Synergy Elementary School

This is an excellent school for your child. The teacher's care. You can call them on the phone. They want you to be in the classroom. The school feels like a community. Someone on this board had an issue with Fundrasing. The bottom line is that EVERY private school will make you fund raise. Expect that it's part of every school and mandatory. We were only this this school and then moved the the suburbs. If you can afford it go for it! This is a gem of a school!
--Submitted by a parent

I am still a parent here and I have to say that I am slowly losing confidence in this school. We have been here quite a few years but I find myself less happy each year. Some of the teachers are great and some are fairly mediocre. I receive emails from the teachers with numerous spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. The teachers seem to give the more outgoing children more attention (say larger roles in plays and things of that sort) and let the shy children languish. They constantly nickle and dime the parents (if they want another two thousand dollars from us, just put it in the tuition rather than asking for it under the guise of DONATIONS or FUNDRAISING.) Obviously, if I ask friends for money for our fundraising event, they are just going to ask ME when it's time for their kids. Just tack it on to my bill and be done with it. I feel like the academics are lacking, the sports disorganized, and the arts hit or miss. At one time, they had a really good art instructer but she left several years ago. The music program is decent but the person running doesn't seem to like children particularly. The drama is poor in the lower grades, and hit or miss in the upper grades.
--Submitted by a parent

This is our 5th year at Synergy. They have been very supportive to my family, and having before- and after-school services onsite (for an additional fee) has been a lifesaver. The diversity of families and teachers, along with the supportive, bully-free atmosphere is phenomenal and aids my child's academic development along with his socio-emotional growth. It seems that most other schools in SF, whether public or private, suffer from de facto segregation. At Synergy there are students and teachers of all ethnicities, and a plenty of LGBTQ families as well. Synergy is the only school I've discovered in the City that actually reflects the City's diversity. Be warned: as a parent you are REQUIRED to participate in many ways. This is a great policy, but challenging at times. Like many of the families, we take advantage of their generous financial aid package. Academically, my work in other elementary schools in the city has shown me that my child's curriculum thus far has been more rigorous than the classrooms I have observed. Additionally, the team taught K-3 provides the students with the extra attention kids need to learn well.
--Submitted by a parent

Synergy has been a wonderful place for our child and our family. I always feel like I am walking into a big, warm, cozy house when I walk into the school. The academics are truly great - my child is stimulated, loves school, and is challenged. The teachers are masters of their craft - I marvel at their creativity, kindness, and cohesiveness. Choosing Synergy was one of the best decisions we have ever made.
--Submitted by a parent

Synergy is like one big family. Its such a happy place. Usually extra activities happen outside of the normal school day, at Synergy they include everything such as music, drama and art in the normal school day.
--Submitted by a parent

Very welcoming! My fifth grader is looking forward to a year of academic, social, and emotional growth at Synergy. We feel very fortunate that he got in.
--Submitted by a parent

We have three children 1 high schooler, 1 middle schooler and 1 in Kindergarten. Two are currently attending Synergy. Synergy has worked with our income so we can afford it, and the kids love it.
--Submitted by a parent

Great school with a engaged and dynamic teachers. We've had three of our kids here (two presently) and the quality of education and the strong community involvement is what makes this K-8 school terrific.
--Submitted by a parent

A great small school with a wonderful summer program available to all. Engaged, diverse parent and teacher community with music and art integrated into their curriculum. Classes are combined and the overall student population is small so it may not be suitable for all middle school students.
--Submitted by a parent

Some parent absolutely love this school. We went for a year and, although the staff is earnest, found it an odd combination of open-minded, left-wing, open classroom and strident and single-minded. This didn't work for our child or family. Our child needed kept being reprimanded in ways he didn't understand (for a kindergartener). They have a strict discipline code: if a child doesn't follow rules in any way, his behavior is written down and if it happens a few times, he's put on 'contract.' We found the communication between parents and staff frustrating: They would listen to your comments but be inflexible in terms of change.
--Submitted by a parent