Parks (Rosa) Elementary School

1501 O'Farrell Street

School District

San Francisco Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:14
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 February 10, 2025

My son went TK in Rosa Parks. I love how he was so excited to go to school everyday. The teachers, the principal, para, and other staffs are so nice, caring. They do great job to make kids feel being part of the school, the teachers motivate the kids to learn, make learning is interesting. Also they really support for kids on special education, my son had IEP and he did big progress here. And I cant't thank you enough for their support for my son.
Submitted by parent on October 16, 2024

My daughter attends this school, TK. I like the attitude towards the students, the teachers are sensitive and kind to the children. adaptation to school went well and only with positives.
Submitted by parent on November 17, 2021

My daughter is in JBBP (Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program)'s 2nd grade and she loves the school! I agree 100% with other parents' comments that Rosa Parks is a very inclusive and supportive community with true diversity. Social justice is one of the key values they teach (you can tell from the school name) and even at the kindergarten the children learn about various aspects of it.Additionally, I highly recommend Rosa Park's JBBP as a Japanese family. When we were looking for the school for my daughter, Rosa Parks' JBBP looked stunning! They have a Japanese class everyday with a native Japanese teacher, and not only the language itself, there are a lot of fun cultural events throughout the year. It is super cool to see all the children - regardless of a family connection with Japan - learn Japanese and have fun together. I feel so lucky we were able to get a spot in Rosa Park's JBBP.
Submitted by other on November 12, 2021

We have two kids, 5 years apart, and both have gone through Rosa Parks in the Japanese Bi-culturual Bilingual Program, so we spent a decade there. When we first went there it was just because it had the better of the two JBBP programs in SFUSD, and a strong Japanese community since it is located adjacent to Japantown. But over the years we realized we got in on something special as the school in general grew more popular and by the time our second kid was able to go to Kindergarten, we were glad that she had an older sister in 5th grade to get the legacy admission. We now know families that were not able to get in, when before it was under enrolled. The secret is out. Teachers have been great, and *the most important thing* is that the parent community has always been strong. Great garden program too.
Submitted by parent on November 12, 2021

My son is in 4th grade and has been going to this school since kindergarten. He has had amazing teachers every year, and the principal and office staff are so kind and supportive. My son and I have made many friends in this school. I'm so glad we chose this elementary school, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great school and a great community!
Submitted by parent on November 12, 2021

Having moved across the country, my daughter was really missing her old life. Rosa Parks has been welcoming from the start and my kid loves it. We appreciate her great, caring primary teachers, and all the specialist teachers she has access to. And she's learning a whole language without our assistance--it's amazing. The teachers and the staff really care about community and it shows. RP is a beautiful diverse school with a great environment for educating kids.
Submitted by parent on October 20, 2021

Love this school! As new parents joining this community during the pandemic, we have been so happy with our daughter's experience at Rosa Parks. She learns from her classroom teacher, as well as Japanese sensei - it's amazing to see her learning so much for the last two years. The garden program is wonderful, and they have chickens, which is my daughter's favorite thing.The school community is very invested in the school, and the faculty have great tenure and training. The afterschool program is great, and she gets homework done, and lots of outside time.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2019

There hasn't been a review posted for Rosa Parks a while, so I figured I'd write a long one. My son has been at Rosa Parks for three years now, and I am getting ready to to send my daughter to kindergarten there. We've tried both the Gen Ed (now with a science/technology focus!) and Japanese programs and are very happy with teachers and school culture in both. The ongoing struggle, as seen in the numbers above, is closing the gap in outcomes between kids from high-income and low-income families. My 2¢ as a parent who has watched two principals and teachers in two programs across three grades, is that the school community as a whole is committed to helping not just kids but families through the big changes shaking up neighborhoods: rising rents, evictions, and the departure of many middle-class families who just can't afford the city anymore. The good news is that Rosa Parks has a lot of energetic and engaged parents from all walks of life, and remains deeply connected to both Japanese-American and African-American civil rights movements. Yes, there are two programs, but the school feels unified. The entire school starts the day together in physical activity (alternating Japanese calisthetics and the Cha-Cha Slide), then kids get mixed into combined small groups for reading practice. All the kids spend lots of time with a garden teacher, with the plants and chickens as the basis for science lessons and weekly salad lunches. All the kids see performances at nearby Civic Center arts organizations. All the kids do engineering and science projects in the new hands-on learning studio. (As an aside, the school has a partnership with Boys and Girls Club, which means that my son spends his afternoons getting music lessons and homework help at the clubhouse on Fulton and Gough -- it's the best deal in SF.) Rosa Parks is, as other parents have said, a hidden gem in the heart of San Francisco.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2015

Rosa Parks is a hidden gem! We feel so lucky to have stumbled in to this diverse and nurturing school. We love our kindergarten teacher and the school principle! The community has been welcoming and offers many ways to get involved, from Gardening to the class room!
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2014

COME TOUR OUR GREAT SCHOOL! School tours cover both programs at Rosa Parks Elementary: the General Education program (GE) and the Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program (JBBP). Tours start at 7:50 am in the main school yard on the following dates and can be scheduled by calling the school office at 415-749-3519. 11/6/2014 Thursday School Tour 11/12/2014 Wednesday School Tour 11/20/2014 Thursday School Tour conducted in Japanese 12/3/2014 Wednesday School Tour 1/15/2015 Thursday School Tour 3/25/2015 Wednesday School Tour 4/10/2015 Friday Welcome Breakfast for New Parents
Submitted by other on September 28, 2013

Initially skeptical about this school and San Francisco public schools in general, we now could not be more pleased with the education our grandchildren are getting. Most important is the positive attitude about the school that we see every time we come. The kids and teachers all have smiles on their faces both before and after the school day. Credit has to be given to the principal, teaching staff and the PTA for creating and fostering this culture.
Submitted by parent on August 09, 2013

Our daughter will be entering 5th grade this year with her twin brothers entering 4th grade. Rosa Parks has changed completely since we entered six years ago thanks to our dedicated principal, teachers and sensei. This school not only teaches our children about their Japanese language and culture but they get first-hand experience on how diverse this city is. We also have the best group of families who want to see their children thrive in school!
Submitted by other on August 04, 2013

Rosa Parks. See the comment I wrote earlier. And submitted. I am a very happy grandmother, but not sure how this works. I was told I would have to verify my e-mail adress on submit, but I got the whole rate this school back again. I love Rosa Parks school.
Submitted by parent on October 27, 2012

We enrolled out child for the Japanese language program, but discovered that there is so much more. I don't need to repeat all that others have already said about the stellar teachers, staff and principal. I completely agree. The garden program is fantastic. When we were out grocery shopping, my child wanted to buy celery and cucumbers--and actually bypassed the donuts. It is great that the school does not neglect teaching kids about nutrition. Parent involvement is probably the best in the district. Just stop by the school's popcorn stand during Cherry Blossom Festival and you will see.
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2012

My daughter reported, "I love my teacher." after her first day of school. And there really hasn't been any let-down since then. I have dealt mostly with the K and 1st grade teachers; all are good with the kids and effective teaching them. Other parents assure me the teachers are just as good in the upper grades. The principal has been a strong proponent of Restorative Practices for handling conflict, and we have seen the benefits of improved discipline as a result. He also oversaw a well executed merger of the Japanese program and the General Education program into a single Rosa Parks program. In many respects it's the parent involvement that guarantees the accelerating success at the school. We noticed it when we toured the school before attending. We continue to see it with parents in the classroom, chaperoning field trips, and interacting with each other in active Facebook groups. We couldn't be more pleased.
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2012

This is our 4th year at Rosa Parks and both our kids are totally thriving. I can't say enough about the teaching staff, Principal, and parent community -- all work together so well to support the vibrant and diverse environment in which our kids learn. My kids love going to school. They are reading voraciously, love math, and love speaking and writing Japanese (both of us parents were inspired to take Japanese language instruction by our kids' enthusiasm). They come home talking about what they learned in P.E., in dance, in the garden & nutrition program (we grow vegetables and have chickens!), and at Computer Lab. And they have great friends, whose parents have become our friends. Great people, great urban experience, great school.
Submitted by parent on September 27, 2012

I have a 1st grader in the JBBP program. This is her second year attending this school. As a parent we have had a great experience with the school. The teachers are dedicated and caring. The principal does a great job administering the school and integrating the staff, parents and students. A lot of the parents are involved and dedicate time and resources into the school. I am very appreciative of all of the work that the PTA volunteers do for the school. The best thing of all is that the children are happy, that definitely says a lot of the school. As parents we feel very fortunate to have found this hidden gem of a school and to be part of the school community.
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2012

I have a first grader, and definitely plan to have my 2nd child attend too. I speak Japanese, but my husband doesn't, so having my daughter get the strongest Japanese instruction possible is key to me. For Japanese, it's not just the everyday Japanese language hour she gets. Rosa Parks is nicely linked with Japantown as well as her wonderful after-school program, NLF, where she continues to get Japanese as well as additional options for conversation classes. I love that she is growing up with so many kids in the Rosa Parks - NLF circle. This is a special community, indeed. All this has significantly helped my daughter accept my persistance to speak Japanese to her. Before Rosa Parks, I had heard, "speak in English" from her, but now she has better context that her classmates are learning too. This is very important to me. I wasn't sure initially, but for general academic learning, I am very pleased too. Clearly, the teachers here are very committed to solid teaching. In my opinion, this is a total hidden gem that people don't notice unless they have a JP interest. The garden program too is amazing. 2 large blooming salad gardens, with chickens to boot. I am committed!
Submitted by parent on May 01, 2012

We are finishing up our 3rd year at Rosa Parks & we couldn' t be happier. Here's why: Our teachers are brilliant, creative, loving, dedicated. Our principal is kind, engaged, committed to student lifelong achievement. The staff are enthusiastic & act like they love being at our school. The parent community is involved, inclusive, positive minded & ever-present. Everyone above know the kids & their names. So much diversity! All are represented. The many school & community events, parades, performances, field trips. The enrichment curriculum. So much art, music, dance, performance & creative activities. The neighborhood. We are part of Japantown and Fillmore district & the kids know it. They have a sense of place & history of San Francisco. It makes them proud of their school. Our school itself: so many trees & gardens, so many playgrounds, meeting places, big, cheerful classrooms. Our nutrition, science, geography, reading programs, library & computer lab. But most of all I love my son's experience: he is thriving & LOVES school. He is motivated, engaged, reading above grade level. Best of all, Rosa Parks makes him want to be 'his best self'. And those are his words :)
Submitted by parent on April 20, 2012

This school is amazing! The teachers and the principal are committed to the students and they have a very nurturing approach. My son is in the 3rd grade and also in JBBP program and he loves it! Not only is this a great school but they also have great after school programs for the students. This school is definitely worth any parents consideration.