Children who thrive at PKS are bright, curious and open minded; enjoy exploration, observation, discovery; and are inquisitive, enthusiastic, and flexible. They are excited to make meaning for themselves, can work independently, and also embrace interacting and collaborating with other children and adults. While many of our children come to us at a very young age, in P1 and P2, their parents can already see a spark of some of these traits. Students who join us at later entry points are growing more into themselves and we see indications of their being able to thrive in the PKS approach to education.

While the combination of inquiry-based learning with a bilingual environment is extremely stimulating to young minds, and can be a cognitive challenge, our Reggio Emilia and Project Based Learning approach, and low student/teacher ratio, allows us to engage students of different learning styles and interest levels.

The parent partnership is especially important, as we hope to collaborate with families over their many years at PKS; this means alignment on the priorities of progressive education and the values of cultural competency and language immersion.

Our largest entry points tend to be P1, P2, Kindergarten, and Middle School; however, we are able to consider children at all grades. The number of spaces available in a given grade, in any given year, depends on a wide variety of factors and can change from year to year, and grade to grade, so we encourage families to reach out to us and to apply if PKS seems like a great fit for your child and family!

Through our application process, we will get to know your family as a whole, but will also ensure that we get to know each child individually. We often have twins or siblings at different ages join us in the same year, so don’t be discouraged if you are applying for more than one space.

As one of PKS’s greatest strengths is our community, we strive to be a school for the whole family, and we delight in meeting our students’ siblings! We also want to ensure that every student will thrive at PKS, so siblings do go through an application process in order for us to get to know each child. We offer a priority admissions process for siblings of current students, as well as for children of faculty/staff, which takes place in advance of our admissions process for new families. Families submitting priority applications will receive an admissions decision typically in late December, with enrollment contracts in February.

Our preschool teachers support P1 children and their families with potty training and can accommodate pre-potty trained children. Our expectation is that P2 and P3 children should be potty trained.

We understand what a big undertaking a move is, and how important it is to find community for your family in a new city. We are typically able to complete our application process virtually for families who aren’t local and cannot make our events in person. If you have a scouting trip at a time that doesn’t coincide with an existing tour, we will do our best to arrange a personal visit. For families moving to San Francisco from an education system that may not line up with our ages/grades as listed, our team will consult with you about the appropriate grade and transition for your child(ren). Please reach out to us at pks.admissions@presidioknolls.org, so we can support your family individually.

We offer a “full immersion” program that encourages students to use Mandarin for authentic and immediate purposes every day. In preschool, students spend 100% of learning time immersed in Mandarin, developing into proficient speakers and listeners through their classroom interactions. In elementary school, Mandarin comprises about 80% of academic time; elementary homerooms use Mandarin for the bulk of the day, including for math, while students have a daily focused English class with a dedicated English teacher. Specialist classes in elementary grades are taught in English or Mandarin, depending on the language of the specialist. In middle school, approximately 50% of academic time is in Mandarin. Along with the English class block each day, middle school math is taught in English, and most interdisciplinary project work integrates both English and Mandarin. Electives are offered in both languages. In addition to classroom work, we incorporate authentic opportunities for students of all ages to use their Mandarin in the real world, whether with visiting experts in the classroom, on local field trips within San Francisco, or in our in-depth project work in Taiwan or China.

As with our mother tongue, we make meaning and learn language in context and through everyday use. Children do not need to know every word they hear in order to understand and communicate. By observing and interacting in an environment that immerses them in Mandarin - with play, movement, song, art, project work, and field trips - our preschool and kindergarten students build meaning and learn vocabulary from context. Our teachers are particularly skilled at modifying their language use to extend learning for beginners through native speakers, and they use a variety of verbal and nonverbal communication techniques to facilitate understanding. Teachers adjust their strategies to the individual level and learning style of each child as the child’s language skills progress. As students enter elementary school, the use of Mandarin expands verbally, as well as in reading/writing - through language learning in context, as well as through dedicated Mandarin literacy instruction. All these aspects of language learning continue throughout our program and into middle school.

Your child will certainly be challenged in Mandarin - spending the academic day in Mandarin requires a deep dive into specialized vocabulary for various subject areas, as does the ability to do math and research, to collaborate with peers, and to present verbally and in writing. Like native English speaking students who still learn to do these things in English, native Mandarin speaking students still have much to explore and learn. In addition to learning these mindsets and skill sets, students are challenged to be immersed authentically in Mandarin, not only through a language lens, but a cultural and global perspective as well.

We have many students at PKS who speak a language other than Mandarin or English at home, and who are thriving in the program. For most of these children, there will be minimal impact on the ultimate development of their proficiency in English or Mandarin. All the data we have shows that students with multiple languages generally show a cognitive and academic advantage over their monolingual peers. Since many of the skills learned in one language may be transferred to the learning of another, speaking a third language at home can actually help develop skills in both English and Mandarin for our students. While in their very youngest years, these students may need a bit more time to speak confidently in all three languages, there are clear cognitive and academic advantages for most learners over the long term.

Research nationally on immersion programs shows that in the long term, students in immersion programs outperform peers in their English skills, all while also gaining fluency in another language. That same research shows that there can be a lag in the early elementary years, as students’ brains work to consolidate their learning in multiple languages, but that they catch up and even surpass monolingual peers in their English skills, starting around 4th grade. PKS has a dedicated English program, with focused daily instruction beginning in kindergarten, and an English Lead who considers our students’ English learning holistically across the program, ensuring a scaffolded and connected curriculum from kindergarten through graduation. We regularly assess our students’ English skills and they track well with students in monolingual schools – quite amazing given the depth of learning in Mandarin!

A majority of our families don’t speak Mandarin at home! In fact some of our most fluent graduates come from families with zero home support. Parents are not expected to help with homework, whether in Chinese, English, math or otherwise. Progressive pedagogy cultivates and values independence in children, so we encourage our students to take pride in working through homework and projects on their own, especially as they get into the upper grades. As with in-class work, teachers encourage students to develop self-awareness about when things may feel particularly challenging, and to seek help or share questions; this both cultivates students’ habits of self-advocacy and persistence, and helps inform teachers about their own instruction in the classroom. We appreciate how much parents want to be involved. You are encouraged, of course, to support your child to develop good habits, to ask your children good questions, encourage them to advocate for themselves, and through the elementary years, to read with them.

It is important to remember that PKS students take tests, write essays, and learn to master all of the basics of traditional schooling. To some extent, we consider this the “easy” stuff, and PKS alumni are thriving in schools that emphasize traditional metrics. We demand so much more! Our alumni report feeling very well prepared for high school with specific reference to the 21st century skills we emphasize: they are trained to be independent, to think critically, to plan for the long term, to be savvy in groups, and to know how to find answers.

Learning might look a little different at PKS and that’s because it is. While most families are used to seeing letter grades for individual subjects, PKS teachers are constantly thinking about the whole child and incorporating that into their everyday social and learning experience. This is why our learning is done through interdisciplinary projects that connect all they have learned! Our program starts with a Reggio Emilia inspired preschool, which flows naturally into Project Based Learning in elementary and middle school.

In preschool, our expert teachers build projects based on observing what children are keenly interested in, and expanding upon those interests and going deeply into a topic. Each class, each year, each project will be different depending on the cohort of students, and projects may span greater periods of time as children dig deep and begin learning in an interdisciplinary format. As students transition into elementary and middle school, their Units of Exploration are set and designed to integrate research-based standards, using national and international curricular benchmarks as reference. Projects promote more and more independent student inquiry in older grades, with middle schoolers choosing concentrations for their projects during the PKS Travels program, and even having the opportunity to choose a passion project during the Wonder Works Unit. They also have the chance to produce projects for external, Mandarin-speaking clients during the Sustainable Housing Unit, building on all of the skills they have been developing such as authentic use of their Mandarin language skills, managing time and tasks, creative problem solving, and more.

The PKS math program is joyful, rigorous, and one-of-a-kind! Students learn math in Chinese through 4th grade. This foundation gives them an incredibly unique mental map of mathematical concepts that confer lifelong advantages as a mathematical thinker (see interesting studies here and here). The program for younger students is hands-on and based on wonder, exploration, invention, and conversation, with the ultimate goal of developing deep mathematical thinking and understanding, and not just computational speed or fluency. Students are honored for finding efficient or creative solutions and for asking unexpected questions rather than simply “knowing” the correct answer. Throughout our gradually enlarging spiral curriculum, teachers build upon prior knowledge while using problem-solving approaches to meet students where they are and to deepen their thinking and understanding. By 7th grade, students can choose to enter a “compressed” math class (the “passion” track) or stay in our standard class. The compressed curriculum allows students to enter high school trigonometry or pre-calculus classes. The standard curriculum allows all PKS students to complete Algebra I.

PKS engages our students intellectually, creatively, and physically. In preschool, physical movement and creative opportunities abound as part of the school day; in elementary school students have music, visual and maker arts, and PE/movement classes; and in middle school students choose from various elective offerings that might range from studio art, drama, and poetry, to geocaching, yoga, and super sports. Students also have the opportunity to play in a variety of league sports. We produce an annual spring play with multiple roles both on- and off-stage for middle schoolers. Whether it is through our daily connected curriculum or supplemental opportunities, we ensure that our students have access to grow in every direction.

We offer extended care for all grades, preschool through middle school, which includes supervised time for indoor or outdoor free play, time for snack, as well as middle school study hall. In addition, we provide a broad range of opt-in after school enrichment and club options, in both English and Chinese. Enrichment classes are taught by PKS faculty or trusted partners. Read more in Auxiliary Programs.

PKS embraces all types of learners. We aim to respond to individual students’ learning profiles, which may include social/emotional and/or academic needs, in collaboration with our Learning Specialist and Wellness Team. The bilingual, project-and inquiry-based nature of the PKS program can be challenging. If additional scaffolding would be beneficial, students may receive support at school or we may refer families for outside services and/or tutoring. In some cases, based on when it's best suited to the student's needs, we partner with our families in exploring other school settings that may better match their child’s learning style.

We believe there is both an art and a science to assessment, and that growth in children is non-linear. Teachers at PKS assess students frequently in a variety of ways, from 1:1 check-ins, to rubrics, to tests and quizzes, to marginalia on their essays. We are a feedback-rich program, and believe communicating clearly and directly with students about their work is the best way to help them grow. In addition to internal assessments, we gather data on mathematics and English learning through MAP testing (done twice a year from grades 3-6). We also use ACTFL proficiency standards to measure student progress (with ELLOPA and OPI testing for oral Chinese, and running records tests for reading and writing). The goal of assessment is to ensure that every student is presented with just-right challenges and all learners are kept at their growth edge.

While students get regular and ongoing feedback, parents also have conferences with their child’s teacher twice yearly. Our assessment and feedback practices allow us to transition, starting in 5th grade, to “student-led” conferences with students, their parent(s) and their advisor. Our programs culminate with students developing the ability to self-assess with honesty and confidence, and show their parents detailed examples of their work. They celebrate successes and name areas for growth.

We cherish our culture of engagement and contribution and rely on the generosity of the PKS community for the gifts of time volunteered in the classroom and in our community; expertise shared with students, staff, and faculty; and financial contributions to sustain and strengthen our school.

There are numerous opportunities to meet, connect, volunteer, contribute, organize, cheer on, and strengthen our school in ways that enrich the student learning experience, foster family connections, create impact and joy, and sustain our diverse and inclusive community. The wide variety of ways to get involved ensures that there should be options that match your interests, skills, and schedule. Some examples include being a Room Parent, acting as a visiting expert, joining a parent committee, leading a parent interest or affinity group, or even helping with a PKS tradition such as the SF Chinese New Year Parade! The Parent Association helps coordinate many of the events, committees, and affinity groups, and all families are welcome to participate.