Frequently Asked Questions

San Francisco Christian School was founded in September of 1971 by Jack McBirney, a former missionary to Newfoundland, Canada, who was burdened by the lack of Christian education in San Francisco. Since then SFC has reached not only local residents but also international students who require Form I-20s and F-1 student visas.

SFC is a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church of San Francisco. Though Calvary is a Baptist church, SFC is considered non-denominational. We focus on core Biblical doctrine without compromise and practical application in each student's life. Students are not required to be Christians to enroll; all SFC staff members have a testimony of faith in Christ, attend a Bible-believing church, and live a life sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

SFC is a KB–12 school with a kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school.

Our kindergarten program is divided into two classes. Kindergarten Beginnings (KB) is for four-year-olds, and Kindergarten is for five-year-olds.

A student must be four years old by December 1 of the academic year to enter Kindergarten Beginnings, and five years old by December 1 for Kindergarten. A student must also graduate before turning 20. If you're unsure whether your child exceeds this limit, contact the admissions office.

School begins promptly at 8:00 am and dismisses at 3:00 pm for all grades, Monday through Friday.

Quite possibly, and it is worth asking rather than assuming. We work with families on needs-based financial aid, and there are tuition discounts for clergy, military, SFC alumni, qualifying low-income families, and families with more than one child enrolled. KB–8th grade families can also apply to the BASIC Fund. The financial aid deadline for the 2027–28 school year is April 15, 2027. Every program, and how to apply for each, is on the financial aid page, or call the office and we will walk you through it.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Yes. Plan for uniforms, purchased from Simply Uniforms in Colma; school supplies; lunch, either brought from home or bought through the school lunch program; and field trips, which vary by grade and year. Athletics and music are the exception. Both are included in tuition, with no entrance or participation fees. Before-school care from 7:00 am is free; after-school care runs to 5:00 pm at $5 per hour or any portion of one. Application and enrollment fees are listed with the admissions steps. For current-year amounts, call the office.

The Admissions Process

Training students through appropriate discipline is an important part of the educational process. We interact with students personally through Biblical counseling and prayer, keep parents informed and work with them for solutions, and offer positive reinforcement when a student does right. Elementary students use a six-level "Ready to Learn" scale on their desks, moving up toward "Outstanding" or down through "Warning," "Timeout," "Principal," or "Parent Contact." Middle and high school use infractions for policy violations; every four infractions results in a detention, and repeated violations are treated more seriously.

Absolutely. Students do better when their parents are involved, so we highly encourage volunteering, whether that is driving and chaperoning field trips, helping with school events, or fundraising.

Before-school care begins as early as 7:00 am at no charge. After-school care runs until 5:00 pm and costs $5 per hour (or any portion), charged to a family's after-care account by usage, with no pre-registration or monthly plan required. Students can play in the supervised game room and gym or work on homework in the study room.

Students primarily use Alice Chalmers Park, the city park right behind our campus on the same block, with a playground for younger students plus basketball courts, tennis courts, and a baseball diamond.

The year has two semesters. Fall begins mid-August and ends mid-December before Christmas break; spring begins the first week of January and ends late May before Memorial Day.

Sycamore Education is our student information system for school news, homework assignments, grades, and communication with the office and teachers. Parents and students in grades 6–12 receive their own accounts.

Yes. Students must be in school uniform every school day unless instructed otherwise. Official uniforms are purchased from Simply Uniforms in Colma. There is no specific footwear policy; any closed-toed shoe is acceptable.

We emphasize Christian education that works for every student, drawing from several publishers rather than one. Our primary source is BJU Press, known for academic rigor and Biblical integration; we also use Abeka and Saxon Math.

We don't assign homework as busy work. Assignments refine skills, reinforce classroom concepts, and teach responsibility and time management. Most schoolwork can be completed in class; what remains typically takes no more than 20 minutes for elementary, an hour for middle school, and an hour to an hour and a half for high school.

Field trips are an important part of the educational process. Elementary trips have included Pastorino Farms, the fire station, the SF Zoo, the California Academy of Sciences, the SF Botanical Gardens, CuriOdyssey, Sacramento, Fort Point, San Bruno Mountain, and the Petaluma Wildlife and Natural Science Museum. Middle school trips have included Broadway shows, the Exploratorium, Giants games, Mussel Rock Park, and Great America. High school trips have included Broadway shows, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Salesforce Tower, and Wolf Mountain Camps.