Creative Arts Charter School

I just spent the morning watching my son's kindergarten class lead the CACS all-school meeting and I am once again filled with admiration for the wonderful, caring, and attentive staff, the engaged parents, and the passionate young students of CACS. This is our 4th year at CACS. My two children have very different learning styles, and both are thriving in this project-based, arts-integrated learning environment. We are watching the transformation of the middle school curriculum and are excited to see the strong math and science program that our science-minded girl will be entering. Weekly music, dance, and art throughout the school year are a big hit with my kindergartener. The school partnership with the Page St. Boys and Girls club means daily van pickup and dropoff to homework help and swimming lessons. My kinder, who doesn't go to the Boys and Girls Club yet, loves CACS's weekly on-site chess club after school. We are extremely satisfied with CACS and recommend it to anyone who wants to imbue their child's education with creative thinking, unique challenges, and joy.
—Submitted by a parent

I have 2 kids at CACS and have been at the school 7 years and couldn't be happier. The teachers, parents, board and director are working like a well oiled machine and the school has made great advances in its program over the last 3 years despite budget cuts and personnel changes. It feels like we have hit our stride. We even have 2 new positions on staff this year to oversee the arts and academics and I dare say we offer one of the best educational programs offered in San Francisco.
—Submitted by a parent

We have two children in this school (including K) and are impressed. After attending SFUSD first, we were lucky to get into a charter school and we won't ever go back. They teach our children how to be critical thinkers and they educate them to communicate with each other. Our director left due to family situation, not because he didn't believe in the school and I disagree that the academics have changed since his departure. The school has project based learning and that can't change overnight. Both of our kids teachers have a masters and love teaching.
—Submitted by a parent

As a kindergarten parent, we are thrilled with CACS. The teachers and staff are amazing. The responsive classroom allows the children to all work at their own level. They learn from a young age to be responsible for their own education. Most importantly, our daughter loves school!
—Submitted by a parent

Since the director quit at the beginning of this year, this school has really gone downhill academically.
—Submitted by a parent

was always a very well run school. Always hire very good teachers Now completely renovated.
—Submitted by a parent

Creative Arts Charter School offers a learning environment where every child is seen in all aspects of its personality and dedicated teachers really go out of their way to help every kid to live up to its potential. Moreover, it was the CACS-community that made us feel at home from the first day at school on. When we moved from Europe to San Francisco with three kids (entering K, 4th and 8th grade) the oldest spoke just a little English while the two younger ones did not speak the language at all. Now, after less then a year, they all thrive and meet the learning requirements of their age level. Our daughter and many of her fellow 8th graders got into some of the cities most competitive high schools. We couldn't have wished for a better school than this one!
—Submitted by a parent

Creative Arts has incredible middle school science and math classes. My son is doing high school level work and loving the challenge. The advanced math teacher is amazing, bringing years of real world experience to the students. Finally, San Francisco has a middle school that meets the needs of high achieving students.
—Submitted by a parent

Our family has been at Creative Arts since our 6th grader began Kindergarten and with two sons at the school now we couldn't be happier. The small school environment and whole-child approach means each of our sons is truly well known and nurtured. The school meets the needs of both our math- and science-oriented 6th grader who loves electronics, computer programming, and D&D and our 3rd grader who loves music and dreams of being a toy designer. The project-based teaching approach allows each child to focus their efforts where they're most passionate, making the learning experience more meaningful and helping them develop their individual sense of self. Teachers provide very personalized feedback through the report card process and are available to support the child and his or her family throughout the school year. The parent community believes in the school's mission and is actively involved in bringing it to fruition. And our director is a wonderful advocate for the use of creativity in learning as well as a thoughtful, deliberate leader. I couldn't imagine sending our children to another school. I am confident that each our our sons will be well-prepared for whatever life brings.
—Submitted by a parent

My son is a physically active and creative child who was sent to counselling and remedial classes in a generic public school when we first moved to San Francisco. Since he has entered CACS he is the top of his class in writing, excels in math , has lots of friends and is generally percieved as a well liked, high functioning child. CACS allows children with strong personalities and love of physical activity to excel instead of being marginalized and suppressed.
—Submitted by a parent

We were fortunate to have choices during the Kinder search last year, and we ended up getting in to a very traditional, high-performing SFUSD school and CACS. My husband and I both felt very connected to CACS from the moment we toured the school. All you have to do is experience the Community Meeting on Fridays mornings, and you will feel the sense of community and see the healthy confidence of the students. Kids are happy at CACS and thrive at our school because of the open arts- integrated curriculum. I'm amazed at how synergistic the programs are from their classroom teacher, to the art, dance, music and even the aftercare program...you can see the amount of effort that goes on behind the scenes to make sure that each child has the opportunity to learn core competencies through different modalities. And to top if off, this school encourages open communication and full flow of creativity and expression. I bet you can see why we chose CACS over the very traditional high API score school down the street. Research shows that arts-integrated and project-based programs encourage whole child development, and for us that made sense. Not to mention the happy feeling I got on my tour!
—Submitted by a parent

We came to CACS last year after stints in a private as well as a top SFUSD elementary school. Although we encountered wonderful educators and families in all schools, I feel we have finally found our home here at CACS. Our two children who are quite different are both thriving and their love of learning is nurtured every day. Our more academic child is continually challenged; our child with some learning differences is accepted and supported. We have been impressed with the caliber of teaching, the innovative curriculum and pleased to find that not only does CACS excel in the arts but also in math and science. CACS is truly a gem of a school!
—Submitted by a parent

Our middle school-er is thriving at CACS. If you are looking for an alternative option that is nurturing, challenging and safe for your child - come visit this school. The teachers are so dedicated and teach to the whole child - they teach every child, because every child learns differently. Kids graduate from this school with confidence, extremely high self esteem and ready to move on to high school. I am proud to be associated with such an incredible group of kids, parents, teachers and administrators.
—Submitted by a parent

This is our fourth year at Creative arts and I cannot imagine going anywhere else. I know how excited my daughter is going to school everyday, great community, support. I am the only parent and we are an adopted family multi racial and I never felt at odd at creative arts. I know my kids gets all the support she needs, socially, academically and so forth. remarkable faculty, no bullying, extremely creative environment, yet I know my child is getting what she needs academically
—Submitted by a parent

Both my son and I could not be happier since we transferred to the Creative Arts Charter School this year. He has transformed as child and is clearly more grounded, happy and growing as an individual. My son is a motivated student and this school has delivered both the academic enrichment he needs but also support in social development. It is a joyful, warm community and we are thrilled to be part of it. I think CACS is a gem in the city of SF.
—Submitted by a parent

If I could give none stars, I would. This school is a joke. My son went here for 3rd grade, and I pulled him out. Also few other kids got pulled out by their parents. He is so incredibly behind academically and guess what, I have NO art that he worked on at this school. I really felt like I wasted a year of my child's life, brain and education. He learned to do half work, that teachers don't read what he turned in and that he hates reading. He was bullied, with little to no intervention by the administration. I can't even explain how much of a disappointment this school is. Go somewhere else. We are in the Oakland Public School district now and its a VAST improvement.
—Submitted by a parent

Creative Arts is a wonderful school that achieves the delicate balance between a child-centered, developmentally appropriate approach to education and academic excellence. The arts are integrated into the school's approach to education, and students spend 3 hours a week in specific arts classes. In elementary school, students have dance, music, and visual arts every week, and in middle school students select from electives that could include art, guitar, piano, creative writing, dance, video, and others. The school also places a strong emphasis on promoting the social and emotional development of its students and creating a strong community and safe learning environment. We came to CACS 3 years ago in part because of our frustration with the heavy emphasis on worksheet-based learning that dominated our older son's experience in his SFUSD school. Our children are now in 3rd and 6th grades, and we couldn't have made a better choice. They get a good mix of project-based learning and fundamentals, and a level of individual attention that is inspiring. Next year CACS is expanding to include 2 kindergarten and 2 6th grade classes, so now is a good time to look at the school.
—Submitted by a parent

What a wonderfully unique, developmentally appropriate school. We couldn't be happier with the high academic rigor, safe environment, constructivist learning approach, social skill development and a very gifted team of teachers and administrators. What a gem!
—Submitted by a parent

My son just graduated last week and I am grateful for the wonderful education he received at CACS! He has grown in so many ways and our love of our CACS family will forever be in our hearts! Thanks to Maria J. "the most awesome teacher in the universe" and our new director Fernando for making our last year here so memorable!CACS rocks!!!!
—Submitted by a parent

the project based learned, the individualized attention, the size of the school, the wonderful community, the arts incorporated into the daily curriculum, the encouragement of original ideas, I could go on & on....
—Submitted by a parent