Our Mission and History
Our mission is to nurture the young heart and mind in a joyful learning environment, where the convergence of progressive education and Mandarin immersion ignites curiosity, connectedness, and engagement in the world.
Our values, embedded in our teaching practices, classroom culture, and community norms, serve as a compass for how we learn, connect, relate, and grow together.
善 Kindness
智 Curiosity
勇 Courage.
Our history
Presidio Knolls School (PKS) was founded in 2008 as the first of its kind Reggio Emilia-inspired Mandarin immersion preschool. Today we are a thriving preschool through eighth grade program that has become a model for innovation in education: dynamic, joyful, bilingual learning, with a focus on global competence, critical thinking, and academic skills.
2008: PKS opens as a two-room Reggio Emilia-inspired Mandarin immersion preschool near the Presidio.
2011: The Board of Trustees votes to open a K-8 program in response to demand, relocating to our current space in SoMa.
2016: We purchase our property, paving the way for a large-scale renovation that transforms our sunny, 1.5 acre campus into a San Francisco institution.
2019: PKS is fully accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
2021: Our first class of 8th graders graduates, building a strong legacy of success in high school admissions and beyond.
2022: We complete our Strategic Plan, articulating our priorities as we approach our 20th year in 2028 and enter the next chapter of our school's history.