Fairmount Elementary School

65 Chenery Street

School District

San Francisco Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

public

School Map for San Francisco Unified School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on May 31, 2019

We have had a great experience at Fairmount - now Dolores Huerta. Wonderful teachers and community of families.
Submitted by parent on March 21, 2019

We are in our second year and really love this school.
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2018

Sucks we are pulling out at 5th grade to go to private school. Principal is not very good and unapproachable.
Submitted by parent on May 13, 2014

Fairmount have a really great immersion program and parents are very involve in the school and also very passionate about the spanish culture. If you like your kids to grow up with strong foundation of the spanish culture and learn the language among native speakers Fairmount is a great option.
Submitted by parent on March 18, 2014

Fairmount is a great immersion school and the Teachers are great. My son love it and all the parents are involve in the school. All the cultural programs are great because everyone is involve.
Submitted by parent on September 06, 2013

A lot of great families left this year. And not because thier kids aged out. If you go to Fairmount-- please take good care of it. It needs love and attention, care and feeding. It has the parents, teachers, kids and potential to be the best school in SF. Stick it out with your heart and soul and help this school succeed. Passion is what will make this school great. Somos Fairmount. (We are Fairmount)
Submitted by parent on September 03, 2013

My family is been part of Fairmount for the past 10 years!!! The teachers are excellent. The Wellness Support Staff are awesome. Great Special Education program. We love our dear custodian. He loves and cares for the kids and the school so much. The after school program is high quality (hard to get in). Fairmount is lucky to have the best librarian. However, I'm a very realistic person. This school is lacking leadership. And this school doesn't have a GATE program. They are working very hard on closing the achievement gap, but unfortunately the high achievers are left behind. They are not engaged nor challenged. Parent participation is ok. It's always the same small group of parents breaking their backs. We used to have more community events, but they went away....I guess the main organizers moved on. But overall, it's a nice small community. The kids are happy. And the teachers are excellent! No school is perfect. Definitely there is room to grow
Submitted by parent on February 21, 2013

We have 2 children at this school- and we absolutely LOVE it. The leadership, the community, the dedication of the teachers. It is a rare gem in the city, and has a small town feel. Highly recommend for a great Immersion education - you will not know what people are talking about when they say SF public schools are not very good. This one's top notch!!!
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2013

This is a very mediocre school - a few great teachers, a few terrible teachers. Poor leadership, great community. Parents do a lot of work to help. Probably not a very good place to send your kid if they are learning English, the Spanish part is okay, doesn't seem that great.
Submitted by parent on September 07, 2012

I have two children at Fairmount, and couldn t be happier. This is a wonderful community and a wonderful school. We started at another school, so I can say that Fairmount is leaps and bounds ahead of other schools in the district. The children come from different backgrounds, cultures and languages. I have not seen the bullying, fighting, and severely disruptive behavior we experienced elsewhere. The parent community is inclusive, involved, and committed. Our experience with the teachers in the lower grades has been amazing. Principal Hilinski is a fantastic champion of our school. We are as proud to have him as he is to be at Fairmount. I have two happy kids who are excelling in their education.
Submitted by parent on August 22, 2012

My son just started 1st grade at Fairmount, and his sister graduated last year. The energy at the school has been wonderful ever since Principal Hillinski stepped in. We cherish our community at Fairmount, where teachers and parents collaborate to make a positive learning environment. Not every teacher is perfect, but I can honestly say that the majority of my daughter's experiences in the classroom and in the after school program were positive. She has started middle school Spanish immersion with confidence and a strong work ethic, thanks to Fairmount. I know my son is in good hands with caring, involved teachers. We also look forward to a year of fun family activities, which our fabulous PTA makes possible through their tireless fundraising and outreach. Fairmount's extracurricular activities like capoeira, Playsports, and our new, expanded gardens make this a truly special school!
Submitted by parent on August 22, 2012

I have two children at Fairmount, one in 5th and one in 2nd. As with any school, public or private, there is always room for improvement, and Fairmount is no different. Yet, there are many ways in which Fairmount is head and shoulders above other similar schools. The sense of community on campus dates back to the days when Principal Karling began morning circle. Parents are welcome to be present for this first 15 minute period. Further, parent involvement in the school, from library coordinator to classroom tutor to schoolyard greener is overwhelmingly positive. There are several strong sets of teachers. Particularly in the early grades, coursework and homework is coordinated. I have found homework to be appropriate, challenging, and varied in nearly every grade level. The school also has a committed, young, and intelligent Principal who has a long-term vision for continued improvement at Fairmount. His door is always open, and he will work with every family that walks through it. Finally, I can say from personal experience that the wellness support staff, particularly the school social worker, is extremely strong. Any SF child would be lucky to be placed here.
Submitted by parent on August 22, 2012

My three children have attended multiple public schools here in SF, and Fairmount by far has been my favorite. This is an incredibly sweet school with excellent teachers and a great principal. There is a small cabal of parents, particularly in the last couple of years, that spend all their time complaining about the homework, most often that it is too hard. Different teachers will assign different homework, the sooner you and your child learn this, the easier middle school and high school will be. If you want your children to learn, they should do their homework. Good habits start early. We don't speak spanish in our house, yet my oldest son, now in high school is fluent in Spanish, and my youngest (still at Fairmount) looks like she'll be even more comfortable with Spanish. We couldn't be happier with Fairmount.
Submitted by parent on August 21, 2012

it seems to me that some teachers agree on what the one homework will be for the whole year, thats rigth, the whole year, its frustrating,kids get discouraged,bored,as they are not challenged,only doing the same homework with a few changes for the whole year.You have to request it yourself if you want a different one.No wonder this school is under the standards...parents are frustrated here but many of them are voiceless.
Submitted by parent on March 23, 2012

My daughter went to school at Fairmount. I had to pull her out. The tutoring it was a joke! NO help very disorganize. I volunteer and the tutors did not know what the kids where working on. Also only the spanish speaking (latinos) kids took the spanish test at the end of year and finding out that test did not count like the CST. So is double preassure for our kids. Taking 2 test at the end of the year and only counting 1 not fair. Some teacher had preference on other kids too. Just because their parent participated more, but those where non working parents. Then that lady new principal came very rude did not say goodmorning just walk by you like you where a pole standing there. I have to say the 1st grade teacher Mr. Cuervo he is the best don't know if he is still there. but he know what he is doing and cares about his students. My daughter learned alot with him.
Submitted by parent on May 30, 2011

The other day my daughter said to me, "I'm such a lucky kid, because not everyone gets to go to a school as good as Fairmount." She's loved every one of her four teachers, and learning a second language has been just the challenge she needed to stay engaged in school. There is a very active PTA which raises funds to pay for arts enrichment programs, which along with partnerships with the SF Ballet, Opera, and Symphony, have provided my daughter with exciting arts experiences despite the lack of funding for such things in this state. As a parent I appreciate how knowledgeable and organized the principal is. He gets every penny available for the school and has a can-do attitude. Best of all he is here to stay.
Submitted by principal on January 11, 2011

I hope this message finds all current and prospective families doing well in 2011! I wanted to take a minute and let you know of some remarkable happenings at Fairmount. We take great pride in our positive welcoming school environment and community culture where we celebrate diversity and hold our scholars to the highest expectations known to mankind. Our Dual Immersion Program (Spanish/English) is led by cutting edge research promoting bi-literacy. With programs in place through the support of Community-Based Organizations such as Playworks and Edgewood, our suspension rate is locked at zero and disciplinary referrals can be counted on fewer fingers than one hand. We have been fortunate to welcome City Leaders such as our Mayor and members of the Board of Supervisors and MTA. Take a campus tour or stop by for a Daily Morning Assembly to learn more about Fairmount, the mark of significant student achievement (78 point API growth in just one year), equity/accountability, and joyful learning.
Submitted by parent on January 07, 2011

I have to say that I am always pleasantly surprised at how up-beat the positive energy is at Fairmount this year. It is hard to believe that we are halfway through the school-year, as it feels like we just started. I really liked the Baile Familiar and Dia de los Muertos celebrations. These celebrations make this school such a fun place to go. The community is very much alive with great energy and spirit this year.
Submitted by other on January 07, 2011

Playworks is a program that has had a tremendously positive impact on Fairmount Elementary School. This is an organization that the school works with - they provide a coach who works with the students in structuring recess and lunch recess periods. She has been terrific at promoting the values of sportsmanship and being a team player. Playworks has revolutionized recess and lunch recess at Fairmount!
Submitted by parent on January 06, 2011

This school is a disaster with no respect for teaching as a profession. The principal is a smooth talker who does not follow through with any action. Don't be fooled. There is no emphasis on curriculum, teaching, or safety at this school. It is a dangerous place for children. We had to take our child out in the middle of the year due to safety concerns.