Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary School

We were initially apprehensive about starting a new school for our kid and about the public school system in San Francisco generally. We were pleasantly surprised and overall we are delighted. Our kid is very happy at school and comes home explaining all the exciting new things he did in school that day. Very dedicated teachers have many years of experience with very low turnover which you don't see in other public or private schools. More striking is the breath of enrichment activities outside of the classroom which keeps kids excited and involved, things like the outdoor garden classroom, school bunny rabbit, library, pe, frequent field trips, music, soccer and other parent-led teams. Parents are hyper-involved, with volunteers in the classrooms every day and very significant pta funding. The after school program is the best I've seen with a spot for every kid who wants it (fees apply), tons of organized group activities, play and snack time, and flexible scheduling. The facilities are amazing, rivaling the best private schools, with lots of outdoor space, new remodel/expansion and historic features. This is a BIG school but broken into two campuses so you get lots of resources and friends to play but not an overwhelming building or bureacuracy. This is also K-8 which brings continuity at a critical yet awkward time for pre-teens.

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Lilienthal. My children are thriving and love to go to school. There is an amazing parent community. And the teachers are fantastic.

Ideally its in a great location and from the outside looks beautiful but the foundation is crumbling. Current leadership is destroying a great staff. A as result staff is leaving, loosing motivation. Kids safety and security is in jeopardy.

My daughter started K this year, and we have two other kids who will follow her there. We are *thrilled*. A few things that stand out: the teaching staff is absolutely excellent (teacher organized a play date with all the families at the start of the year, she is constantly writing home and very involved with the families, the kids adore her, and my daughter is excited to read and do math); the administration is responsive, present, proactive and inspiring; the school resources are just remarkable, from a kiln to speech therapists to reading specialists to outdoor science instruction (with a dedicated science and garden teacher!); the physical facility is attractive and clean; the community is remarkably diverse, which is especially important to my family (my kids are black); after school program is just super (yoga, singing, ballet, lots of crafts, good snacks, warm care providers); parental involvement is outstanding (90% of parents in our class gave money, many are frequently in the classroom and helped with a maintenance day); community resources are very cool (two live theatre performances at a children's theatre, field trips to natural science and fine arts museums, etc.); discipline is warm and proactive and generally the community of families is inclusive and friendly. I am thrilled to be at this school and just so thankful it is nine years! I also really like that the K-2 campus is separate from the 3-8 -- it's nice to have a nurturing and small campus for the young kids. Thank you Claire Lilienthal.