Bertrand D Hsu American & Chinese Bicultural Academy

United States, San Francisco

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The school at a glance

Instructs in English, Mandarin

Fees $3,250 - 14,000

Ages 3 - 14 years

Type Co-educational

Opened 2023

Bus Service No

Academic offering

Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum

Taught languages Mandarin

Typical class size 19

Strengths STEM, Languages, Visual and Creative Arts

Clubs Cultural and Language, Arts and Creative, Lifestyle and Wellbeing

Stages Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School

Introduction

Bertrand D Hsu American & Chinese Bicultural Academy is a nonprofit private school serving TK–8 in San Francisco. Located at 455 Arkansas Street in Potrero Hill, campus provides a day program for ages 3–14 with class sizes under 20. The bespoke curriculum blends East and West, combining Chinese discipline and academic rigor with American creativity and independence. English, math, and Chinese are core subjects taught by teachers, with younger students learning math and science in Chinese and older students studying Chinese culture in English. Daily Mandarin instruction accompanies immersion in Chinese history, philosophy, poetry, and calligraphy. The school emphasizes project-based and AI-enabled practice and personalized support. Facilities include a garden for gardening and cooking classes, weekly field trips to parks and museums, and visits to Florence Fang Community Farm, and a 3-day nature ranch retreat. The founder and Head of School is Ann Hsu; it operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

455 Arkansas St, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States

Gallery

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The Essentials

Location

455 Arkansas St., San Francisco, CA 94107 (Potrero Hill neighborhood). The campus sits on Potrero Hill with views of downtown. It is two blocks from Jackson Park & Playground and Potrero Hill Rec Center and is next door to the public library.

Stages

K-8

Type

Non-profit private school

School day structure

Our Daily Rhythms: Younger students have shorter classes and more recess; Older students get longer blocks; Mondays and Tuesdays are core academic days; Wednesdays and Fridays include arts, gardening, SEL (social and emotional learning), and cooking; Thursdays are reserved for field trips. Each semester includes irregular weeks; Summer session is built into the year with a lighter, more activity-based schedule.

Bus service

School bus service to start next month (announcement dated November 18, 2025).

Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements

The school operates as a day school for TK–8; it runs a full-day program year-round.

Food Options

Tuition includes two days of hot Asian lunches, two days of hot Western lunches, and one sandwich buffet day; monthly cooking days are held; snacks are provided. Students bring their own plates and utensils and wash them after meals.

Governance and Ownership

The school is a nonprofit private school governed as a 501(c)(3) organization.

Fees

Application fees

- No separate application fee amount is published. Families complete an inquiry form to receive an application and, upon an offer of admission, submit an enrollment agreement and pay an enrollment deposit (deposit amount not published).

Tuition — overview (monthly and annual)

- Tuition is published as a sliding scale charged per month. The published monthly range is USD 270 – USD 2,000 per month, shown as the equivalent annual range USD 3,250 – USD 24,000 per year. Tuition includes lunch, snacks, and year‑round (12‑month) programming including summer. Sliding‑scale levels are applied based on family need.

- No separate, published tuition broken down by individual grade or year‑group is provided; tuition is presented as the sliding monthly/yearly range rather than a per‑grade schedule.

Tuition — term / session detail

- The school operates year‑round; tuition is stated per month and per year (12‑month programming). There is no published term‑by‑term invoice schedule on record.

After‑school, extended care and enrichment fees

- Extended care and after‑school enrichment are available; published monthly pricing ranges from USD 122 – USD 365 per month.

- The published after‑school program pricing (open to BHA and non‑BHA students) is:
- For BHA students: USD 365 / month (5 days/week) or USD 275 / month (3 days/week).
- For non‑BHA students: USD 420 / month (5 days/week) or USD 315 / month (3 days/week).

Summer program fees

- Summer School + Camp (6 weeks: June 22 – July 31, 2026) published weekly tuition rates:
- USD 395 per week for the full 6‑week session.
- USD 415 per week for any 4‑week session.
- USD 450 per week for week‑by‑week enrollment.
- After‑school care during summer (3:30–6:00 pm) is published as USD 100 / week (full 6 weeks), USD 105 / week (any 4 weeks), or USD 115 / week (week‑by‑week). Healthy lunch and snacks are included in the summer program fees.

Boarding fees

- No boarding program is offered. The school is described as a full‑day, year‑round day school for TK–8 (no boarding fees apply).

Other costs and routine extras

- Lunches and snacks are included in published tuition.

- No published uniform fee or uniform purchase requirements are provided. No specific published charges for textbooks, materials, or regular incidental fees are published. Published optional/additional services include after‑school enrichment and extended care (fees listed above) and summer program fees.

- Tuition assistance and scholarships are available; an Academic Merit Scholarship and a Scholarship Fund (supported by donations) are referenced.

Refunds and cancellations

- No comprehensive general refund policy or standard tuition refund schedule is published. One specific published item: when families opt out of portions of the summer session, the corresponding tuition is treated as a tax‑deductible donation with a receipt provided rather than issued as a refundable credit.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Tuition is quoted per month and per year; the school operates year‑round. Enrollment requires signing an enrollment agreement and payment of a deposit at acceptance; no published schedule of term invoicing, deposit amounts, payment deadlines, late‑payment penalties, or refund timelines is provided.

Fee payment options

- Donation pages show an online credit‑card donation form and an option to donate by check (payable to A2Z Exploration / mail address provided). Those donation payment channels are published for gifts and scholarship contributions. No explicit, published list of accepted payment methods for tuition (for example, credit card, ACH/bank transfer, wire, or check) is provided in the publicly posted fee information.

Summary of actionable figures (published amounts)

- Tuition (monthly): USD 270 – USD 2,000 per month (annual equivalent USD 3,250 – USD 24,000 per year).
- Extended care / after‑school (monthly): USD 122 – USD 365 per month; BHA after‑school: USD 365 / month (5‑day) or USD 275 / month (3‑day); non‑BHA after‑school: USD 420 / month (5‑day) or USD 315 / month (3‑day).
- Summer School + Camp (weekly): USD 395 / week (full 6 weeks) • USD 415 / week (any 4 weeks) • USD 450 / week (week‑by‑week). Summer after‑care: USD 100 / week (6 weeks) • USD 105 / week (4 weeks) • USD 115 / week (week‑by‑week).

(End of fees overview.)

Academics

Curriculum

Full-day, year-round private school for grades K-8. The bicultural program blends East and West, combining Chinese discipline and academic rigor with American creativity and independence. Language is one component; students are immersed in Chinese culture, including 5000 years of history, philosophy, poetry, and calligraphy, and are encouraged to continue learning and speaking Chinese outside the classroom. Core subjects include English, math, and Chinese, taught by dedicated subject teachers, with adjunct instructors in science, music, gardening, and art. Class sizes are capped under 20, and the daily schedule mixes quiet study with active time, arts, SEL, and field trips on a Potrero Hill campus.

Parent Experience

History

The Grand Opening occurred in 2023; the school is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. The school operates as a full-day, year-round private school for grades TK–8 in San Francisco at 455 Arkansas St, near Potrero Hill. The founder and Head of School is Ann Hsu. The school blends Chinese and American educational traditions, merging language study with Chinese culture to foster bicultural understanding.

Community

The school functions as a community hub with programs open to the general public. Community offerings include Summer School + Camp (TK-8), Academic After School (TK-8), and Free Academic Assessment (3–10). On-campus activities include weekly field trips, arts, gardening, SEL, and cooking, with irregular weeks for retreats, service projects, and travel. The campus sits on Potrero Hill and features a yard that doubles as a gym and garden, with proximity to Jackson Park and the public library.

Facilities

Facilities Overview

The school is a full-day, year-round private school for TK-8. It is located at 455 Arkansas St., San Francisco, CA 94107, in the Potrero Hill neighborhood. The campus includes a garden where gardening and cooking classes take place. The program features weekly field trips to parks, museums and workplaces and visits to Florence Fang Community Farm every three weeks, with an annual 3-day, 2-nights nature ranch retreat. There are hands-on science, arts, and physical education offerings, including automotive classes and music and visual arts programs, with technology-enabled learning for students.

Academic Facilities

The school prioritizes English, Math, and Chinese, taught with hands-on learning and personalized support. English includes a daily school-wide reading class grouped by proficiency, with guidance from teachers and peers, and an AI-enabled platform to reinforce grammar and reading comprehension. Math is taught in Chinese for younger students, with an AI-based platform for self-paced learning and weekly teacher-led reviews; older students also participate in project-based and concept review math. Chinese is taught daily with Mandarin and Pinyin, and older students learn Chinese culture in English while younger students learn math and science in Chinese. The school organizes students into Lower (TK–2), Middle (3–5), and Upper (6–8) cohorts, and includes activities such as sentence diagramming, cursive handwriting, and a mix of traditional and modern learning approaches, with cell phones prohibited on campus and laptops allowed only during class time.

Extra Curricular Facilities

The school runs Summer School + Camp (TK-8) and Academic After School, with a Free Academic Assessment available. Community programs include open campus activities, on-site and neighborhood engagement, and weekly field trips, along with visits to Florence Fang Community Farm every three weeks and an annual retreat to a nature ranch. Visual arts, music (piano, singing, percussion, and Chinese instruments), and physical education are part of enrichment, with gardening and cooking classes teaching collaboration and responsibility. Technology literacy, programming and robotics are introduced to students starting in kindergarten, and after-school programs extend learning beyond the core day.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual

The school operates a full-day, year-round private program for TK–8. It blends East and West by combining Chinese academic rigor with American creativity and independence. Language is just one part of the program; students also study Chinese culture, philosophy, poetry, calligraphy, and more to motivate ongoing Chinese language learning and cultural engagement. Its guiding principles include Academic Rigor, Whole Child Development, Bicultural Worldview, Community Roots, Character Education, and Global Readiness.

Arts & Creative

The school hosts performances such as a Winter Recital that blends traditional Christmas carols with Chinese songs and poems. Chinese culture is integrated through calligraphy, poetry, and other cultural arts as part of the curriculum. The community posts show art and creative projects and student-led performances.

Cultural & Language

The school provides bilingual education in English and Mandarin and fosters a bicultural worldview. Mandarin language is taught as part of the program, and students are encouraged to continue learning and speaking Chinese. Chinese culture—5000 years of history, philosophy, poetry, and calligraphy—is taught to complement language learning. The school aims to help students experience Chinese culture outside the classroom.

Social & Hobbies

Summer School + Camp is offered for TK–8. Academic After School is offered for TK–8. Free Academic Assessment is offered for grades 3–10. The programs are designed to engage students beyond the regular school day and support learning.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing

Morning exercise is part of the daily routine to build physical and mental strength. Garden and urban farming activities are part of the program. Field trips to landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Salesforce Tower are part of the learning experience. Hands-on activities include an automotive class and gardening to support practical, real-world learning.

Languages

Language Provision

The school teaches English and Chinese and includes Chinese language instruction within its curriculum. Summer School + Camp includes morning academics in math, English and Chinese.

Bilingual Teaching

The school provides English and Chinese language instruction as part of a bicultural program. It is the first and only American & Chinese bicultural K-8 full-day and year-round private academy.

Immersion Programs

Chinese immersion is integrated into the program, with references to Chinese immersion and Mandarin immersion on the site. The school promotes immersion as a key aspect of its bicultural approach.

Admissions

1. INQUIRE & LEARN: Complete an Inquiry Form to receive an application. Attend a school tour or open houses. The admissions policy welcomes families regardless of cultural or socio-economic background.

2. APPLY & INTERVIEW: Upon receipt and review of your application, we will contact you for an in-person interview of both the student and the parent(s)/guardian(s).

3. NOTIFICATION & ENROLL: Upon an offer of admission, notify us of your acceptance by completing an enrollment agreement and paying the deposit.

APPLICATION DEADLINES: Rolling evaluation of Enrollment Application throughout the year, including interview; Admissions decision notification within one month of application submission; Enrollment Agreement Deadline: 2 weeks after admissions decision notification.

TUITION & FEES: $270-$2,000 per month ($3,250-$24,000 per year); Tuition includes lunch and snacks and 12-month programming through the summer; Sliding scale tuition based on family need; Extended care and after school enrichment activities are available for $122-$365 per month.

School Events

The school has not added events

FAQs

Where is Bertrand D Hsu American & Chinese Bicultural Academy located and what ages does it serve?

The school is located at 455 Arkansas St., San Francisco, CA 94107 in the Potrero Hill neighborhood and serves students ages 3–14 (TK–8). The campus sits two blocks from Jackson Park & Playground and is next door to the public library with views of downtown.

Is Bertrand D Hsu Academy co-educational and what grades do you teach?

Yes, the school is co-educational and operates a full-day, year-round program for grades TK–8. Programming covers early childhood through upper elementary and middle school organized into Lower (TK–2), Middle (3–5), and Upper (6–8) cohorts.

When did the school open and who leads it?

The academy opened in 2023 and is led by founder and Head of School Ann Hsu. It operates as a nonprofit organization governed as a 501(c)(3).

How do I apply and what are the main steps in the admissions process?

Families begin by completing an Inquiry Form to receive an application, and are invited to attend a school tour or open house. After submitting the application there is an in-person interview for both the student and parent(s)/guardian(s); offers require signing an enrollment agreement and payment of a deposit to secure a place.

Is admission reviewed on a fixed schedule or on a rolling basis?

Admissions are evaluated on a rolling basis throughout the year, with admissions decision notification within one month of application submission. Families have two weeks after notification to return the signed enrollment agreement.

Does the school offer scholarships or financial assistance?

Yes, the school offers tuition assistance and scholarships, including an Academic Merit Scholarship and a Scholarship Fund supported by donations. Families are encouraged to inquire about eligibility and the application process for aid during admissions.

What is the academic approach and how does the bicultural curriculum work?

The curriculum blends Chinese discipline and academic rigor with American creativity and independence, with core subjects taught by dedicated subject teachers. Students receive daily Mandarin instruction and are immersed in Chinese culture, while project-based and AI-enabled practice and personalized support are integrated across subjects.

What are typical class sizes and how is the school day structured?

Class sizes are capped under 20 students. The daily rhythm mixes quiet study with active time, arts, SEL and field trips; younger students have shorter classes and more recess, Mondays and Tuesdays focus on core academics, Wednesdays and Fridays emphasize arts, gardening, SEL and cooking, and Thursdays are reserved for field trips.

How is technology used in teaching and are students allowed devices?

The school uses AI-enabled platforms to reinforce reading, grammar and math through self-paced practice and weekly teacher-led reviews. Laptops are allowed only during class time and cell phones are prohibited on campus to maintain focused learning environments.

What on-campus facilities support hands-on learning and enrichment?

The campus includes a garden used for gardening and cooking classes, a yard that doubles as a gym, and spaces for visual arts, music and hands-on science. The program also features automotive classes, technology and robotics introduction starting in kindergarten, and adjunct instructors for science, music, gardening and art.

Are there regular field trips and community partnerships as part of the program?

Yes, students take weekly field trips to parks, museums and workplaces and visit Florence Fang Community Farm every three weeks. The program also includes an annual 3-day, 2-night nature ranch retreat and regular neighborhood engagement opportunities.

What kind of arts and cultural activities can students expect?

Students participate in visual arts, music (including piano, singing, percussion and Chinese instruments), calligraphy, poetry and student-led performances such as a Winter Recital that blends Western and Chinese pieces. Chinese culture is woven into arts education through historic and traditional practices alongside contemporary creative projects.

How does the school support students' social-emotional wellbeing and physical health?

Social-emotional learning is embedded in the schedule with dedicated SEL days and morning exercise to build physical and mental strength. Garden and cooking classes, hands-on activities and nature retreats are used to promote resilience, collaboration and wellbeing.

Is Bertrand D Hsu Academy a boarding school or day school?

The academy is a full-day, year-round day school for TK–8 and does not offer a boarding program. All programming, including summer, is delivered on a day-school basis.

What are the meal arrangements during the school day?

Tuition includes lunches and snacks with two days of hot Asian lunches, two days of hot Western lunches and one sandwich buffet day each week, plus monthly cooking days. Students bring their own plates and utensils and participate in washing them after meals as part of community responsibility.

How is language instruction structured across ages and grade levels?

The program provides daily Mandarin and English instruction; younger students learn math and science in Chinese while older students study Chinese culture in English. Instruction includes Mandarin pronunciation with Pinyin and immersion in Chinese history, philosophy, poetry and calligraphy to encourage language use beyond the classroom.

Do you teach languages beyond English and Mandarin?

The published program focuses on English and Chinese instruction as the core bilingual offering. No other language programs are listed as part of the core curriculum.

What is the school's relationship with the local community and its history?

The academy opened in 2023 and functions as a community hub offering programs open to the public, such as summer camp, after-school offerings and community activities. The campus maintains strong neighborhood connections through frequent field trips, farm visits and on-site events.

What are the tuition fees at Bertrand D Hsu American & Chinese Bicultural Academy?

Annual tuition at Bertrand D Hsu American & Chinese Bicultural Academy ranges from USD 3,250 to USD 14,000 depending on year group. Fees are reviewed each year, so check the school's current fee schedule before applying.

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