open from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and 2:00-3:30 p.m., while the Golden Gate Avenue entrance is open from 7:30 a.m. -10:00 p.m. from Monday-Friday.  

Visitors are asked to sign in and out, and wear a guest badge. A security guard is on duty from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Both arrival and dismissal are closely monitored by faculty and staff.

SF Day’s Health and Safety Plan is designed to reduce risk according to these parameters. By keeping our students in stable cohorts, minimizing adult interaction, and emphasizing the importance of physical distancing and facial coverings, we can reduce risk of exposure. 

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