Academics 

The starting point of Quaker educational philosophy is honoring the unique Light in each child. Our goal at San Francisco Friends School is to provide every learner with opportunities to develop deep understanding, curiosity, and confidence in mathematics; reading; writing; physical, life, and earth sciences; social studies; Spanish; physical education; visual and performing arts; and media literacy. The California Department of Education's content standards provide the foundation of our curriculum, but we make choices that honor our commitment to a deep, exploratory course of study rather than a cursory survey of many topics. We emphasize that learning is a process that involves asking questions, making errors, and collaborating with others. Students are challenged to explore multiple solutions and perspectives with the understanding that difficult problems often resist single answers or clear-cut definitions.  We nurture thoughtful and methodical problem solvers who can work collaboratively and think flexibly to grapple with the complex problems within their immediate community and beyond.

The curriculum at San Francisco Friends School is hands-on and inquiry-based. Many investigations are interdisciplinary. Children work individually and in groups, learning for themselves that inquiry and interaction can lead to joyful new discoveries. Service projects in the neighborhood and beyond facilitate learning through sharing. Throughout all, we are guided by the Quaker educational tradition of academic excellence and social responsibility.