Bay at a Glance

Located in the Presidio of San Francisco, The Bay School was founded in 2004 to provide something truly groundbreaking.

 

The Bay School's academically challenging, innovative curriculum sets us apart from other high schools. Our students develop an adept intellect, integrity, self-knowledge, and an expansive approach to learning. They are more than just prepared for college: They are equipped to bravely approach the challenges of an unpredictable world.

$4.7
million in flexible tuition
30+
honors courses
2004
founding year
100+
middle schools represented
38
Immersive courses
414
students in 2024-25

Community Takes Us Further

The Bay School is organized around the principles of mindfulness, equity, and community. These values sustain us and allow us to go further in both our intellectual and personal development. We foster collaboration, human-centered problem solving, and an aspiration to live in relationship with one another. Community is more like a verb for us, practiced in Morning Meetings and in the many ways students engage with their peers and the staffulty. 


Our Home in the Presidio

In keeping with the Bay precept of living with kindness and honesty and being careful truth tellers, we acknowledge that the Bay School campus sits on the land of the Village of Yelamu, which is the traditional, unceded territory of the Ramaytush-speaking people, one of eight nations now referred to as Ohlone. The Bay Area was the site of trade, travel, gathering, and healing for more than a dozen Native tribes, many of whom continue to live and thrive here. We further acknowledge that colonization is ongoing and continues to adversely affect indigenous people here and around the world. The Bay School is committed to providing an education that works to dismantle ongoing legacies of settler colonialism by expanding our understanding of history; recognizing the hundreds of indigenous nations who continue to resist, live, and uphold their sacred relations across their lands; and considering how to repair historical and present harm.

Recent History

In 1776, the Presidio’s history as a military outpost began with the Spanish incursion and ended with its decommissioning by the US military in 1994, when it was transferred to the National Park Service.

Built in 1912 as army barracks, our building at 35 Keyes is a national historic landmark. It also once served as the home of the military’s School for Cooks and Bakers. The building was restored to create a home for The Bay School, which has received numerous architectural and environmental awards for its LEED-certified design.

Flickr album: Historical Images of The Presidio | Height: 450px | Theme: Justified | Skin: Default Skin

 

Our building and outdoor spaces are purposefully designed to bring us together. These include our Great Room, where we gather for Morning Meeting, our dining hall, and our courtyard. We are fortunate to be part of the vibrant Presidio community, which includes businesses, nonprofits, and foundations focused on the environment, arts and culture, science, technology, and global issues. Adjacent to the main building, the Bengier Project Center provides a carpentry and machine shop, additional art studio space, and the headquarters for our Senior Projects program. 

The history, natural features, and surrounding businesses of the Presidio provide an extended classroom and a deep well for discovery by our students. 


Where Do Students Go After Bay?

Our students' paths after Bay are as unique as the students themselves. Learn more about our college counseling program and read some profiles of alumni to find out who they've become after Bay.


Nondiscrimination Statement

The Bay School of San Francisco admits students of any sexual orientation or gender identity expression (SOGIE), race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, or ancestry to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of SOGIE, race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, or ancestry in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, flexible tuition programs, athletic programs, and any other school administered programs.