San Francisco Friends School was started by a group of Bay Area residents who share a vision of a K–8 co-educational independent school that combines outstanding academics with Quaker values of simplicity, integrity, mutual respect, and peaceful problem-solving.   Founders of the school include parents, educators, business people, and volunteers.  We are dedicated to creating in San Francisco a unique school that serves an immediate community need for superior elementary education informed by sustained and thoughtful conversation about the emotional and spiritual growth of our children.

San Francisco Friends School educates girls and boys
in the tradition of Quaker learning.  By example and
commitment, we hope to inspire all connected with
our school to work together toward a peaceful and
caring society.

The foundations of our mission are:

There is a 300-year tradition of Quaker schooling in
the United States.  Friends schools emphasize a rigorous
academic program and community life, helping children to realize their capacity for learning, giving, creating, and thinking.  A Friends education is also dedicated to social responsibility, seeking to study and understand issues such as peace and war, racism and acceptance, ignorance and justice in age-appropriate ways.  Teachers help children learn how, amidst the hectic pace of our lives, to make time for reflection and for appreciation of quieter things.  Compassion, integrity, and personal responsibility are qualities encouraged as students develop into skilled learners and effective citizens.

San Francisco Friends School strives to be inclusive,
welcoming children and families of all faiths and backgrounds. The spiritual life of the school is intended to encompass the individual beliefs of a wide spectrum of students and their families. A welcoming and supportive learning environment for students of varied racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds is a touchstone of Quaker education. We seek to create unity from our differences.  We believe that meeting the challenges presented by forming a community made up of diverse people will create a strong, vital school, proud of its achievements and passionate
in its mission.

Our curriculum teaches fundamental skills while fostering independence and resourcefulness in a noncompetitive environment. Teachers guide students through integrated, interdisciplinary projects designed to build confidence and competence in mathematics, reading, writing, physical, life and earth sciences, foreign language, social studies, and the arts. Children work individually and in groups, learning for themselves that inquiry and interaction can lead to exciting newdiscoveries. The creative spirit in each child is awakened by a joyful exploration of visual and performing arts. Service projects in the neighborhood facilitate learning through sharing. Additional enrichment classes are offered in the after school program. Throughout all, we are guided by the core values of Friends education.

The 2007-2008 tuition is $20,540. Before school and after school care is available at additional cost.

San Francisco Friends School is committed to educating children of diverse economic backgrounds. Families are encouraged to apply for tuition assistance, and the school gladly offers support in the tuition assistance application process. Please contact the school to receive a tuition assistance packet.