Proof School

San Francisco
Private School
Language(s):
English
Grades:
6-12
Capacity:
180 students
Email:
info [at] proofschool.org
Phone:
415-426-5700
Address:
973 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

Proof School is a grade 6-12 independent school in San Francisco, offering a transformative liberal arts education for kids who love math.

Parent Q&A

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  • Reviews of Proof School

    Feb 2, 2021

    I looked and the reviews are all a few years old. I am wondering if anyone sends their child to Proof school in San Francisco on the BART train? Do you like the school? Do they give a lot of homework? How did your middle schooler settle in? Is it a supportive community for the younger kids? I have a boy who is very into math and think it could be a good fit but would like a little more current feedback on the school. Thanks!

    No responses received.

  • I am wondering if anyone has current feedback on the Proof School in SF for an incoming 6th grader. I have a somewhat introverted kid who might not thrive at our large local middle school. He is bright, but has ADD inattentive type-- I worry he could get lost in the shuffle.  He does well in math and I wonder if Proof might be a good fit.  I have questions about the program in general, and also how it works for kids coming in from Oakland/Berkeley. Thanks.  

    Hi,

    I have a 7th grader at Proof and live in Berkeley. This is my son's second year there and he couldn't be happier. My son does love math, but he is also passionate about other subjects...and I think this is true for a lot of kids at the school. He takes BART to and from school each day. He commutes with other kids that attend Proof. A teacher meets them at the BART station in SF. The commute hasn't been a problem for him as he enjoys the time with his friends. Please contact me with any questions. I highly recommend you visit the school. 

    Our son transferred to Proof in 8th grade, after two not-so-great year’s at our local Oakland public school. He, too, is an introverted, bright kid. He has thrived at Proof. He truly found his tribe there. It’s been a place where he can love learning and be challenged, as well as just be his quirky self. The commute from Oakland has also turned out to be a good thing, because it’s given him some responsibility and independence. For us, it has been one of the best decisions we’ve made. If you’re interested, I would definitely encourage you to check out one of the information sessions. 

    Proof school is a small school and quiet kids will find good community support. As for ADD, the class size is small and there are a lot of discussion/experiments/hands on work, less lecture, so should be easier to stay engaged. The classes are long though, (1.5hrs--with a break, I believe, and 2.5 hours for math (with a break)), so if a kid needs to change topics every 45 minutes to keep interested, that might be a drawback.

    We do not commute from Oakland, but a number of students do via both BART and the TransBay bus. Since there are a number of East Bay families, most likely, your son can meet up with someone for the commute.

    If you have other questions, feel free to PM me.

Parent Reviews

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People were asking for more current reviews and I see there were no replies.  My son has been at Proof since 6th grade and is now a 10th grader.  There is literally nowhere else we can imagine him going to school.  The combination of academic rigor, tight knit and welcoming community and individual attention is nothing short of remarkable.  The work the kids are doing there is amazing.  It turns out that if you put a group of motivated children together and remove obstacles rather than placing them, you can achieve extraordinary results.  Emphasis is not so much on accelerated learning as on collaboration and scientific rigor.  

I suggest checking out The Academy in Berkeley and if your son really likes math the Proof School in San Francisco. I have children at both schools. The Academy is a small school, but very academically oriented. I feel my child is getting an excellent education there.  Proof School is also excellent school with a math emphasis....They also have strong science and computer science classes. Many kids at Proof School live in Berkeley and commute on BART. If your son really enjoys math, I would suggest visiting. I've also heard good things about Black Pine Circle. 

This wonderful school does itself a disservice by the tagline: for kids who love math.  It is true that the school has an emphasis on mathematical competence, and if you have a "pure math" kid, it is essentially your only choice - not just in the Bay Area, but anywhere in the US as far as I am aware.  It is also true, however, that the true orientation of the school is simply toward kids who love to learn.  My son, for example, loves history much more than math, and would not want to go to any other school.  Anywhere.  Period.