Downtown High School

More about this school

School Type

  • High School

Grades

11
12

Principal

  • Todd Williams

Assistant Principal(s)

  • Lara Schmidt

Hours

Mo: 9:30 am-3:15 pm
Tu: 9:30 am-3:15 pm
We: 9:30 am-12:30 pm
Th: 9:30 am-3:15 pm
Fr: 9:30 am-3:15 pm

School Tour

Arrange with counseling department

Sign up for a school tour at sfusd.edu/tours.

Neighborhood

School Meals

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

View menus at sfusd.edu/menus.

School Code

742
Overview

Downtown High School offers project-based learning that emphasizes critical thinking skills across curricular areas and a strong connection with the School-to-Career Program. We focus on each learner's need for alternative strategies and are rooted in the commitment to student mastery of the core curriculum. With a project-based approach to learning, students have the opportunity to select a project that matches their own interests and learning styles. Each project has integrated curriculum and the flexibility of high interest academic and hands on experiential learning, backed by high expectations and teacher support. Downtown High School currently has five projects:

  • Acting for Critical Transformations (ACT)
  • Get Out and Learn (GOAL)
  • Making, Advocating and Designing for Empowerment (MADE)
  • Music and Academics Resisting the System (MARS)
  • Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative (WALC)

In addition to a rigorous core curriculum that includes language arts/literacy, mathematics, science, history/social science, world languages, and visual/performing arts, Downtown High programs prepare students for the real world, building essential life skills. Even students who have not been successful at traditional high schools find success and self motivation within rich academic settings. Mandatory parent conferences twice a semester ensure that academic and social information is passed between parents/guardians and teachers, bridging communication with families in a supportive manner. Service learning is also an essential element of the Downtown High School experience. Many students work and volunteer in the community as part of their selected projects. The world is immense and Downtown High is focused on bridging real world wisdom through exposure of multiple academic subjects coupled with experiential learning.

Watch this video to hear students and staff talk about the Projects at DHS.

Programs

After School

Students can accelerate their credit recovery by taking online classes through our afterschool program. There is also a cooking class once a week after school.

School Day Academic Enrichment

  • Credit recovery
  • Interdisciplinary studies
  • Project-based learning

Arts Enrichment

  • Cooking or home economics
  • Creative writing
  • Dance
  • Drama
  • Guitar
  • Media arts
  • Performing arts
  • Visual arts

Arts Enrichment Description

Digital arts, media and video productions, piano

Student Support

  • Counselor
  • Health and wellness center
  • On-site nurse
  • Social worker

College Counseling

  • Academic counseling
  • Cash for College or Financial Aid Night
  • College and/or career counseling
  • College application workshops
  • Job readiness programs
School Data
Contact Info

Address

693 Vermont Street
San Francisco
CA
94107

Phone

Location

Map showing the location of the school.
Downtown High School
Grades
11-12
693 Vermont Street, San Francisco, 94107
Get directions
Hours
Mo: 9:30 am–3:15 pm
Tu: 9:30 am–3:15 pm
We: 9:30 am–12:30 pm
Th: 9:30 am–3:15 pm
Fr: 9:30 am–3:15 pm