St Anne Elementary School

Pros:-Mr. White won't be pushed around. He doesn't allow the parents to control the narrative.-Parents are heavily involved. They are great gardeners, coaches, assistants, cooks, decorators, donors, chaperones and friends. -With 3 kids (2 that graduated) I've seen 3 different class cultures. Some classes have a great culture, some are totally toxic though.-It's safe. Just try to get in! The only thing I don't like is there are RV trailers parked around the playground sometimes on the other side of the chain linked fence.-Very clean school. No odors, always appears taken care of.-Strong catholic pride that may or may not be used against you. -Priest drives a Tesla so they are sustainability conscious. Cons:-The school answers to the church. Take that as you will. -There is heavy bias in favor of the girls. Many of the girl cliques throughout the grades are evil. They lie to the teachers to get the boys in trouble.-Some of the boys experiment in the bathroom and it's normalized among certain grades. My sons have walked in on this multiple times. -Academics are weak. My kids that graduated were on principal honors but are struggling in high school and tested below grade level. -Teachers 6-8 are not strong individuals. They rule by fear, aren't very strong speakers and don't prepare the kids for high school. The admissions process in centered around everyone being advised to apply to SI (strong coincidence that the 8th grade teacher's brother is in charge of admissions at SI) and one or two other feeder schools. -Constantly threatening environment. Teachers aren't supportive after 5th grade (5th grade teacher is the best!).

Our child has been at Saint Anne for a year and we are extremely happy with the school. After a year within the SFUSD system, Saint Anne is a breath of fresh air. The school puts an emphasis foundational education, character, and civic engagement. They administrators are well organized and responsive, there is strong parent involvement, the community is very helpful and engaging, and our experience with the teachers has been great. They have a great after school program with several enrichment options which you can sign you child up for (e.g., art, tennis, yoga, chess, Chinese, soccer).

Pre-k at St Anne was a wonderful experience & k-2 were good but it was all downhill from there. There was a tremendous amount of busy work instead of thoughtful assignments that promoted learning. The quality of teachers was inconsistent and sub-par in upper level math and science. The Principal, Mr White, knows every student’s name and cares. However there is a huge bullying problem at the school and we did not feel supported. The PE teacher & after school coordinator, Mr Campbell, and the Director of Pre-k, Judy Glaeser are the best. Enrollment is rapidly declining for a reason. Girls’ sports are also not supported with a clear message that boys are the priority.

This school was highly recommend to me by three friends who attended this school. Consider if you want your child to be a well rounded and confident person. My child is active in his community, supportive of his friends and peers and confident in his life. He still goes back to this school to see the staff and faculty and helps out/is supportive of the school. This school provides a curriculum that challenges the students to do better than average. Even though my son had a learning difference, he still tested higher in his abilities and was accepted to his first choice high school . This school is more than an educational giant, it is a family - a wonderful community.

The first time my kids forgot to pack a lunch Mr. White went across the street to Andronico’s community supermarket and bought them lunch. This year St. Anne switched to a different lunch vendor and the kids can buy lunch last minute. Most days after school I hang out to chat with a teacher or two while they stand at the gate and my 1st grader plays a little bit with friends from kindergarten and 1st grade. Kindergarten and 1st grade gets out at 2:50 but my twins in 6th grade are in class till 3:10 so he gets to run around and play in the yard till then. Sometimes, he will play till 3:30 when the gates close. Often, he will play soccer, or kick ball or volleyball with friends from kindergarten to 8th grade. Today he played with his kindergarten teacher (from last year) showing her some of his soccer moves.My twins in 6th grade are testing at the 11th, almost, 12th grade range for STAR testing. All three kids are excited about and happy at St. Anne. They especially like to tell me about the fun they had at PE. Mr. Campbell, the PE teacher, even has my kids practicing for the games they play at PE. Not because he asked them to practice but because they enjoy his games so much they want to do better. My oldest daughter is currently a sophomore at Saint Ignatius. She attended St. Anne for 8th grade. She is still excited to visit and chit chat with friends and teachers.St. Anne is more than just an excellent school with high academic standards, it is a tight community with awesome teachers and staff.