Help! Good Private Schools In San Francisco (Oakland, Stanford: neighborhoods, catholic schools)

[sherma]

Can Anyone Please Recommend Good Private/catholic Grade Schools In San Francisco? Reading Books Will Never Replace Real Word Of Mouth Advice. Thanks In Advance For Your Help!

[Huckleberry3911948]

fench lycee on 19th near sloat? but there are many private schools and of course the age factor. lots of catholic schools? not sure of your interests.

[sherma]

Thank you for your response. Im sure Lycee is great. Not really interested in French Immersion School though. Looking for a school that is not overly progressive. A nice balance of structured and progressive if possible. Any good Catholic School will do as long as they have a well rounded arts, lanugage department. Some dont offer any sort of arts program. I know it sounds like a lot , but there should be some schools that are considered stand outs?

[gizmo980]

Here's a good website...
Department of Catholic Schools - Archdiocese of San Francisco

Sorry, but I'm only familiar with the middle & high schools - or the grade schools in bad neighborhoods (used to work with them). You did say they're in elementary school, right? Anyway, I hope that link helps a little... maybe concentrate on ones in the better neighborhoods, like around Nob Hill, Noe Valley, Potrero Hill, Sunset, etc.

[gizmo980]

Oh, but I have heard of these two, and they have good reputations...

Convent & Stuart Hall: CES » About
https://www.edline.net/pages/epiphany

[sherma]

Gizmo, your the best!

[twins4lynn]

There are lots of good private schools, depending upon exactly what you're lookin' for . Here is a website listing probably all the private schools in San Francisco (and the bay area). At least it's a start .

Online Guide to Bay Area Private Schools

[Hobart]

The thing this guy needs is a word of mouth. It is easy to find a list of schools but how do you know which one is best or has the best reputation.

I can't help you out buddy for Grade Schools, but in terms of High Schools I know that San Francisco University High School is nationally ranked. Outside of downtown College Prep High School in Oakland is ranked even higher. There is also The Harker School south of San Francisco.

For K-8 programs, I only know Marin County which is where I am planning to move to. There Marin Country Day School, Mt. Tamalpais School, Marin Primary and St. Marks are considered 4 of the best.

[sherma]

Thank you very much for your help. Yes, the lists do tell me whats out there, but not if there any good. Thanks again.

[TwinMom06]

I grew up in San Francisco, but went to public schools.
I know lots of kids who went to private schools, and my sister taught private school in San Francisco before she decided to teach for SFUSD. Socioeconomically, San Francisco is very diverse.
My sister has a toddler and she is considering the following private schools for when she is ready to start school, if she doesn't get into the public one that she wants. Many of these schools have waiting lists:
Children's Day School (have heard great things about it, and this is my sister's top choice)
Waldorf School (Waldorf education, I am sure similar to the one in NYC)
Nortre Dame (Catholic)
Cornerstone Academy (Baptist)
Convent of Sacred Heart (Catholic)
Kittridge School (a very small school and students get lots of attention)

For high school, St Ignatius College Prep and University High are probably the best in the City. Lowell High is a public magnet high school (this is the Stuyvesant of San Francisco) and the highest scoring high school in Northern California. However, it has its public school problems such as overcrowded classrooms, big school (almost 3000 students) with little hand-holding. 99.9% of kids will go on to college. Many kids at Lowell come from K-8 private schools. This school is good for self-motivated and confident kids, and the top 10% of the graduating class will get into an Ivy League College or Stanford. In as far as diversity, like Stuyvesant, Asian Americans are over-represented (over 75% of school population) but there have been efforts to create a more diverse school environment in recent years.
Good luck.