Live Oak School

1555 Mariposa Street

San Francisco, CA 94107

36 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on October 28, 2024

We have a first grader at Live Oak, and it has been a wonderful experience. Her teachers understand her well, thanks to the co-teaching model where they have two experienced lead teachers in a classroom. We love the small group and individualized instructions, focus on social emotional learning and critical thinking, excellent music and arts program, and high academic standards. We are happy to see our daughter growing into a kind, engaged and hard working girl who loves to go to school everyday. The school community is warm and down-to-earth. Lunch is included in the tuition and fantastic - healthy, organic food that is cooked from scratch everyday.
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2024

We have absolutely loved our experience at Live Oak School. The curriculum is child focused, and teaches the kids how to think critically about academics, but also social issues. The school aims to create "change makers" and they absolutely do - from the time our children started in Kindergarten we observed a thoughfulness about doing the right thing, being aware of diversity and racism and respect for others as well as being anti-bullying and littering. The Live Oak community is also wonderful and the school does many things to nurture relationships within the families. We are so grateful to be a part of it and absolutely recommend the school.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2024

We're in our second year as parents at Live Oak School, and we've been very pleased with the experience. Our daughter loves going to school and really has enjoyed the teachers and staff, the lunch program, and the the experience to date.Things We Really Liked: * Weekly Field Trips in Kindergarten, which helps the students get to know the community / city and get comfortable with public transportation and exploring. Several also involve parents driving, which is a great opportunity to meet a lot of kids and other parents.* AnjiPlay, which helps promote exploration and team work, while also introducing a hint of "risky play".* Camp Live Oak, every year the entire school community goes to camp in May for 3 days, two nights. It's a wonderful and unique community building experience.* School lunch (included with tuition) program is great* Facilities are great - fairly light-filled former Hillsbro building in Potrero Hill, most classrooms have great natural light, Jackson Park is across the street. One of the few schools with a climbing wall (and will now have climbing as a middle school class). Small gym on sight, with UCSF nearby to support sports.* Very thoughtful and intelligent curriculum that they continue to respond to feedback on. They are expanding the Spanish program (currently starts in 4th) to encompass K-8. They are trying a new 8th grade capstone trip this year (traditionally DC) to be Civil Rights movement focused -- Memphis -> Alabama -> Atlanta.Things to Consider / Areas Could improve* The school doesn't come out of the gate hard in academics in kindergarten, ie they stay pretty light on reading, writing, and math the first year. This ramps up - for some kids very quickly - in first grade. This is probably ok, but parents should be prepared / aligned with it. Know that Live Oak 8th Graders place very well at the more academic high schools in San Francisco. They know themselves well, and they are prepared academically.* Extended Day Program. There are great hours of coverage (730 - 6pm, and holiday care on many of the days there is school off) available for working families. The enrichment programs leave a bit to be desired -- particularly the sign-up process. they seen to have way too few slots and getting a slot is like getting a Yosemite campsite. Soccer program is good. Be prepared to augment this outside of school if you have strong desires.
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2024

You'll wish you could be a kid again and go here!This school is incredible - the teachers, staff, and students alike! The ethos of the school focuses on children as changemakers, the idea that each student has the ability to change the world. Within this framework, they center the child, and focus on "knowing the child well" and the child "knowing themselves well". The kids learn from a young age what makes them thrive (what environment, what tools, what topics interest them, what their growth areas are), giving them self-reflection and self-understanding skills which they will take with them for their whole lives. The school also focuses on instilling a growth mindset with the power of "yet", the idea that anyone can learn to do something new at any age. My absolute favorite school saying by far is "mistakes are magic"... Can you imagine growing up thinking that mistakes are just a part of learning and nothing to be ashamed or feel guilty about? I wish I could go back in time and attend this school!
Submitted by parent on October 31, 2023

We have been generally happy with Live Oak. Our kids are excited, engaged and very happy there. The school takes its mantra of really knowing the kids very seriously and they really do know the kids extremely well. Kids' differences (religious, race, family structure, learning style) is embraced. The parent community has been fantastic as well - everyone is extremely welcoming and supportive. The after school "extended care" program is really flexible and seamless but their after school enrichment classes (eg: Chess, Dance, Pottery etc) "Roots and Branches" is poorly run. The offering is extremely limited, you need to sign up in nano seconds to maybe get a spot and the communication is terrible. Some parents have even offered to run programs for FREE but the school only feigns interest. This has been brought to the attention to the head of school but it clearly isn't a priority. Apparently it was much better before COVID and never came back. While most the teachers are fantastic, some are not very direct and you have to be prepared to work hard to figure out how your child is doing. This only happened to us one year.
Submitted by parent on September 25, 2023

This is our second year at Live Oak and we are extremely happy with the school. Our child is thriving and is engaged with all the learning, activities, teachers and friends at school and the parent community is very supportive and active. It’s is a very warm and welcoming environment and we are thrilled to see our first grader grader growing to be a curious learner and a kind, confident person.
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2023

Our child is finishing up his last year of lower school and looking forward to starting middle school next year. He (and we) are so glad he joined Live Oak! Wonderful school and parent community. Supportive learning environment where he is thriving.
Submitted by parent on March 16, 2022

This school is amazing! My two children are in elementary and middle school, both are very different kids, and both are thriving here. The teachers are phenomenal and are supported well, so they have the time for planning and giving kids the individual attention they need to thrive. Both my kids loathe weekends and love Mondays because they love learning at Live Oak and love being with their friends. There isn't a heavy focus on tons of homework, which I am happy about. Homework for homework sake does not help. The special learning center, called the Brainery, supports kids who need extra help. I am perplexed by the slew of older negative comments, especially about the head of school, Virginia. She's amazing! I recommend you check out the school and see for your own eyes and heart. It's a joyous place that produces very self-aware, confident, knowledgeable, empathetic kids who go on to the top high schools in SF and are set up to achieve their dreams.
Submitted by parent on September 15, 2019

Live Oak is unlike any school community I have been a part of. The teacher and leaders are committed, happy , caring and approachable. Students are excited to go to school and are happy, not because it’s easy but because they are challenged to think, learn, push through challenges and try new things. It is a great school!
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2019

We've loved being a part of this family. Its not perfect (is anything?) but our kids education matches our values-- and the school has really been great for two very different kids, as well as a family that thinks a lot about which Bay Area values matter to us.
Submitted by parent on September 08, 2019

Used to be a good school. It's pretty sad what's happened. It seems pretty clear there needs to be a changing of the guard in top leadership.
Submitted by parent on September 04, 2019

Excellent experience, highly recommended!!!! Definitely one of the best parenting decisions we have made and feel honored to be apart of the school.
Submitted by other on September 04, 2019

advise taking a pass. if the head ever quits, maybe the ship could be righted again someday.
Submitted by parent on June 17, 2019

I cannot recommend Live Oak enough! I is a magical place that has been instrumental in building up my kids' confidence and helping them find their passions!
Submitted by parent on June 16, 2019

My experience has been excellent. The school is thoughtful and does not make decisions on a whim. The academics are excellent. My kids are engaged and are asked to dive deep into topics. Most importantly they love going to school (even my pre-teen).
Submitted by parent on June 15, 2019

Very poor. We sent kids there for over a decade. School has declined significantly over the past 3 years.
Submitted by parent on April 30, 2019

Overall our family's experience has been wonderful. We have two very thoughtful students who are challenged daily but also look forward to going to school each day. They love their teachers, find them approachable, and enjoy the company of the other students in the class. The parent community has also been really great with numerous volunteer and social activities to participate in. We love how diverse the school is in so many ways and it really reflects the larger SF community.
Submitted by parent on February 08, 2019

Overall our experience has been very disappointing. This school was a wonderful place 5 or 6 years ago but it has deteriorated. Teacher turnover is at an all time high, families are leaving in record numbers - and mid year no less, the environment is toxic, the head of school’s husband has been banned from campus because of some hostile altercations, everyone we knew seemed to need tutors for their kids which bolstered the already hefty price tag. Finally, there is a massive condominium complex going up around the school and it’s construction provides daily ear deafening noise that can only be disruptive. And it’s not going to be done anytime soon. There are a lot of good independent schools in the city. This school is not worth the 34k price tag.
Submitted by parent on February 06, 2019

Overall we are very happy with our time so far. We have met wonderful, grounded and thoughtful kids and families from all over the city. Our kids enjoy going to school and are making their way as citizens able to function in the world.
Submitted by other on September 16, 2017

Fabulous experience at a school committed to its students and to continually evolving and improving its educational practice.