Synergy School

1387 Valencia Street

San Francisco, CA 94110

27 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by parent on October 24, 2024

Our two kids attended Synergy, entering at 5th and 4th grade. Our older child came in with serious deficits in Math. She entered the 6th grade class during the current math teacher(Dan)’s first year at Synergy. Dan’s level of teaching skills and social-emotional support to our kid completely turned our kid around. She was able to do the work, became a straight A student for the first time, and was absolutely prepared for a rigorous high school. She was accepted to seven of the top private schools in San Francisco, and once in high school, was able to excel in advanced honors physics. I credit her success to the foundation she received from Dan and the rest of the middle school team. My younger child has a serious medical condition that Synergy was fantastic in their support. And while our younger child was not as invested in their academics, they now credit Synergy in retrospect for giving them the tools to thrive in high school. While other kids are just now learning Cornell Notes in 19th and 11th grade, they mastered this in middle school with Dom. Synergy middle school is the gold standard for academics as far as I’m concerned.
Submitted by parent on October 21, 2024

Wonderful gem in the heart of the city. Synergy creates a nurturing environment for students and fosters a progressive community. Highly recommended.
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2024

Long before we ever came to Synergy, it was always a magical place we walked by — the cool building with the wonderful mosaic and happy kids in the yard. Little did we know, we’d be lucky enough to become a “Synergy family” when our son started as a 6th grader.Synergy feels like an oasis in so many ways. Dropping off in the morning, you’re greeted with a smile and a wave. The feeling of community at Synergy starts with the wonderful staff. The educators here are caring, honest, and continuously supportive — they see your whole child. It always feels so good to watch our son walk into school because we know he is in such a positive, caring place. He feels it and we feel it.In addition to the amazing staff, one of the things we’ve appreciated most about Synergy are the real-life adventures they’ve given our son: Farm Camp, the 7th backpacking trip, and soon Puerto Rico, not to mention wonderful events like spring concert at Herbst Theater, Trading Day, the Probability Fair, and the Science Fair. It has also been wonderful our son has gotten to try so many sports including cross country, futsal, basketball, and volleyball; at a bigger school that may not have been possible. When we started at Synergy not only did we reconnect with many of our favorite families from preschool, but we have also made lasting connections with new families. We have enjoyed connecting with other families on social justice issues, at various sporting events cheering together, and just checking-in about parenting in the 21st century. We will remember and cherish everything Synergy has meant and given to us. Thank you Synergy! We love Synergy!
Submitted by parent on July 22, 2024

A warm, nurturing & academically stimulating school for your child as well as a true community for your family. Centered on a progressive & intentionally inclusive education, we found Synergy to be the ideal school for our son during the middle school years. Just coming out the pandemic, we were seeking the right educational base to guide our kid though the often tough & turbulent middle school years, and after 6 years in a local public school which ended at 5th grade, we felt that this was the best choice & investment for our family. Synergy is a true community with extremely accessible and dedicated teachers who are committed to nurturing the whole individual. My son, who has a learning difference, was always supported by his teachers as they were routinely available for additional guidance & clarification when needed. Synergy’s teachers and staff truly know each child and are remarkable at individualizing their learning and overall needs while still maintaining healthy expectations.Synergy’s curriculum approach is based on project-based learning, wherein students apply what they learn in History, Language Arts (English), Science & more. For instance, the students can opt to create a graphic novel, write & perform a song, &/or do a cooking project based on their history learning & focuses. Also, in Science, they can propose a science project in which they are most interested and work either individually or in groups. At Synergy, there is ample hands-on group work and interaction both in and outside of the class, fostering an authentic appreciation for each individual child and the beautiful and diverse backgrounds which they bring to the group. Synergy is a small supportive school, with just 22-24 kids per grade in the middle school years, and a safe & warm place to grow. If these values resonate with you, certainly visit & apply. We feel so very fortunate for our son to have had this opportunity as he preps to launch into high school now, knowing that he has a solid foundation, both academically as well as socially, along with strong social bonds to continue growing and blossoming ahead.
Submitted by parent on July 14, 2024

Our children attended kindergarten through 8th and so our family had a full experience with Synergy. Our mistake was remaining in the school . The Synergy experience starts off sweet, but grows sour as the years pass. We knew very few families who felt good about their experience at this school by the end of 8th grade. There is a tremendous amount of nepotism - jobs get filled by sons, daughters, spouses, and former students and so quality is not the first thought when hiring. There are several teachers who are simply not good - can't spell or don't prepare students for high school math. There are others who cannot control emotions in front of students or refrain from sharing personal views - often political - with students. Teachers have a circle the wagons mentality and questions or concerns raised by parents about the school can be met with hostility. The teachers and the administrators are solidly uninterested in hearing from parents. They do not handle conflict between students well. Boys, in particular, are at a disadvantage here. The school supports girl empowerment - as it should - but the work comes at the expense of the boys. Because of the way the administration is structured there is no one who is truly accountable when questions or concerns arise. The school requires parents to spend hundreds of dollars above the tuition as part of mandatory fund-raising. I wouldn't be surprised if the good reviews are coming from new parents or parents who have been asked to write a review by the school.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2024

It is my privilege to write a review for Synergy School.We started with a 3rd grade boy who will now be in 6th. We have a kinder girl who will be in 1st. Writing from the perspective of a hard to please, life isn’t supposed to be this easy East Coaster, Synergy has been a blessing for our family in both happy as well as transitional times. As a queer two mom family with bi-racial kids, diversity is important to us and we are not alone at Synergy. As a family who believes in a play based curriculum that feeds not only the mind but also the soul, Synergy fits the bill. The balance of challenging curriculum, deeply caring and compassionate teachers, and a super strong social-emotional component has been life changing. The support our kiddos receive (one ND with a lovely alphabet soup of letters that follows and one NT) is loving, structured, focused and, mostly, kid-approved.. Teachers are in constant communication with parents and caregivers. The Agreement system the school uses has been adopted at home (when we remember) because it is so effective. The one bullying incident we were affected by was swiftly discussed and resolved between students, staff and parents. Finally, as parents to two very, very different children, both of our kids leave happily for school every morning and don’t want to come home most nights (the guaranteed aftercare IS the absolute best kind of unstructured play - supervised by the amazing aftercare team - your kid won’t want to leave) . Synergy is small - the staff know the kids well and what makes them work and tick and how to help. They will know what high schools will be best, they will know what to do when math gets really hard or when reading gets really boring. They will lean in when your family is in crisis and offer to help in anyway they can. They are outside every morning waiting to walk kids into school and give them hugs and high fives. Synergy is a special place and one that has rooted our family to this city for years to come.
Submitted by parent on April 09, 2024

Synergy is a wonderful school and community. Both my sons— now 24 and 20—went there K-8 and i am still involved with the school. Both boys were well prepared for High School and life; mostly the education of the whole child, the holistic way art/ music/ science/ history/ language/ theatre and tech are infused into the curriculum has set them up so well to thrive in a variety of environments academically, socially and professionally. What more can you ask for in a school? The staff is incredibly dedicated and skilled and most importantly— as a parent— I really felt they 'knew' my children. The project based / creative/ community approach set them up so well to have confidence in their voice and opinions. The outdoor ed component was huge for our family, and now my eldest is in grad school and credits much of his trajectory to his time at Synergy and our family outdoor activities. I can't recommend this school enough, it was and is still a huge part of my family's zeitgeist.
Submitted by teacher on April 04, 2024

This is a really special place! I have taught at several other private schools and there is just no place like Synergy School. Having the opportunity to be part of an educational cooperative has been a really incredible experience, and I am here to stay for many years to come.
Submitted by parent on March 23, 2023

I vividly recall my 1st tour of Synergy. There was laughter and smiles from children in the halls and play spaces. It felt airy and vibrant at the same time. Children’s art lined the walls, there were posters of banned books hung upstairs, and there was a presentation of a recent trip to Nicaragua. And, I thought, YES, this is the school for my son! However, the most prominent sensation I felt while I toured Synergy was the sense of safety. This stands out because I never experienced feeling safe in school. I was born and raised in SF’s southeast and I attended SF’s public schools at the height of the crack epidemic. My community witnessed the devastating effect of addiction, violence, grief, and constant loss. Research shows that it’s hard to learn when you feel scared… My son and I still live in the southeast. The same schools that I attended surround us. In my heart, I knew he needed to experience a different way of learning. I was thrilled beyond words when Synergy accepted us.My son started Synergy as a shy and sensitive child. But I could tell, he felt safe here too. He felt safe to explore, to mess up, to speak up, to get dirty, to laugh, and to be sad and scared, as we all felt in the last few years. All this, he was able to experience in community with you all. Today, I have witnessed the beauty of him blossoming and transforming into a confident young brown man. Tremendously held by a solid foundation that Synergy provides, from its agreements, to teachers and staff, to mixed grade learning, and of course, by his posse of friends, who he considers family.What a blessing it is to be part of the Synergy family. It is our hope that other families also experience the beauty of watching their child thrive in their own unique way, in the amazing urban sanctuary that Synergy is for us.
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2023

We’ve had three of our kids go through Synergy and highly recommend it. The teachers and staff are passionate and engaging. And the support around placement for high school after middle school was exceptional.
Submitted by parent on June 14, 2022

Both my boys who are very different in temperament, social development, and academics attended Synergy from kindergarten through 8th grade. The teachers at Synergy understood them and their needs well, motivated them, and nurtured them. Both went onto Lowell High School, where they thrived. Synergy gave them the foundation they needed to navigate a large public high school. They had confidence in who they were and how they learned and could advocate for themselves in high school amongst their peers and their teachers, and eventually onto university. Private schools are expensive, but my husband and I felt it was worth the investment for their early years to build that foundation. I couldn't have asked for more than what they (and we) experienced at Synergy. Forever grateful.
Submitted by parent on January 20, 2022

Synergy has been a lifesaver for our middle schooler, who was completely disillusioned and anti-school after 1+ year of distance learning in SFUSD. He had developed severe math anxiety and was in general uninspired and unmotivated by any schoolwork. Fast forward to now, halfway through our first year at Synergy, and he's a different person. He is 100% self-motivated on all of his assignments (no need for us to cajole, oversee, or monitor his work), he is sharing daily about his favorite topics and discussions in his classes, he is throwing Spanish phrases into family conversation (Spanish was new to him, and initially a real stressor), he is teaching us his favorite riffs from music class, and practices ratios ("they're fun!") and other math concepts for fun. Drama class has brought him of his shell - performance anxiety was another big constant in his life up to now - and he's happily writing and performing plays. He's always been strong socially, but even so, we were amazed by how quickly he made friends coming into this tight-knit school as a 'new' kid. For our middle schooler, this is the perfect environment to lift his spirits, his confidence, and his interest in all kids of academic topics. We don't have great insight into what's happening in the building and classrooms day-to-day because of covid restrictions, but judging based on our kid's happiness and engagement, we couldn't be happier.
Submitted by other on May 21, 2020

do not send your male child to this school. they advertise acceptance, but their entire vision was lost after the current president was elected in 2016. They turned to forcing liberal agenda and marginalizing those who identify as boys.
Submitted by student on April 17, 2019

Good for elementary however it gets worse as you get older.
Submitted by student on March 29, 2019

This school is an amazing school with a strong community and friendly teachers. Some courses are more effective than others. Eight years of Spanish classes and almost no speaking ability, that places me into Spanish tutoring. Our new music teacher is not a very good teacher and I'm pretty sure that she doesn't like older kids. She was crying in class because we couldn't play our piece. She is also passive aggressive when she is annoyed. I do not like her. The way that they teach is very hands-on. Middle school is particularly good, in my opinion. Very glad to be here with these people, though.
Submitted by parent on March 26, 2019

Warm, community type of school where the younger kids seem to be happy. 2 major concerns: 1) teachers quality and focus - they seem to be spreading themselves too thin with multiple hats/duties and 2) lack of deeper understanding of diversity (beyond service level). The middle school is chaotic and the students lack discipline and engagement. It is not clear if the school does a great job at adequately preparing them for the hyper competitive world past middle school.
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2017

Generally we're happy, but three constructive criticisms...The small-ness of Synergy has been a pro/con. The focus on knowing each each student has been a great fit as far as getting our child more engaged in the classroom/academics. The con to that has been social and activity-based...the school has not been good at helping our child succeed socially and not feel isolated and depressed.The school has become SO focused on sports. Even for kids who love sports but might want to choose something else, there's nothing offered. This also effects the recess and social tone of the school environment with a lot more competitiveness.Lastly, and very sadly...the art program is terrible since 2014. Our child went from loving drawing for their whole life, to feeling uninspired, uninterested and intimidated by the rote, lecture-basedm uncharismatic approach. Art and creativity were presented as integral to Synergy's culture, academic approach and the values imparted in the students, but this is no longer the case. We hate to feel and express this and, along with many families and students, would really really love for this to get back on track with a different teacher for current and future students!
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2016

I am both a Synergy alum as well as a current parent. I definitely think this school has gone downhill over the years - much to my great disappointment.Things I like about Synergy: overall a warm and nurturing environment with a unique focus on equality, diversity, community, respect, etc. Some program elements are really nice/special: annual all school snow and camping trips, farm school, overall progressive / hands-on education, etc. The not so good: having sent both a boy and girl to Synergy, I can attest that its current focus on trying to avoid gender discrimination (i.e. against females) actually results in marginalizing some of the boys. I was warned about this after enrolling my son by quite a few other families and after 6+ years at the school, I do agree that Synergy does not protect and nurture boys nearly as well as it does girls. It also doesn't seem to acknowledge there is an issue here.Other negatives:Academics - Hit or miss with little to no support for any learning differences. Biggest complaint though is that some of the teachers clearly lack professionalism, fairness and the ability to manage their own emotions (watch out for the PE/drama and music teachers in particular). They play favorites and are very difficult personalities. Again, no acknowledgement there is an issue here and nothing has changed in all the years my children were enrolled.Music - Another reviewer got this right when stating that the program is weak and the music teacher doesn't seem to actually like children. I actually can't understand how Synergy keeps supporting the current program. The annual Spring Concert (the main music performance) is so tedious I leave each year wondering how the entire school can be shelling out money and time each year for something so, so bad. It's a running joke among many parent circles. Hard to write such a negative review of a school that means quite a bit to me. Beyond all the issues above, my biggest disappointment with the school is that it is clearly becoming just another SF private school where monied parents dictate the direction of the school and where the original mission statement has been reinterpreted as political correctness on steroids (which results in protecting certain students, while targeting others). Not the worst place to go to school in SF, but certainly not what it once was.
Submitted by parent on June 11, 2016

Synergy has very caring teachers and a strong community. There is a very strong emphasis on diversity, and that is reflected in the student body and the staff. This is a teacher-run school and does not have a traditional hierarchy or a head of school. This results in very happy teachers with very little turnover.
Submitted by other on September 17, 2013

I am both a teacher and alumni parent at Synergy School. My daughter attended Synergy in the 90's. She is now a very successful defense attorney and an extraordinarily articulate, competent and successful young woman. I firmly believe that Synergy gave her the foundation for her ability to speak up, advocate for herself (and now for her indigent clients) and to be the strong and outspoken person she is. As a teacher, I know that Synergy is providing a strong academic program, a progressive environment, freedom to make choices and a belief in social activism and change. Our student body and staff are very diverse and our community is strong and supportive. I am proud to work here and I am grateful for the education Synergy provided my daughter.