The mission of San Francisco High School of the Arts is to provide students with an exceptional education in traditional arts and academics, while focusing on character development. The curriculum nurtures in students universal values and a sense of civic duty so they may positively contribute to the world.

As a small, private, and independent arts high school, we distinguish our whole-child education approach from other holistic models by featuring systematic training in traditional visual and performing arts. We provide a rigorous college-preparatory academic program in combination with pre-professional training in ballet, Chinese dance, visual arts, and music. Our visual arts program currently includes drawing, sketching, costume design, medias arts, Chinese calligraphy, painting, architecture, Western painting, clay modeling and other crafts.

We promote what has endured the longest and best in traditional education: the refinement of an ethically mature self, the continuous sophistication of one’s aesthetic standards, and the nurturing of a deep appreciation for the spirit behind traditional arts, through one’s own mastery of the arts.
We offer a full-time day school for grades 6 to 12, and accept transfer students up to and including 10th grade. Our auxiliary program includes after school classes in dance, visual arts, Chinese language courses, and K-5 After school Care.