Yick Wo Alternative Elementary School

At Yick Wo we are dedicated to fostering enthusiasm for lifelong learning through supporting the social, emotional, intellectual, artistic and physical development of our students. We nurture good citizenship by teaching empathy and guiding students to practice the school values to be safe, kind, and responsible. Our teachers, staff, students, and parents are deeply valued and together create an engaging learning environment. Yick Wo serves the North Beach, Russian Hill and Chinatown neighborhoods in San Francisco.

This video provides an overview of our wonderful school.

Yick Wo students are fortunate to have the incredible city of San Francisco at their doorstep. Field trip locations include the DeYoung Museum, the Symphony, the Asian Art Museum,  Kule Loklo, Elkus Ranch,  Angel Island, and many more exciting locations throughout the bay area. In addition to field trips, school-day activities for students include Gardening, Art, Reading Recovery, Math Support, Computer, Music, Dance, Chess Club, and a Newspaper Club.

Students in all grades take computer classes. Our Reading Specialist works with students who need extra help, and provides math support to 4/5 students. Providing extra support for students that need it is just one way the PTO helps foster excellence that benefits all Yick Wo students, and helps keep Yick Wo ranked 9 out of 10 on great schools. Yick Wo is a 2020 National Blue Ribbon School.

Our school library is a portal to the magical world of books, a place where students can read and know about anything that interests them, and where they can discover new ideas and possibilities. Our wonderful school Librarian, Ms. Alexandre Patrikis ("Ms. Alex") helps keep reading enjoyable and expansive for all our students. 

Yick Wo's gardens are living classrooms where standards-based curriculum are taught, and air students in their discovery of the living world. Children are simultaneously stimulated, focused, and calmed by their time in the garden. The program supports intellectual, emotional, and social-emotional engagement with things that must be measured, counted, arranged, planned, and cared for, Children enjoy hands-on, experimental learning in a variety of disciplines, including the natural and social sciences, language arts (e.g. through garden journaling), visual arts, and nutrition. 

Yick Wo students and teachers utilize the rich resources of the surrounding bay area community to infuse the campus with music and poetry.  Kinder's - 2nd graders listen to live music played by their teacher (guitar piano, and drums), as well as to recorded music while singing, dancing, and enjoying sound together. Third graders play recorders, and fourth and fifth graders have the option to select violin, flute, trumpet or clarinet. 2nd and 3rd graders are introduced to the world of dance by visiting instructors from the SF Ballet. Some classrooms also work with the SF Opera.

Students at Yick Wo enjoy outdoor activities several times each week with physical activity classes with Coach Robinson, and physical education classes with PE specialist Andre Barnes. The Physical Education curriculum is intended to develop physically-educated individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful activity. Physical activity classes are intended to provide recreational and fun activities for students. Coach Robinson also provides recess support.

All students enjoy weekly art instruction in a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, collage, paper mache, mixed media, and pottery. Art projects support classroom instruction, and give children opportunities to create gifts for special occasions.

The PTO is a non-profit independent group of volunteers who are committed to helping organize school activities, fundraising for educational materials, activities, enrichment programs and additional support for students not funded by SFUSD, and facilitating communication between parents, teachers and students.  Membership is open to all YW families, teachers, and staff.  By being active in the PTO, you demonstrate to your child the importance you place on education. Contact: pto.yickwo@gmail.com

California Public Schools from Kindergarten through grade 12 with 21 or more English Learners must form a functional English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC). Yick Wo’s ELAC is a committee for parents or other community members who want to advocate for English Learners. The purpose of the ELAC is to advise the principal and school staff on programs and services for English Learners and the SSC on the development of the Single School Plan for Student Achievement. The ELAC also assists the school on its annual language census. Yick Wo’s ELAC meets monthly.

School Site Council (SSC): Like all SFUSD schools, Yick Wo has an elected School Site Council (SSC) that represent parents, students, community members and school staff in the school governance process. The SSC has a number of important responsibilities, including: Reviewing and analyzing student achievement data; Gathering community input; Helping develop the Single School Plan for Student Achievement and the school site budget; Monitoring the implementation of the plan and budget. The SSC meets monthly and is considered a public meeting for anyone to attend. 

On-site after school enrichment classes change each semester and include hip-hop dance, tennis, ukulele, gymnastics, and Spanish.

MORNING CARE: Is offered onsite (beginning at 8:00am) by the Excel YMCA Chinatown Team who have long run the after-school program at Yick Wo. AFTER CARE: The Chinatown YMCA runs an on-site program at Yick Wo (3:30pm-6:30pm). Many Yick Wo families utilize the After School Academy at the Tel-Hi Neighborhood Center (3:30pm-6pm).

PARENTVUE: If you have not already done so, please activate your SFUSD Family Portal (ParentVUE) account. ParentVUE accounts are easy to set up, are the best way for you to stay connected to what’s going on in the district and in your student’s learning.

KONSTELLA: Parents can keep up with our school community and news during this time of remote learning via Konstella.

Yick Wo school's wonderful student newspaper is published once a year by the Newspaper Club.