Equity and Inclusion
“All of us in the academy and in the culture as a whole are called to renew our minds if we are to transform educational institutions—and society—so that the way we live, teach, and work can reflect our joy in cultural diversity, our passion for justice, and our love of freedom.”
bell hooks
SFWS seeks to establish and maintain an inclusive learning environment in which differences are understood and celebrated. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are embraced as a strengthening principle across all areas of the school community. We strive to sustain a demographic that reflects the great diversity of the Bay Area, and we acknowledge that growth is an ongoing process that calls on the qualities of commitment and respect, which lie at the heart of our mission.
420
students
87%
live in San Francisco
13%
live in the Bay Area
9:1
student to faculty ratio
37%
students of color
30%
staff/faculty of color
22
different languages spoken
39%
of families participate in the Equitable Tuition Program
Congressman John Lewis, civil rights leader and author of March, gave an inspiring public lecture sponsored by the school.
"Move on, cross borders, cross barriers, renew yourself, and try again. In response to my deeply seeded urge to create something for people, through justice and love and toward community, destiny found me." Read more
"Of all subjects, the combination of geography and history perhaps lends itself best to awakening a feeling of social responsibility. By that I mean the awareness of and consideration for other people. In 4th grade, we studied the immigrant journey of Biddy Mason from Mississippi in the 1830s to California, where she could live without fear of enslavement. The students also read stories of Black pioneers and mountain men, in the series Reflections of a Black Cowboy, which included a story of Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, who founded the city of Eschikagou (Chicago) as a trading post, together with his wife Kitihawa, a member of the Potawatomi. We also read the book, The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps, which told the story of Lee Cheng, a worker for the Central Pacific Railroad. The children lived into the dynamics of his friendship with the kind daughter of an engineer as well as the unfair treatment of Chinese workers of the railroad company."
An Upper Grades Mandarin class performs a Chinese ethnic dance for their younger classmates, led by Ms. Evelyn Liu (Liu laoshi), the choreographer for SF Asian Chorus performing group and Fang Bing (Fang laoshi).
"My students and I feel connected to the idea of rights and honoring those who fight for them, on whatever level they are able. Who is spreading light in the world? Whose heroic deeds have helped others toward freedom?"
Student portrait of Maya Angelou
"Whether it was the Chinese Cultural Revolution, 19th century Russian literature, African colonization or the American Civil War, we were taught their relevance in our lives there and then."
Parents bring the Persian New Year to the grade school.
"I’ve seen firsthand the life-changing impact that the Kitch Scholarship has had on our SMART Scholars and their families. The generous funds have enabled hardworking students from low-income families to thrive in Waldorf High School’s rigorous and nurturing environment."
Watch Tiana Chacon-White and Kaia Garcia-Vandegrift present "The Star Spanglish Banner" by Angelica Maria Aguilera during their Poetic class.
Expanding access
Ran Oehl Early Childhood Scholarship
Created in 2021 to memorialize the commitment of SFWS parent Ran Oehl, this fund expands access for Early Childhood Program families from underrepresented communities with tuition scholarships.
Kitch Scholars
Established in 2006, the program awards two full scholarships annually to promising incoming 9th grade students from underrepresented communities. These continue throughout high school for students who maintain strong academic standing. Grants are based on need and academic achievement. An Admission application and a FACTS application are required.
Diane David Fund
Established in 2015, this fund supports tuition assistance and honors Diane David, a longtime early childhood educator, parent, and advocate for socioeconomic diversity.
Kimball Fund for Equity and Inclusion
Kimball Fund supports partial tuition scholarships ranging from $1,000-$5,000 that promote understanding, equity, and celebration of diversity for families from underrepresented communities without regard to financial need. Kimball also offers a limited amount of full scholarships at the Grade School.
What we're reading
GS Faculty & Gr. 8 - "A book to help us better understand why we are where we are.
A book about race."
Kindergarten - "Two young girls not only witness but help to change history in this inspiring and urgent Civil Rights-era picture book."
Kindergarten - A story that "introduces young readers to a world of freedom of individual expression."
Gr. 4 - Learning about the migrant worker and SF legend who helped "Mexican Americans work together for better wages, for better working conditions, for better lives."
Gr. 8 - Learning about the daily life and culture of Native Americans during the early struggles with European settlers.
Gr. 5 - Told in letters to Sophie’s abuela, quizzes, a chicken-care correspondence course, and to-do lists, a young Latina tells a quirky story about a move to the farm.
HS Faculty - Education as the practice of freedom
Gr. 12 - Morrison's novel "examines our obsession with beauty and conformity—and asks questions about race, class, and gender."
Grade 9 - A semi-autobiographical story about "boys who are exiled to the country during China's Cultural Revolution in order to be 're-educated'."
Grade 10 - Tracing 300 years in and from Ghana and follows generations to become an American story of roots and resilience.
Grade 11 - Based on an Oakland clash in which a gender non-conforming teen was assaulted by a boy that inhabited a different world.
Your experience matters
We care deeply about maintaining an equitable, just, and welcoming school environment. Have you experienced or witnessed marginalization and/or racism at SFWS?