Alta Vista School

450 Somerset Street

San Francisco, CA 94134

29 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 27, 2025

AVS has some strengths, but managing conflict between the kiddos was not one of them. We wound up getting a therapist for our daughter to support her with all the social drama, and that therapist actually recommended we pull our daughter because of the repeated mishandling of issues over a 2 year period. Her words: “the pervasive and persistent cruelty across genders is unusually vicious and toxic.” They talk a good SEL game, but it really is absent. The academics were also underwhelming. We had a couple of "gem" teachers during our time, but we also had a lot of inexperienced teachers. While we were at AVS a frustrated parent in another grade conducted their own survey and discovered that MANY families at AVS paid for outside tutoring. So while AVS promotes their tests scores, I don't believe that they accurately reflect the work of the school. AVS also abandoned math differentiation at the middle school while we were there, and for a tinkering school (which was why we were drawn to it) we saw very little of that during our time. There was also a lot of teacher and administrative turnover while we were there. One year 3 of the 4 teachers for that grade left. The next year the new science teacher didn't stay past 1 year. Independent schools usually have better teacher retention than public schools, which is part of the draw, but it didn't feel that way. We also were not the only family to leave in my kiddos grade. Lastly, the school refused to share the disaggregated data on their version of a community climate survey. That says it all in my opinion.
Submitted by parent on June 08, 2023

AVS has been an incredible fit for my gifted kid. It fosters creative problem-solving, intrinsic motivation for learning, and really supportive social emotional environment.
Submitted by parent on March 24, 2022

When my son first came to AVS in kindergarten, it was a fantastic start-up of a school. It was focused on STEM, kids learned tinkering and engineering, the program was academically rigorous but still very fun. In addition to STEM, the art program was fantastic, and it felt like the kids were learning a ton in every class. We loved the school, as did our kid. If I had written this review two years ago, I would have given AVS five stars. Fast-forward eight years to seventh grade and I can't help but be disappointed. AVS is still a decent private school, but it feels like any other private school in the city. It does not feel special in any way. In middle school, the academic rigor is absent, although most of the teachers are still good. Oddly enough, the fun is also missing although I suppose that could be because of Covid. I strongly disagree with the school's philosophy of not giving middle schoolers homework or real grades. The argument "why make it difficult now to prepare them for high school challenges, when we can make it nice and easy now and they can deal with high school when they get there" seems flawed to me. The kids are not being set up for success in high school. It doesn't have to be all or nothing; it could be a gradual progression to a little more work. I certainly don't want my son to get the amount of work someone at Lowell might get, but I also don't want him to be completely shocked in a year and a half when things get hard. I went from an easy high school to a difficult college and nearly flunked out my freshman year because I had no work ethic whatsoever. I don't want this to happen to AVS kids when they hit high school. The head of school, Dr. Sean, and the head of lower school, Katie, are wonderful. However, I have not been thrilled with the people who run middle school, Liz and Toni, for reasons explained above. Overall, I think it's still a good school, but if you are looking for something really amazing, AVS probably isn't it.
Submitted by parent on February 10, 2021

AVS teachers, faculty, and staff have gone above and beyond for my child and the whole community in so many ways; we are grateful every day to be a part of this school.
Submitted by parent on February 03, 2021

This is our fourth year at Alta Vista, and the experience has greatly exceeded our expectations. The teaching is fun, engaging and effective -- we are constantly startled by what our young kids are capable of learning, whether it's about the formation of clouds or who Genghis Khan was or our Kindergartner doing multiplication -- and our kids consistently look forward to going to school. I love the extracurricular offerings like music, garden and art class. The atmosphere on campus is one of curiosity and play combined with calm and respect. The faculty are incredibly thoughtful about their work, and educational concepts like social-emotional learning and inquiry-based learning are central to the curriculum not because they're buzzy at the moment, but because education research shows their effectiveness. When one of my kids struggled emotionally in second grade, her teachers and the counselor were right there with us helping to find what she needed. I see kids at Alta Vista being so supported to learn in the ways that are most helpful for them and will help them to love learning for their whole lives. The parents are nice and not snooty. There's some fundraising but never any pressure to give large amounts. And the school does an amazing job adapting to new challenges, like COVID. Our kids have been learning and having fun during the pandemic, during periods of at-home learning as well as on campus. We feel so lucky to have our kids at Alta Vista!
Submitted by parent on January 19, 2021

My son has been at AVS since kindergarten. We have been amazed with the level of education and ability to adapt to distance learning and in person learning with Covid. The leadership has been great - especially the Head of Lower School- Katie Gibbons. Every year we feel like we have the most amazing teachers and there is no way the next grade is going to compare, however our expectations are continually exceeded.
Submitted by parent on January 18, 2021

What a gem of a school! We have been thrilled with the quality of the academic instruction provided at both the Lower School and the Middle School. Teachers are top rate and the community is lovely. The school's response to COVID has been thoughtful, well organized, and has resulted in our kids continuing to receive rigorous, motivating instruction. Our kids love school!
Submitted by parent on January 14, 2020

Excellent. We couldn’t be happier with the school, just wish it could be on 1 campus instead of 2
Submitted by student on September 06, 2018

I wanted to wait until my child started high school to review this school. The Pros: Alta Vista School develops a life-long learner. My son entered high school still enjoying learning and he is noticing that some of the other kids, coming from different schools, are a bit burnt out. My son is able to come home and enthusiastically tackle his homework assignments. I feel that Alta Vista has a strong social-emotional component in its elementary school grades. The lower school teachers loved the students and it shows. I question if the middle school teachers loved the students as much. The lower school teachers always seemed to know each child's gifts so, they were able to bring out the best in each one. The middle school teachers, overall, were fun, which definitely instills a love for learning, especially as the students move on to the rigors of high school in a highly competitive city. I just wonder if they see just how special and unique each child is.The Cons: There are a lot of holes in the middle school curriculum. My child is filling in the gaps, already, and fortunately, the high school has clear expectations (Something Alta Vista School needs to develop--clear expectations) so, the holes are easy to fill in. Grades have already been given and my child is receiving straight 100s in most of his classes. The only mild concern is that he took a pass/fail test for science lab safety and he failed it. He gets to retake it--the exam is in the high school science classes to promote safety, so it is not a test that is supposed to impact his grades--he takes it until he passes. But, coming from AVS, where science is the most important subject, it was quite a stunning revelation, at first, to see it as the only non-100 in his grade book. At second glance, it speaks of what the school needs to work on more. The school does have something special going on--there is something so precious about sending students off to the yonder excited about school and hopefully, AVS can keep that spirit as it tightens up its curriculum, making sure there are no gaps in math, writing and the sciences. Yes, there are clear skill gaps in math and writing. So far, we only see the lab safety exam as being problematic in the sciences. But, yes, topic sentences, 5-point essays, and numerous math skills not learned...
Submitted by parent on June 23, 2018

Truly remarkable. Both kids love going to school. Equality. Individual learning. Meets each student academically. Respect and so much kindness from the faculty towards the students.
Submitted by parent on June 05, 2018

My daughter has been with Alta Vista for four years now, and as hard as it is financially for us to make this choice, we have been greatly impressed by her love for the place, how curious she is, how excited she is to do to presentations (since JK), and what a climate of respect and collaboration with peers she is learning. I love the school, not only for her, but for how it inspires me, too.
Submitted by parent on March 19, 2018

An excellent experience after 5 years, with two kids. We sampled another highly regarded school and it solidified our confidence and pride in the education that AVS offers. Both of my children love school and are involved across science, math, drama, sports. It is a great community of caring parents who also let their kids tackle tough challenges without fear of failure.
Submitted by parent on September 25, 2017

Our son and daughter transferred from another well regarded private school in SF four years ago and the difference is huge. AVS is a very hands on project based school that values inquiry and inquisitiveness and encourages kids to try new concepts, take risks, fail occasionally and get right back up and try again. Our son had FOUR head teachers in second grade through fourth, each teaching to their expertise, I believe this is why the teachers are so effective and passionate here. Both our kids are at the AVS Middle School now and absolutely love it. Again, the multitude of teachers with specific interests teaching what they love. The small class sizes allows for very in-depth discussion and immersion in each subject. The middle school kids are very mellow (crazy, I know) and respectful of each other. The included after school clubs run by teachers allow the kids to get even more exposure to an amazing curriculum, from Drama Club (including sound, lighting and staging tech) to Girls Who Code to Lego Robotics to Writing Club, so much to choose from and I don't have to pick them up until 5! We feel so lucky that our kids can be a part of an enriching environment that supports inquiry, making mistakes and exposure to new things. They are engaged and content (as much as permitted for middle school aged kids). Thanks AVS!!
Submitted by parent on September 04, 2017

We had a really hard time at this school. A lot of the things that make it wonderful (a start-up feel, younger enthusiastic teachers, an intense curriculum, a head of school with strong opinions about how kids learn) are also a double edged sword. While it feels new and exciting, there are few systems in place for kids that fall outside of the "average" student at AVS. You will often hear from parents that "AVS is not a school for every kid"... and if your kid is not that "average" kid, it can be really hard. Teachers have to move through the curriculum so fast they don't have time to offer extra help to kids that need it, even if those kids are very bright but non-traditional learners. More time is spent on academics than social skills so if your kid needs help with this, you are also on your own. Kids (not mine, but others I've seen ), who are labelled troubled kids are left on their own in the classroom while others who seem "teachable" get the extra attention. I've seen this more than once firsthand while helping in the classroom across multiple grades. I do believe this school has all of the ingredients to be a remarkable place but they don't do inclusivity well at all. My impression is that they are working on it but the school is just too young and doesn't have enough resources to try to educate all kids. I think they know this and select out kids in the younger grades. It's important to me that that my kids meet other kids who are different kinds of learners (and people) than them. I want kindness over rigidness for these early years. They are kids, after all. There's plenty of time for them to feel academic pressure. I found a balance pf patience and rigorous academics in spades at another SF school and haven't looked back.
Submitted by other on October 13, 2016

For our children, we wanted an environment where they would thrive and develop academically and socially. We owe a big thank you to AVS. Our kids are curious learners, confident public speakers, and both their math and science level is higher than the Cambridge education curriculum that they now follow back in Europe. They knew from early on how to craft a story, a poem, and how to ask enlightening questions. We were at AVS from almost the beginning for four and a half years. The best year was no doubt our last year which our daughter spend in second grade and our son in Middle School. In second grade we owe the biggest thank you to team extraordinaire Kate and Dawn. Their approach to teaching children social skills is extraordinary and inspiring. Their level in both math and English and their playful way of teaching amazed us. We feel so blessed that our daughter had such an amazing year despite health problems that Kate and Dawn helped us deal with. We also especially enjoyed Junior Kindergarten, where Sophie (and back then Hayley) handled the little ones in a loving way while teaching them so much at the same time. Middle School should be and was very different from Elementary School. It was their first year and they had to adjust a little. That said our son had an amazing year, the best school year of his life. The level in science and math is higher than the Cambridge Education level. We are so thankful for Middle School making our son much more independent and resilient. He handled his homework by himself and was coached on how to be organized. He was trained in testing, which he now handles stress free. AVS is a cosy, warm environment. You feel it from the second you step in and are greeted by Mio in the front office. We felt it the minute Ed back at the old Valencia location gave us a guided tour and spoke passionately about learning by playing. Also, Gessi (now head of admissions) made our then 8-year-old non-English speaking son feel comfortable and safe from day one. There will of course be different approaches in between the teachers, but overall I can't think of a better, safer environment to encourage children to develop both academically and socially.
Submitted by parent on April 13, 2016

This is a science school, but it truly feels magical. The school combines the best elements of a startup, and traditional and progressive educational models with a fantastic faculty and staff. The bright, happy, and enthusiastic children who attend it are matched by an equally wonderful parent community. Social responsibly and emotional intelligence are tackled with as much consideration as the academics, which are outstanding. This is the school you wished you could have gone to. It is a joy to send my child here each day.
Submitted by other on January 05, 2016

For middle school, AVS offers a perfect balance of experiential and foundational learning. We came to the school from a great public school and have been deeply satisfied with the school's curriculum, its intimacy between student and staff/teachers and staff/teachers and parents, and the ease with which our son found his way socially.
Submitted by parent on December 13, 2015

Alta Vista is a unique school that truly stimulates creative thinking and problem solving while nurturing the whole child. There is so much to love about this school. The classes are small and the teachers are smart, engaged and affectionate. The academics are strong- among the strongest we observed in any school. The curriculum is rich and interesting. The kids not only spend time doing science EVERY DAY but they also have drama, art, music and Spanish. Social emotional learning is woven throughout the curriculum. The kids who go to this school are very bright and also very sweet. If you are looking for a school where your bright child who is fascinated with math, science and building will thrive, look no further!
Submitted by parent on August 16, 2015

My daughter had an amazing year@AVS,the teachers she had were very dedicated&dynamic,they really get to know your child due to the small class size.We are very excited for another fantastic year@AVS!Ed knows every child&welcomes them with a warm handshake each morning,what a nice way to start the day!Love this school!!!!
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2015

Too many young, inexperienced teachers and managers and it's a problem. Too much inconsistency from year to year. Seems like the vision is lost as the school gets bigger. Been told that my kid is behind because it is a school problem, not a kid problem.