Katherine Michiels School4529

My daughter attended a small daycare, and large preschool, and now Katherine Michiels School for Kinder. She will stay here for elementary school. I also teach preschool at a different location. I find it to be peaceful. The child to teacher ratio is terrific, and the only children who are "independent" are the oldest elementarry students. It's a large house with a family feeling. No one is unsupervised ever. There is structure and safety measures put in place. One complaint (and we all know that one high maintenance parent, bless there heart) and a license is looked at. There are no safety issues here. I spend a lot of volulnteer time at Katherine Michiels School. My daughter, who isn't fond of chaos and noise, is comfortable and confident in her suroundings. She's also learning above and beyond my expectations, and has incredible extra curricular activities that helps her thrive. She loves going to school. I love the community.

A fantastic two year Kindergarten that allows kids to learn through experience, and have more time to build, do art, learn spanish and stretch their legs. My daughter is teaching herself how to read and write at 5, without sitting in a public school circle with Alpha Pals. They are expanding upper elementary. I'd look here if you want a school that understands how to really teach children. And, it's the most affordable private school in SF.

I am currently a Lowell student in my Freshman year. Personally, I will never forget my experiences at KMS, because without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. KMS helps children in many aspects, and though they may not be what you as a parent would want, the child's future does not depend only on school education. KMS not only teaches school basics (math, science, etc.), but kids also learn great social skills, and, most important of all, learn how to enjoy being a kid!

I was a staff member at KMS--and now that I am looking for preschools for my child, I happened upon KMS on this site. I laughed at all the postings...sounds like nothing has changed much--always drama and camps--in my opinion KMs has some sound attributes--a stellar place--no--some exceptional teachers--yes--I would name Randall one--but really they are hiring from the same pool of ECE teachers, so to make the claims that they do is a bit ridiculous--I say KMS just be real, transparent, and open to those that don't always agree with you. Be educators above all else and regain some of your well-intentioned assets.

I too used this site to research KMS and was a bit bothered by the postings... but I called anyway. Close to home, kids seemed happy. etc. SO I chose to make my own decision. Even after I chatted with a BITTER ex-teacher. I met with Maria Luna for a tour of the school. On that tour, I felt the positives of KMS. When we walked into the "Pink" Group classroom, all the kids were playing and having a great time. So much so, that my 2 year old stayed there and we carried on with the tour. I can not say enough positives about this school. Go and see for your self. Don't let these negative people affect where your child will be able to be a kid. I toured so many schools and honestly... this is it. My daughters favorite thing is "Dirt Mountain" she comes home filthy, but the dirtier she is... the more I know they just let her be a kid. They have a great out door area for free play. They cook fresh ,organic, vegetarian meals, garden, play and love the kids. They teach them to care for each other as well. The older kids are often helping the younger ones and I see so many smiles each day. As far as chaos... they're kids... of course there will be a bit of Chaos. I fear the schools that don't have a little cuz they may be hiding something. If you want that kind of structure, there are plenty of strict, formatted schools to choose from. And to all at KMS.... Don't let them kill the spirit you are providing and keep up the outstanding work. I leave my child knowing I can talk to anyone there and do. They may take a bit to get back to you but hey... their focus is on the children. Go and take a tour, open up your own mind. No harm in a visit!

My experience as a director/teacher at Katherine Michiels School is priceless. I’m really proud to be a part of the KMS community. This is my second home! I would like to join my collegue, Randall Johnson, in saying I would be glad to talk to the former staff member who has posted comments here. When I read the posted date 5/30 from the former member I am so sad to be informed that the site was used for unhealthy entries especially when all the topics are schools, which means, “education”. I encourage you to please learn more about Katherine Michiels School. I would love to share with you that KMS doors are always open to all. We are about teaching, nurturing and providing quality education to children in a safe multi-ethnic environment. We believe that having an open door is as important as having an open mind. We are happy to listen and dialogue with parents and staff to address their concerns. We value having direct face to face dialogue and find it more helpful in addressing issues and concerns. We stand behind our policies and our commitment to each family in the KMS community. We recognize that there are occasions where our philosophies are incompatible with others. But we still value the importance of open communication. Please come and visit us at the Katherine Michiels School. Truly yours, KMS Director

I too am looking at KMS for my child, and a little concerned about their license being on probation and the complaints about lack of supervision. I would appreciate some more comments from present and former parents of KMS students. Thank you.

I heard both good and bad things about KMS, but I never really understood what the bad things are about. In what way is the safety poor? And what are the bad things "going on inside"? How caotic is the caos? And isn't the teacher-child ratio they claim in their program correct? Greatful for straight answers!

Just yesterday as I was leaving my very last college class before graduation I thought back on KMS, one of my first education experiences. It seems crazy that a school I attended from Kindergarden until second grade has had such a longstanding and positive influence on my life. Even when I left KMS, I have kept a relationship with the school and it's staff. I would hope that every childs first school experience was as great as mine was.

I went to KMS when I was little. This was many many years ago, yet the vibe and even much of the staff is the same as it was when I was a kid. When I attending KMS I was treated with respect. KMS strives to support the differences in children and helps them develop creativity, independence and confidence. I am still in close contact with the founder of the school and the directors. I have also enjoyed working at the school in the past years, seeing children enjoy the same freedoms I did as a child. I think it is a great indication of the relationships they form with the children that many of alumni have returned to work at the school. I currently work with kids in another progressive school and I know that my love for interacting with children grew from my experiences with teachers at KMS. It is amazing that my time there, at such a young age, still forms the decisions and the outlook I have on life (more so than any other school I have attended)

As a Director of KMS I care deeply about the school and its reputation. I have been dedicated to KMS since 1985 as a teacher and am currently a director and board member. My 2 children have graduated from our elementary program. This time of year is always a fulfilling time of year for me as I hear about students of mine who are graduating from college, high school, and 8th grade and I get to see how they have grown up into caring, independent thinking, and responsible people. To the former member who posted on 5/30: I am sorry you felt the need to post an unfavorable posting. I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you about your concerns. For those of you who are using Go City Kids as a guiding tool in getting to know KMS: I am glad to see that the majority of postings are positive and share the feeling that I have for the school. I would like to join Happy KMS Parent (5/23) and Cheers (5/21) in saying that I don't think this is the best forum for some of the negative comments and am disappointed to see this site being used in this way. We encourage people with concerns to talk with us so we can hear their concerns, address them, and share our viewpoint. We understand that there is more than one side to a story and agreement will not always be reached. Maria Luna and Yolanda Ancheta, the other KMS Directors, will also be sharing their viewpoints. We have also encouraged our current staff to resond. So please revisit this site to hear more viewpoints. We also invite people interested in our school to visit us, come to one of our Open Houses and begin the process of getting to know us for yourselves. Sincerely, Randall Johnson KMS Director

Since I first walked into KMS when I was a little lad it became my second home. The staff was (and still is) excellent, and only now do I realize that it's rare for teachers to show so much care for their students. KMS has a wonderful environment, and it not only prepared me for ongoing higher education, but for looking at the world with creative and open eyes. Having now graduated from college, I find myself back at KMS as a part-time teacher and all-around helper, and I love it more than ever. I understand that KMS may not be for everyone, but I honestly can't imagine a better place for a child to grow up.

I am the parent of a prospective KMS student (infant), and am concerned by some of the comments posted here. Some of them allude to safety issues, but none of them provide any information on specific examples or incidents. I would be interested in any additional info or comments that current KMS parents can provide, it would really help us in making our decision.

KMS can be a great school. I have to admit they do have one of the best parent involvement. But there is also lots of things to know. Do you really know whats going on inside?

KMS is truly committed to the best care for the children in its family. It would be unrealistic to expect everything to go smoothly all the time, so what counts is that the directors have the best intentions, genuinely open minds and many valuable years of experience. Not to mention the teachers, who are so beloved by students. My son has had wonderful experiences with his teachers and the directors, and that's my priority. The on-site organic kitchen is a huge plus, too. It's interesting to read negative comments about any place because it so often says more about the author than the intended target. At any rate, every organization has its organizational challenges and KMS is no different. If all parties come to the table in good faith, though, agreements and compromises can be reached without the need for vengeful ranting. As the directors mentioned in their posting, the best way to determine whether KMS is the right place for you and your children is to visit and talk with directors, teachers and parents. Our experience has been wonderful, warts and all. KMS is the sort of place that growing up in San Francisco is all about.

We have two children at KMS. They receive a very high level of learning, care and love. For the most part, the directors and teachers are very engaged and are willing to listen/help with challenges. There are some things that can be improved upon and we have been made aware of what is being done to improve specific situation(s). Overall, we still feel that KMS is one of the better care centers in the neighbourhood.

Children tend to thrive in an environment that fosters expression and creativity which KMS has offered continually to our two children. We continue to love the committment, feedback and sincere caring of individual teachers at KMS (we have one child now in the kindergarten program). It is unfortunate and irresponsible when conflicts get brought to the public domain as a destructive force... constructive criticism has always been welcome at KMS (and taken into consideration). We continue to love the nurturing and caring environment that KMS and its teachers provide. Go KMS!!!

My daughter has been at KMS since age 2, now almost 6 she is part of the Kindergarten program. KMS has given her the tools to expand her creativity and imagination. She is learning Spanish and her Mexican dance class has become her passion. Our baby is in the Peach program for infants. She just loves the stimulating activities she is affered everyday. I totally feel they are in a safe enviroment. The organic vegetarian meals are excelent. Now, they just like to eat veggies more than me. KMS is a school where kids have room to explore and learn. Teachers work really hard and are devoted to their children and families.

Despite the directors response to the 1/24/07 comment, I would have to agree there is a lack of organization and consistancy within the management. From our experience, the infant program is highly organized and well run. However within the toddler program, there seems to be a gap in communication within management despite repeated one to one conversations.

Although the school directors claim to want to communicate with parents, in reality they have a history of rejecting constructive feedback and withholding key information. Although they won't volunteer this information, be advised that the school's state child care license has been under probation for some time, and investigate for yourself before choosing this place for your child. Check out: http://ccld.ca.gov/

Highly dysfunctional management does a poor job of communicating with parents and treats staff quite badly. Safety is a serious concern - especially since they do not staff at an adequate ratio. Many of the teachers are terrific, however. Organic vegetarian food great.

My daughter was lucky enough to attend Katherine Michiels School from the time she was five months old until she graduated from the 5th grade. It was a wonderful experience and she has blossomed into an intelligent, caring, compassionate, curious, self- confident, motivated individual. There are many aspects of the KMS environment that I love. The children have the freedom to explore and learning is fun, their natural curiosity is encouraged, their individuality is celebrated. The kids learn to be independent and responsible at a very young age. The toddler/preschool program allows the children to choose which activity they will participate in that day, which is a wonderful way to encourage learning and exploration. The elementary program is project based and the kids learn at the kids level, they understand concepts because they learn by application, not theory from books. If Katherine Michiels School continued through high school, my daughter would still be going there. It's a wonderful place to grow and learn and have fun.

I have two children at KMS; one is in the pre-school program and the other is in the Elementary program. Both programs are excellent. The pre-school includes music, movement, art, gardening, stories and lots of books and materials. There are many different rooms and activities to choose from daily. The staff is excellent and attentive. My older child has done very well in the elementary program. The teachers are dedicated and credentialed, some with special training for learning differences. The kids are very motivated by the teaching staff. My son has dyslexia, and KMS has been a very positive environment for him - he has had great improvement in reading and writing, and is receiving specialized tutoring after school at KMS. I feel he is receiving a good, well-rounded and highly personalized education. He is also participating in their long-standing association with ABADA Capioera studio in the neighborhood, taking weekly training with his classmates. My younger child is involved with the excellent dance program after school as well. I also want to mention the food that they offer at the school. They have an amazing kitchen which turns out a hot vegetarian lunch every day, and also provides excellent snacks made with local, organic produce. I find the supervision in all of the programs to be very good. All areas, inside and out, are carefully thought-out and covered by well- trained staff. I feel my children are safe and sound at KMS. I drop them off in the morning without a second thought about their well-being.

KMS is the best school for my son because he is a child not an adult so many schools wanted him to be some conformist row sitter. He has had a chance to find a pace that is uniquely suited to him. He was always active as all boys are and instead of pigeon holing him they worked with him and us as parents so that a seamless way of discipline and direction was applied to his enormous benefit. The academic and civic responsibility he is involved in is just what a searching and fertile minds needs. If you met him, he would look you right in the eye with a confidence rarely seen in a boy of 10 and speak to you with respect and clarity. KMS has totally addressed the individual and prepared him for the grades and the world to come

My son (4) has been a KMS for over a year and loves it. The teachers are fantastic in both the 2-4yr group and the kindergarten program. Nice mix of English and Spanish, an exciting arts program, fun dance class, and great outdoor play areas (including the very popular "dirt mountain"). The kindergarten program has a good balance of sturcture and allowing kids to be kids. Hot and tasty organic vegetarian lunches helps to encourage healthy eating. All round an excellent school - highly recommended.

We are very happy of our experience with KMS! Our 19-month old daughter started to go at KMS only two months ago and we are already seeing the benefits of her being with great kids and wonderful teachers there. You can tell that there she feels like being at home. Her days at KMS are very rich: lots of art activities, music, playing freely outdoor, learning how to share and respect others, just to name a few! The teachers are very loving, but at the same time allow the kids to discover by themselves the beauty of playing and staying together. They know each kid individually very well, understand how to make him/her happy and give always good feedback on how the day went. Also, the food prepared by an awesome chef is extremely healthy and very tasty (I tried it once!). KMS is definitely the right place for a kid to develop a true love for learning, while building self-esteem, and getting ready to interact with the world and appreciate life.

KMS is a wonderful environment for learning. The Elementary Program is built around project learning and student initiative. Since many of the children have been at KMS since preschool they intimately understand personal responsibility as well as working as an inclusive group member. For us parents sometimes the environment could seem unstructured, but this was an illusion; many times the kids would correct my behavior, as I had done something in a manner un-KMSlike. Some of the work the children produced was spectacular in both its depth of understanding and creativity. My daughter went on to a traditionally "academic" middle school, and while the style is much more rigid than KMS, she is still able to bring a sensitivity, an enthusiasm and her "KMSness" with her. This school produces good students and good people.

My son has been at Katherine Michiels School for several years and is in the elementary program. Our experience has been outstanding, he is a confident child that can participate with adults as well as with children of all ages. He loves learning and that is in great part due to the autonomy and enthusiastic way of teaching at KMS. The education is diverse and includes camping and outdoor skills, cooking, public speaking, arts and a tremendous amount of creativity in both play and school work. He, like every child, learns at different levels for different subjects and is appropriately learning at his ability whether that is at his own grade level or higher. I wish KMS would go through High School. What a gift Katherine Michiels School has been in our lives. Thank you.

I pulled my child from KMS because the school was so lax in its supervision practices that kids would get hurt and sometimes even end up in the E.R. At the end of the day, I need to be sure I will find my kid alive and well, no matter how good other aspects of the school might be.