Lycée Français de San Francisco (LFSF)
A World of Opportunities
Lycée Français de San Francisco is the only exclusively French immersion school in the Bay Area. We offer a unique opportunity for young children to learn about and share cultural and linguistic perspectives; to grow as curious, motivated learners; to become fluent French speakers and scholars; to thrive as tomorrow’s global citizens. Our program is based on the prestigious French national curriculum and is enriched by core college-preparatory courses taught in English. These dual credentials allow our students to distinguish themselves from their peers as they apply for admission to the finest colleges and universities in the world. Our NEW campus in Sausalito welcomes students in Pre-School – Grade 5, as does our San Francisco Lower School campus, while our San Francisco Upper School campus welcomes students Grades 6 – 12. Join us at one of our Open House tours starting September through January.
Contact: 415.661.5232
County: Marin
School City Sausalito
School Type Immersion, private, non-sectarian
Grades Pre-School – 5th Grade
Comments
Amazing school!
Posted by YieldSF on
We've have had our son at this school for four years now. He started in pre-school and is now in first grade. We love the curriculum and the diversity our son gets at this school. The new campus in Sausalito is great too. It's a true community and has a small campus feel. Class size is between 16 and 20. This campus starts at pre-school 1 (ages 2-3) and goes to 5th grade. Students can then take the bus to the Ortega campus for 6 - 12th grades. We love the French education our son is getting and are very happy with the school, the administration, and the faculty. The administration has been fairly consistent. Those who come from France are only legally allowed to stay for up to five years. The school director is fantastic and is in his third year. The new Head of School started this year and the previous one was there for several years so I'm not sure what the other reviewer is talking about. We love it and it's great for our family.
Ages 2-3
Posted by satva on
@ YieldSF - The Lycee admits ages 2.9 months and up.
Marin Non-French Speaking Family - Great Fit for Our Family
Posted by stylemaven on
We originally began with Lycee Francais when we were living in SF and would commute to the school when it was in Corte Madera. It has since moved to Sausalito.My daughter began in pre-kindergarten and is now in the upper elementary grades. Neither her father or I are native French speakers, I have a high-school level knowledge of the language which is very limited. We have now moved to Marin and are very pleased with the high standard of academics, the children are two years ahead of their public school counterparts at their current grade. The teachers who we are very pleased with take time and have not had any negative situations. We adore the head of school, as do all of the children - he has been there for a few years and is a positive part of the LFSF community. We also embrace the tight-knit community which includes a diverse array of nationalities and offers a wide view global perspective which is so important these days. We also love all of the inclusion of art, music, sports, and mindfulness into daily curriculums. It is also wonderful that our daughter will continue her education in this community thru high-school. Also if you have a had a chance to research the benefits of a bilingual education you'll be amazed. We love this Lycee Francais de San Francisco, the best decision for our child'd long term love of learning.
Love this school!
Posted by eunicejames on
We have one child in kindergarten at the Lycée Français de San Francisco Sausalito campus and are planning to send our two year old there next year. We absolutely love it - the teachers are warm and very effective. Our son speaks French fluently and has really benefited from the bilingual education and international community. He's super interested in the world around him and loves it so much that he comes home and practices his math, writing, drawing, and everything else he's been learning just for fun. This is exactly the type of love of education that we were hoping to instill in him from a young age.
The Sausalito campus is newly remodeled and gorgeous - we actually live in San Francisco, not 15 minutes walk from the Ashbury campus, but took a spot in Sausalito because that was what was available, thinking we'd lobby to come back once we were accepted into the school. We loved the Sausalito campus so much (the warm weather (the kids often eat lunch outside in the garden), the beautiful playground, the sunny classrooms and big soccer field, and the incredible teachers and staff) that we are choosing to keep him there as well as planning on sending our daughter there.
Anyway, I could go on and on - I can't say enough good things about our experience there. Our son is getting an amazing education, he's fully bilingual at 5, the teachers are so wonderful and the community is fantastic.
Amazing French school in Sausalito and San Francisco!
Posted by mdebelloy on
We love this school!! Our four children have been here for almost 3 years and every year has been great. Our children attend the beautiful Sausalito campus and one now takes the school-run bus into San Francisco. The teachers are fantastic and our principal is great. The school is highly international and all the children wind up speaking excellent French. There is a great community and we've made some of our best friends in the area among the other parents. We intend to stay all the way until high school!
Fantastic Multi-cultural School with a Bilingual education
Posted by HelenC on
For parents interested in a bilingual education, a multicultural experience, and a young learning program that teaches concrete skills through art and discovery, this school must not be missed.
Lycée Français de San Francisco moved a couple of years ago from its Corte Madera location to a wonderful campus in on Ebbtide St in Sausalito. Now we have a great playground, open to the public outside of school hours, a wonderful open layout, access to a gym, fields and tennis courts, and the sunny skies of southern Marin. The school caters to the whole student, with wonderful teachers who teach in their first language, as well as a full before and after school daycare program (730am-6pm!), activities varying from fencing to theater, school wide programs like Art and Tasting Week, Visiting Artists and Writers, and socio-emotional programs like Playworks that add the best of the American system to the French curriculum.
My family doesn't speak French, but my son (9) and daughter (10) certainly do! They absolutely LOVE their school, their international friends, their teachers, and they love to learn. My husband and I have no problem helping with their homework, and I love being a part of the parent community. Kids can start at LFSF as early as 2 years and 9 months, which is an amazing age for kids to start speaking a new language in this wonderful environment.
Visit the website lelycee.org for more information, or write Mathieu in admissions at admissions@lelycee.org.
An American Family at Le Lycée Francais in Marin
Posted by HickmanS on
It wasn't our original plan but due to the closing of the Tiburon campus of Ring Mountain Preschool, our daughter ended up attending Le Lycee Francais for Pre-K 2 and ever since then, she has been happily thriving in the most diverse student body in Southern Marin. The benefits of learning a second language are well documented. It's amazing how the children pick it right up! The Lycée has 3 campuses but the one in Marin (Nursery to 5th grade) is set in beautiful, sunny Sausalito. It has a wonderful new playground, great after-school activities and the current Director/Principal is fantastic (the best they've had). The teachers are excellent and the students have a very global sense of their world. Part of the mission of the school is to develop global citizens and that seems very apparent. Just off the top of my head, the families we spend time with hail from Spain, Canada, Mexico, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Colombia, Lebanon, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Switzerland, Brazil, various African nations and of course, France. Not sure we can find a more diverse community that that! Diplomats and international business professionals often place their kids in the Lycée to take advantage of the network of Lycée campuses around the world. The Lycée curriculum is consistent across all countries so the children never miss a beat when they transfer. Being a transplant from the city, I miss the diversity of San Francisco but while we are with our Lycée family, we enjoy the richness of the international community here and when we visit Lycée friends abroad.