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Sterne School has been successfully educating students with learning differences for over 45 years.
Located in San Francisco, Sterne offers a small, personal environment serving grades 4 -12.
With a student-to-teacher ratio of 8 to 1 in the Lower and Middle School and 13:1 in the High School, our experienced staff understands the many learning styles of our students and differentiates the program to fit each student style. This individualized approach allows students to focus on their academics while forming lasting relationships.
We build confidence in our students which in turn creates independent, successful, life-long learners.
Create an individualized academic program specific to the
learning style of each student
Foster confident, independent, and organized learners
Teach critical thinking strategies and technology skills
Teach study skills and strategies to meet deadlines
Counsel students to be self-advocates
Special Features:
Each student has an individualized learning profile that
identifies strengths and targets academic goals. Individual and
small group work focuses on organizational skills, reading and
writing, fluency, advanced study and thinking skills, and social
awareness.
All grades use a one-to-one Chromebook program. In
addition we have mobile laptop stations located on each floor.
Computer applications and research skills are integrated into the
program. Assistive Technology (AT) includes Google Speech-To-Text
and Text-To-Speech, as well as Inspiration.
Students are assigned homework they can do independently, and
their success is monitored closely by classroom teachers and the
homeroom teacher.
Students also enjoy daily physical education and elective
classes including music, art, drama, movie making, computer
programming, urban hiking, bowling, and drawing and
cartooning.
Students enjoy the opportunity to travel domestically and
abroad during Experiential Week. Students get off campus and out in
the world to have a hands-on learning experience around topics like
language, culture, history, food, and more.
College Prep and Readiness:
High School students participate in the College Prep and
Readiness Program designed to facilitate internships and community
service with the goal of enabling success during the transition
from high school to college.
Our Registrar and High School Counselor work closely with
students and their families in the college search process. This
begins in Freshman year and each year has its own goals. Students
research and explore different colleges and are guided through the
process from test prep to writing essays and filling out
applications.
An integral component of Colleges Prep and Readiness is an
experientially-based high school capstone project that lets
students use their multiple intelligences in core disciplines.
Students pick a discipline they are passionate about such as
photography, fashion design, or computers, find a mentor/expert, do
research, integrate other academic disciplines, and then deliver a
presentation. Many students discover that one of these passions is
what they'd like to focus on in college or as a career; therefore,
the project serves as a stepping stone from high school to
adulthood.
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Quick Facts (2025-26)
Grades: 4-12
Enrollment: 185 students
Yearly Tuition: $51,000
Acceptance rate: 80%
Average class size: 10 students
Application Deadline: None / Rolling
Source: Verified school update
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Did You Know?
The average private school tuition in San Francisco, CA is $24,303 for elementary schools and $39,692 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).
