Feinstein (Dianne) Elementary School

2550 25th Avenue

School District

San Francisco Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
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 October 10, 2024

We have been at Dianne Feinstein (DFES) for three years and are SO happy! My son has had incredible teachers who are passionate, knowledgeable, and caring. Our new principal is the absolute best -- she knows every student by name, cares so much about everyone and everything, and has dedicated herself to making our school the best it can be. Also, our community of families and guardians is so inclusive and kind.
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2024

We have been an SFUSD family since 2010! We have been to six different schools in the city and can confidently say that our time at DFES has been our absolute favorite. Our principal and teachers are so dedicated to each and every student. We have such a strong community and I love that my child is excited about school every day. I believe in public school education and in the power of a strong community on a child's academic and social-emotional health. We love our school and will carry our memories and lessons with us for life!
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2024

DFES is a wonderful public school in San Francisco. The school is filled with experienced, caring teachers who go above and beyond for their students. The parent community is great. I love that it's in my neighborhood and we run into families at nearby parks and grocery stores. I highly encourage families to enroll in DFES.
Submitted by parent on February 27, 2022

Great school with wonderful faculty and staff.
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2018

Our experience at this school has been fabulous.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2017

Five stars. I toured over 25 schools, both public and private, and selected DFES as our #1 school choice. Before we started I thought it was the very best I had seen, and now in our third year I can say that my already high expectation have been wildly exceeded. It is a beautiful, new, and safe building with a gorgeous schoolyard with lawn and garden areas and 2 play structures. This is a happy, joyful place to learn and play, filled with kind and happy kids. But what impressed me most is the incredible job Principal Chang does with Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Many schools say they do this this at their schools but in many cases it is just lip service. DFES does SEL better than any school I've seen- it is integrated into weekly lessons at morning circle, using Kimochis and positive reinforcement of kind, caring & responsible behaviors. It is integrated into every classroom and through the teachers exceptionally well and IT WORKS. The PTA raises funds to support literacy coaches for kids that need extra help, extra schoolyard supervision, garden and science programs and overnight trips, art programs, classroom supplies, and wonderful community-building events- picnics, class playdates, carnival, movie nights and much more. Our diverse community is amazing and so welcoming, we have met many friends and really enjoy the wonderful parents and teachers in our community, who often take their own time to attend kids soccer games and birthday parties. We now have class size reduction at the school for 4th and 5th grades, which is a huge plus and hard to find in our public schools. We have a fabulous library funded by our awesome Senator Feinstein, with great computer education and resources but not overly reliant on computer technology in the classroom. In our kindergarten class we had lots of volunteers for all the academic blocks, for a ratio of 6 kids to 1 adult, giving younger kids the extra help and support they need. Lastly, the afterschool programs are exceptional. We have Spanish, Mandarin, Russian, Yoga, Tennis, Art, Chess, Renegade Girls and other afterschool enrichment classes, plus a fabulous afterschool program provided by GLO. If you don't get a spot in GLO at the school, say you get in on a later round of acceptance, GLO now has a transport option for kids to nearby West Portal school. If you are looking for a creative, happy, safe environment for your kids to blossom into their best and most responsible selves & potential I don't think you can do better than DFES. If you are looking for a warm, welcoming, and awesome community of parents, you will find that here.
Submitted by parent on September 27, 2017

We were looking for a school with great academics, a community feel, language instruction, and social-emotional learning (a tall order....). We found a "hidden gem" at DFES. Our teachers have been incredible. Learning is fun, and our child runs into school each morning. If you are touring schools, don't forget to look at afterschool programs. The Mandarin immersion afterschool program here is excellent, and the GLO aftercare is so enjoyable that I regularly see kids who don't want to leave their games to go home at the end of the day. This school is not for everyone. The early start time and west side location likely deters some families. If you are a competitive parent looking for hours of homework, this may not be the place for you; on the flip side, parents here are friendly, not competitive, and they look out for each other. New parents arriving in the last couple of years are bringing energy and enthusiasm. Highly recommend!
Submitted by parent on February 25, 2017

Great community with great teachers.My son is thriving here.
Submitted by parent on December 09, 2015

Started as a good school with a lot of potential. We were among the very first families to apply when it first opened. Teachers were excited in the first couple of years as well. But then things kept going downhill. Bullying was a big problem. Problems were never solved efficiently. The principal is not a positive person, and even the kids can sense it. A lot of families left the school the same time as we did. I keep wondering whether the School District doesn't keep track of all the families leaving the school or they simply don't care. In any case, it's a shame that such nice facilities are not used to excite and help our children thrive.
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2015

We have one child entering her fifth year at DFES and another in kindergarten. It is a mixed bag, it really depends on the teacher. There are teachers here who seem to be putting in time, waiting to retire, taking plenty of time off, refusing to offer any additional challenges or curriculum beyond the very basics. And there are other teachers who do a better job adjusting to the different needs of students. The teachers are largely confined to the classroom and do not seem to be actively involved beyond. Principal Chang is weak. She does not seem to have any particular academic or curricular vision -- her goal is simply to keep kids safe, but there's no big-picture thinking, or if there is we parents don't see it. As other parents have mentioned, there was supposed to be a science and math focus here but there is none whatsoever. We haven't seen any extra opportunities for science or math offered. There's also a Mandarin after-school language program that is very popular, but not organized with the school, which has created some conflicts. Overall an OK school, depending on teachers. Not great.
Submitted by parent on April 16, 2014

We've been at DFES for almost 6 years now, with a 5th grader about to graduate. Almost all of the teachers here are awesome and our kids have had a great educational experience. If you're looking for a LOT of homework and focus on teaching to the test, this probably isn't the school for you. However, if you're looking for a well-rounded education that doesn't only focus on classroom academics, DFES is a wonderful school. They now have an amazing Outdoor Ed instructor who teaches gardening and cooking with ingredients from the garden. There's always plenty of art, both visual and performing, activities to keep the kids engaged. My kids have also greatly enjoyed many science lessons. It is a caring community and we've made some fabulous friends with other families here. It's a great place to volunteer and I find that if you take the time to be involved, your experience here becomes more enjoyable.
Submitted by parent on October 15, 2013

My daughter started at DFES in Kindergarten. Mrs. Schroff worked with us to adjust our daughter to the new environment. She amazed all the parents by having her class (22 kids) put on The Cat In The Hat play. Ms. Small is my daughter s First Grade teacher. She tells me all things she learned at school. I think Ms. Small is wonderful she makes reading fun in her class. For example, the first thing my daughter did when she work up last Saturday was to read me her six Scholastic books. I am also amazed how nice the The DFES community is. The PTA members are very warm and appreciate any assistance. We enjoy going to the DFES community because it is like a family get together. We are very fortunate to have our child in this wonderful school. We never take it for granted.
Submitted by parent on October 13, 2013

After being assigned to a neighborhood school across the city, we waited until the SFUSD second "round" to get our first choice of DFES. We are very happy here; my son is in 2nd grade and he looks forward to every day at school. After being open for only 8 years, DFES was awarded the CA Distinguished School award. The teachers strive toward teaching "the whole child" - academic, physical, social/emotional. The principal recently wrote and won a grant for a two-year outdoor education/gardening teacher, and the yard is starting to flourish! Even though we have over 500 students, it feels like a much smaller community. I think this is because the teachers and principal go out of their way to see every student as their own. We've had a great experience at DFES!
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2013

DFES is a great school. It has a very caring and diverse community that puts a lot of time and energy into each child's well-being, education, health, and happiness. My daughter has flourished there. Academics are important, yes. But they also make sure that P.E., art, music, diversity, and learning how to live green are all explored. We feel very lucky that she is getting a well-rounded education and all for free.
Submitted by parent on October 09, 2013

We are now in 2nd grade and are very pleased with DFES! Our son loves going to school and learning (and says he loves science in particular!) The school is good at social and emotional development as well as academics. Caring and kindness are incentivized and made part of the culture. The parent community is active and upbeat. There is something for everyone here if they choose to be involved. I've found the teachers skilled, as well as warm and friendly. I especially appreciate the UCSF science program he had in K, and am looking forward to the launch of Education Outside and the new school garden.
Submitted by parent on October 08, 2013

We are thrilled to be at this school! My child is really thriving there and her teacher is amazing. Her teacher is always available for discussion and quick to respond to emails. She e-mails weekly updates of what the class is doing, plus she sends pictures. I love that I can use that info to spark a meaningful conversation with my child about what she's learning in school. I volunteer in the classroom every week and I'm constantly impressed by the teacher's ability to keep the students (kindergarten) focused and make learning enjoyable! On top of the educational standards, the teachers/staff work really hard at building a caring community and teaching all of the children to be genuinely respectful of others. The PTA works hard to build a really supportive community too and it definitely shows! I do not have one negative thing to say about this school.
Submitted by parent on October 08, 2013

Dianne Feinstein Elementary School is an oasis for children and parents seeking excellence in primary education. Each grade level stimulates with standard and far-reaching curriculum. Teachers are individuals who each carry a value of continuity to extend through the grade levels from K-5. This continuity representing the personal excellence of each individual. Coaxing excellence from children at every level of the group, an individualized education for all is achieved throughout the student body. This is so difficult to achieve in these times of underfunding. However, at DFES, this is happening now. The parent group at the school are forever supporting to teachers and staff. Researching available resources and grants, parent volunteers work hard to establish excellence in expectations. Collaboration between the teachers and parents really make this community thrive. Join us and find out why so many are committed to working countless volunteer hours to see the best for every student in our school.
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2013

This is a great school!! My kids love it! Lots of parent involvement. Clean, safe, lots of extras like PE, art, computers, good after school program. Teachers are enthused and motivated. Couldn't ask for a better public school!
Submitted by parent on October 01, 2013

We moved to San Francisco two years ago with a lot of trepidation and anxiety around where our two boys would go to school. We cannot afford private schools so outside of home-schooling, public schools were our only choice. Can I just tell you how lucky we feel to be a part of the Dianne Feinstein E.S. community? It is a true gem of school. My sons have felt safe and cared for and WE, as a family, have felt so welcomed. Principal Chang has done so much to make the school's environment respectful, caring and fun. I have seen firsthand how the teachers and staff have implemented positive changes in student discipline and school values. Inclusion here is huge. Nobody is left out. The school seems to strive for continual improvement and, as a parent, this puts me at ease because complacency breeds failure. Without a doubt this school is a winner!!
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2013

Dianne Feinstein ES has excellent teachers and awesome parent involvement. The school community takes a lot of pride in the education and learning environment of the students. We feel so lucky to have landed here for elementary education.