Top 5 Schools in Pacific Heights

Nestled among the elegant dwellings and sweeping views of San Francisco's Pacific Heights, lies a collection of educational institutions that mirror the neighborhood's prestige and commitment to excellence. From historic schools steeped in tradition to innovative academies nurturing the leaders of tomorrow, Pacific Heights is not just a hub for opulence and scenic beauty, but also for top-tier education. Join us as we journey through the hallowed halls of some of the city's finest schools, offering a glimpse into the academic epicenter that thrives in this iconic enclave known as Pacific Heights.

Town School for Boys (K-8)

Founded in 1939, Town School for Boys, commonly referred to as "Town" is an all-boys’ school. Town provides a rich, challenging, and rigorous educational experience that addresses the distinctive energy levels and developmental styles of boys. Town values being a diverse and inclusive community that nurtures integrity, sensitivity, and respect in its boys, and prepares them to become productive and contributing members of an ever-changing world.

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Hamlin School (K-8)

Hamlin is an all-girls independent K-8 school in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood. They are the oldest non-sectarian school for girls in the western United States, serving approximately 440 students from dozens of zip codes throughout the Bay Area. This Pacific Heights school was founded over a century ago by Sarah Dix Hamlin, a visionary woman who was one of the first female graduates of the University of Michigan and fierce advocate for women’s rights. Sarah was determined to afford young women the educational opportunities which had previously only been available to young men, and to educate them to “meet the challenges of their time.” In 1896 she realized her dream by purchasing the Van Ness Seminary, which was officially renamed Miss Hamlin’s School for Girls in 1898. After 2 relocations, this all-girls school landed in Pacific Heights on Broadway. Girls at Hamlin School are taught to voice their ideas, questions, and opinions and to use their critical and creative thinking skills to transform their communities. Frequent opportunities for leadership and public speaking, competitive athletics and physical education, service learning, outdoor adventures, and the teaching of ethics and core values are integral to their program and complement the rigorous study of literature, history, mathematics, science, world languages, and the arts.

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Convent & Stuart Hall (K-12)

Convent and Stuart Hall are schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco located within the Pacific Heights neighborhood. They are an independent K-12 preparatory school in San Francisco rooted in the Sacred Heart tradition of Catholic education within a uniquely single-sex and coeducational environment. The Sacred Heart educators believe the integration of sense in all its forms – intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and physical – is foundational to teaching and learning. In addition, a developed interiority and a sense of purpose increase the capacity for education to take hold and be relevant. Convent & Stuart Hall believes in the unique power of educating girls and boys separately and together. The fundamental value in this paradoxical school structure is the lived experience of our students, as they see possibilities in themselves beyond social norms. 

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Drew School (9-12)

Drew knows and believes in teenagers and they engage each student in a process of intellectual discovery to develop an individual voice, the confidence to express it, and the empathy to understand its impact. Drew emphasizes understanding; not just the memorization of information for the sake of passing an exam. It is their belief that information delivered to a student that doesn’t seem to have relevance in the life of that student becomes quickly forgotten. 

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San Francisco University High School (9-12)

In response to a deeply felt need for an innovative, coeducational, independent secondary school in the Bay Area, San Francisco University High School was established by a youthful board of trustees and community activists in 1973. The school officially opened in September 1975 and graduated its first class in 1976. In 1978, school leadership founded Summerbridge (now Breakthrough Summerbridge), an award-winning, tuition-free, year-round, and summer-intensive academic enrichment and advocacy program for underserved middle school students. It was the original site and inspiration for the nationally-known Breakthrough Collaborative. San Francisco University High School in Pacific Heights believes that the deepest learning requires collaboration among people who embody a diversity of backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, and perspectives. In order to build and sustain a community that is comprised of a wide range of social and cultural identities, we must continually engage in furthering our self-knowledge, equity literacy, and ability to communicate effectively across differences. 

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