Sunset Elementary School

Sunset is a terrific school -- one of it's biggest strengths is it's sense of community. Add that to great academics and a lovely campus and you really can't lose!
--Submitted by a parent

Our son has recently started Kindergarten, and we are thrilled. Sunset has been nicely renovated, has ocean views, a green schoolyard project underway, and will likely feed students into AP Giannini Middle...which is next to the school. A new public library and playground are being built adjacent to the school. Very safe, increasingly diverse, excellent test scores, great extracurriculars, fantastic principal, engaged teachers, and an active PTA. So many great schools in the Sunset District...if you are planning on moving out of the city for schools...stay in SF and check out the Sunset.
--Submitted by a parent

I cannot not say enough good things about our school, Sunset Elementary. Our family is thriving here. We have a remarkable and committed Principal combined with an innovative and energized PTA in a lovely site. I especially appreciate the way the PTA makes efforts to make sure that all members of the community are invited and included in activities.
--Submitted by a parent

My son attended this wonderful school for six years. He is autistic and was placed in the school inclusion program. I am so grateful for all the support from the dedicated teachers, paras, school principal, and the whole Sunset community. You made my son's life so much easier. I would not trade Sunset to any other school.
--Submitted by a parent

You will not find a more inclusive, fun, vibrant, creative, diverse and dedicated school community in SF. We have PTA sponsored movie nights, garden work days, a Spring time Carnival, enrichment classes right after school, and caring teachers who deliver day in and day out. Ms. Lee, the principal, wears many hats, but has the magic touch in building a learning community where parents are active partners. The campus has undergone an ADA retrofit and is in the midst of a Greening Schoolyard Project. The PTA has stepped up Big Time in the last 4 years. My kids love this place!
--Submitted by a parent

I didn't expect how fantastic this school was. Sunset Elementary is definitely a school with mission and passion. The principal, Ms Sophie Lee, is awesome. She understands the students and the parents and strives the school to become a second home for the students. Teachers are welcoming and teach with a heart. The program is rigorus yet creative therefore the students have fun while learning. Impressive PTA and parent involvement. When you go to the office, you always see parent volunteers there helping cheerfully. I can't expect a better school than Sunset Elementary School. Thank you!
--Submitted by a parent

Sunset Elementary is indeed a hidden gem in SFUSD. We transferred our 1st grader and 3rd grader to Sunset at the beginning of the 2007-08 school year and couldn't be happier. The community at the school is truly welcoming and it's apparent that everyone works hard to provide additional resources such as dance, rhythms, outdoor science and other enrichment courses for all of our students. Principal Sophie Lee is a great communicator and knows how to effectively bring parents, teachers and community resources to the school, and the kids love her! If you are looking for a warm caring community with lots of great enrichment programs for a well-rounded education, put Sunset Elementary on your top 7 list.
--Submitted by a parent

My son is a third grader at Sunset Elementary and we have had a wonderful experience with the school. The teachers are great and the principal is amazing. Sunset offers very strong core classes, but also provides a large variety of enrichment including: dance, theater, music, art, environmental education, and physical education. The PTA has become extremely active over the years and the PTA has funded a play structure, PE enrichment, a garden coordinator and a technology coordinator. Sunset Elementary provides a wonderful community and an enriching learning environment for our son.
--Submitted by a parent

Sunset is an absolute gem. Hidden in the Sunset District near the ocean, the school is growing at an incredible rate. There's a thriving garden, an active PTA, a parking lot, and a new play structure coming soon (funds raised by the PTA, principal, and parents) and a variety of after school classes and an after school YMCA program. My daughter started kindergarten this year and is thriving. She can read, write, add, subtract, and has developed advanced social skills. The curriculum is comprehensive, and does not seem to focus on one subject over another. My daughter was exposed to a variety of activities as part of the kindergarten curriculum: dance, music, PE, weekly library visits, reading buddies, and much more. In addition, she took Mandarin Chinese after school and participated in the after school Science classes. Needless to say, we're extremely pleased.
--Submitted by a parent

Sunset Elementary School is a jewel of a school, for many reasons. The principal is outstanding, respected by teachers, the parents, and the students alike. She greets students by name in the hallway and always has time to meet with parents and the PTA. The PTA is an absolute powerhouse, with a strong drive to raise funds for this small, up-and-coming school. The student body is extremely diverse, without a single group dominating the population, and teaching staff encourages the students to learn from each other's cultures. The school has a wide variety of high quality after school programs, both for students who require care unitl 5pm and also for parents who want an extra academic class for an hour or so. I believe we are a strong community in part because this is a relatively new and small school, all working to maximize the students learning experience.
--Submitted by Jennifer Murphy, a parent