San Diego French-American School

6550 Soledad Mountain Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA

Pre-Elementary (from 18 months) through 8th grade; PK-8; Pre-Elementary, Elementary School, Middle School; ages 18 months to 13 years

Private, independent bilingual school

30 nationalities comprised in our community

France (AEFE/MEN accreditation) and Mission Laïque Française affiliation

School-owned bus service with North County stops in Carlsbad, Encinitas and Carmel Valley; a morning shuttle van in South County from Coronado and Old Town. Buses are owned, operated, and maintained by SDFAS; three-point seat belts; 5-point harness for smaller children.

The school offers a bilingual curriculum that weaves French and American educational approaches to develop bilingual, bicultural, and bi-literate learners. Instruction is delivered in both French and English across grade levels, with a full-day bilingual program starting in Kindergarten. Kindergarten naturally evolves into a rich, challenging, full-day bilingual curriculum developed in French and English. The school serves students from 18 months through 8th grade on a La Jolla campus, with facilities including a library, an auditorium, STEAM classrooms for coding and robotics, a large athletic field, and a science lab. SDFAS is AEFE/MEN-accredited and holds CAIS and WASC accreditation, and is a partner school of Mission Laïque Française. The STEAM & AI program includes coding and robotics across grade levels, cyber safety education, and AI-assisted tools to personalize learning paths.

San Diego French-American School has a school-wide Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program integrated into a bilingual, French-English immersion environment. The SEL program uses Responsive Classroom and focuses on open-mindedness, intellectual curiosity, integrity, empathy, and resilience. It supports students in developing empathy, resilience, and strong interpersonal skills. The program aligns with CAIS accreditation recommendations and aims to create a learning environment where students become confident, responsible, and engaged global citizens. A Panorama student climate survey will be used to measure safety, belonging, and SEL skills in 3rd–8th grade to guide improvements, and SEL routines are embedded across divisions.

SDFAS is committed to inclusion, equity and belonging for all members of its community and to ensuring everyone is heard and respected in their differences. Everyone has what they need to succeed, including individuals with special educational needs. The school emphasizes an inclusive environment where differences are acknowledged and supported. This commitment to inclusion encompasses all members of the community, including those with special educational needs.

The school threads French and American education together to create a bilingual symbiosis. Bilingual education starts as early as 18 months and broadens global perspectives through 8th grade. Kindergarten develops into a rich, challenging, full-day bilingual curriculum conducted in French and English. The Elementary School is bilingual, with English hours increasing gradually from 1st through 5th grade. Middle School prepares students to thrive in French lycées, American high schools, or international IB programs.

Mental wellbeing is supported through a school-wide SEL program and the Responsive Classroom approach, which fosters an inclusive, safe, and joyful school environment. The program emphasizes trust, belonging, and supportive relationships, with mindful communication and positive discipline embedded across classrooms. Responsive Classroom practices include routines that promote empathy and collaborative learning across divisions. The school uses Panorama to survey student perceptions of safety, belonging, and SEL skills, enabling data-driven improvements in the learning climate.

The Health Office provides a School Nurse and health services, with detailed policies for asthma, allergies, diabetes, lice, seizures, and medication administration. Asthma action plans, allergy action plans, and other health forms are required and managed by the health staff, and students may have prescribed medications stored or administered at school. The school enforces a non-stigmatizing approach to health issues such as lice and maintains a sick policy to protect students' health and learning. A nondiscriminatory policy ensures safety, inclusion, and equal treatment for all students regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, or other protected characteristics. The health program and policies are designed to safeguard students while supporting their day-to-day educational needs.

1. Inquire, Book a Private Tour or Attend Our Open House. The Admissions Office welcomes families for private tours; Open Houses for the 2026–2027 school year have concluded. You can learn about the bilingual community and how the program integrates English and French instruction.
2. Application Submission. The online application is submitted via FACTS, our application portal. It requests the child's personal information, previous educational history, teacher recommendations if applicable, and most recent report cards. The school uses this information to move the process toward evaluation.
3. Assessment and Interviews. After the application is received, the Admissions Office will schedule a parent/guardian meeting and a student evaluation session. For children 18 months through 5, the assessment is a 45-minute play-based session with the Preschool Director. For those older than 5, the assessment includes a conversation and an evaluation in reading, writing, and mathematics in English and French if applicable.
4. Enrollment. If accepted, an enrollment contract is issued. After submitting this contract and paying the necessary fees, you will be invited to several community events to meet teachers, learn about the school community, and prepare for the upcoming school year.

Financial aid is available to Kindergarten through 8th grade students based on demonstrated financial need. Only students in Kindergarten through 8th Grade are eligible; applications are submitted via CLARITY. New and returning families must create an account and submit their application before February 1, 2026; applications submitted after that date are reviewed on a fund-available basis. Information provided during the financial aid process is kept confidential. The French government awards scholarships to French nationals aged three years and older who demonstrate financial need; deadlines for 2026–2027 include a February 13, 2026 submission to the consulate, first consular proposals in April 2026, decisions by the national commission in June 2026, and communication of decisions to families by late June 2026; online applications can be submitted via the Scolaide platform. Military/DOD fee assistance programs are also available for eligible families through the provider network. For more information about Financial Aid, contact the Director of Enrollment Sarah Blek at 858-456-2807 x306 or admissions@sdfas.org.