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, Oct. 4, 2023, 10–11:15 am
- Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, 10–11:15 am
- Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, 10-11:15 am
- Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, 10-11:15 am
- Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, 10–11:15 am
- Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, 10–11:15 am
- Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, 10-11:15 am
- Wednesday, March 27, 2024 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 The session we recorded is still very relevant this year, though some information is out of date.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.
Enrollment Key Dates 2023-24
“Open Enrollment” period begins July 17, 2023. Lakeshore is fully enrolled for many grade levels, so there may not be open enrollment seats available for the grade you are looking for. However, families not yet placed at Lakeshore and interested in the school should contact SFUSD’s Educational Placement Center after this date to inquire about possible seats available for their child’s grade level. If there is a seat available, you can claim it on the spot and directly enroll your child for the coming year!
Wait Pool Request Deadline is August 9, 2023. For grade levels that are fully enrolled, be advised that there is almost always some movement of class lists late in the summer and during the first two weeks of the new school year. Families who want a seat at Lakeshore in the Fall of 2023 for their TK through 5th grade student are strongly encouraged to put their child onto our wait pool by contacting the Educational Placement Center by August 9th. Once the wait pool assignment window opens, the District will begin contacting families from this pool to offer seats at Lakeshore in real time, if and when they become available. There are no guarantees in the assignment system, but in recent years, families that really have their heart set on Lakeshore, and have stuck it out through the wait pool assignment period, have more often than not ended up getting a seat here.
Wait Pool Assignment window is August 14 to September 1, 2023 – Families in the pool will be notified by the District of wait pool offers, based on availability. The first day of school is Wednesday August 16, 2023. After this date, enrollments are fixed for the Fall, and any families trying to seek a seat at Lakeshore would need to apply for the Spring Transfer Request window, which opens Sept. 5, 2023.
Enrollment Key Dates 2024-25
Online and paper applications will be available on October 20, 2023.
Submit your enrollment application by February 2, 2024. If you have any questions about Lakeshore, don’t hesitate to contact tours@LakeshoreElementary.org.
SFUSD will mail placement letters the week of March 18, 2024, and April 5, 2024 will be the last day to accept or decline your assignment. If you are assigned to Lakeshore, you will receive a welcome call and email from the school and an invitation to attend our New Family Welcome event and join our incoming family Facebook group!
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 April. 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: For the 2023-24 school year, Lakeshore will have 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 two Mild/Moderate autism focus classrooms (K-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.