New Traditions Elementary School

New Traditions is a wonderful school. My child couldn't be happier going there and is learning so much. The school community staff and parents are warm and welcoming and dedicated to improving the school.
--Submitted by a parent

We love this little school! I have a 2nd grader and a kindergartener at this school and I have only seen the school improve over the years I have been there. The parent community is warm and inviting. The principal is a rock star (principal of the year!) - she keeps our test scores rising while maintaining the arts enrichment throughout the curriculum. The school is truly diverse by languages, ethnicity and family composition. I love that it is small and that we all know each other - it's like a small town school in the big city. My kids look forward to going to school every day and adore their teachers. We couldn't be happier.
--Submitted by a parent

I couldn't be happier with this school for our daughter! She started in kindergarten last year and is now a first grader and LOVES going to school every day. The school is small and really inclusive of everyone. She knows children in all grades and there is a real sense of community within the school - students, parents, teachers. There is significant parent involvement and the faculty and principal are really dedicated and involved in the school community. The best part is the arts focus! Every WEEK, my daughter has music, drama and art classes and there is a variety of after-school programs for a fee (Spanish, chess, drama, ceramics, piano). Fantastic school!
--Submitted by a parent

New Traditions Alternative Arts School has been a great school for our daughter and our family. Our daughter is thriving in her education, social skills and artistic expressions. Our family has found the school to be welcoming and appreciative of parent involvement. The teachers and administrators are dedicated to the school and the community. We love that the school is small but rich in socio-economic and racial diversity-- as well as inclusive of children with learning and physical disabilities. All of the children participate in visual and performing arts. There are exciting changes underway as the school is beginning a 'greening' process and turning part of its blacktop playground into garden areas. The school is located in a quiet neighborhood near Golden Gate Park, just north of the panhandle.
--Submitted by a parent

NT is a small friendly clean school with a strong arts focus. Everyone in the school knows our kid by name. Our kindergarten teacher is very dedicated. He has a very organized way for parents to volunteer and at least 4 parents volunteer once a week. We ve had many fieldtrips both thru the class and informally afterschool. We really like the art program, you'll notice that the art projects of all the kids are very good. (Which I take to mean they are really teaching) After school my kid is booked up with classes that she loves (Chess, Ceramics, Drama, Piano). Works out well too since I just need to pick her up an hour later. No one group is more than 1/3 of the school, so it has lots of diversity without having a dominate group. Most importantly my kid is excited to go to school every morning.
--Submitted by a parent

New Traditions is a special place. Its small size (160 kids) and truly diverse population (one-third caucasion, one-third African-American, one-third Asian/Hispanic) make it unique in San Francisco. We love the late schedule; it starts at 9:30 which makes for relatively mellow mornings. It's full of interesting, artsy, progressive, engaged parents. The teachers are outstanding and because of the small size the teachers know most of the kids, not just the ones in their class. It makes for a very comfortable and warm environment. Art and music education are important to us and New Traditions has really delivered. My child is very happy and is doing great academically. So many places say this, but it truly is ' a hidden gem of a school.'
--Submitted by a parent

I really can't say enough great things about this school. My daughter is in 4th grade and we've moved around a lot, so this is her fourth school but she's doing great. She s very bright and creative and is flourishing here much more so than in the strict academic high-test score public school that she attended a couple of years ago. She is in GATE (the gifted program), studies drama, dance, violin and visual art, adores her teacher and her classmates, and is getting a solid academic education. The class sizes are small, the principal and teachers dedicated, and the parental and community involvement is the best I've seen. My only wish is that the school had more funding, but that can be said of any small public school in the city. I'd highly recommend New Traditions to anyone looking for a great community arts school for their child!
--Submitted by a parent

New Traditions is a beautifully diverse school rich in different cultures and well traveled parents. It lives and breaths the old saying 'it takes a village' with it's community and hard working families, teachers and on site YMCA program. The principal has an open door policy to her office and works hand in hand with the PTA to support the school. The PTA is strong and passionate and funds a beautiful art program (which, by the way, has a kiln). You can find the San Francisco Ballet teaching within the walls of New Traditions as well as The Conservatory of Theater. This old school is equipped with two pianos and an amazing vintage stage that is used daily for arts education. The teachers are happy, knowledgeable and caring and go out of their way for their students and parents.
--Submitted by a parent

Both of my daughters attended New Traditions their entire K-5 years. They have both received an excellent education (and also scored very well) in a atmosphere that celebrates diversity and the arts. The principal is now working very well with the students and faculty after a difficult start. It is a small school and very diverse and that may not make it for everyone - but if you value involvement and community it is an excellent choice.
--Submitted by a parent

New Traditions is a small school with a diverse student body and caring, supportive teachers and after-care staff. What makes it exceptional is the focus on arts in the curriculum. There is a strong core of dedicated parents who in addition to fund-raising for the arts also volunteer time in the school. It has a welcoming atmosphere.
--Submitted by a parent