Are you considering Lakeshore? Thank you so much for your interest. We’d love to tell you all about our wonderful school!
Our families would like to welcome you:
Sign Up for a Lakeshore Tour
Tour dates:
- Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, 10-11:15 am
- Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, 10-11:15 am
- Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, 10–11:15 am
- Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, 10–11:15 am
- Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, 10-11:15 am
- Wednesday, March 26, 2025 10-11:15am
When you fill out the form, please let us know if you’d like information about our SDC program. Questions? Email tours@LakeshoreElementary.org.
View a Recorded or Self-Guided Tour
Can’t attend a tour in person, or want even more information right away?
View our self-guided tour slides for a quick overview:
Due to SFUSD COVID policy, all tours held during Fall 2021 were offered online only. The session we recorded is still very relevant this year, though some information is out of date. In 2023 Lakeshore added a TK classroom to our school site, but many facts remain the same, including our start/end time, our enrichment programs, and our funding of class size reduction teachers in the upper grades. Check out the recording to ear about our spacious yards, beautiful gardens, dedicated staff, diverse student body, quality academic and enrichment programs, and strong community from the principal, staff, and families.
Watch the full tour playlist with information and Q&A (about 33 minutes for all videos), or jump to a topic you’re interested in:
- About Lakeshore and before/after-school options
- A day in the life, and supporting students with disabilities
- Grounds and building layout
- Enrichment programs and facilities
- Community and PTA
- Parent comments
- Q&A about our principal and low staff turnover
- Q&A about budget cuts
- Q&A on social-emotional learning, keeping parents informed, English learners, and class size
- Q&A about applying and next steps
You can also view this recording of one of our SFUSD Virtual Enrollment Fair sessions:
If you have questions, email tours@LakeshoreElementary.org.
If you have general questions about the SFUSD enrollment process, visit sfusd.edu/enroll or Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco at ppssf.org/. View the full list of key enrollment dates at SFUSD.
New Family Welcome
Families who are assigned to Lakeshore will be invited to a New Family Welcome event in the spring, usually in March. We’ll go over a timeline for the coming days, weeks, and months. Check back here to sign up.
To see more details about getting settled at Lakeshore, visit the welcome page for new Lakeshore families.
Frequently asked questions for prospective families:
What are some quick facts about Lakeshore?
- School starts at 9:30am, and dismissal is at 3:45pm except early release on Wednesdays at 2:30pm.
- Transitional Kindergarten (TK) – 5th grade, approximately 430 students.
- General Ed: Lakeshore has one TK class, three kinder and 1st grade classes; four 2nd grade classes, three 3rd grade classes; two 4th grade classes, two 4th/5th combo classes, and two 5th grade classes.
- Special Day Classes: Lakeshore has three Mild/Moderate autism focus classrooms (TK/K, 1-3 and 3-5).
- Class size varies room-by-room, but for our general education classrooms, Lakeshore maintains a class sizes around 20-22 students all the way through 5th grade.
- For Kindergarten General Ed, there are total 66 spots.
- Daily on-site after-school programs through ExCEL, sports, drama, art, and Afternoon Mandarin Program. Learn more here.
- PTA funded enrichment programs include Studio Art, Science in the Garden, Motor Perception, Yoga, Capoeira in addition to standard SFUSD programs such asVisual and Performing Arts (VAPA), Physical Education, Library, and Instrumental Music.
- We have a school garden, which includes a greenhouse, rainwater irrigation system, and outdoor classroom.
- We have an active PTA that hosts community events and raises funds for special programs.
Is the Kindergarten day shorter than the older grades’ school day?
No, the start and end times are the same. Lunch eating and play time are staggered by grade level to keep the playground more managable and well regulated. Our 4th and 5th graders have 2 recesses. TK – 3rd graders get 3 recesses. Please see our bell schedule.
Do TK and Kindergarteners eat lunch with the older students?
No. Our youngest students in TK and Kindergarten eat together with their own classes. There are several staff and parent volunteers that help your young child open their food and drinks and assist with their lunch needs. There will be a time before lunch recess to educate children about food waste, composting and recycling responsibilities. Lakeshore participates in the Revolution Foods program that serves fresher meals that the kids love. After lunch, children play on their dedicated playground.
Do TK and Kindergarteners share restrooms with the rest of the grades?
No. TK and Kindergarten classrooms have dedicated restrooms attached to their classrooms.
Is there homework?
There is no fixed homework policy school-wide. It varies by teacher and classroom, but typically in the lower grades kids are encouraged to read at home on their own or with an adult. Homework in the upper grades is more likely to span different subject areas, like math, reading, science, or social studies. Homework time will fluctuate with various assignments and across various teachers.
Do TK and Kindergarten students have a rest/nap time?
The transition to TK and Kindergarten can be very stimulating for the students. TK students will have a designated rest time, but of course the teachers cannot force students to actually nap. Kindergarten teachers provide a mid-day quiet time through the first few months of school, but do not have the children lie down on nap mats as they may have done in pre-school.
What is the expectation for parent/guardian participation?
Whether kids are just starting TK or Kindergarten or entering their final year at Lakeshore, there are many wonderful reasons for parents/guardians to volunteer at school. It’s a great way to show your kids that you take an interest in their education, and it sends a positive message that you consider school a worthwhile cause. Many schools, including Lakeshore, now have to raise their own funds for activities and supplies that once were considered basic necessities, and parent volunteers are essential to organizing and chaperoning these fundraising events and other school activities.
There are SO many different ways to be helpful to the Lakeshore community, whether you’re available to come to school during the school day, or prefer to help doing tasks from home on your own time. Find out ways to support the school volunteering.
Do children visit the library during school hours?
Lakeshore students visit the school library every week with their classes to nurture the joy of reading, check out books, and learn to use technology to access information. The library is also open before and after school, during recess, and two days a week for a “Lunch Bunch” for 3rd-5th graders. The library is an inviting space with a highly curated collection of over 6,000 titles that reflects our students’ diverse interests and supports curricular projects. The school library program serves to instill a love of reading, inspire lifelong learning, and foster effective and responsible use of technology.